Method, apparatus and computer program product for accessing a facility directory
First Claim
1. A method for accessing information about local services offered by a facility, the method comprising the steps of:
- loading a facility-mode program and a profile for the facility in a memory associated with a user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the profile includes a description of the local services, the services having respective telephones connected via a local area network of the facility, so that a call originating on the local area network to such a telephone may be completed on the local area network without accessing a wide area network; and
executing the program on the user'"'"'s portable device, so that the portable device is enabled to operate in a normal mode and a facility mode, wherein in the facility mode the user'"'"'s portable device displays the services from the profile, so that the user can select among the services, and the user'"'"'s portable device places a telephone call to a selected one of the service telephones solely over the local area network via a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal, and in the normal mode the user'"'"'s portable device places calls to telephones on the wide area network, wherein the service telephones are connected via the local area network to the wide area telephone network, the wide area network including a wireless carrier network, and normal and local sub-modes of operation are enabled in the facility mode, wherein in the normal sub-mode of operation the user'"'"'s portable device places the call to the selected service telephone via the wide area network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Accessing information about a facility includes loading a program and profile for facility services in a memory associated with a user'"'"'s wireless portable device. The services have telephones connected via a local area network (“LAN”), so that a call originating on the LAN to such a telephone may be completed on the LAN without accessing a wide area telephone network (“WAN”). The program is executed on the user'"'"'s portable device so that the device operates in a facility mode. In this mode the device displays the services from the profile, so that the user can select among them and easily place telephone calls to them solely over the LAN. In one alternative, normal and local sub-modes of operation are enabled. In the normal sub-mode the portable device places calls for the selected service via the WAN and in the local sub-mode the calls are solely over the LAN.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for accessing information about local services offered by a facility, the method comprising the steps of:
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loading a facility-mode program and a profile for the facility in a memory associated with a user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the profile includes a description of the local services, the services having respective telephones connected via a local area network of the facility, so that a call originating on the local area network to such a telephone may be completed on the local area network without accessing a wide area network; and executing the program on the user'"'"'s portable device, so that the portable device is enabled to operate in a normal mode and a facility mode, wherein in the facility mode the user'"'"'s portable device displays the services from the profile, so that the user can select among the services, and the user'"'"'s portable device places a telephone call to a selected one of the service telephones solely over the local area network via a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal, and in the normal mode the user'"'"'s portable device places calls to telephones on the wide area network, wherein the service telephones are connected via the local area network to the wide area telephone network, the wide area network including a wireless carrier network, and normal and local sub-modes of operation are enabled in the facility mode, wherein in the normal sub-mode of operation the user'"'"'s portable device places the call to the selected service telephone via the wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer program product, stored on a tangible, computer-readable medium, for accessing information about local services offered by a facility, said computer program product having instructions for execution by a computer, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method, the computer program product comprising:
- a profile for the facility for loading in a memory associated with a user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the profile includes a description of the-local services, the services having respective telephones connected via a local area network of the facility, so that a call originating on the local area network to such a telephone may be completed on the local area network without accessing a wide area network; and
instructions for enabling the user'"'"'s portable device to operate in a normal mode and a facility mode, wherein in the facility mode the user'"'"'s portable device displays the services from the profile, so that the user can select among the services, and the user'"'"'s portable device places a telephone call to a selected one of the service telephones solely over the local area network via a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal, and in the normal mode the user'"'"'s portable device places calls to telephones on the wide area network, wherein the service telephones are connected via the local area network to the wide area telephone network, the wide area network including a wireless carrier network, and normal and local sub-modes of operation are enabled in the facility mode, wherein in the normal sub-mode of operation the user'"'"'s portable device places the call to the selected service telephone via the wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
- a profile for the facility for loading in a memory associated with a user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the profile includes a description of the-local services, the services having respective telephones connected via a local area network of the facility, so that a call originating on the local area network to such a telephone may be completed on the local area network without accessing a wide area network; and
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11. A system for providing access to information about local services offered by a facility, the system comprising:
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a computer system having a stored profile for the facility for sending to a user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the profile includes a description of the local services; a local area network for the facility connected to respective telephones for the services, wherein the computer system has a client-based facility-mode program for sending to the user'"'"'s portable device to enable the user'"'"'s portable device to operate in a facility mode, wherein in the facility mode the user'"'"'s portable device displays the services from the profile, so that the user can select among the services, and the user'"'"'s portable device sends the local area network a telephone call, via a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal, for a selected one of the service telephones for routing solely over the local area network, and in the normal mode the user'"'"'s portable device places calls to telephones on a wide area network, wherein the service telephones are connected via the local area network to the wide area telephone network, the wide area network including a wireless carrier network, and normal and local sub-modes of operation are enabled in the facility mode, wherein in the normal sub-mode of operation the user'"'"'s portable device places the call to the selected service telephone via the wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification