Abstract:
A voice portal and a method for operating a voice portal are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, voice a voice portal is connected to multiple telephones of various protocols by both a voice signal interface and a data signal interface. The voice portal is also connected to one or more telephony networks. The voice portal is capable of receiving requests for functions from the telephones; retrieving the requested functions from memory and sending the functions back to the telephone for execution. The functions supplied by the voice portal are programmable and customizable and control all functions of the telephones.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   This invention relates generally to telecommunications, more specifically, to an apparatus combining a web module and a voice module, wherein the web module controls one or more telephones and the voice module bridges between the telephones and telephony services. 
   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 to upgrade the household telephone with data technologies to be in par with other data voice integrated technologies. These upgraded telephones are to be served for their telephony usage as well as their data functionality. Therefore there is a need to provide a platform combining voice functionality and data functionality to serve the upgraded telephones. 
   SUMMARY 
   This invention resides in an apparatus and method to use and operate a voice portal. A voice portal is a remote device that enables customizable functionality of telephones connected to it. The portal is connected to telephones with separate voice and data interfaces. The voice interface of the voice portal handles the transmission of voice signals coming to and from the telephones through one or more telephony networks. The data interface handles receiving requests from the phones, retrieving the requested data from memory and transmitting the data back to the telephones. Additionally, the voice portal can be capable of connecting to telephones and devices of various protocols simultaneously, thus providing a solution to centrally control and operate wired telephones, cordless telephones, cellular telephones and data services. Since the voice portal is capable of dispersing customizable functionality, it is possible to use the voice portal as an interface for controlling multimedia, entertainment, facility control and other functions. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a voice portal. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a voice module. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a web module. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating receiving a call over a voice portal. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating making a call over a voice portal. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating dropping a call over a voice portal. 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating accessing a contact list over a voice portal. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Voice Portal 
     FIG. 1  shows a voice portal comprising a web module  120  and a voice module  150 . A voice portal typically connects to one or more telephones and to a telephony network. 
   In one embodiment, a voice portal can be connected for use with an internal telephone system only and the voice portal cannot connect to any telephony network. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal is used for residential purposes. The voice portal is connected to a public telephony network. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal is connected to a private telephony network such as a PBX system or other corporate telephony network. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal is connected to a plurality of telephony networks. 
   The voice module  150  can be connected to one or more telephones and can be connected to one or more telephony networks. The web module  120  communicates to the telephones and serves the requests from the telephones. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal is connected to a plurality of telephones that are capable of voice and data processing. These telephones request web pages from the voice portal through the web module  120 , and conduct the telephone calls through the voice portal by connecting to the voice module  150 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates voice module  150 . In the figure, the voice module contains a voice processor  250 , a signal interface  260 , and a service interface  265 . The signal interface  260  typically connects to one or more telephones. 
   In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  connects to a cordless telephone. The signal interface  260  can transmit and receives signals through an antenna. 
   In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  connects to an IP telephone. The signal interface  260  contains a packet-based network interface, and is capable of handling voice over IP packets. 
   In one embodiment, the signal interface  260  is connected to a telephone with a physical wire connection. The service interface  265  connects to a telephony system of a telephony network. 
   In one embodiment, the service interface  265  connects to a Class 5 telephony switch of the public switch telephone network (PSTN). 
   In one embodiment, the service interface  265  connects to a soft-switch of a voice over IP telephony network. The voice processor  250  processes input voice packets and signals from the signal interface  260  and the service interface  265  and outputs the voice packets and signals back to the signal interface  260  and the service interface  265 . 
   In one embodiment, the voice module does not have a service interface  265  or the service interface  265  is not connected to any telephony network. The voice processor  250  processes input voice signals from the signal interface  260  and output the voice signals to the signal interface  260 . 
   In one embodiment, the service interface  265  is connected to a plurality of telephony networks. The voice processor  250  processes inputs voice signals from the service interface  265  and outputs the signals to the same service interfaces  265 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a web module  120 . The network interface  310  allows the web module  120  to communicate with the telephones served by the voice portal. The web server  320  serves requests from the browsers running on the telephones. When a browser of a telephone requests information, the web server  320  determines and retrieves the corresponding information from the data store  340 . The interaction between the web server  320  and the browser on the telephone allows the voice portal to control the behavior of the telephone; in particular the procedures of making a telephone call, receiving a telephone call, and dropping a telephone call. These procedures will be illustrated later in this description. 
   Receiving a Call 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a method to receive a call. When a telephone is ready to receive a call, it requests a receiving a call page from the voice portal. 
   In one embodiment, the telephone is powered on as it is plugged into an electric outlet, and is ready to receive a telephone call. 
   In one embodiment, the telephone just drops a previous telephone call and is now ready to receive the next telephone call. Web server  420  retrieves the receiving page data  422  from the data store  440 , composes a receiving a call page, and provides the page to the telephone. When an incoming call is detected, a telephone call indication is received from the service interface  462 . The telephone call indication may be received from the signal interface  464  if the call is an internal call from another telephone. The voice processor  450  translates the telephone call indication and transmits it over to the signal interface  464 . The telephone  470  receives the telephone call indication and alerts the user. As the user accepts and answers the telephone call, a signal is transmitted from the telephone to the signal interface  464  indicating acceptance of the telephone call. The voice processor  450  translates the signal and transmits it to the service interface  462  or the signal interface  464 . Once the telephone call is established, the phone is can be capable of loading and executing another function web page from the voice portal such as disconnecting the telephone call. 
