Patent ID: 7327842

Claim:
A network-enabled user interface device, the device including: a display screen configured for displaying display elements; a user input interface configured for supplying user inputs; an interface controller configured for receiving application-based commands for execution of at least one of first operations, second operations, or third operations that each are distinct from telephony operations, the interface controller configured for causing the display screen to display the display elements based on the interface controller executing the first operations, configuring the user input interface for selected input operations based on the interface controller executing the second operations, and generating application-based responses based on the supplied user inputs and the interface controller executing the third operations; and an application controller configured for communication with executable application operations having generated the application-based commands and selectively transferring the application-based responses to selected ones of the executable application operations, the application controller including a network interface configured for receiving the application-based commands, and outputting selected ones of the application-based responses, via an open protocol network.