Method and apparatus for telephonically accessing and navigating the internet

• US 7,231,020 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kwan, Richard J., Rhie, Kyung H., Hahn, John S., Olsen, Lee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante; Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US10/060,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379 8801- 8804, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.24, 707/501, 704/270, 704/271, 704/250, 370350-357, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/50 by generating or selecting currents of predetermined frequencies or combinations of frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/52 Telephonic communication in combination with fax communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 : Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 : with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32776 : using an interactive, user-operated device, e.g. a computer terminal, mobile telephone H04N1/32782, H04N1/32784 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 : using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for accessing and browsing the internet through the use of a telephone and the associated DTMF signals is disclosed. The preferred embodiment provides a system that converts the information content of a web page from text to speech (voice signals), signals the hyperlink selections of a web page in an audio manner, and allows selection of the hyperlinks through the use of DTMF signals generated from a telephone keypad. Upon receiving a DTMF signal corresponding to a hyperlink, the corresponding web page is fetched and again delivered to the user via one of the available delivery methods such as voice, fax-on-demand, electronic mail, or regular mail.

Claims

1. A method for telephonically accessing and navigating a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving a request transmitted from a telephone, the request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, and the first data file comprising a selectable element associated with a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;

transmitting a response to the telephone that corresponds to text stored in the first data file;

generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and

signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a request comprises receiving Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the first data file from a first format to a second format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating voice signals includes generating at least one of synthesized voice signals or recorded voice signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling the selectable element includes generating at least one of a tone signal or a numeric voice message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable element includes a hyperlink that corresponds to the unique address of the second data file residing on the computer network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection transmitted from the telephone, wherein the selection comprises data signals that correspond to the selectable element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving a selection comprises receiving Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request transmitted from the telephone to deliver the first data file via at least one of voice signals, facsimile, electronic mail message, or postal mail message.

11. A method for telephonically accessing and navigating a computer network, the method comprising:

transmitting a request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, wherein the first data file comprises a selectable element that corresponds to a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;

receiving a response that corresponds to text stored in the first data file;

generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and

signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said transmitting a request includes transmitting Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating voice signals includes generating at least one of synthesized voice signals or recorded voice signals.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said signaling the selectable element includes generating a predetermined audio signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the selectable element includes a hyperlink that corresponds to the unique address of the second data file residing on the computer network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting a hyperlink by transmitting data signals that correspond to the hyperlink.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said transmitting data signals that correspond to the hyperlink includes transmitting Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting a request to receive the first data file via at least one of voice signals, facsimile, electronic mail message, or postal mail message.

20. A method for accessing and navigating a computer network using a voice communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a request transmitted from the voice communication device, the request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, and the first data file comprising a selectable element that corresponds to a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;

transmitting a response to the voice communication device, wherein the response corresponds to text stored in the first data file;

generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and

signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.