Abstract:
A web programmable telephone and a method for operating a web programmable telephone are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a voice module of a wireless household telephone is controlled by an internal web module that can retrieve and execute data operations from a remote portal or server thus adding data functionality to the conventional functions of a telephone. The programmable web module controls all functionality of the web programmable telephone so that every function of the telephone can be programmed and customized by a user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field 
     This invention relates generally to telecommunications, more specifically, to an apparatus combining a web module and a voice module, allowing the web module to control the voice module to establish voice functionality such as making a call, receiving a call, dropping a call, accessing a contact list and more sophisticated data functionality. 
     2. Related Art 
     Cordless telephones have become a commodity household item. The convenience and flexibility provided by a telephone handset not physically attached to a telephone jack or an electrical outlet fits well with modern life. In addition, the price of cordless telephones has been declining steadily while the quality has been improving. Nevertheless, cordless telephones are primarily designed for voice communication. Their ability to handle data is extremely limited. The most common data application with current cordless telephones is limited to simple memory-stored speed-dial numbers. 
     As consumers grow more technologically savvy, they are continuously seeking more sophisticated integration of voice, data and other features to make life more convenient and productive. The trend is apparent in mobile voice services as well as entertainment devices such as MP3 music players and portable video players. Currently cellular telephones are fully capable of supporting voice communication features such as voice tags as well as data applications such as text, picture, and video messaging and Internet browsing. The differences in capabilities between household telephones and cellular telephones represent an interesting contrast of otherwise similar modern conveniences. Therefore there is a need for a household telephone with data technologies to be in par with other integrated data and voice technologies. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       This invention resides in an apparatus and method to make and operate a web programmable telephone. A programmable module that is linked to a remote server or portal controls all conventional telephone functionality of a voice module. Additionally, sophisticated programmable functionality can be added to a telephone by enabling a web interface capable of retrieving, loading and executing programs from remotely stored web pages. Such added data functionality includes, but is not limited to, interactive multimedia interface, home control and security interface, and more sophisticated telephone operations such as display of detailed caller information. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a voice module portion of a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a web module portion of a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of making a telephone call with a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of receiving a telephone call with a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of dropping a call with a web programmable telephone. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of accessing a contact list page with a web programmable telephone. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a web programmable telephone. The web programmable telephone has two major modules: web module  120  and voice module  150 . Web module  120  controls the functionalities of the voice module  150  through a controlling interface  135 . The functionalities of the voice module  150  include, but are not limited to making a call, receiving a call, and dropping a call. Other functions such as call conferencing, voice mail, and interactive voice response can be implemented similarly by those skilled in the art, upon reviewing the illustrations. 
     In one embodiment, the controlling interface  135  is Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI). 
     In one embodiment, the voice module  150  combines the Media Service Provider (MSP) and the Telephony Service Provider (TSP). 
     In one embodiment, the controlling interface  135  presents the call-controlling interface similar to that of Q.931. 
     In one embodiment, the controlling interface  135  is a CTI or CTI-equivalent interface. The implementation of the controlling interface  135  should be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a voice module comprising a telephony processor  250 , a speaker  255 , a microphone  257  and a signal interface  260 . During a telephone session, audio signals are received from the user by the microphone  257  and transmitted to the signal interface  260 . Simultaneously signals are received by the signal interface  260  and output through speaker  255 . 
     The telephony processor  250  can apply different processing to the audio signals received from the microphone  257  and the signals received from the signal interface  260 , depending on the different types of signal interface  260 . 
     In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  is a digital signal interface DS 0 . The telephony processor  250  performs analog-to-digital conversion on the audio signals from the microphone  257 , and digital-to-analog conversion on the signals from the signal interface  260 . 
     In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  is a wireless interface supporting 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, and DECT frequency. These are typical spectrum for cordless telephones. Other equivalent frequencies can also serve as the signal interface  260 . 
