Patent Publication Number: US-2005123125-A1

Title: Automated telephone dialing assistance module

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/517,200 filed on Nov. 4, 2003 and entitled “Audio Dialer”, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to the field of automatic dialing telephones. More specifically, the present invention relates to a module for connecting to and providing automated dialing and audible call recipient databasing capabilities to existing telephones.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART  
      With each advance in technology, additional features and functions continue to be added to telephone systems. One such feature is that of providing automatic dialing capabilities to a telephone system.  
      There exists in the prior art a number of telephones having automated dialing capabilities. One such telephone dialer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,651, issued to Fisher, II et al., on Jul. 7, 1981. Each telephone number is stored in a preselected memory location and can be dialed by pressing a key or series of keys associated with the preselected memory location. A problem with this system is that a user must separately document and/or memorize which key is associated with a particular telephone number.  
      To overcome these problems, U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,957, issued to Draganoff on Nov. 20, 2001, discusses a method of storing and displaying telephone numbers using a textual display, identifying the person(s) associated with the telephone number. A problem with such a system is that it can be cumbersome to program the telephone numbers and corresponding textual identifiers into the dialing system. Additionally, such a system is ineffective for visually impaired persons, or persons that have physical or mental restrictions making them unable to physically use a traditional telephone keypad dialing system.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,729, issued to Cheng on Jan. 14, 2003, provides a voice activated telephone dialer. A user is able to verbally announce the name of the person they wish to call, triggering the dialing of the corresponding telephone number.  
      The Wisconsin Council of the Blind provides yet another voice activated telephone dialer, the XX-100 Voice Activated In-line Telephone Dialer. This device is a voice recognition unit that can be connected to an existing land line telephone system. The user lifts the handset and speaks the name or identifier, and upon recognition, the telephone dialer will dial the corresponding telephone number.  
      Although voice activated telephone dialers provide a convenient dialing system, it is cumbersome to set up the system, and the technology of existing voice recognition programs can be cost prohibitive, and may not always operate or perform as desired, for example due to individual voice pattern variations or background noise.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,595, issued to Ohashi et al. on Jan. 2, 1996, discusses a telephone having a voice tag dialing mechanism. The phone incorporates this feature as a part of the functionality of an existing mobile telephone, allowing a user to scroll through a listing of telephone numbers via an audio tag indicating the associated telephone number. Once the audio tag relating to the telephone number being sought is found, a single button is pressed to dial the associated telephone number. This reference requires the dialing mechanism to include a speaker and microphone system therewith. A problem with this integrated system, is that it requires the user to purchase an entirely new phone system, and thus, lacks the features and functions necessary to be incorporated into an existing phone.  
      With each advance in technological capability, new functions and features continue to be added to telephones, such as, the capability of modern cellular phones to provide access to the internet, and to be used as a digital camera, as shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. D466,096 issued to Takada on Nov. 26, 2002.  
      Although any number of new features are demanded by certain demographics, other demographics are unable and/or unwilling to adopt these new technologies due to the learning curve required to attain proficiency and/or the fact that they have no need for these additional functions. In particular, individuals with physical or mental limitations such as a person of limited sight or other such frailty, would benefit from a simplified dialing system that overcomes these problems of the prior art.  
      A person simply interested in an automated dialing system may be required to purchase an entirely new telephone having a number of unnecessary features. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a module that connects to an existing telephone system, allowing a user to automatically store and dial telephone numbers using their existing phone.  
      It would further be advantageous to provide a module that can be connected to a land telephone line so as to enable direct calling on an existing land line telephone system.  
      It would also be advantageous to provide a module having an automated dialing system that solves these and additional problems discussed with regards to the prior art.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an dialing assistance module that is configured to be couplable to an existing telephone system. The dialing assistance module provides a system for storing telephone numbers and storing a plurality of corresponding audio tags therewith. The audio tags stored in the module are playable through an existing telephone system as identifiers for the telephone numbers corresponding therewith.  
