Abstract:
A system and method for providing a uniform interface on heterogeneous access devices, that are capable of requesting specified classes of information from a server. Access devices, such as those that access Internet content, are often of different hardware and software configurations. Each access device displays a similar interface, for example, an interface similar to the touchpad of a telephone. The interfaces are configured so that similar keys included in the interfaces of different access devices request a similar specified classes of information. Then, when similar keys on different access devices are selected by a user, the selection causes the access devices to request a similar specified class of information. Thus, users of access devices with differing configurations become accustomed to similar keys requesting similar specified classes of information. This makes the interface easier to learn and less confusing for users.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. The Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to accessing information from the Internet. In particular, the present invention relates to accessing specified classes of information using an input device and an associated user interface that uses a numeric touchpad metaphor. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   The popularity of the Internet has profoundly improved the way people communicate by allowing users quick and easy access to information. By accessing the World Wide Web and electronic mail through computers and other devices, people now stay in touch with each other around the globe, and can access information on a virtually limitless variety of subjects. 
   Current methods for accessing information on the World Wide Web typically use a software program called a web browser that runs on a personal computer. Current commercial embodiments of web browser software include products such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. During normal operation of web browsing software, a personal computer user uses a keyboard and mouse to retrieve data from the World Wide Web by manually entering a uniform resource identifier (URI) or by following links from one Web page to another. Other commercial embodiments of methods for World Wide Web access use computer software programmed into special purpose devices used specifically for accessing the World Wide Web, but which lack the general processing power of a personal computer. There are also commercial embodiments of methods for accessing World Wide Web data using display devices associated with wireless devices such as cell phones and pagers. 
   When considering the methods singly, most methods allow computer users to use the components of a system they are familiar with, such as a personal computer or cell phone, to access World Wide Web information. To achieve simple and flexible access to World Wide Web information, software vendors have created Internet browsers for a variety of computer operating systems such as Windows 98, Macintosh and Unix. In addition, many vendors have developed specialized software to run on World Wide Web access devices and wireless devices. 
   However, due to the multiplicity of software and devices, users are often forced to use multiple devices to access World Wide Web data at different times. For instance, an a user might want to access the World Wide Web in a car and at home but can not transport his home computer in the car. As a result, the user uses a wireless device, having an interface different from his home computer, when traveling in the vehicle. Not only does the physical arrangement of the home computer and wireless device differ but the access software they run differs as well. Thus, the user is forced to learn two different hardware configurations and two different configurations of access software. 
   While using a variety of different methods to access World Wide Web information is often satisfactory, the time required to become efficient using different methods is sometimes burdensome to the user. First, accessing the World Wide Web using different devices and access software burdens users by requiring them to learn more then one method to access the World Wide Web. This includes requiring the user to learn the individual characteristics of each method before the user can retrieve World Wide Web information. Second, once a user learns multiple methods, identical keys or icons used by different systems can have different meanings, which confuse the user. Third, the user may want access to World Wide Web data in a uniform format when using various access devices. However, methods using different devices may not be capable of doing this, which also confuses the user. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a uniform user interface for providing access to various types of Internet content. The interface is capable of being used on access devices, which have differing hardware and software configurations. The interface uses a numeric touchpad with each button associated to specific classes of information or directional arrows to assist in the navigation of the Internet. 
   When an attempt to access World Wide Web information is made, the access device that initiated the attempt may take the form of one of many heterogeneous hardware and software configurations. Because the user interface is uniform across different configurations, selection of a key from the user interface is followed by the execution of a series of acts at the access device and/or at a server to ensure that the selected key accesses a specific class of information, regardless of the hardware or software configuration employed. 
   When a user selects a key from among the keys on the uniform interface, the selection is translated into a request for a specific class of information from the World Wide Web. The server receives the translated request, retrieves the specific class of information, and transmits the specific class of information to the access device. 
   One example of the configurations for the uniform interface is that of the touchpad on a touchtone telephone. This interface can also be used on a computer system where a representation of a similar touchpad is displayed on the computer system&#39;s video display. In operation, selecting the same key on the telephone touchpad or the representation of the touchpad displayed on the video display results in a request for the same class of information. 