     In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  is a voice over IP interface. The telephony processor  250  converts the analog audio signals to digital format; formats the bits into proper RTP (Real Time Protocol) packets and transmits the packets in an IP network. In the reverse direction, the telephony processor  250  receives the IP packets from the signal interface  260 , extracts the RTP packets, further extracts the digital signals within the RTP packets, applies jitter and packet loss control, converts the digital signals into analog signals, and plays the analog signals onto the speaker. 
     In one embodiment, the telephony processor  250  compresses the digital content before formatting into RTP packets, and decompresses the content from the RTP packets. The telephony processor  250 , the speaker  255 , the microphone  257  and the signal interface  260  are common in the telecommunications industry. Implementation of such should be known to those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a web module. In one embodiment the web module contains a browser  320 , which communicates to a web server using HTTP and other web protocols including but not limited to secure HTTP and FTP. 
     In one embodiment, the browser  320  is a Java run time engine, which communicates to other Java run time engines through Java specific and recommended protocols such as RMI, JINI, and LDAP. 
     In one embodiment, the browser  320  is a .NET environment. The browser  320  connects to the display  325  for presenting the web page content. There are different possible types of displays, including text display, graphical display, monochrome and color. 
     Optionally, display  325  may include a speaker or an audio-out jack for playing audio content. With audio capability, a web programmable telephone can be used to play music files from a central music file server. A web programmable telephone can be programmed to receive and decode music files from a server through network interface  310  and played on the optional speaker or audio-out jack of display  325 . 
     Optionally, a web programmable telephone can be programmed to play music broadcast from a central portal to the signal interface  260  and played on the speaker  255  or an optional audio-out jack capable of be coupled to external speakers or audio system. 
     In one embodiment, a web programmable telephone can be programmed to act as room monitor wherein microphone  257  sends audio signals to telephony processor  250  for appropriate processing which then broadcast the signal through signal interface  260  to a central portal or another web programmable telephone as needed. 
     In one embodiment, a web programmable telephone can be use both network interface  310  and signal interface  260  to act as a multimedia interface to files on a central server. In such an embodiment, single-player and multi-player games could be played where the visual and controller data can be handled by the web-module  120  and the audio content is delivered through voice module  150 . 
     In one embodiment, a web programmable telephone can be programmed to act as a home security interface providing for data code transmission through input subsystem  327  of web module  120  and optional added voice recognition security capabilities through voice module  150 . 
     In one embodiment, a web programmable telephone can be used to browse the Internet. Browser  320  can run an Internet browsing page in which a user can enter a desired domain name or IP address of a website through input subsystem  327  and the browser would then retrieve data from a website through network interface  310 . The data can then be displayed on display  325  or played on either an optional speaker built into display  325  or played on speaker  255  of the voice module of the web programmable telephone. 
     In one embodiment, there is no visual display. Web page content is played to the speaker only. The browser  320  receives user input from the input subsystem  327 . The input subsystem  327  may include a keypad, a keyboard, a touch screen, a touch screen for use with a stylus for input, or a microphone. Furthermore the browser  320  accesses the data store  340  for configurations and other data. 
     The network interface  310  connects the browser  320  to other computing devices in one or more networks. The network interface  310  includes one or more network access methods, including but not limited to wired network such as Ethernet or wireless networks such as CDMA 1×, GPRS, 3GPP, Bluetooth, infra-red, Wi-Fi. The network interface  310  contains the necessary protocol stacks to communicate with other computing devices so that a communication session can be established between the browser  320  and a computing server. 
     In one embodiment, the browser  320  is a Web browser and a computing server is a Web server. The network interface  310  accesses the data store  340  for configuration and other data. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a web module where the browser  320  is a web browser. The browser  320  connects to the web servers through the network interface  310 . Configuration and other data necessary for normal operation of the browser are found in the data store  340 . 
     The typical telephone functions such as making a telephone call, receiving a telephone call and dropping a telephone call are handled by the three web pages dialing page  322   a , receiving page  322   b  and disconnecting page  322   c  respectively. The processing of these pages is illustrated later in this description. 