      The present invention provides a simple automated dialing solution for connection to land line phones such as traditional and/or cordless telephone systems. The module preferably utilizes the speaker and microphone of the existing telephone system to which it is connected.  
      The module is programmable such that audio tags and corresponding telephone numbers may be added and deleted from the module.  
      Operation of the module includes a pair of scroll buttons, the depressing of which actuates the playing of sequentially stored audio tags. Each time that the scroll button is depressed, the next audio tag in the stored sequence is played. Once the audio tag associated with the predetermined telephone number is found, a dial button is depressed, causing the module to dial the corresponding telephone number via a series of corresponding dialing tones, after which the module shuts itself down to allow normal operation and connection of the telephone system.  
      The module is operated by activating a telephone receiver from a “standby” mode to an “on” mode and depressing one of the scroll buttons. The depressing of a scroll button actuates power to the module, and instructs the module to intercept and solely maintain a voltage signal across the outgoing telephone line that is consistent with the “standby” mode signal. The module then provides playback of an audio tag through the speaker system of the telephone. To dial a telephone number, the dial button is depressed causing the module to deliver the corresponding tones to the land line to which the module is connected.  
      When the module is in operational mode, the telephone system is temporarily disconnected from the land line and the phone preferably operates as the speaker and microphone for the module. Once the module has dialed the telephone number, the module reconnects the land line to the telephone, and returns to the “off” mode.  
      The various features and functions of this module provide a simple automatic dialing system that can be easily connected to an existing telephone system. The module functions by the regulation and control of the voltage going to a phone system. Modification of the module may be easily incorporated to correspond with the operating voltages of analog telephone lines of foreign countries, and to incorporate the module in a digital phone line.  
      The module may also be modified to be integrated within the housing of a telephone system, such that the functions and features are accessible in a single telephone unit.  
      These and other advantages are described in further detail with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic of the sound interface  FIG. 6  is a schematic of the record/play  FIG. 7  is a schematic of the memory  FIG. 8  is a schematic of the phone interface  FIG. 9  is a schematic of the power module  FIG. 10  is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the power module from  FIG. 9   FIG. 11  is an embodiment of the present invention incorporated in a telephone system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. A dialing assistance module  10  is shown for connecting to an existing telephone handset system  12 . The dialing assistance module  10  is configured for simple operation thereof. A control system  14  is contained within a housing  16  of the module  10 . The back portion of the module  10 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , provides communication ports  18 ,  20 ,  21 , accessible through the housing  16  for coupling to a first phone jack  22 , such as a wall phone line jack, a telephone system phone jack  24 , and a wall outlet power source  26 .  
      Operation of the module  10  is performed by interaction with the various buttons accessible through the housing  16 , and electrically coupled to the control system  14 . These buttons include a first scroll button  28 , a second scroll button  30  and a dial button  32  positioned on the top section  24  of the housing  16 . Also provided is a program button  36  accessible through a back portion  38  of the housing  16 . Through module  10  is described above as utilizing buttons  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  36  for actuating various functions of control system  14 , Applicants envision other actuation mechanisms which could be used in place of buttons  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  36 . Such alternative actuation mechanisms include, for example, switches, touch-sensitive screen regions, and the like.  
       FIG. 3  provides a block diagram of the operation and control system  14  of the dialing assistance module  10 . A first port  18  is couplable to a traditional phone line wall jack  22  via a phone line chord  40 . A second port  20  is couplable to an existing telephone handset system  12  via a phone line chord  40 . A power source port  21  is couplable to a wall outlet  26 , by a power chord, for example. One or more portable power sources such as batteries may alternatively be utilized as a power source, and incorporated therein.  
      The control system  14  includes a first memory component  42  for storing a plurality of audio tags  44 . The audio tags  44  may contain an audibly recorded name of a person or business, or may instead encompass some other type of audio identifier for an associated telephone number.  
