Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONDUCTING A MULTIMEDIA PHONE CALL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and system for
conducting a multimedia telephone call, and more
particularly to a system which facilitates a voice
telephone call while navigating to a network resource
specified by a far end telephone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advent of the world-wide web, various websites are
available as network resources from which a user may
download and view advertising and information relating to
goods and services offered by a company. In order to do
this, the user must first be provided with the identity of
the website to which the user should navigate.
Once the user has navigated to a particular website, the
user's interaction with the website is, essentially, one of
machine interaction in the sense that the user makes
choices as to which displays or portions of the display
he/she wishes to navigate to. Often, websites will provide
instructions as to how to navigate about the website. Such
navigation may include indexes to other pages available at
the website.
Unfortunately, however, users are not always aware of
available websites providing information of interest, nor
3 0 are they aware of al l of the various content that may be
provided in some of the more complex websites. Often to
navigate about such content, a user must investigate all
links which appear to be of interest. Often, however,
identifications of links do not always convey the content
of the resource associated with the link and, therefore,
the user may be directed to links which are really not of
interest. In any event, the choice of links to navigate
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to, depend upon the user's interpretation of the names of
the links.
What would be desirable, therefore, is a way of
identifying to a user links which may be important to the
user's particular needs, based on an interpretation of the
user's needs provided by the provider. In addition, the
ability to converse with a remote party observing the same
image of goods or services or content, at the same time,
would be desirable. The present invention addresses this
need.
SU'I~IARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention,
there is provided a method of conducting a multimedia
telephone call, the method comprising: a) establishing a
telephone call between first and second customer premises
equipment; b) generating, at said first customer premises
equipment, a frequency shift keyed (FSK) message containing
a network resource locator; c) transmitting said FSK message
from said first customer premises equipment to said second
customer premises equipment during said telephone call; d)
receiving said FSK message at said second customer premises
equipment; e) maintaining a list of network resource
locators at said first customer premises equipment and
selectively using said network resource locators in
respective FSK messages; and f) associating image files with
respective said network resource locators and producing
display images corresponding to respective network resource
locators when an FSK message is generated.
Preferably, the method involves the steps of
extracting the network resource locator from the FSK message
and establishing a connection to a network resource
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indicated by the network resource locator. Desirably, the
connection is established using a second telephone line.
Preferably, the connection to the network resource
is established while maintaining the telephone call active.
The method further includes the step of
downloading a file from the network resource identified by
the network resource locator and producing a display image
at the second customer premises equipment, from the file,
while displaying an associated image at the first customer
premises equipment.
More particularly, the method preferably includes
the step of producing a display image at the second customer
premises equipment while displaying an associated image at
the first customer premises equipment, while maintaining the
telephone call to enable a user of the second customer
premises equipment to view images designated by a user of
the first customer premises equipment, while conducting a
telephone conversation with the user of the first customer
premises equipment.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a system for conducting a
multimedia telephone call, the system comprising: a) first
and second customer premises equipment and means disposed at
least one of said first and second customer premises
equipment for establishing a telephone call on a first
telephone line, between said first and second customer
:premises equipment; b) means for generating, at said first
customer premises equipment, a frequency shift keyed (FSK)
message containing a network resource locator; c) means for
transmitting said FSK message from said first customer
premises equipment to said second customer premises
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equipment during said telephone call; d) means for receiving
said FSK message at said second customer premises equipment;
e) means for maintaining a list of network resource locators
at said first customer premises equipment and means for
selectively using said network resource locators in
respective FSK messages; and f) means for associating image
files with respective said network resource locators and
means for producing display images at said first customer
premises equipment, said display images corresponding to
respective network resource locators when an FSK message is
generated.
Preferably, the system includes means for
extracting the network resource locator from the FSK
message.
Desirably, the system includes means for
establishing a connection to a network resource indicated by
the network resource locator.
Preferably, the system includes means for
establishing the connection to the network resource on a
second telephone line.
Desirably, the system includes means for
establishing the connection to the network resource while
maintaining the telephone call active on the first telephone
line.
Preferably, the system includes means for
downloading a file from the network resource identified by
the network resource locator.