   Software configures the keys by associating each key to specific classes of information. When the uniform interface is a touchtone telephone keypad, the software configures the input signals associated with the individual keys to request a specific class of information when one or more keys are depressed. Similarly, when the uniform interface is generated on a the computer system video display, the software correlates the keys on the displayed representation of the touchpad with specific classes of information. When the graphically displayed key is selected, by clicking it with the mouse or by depressing the associated key on the keyboard, the request for the specific class of information is generated. 
   The software can be configured so that similar or identical keys on the touchpad on the touchtone telephone and the graphically representation of the touchpad on the computer system video display request the same class of information. Thus, depressing the number “3” on the touchtone telephone touchpad and selecting “3” from the graphical representation of the touchpad on the computer system video display result in requests for the same class of information. 
   A significant benefit of the current invention is that a user can easily associate the classes of information with keys on a touchpad in any variety hardware or software configurations. Similar keys in different configurations request the same class of information. Thus the user is only required to learn one access method, which can be used on multiple platforms. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system that provides a suitable network operating environment for the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary system that provides a suitable network operating environment for the present invention where multiple access devices are included. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method whereby different access devices use touchpads to request specified classes of information. 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary representation of assigning the keys of a touchpad to specified classes of information. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to methods and systems for providing access devices of differing hardware and software configurations with a uniform interface, which is used to request specified classes of information from a server. The embodiments of the present invention may comprise a special purpose or general purpose computer including various computer hardware, as discussed in greater detail below. 
   Embodiments within the scope of the present invention also include computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media can be any available media, which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such a connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. 
   The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. Although not required, the invention will be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by computers in network environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represent examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or by a combination of hardwired or wireless links) through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
   I. Telephone Interface 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a representative environment in which the method of the invention can be practiced. The environment includes access device  110 , server  130 , network system  150 , and Internet servers  132 . Although only one access device, server, and network system are illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the general principles disclosed herein can be readily adapted to an environment including more then one access device, server or network system. Server  130  is associated with network system  150  over communication link  137 . Access device  110  is associated with voice browser  119  over communication link  117 , which can be a standard telephone line, a communication link provided by a cellular service provider, etc. Voice browser  119  is in turn associated with server system  130  over communication link  127 . Internet servers  132  are associated with network system  150  over communications link  138 . Network system  150  can be Ethernet, token ring, Arcnet, or any other network, including the Internet, by which access device  110  and server  130  can communicate with Internet servers  132 . Although the methods of accessing information according to the invention can be practiced with substantially any network system  150 , the invention will be described herein below in the context of the Internet and the World Wide Web. It should be understood that the general principles described herein can be adapted for use with other network systems  150 . 
   Access device  110  includes touchpad  116 . Touchpad  116 , by way of example, and not limitation, is a touchpad on a touchtone telephone or may be configured similarly thereto. Keys on a touchtone telephone touchpad, such as touchpad  116 , may generate Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals. In a touchtone telephone that uses DTMF signals, each row and column of a touchpad is assigned a frequency, such that when a key is pressed the frequencies of the row and column associated with the key are used to generate a distinguishable signal for the key. Methods for generating DTMF signals are well known in the art. Access device  110  also includes audio speaker  118  by which the user of access device  110  receives information from the Internet or any other network represented by network system  150 . 
   Voice browser  119  operates at a computer that is capable of engaging in communication with access device  110  by means of a telephone link and that is further capable of communicating with server  130  and Internet servers  132 . Voice browser  119  includes voice recognition module  120 , DTMF conversion module  125 , and text to speech module  121 . Voice recognition module  120  is capable of converting verbal commands into URI&#39;s or Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) code, while DTMF conversion module  125  is capable of converting audio tones (i.e., DTMF signals), which may be generated by pressing keys on touchpad  116 , into URI&#39;s or HTML code. HTML code is an example of electronic content that is common to the Internet. However, the invention imposes no particular requirement on the type of audio signals received or the format of the code into which they are converted. Software that can be adapted for use as voice recognition module  120  and DTMF conversion module  125  is well known in the art. 