      The control system  14  includes a second memory component  46  for storing a plurality of telephone numbers  48 , each such telephone number  48  being associated with a corresponding audio tag  44 .  
      The control system  14  of the module  10  includes a power sensor switch  50  such that the module  10  is remains in a power OFF mode until activated. In the OFF mode, the phone line voltage supplied by line  40  is passed through module  10  to phone system  12 . Activation of the module  10  occurs when a sensor switch  52  coupled to the second port  20  senses that the telephone receiver  54  has been taken off the hook  56  or otherwise activated, providing a dial tone to the telephone receiver  54 . The lifting of the receiver  54  provides a voltage to the second port  20 , activating the sensor in the second port  20 , which in turn activates the module  10  by opening a switch in the power port  21  allowing a voltage from the power source  26  to power the module  10 .  
      The control system  14  switches the power sensor switch  50  to the ON mode only when one of the buttons  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  36  is depressed, powering the module  10  by interrupting standard phone line voltage to the telephone line  24 , and supplying a distinct electronic communication connection to the telephone system  12 . The module  10  then provides a voltage to the telephone system  12 , while simultaneously shutting off a sensor switch at the first port  18 , thus shutting off communication with the telephone line to the wall telephone jack  22 .  
      The telephone system  12  is therefore rendered operational only as a speaker and/or microphone and keypad entry while module  10  is in the “ON” mode, wherein the operation of the telephone speaker, microphone and keypad are powered by voltage from the module  10 , but cut off from connection to the regular phone line.  
      The audio tags  44  and corresponding telephone numbers  48  are stored in a numbered sequence. When the module  10  is in the ON mode and the first scroll button  28  is depressed, a first audio tag  44  is audibly played by accessing the correspondingly sequenced audio tag  44  within the first memory component  42  and playing such audio tag  44  through, for example, the speaker  58  of the telephone system  12  via the telephone coupling line  41 . When the first scroll button  28  is depressed a next time, the next audio tag  44  in the sequentially stored list is played from first memory component  42 . The first scroll button  28  may be consecutively depressed and will eventually loop to the beginning of the audio tag list when the entire list has been scrolled through.  
      The second scroll button  30  may be depressed to play the audio tags  44  in reverse order in which the audio tags  44  are stored in memory component  42 . For example, it will play the last audio tag  44  in the stored list first and then the second to the last audio tag  44  in the stored list upon subsequent depression of second scroll button  30 . When the beginning of the list has been reached through this method, the second scroll button  30  may continue to be depressed and the list will loop to the end of the list.  
      When an audio tag  44  is played that corresponds to a predetermined telephone number  48  that the user wishes to utilize, the dial button  32  may be depressed to actuate the dialing of the stored telephone number  48  corresponding with the audio tag  44 .  
      Any number of scrolling methods may be employed. For example, the first scroll button  28  or second scroll button  30  may be depressed any number of times in any order. Also, there may be additional features that allow the audio tags to be scrolled through by most recently called, or by most frequently called or any other such predetermined arrangement that can be programmed into the functionality of the module  10 .  
      The module  10  may be packaged for a consumer with preprogrammed audio tags  44  and corresponding telephone numbers  48 . In such case, the audio tags  44  may be recorded in a different voice, or in a different identifying manner than if they were recorded by the user of the module  10 . Any audibly recognizable audio tag may be used, such as a chime, tone, series of sounds, spoken words or any other such identifier that is recordable.  
      The depressing of the dial button  32  causes the assisted telephone number  48  to be dialed by turning off the sensor switch  52  associated with the second port  20 , thereby re-establishing connection between phone line  40  and telephone system  12 , and further disconnecting the telephone system  12  from communication with the module  10 . The module  10  provides a series of tones associated with the selected telephone number  48  to the first port  18 , coupled to the wall jack line  22 . Once the number has been dialed, the sensor switch  52  to the second port is opened and the power switch  50  is turned to the OFF mode such that the power to the module  10  is shut down. The telephone line  24  and telephone system  12  are in communication with each other via the connection between the first port  18  and second port  20 , to allow normal operation of the telephone system  12 .  