     When the web programmable telephone is powered on, browser  320  is initialized which then initializes the web module  120 . The browser  320  determines from the configuration stored in data store  340  the location of the web server. 
     In one embodiment, the browser  320  receives the web server information from the network interface  310 . 
     In one embodiment, the user selects one web server when there are many web servers capable of serving the web programmable telephone. 
     After the web programmable telephone is initialized, the browser  320  gets the receiving page  322   b  from the web server. The main function of the receiving page  322   b  is to receive a call. The processing of receiving a call is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Upon successful receipt of an incoming call, the receiving page  322   b  instructs the browser  320  to get the disconnecting page  322   c  from the web server. The main function of the disconnecting page  322   c  is to drop a call. The processing of dropping a call is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . After the telephone call is dropped, the browser  320  gets the receiving page  322   b  from the web server in order to receive the next telephone call. When a user directs the web programmable telephone to make a call, the browser  320  gets the dialing page  322   a  from the web server. The main function of dialing page  322   a  is to make a call. The processing of making a call is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Upon success of making a call, the browser  320  gets the disconnecting page  322   c  from the web server in order to drop a call. 
     Typically the web module  120  will cycle through the processing of the dialing page  322   a , receiving page  322   b  and disconnecting page  322   c  until the web programmable telephone is powered off. 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone allows the user to access a contact list page from the web server. The browser  320  gets the contact list page from the web server. An example of processing a contact list page is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone supports other voice functionalities such as voice mail, teleconferencing, and call forwarding. Additional web pages can be obtained from the web server. The browser  320  will obtain these web pages as instructed by other web pages. These web pages employ the programmability of the HTML, XML, Java, JavaScript and other hypertext and scripting languages supported by the browser  320 , as well as the programmability of the controlling interface  335 . 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  322   b , after accepting the telephone call, instructed the browser  320  to get the disconnecting page  322   c . In the same embodiment, the disconnecting page  322   c  instructs the browser  320  to get the receiving page  322   b  when the telephone call is terminated. While the browser  320  is displaying the receiving page  322   b , the receiving page  322   b  receives the input that the user picks up the telephone, and instructs the browser  320  to get the dialing page  322   a.    
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  322   b  displays a “Call” button. Upon receiving a user input of the selection of the “Call” button, the receiving page  322   b  instructs the browser  320  to get the dialing page  322   a.    
       FIG. 4  illustrates the process of dialing a call. When a user is ready to make a call, the browser  420  gets the dialing page  422 . In one embodiment, the dialing page  422  displays a number pad on the display  425  and waits for the user to enter the calling telephone number. When the user inputs the entire calling telephone number, the dialing page  422  receives it from the input subsystem  427 . The dialing page  422  invokes the controlling interface  435  to play a dial tone. 
     In embodiment, the dialing page  422  plays the dial tone as soon as it is loaded into the browser. Optionally, the dialing page  422  plays the dial tone after it receives partially or completely the input. Then the dialing page  422  invokes the controlling interface  435  to initiate a telephone call to the calling telephone number. Upon receiving the completion indication of the telephone call initiation from the controlling interface  435 , the dialing page  422  asks the browser to get the disconnecting page  622 . 
     Optionally, dialing page  422  will include an option to dial two or more telephone numbers for the purpose of conducting a teleconference call. 
     Optionally, a separate teleconferencing page that can be called from dialing page  422  can handle teleconferencing. The teleconferencing page can be implemented in a number of ways depending on the telephony system to which the web programmable telephone is connected. 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone is connected to two or more distinct telephone lines and the teleconferencing page would place a call to two or more of those lines such that one or more of the people called can participate in the teleconference conversation. 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone is connected to a telephone system that controls the teleconferencing. The teleconferencing page would provide the telephone numbers to the telephone system such that one or more of the people called could participate in the telephone conversation. 