Desirably, the system includes means for producing
a display image at the second customer premises equipment,
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from the file, while displaying an associated image at the
first customer premises equipment.
Preferably, the system includes means for
producing a display image at the second customer premises
5 equipment while displaying an associated image at the first
customer premises equipment, while maintaining the telephone
call on the first telephone line to enable a user of the
second customer premises equipment to view images designated
by a user of the first customer premises equipment, while
conducting a telephone conversation with the user of the
first customer premises equipment.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a system for conducting a
multimedia telephone call, the system comprising: a) first
and second customer premises equipment operable to establish
a telephone call between each other on a first telephone
line; b) a first processor at said first customer premises
equipment, for generating at said first customer premises
equipment, a frequency shift keyed (FSK) message containing
a network resource locator; c) a transmitter for
transmitting said FSK message from said first customer
premises equipment to said second customer premises
equipment during said telephone call; d) a receiver at said
second customer premises equipment for receiving said FSK
message; e) a memory at said first customer premises
equipment configured and arranged to maintain a list of
network resource locators at said first customer premises
equipment, said first processor being programmed to
selectively include said network resource locators in
respective FSK messages, said first processor being
programmed to associate image files with respective said
network resource locators and produce display images at said
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first customer premises equipment, said display images
corresponding to respective network resource locators
included in said FSK messages, as said FSK messages are
generated.
Desirably, the system includes a second processor
at the second customer premises equipment for extracting the
network resource locator from the FSK message.
Preferably, the system includes a browser as well
as the second processor at the second customer premises
equipment for establishing a connection to a network
resource indicated by the network resource locator.
Desirably, the system includes a modem for
establishing the connection to the network resource on a
second telephone line.
Preferably, the second processor at the second
customer premises equipment is operable to establish the
connection to the network resource while maintaining the
telephone call active on the first telephone line.
Desirably, the second processor and the browser at
the second customer premises equipment is operable to
download a file from the network resource identified by the
network resource locator.
Preferably, the system includes first and second
displays respective at the first and second customer
premises equipment and desirably, the processor at the
second customer premises equipment is operable to cooperate
'with the second display to produce a display image at the
second customer premises equipment, from the file, while the
processor at the first customer premises equipment
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cooperates with the first display to display an associated
image at the first customer premises equipment.
Preferably, the second processor is operable to
cooperate with the second display to produce the display
image while the first processor is operable to cooperate
with the first display to display the associated image,
while maintaining the telephone call on the first telephone
line to enable a user of the second customer premises
equipment to view images designated by a user of the first
customer premises equipment, while conducting a telephone
conversation with the user of the first customer premises
equipment.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a method of dynamically
dispatching network resource locators, the method
comprising: a) generating at a first customer premises
equipment a frequency shift keyed (FSK) message representing
a network resource locator; b) transmitting said FSK message
from said first customer premises equipment to a second
customer premises equipment during a telephone call between
said first customer premises equipment and the second
customer premises equipment; c) maintaining a list of
network resource locators at said first customer premises
equipment and selectively using said network resource
locators in respective FSK messages; and d) associating
image files with respective said network resource locators
and producing display images corresponding to respective
network resource locators when an FSK message is generated.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided an apparatus for dynamically
dispatching network resource locators from a first customer
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premises equipment to a second customer premises equipment,
the apparatus comprising: a) means for generating at the
first customer premises equipment a frequency shift keyed
(FSK) message representing a network resource locator; b)
means for transmitting said FSK message from the first
customer premises equipment to the second customer premises
equipment during a telephone call between the first customer
premises equipment and the second customer premises
equipment; c) means for maintaining a list of network
resource locators at said first customer premises equipment
and selectively using said network resource locators in
respective FSK messages; and d) means for associating image
files with respective said network resource locators and for
producing display images at said first customer premises
equipment, said display images corresponding to respective
network resource locators when an FSK message is generated.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided an apparatus for dynamically
dispatching network resource locators from a first customer
premises equipment to a second customer premises equipment,
