Apparatus and method for automatically refreshing a display of a telephone

• US 8,903,067 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/472,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20070297395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,085 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.06, 379/201.1, 379/207.12, 379/201.04, 455/566, 455/73, 455/456.2, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 709/233, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• 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 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for refreshing a display of a telephone. A telephone apparatus includes a telephone having a display panel and function by which a user can access a plurality of communication services provided over a communication network. The function may represent a given set of conditions associated with a user, such as static and variable conditions. The function is typically associated with one or more commonly used communication services that would be used by a user under a given set of conditions. A method for automatically refreshing a screen on a display panel of a telephone based on a function change includes displaying on a telephone display a first screen based on a function, the display representing a commonly used communication service associated with the function, and selecting a function based on information.

Claims

1. A telephone having a display panel;

a datastore including at least one function, wherein the at least one function comprises information relating to a current location of a telephone and at least one other condition associated with a user of the telephone, wherein the at least one function is associated with at least one communication service;

circuitry operable to connect the telephone to a location server to obtain a current location of the telephone; and

a function selector programmable to refresh a screen on the display panel of the telephone to include at least one communication service associated with the function, based at least in part on a current location of the telephone.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication service is accessible via the telephone over a communication network.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the communication network is selected from a telephone network, an Internet Protocol network, a wide area network, local area network, a Virtual Private Network, a wired network, and a wireless network.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein the communication network is a telephone network selected from a Public Switched Telephone Network, a corporate telephone network and a Voice over IP network.

5. The invention of claim 2 wherein the communication network is selected from a General Packet Radio Service network, a Global System for Mobile Communications network, a WiFi network, a Code Division Multiple Access One network, a CDMA2000 network, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access network, a third-generation network, a CDMA 1×

Evolution-Data Optimized network, a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access network, and an Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution network.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one other condition comprises a static condition.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one other condition comprises a variable condition.

8. The invention of claim 1 said function comprising a function key including information selected from time and location information associated with a communication service used by a user.

9. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a clock.

10. A method for refreshing a screen on a display panel of a telephone, comprising

storing at least one function in a datastore, wherein the at least one function comprises information relating to a current location of a telephone and at least one other condition associated with a user of the telephone, wherein the at least one function is associated with at least one communication service;

displaying on the display panel a first screen containing communication information based on a first function, the first screen including at least one display item, each of at least one display items representing a communication service associated with the first function;

connecting the telephone to a location server to obtain a current location of the telephone;

retrieving information relating to at least the current location of the telephone;

comparing the retrieved information to the location in the datastore; and

refreshing the screen to include a display item representing at least one communication service associated with the function.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising the step of selecting a function from the datastore.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the function includes information relating to time.

13. The method of claim 12, said telephone further comprising a clock and a function selector, the function selector programmed to select a function from the datastore based on time of day.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of selecting a second function from the datastore.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising refreshing the screen wherein a screen containing information based on the second function is displayed.

16. A telephone having a display panel;

a datastore including at least one function, wherein the at least one function comprises information relating to a current location of a telephone in a building and at least one other condition associated with a user of the telephone, wherein the at least one function is associated with at least one communication service;

circuitry operable to connect the telephone to a location server operable to provide a current specific location of the telephone in a building to obtain the current specific location of the telephone in a building; and

a function selector programmable to refresh a screen on the display panel of the telephone to include at least one communication service associated with the function, based at least in part on a current location of the telephone.

17. The telephone according to claim 16 wherein the specific location of the telephone in a building is a floor number, an office number, a conference room number or a cubicle number.

18. The telephone according to claim 16 wherein the specific location of the telephone is identified at least in part by altitude information.

19. A method for refreshing a screen on a display panel of a telephone, comprising

storing at least one function in a datastore, wherein the at least one function comprises information relating to a current location of a telephone in a building and at least one other condition associated with a user of the telephone, wherein the at least one function is associated with at least one communication service;

displaying on the display panel a first screen containing communication information based on a first function, the first screen including at least one display item, each of at least one display items representing a communication service associated with the first function;

connecting the telephone to a location server operable to provide a specific current location of the telephone in a building to obtain the current specific location of the telephone in a building;

retrieving information relating to at least the current location of the telephone in a building;

comparing the retrieved information to the location in the datastore; and

refreshing the screen to include a display item representing at least one communication service associated with the function.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the specific location of the telephone in a building is a floor number, an office number, a conference room number or a cubicle number.

21. The telephone according to claim 19 wherein the specific location of the telephone is identified at least in part by altitude information.