Apparatus and method for a voice portal

• US 7,668,156 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US11/019,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20060133348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 379/88.17, 709200-209, 709217-219, 709/224, 704/205, 704/257, 455/466, 455/574, 455/411, 455/558
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• 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

Abstract

A voice portal and a method for operating a voice portal are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, voice a voice portal is connected to multiple telephones of various protocols by both a voice signal interface and a data signal interface. The voice portal is also connected to one or more telephony networks. The voice portal is capable of receiving requests for functions from the telephones; retrieving the requested functions from memory and sending the functions back to the telephone for execution. The functions supplied by the voice portal are programmable and customizable and control all functions of the telephones.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a voice portal comprising:

a voice module for handling transmissions of voice signals between the voice portal and one or more telephones or between the voice portal and one or more telephony networks; and

a web module for handling data requests for a page or pages for controlling behavior of the one or more telephones, wherein the page or pages comprises a receiving a call page comprising instructions for the one or more telephones to receive a telephone call initiated from the one or more telephony networks through the voice module.

2. The voice portal of claim 1 wherein said voice module comprises:

a voice processor for processing voice packets or voice signals from a signal interface or from a service interface;

the signal interface for receiving voice packets or voice signals form the one or more telephones and outputting the processed voice packets or voice signals from the service interface to the one or more telephones; and

the service interface for receiving voice packets or voice signals from the one or more telephony networks and outputting the processed voice packets or voice signals from the signal interface to the one or more telephony networks.

3. The voice portal of claim 2 wherein said signal interface can connect to a cordless telephone and sends and receives signals though an antenna.

4. The voice portal of claim 2 wherein said signal interface can connect to an IP telephone and is capable of handling voice over IP packets.

5. The voice portal of claim 2 wherein said signal interface can connect to the one or more telephones with a physical wire connection and said service interface can connect to a telephony system of the one or more telephony networks.

6. The voice portal of claim 2 wherein said service interface can connect to a Class 5 telephony switch of a public switch telephone network (PSTN).

7. The voice portal of claim 2 wherein said service interface can connect to a soil switch of a voice over IP telephone network, wherein said voice processor can process input voice packets and signals from the signal interface and the service interface and can output voice packets and signals back to the signal interface and the service interface.

8. The voice portal of claim 1, wherein said web module comprises:

a network interface for communicating with one or more data networks or with the one or more telephones;

a web server for servicing data requests from browsers running on the one or more telephones; and

a data store, wherein when the browsers request a page or pages, the we server determines and retrieves the page or pages from the data store.

9. The voice portal of claim 8 wherein said data network is a Wi-Fi network.

10. The voice portal of claim 8 wherein said data network is an Ethernet network.

11. The voice portal of claim 8 wherein said data network is IP compliant network.

16. The voice portal of claim 1 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

17. The voice portal of claim 2 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

18. The voice portal of claim 3 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

19. The voice portal of claim 4 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

20. The voice portal of claim 5 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

21. The voice portal of claim 6 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

22. The voice portal of claim 7 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

23. The voice portal of claim 8 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

24. The voice portal of claim 9 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

25. The voice portal of claim 10 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

26. The voice portal of claim 11 further comprising a broadband gateway, a decoder or player for playing digital multimedia content, means for delivering live images from network cameras to telephones served by the voice portal, means for connecting to cellular or wireless phones wherein the said cellular or wireless telephones have access to one or more service available to other telephones served by the voice portal, or means for playing or recording live broadcast, previously record, or stored home entertainment multimedia content.

27. The voice portal of claim 1 wherein the requested page or pages further comprises a making a call page comprising instructions for the one or more telephones to make a telephone call to the one or more telephony networks through the voice module.

28. The voice portal of claim 1 wherein the requested page or pages further comprises a drop a call page comprising instructions for the one or more telephones to disconnect a telephone call between the one or more telephones and the one or more telephony networks.

29. The voice portal of claim 27 wherein the requested page or pages further comprises a contact list page comprising instructions for the one or more telephones to access a contact list stored on a data store.

30. The voice portal of claim 29 wherein the one or more telephones can further edit the contact list stored on the data store, wherein the one or more telephones accesses the data store via a network interface.

12. A method for executing one or more functions on a telephone with a voice portal comprising the steps of:

providing for a telephone;

providing for a voice portal comprising;

a web module for handling data requests from the telephone, wherein the data requests comprise at least one telephone control request; and

a voice module for handling transmissions of voice signals between the voice portal and the telephone and between the voice portal and a telephone network, and

providing for a data store,

wherein said telephone sends the at least one telephone control request to said web module for a page or pages for controlling behavior of the telephone and said web module retrieves the requested page or pages from said data store and send requested pages back to said telephone for execution, wherein the requested page or pages comprises a receiving a call page comprising instructions for the telephone to receive a telephone call initiated from the voice telephone network through the voice module.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the requested page or pages further comprise a making a call page comprising instructions for the telephone to make a telephone call to the voice telephone network through the voice module.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the requested page or pages further comprise a drop a call page comprising instructions for the telephone to disconnect a telephone call between the telephone and the voice telephone network.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the requested page or pages further comprise a contact list page comprising instructions for the telephone to access a contact list stored on said data store.

31. The method of claim 15, wherein the telephone can further edit the contact list stored on the data store, wherein the telephone accesses the data store via a network interface.