the apparatus comprising: a) a processor at the first
customer premises equipment, for generating a frequency
shift keyed (FSK) message containing a network resource
locator; b) a transmitter for transmitting said FSK message
from the first customer premises equipment to the second
customer premises equipment during a telephone call between
the first customer premises equipment and the second
customer premises equipment; c) a memory at said first
customer premises equipment configured and arranged to
maintain a list of network resource locators at said first
customer premises equipment, and wherein said processor is
programmed to selectively include said network resource
locators in respective FSK messages, said processor being
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programmed to associate image files with respective said
network resource locators and produce display images at said
first customer premises equipment, said display images
corresponding to respective network resource locators
included in said FSK messages, as said FSK messages are
generated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRANINQS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
invention,
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system,
according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an FSK
message transmitted from a first customer premises equipment
to a second customer premises equipment shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a
telephone according to the first embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 4 is a block diagram of a central office
line interface in the second telephone shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a tree diagram of a directory
structure of file directories within the second telephone;
Figure 6 is a schematic representation of storage
areas in the RAM shown in Figure 3;
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Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a program
architecture in a processor in the first
telephone shown in Figure 3;
Figure 8 is a flowchart of an event parser thread run by
a system processor of the first telephone shown
in Figure 3;
Figure 9 is a flowchart of a main event handler thread run
by the system processor;
Figure 10 is a flowchart of an event dispatcher run by the
system processor;
Figure 11 is a flowchart of the browser thread run by the
system processor; and
Figure 12 is a flowchart of a network driver run by the
system processor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1
Referring to Figure 1, a system for conducting a multimedia
phone call is shown generally at 10. The apparatus
includes a first customer premises equipment shown
generally at 12 and second customer premises equipment
shown generally at 20. In this embodiment, the first
customer premises equipment 12 is connected to a central
office switch 22 by a first telephone line 16. Similarly,
the second customer premises equipment 20 is connected to
the central office switch 22 by second and third telephone
lines 18 and 28. Also connected to the central office
switch 22 is an Internet services provider 24 for providing
communication facilities with the World Wide Web shown
generally at 23. The world wide web 23 includes a first
content provider 26 having a web server 350 and a database
of hypertext markup language (HTML) content files 352 which
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may be served to the World Wide Web through the web server
350.
Still referring to Figure 1, in this embodiment the
customer premises equipment 12 includes a personal computer
30 and a conventional telephone 32. The personal computer
30 includes a microprocessor 34, memory 36, a frequency
shift keyed data transmitter 38, a mute circuit 40, a
keyboard 42 and a display 44, all in communication with the
microprocessor 34. The conventional telephone 32 acts as
means at the first customer premises equipment for
establishing a telephone call on a first telephone line,
between the first and second customer premises equipment.
The frequency shift keyed data transmitter 38 and mute
circuit 40 are connected to the telephone line 16 from the
central office switch 22 and the mute circuit 40 is
connected in series with the telephone 32 and the telephone
line 16 to selectively mute signals appearing on the
telephone line, from the telephone 32. The microprocessor
34 controls the mute circuit 40 and the FSK transmitter 38
such that when FSK data is being transmitted by the FSK
transmitter 38, the mute circuit 40 is rendered operational
to mute FSK signals from the telephone 32.
In this embodiment, the memory 36 is loaded with a list of
uniform resource locators identifying respective pages at
the first content provider 26, and image files associated
with respective uniform resource locators. The
microprocessor is programmed to receive input from the
keyboard 42 identifying a desired URL and to generate an
FSK message having a format as shown in Figure 2 and to
display an image file associated with a URL in a
respectively transmitted FSK message. Thus the
microprocessor acts as means for associating image files
with respective network resource locators and producing
display images at the first customer premises equipment,
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the display images corresponding to respective network
resource locators when an FSK message is generated.
In general, the personal computer at the first customer
premises equipment acts as a system for dynamically
dispatching network resource locators.
Figure 2
Referring to Figure 2 the FSK message includes a message
type field 72, a total length field 74, a cpe id field 76,
a parameter type field 78, a parameter length field 80 and
a parameter data field 82. The message type field
identifies the message as an FSK message containing a URL
identifying a network resource from which a page can be
downloaded. Predefined codes are used to identify
predefined message types. The total length field 74 is
used to hold a value representing the total length of the
FSK message. The CPE ID field 76 is loaded with a value
representing a CPE ID, which in this embodiment is zero.