   Text to speech module  121  converts the text it receives to speech that can be communicated to the user of access device  110 . In the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , text to speech module  121  converts HTML code into speech that can be transmitted to access device  110  and output on audio speaker  118 . Software that can be adapted for use as text to speech module  121  is well known in the art. 
   A more detailed description of voice browser  119  and the associated techniques for enabling users to access the Internet and other networks using a telephone and voice browser is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/464,989 entitled “VOICE INTERFACE FOR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS,” filed, Dec. 16, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. The voice browser of the foregoing patent application can be used with the uniform interface of the invention to enable users to gain access to a wide variety of Internet information by telephone. 
   Server  130  is associated with specific classes of information  131 . Information categorized under such classes can be stored on devices including, but not limited to, server  130 , remote storage devices, other devices associated with network system  150  or any other device capable of storing data. Server  130  also includes access module  111 , which associates HTML code and URIs, received from access devices (e.g. access device  110 ), with specified classes of information  131 . 
   Access device  110 , in combination with the network architecture illustrated in  FIG. 1 , enables a user to access selected Internet information by depressing the keys that have been correlated with specified classes of information and by listening to the Internet information that is converted from text to speech by text to speech module  121 . The method of accessing information begins as a user of access device  110  establishes telephone communication with voice browser  119 . The user of access device  110  can then specify a class of information that is desired by depressing one of the alpha-numeric keys  134  (e.g., keys 0-9,“*”, and “#”). The user understands that each of the keys correlates to a specified class of information based, for example, on a template that can be overlaid on the keypad, prompts that are read to the user by voice browser  119 , or familiarity with the interface from previous usage. 
   In one example of the use of the standardized or uniform interface embodied in the alphanumeric keys  134 , the user may know or be informed that key “8” is associated with financial information from the Internet. If the user desires to access financial information, the user depresses the “8” key of access device, resulting in a DTMF signal being generated and transmitted to DTMF conversion module  125  of voice browser  119 . DTMF conversion module  125  then converts the DTMF signal (i.e., the “8” signal) to HTML code or to a URI that is to be used by access module  111  of server  130  to access financial information from the Internet. 
   Input module  112  receives HTML code or the URI representing the “8” selection. Correlation module  113  correlates the HTML code or URI into one or more requests for specified classes of information. Correlation module  113  accesses correlation data structure  114  to identify, from among the classes of information  131 , the particular class of information to which the “8” selection is correlated. Correlation data structure  114  includes data that associates the HTML code or URI for the “8” selection to the corresponding class of information. Based on the foregoing interaction between the various functional components of access module  111 , correlation module  113  identifies a URI or another type of address associated with an HTML document that is correlated with the “8” selection made by the user of access device  110 . Output module  115  then causes server  130  to service the request for the specified class of information by accessing the HTML document that has been requested. 
   The act of correlating a DTMF signal or the information generated based on the DTMF signal (e.g., HTML code, URI) with a specified class of information can be performed in any of a variety of ways other than that which is depicted in  FIG. 1 . For instance, voice browser  119 , rather than access module  111 , may include a correlation module  113  that is adapted for identifying the HTML document that is to be transmitted to voice browser  119  in response to the selection by the user of a particular key of access device  110 . As used in this document, the term “user selection information” extends to a DTMF signal generated by an access device in response to the user selecting a key of the interface of access device  110 , any HTML code or URI generated based on the DTMF signal, and the HTML code or URI generated in response to a user selecting a key on a graphically displayed version of the interface, as will be described in greater detail below. 
   The HTML document that is addressed by the URI identified by correlation module  113  may be located in a data storage device associated with server  130 , or may be located on a remote Internet server  132 . In either case, the appropriate HTML document is retrieved and transmitted to voice browser  119 . 
   Server  130  transmits the specified class of information in the form of the HTML document. The transmitted HTML document travels over communication link  127  and is received by text to speech  121 . Text to speech  121  parses the HTML code into text and links and converts the HTML code into audio signals, which include the content of the specified class of information. Access device  110  receives the audio signals and audio speaker  118  outputs the specified class of information. 
