Method and apparatus for telephone data network access

• US 6,243,445 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Begeja, Lee, Berkley, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/185,049
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.25, 379/90.01, 379/100.11, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.12, 379/88.15, 379/93.26, 379/93.15, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/420, 704/270, 709/200, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893

Abstract

This invention provides a telephone-data network access system that permits voice communication device users to access a data network such as the Internet. A telephone-data network access device receives commands from callers and executes the commands on the data network such as send e-mail, search the data network, log on to pages supported by other parties on the data network, etc. A caller profile saves preferences of a caller for interacting with the data network. The telephone-data network access device may supply primitive commands for the caller to use individually or to construct complex command macros so that by a single command, more complex functions may be performed using the data network. By the above described techniques, callers who do not have access to devices such as a personal computer may access the data network and take advantage of the rich resources available through the data network.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a data network through a voice communication device coupled to a telephone network, comprising:

receiving a telephone call of a caller from the voice communication device through the telephone network;

accessing the data network based on commands received from the call;

determining, based on a data return parameter in a user profile, the data return parameter including at least a parameter that indicates whether to deliver the results immediately or at a later time when the results become available;

collecting portions of the results in a memory if results are to be delivered at a later time; and

delivering the results to the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the commands from the voice communication device;

translating the commands into a function that is to be performed; and

performing the function.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the commands include at least one of voice commands or keypad commands entered via a keypad of the voice communication terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if a command is a voice command, the translating step includes converting the voice command into a text command and performing a function of the text command.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the function comprises at least one of:

setting up a log-on ID on the data network;

logging on to the data network;

accessing pages reachable through the data network;

sending e-mail through the data network;

retrieving e-mail received through the data network;

searching the data network;

chatting on the data network; and

sending messages to a forum on the data network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing primitive commands to a caller through the voice communication device;

receiving from the caller a label for a new command;

receiving from the caller at least one selection from ones of the primitive commands;

generating the new command based on the caller selection; and

identifying the new command with the label.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the primitive commands include at least one of skip, repeat, faster, slower, search, find, sort, send, receive, print, save, go to, bookmark, go mark, fax, and dictate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a set of contexts to the caller through the voice communication device;

receiving from the caller a command and a selected context from the set of contexts;

providing a set of meanings to be associated with the command;

receiving from the caller a selected meaning from the set of meanings; and

associating the selected meaning with the command for the selected context.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting the caller when all portions of the results are collected, the caller being alerted by at least one of initiating a telephone call, sending a message to a pager, sending a facsimile to a designated facsimile number, and leaving a voice mail in a voice mailbox.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering step comprises at least one of outputting the results to the caller through the voice communication device, sending a facsimile containing the results to a designated facsimile number, and mailing a copy of the results.

11. A telephone-data network access device, comprising:

a data network interface;

a memory; and

a controller coupled to the data network and the memory, the controller receiving a telephone call of a caller from a voice communication device through the telephone network, accessing the data network based on commands received from the call, wherein the controller determines, based on a data return parameter in a user profile, the data return parameter including at least a parameter that indicates whether to deliver the results immediately or at a later time, collects portions of the results in a memory if the results are to be delivered at a later time, and delivers the results to the caller.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller receives the commands from the voice communication device, translates the commands into a function that is to be performed, and performs the function.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the commands include at least one of voice commands or keypad commands entered via a keypad of the voice communication terminal.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein if a command is a voice command, the controller converts the voice command into a text command and performing a function of the text command.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the function comprises at least one of:

setting up a log-on ID on the data network;

logging on to the data network;

accessing pages reachable through the data network;

sending e-mail through the data network;

retrieving e-mail received through the data network;

searching the data network;

chatting on the data network; and

sending messages to a forum on the data network.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller provides primitive commands to a caller through the voice communication device, receives from the caller a label for a new command, receives from the caller at least one selection from ones of the primitive commands, and generates the new command based on the caller selection, the label identifying the new command.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the primitive commands include at least one of skip, repeat, faster, slower, search, find, sort, send, receive, print, save, go to, bookmark, go mark, fax, and dictate.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the controller provides a set of contexts to the caller through the voice communication device, receives from the caller a command and a selected context from the set of contexts, provides a set of meanings to be associated with the command, receives from the caller a selected meaning from the set of meanings, and associates the selected meaning with the command for the selected context.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller alerts the caller when all portions of the results are collected, the caller being alerted by at least one of initiating a telephone call, sending a message to a pager, sending a facsimile to a designated facsimile number, and leaving a voice mail in a voice mailbox.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller at least one of outputs the results to the caller through the voice communication device, sends a facsimile containing the results to a designated facsimile number, and mails a copy of the results.