The parameter type field 78 is used to identify the type of
data stored in the parameter data field 82 and, in this
embodiment, the parameter type field stores a predefined
code representing that the contents of the parameter data
field 82 hold a URL. The parameter length field 80 is used
to identify the length of the parameter data field 82. The
parameter data field 82 is, in this embodiment, used to
hold a uniform resource locator identified by input
received at the keyboard 42 and copied from the memory 36.
Figure 3
Referring to Figure 3, the telephone is shown generally at
20 and includes a system microprocessor 90, a telephony
microcontroller 92, and a central office line interface 94
in communication with both the system microprocessor 90 and
the telephony microcontroller 92. The system
microprocessor is connected to a keyboard interface 96 and
a keyboard 98, for receiving user input for commanding the
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system microprocessor 90 to effect certain functionality.
The system microprocessor is further connected to a display
interface 100 which is further connected to a display 102,
for displaying output to a user.
The telephony microcontroller 92 is in communication with
the system microprocessor 90 by a plurality of signal lines
104 and is further in communication with a handset
interface 105 for controlling signals to and from a
conventional handset 106 and a hands-free interface 107 for
providing conventional speakerphone functionality to the
telephone.
The telephony microcontroller 92 is further in
communication with a dial pad 108 of the conventional type,
for enabling a user to dial telephone numbers at the
telephone.
Figure 4
Referring to Figure 4, the central office line interface is
shown in greater detail at 94. The central office line
interface has first and second telephone line inputs 110
and 112 which are connected to the second and third
telephone lines 18 and 28 respectively, from the central
office switch 22 shown in Figure 1.
The first line input 110 is connected to a line 1 modem
terminal 114, a two to four wire interface terminal 116 and
an on-hook extension in use detector 118. The modem
terminal 114 is connected to a line selector switch shown
generally at 120 having a selector terminal 122 and a line
2 modem terminal 124. The line selector switch 120 is
controlled by a line selector control circuit 126 to
connect the selector terminal 122 to either the line 2
modem terminal 124 or the line 1 modem terminal 114. The
selector terminal 122 is further connected to a modem hook
switch 128 which is controlled by a modem 130 in
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communication with the system microprocessor 90, shown in
Figure 3.
Referring back to Figure 4, the modem hook switch 128 is
connected to a data access arrangement 132 which isolates
the modem from the telephone line and provides a DC path
for seizing the line. The data access arrangement 132 is
in communication with the modem 130, to provide analog
signals to and from the modem 130, for communication to the
system microprocessor.
The central office line interface further includes a line
hook switch 134 and a two wire to four wire hybrid circuit
136. The hook switch 134 is controlled by a line hook
switch control circuit 138 which opens and closes the hook
switch 134 thereby connecting and disconnecting the second
telephone line 18 to and from the two to four wire hybrid
circuit 136.
The two to four wire hybrid circuit 136 has a transmit
input 140 and a receive output 142 and an off-hook detect
signal output 144. The transmit input 140 is connected to
a DTMF generator 146 and a transmit output of an audio
circuit 148. The DTMF generator is operable to provide
tones to the transmit input 140 to provide DTMF tones on
the third telephone line 18.
The receive output 142 of the two to four wire hybrid
circuit 136 is connected to a receive input of the audio
circuit 148, and is further connected to an FSK receiver
150 and a caller alerting signal receiver 152.
The off-hook EIU detect output 144 of the two to four wire
hybrid circuit 136 is connected to an off-hook EIU detect
circuit 154 which provides a signal indicating whether or
not an extension is in use on the second telephone line 18,
at the same time that the hook switch 134 is closed.
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The on-hook extension in use detector 118 monitors the
second telephone line 18 to provide a signal indicating
whether or not an extension is in use on the first
telephone line, when the hook switch 134 is in the open
position.
The line selector control circuit 126, the line hook switch
circuit 138 and the DTMF generator 146 are operable to
receive signals from the telephony microcontroller 92 shown
in Figure 3, to control the state of the line selector
switch 120, to control the state of the line hook switch
134 and to provide DTMF signals to the two to four wire
interface for transmission on the second telephone line 18,
respectively. The audio circuit 148 is in bi-directional
communication with the telephony microcontroller which
effectively provides an audio path, with audio signal
processing to the handset interface 105 or hands-free
interface 107 shown in Figure 3.
