Telescreen operating method

• US 8,077,158 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jonathan Shneidman
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Shneidman
• Inventors: Shneidman, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US12/187,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 370/401, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communications system for distributing information to and from local and regional distribution centers as well as individual dial-up servers. The communications system contains an interactive, configurable interface. The first aspect of the invention employs a method and device for communicating information between computers, where a first computer unit, comprising a touch sensitive screen for displaying images, a processing unit and a communications port, connects to a telephone line. The second computer unit pushes data and images to be displayed on the first computer unit'"'"'s touch sensitive screen with identifying codes associated with a definition of active areas. When an active area is selected, the first computer unit returns the code associated with the active area. In this way pushed data and interactive communications between the points are achieved. The first computer is a specially designed device that facilitates the multifaceted communication between the two computers and presents a highly functional interface using a number of input and output devices.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing between a user and an information system including a plurality of networked computers comprising:

providing a first computer having an audio interface and an input device adapted to allow a user to input a telephone number or activate an icon associated with a telephone number to link to an information source;

the first computer querying a database to determine if the information source is associated with a network identification;

if the information source is associated with the network identification, then the first computer establishes a network connection with a second computer that is controlled by the information source;

the first computer establishing audio communication with the information source;

the first computer displaying information including at least one active area received from the second computer; and

the first computer communicating to the second computer an identification code associated with the at least one active area when the at least one active area is selected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first computer is selected from the group consisting of a remote handheld computer, a tablet computer, a TV with computer functionality and a mounted display with computer functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer has an input device, and wherein the input device is a cordless phone, handset, voice recognition module, or touchscreen, networked with the first computer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the first computer establishing a voice telephone connection with the information source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the information source establishing a voice telephone connection with the first computer after the first computer establishes the network connection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the second computer displaying information including at least one active area received from the first computer, wherein the second computer is enabled to communicate to the first computer identifying code associated with the at least one active area received from the first computer when the at least one active area from the first computer is selected.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the second computer pushing information to the first computer via the network connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the pushed information includes video information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pushed video information includes at least one of interactive video information, smart video streaming information and full screen broadcast quality video information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone and network connections are established via at least one of wired, wireless, twisted-pair, broadband cable, fiber-optic, cellular, or satellite communication channels.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is at least one of the group consisting of a database pre-stored in the first computer, a dynamically updated database, and a cross-directory.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon is activated by an audible command.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a remote handset, the handset adapted to remotely control the first computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the handset has a display, and further comprising displaying information including at least one active area received from the second computer on the display.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the information is displayed on a television in communication with the first computer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of the first computer querying the database to determine if the information source is associated with the network identification and the first computer establishing audio communication with the information source are initiated by the information source attempting to establish a network connection with the first computer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is dynamically updated.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information displayed by the first computer is at least one of (1) simultaneously controlled by both the first computer and the information source and (2) customized for the user.

19. A communications system for communicating information to a user from an information source comprising:

an input device allowing a user to input a phone number or an icon associated with an information source, the input device having a network connection adapted to request information from the information source;

one or more databases correlating the phone number, the icon, or a network address associated with the information source with an information source server; and

a processor that determines whether or not the information source has an audio interface and a graphical interface and directs the network connection to communicate with the information source using the determined interfaces.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the input device comprises a first computer and a remote handset, the handset adapted to remotely control the first computer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the graphical user interface is displayed on a television in communication with the first computer.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the remote handset and the first computer both have touchscreens.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the database includes at least one of (1) phone numbers correlated with internet web addresses, (2) icons correlated with internet web addresses and (3) dynamically updated information.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the request for information is the inputting of a telephone number, or the activation of a graphical element appearing on a screen of the input device.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the information source pushes video information to the user.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the video information is at least one of interactive video information, smart video streaming information, and full screen broadcast quality video information.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the databases are stored in a memory of the input device, or are accessed by network connection.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the graphical interface is at least one of (1) simultaneously controlled by both the first computer and the information source and (2) customized for the user.

29. A method of interfacing between a user and an information source, comprising:

providing a database correlating a network address corresponding to an interactive voice interface of the information source with a network address corresponding to an interactive graphical interface of the information source;

substantially simultaneously connecting the user to both the voice interface of the information source and the graphical interface of the information source when either

a) the user enters either the network address corresponding to the voice interface of the information source or the network address corresponding to the graphical interface of the information source;

or

b) the information source enters a network address corresponding to the voice interface or a graphical interface of the user.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the network address is entered by selecting an icon indicating the information source.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the graphical interface is at least one of (1) simultaneously controlled by both the first computer and the information source and (2) customized for the user.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the information source may push interactive video to the user on the graphical interface.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the database is dynamically updated.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the user has an interactive graphical interface, the method further comprising the step of substantially simultaneously connecting the information source to the graphical interface of the user when step a) or b) is performed.