      Because the operation of the module  10  requires a sensor switch  52  at the second port  20 , the proper coupling of the wall jack line  22  with the first port  18  and telephone system  12  with the second port  20  is required. A configuration switch  60  has been provided that allows the normal operation of the telephone system  12  if the phone line couplings are coupled in reverse to their intended port configuration. While, such switch  60 , when activated, renders the module  10  inoperable when improperly configured, switch  60  enables module  10  to not interfere with the normal operation of the telephone system  12 .  
       FIG. 4  provides a block diagram of the control system  14  for programming the use of the module  10 . The program button  36  is depressed to access a third memory component  62  having an audio voice menu tree  64  stored therein. The control system  14  allows audio tags  44  and corresponding telephone numbers  48  to be added and/or deleted from their corresponding memory components  42 ,  46 .  
      To add an audio tag  44  to memory component  42 , and the corresponding telephone number  48  to memory component  46 , the telephone  54  must be lifted off of the hook  56  or otherwise activated to provide a dial tone, and one of the buttons  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  36  must be depressed, which activates the module  10 . Once activated, the program button  36  may be depressed to initiate the voice menu tree  64 . The voice menu tree  64  is coupled to the control system  14  to receive inputs from the keypad  66  of the telephone system  12 . When the proper input from the keypad  66  is received, in accordance with the voice menu tree instructions, a user is prompted to record an associated audio tag  44 . The audio tag  44  is recorded via the microphone  68  of the telephone system  12 , and is stored in the first memory component  42 . The audio tag  44  may be stored in a predetermined position in a list within the first memory component  42 . Prior to recording the audio tag  44 , the user may use the scroll buttons  28 ,  30  to select an audio tag  44  from the list. When the new audio tag  44  is recorded, it is preferably stored in the list position following the most recently played audio tag  44 . When the audio tag  44  has been recorded, a preset time window is provided, after which the recording mode is automatically terminated in accordance with the voice tree menu.  
      Once the audio tag  44  is recorded, the user is prompted to enter the corresponding telephone number  48 . The corresponding telephone number  48  is recorded by entering the number string on the keypad  66  of the telephone system  12 . The telephone numbers  48  are stored within the second memory component  46  to correspond with the audio tag  44 .  
      To remove an audio tag  44  and the corresponding telephone number  48 , the user activates the voice menu tree  64  and follows the instructions therefore. The user selects the appropriate input using the keypad  66  of the telephone system  12 . Once selected, the user is prompted to scroll through the audio tags  44  using the scroll buttons  28 ,  30 . Once the associated audio tag  44  is played, the user presses a predetermined key on the keypad  66  to actuate the deletion of the audio tag  44  and corresponding telephone number  48  from the stored list.  
      To initiate the programming mode requires the same activation of the module  10  as does scrolling and dialing. The telephone receiver  54  must be taken off the hook  56 , thus activating the module  10 , and then one of the buttons  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  36  must be depressed to turn the module  10  to the ON mode. Once in the ON mode, the telephone system  12  is powered by the voltage delivered thereto by the module  10 . The module  10  disconnects the telephone system  12  from the telephone line, rendering the telephone system  12  operational only as a speaker, microphone and for keypad entry, and inoperable for dialing purposes.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic of the sound interface  70  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The interface  70  has a tip sensor  72  and ring sensor  74  for detecting and delivering a voltage to the telephone system  12 . An isolation transformer  76  in conjunction with an arrangement of transformers  78  provides a buffer from the external phone line voltage.  
