Remote control of a web browser

• US 9,497,322 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Troy Barnes
• Original Assignee: Troy Barnes
• Inventors: Barnes, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): Godbold, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villena, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/124,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 705/14.19, 705/14.27, 705/26.1, 705/78, 709/206, 719/320, 725/52, 455/90.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• 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 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A system for remotely and interactively controlling visual and multimedia content displayed on and rendered by a web browser using a telephony device. In particular, the system relates to receiving a voice input (e.g., dual tone multi-frequency DTMF input, spoken input, etc.) from a telephony device (e.g., a landline, a cellular telephone, or other system with telephone functionality, etc.) via a wide-area network to an intermediary computer that is configured to control the rendering of one or more web pages (or other web data) by a standard web browser.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory storing program instructions executable to cause the computer system to;

provide a first visual prompt via a first display unit and a second visual prompt via a second display unit;

receive a first dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) input from a first telephony device over a wide-area network while the first telephony device communicates with a customer service hotline, wherein the first DTMF input is made in response to the first visual prompt, and wherein the first telephony device is distinct from the first display unit;

receive a second DTMF input from a second telephony device over the wide-area network while the second telephony device communicates with the customer service hotline, wherein the second DTMF input is made in response to the second visual prompt, wherein the second telephony device is distinct from the second display unit;

in response to the first DTMF input, control content of one or more web pages displayed on the first display unit, wherein controlling the content includes;

listening to an exchange between a user of the first telephony device and a customer service representative;

selecting content of the one or more web pages based on the exchange; and

selecting an advertisement for display in the one or more web pages based on information about the user of the first telephony device; and

in response to the second DTMF input, control content of one or more web pages displayed on the second display unit.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first telephony device is a wireless device, and wherein the wide-area network includes a mobile telephone network, and wherein the first display unit is remotely located from the second display unit.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first visual prompt advertises one or more products available for purchase, and wherein the first DTMF input requests to purchase at least one of the one or more products.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first DTMF input specifies information requested by the first visual prompt, and wherein the memory stores program instructions executable to cause the computer system to update content of at least one of the one or more web pages displayed on the first display unit in response to the specified information.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable to:

cause the computer system to provide a voice prompt to the first telephony device over the wide-area network; and

receive another DTMF input from the first telephony device over the wide-area network, wherein the other DTMF input is made in response to the voice prompt.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is usable with a telephony-based customer service interactive voice response (IVR) system, wherein at least one of the one or more web pages displayed on the first display unit presents options available via the IVR system, and wherein the web page is updatable in real time based on the first DTMF input.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system and the first display unit are contained within a single housing.

8. A method, comprising:

a computer system providing a first visual prompt via a first display unit and a second visual prompt via a second display unit;

the computer system receiving a first voice input from a first telephony device over a wide-area network while a user of the first telephony device communicates with a customer service representative, wherein the first telephony device is distinct from the first display unit, wherein the first voice input is made in response to the first visual prompt;

the computer system receiving a second voice input from a second telephony device over the wide-area network while a user of the second telephony device communicates with a customer service representative, wherein the second telephony device is distinct from the second display unit;

in response to the first voice input, the computer system controlling content of one or more web pages displayed on the first display unit, wherein the controlling includes;

listening to an exchange between the user of the first telephony device and the customer service representative communicating with the user of the first telephony device;

selecting content of the one or more web pages based on the exchange; and

selecting an advertisement for display in the one or more web pages based on information about the user of the first telephony device; and

in response to the second voice input, the computer system controlling content of one or more web pages displayed on the second display unit.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the computer system listening for the first voice input in a telephone call placed over the wide-area network, and wherein the telephone call is between the first telephony device and another telephony device distinct from the computer system.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the computer system providing audio information to the first telephony device, wherein the audio information indicates content included within at least one of the one or more web pages displayed on the first display unit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first display unit is configured to display information about an entry device coupled to the computer system, and wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system receiving, from the first telephony device, a request to open the entry device;

in response to receiving the request;

the computer system controlling the entry device; and

the computer system indicating whether access has been granted to the entry device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving another voice input specifying an identifier of a user of the first telephony device;

the computer system using the identifier to retrieve information about the user from a database; and

the computer system selecting advertising content to be displayed on at least one of the one or more web pages, wherein said selecting is based on the retrieved information about the user.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the computer system receiving a request from the first telephony device over the wide-area network, wherein the request is for information about a user of another telephony device configured to convey voice input to the computer system over the wide-area network; and

the computer system providing the requested information to the first telephony device from a database associated with the computer system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the wide-area network is a VoIP network.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, that, if executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

providing a first visual prompt via a first display device of the computer system;

providing a second visual prompt via a second display device of the computer system;

receiving a first voice input from a first telephony device via a wide-area network during a communication between the first telephony device and a customer service center, wherein the first voice input is made in response to the first visual prompt;

receiving a second voice input from a second telephony device via the wide-area network during a communication between the second telephony device and the customer service center, wherein the second voice input is made in response to the second visual prompt;

in response to the first voice input, rendering one or more web pages to be displayed on the first display device, wherein the rendering includes;

listening to an exchange between a user of the first telephony device and a customer service representative of the customer service center;

selecting content of the one or more web pages to be displayed on the exchange; and

selecting an advertisement for display in the one or more web pages based on information about the user of the first telephony device; and

in response to the second voice input, rendering one or more web pages to be displayed on the second display device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

changing from displaying a first web page on the first display device to displaying a second web page on the first display device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving another voice input specifying an identifier of the first display device; and

using the identifier to select the first display device from among a plurality of display devices coupled to the computer system, wherein each display device is associated with a unique identifier.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

displaying a webpage on the first display device, wherein the displayed webpage advertises one or more products available for purchase; and

receiving another voice input requesting to purchase at least one of the one or more products; and

initiating a transaction to purchase the product.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said initiating includes providing transaction information to a financial institution that includes information about a buyer and the product.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving another voice input specifying information about a user of the telephony device; and

retrieving additional information about the user from a database accessible by the computer system; and

rendering one or more web pages based on the retrieved additional information.