Telephone system enabling operation of a telephone set by way of a portable terminal

• US 7,272,415 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/384,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/415, 455/556.2, 455/435.1, 455/557, 455/555, 455/426.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/424, 455/425, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/554.2, 455/554.1, 455/419, 455/420, 455/418, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/145, 375/136, 375/149, 375/219, 379/88.17, 379/67.17, 379/201, 379/89, 379/96, 379/200, 379/352, 379/718, 379/399, 379/354, 379/355, 379/110, 379/368, 379/433, 379/388, 379/201.04, 379/201.05, 345/156, 345/418, 345/520, 345/522, 715/801, 715/802, 715/781
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• 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

Abstract

In a telephone system which includes a main device and a telephone set connected to the main device and which further includes a portable terminal having a display unit, the portable terminal further has an interface portion for interfacing the display unit with the main device to present, as an operation screen, an image of the telephone set on a web page displayed on the display unit and to enable to use a function of the telephone set on the portable terminal by an operation on the operation screen displayed on the display unit. Preferably, the interface portion has an IP (Internet Protocol) communication network for use in connecting the portable terminal to the main device. The portable terminal is, typically, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

Claims

1. A telephone system including a main device and a telephone set connected to said main device, said telephone system comprising a portable terminal including a display unit, said portable terminal comprising interface means for interfacing said display unit with said main device to present, as an operation screen, an image of said telephone set on a web page displayed on said display unit and to enable to use a function of said telephone set on said portable terminal by an operation on the operation screen displayed on said display unit,

wherein said portable terminal includes a first voice authentication means and said main device includes a second voice authentication means, in which a user of said portable terminal is authenticated to access said telephone set by said telephone system first attempting to authenticate speech output by said user and received by said portable terminal using voice data stored in a first memory of said portable terminal for said first voice authentication means to determine whether or not there is a match, and if there is not a match, the user of said portable terminal is next attempted to be authenticated by said telephone system by using voice data stored in a second memory of said main device and said speech output by said user, as forwarded to said main device by said portable terminal, for said second voice authentication means to determine whether or not there is a match, and if both of said first and second voice authentication means do not determine that there is a match, the user is not allowed to use said portable terminal to access said telephone set.

2. A telephone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

3. A telephone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant),

wherein each of said portable terminal and said main device comprising a VoIP (Voice over IP) portion for carrying out speech communication with each other by the use of an IP communication network, and wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said VoIP portion and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

4. A telephone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant),

said telephone system further comprising at least one of a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and a mobile telephone, said at least one of the PHS and the mobile telephone having a speech communication function with said main device, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

5. A telephone system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable terminal is one of a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and a mobile telephone, said one of the PHS and the mobile telephone having a speech communication function with said main device, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

6. A portable terminal for use in a telephone system which includes a main device and a telephone set connected to said main device and which comprises said portable terminal including a display unit, said portable terminal comprising interface means for interfacing said display unit with said main device to present, as an operation screen, an image of said telephone set on a web page displayed on said display unit and to enable to use a function of said telephone set on said portable terminal by an operation on the operation screen displayed on said display unit,

wherein said portable terminal includes a first voice authentication means, in which a user of said portable terminal is authenticated to access said telephone set by said telephone system first attempting to authenticate speech output by said user and received by said portable terminal using voice data stored in a first memory of said portable terminal for said first voice authentication means to determine whether or not there is a match, and if there is not a match, the user of said portable terminal is next attempted to be authenticated by said telephone system by using said main device and said speech output by said user, as forwarded to said main device by said portable terminal, and if both of said first and second voice authentication means do not determine that there is a match, the user is not allowed to use said portable terminal to access said telephone set.

7. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

8. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant);

said portable terminal comprising a VoIP (Voice over IP) portion for carrying out speech communication with said main device by the use of an IP communication network, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said VoIP portion and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

9. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said portable terminal is one of a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and a mobile telephone, said one of the PHS and the mobile telephone having a speech communication function with said main device, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

10. A telephone system including a main device and a telephone set connected to said main device, said telephone system comprising a portable terminal including a display unit, said portable terminal comprising interface means for interfacing said display unit with said main device to present, as an operation screen, an image of said telephone set on a web page displayed on said display unit and to enable to use a function of said telephone set on said portable terminal by an operation on the operation screen displayed on said display unit,

wherein said user of said portable terminal is allowed to operate a first type of telephone by inputting a first URL to said main device that provides a virtual display of the first type of telephone on said display unit of said portable terminal, and wherein said user of said portable terminal is allowed to operate a second type of telephone by inputting a second URL to said main device that provides a virtual display of the second type of telephone of said display unit of said portable terminal.

11. A telephone system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said user is only allowed to operate the first type of telephone after a first authentication of said user is performed, and wherein the user is only allowed to operate the second type of telephone after a second authentication of said user is performed.

12. A portable terminal for use in a telephone system which includes a main device and a telephone set connected to said main device and which comprises said portable terminal including a display unit, said portable terminal comprising interface means for interfacing said display unit with said main device to present, as an operation screen, an image of said telephone set on a web page displayed on said display unit and to enable to use a function of said telephone set on said portable terminal by an operation on the operation screen displayed on said display unit,

wherein said user of said portable terminal is allowed to operate a first type of telephone by inputting a first URL to said main device that provides a virtual display of the first type of telephone on said display unit of said portable terminal, and wherein said user of said portable terminal is allowed to operate a second type of telephone by inputting a second URL to said main device that provides a virtual display of the second type of telephone of said display unit of said portable terminal.

13. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user is only allowed to operate the first type of telephone after a first authentication of said user is performed, and wherein the user is only allowed to operate the second type of telephone after a second authentication of said user is performed.

14. A method of authenticating a user in a telephone system that includes a main device, a telephone set connected to said main device, and a portable terminal including a display unit, an image of said telephone set on a web page displayed on said display unit and to enable to use a function of said telephone set on said portable terminal the method comprising:

receiving speech output by said user and received by said portable terminal;

attempting to authenticate said user by comparing the speech output by said user with voice data stored in a first memory of said portable terminal, to determine whether or not the speech output by said user matches the voice data stored in the first memory;

if the authenticating step indicates a match, then allowing said user to access said telephone set;

if the authenticating step does not indicate a match, then forwarding the speech output by said user to said main device and attempting to authenticate said user by comparing the speech output by said user with voice data stored in a second memory of said main device;

if the second authenticating step indicates a match, then allowing said user to access said telephone set; and

if both the first and second authenticating steps do not indicate a match, then not allowing said user to access said telephone set.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant),

wherein each of said portable terminal and said main device comprising a VoIP (Voice over IP) portion for carrying out speech communication with each other by the use of an IP communication network, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said VoIP portion and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said portable terminal is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant),

said telephone system further comprising at least one of a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and a mobile telephone, said at least one of the PHS and the mobile telephone having a speech communication function with said main device, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.

18. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said portable terminal is one of a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and a mobile telephone, said one of the PHS and the mobile telephone having a speech communication function with said main device, and

wherein said portable terminal is configured to allow the user to simultaneously carry out speech communication using said speech communication function and to carry out data communication using the web page displayed on said display unit.