   II. Graphical Browser Interface 
     FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the invention including two access devices, access device  210  and access device  260 . In this embodiment access device  210  is configured similarly to access device  110  in  FIG. 1 . Access device  210  includes touchpad  216 . Touchpad  216 , by way of example, and not limitation, is configured similarly to the touchpad on a touchtone telephone or may be configured similarly thereto. Additionally, voice browser  219  is configured similarly to voice browser  119  in  FIG. 1 . 
   Access device  260 , is embedded in a computer system, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , or in another electronics device, such as an Internet appliance or a personal digital assistant, having a graphical display device. Access device  260  includes video display  268 , on which icon group  266  can be displayed, which is arranged similarly to touchpad  216 . 
   Server  230  is configured similarly to server  130  in  FIG. 1 . Server  230  is associated with specified classes of information  231 . Server  230  also includes access module  211 . Access module  211  associates HTML source, received from access devices, with specified classes of information  231 . Likewise, network system  250  may be any of the network types discussed in reference to network system  150 . 
   In the embodiment in  FIG. 2 , access device  210  accesses information in a manner similar to access device  110  in  FIG. 1 . Voice Browser  219  converts an audio signal, such as a DTMF signal, into HTML code. The HTML code is transmitted over communications link  227  and received by server  230 . Correlation module  213  correlates the HTML code to cause server  230  to send a specified class of information, also in the form of HTML code, to voice browser  219 . Voice browser  219  then converts the HTML source to speech for output on audio speaker  218 . 
   On access device  260 , selection of icons from icon group  266  causes access device  260  to request a specific class of information. However, differing from access device  210 , the request can be output directly in the form of HTML code or URIs. The HTML code or URIs are transmitted over communication link  267  and are received by server  230 . Communications link  267  may be a standard telephone line, a connection to a LAN or WAN, a direct connection to network  250 , or a virtual circuit or channel carried across network  250 . 
   If access device  260  generates URIs associated with the requested class of information, server  230  merely services the request using the URI or transmits the request to network system  250 , such that the request can be serviced by an appropriate Internet server  232 . If access device instead generates a HTML code representing the particular key  2611  that has been selected by the user, server  230  and access module  211  process the HTML code to identify and obtain the corresponding class of information in a manner similar to that described above in reference to HTML code being received by access module  211  in response to input made using access device  210 . 
   In particular, in the case in which access module  211  receives HTML code from access device  260  representing a particular key  264  that has been selected, input module  212  receives the HTML code. Correlation module  213  then correlates the HTML code into a request for a specified class of information. Correlation module  213  accesses correlation data structure  214  to identify the particular class of information that is correlated with the HTML code. Correlation data structure  214  includes data that associates HTML code to the specified classes of information. Output module  215  then causes server  230  to service the request for the specified class of information. 
   Server  230  then transmits information categorized under the specified class code class in the form of HTML code, over communication link  267 . Access device  210  receives the HTML code, and information encoded therein is displayed in a visual format on video display  268 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates access device  260  and server  230  as distinct devices. However, this is not required; the invention may be practiced with access module  211  and its associated components included as part of access device  260 . It may also be the case that the functional components of access module  211  interoperate with each other across one or more other devices included on network system  250  in addition to access device  260  and server  230 . Moreover, the operations for correlating the key or icon selections with specified classes of information  231  can be performed in access device  260 , a server  230 , other networked devices or a combination of the foregoing. 
   A noteworthy feature of the embodiment of  FIG. 2  is the ability of correlation module  213  to consistently correlate of similar HTML code and, accordingly, into the same specified similar key or icon selections, class of information. In this example, selecting the “3” icon from icon group  266  included in access device  260  results in a request for the same specified class of information as selecting “3” on touchpad  216  included on access device  210 . While only two access devices are included in  FIG. 2 , any number of access devices can be operably configured to request the same specified class of information upon selection of a corresponding key or icon. 