The FSK receiver 150, caller alerting signal receiver 152,
off-hook EIU detect circuit 154 and on-hook extension in
use detector 118 provide FSK, CAS, off-hook EIU and on-hook
EIU signals respectively to the telephony microcontroller.
Referring back to Figure 3, the system microprocessor 90 is
further in communication with FLASH memory 156 and random
access memory (RAM) 158.
Figure 5
Referring to Figure 5, the FLASH memory holds a directory
structure as shown generally at 161. The directory
structure includes a base directory having a hardware
abstraction layer file 163, an operating system file 165,
a system subdirectory 167, a data directory 169, a Java
subdirectory 171 and a temporary subdirectory 173.
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The hardware abstraction layer file 163 includes basic boot
commands for booting up the system processor and for
directing it to load the operating system file 165 into
RAM, where it is run by the processor.
The operating system file 165 contains operating system
commands for establishing basic operation of the system
microprocessor 90. The operating system commands include
a Board Support Package (BSP) and drivers which direct the
processor to interact with the central office line
interface 94, the telephony microcontroller 92, the
keyboard interface 96 and the display interface 100 shown
in Figure 3. In this embodiment, the operating system is
known as VXWorks (tm) provided by Windriver of Alameda,
California. The operating system maintains a routing table
155 in the RAM 158 shown in Figure 3 for maintaining
details of connections established through the central
office line interface 94 on the third subscriber line 28
shown in Figure 4.
The operating system file further includes code
implementing a Java (tm) virtual machine and a graphics
layer known as RTX X-Windows server (tm) by Visicom of San
Diego, California. The Java virtual machine includes core
Java packages including Java.lang, Java.io, Java.applet,
Java.net and Java.awt which in connection with the
operating system files create a Java run time environment
at the system microprocessor 90 shown in Figure 3.
Still referring to Figure 5, the system subdirectory 167
includes an applications subdirectory 175. The
applications subdirectory 175 includes a telephone
subdirectory 179 containing files for directing the system
microprocessor 90 to cooperate with the telephony
microcontroller 92 to provide telephony functionality. The
applications subdirectory further includes an event parser
subdirectory 181 containing event parser files, a main
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event handler subdirectory 183 containing main event
handler files, a browser subdirectory 185 containing
browser files, a public interface subdirectory 187
containing public interface method files 189 and a handler
subdirectory 191 containing handler files.
The data subdirectory 169 includes a configuration data
subdirectory 207 containing configuration files including
a CPE ID file 210 and an event code lookup table file 208.
The CPE ID file 210 holds a CPE ID of the telephone, to
identify the telephone from other telephones which may be
connected to the same telephone line. The event code
lookup table file 208 contains an event code lookup table
having parameter type and URL event code f fields 211 and 213
respectively, for associating parameter types with URL
event codes.
The Java subdirectory 171 includes Java class files of the
type classes. jar.
The temporary subdirectory 173 is used to store applets,
HTML pages and files which may be downloaded over one of
the analog subscriber lines 18 and 28 shown in Figure 3.
Figure 6
Referring to Figure 6, the RAM 158 is used to maintain an
FSK receive buffer 200, a variable buffer 202, a main event
handler buffer 204, an event queue buffer 206 and a routing
table 155.
The FSK receive buffer 200 is of sufficient length to
receive FSK messages, in general. In this embodiment, such
messages are of the form shown in Figure 2.
Referring back to Figure 6, the variable buffer 202 and the
main event handler buffer 204 hold variable and main event
records respectively. The variable records include a
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parameter type field 215 and a data field 216 and the main
event records include a parameter type field 217 and a data
field 209. The event queue buffer 206 is a variable length
buffer for storing various event queue records, each of
which includes an event code field 248 and a data field
250.
Figure 7
Referring briefly to Figure 3, the system microprocessor
90, FLASH memory 156, and RAM 158 together form a computer
architecture. Referring to Figure 7, this architecture is
shown generally at 162.