   Making a Call 
     FIG. 5  illustrates a method to make a call. To place a telephone call telephone  570  requests a making a call page from the voice portal. The web server  520  retrieves the making a call page data  522  from the data store  540 , composes a making a call page, and provides the page to the telephone  570 . Based on the guidance of the making a call page, the user dials the calling number. The calling number is transmitted from the telephone  570  over the signal interface  564 . When voice processor  550  receives the calling number signals, it translates the signals into appropriate signals for the service interface  562 . When the telephone system at the other end of the service interface  562  receives the calling number signals, the telephone system transmits certain signals back to the service interface  562 . For example, the telephone system transmits a dial tone before receiving the first calling number signals; then transmits silence during the receipt of the calling number signals; and transmits either a busy tone or a ring tone after receiving and processing the calling number signals. Throughout the telephone call, the voice processor  550  processes signals back and forth from the signal interface  564  to the service interface  562  and from the service interface  562  to the signal interface  564 , as described in  FIG. 2 . 
   In one embodiment, the user wants to call another user internally using another telephone attached to the signal interface  564 . The method is similar to that above description. After successfully making a call, the telephone is capable of requesting a different web page from the voice portal, such as a disconnecting page. 
   Disconnecting a Call 
     FIG. 6  illustrates a method to drop a call. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , telephone  670  can receive or make telephone call. Once a telephone call is initiated, telephone  670  is capable of retrieving other function web pages, such as a disconnecting page, from web server  620  through the voice portal. 
   In one embodiment, the telephone  670  requests a disconnecting page to drop a telephone call. The web server  620  retrieves the disconnecting page data  622  from the data store  640 , composes a disconnecting page, and provides the page to the telephone  670 . When the telephone call is finished, the disconnecting page provides instructions to drop the telephone call. The telephone  670  signals through the signal interface  664  to the voice module  650  of the termination of the telephone call. The voice module  650  translates the signal to the service interface  662 . The call is now dropped. 
   In one embodiment, the telephone does not request any information from the web module  620  and the call is dropped when telephone  670  is hung up. Telephone  670  signals through the signal interface  664  to the voice module  650  of the termination of the telephone call. 
   In one embodiment, when the users on the other end of the telephone call drops the telephone call, the voice module  650  continues translating the signal from the service interface  662  to the signal interface  664 . The user eventually drops the telephone call. 
   In one embodiment, the telephone call is an internal telephone call between two telephones attached to the signal interface  664 . The method is similar to the above description. After the call is terminated, telephone  670  may request a Making a call page to allow the user to make another telephone call, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; or the telephone  670  may request a Receive a call page to listen for incoming calls, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   Accessing a Contact List 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a method to access a contact list. Telephone  770  is capable of requesting access to a contact list page from the web server  720 . 
   In one embodiment, the telephone  770  has a telephone list button when pressed triggers the telephone  770  to request a contact list page. 
   In one embodiment the telephone  770  displays an interface viewing a page that includes an option to retrieve a telephone contact list. The option can be selected to trigger the telephone  770  to request the contact list page. The web server  720  retrieves the contact list data  722  from the data store  740 , composes a contact list page, and provides the contact list page to the telephone  770 . 
   In one embodiment, the telephone list can be modified. A new entry can be added or an existing entry can be modified from telephone  770 , via a web browser run on a computer or at the voice portal. When the editing is done using telephone  770 , telephone  770  is capable of saving the changes. Telephone  770  posts the modifications to the web server  720 . The web server  720  receives the modifications and integrates them into the telephone contact list data  722  in the data store  740 . 
   Other Voice and Data Services 
   The above illustrations demonstrate how a voice portal serves the telephones in making a call, dropping a call, receiving a call and accessing a telephone contact list. Similar methods serve other kinds of voice and data services. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal contains a number of ring tones in the data store. Telephone  770  is capable of retrieving a ring tone page that lists a number of ring tones available on the voice portal. The web server  720  retrieves the ring tone data from the data store  740 , composes a ring tone list page and provides the page to the telephone  770 . When a ring tone is selected telephone  770  can retrieve the ring tone from the voice portal and use the ring tone as the call indication. Telephone  770  requests the selected ring tone from the web server  720 . The web server  720  retrieves the ring tone file from the data store and provides the ring tone file to the telephone  770 . 
   In one embodiment, the user desires to have different ring tones for different incoming caller numbers. The user instructs the telephone  770  to access the contact list page and creates a telephone list with a specified ring tone. The receiving a call page  422  has instructions to, upon receiving an incoming call indication, receive the incoming caller number, query the telephone contact list data  722  through the web server  720 , determine the ring tone based on the telephone contact list data  722 , retrieve the ring tone file from the data store  740  through the web server  720  and play the specified ring tone. 