     Optionally, the teleconferencing page can designate which of the telephone numbers called for a teleconference will have full or limited participation in the teleconference call. In the case that the number called is designated as a full participant in the teleconference, then the person called on that number would be able to hear and respond to every other person in the teleconference. In the case that the number called is designated as a limited participant in the teleconference, then the person called on that number would only be able to hear or respond to a limited number of teleconference participants. 
     Optionally, the dialing page  422  will include an option to dial into the either a service provider voice mail system or connect to a telephone answering machine. 
     In one embodiment, the dialing page  422  contains an option for the user to choose a telephone number from a contact list. When the user selects the option, the dialing page  422  asks the browser to load the contact list page  722 . The processing of the contact list page  722  is described later in  FIG. 7 . 
     In one embodiment, the browser loads the dialing page  422  with a default calling telephone number. The user confirms the calling telephone number. The dialing page  422  proceeds to make the telephone call as described above. This embodiment is used, for example, after the user selects the calling telephone number from the contact list page  722 . 
     Optionally, the dialing page  422  automatically makes the telephone call with the default calling telephone number, without asking the user for confirmation. 
     Optionally, the dialing page  422  invokes the controlling interface  435  to play the dial tone before prompting the user for the calling telephone number or confirmation. 
     Optionally, the dialing page  422  does not play the dial tone. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the process of receiving a call. The receiving page  522  listens to events from the controlling interface  535 . In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  registers with the controlling interface  535  on incoming call indication event. Upon receiving an incoming call indication from the signal interface  260 , the voice module  550  informs, through the controlling interface  535 , the receiving page  522  of an incoming call event. 
     In one embodiment, the incoming call indication includes information about the caller. The incoming call information includes, for example, the caller identity. Upon receipt of the incoming call indication from the controlling interface  535 , the receiving page  522  retrieves any given incoming call information indicated by the controlling interface  535 . 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  invokes the controlling interface  535  to play a ring tone. 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  uses the incoming call information such as the caller identity or the calling telephone number to determine a ring tone to play. 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page displays an incoming call indication to the display  525 . The display can be a flashing LED light. The display can also be an icon or a digital image on the display  525 . 
     In one embodiment, the display includes the caller information such as caller identity. 
     The receiving page  522  waits for the user to pick up the web programmable telephone to answer the incoming call. 
     In one embodiment, when a user picks up the web programmable telephone the receiving page  522  immediately turns off the display of an incoming call indication. It then invokes the controlling interface  535  to accept the telephone call. 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  only displays an incoming call LED. When a user picks up the web programmable telephone, the receiving page  522  displays the incoming call information. 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  posts a query using the incoming call information to a web server. The web server may have a telephone directory containing names, addresses and other personal and business information about the caller. The web server responds to the query with the found additional information. The receiving page  522  displays the information to the display  525 . 
     In one embodiment, the receiving page  522  asks the browser to load a different receiving page that contains the additional caller information. Upon reviewing the additional caller information, the user confirms to accept the telephone call. The receiving page  522  then invokes the controlling interface  535  to receive the telephone call. 
     While the receiving page  522  is waiting for an incoming call, if the user picks up the web programmable telephone, the receiving page  522  asks the browser to load the dialing page  422 . In another embodiment, the user presses the on-button to indicate to the receiving page  522  to ask the browser to load the dialing page  422 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the process of dropping a call. While a user is conducting a telephone call, the web programmable telephone is running the disconnecting page  622 . The disconnecting page  622  continuously waits for the user to drop the call. When the user desires to drop the call, the user selects the “Off” button in the input subsystem. 
     In one embodiment, the user touches an “Off” button on input subsystem  627 . When the disconnecting page  622  receives the input from the input subsystem  627 , it invokes the controlling interface  635  to disconnect the telephone call. 
     There are a number of embodiments to handle the possible scenario in which the other party drops a call first. 