      An audio input switch  80  is operable to allow the recording of a new audio tag using the microphone  68  of the telephone system  12  when coupled to the second port  20 . An audio output switch  82  is operable to provide an output of an audio tag  44  through the speaker  58  of the telephone system  12  when coupled to the second port  20 .  
      The outgoing dial tones for telephone numbers  48  corresponding with an associated audio tag  44  are provided by the two stage low pass filter  84  through the outgoing DTMF switch  86  which incorporates a built-in pulse width modulator. The pulses are controlled by the microprocessor  94 , which operates the pulse width modulator to dial the telephone number  48  stored in the second memory component  46 . When the dial button  32  is depressed, the second port switch  52  is closed, terminating communication with the telephone system  12 . The tones associated with the telephone number  48  are delivered to the telephone line  22  via the coupling at the first port  18 .  
      When the telephone keypad is utilized to record a new telephone number, the decoder  88  allows the tones from the keypad to be decoded and stored in the second memory component  46 .  
       FIG. 6  provides a schematic view of the first memory component  42  for storing and accessing the audio tags  44 . An analog recording chip  90  is shown, capable of receiving an audio input, storing and allowing access and retrieval of the audio input. Also shown is an SPI  92  under the control of the microprocessor  94 . The first memory component  42  is a flash memory unit such that information remains stored therein even when power is no longer supplied to the first memory component  42 .  
       FIG. 7  provides a schematic of the microprocessor  94  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The microcontroller  94  is a flash memory device connected to a power relay  96 . The power relay  96  is a latched relay to turn the module  10  on or off. A mode relay  98  provides a switch for providing power to the telephone system  12 . Also shown are a MOSI  100  and blocking MOSFET  102 .  
      The hook switch  52  includes a sensor to sense whether the telephone system  12  is on or off, based upon whether the hook  56  has been lifted, or remains in place, respectively. The second memory component  46  is shown as a flash memory chip for storing the telephone numbers  48  and coordinating with the voice chip via a linked list to a corresponding audio tag  44 . The scroll buttons  28 ,  30 , dial button  32  and program button  36  also link to the processor  94  as do the switches necessary to decode the tones associated with a telephone number  48  for outgoing dial tones.  
       FIG. 8  provides a schematic of a phone interface  104  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The first port  18  is connected to a fuse  106  and voltage suppressor  108  in accordance with standard safety requirements. A 5V relay  110  is provided to generate 28V of internal power to the telephone system  12  when the module  10  is in use.  
      Turning now to the second port  20 , a hook switch  52  is provided, having a sensor such that if the telephone system  12  is not in operation, no power is provided to the module  10 . When the telephone system  12  is lifted or otherwise activated, and thus off the hook, the sensor switch  52  is turned on, to provide power to the module  10  via the 5V relay  110 , so as to mimic an ON mode for the telephone system  12 , despite the telephone system being disconnected from the telephone line by the module  10 .  
      Also shown is a sensor  112  and opto-isolator  114 , configured such that if the phone lines  40 ,  41  are switched so as to be coupled to the wrong phone jacks  22 ,  24 , the module  10  will remain in an OFF mode, and be inoperable so as to avoid problems with the operation of the telephone system  12  yet allows the telephone signal to pass through the module, allowing the telephone system to operate properly. The sensor  112  indicates to the opto-isolator  114  to allow voltage to pass through the phone interface  104 , while keeping the module  10  in the OFF mode and providing a normal signal and operational capability to the phone system  12 .  
      This configuration also allows operation of the module  12  when the polarity of the voltage from the telephone line coming from the wall jack  22  is reversed. The phone interface  104  will correct the voltage polarity to provide proper operation thereof.  
