Method and apparatus for telephonically accessing and navigating the internet
View Patent ↗A method for accessing and browsing the internet through the use of a telephone and the associated DTMF signals is disclosed. The preferred embodiment provides a system that converts the information content of a web page from text to speech (voice signals), signals the hyperlink selections of a web page in an audio manner, and allows selection of the hyperlinks through the use of DTMF signals generated from a telephone keypad. Upon receiving a DTMF signal corresponding to a hyperlink, the corresponding web page is fetched and again delivered to the user via one of the available delivery methods such as voice, fax-on-demand, electronic mail, or regular mail.
1. A method for telephonically accessing and navigating a computer network, the method comprising:
receiving a request transmitted from a telephone, the request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, and the first data file comprising a selectable element associated with a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;
transmitting a response to the telephone that corresponds to text stored in the first data file;
generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and
signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving a request comprises receiving Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting the first data file from a first format to a second format.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating voice signals includes generating at least one of synthesized voice signals or recorded voice signals.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said signaling the selectable element includes generating at least one of a tone signal or a numeric voice message.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable element includes a hyperlink that corresponds to the unique address of the second data file residing on the computer network.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a selection transmitted from the telephone, wherein the selection comprises data signals that correspond to the selectable element.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said receiving a selection comprises receiving Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request transmitted from the telephone to deliver the first data file via at least one of voice signals, facsimile, electronic mail message, or postal mail message.
11. A method for telephonically accessing and navigating a computer network, the method comprising:
transmitting a request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, wherein the first data file comprises a selectable element that corresponds to a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;
receiving a response that corresponds to text stored in the first data file;
generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and
signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said transmitting a request includes transmitting Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said generating voice signals includes generating at least one of synthesized voice signals or recorded voice signals.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said signaling the selectable element includes generating a predetermined audio signal.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectable element includes a hyperlink that corresponds to the unique address of the second data file residing on the computer network.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising selecting a hyperlink by transmitting data signals that correspond to the hyperlink.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said transmitting data signals that correspond to the hyperlink includes transmitting Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signals.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting a request to receive the first data file via at least one of voice signals, facsimile, electronic mail message, or postal mail message.
20. A method for accessing and navigating a computer network using a voice communication device, the method comprising:
receiving a request transmitted from the voice communication device, the request comprising data signals that correspond to a unique address of a first data file residing on the computer network, and the first data file comprising a selectable element that corresponds to a unique address of a second data file residing on the computer network;
transmitting a response to the voice communication device, wherein the response corresponds to text stored in the first data file;
generating voice signals that correspond to the response; and
signaling the selectable element contemporaneously with playback of the voice signals to indicate the selectable element.