Figure 8
Referring to Figure 8, the event parser files in the event
parser directory establish an event parser thread running
on the system processor, as shown generally at 220. The
event parser thread includes a read comm port instance 222
which directs the system microprocessor 90 shown in Figure
3, to communicate with the telephony microcontroller to
read the FSK receiver 150 to determine whether or not an
FSK message is being received at the FSK receiver 150. If
a message is not being received, the event parser thread is
blocked on the read comm port instance 222. If the FSK
receiver 150 is receiving an FSK message, such message is
passed to the system microprocessor and stored in the FSK
receive buffer 200.
The event parser thread then includes a checksum instance
224 which directs the processor to read the contents of the
FSK receive buffer 200 to determine whether or not the
message was received properly. If the message was not
received properly, it is ignored and the processor is
directed back to the read comm port instance 222.
If the message was received properly, the processor is
directed to a CPE ID match instance 226 in which the
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contents of the CPE ID register 210 stored in the FLASH
memory 156 is compared against the contents of the CPE ID
field of the FSK message stored in the FSK receive buffer
200. If the CPE IDs do not match, the processor is
returned to the read comm port instance 222.
If the CPE IDs match, the processor is directed to a store
parameter type instance 232 which directs the processor to
store the contents of the parameter type field and the
contents of the data field in the variable buffer 202. The
system microprocessor 90 is then directed to a copy
instance 234 which directs it to copy the contents of the
variable buffer 202 to the main event handler buffer 204.
The processor is then returned back to the read comm port
instance 222 where it blocks until a further FSK message is
received.
FiQUre 9
Main event handler thread
Referring to Figure 9, the main event handler files in the
main event handler subdirectory 183 establish a main event
handler thread as shown generally at 240. The main event
handler thread includes a buffer loaded instance 242 which
directs the system microprocessor 90 to determine whether
or not the main event handler buffer 204 shown in Figure 6
is full. If this buffer is not loaded then the processor
blocks on the buffer loaded instance 242.
If the main event handler buffer is loaded, the processor
is directed to a lookup table instance 244 which directs
the processor to find an event code record in the event
code lookup table 208 shown in Figure 5, having parameter
type field 211 contents corresponding to the contents of
the parameter type field in the main event handler buffer
204 shown in Figure 6.
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On finding such an event code record, the system
microprocessor 90 is directed to a copy event code instance
246 which directs the processor to copy the contents of the
event code field 213 from the event code record into the
event queue buffer 206 shown in Figure 6 and also to copy
the contents of the data field 209 of the main event
handler buffer 204 shown in Figure 6 to the event queue
buffer 206 in association with the event code. Thus, the
processor stores, in the event queue buffer 206, a first
event record including an event code from the event code
lookup table 208 and data from the data field 250 of the
main event handler buffer 204 shown in Figure 6.
Figure 10
Referring to Figure 10, the event dispatcher files in the
main event handler subdirectory 183 shown in Figure 5
establish an event dispatcher thread as shown generally at
180. The event dispatcher thread includes a first instance
which directs the system processor to address the next
event code record in the event queue buffer 206 shown in
Figure 6. The system processor is then directed to
instance 184 which directs it to determine which threads
have registered for the event code record addressed at
instance 182. The registration of threads with event code
records is assumed to have been previously accomplished
according to conventional practices. After having
determined which threads have registered for the current
event code record, instance 186 directs the processor to
communicate the current event code record from the event
queue buffer 206 to the registered threads. In this
manner, data is passed from the event queue buffer 206 to
appropriate threads.
Figure 11
Referring to Figure 11, a browser thread 260 is implemented
by the browser files in the browser subdirectory 185 shown
in Figure 5. The browser thread includes a pend instance
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262 which directs the processor to pend for receipt of a
URL event code record from the event dispatcher thread 180
shown in Figure 10.
On receipt of a URL event code record, a request instance
264 directs the system microprocessor 90 to request a
connection to a world-wide web resource specified by the
URL in the data field 250 of the event record. Such
connection is requested using classes in the Java net
package of the Java virtual machine.