     FIG. 2  further illustrates that access devices need not be similar. Access device  210  and access device  260  process different formats of input and output. Access device  210  processes audio requests while access device  260  processes the selection of icons on a video display. This is only one example of possible differences; there are a wide variety of differences between the types of access devices that can be used with the invention. The practice of the invention is not limited to any particular combination of differences 
   The operation of the elements of  FIG. 2  will now be described with respect to  FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart illustrating how two access devices, of differing configurations, access similar specified classes of information from a server. The method of  FIG. 3  is illustrated to show how a user can perceive the appearance and response of the user interface of various access devices as being uniform. In act  301 , both access device  210  and access device  260  present numeric touchpads with keys of generally similar configuration. In this example, access device  210  displays the keys as part of a touchtone telephone and access device  260  displays the keys as icons on video display  268 . 
   In act  302 , the keys of both the numeric touchpads are associated with specified classes of information. As seen in  FIG. 2 , associating the keys to specific classes of information can be done in different ways. The keys of access device  210  are associated with specific classes of information with the aid of voice browser  219  and/of access module  211 . In contrast, the keys of access device  260  can be associated with specific classes of information using software operating on access device  260 . As illustrated, associating the keys to specific classes of information can be performed on an access device or on other devices or modules in communication with an access device. 
   In act  303 , similar keys from the numeric touchpad of access device  210  and access device  260  are selected. On access device  210 , selections are performed by depressing a key on touchpad  216 . On access device  260 , selections are performed by selecting an icon from icon group  266 . Ways to select an icon include, but are not limited to, using a mouse or other pointing device associated with access device  260  or depressing a key on a keyboard associated with access device  260 . 
   In act  304 , the selection of similar keys results in access device  210  and access device  260  requesting similar classes of specified information. The request of access device  260  is transmitted in the form of HTML code or a URI. The request of access device  210  request is transmitted as audio tones, (e.g., DTMF tones) which can be converted to HTML code by voice browser  219 . 
   In steps  305 , and  306  access device  210  and access device  260  receive the specified classes of information that have been requested. Access device  210  outputs the information as audio signals that have been converted form HTML code by voice browser  219 . Access device  260  directly receives the HTML code and graphically displays the encoded information using a web browser. 
   III. Example of Classes of Information 
     FIG. 4  is an illustrative example of how particular icons and specified classes of information may be associated with the keys of an interface included in an access device. In this example, the arrangement of the interface is generally similar to that of a touchpad on a touchtone telephone. However, this arrangement is not required for practice of the invention, and the arrangement of the interface may have any of a number of other configurations. Additionally, the particular icons and content associated with the keys are not critical. A key may be associated with any specified class of information otherwise accessible by the access device. Any icon, including a variety of icons not included in  FIG. 4 , may be used to visually represent any specified class of information. 
   The interface in the example of  FIG. 4  includes keys 0-9, *, and #. Each of the keys 1-9 is associated with a different specified class of information. Key  1  accesses unified messaging, including email, voice mail, fax, etc. Key 2 accesses a news center that can include links to specific Internet news sites. Key 3 accesses a calendar and personal scheduler. Key 4 accesses local information, such as weather, movie listings, etc. Key 5 accesses a content directory that has personalized address lists. This content directory can also include white pages, yellow pages, or other reference Internet sites. Key 6 is a general gateway to the Internet enabling the user to access any web page. Key 7 accesses an e-commerce site where a user may purchase a wide variety of goods and services online. Key 8 accesses a finance portal, which can have links to personalized financial information or financial Internet sites. Finally, key 9 accesses a desktop site, which can include personalized favorites or other such resources, 
   The remaining three keys, namely *, 0, and # are directional arrows that correspond to buttons used by some graphical browsers. In this embodiment, the * key is a back button, the # key is a forward button, and the 0 key accesses help screens. However, setting keys *, 0, and # to directional arrows is not required, nor is setting the function they perform required. These keys may be set to access specified classes of information as keys 1-9 do, or set to perform other Internet functions including, but not limited to, stopping a currently incoming specified class of information, refreshing output of a specified class of information, returning to a home page, or any other Internet function that some graphical browsers may perform. 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes, which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims, are to be embraced within their scope.