     In one embodiment the disconnecting page  622  does not detect the situation. The user eventually realizes the other party is no longer on the telephone call. The user presses the off-button to drop the call. The disconnecting page  622  proceeds the processing as described previously. 
     In one embodiment, the voice module  650  monitors the call and detects a long silence period. The voice module  650  determines the other party has either dropped the call or has no interests in continuing the call. The voice module  650  indicates to the disconnecting page  622  of the dropped call event. The disconnecting page  622  displays the indication of the dropped call event to the user and prompts the user to then proceed to drop the call as described above. 
     In one embodiment, telephone being called is connected to a telephone system that will generate a disconnect signal, such as a dial tone. The voice module  650  detects the disconnect signal or indication through the signal interface  260  and further indicates to the disconnecting page  622  through the controlling interface  635  that the call has been disconnected. The disconnecting page  622  indicates to the user of the call drop and prompts the user to drop the call as described above. 
     In one embodiment, the disconnecting page  622  invokes the controlling interface  635  to ask the voice module to disconnect the call. The disconnecting page  622  then informs the user that the call is dropped. After the call is disconnected, the disconnecting page  622  asks the browser to load the receiving page  522  to wait for an incoming call. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the process of accessing a telephone list. It is often convenient for the user to use his contact book to find a telephone number before dialing it. 
     In one embodiment, there is an option on the dialing page  422  for the user to access a telephone list. When the user selects the telephone list option the browser  720  will load the contact list page  722  from a web server through the network interface  710 . The user navigates the contact list page  722  and selects a number to dial. The contact list page  722  asks the browser  720  to load the dialing page  422  with the calling telephone number. The dialing page  422  then prompts the user to confirm the number and makes the call as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In one embodiment, the dialing page  422 , without prompting user confirmation, automatically makes the call as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In one embodiment, the contact list page  722  allows the user to make modification to the contact list page entries by accepting user input from the input subsystem. The modification is posted by the browser  720  to a web server specified in the contact list page  722 . Such implementation should be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
     In the above illustrations, the web programmable telephone is used to make regular telephone calls. In one embodiment, a web programmable telephone is used only for receiving calls. Receiving page  522  does not perform any action to make a call when the user picks up the telephone. 
     Optionally, receiving page  522  displays no options for the user to make a call. In such an embodiment, it is possible to combine the receiving page  522  and the disconnecting page  622  into a single page. 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone is used only for making calls. The receiving page  522  always rejects incoming calls indicated by the controlling interface  535 . 
     In one embodiment, the web programmable telephone supports multiple lines and can handle two telephone calls simultaneously. The browser  320  runs multiple pages simultaneously. A user can make a telephone call using the dialing page  422 , while on another call using the disconnecting page  622 . 
     In one embodiment, there are multiple executing instances of the browser  320  handling the multiple pages. 
     In one embodiment, the browser  320  handles the multiple pages by having multiple processing threads. In such an embodiment, the user is on a call conducting the telephone conversation while browser  320  is displaying the disconnecting page  322   c  in one processing thread, another processing thread of the browser  320  is processing the receiving page  322   b . When incoming call event occurs, receiving page  322   b  instructs the browser  320  to alert the user of an incoming call. An option to instruct browser  320  to switch to the receiving page  322   b  is displayed. Receiving page  322   b  would then display an option to accept or to decline the call. 
     In one embodiment, the user can access the contact list page  722  while she is conducting a telephone conversation. 
     In a different embodiment, the browser  320  handles a plurality of processing threads, allowing the user to handle a plurality of simultaneous activities. 
     Foregoing described embodiments of the invention are provided as illustrations and descriptions. They are not intended to limit the invention to precise form described. In particular, it is contemplated that functional implementation of invention described herein may be implemented equivalently in hardware, software, firmware, and/or other available functional components or building blocks, and that networks may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. Other variations and embodiments are possible in light of above teachings, and it is thus intended that the scope of invention not be limited by this Detailed Description, but rather by Claims following.