Ficzure 12
Referring to Figure 12, if a connection is requested by an
application, the network driver 270 included within the
operating system file 165 shown in Figure 5 is run. The
network driver task includes a first instance 272 which
directs the system microprocessor 90 to pend awaiting a
connection request from the browser thread shown in Figure
11.
On receiving a connection request, instance 274 directs the
system microprocessor 90 to check the routing table 155
shown in Figure 6 to determine whether or not a network
connection has already been established. Referring to
Figure 12, if no such connection has been established,
instance 276 directs the system microprocessor 90 to
command the modem 130 to connect to the third telephone
line 58 to place a telephone call on the third telephone
line 28 via public switched telephone network to the
Internet services provider 24 shown in Figure 1.
Referring back to Figure 12, establishment of a connection
with the Internet services provider involves a handshaking
instance 278.
On establishing connection with the Internet services
provider, instance 280 directs the processor to negotiate
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a point to point protocol (PPP) connection with the
Internet services provider and to store the details of the
PPP connection in the routing table 155. A network
connection is thus created.
Instance 282 then directs the system microprocessor 90 to
notify the requesting application of the connection to the
resource specified by the URL in the data field 250 of the
event record.
On completion of transmission of the details to the browser
thread, the system microprocessor 90 is directed back to
instance 272 where it pends on receipt of a further
connection request from the browser thread.
It should be noted that at instance 274, where the
processor is directed to determine whether or not a
connection has already been established, if such a
connection has already been established, the processor is
directed directly to instance 282 where it notifies the
requesting application of such connection.
Referring back to Figure 11, notification of the connection
established by the network driver task shown in Figure 12
is received at instance 290 in Figure 11.
Still referring to Figure 11, if no connection has been
made and no connection can be established, instance 292
directs the system microprocessor 90 to display an error
banner to indicate that the connection could not be
established. The processor is then returned back to the
pend instance 262.
If at instance 290, notification of a connection has been
received, instance 294 directs the processor to receive and
decode an HTML file from the resource indicated by the URL
passed to the browser by the event dispatcher. In this
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embodiment, the HTML page is downloaded from the first
content provider 26. The HTML file is received and stored
in the temporary directory 173 in the FLASH 156.
Instance 295 then directs the processor to determine
whether or not the HTML file has been successfully decoded,
according to well known browser decoding criteria. In this
embodiment, the browser includes a security manager which
imposes restrictions on what hosts any applets within the
HTML file can communicate with. In particular in this
embodiment, applets are restricted from reading or writing
to the flash memory shown in Figure 5. Applets may only
open socket connections to the host that served them. They
are not permitted to open server sockets themselves, they
are not permitted to start other processes on the local
host and they are not permitted to have native methods.
If the HTML file was not successfully decoded, the
processor is directed to the error banner instance 292. If
the HTML file was successfully decoded, instance 296
directs the processor to execute the HTML file to display
the content contained therein and to spawn threads on each
applet, if any, contained therein. After spawning such
threads, the processor is returned to the pend instance
262.
Operation
Referring to Figure 1, the content provider 26 includes a
web server 350 and a database of HTML files 352. The
database 36 at the personal computer of the first CPE has
a list of URLs which identify the individual HTML pages 352
at the first content provider 26. Thus, the personal
computer at the first CPE acts as means for maintaining a
list of network resource locators at the first customer
premises equipment and selectively using the network
resource locators in respective FSK messages.
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It is contemplated that a user of the second telephone 20
makes a telephone call on the second telephone line 18 to
the first telephone 32. Thus the second telephone acts as
means disposed at the second customer premises equipment
for establishing a telephone call on a first telephone
line, between the first and second customer premises
equipment. When a call has been established, during the
call, the user of the second telephone may request to a
user of the first telephone, by voice, to see a picture of
services provided by the user of the first telephone. In
this case, the user of the first telephone enters on the
keyboard 42 an indication of the desired page to be shown
and the microprocessor 34 retrieves a corresponding
associated URL from the memory 36. The microprocessor then
produces a series of bytes representing a desired FSK
message to be sent to the second telephone and presents
such bytes along with appropriate command codes to the FSK
transmitter, while at the same time setting a mute signal
active to activate the mute circuit 40 to prevent FSK
signals produced by the FSK transmitter from being
transmitted to the telephone 32. The FSK signals are,
however, transmitted on the first telephone line 16 to the
central office 22 which further transmits these signals to
the second telephone via the second telephone line 18.
