Remote web page reader

• US 6,718,015 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/213,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.11, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88-2-, 379/93.01, 379/93.26, 379/100.01, 379/100.13, 704/270, 704/275, 370/352-356, 715/501, 455/412, 455/413, 455/420, 455/563, 709/310, 709/311, 709/201, 709/203
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A method for enabling a user having access to a telephone device to browse the Internet without a Web browser. The method begins by establishing a connection between the user'"'"'s telephone device and a computer. The computer includes a Web browser and a text-to-speech processor. Using the telephone device, the user enters information identifying a given URL. The input information is then supplied to the Web browser, which fetches the desired page. The text portions of the Web page are then converted to speech and output to the user over the telephone device. Alternatively, the user may elect to transmit the page to a given fax destination, to e-mail the page to a given e-mail destination address, or to e-mail the URL itself. Using the telephone as an input device, the user may selectively navigate the Web page or explore links in the page.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user having access to a telephone device to browse the Internet without a Web browser, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the user'"'"'s telephone device and a computer;

using the telephone device to enter information identifying a given URL;

retrieving to the computer a Web page associated with the given URL;

receiving a user account identifying an output method; and

delivering the Web page to the user using the output method,

wherein the identified output method is selected from the group consisting of converting given text of the Web page to speech for the user, transmitting the Web page to a given destination telephone number, e-mailing the Web page to a given e-mail destination address, e-mailing the URL to a given e-mail destination address.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the information is entered using a keypad of the telephone device.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the information is entered using a spoken input.

4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the given text of the Web page includes at least one link.

5. The method as described in claim 4 further including the step of having the user navigate the link to retrieve another page.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the connection is selected from a group consisting essentially of a landline, a wireline, a satellite line, and a personal communications line.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further including the step of validating the user prior to retrieving the Web page.

8. A method for enabling a user having access to a telephone device to browse the Internet without a Web browser, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the user'"'"'s telephone device and a computer;

using the telephone device to enter information identifying a given URL;

retrieving to the computer a Web page associated with the given URL;

receiving a user account identifying a reading method;

converting given text of the Web page to speech; and

outputting the speech to the user based on the reading methods,

wherein the identified reading method is selected from the group consisting of headlines only and headlines with associated stories.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein the information is entered using a keypad of the telephone device.

10. The method as described in claim 8 wherein the information is entered using a spoken input.

11. The method as described in claim 8 further including the step of identifying a link in the Web page.

12. The method as described in claim 11 further including the steps of:

retrieving a second Web page associated with the link;

converting given text of the second Web page to speech; and

outputting the speech to the user based on the reading method.

13. A computer accessible through a telephone network for providing a remote Web page delivery service, comprising:

a Web browser;

a text-to-speech processor; and

a control program (a) for receiving from a telephone device information identifying a URL, (b) for controlling the Web browser to retrieve a Web page;

(c) for receiving a user account identifying a reading method;

(d) for controlling the text-to-speech processor to convert given text in the Web page to speech; and

(e) for outputting the speech to the user based on the reading method,

wherein the identified reading method is selected from the group consisting of headlines only and headlines with associated stories.

14. The computer as described in claim 13 further including a speech recognizer for recognizing spoken inputs received from the telephone device.

15. The computer as described in claim 13 wherein the control program responds to additional navigation commands received from the telephone device.

16. The computer as described in claim 13 further including means for validating a user to the remote Web page delivery service.

17. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a computer having a Web browser and a text-to-speech processor, comprising:

means responsive to receipt of information input from a telephone device identifying a URL for controlling the Web browser to initiate retrieval of a Web page;

means responsive to receipt of the Web page for controlling the text-to-speech processor to convert given text in the Web page to speech; and

means responsive to conversion of the given text in the Web page to speech for outputting the speech to the telephone device based on a reading method identified in a user account,

wherein the identified reading method is selected from the group consisting of headlines only and headlines with associated stories.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further including means for validating a user.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further including means for receiving navigation commands from the telephone device to control output of the speech.

20. A computer accessible through a telephone network for providing a remote Web page delivery service, comprising:

a Web browser; and

a control program (a) for receiving from a telephone device information identifying a URL, (b) for controlling the Web browser to retrieve a Web page;

(c) for receiving a user account identifying an output method; and

(d) for delivering the Web page to the user using the output method,

wherein the identified output method is selected from the group consisting of converting given text of the Web page to speech for the user, transmitting the Web page to a given destination telephone number, e-mailing the Web page to a given e-mail destination address, and e-mailing the URL to a given e-mail destination address.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a computer having a Web browser, comprising:

means responsive to receipt of information input from a telephone device identifying a URL for controlling the Web browser to initiate retrieval of a Web page;

means responsive to retrieval of the Web page for receiving a user account identifying an output method; and

means for delivering the Web page to the user using the output method,

wherein the identified output method is selected from the group consisting of converting given text of the Web Rage to speech for the user, transmitting the Web page to a given destination telephone number, e-mailing the Web page to a given e-mail destination address, and e-mailing the URL to a given e-mail destination address.