   In one embodiment, the ring tone file is cached in the telephone. The receiving a call page  422  retrieves the ring tone file from the telephone&#39;s cache. 
   In one embodiment, the receiving a call page  422  can display information about the incoming caller number. The information, retrieved from the contact list data  722 , may include the name, address, telephone number, relationship to the user, business information, personal information, history of past telephone calls and other activities. 
   In one embodiment, the information continues to be displayed throughout the telephone conversation. After the telephone call is dropped, the telephone call session information is stored into the data store  740  by the disconnecting page as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
   In one embodiment, the web module  120  is connected to the voice module  150 . The web module  120  can interact with the voice module  150 , based on the action specified by the web page data in the data store. The web page data are constructed into web pages based on the requests from the telephones. Upon execution of the web pages by the telephones, the web pages further make requests and queries to the voice portal. The web module  120  acts on the requests and queries, and interacts with the voice module  150  accordingly. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal serves two or more telephones. These telephones interactively request and query the web module  120  while they conduct voice calls through the voice module  150 . The information provided by one telephone can be relayed to another telephone through the voice portal. 
   In one embodiment, two or more telephones can set up an intercom through the web module  120  with an appropriate web page that interacts with the telephones, and the intercom is conducted by relaying the voice signals between the telephones through the voice module  150 . 
   In one embodiment, the intercom includes one or more telephone sessions with an external telephone network. 
   In one embodiment, the data store  440  contains a plurality of media files such as songs files. The web module  120  can instruct the voice module  150  to play the audio files. A telephone requests an audio file list web page from the web module  120 , selects a plurality of audio files, and requests the web module  120  to play the selected audio files. The web module  120 , upon receipt of the request, instructs the voice module  150  to create a voice session with the telephone, and to play the audio files. Optionally, voice module  150  creates voice sessions with one or more external telephones and broadcasts the audio stream to one or more of the telephones. 
   In one embodiment, the data store  440  does not contain all the audio files in the list of audio files or the audio file list. The web server  320  further has the ability to go to another web server to request the additional audio files. Upon receipt of the request from a telephone, the web server  320  goes to another web server for the audio file list and the audio files before instructing the voice module  150  to play the audio files. 
   In one embodiment, the voice module  150  can duplicate a voice session. One telephone can monitor another telephone by requesting the web module  120  to set up the duplication capability of the voice module  150  of all voice session from a specified telephone. The duplicated voice session is relayed to the originating telephone. 
   In one embodiment, the voice module  150  redirects the duplicated voice session to an answering machine or other voice message service. In this way the telephone conversation can be recorded. 
   In one embodiment, the voice module  150  stores the duplicated voice session in the data store  440  for later retrieval. 
   In a one embodiment, the voice session is converted to text before storing. 
   Since there is a desire to drive the cost of consumer electronics down, it is often useful to combine the functionality of various devices into one device. The trend towards integration of capabilities is apparent in the mobile phone industry in which it is commonplace to integrate the functionality of a mobile phone, web browser, and multimedia functions such as digital image capture. Analogously, the capabilities of a voice portal can include other telephony and data functionality in addition to the functionality already described. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal further includes residential or SOHO broadband gateway. The gateway can be either wired or wireless using protocols such as Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g or Bluetooth. Such a device could then be integrated into a home or SOHO computer network thus adding intranet-browsing capabilities to the telephones that the voice portal services. 
   Optionally, the voice portal further includes the capabilities of a broadband modem such as a DSL or cable modem, so that voice portal, as a single device, can not only provide telephony support to the telephones it serves, but also connect to the Internet, share the connection and provide data browsing support. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal includes software, firmware, or an ASIC to decode, play or view multimedia content from internal memory, an intranet, or the Internet. Such an embodiment would allow for telephones that the voice portal serves to play digital audio including, but not limited to, MP3, WMA, AAC, or other file formats. 
   Optionally, the voice portal can include software, firmware, or an ASIC to decode or display video or still images from digital video and still image formats including, but limited to, MPEG, JPEG, TIFF, bitmaps and other available file formats. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal includes streaming video or stop motion still imaging capability. Such a capabilities can be useful in the implementation of a security system. The voice portal has the capability to manage streaming video or stop motion imaging from wired or wireless network cameras and provide the data to be displayed on the telephones it serves. This would add additional convenience to facility access systems with which a user can view a visitor requesting access before remotely granting them access to a building. 
   Optionally, the voice portal can include intercom capabilities so that a user can, in addition to seeing a visitor at the entry point of a building, can also talk to the visitor to help ascertain their identity and purpose. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal integrates the capability to communicate with wireless and cellular telephones, thus expanding the range of telephones and telephone protocols that can use the services provided by the voice portal. 
   In one embodiment, the voice portal integrates a home entertainment center and information portal. The home entertainment system capabilities include, but are not limited to, digital video recorder (DVR), storage or playback of digital multimedia data, DVD and CD playback and a digital media drive for formats including, but limited to, secure data, compact flash, memory stick, multimedia cards. 
   Optionally, the voice portal could also include a decoder for digital cable television services or digital satellite television services. 
   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.