Telephone memory aid

• US 20020136378A1
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gutta, Srinivas, Eshelman, Larry J., Strubbe, Hugo J., Milanski, John, Hoekema, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,681,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57

Abstract

The present invention is a telephone memory aid that is focused on how to capture information during a telephone call and allow entry of information by the user or other party into a database that may be used in future calls. In future calls, the telephone memory aid would allow the user to call or be called by a desired second party and see all of the stored personal information related to the second party. This might include name, date of last call, topics that were discussed in the last telephone call, names of family members, vacation plans, hobbies, and similar such information. The purpose is to improve the conversation flow and communications between the parties of the telephone call.

The apparatus to accomplish the invention is as follows. The telephone memory aid has a first telephone unit of a primary party, which communicates with a second telephone unit of a secondary party and a database for storing personal information about the secondary party. The telephone memory aid also has a microprocessor communicating with the database for retrieving the personal information of the secondary party. The primary party has a means for reviewing the personal information of the secondary party obtained from the database. An information entry system allows the primary and secondary party to enter information about the secondary party into the database. This secondary party information is available to the primary party on the means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party. The information entry system may also enter information into the database through speech recognition algorithms in the microprocessor and through question and answer sessions with the primary and secondary parties.

Claims

1. A telephone memory aid comprising,

a first telephone unit of a primary party connected to a phone exchange,

a second telephone unit of a secondary party which communicates with said first telephone unit, said second telephone unit also connected to said phone exchange,

a database for storing personal information about said secondary party,

a microprocessor communicating with said database for retrieving said personal information of said secondary party in response to a communication of said first and second telephone unit,

a means for reviewing said personal information of said secondary party by said primary party, said means for reviewing cooperating with said microprocessor to receive said personal information of said secondary party.

An information entry means for allowing the primary party to enter information about the secondary party via a keyboard, such information communicated to said microprocessor to be stored in said database, said secondary party information to be available to the primary party on said means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for reviewing said personal information is a display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for reviewing may present said personal information as audio.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which information entry system includes a speech recognition system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which information entry system includes a microprocessor controlled question and answer session with said primary party.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 in which information entry system includes a microprocessor controlled question and answer session with said secondary party to allow said secondary party to enter information into said information entry system.

11. The telephone memory aid of claim 1 in which said second party information is transferred from said first phone unit to said third phone unit.

7. A telephone memory aid comprising,

a first telephone unit of a primary party connected to a phone exchange,

a second telephone unit of a secondary party which communicates with said first telephone unit, said second telephone unit also connected to said phone exchange,

a database for storing personal information about said secondary party,

a microprocessor communicating with said database for retrieving said personal information of said secondary party in response to a communication of said first and second telephone unit,

a means for reviewing said personal information of said secondary party by said primary party, said means for reviewing cooperating with said microprocessor to receive said personal information of said secondary party.

An information entry system including a microphone in which said microprocessor includes a speech recognition algorithm system, said primary party entering personal information about said secondary party through said microphone to said speech recognition algorithm in said microprocessor to be stored in said database, said secondary party information to be available to the primary party on said means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party.

8. A telephone memory aid comprising,

a first telephone unit of a primary party connected to a phone exchange,

a second telephone unit of a secondary party which communicates with said first telephone unit, said second telephone unit also connected to said phone exchange,

a database for storing personal information about said secondary party,

a microprocessor communicating with said database for retrieving said personal information of said secondary party in response to a communication of said first and second telephone unit,

a means for reviewing said personal information of said secondary party by said primary party, said means for reviewing cooperating with said microprocessor to receive said personal information of said secondary party.

An information entry system in which said microprocessor monitors the conversation of said primary and secondary parties and uses said speech recognition algorithm to obtain information to be stored in said database, said secondary party information to be available to the primary party on said means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party.

9. The telephone memory aid of claim 8 in which said information entry system performs a question and answer algorithm for response by said primary party to enter personal information about said secondary party into said database, said secondary party information to be available to the primary party on said means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party.

10. The telephone memory aid of claim 8 in which said information entry system performs a question and answer algorithm for response by said secondary party to enter personal information about said secondary party into said database, said secondary party information to be available to the primary party on said means for reviewing during future phone calls with the secondary party.