Thus, the microprocessor and FSK transmitter act as a
processor transmitter or means for generating at the first
customer premises equipment a frequency shift keyed message
containing a network resource locator. The mute circuit 40
and processor act as means for transmitting the FSK message
from the first customer premises equipment to the second
customer premises equipment during the telephone call.
The second telephone line 18 receives the FSK signals
through the FSK receiver 150 and deposits a replica of the
FSK message in the FSK receive buffer 200. The FSK
receiver thus acts as a receiver or means for receiving the
FSK message at the second customer premises equipment.
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The telephone further receives the FSK message 70 through
the event parser thread 220 shown in Figure 8 and the main
event handler thread 240 shown in Figure 9 which load the
event queue buffer 206 with a URL event code and the
contents of the parameter data field 82 which contains the
URL of the HTML file 356 at the first content provider 26
shown in Figure 1. Thus, the processor acts as means for
extracting the network resource locator from the FSK
message.
Referring to Figures 1 and 11, the browser thread 260
directs the system microprocessor 90 to control the modem
130 to establish a connection with the Internet services
provider 24 and the network driver 270 shown in Figure 12
establishes a network connection between the telephone 20
and the first content provider 26 through the third
telephone line 28, the Internet services provider 24 and
the world-wide web 23. Thus, the system processor and
browser thread act as means for establishing a connection
to a network resource indicated by the network resource
locator and more particularly, means for establishing the
connection to the network resource on a second telephone
line while maintaining the telephone call active on the
first telephone line.
The first content provider 26 transmits the HTML file
containing the applet back to the telephone 20 and such
HTML file is received in the temporary directory 173 shown
in Figure 5. Thus, the processor and browser act as means
for downloading a file from the network resource identified
by the network resource locator. The browser thread 260
then executes the HTML file and displays any content on the
display 102 and spawns applet threads on each applet
included therein.
In this embodiment, the entire content of the HTML file
from the content provider is displayed on the display 102.
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Thus, marketing or advertising content is automatically
displayed on the display. The browser has no navigation
tools or buttons and, therefore, the advertisement is
displayed unobstructed.
The HTML file may include a plurality of links which the
user can select using an input device (not shown) and such
links may be used by the browser to connect to another
resource on the world-wide web or to connect to a resource
within the telephone itself. Such resource would be stored
in a sub-directory of the system subdirectory 167 shown in
Figure 5.
Applets may be used to create animated marketing
advertisements or presentations which may be more appealing
to a user. In addition, high resolution pictures may be
included within the HTML file as GIF files or the like.
As HTML pages are for use on display screens of a
predefined aspect ratio, advertising for use on telephones
of the type described, can be simply and easily developed
using conventional HTML page development techniques. This
facilitates convenient creation of advertising content for
the telephone.
It will be appreciated that the microprocessor at the first
customer premises equipment directs the mute circuit 40 to
perform the mute function only where the FSK message is
being transmitted by the FSK transmitter. Otherwise, the
mute circuit 40 is not active and users of the first and
second telephones may continue to converse, while the
second telephone navigates to the network resource
specified by the URL in the FSK message transmitted by the
second telephone. Thus, the browser and processor at the
second telephone and the personal computer at the first
customer premises equipment act as means for producing a
display image at the second customer premises equipment,
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from the file, while displaying an associated image at the
first customer premises equipment. More particularly, the
apparatus includes means for producing a display image at
the second customer premises equipment while displaying an
associated image at the first customer premises equipment,
while maintaining the telephone call on the first telephone
line to enable a user of the second customer premises
equipment to view images designated by a user of the first
customer premises equipment, while conducting a telephone
conversation with the user of the first customer premises
equipment.
While the second telephone navigates to the network
resource specified by the URL in the FSK message and while
the voice call is being conducted, the first computer
produces display images at the first customer premises
equipment, the display images corresponding to respective
network resource locators included in respectively
transmitted FSK messages.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated, such embodiments should be
considered illustrative of the invention only and not as
limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the
accompanying claims.
