US 2003/0118166 A1 · Method and system for telephone control using processing sensor

Abstract

The invention concerns methods and systems for enabling telephones to be controlled through computer systems. Employing the invention involves the use of one or more control interfaces which are capable of being used to interact with a computer system or network, each interface comprising sheet material such as paper which has coded data printed on it and which allows it to be used to interact with the computer system by use of a sensing device operated by a user. Through this interaction, data from the control interface can be transmitted to the computer system to effect an operation relating to the functioning of the telephone. In this way, the computer system can invoke functions such as the making of outgoing calls, and the receiving and sending of text information such as short messages or retrieved telephone numbers.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A method of enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command from a computer system, the method including the steps of:

providing a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of an identity of the control interface and of at least one reference point of the control interface;
receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from a sensing device regarding the identity of the control interface and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device relative to the control interface;
and
effecting, in the computer system and from the indicating data, at least one operation relating to the at least one command,
wherein the sensing device comprises:
(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface;
and
(b) a processor adapted to:
(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;
(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;
(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;
and
(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

10 more elements

providing a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command;
receiving, in the computer system and from the sensing device, indicating data regarding the at least one operation and at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the control interface;
and
effecting, in the computer system and from the indicating data and at least one of the movement data and the position data, the at least one operation,
wherein the sensing device comprises:
(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface;
and
(b) a processor adapted to:
(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;
(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;
(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;
(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data;
and
(v) generate the data regarding at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to the control interface using at least some of the decoded coded data.

11 more elements

providing a user with a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command;
receiving, in the computer system, identity data from a sensing device regarding an identity of the user, the sensing device being adapted to contain the identity data;
receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from the sensing device regarding the at least one operation;
and
effecting, in the computer system and from the identity data and the indicating data, at least one operation relating to the at least one command,
wherein the sensing device comprises:
(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface;
and
(b) a processor adapted to:
(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;
(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;
(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;
and
(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

11 more elements

A system for enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command, the system including:

a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command;
and
a computer system operative to receive, from a sensing device, indicating data regarding said at least one operation and at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the control interface, and for effecting, from the indicating data and at least one of the movement data and the position data, the at least one operation relating to the at least one command,
the sensing device comprising:
(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface;
and
(b) a processor adapted to:
(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;
(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;
(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;
(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data;
and
(v) generate the data regarding at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to the control interface using at least some of the decoded coded data.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for telephone control using processing sensor

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Method and system for telephone control using processing sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38