       FIG. 9  provides a schematic of a power module  116  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the buttons, the scroll buttons  28 ,  30 , the dial button  32  and program button  36 , are coupled to switches. When the module  10  has been powered on, by sensing that the handset has been taken off the hook, then depressing any of the buttons will switch power the module  10  to the ON mode via the opti-isolator  114 , by firing a relay  110 . The relay  110  then provides voltage to a boost circuit  118  to energize the telephone system  12  connected to the module  10 , and the first memory component  42  and the second memory component  46 . Regulator  119  of the boost circuit  118  transposes input voltage from the power source  26  of module  10  into the standard voltage required by operably coupled phone system  12 . The telephone system  12  then operates as a speaker system for playing the audio tags  44 , and is disconnected from communication with the telephone line  22 . The power module  116  may also have a timer  120 , such that when the power module  116  is in the ON mode by sensing the telephone system  12 . For example, a module  10  having a remote wall power source input of 110 volts preferably transposes such input voltage to a 28 volt output, which is the standard for phone systems operated in the United States. Moreover, regulator  119  may instead ramp up output voltage from, for example, a portable power source having a voltage of less than the required output voltage. A particular example may be in the case of a 9 volt battery portable power source to module  10 , where in regulator  119  modifies the input voltage of 9 volts to the required output of 28 volts.  
      Regulator  119  of the present invention may also be programmed to provide a predetermined output voltage that is compatible with the standard phone system operating voltage of the associated country or region into which the system of the invention is being utilized. As such, the output voltage provided by regulator  119  may not be 28 volts in order to be compatible with the associated phone system. In addition to voltage variability&#39;s encountered by different operating standards around the world, digital and/or multiple user phone systems may have unique operating voltage requirements. Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a modifiable regulator  119  that has the capability of transposing various input power voltages into desired output voltages. The telephone system  12  then operates as a speaker system for playing the audio tags  44 , and is disconnected from communication with the telephone line  22 . The power module  116  may also have a timer  120 , such that when the power module  116  is in the ON mode by sensing the telephone system  12  is off the hook  56 , and activated by depressing one of the buttons, the power module  116  will remain powered only for a predetermined period of time, such as about 20 seconds, after which it will power down, if no input has been received within the predetermined amount of time.  
       FIG. 10  shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein a battery may be utilized as the power source for the module. In this embodiment, the battery power must be amplified to provide the necessary voltage to the telephone system connected thereto, for use of the telephone system as the speaker and/or microphone. The embodiment shown utilizes a battery power input  200  and a circuitry configuration  202  supplying a predetermined voltage to the module and/or to the telephone system, in accordance with the operation of the module discussed with reference to  FIGS. 1-9 , above.  
       FIG. 11  shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the functional features of the module are incorporated into an existing telephone system  300 . The first scroll button  302 , second scroll button  304  are shown to be accessible through the housing  301 , to scroll through the audio tags that are actuated thereby. A dial button  306  is also shown extending through the housing to allow actuation of the dialing mechanism. The program button  308  is also accessible through the housing to allow access to the voice tree menu for adding and deleting information from the database of audio tags and telephone numbers. The module is incorporated into an existing phone, and operates in conjunction with the telephone system as described with reference to  FIGS. 1-9 .  
      It is further contemplated that the module  10  may be utilized with digital telephone systems with only minor modifications, such as the incorporation of an analog/digital converter, or designing a digitally operated module. A voltage booster system may also be necessary to make up for any discrepancies in the line voltage of a digital system.  
      Additionally, it is contemplated that the first memory component and second memory component may, instead, be embodied in a removable memory card. The module would include a mating slot for receiving the removable memory card and communicating therewith to access audio tags and telephone numbers stored in the removable memory card.  
      It is further contemplated that the module may include a remotely storable and loadable database, allowing telephone numbers and audio tags to be programmed from a remote location, such as a telephone system that is not directly connected to the module. In such an embodiment, the module may include a modem with which remote communication is enabled for accessing and utilizing the module.  
      It is also contemplated that the module may be utilized as an electronic rolodex and/or address book wherein additional information may be stored therein to correspond with an audio tag and telephone number.  
      The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes, and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use embodiments of the invention as required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different devices and that various modifications can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.