Videophone system and method
System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location. In one or more embodiments the present invention further includes at least one networks operation center to store information related to the operation of the videophones and to facilitate the operation of the videophones.
1 . A videophone including at least a display screen, telephone keypad, and speaker, all of which are operatively connected, and further comprising: means for connecting said videophone to a communications network configured for transmitting video and audio communications, means for selectably receiving signals which can be transmitted over said communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and wherein said signals are transmitted from a remote location accessible through the communications network, means for selectably accessing the remote location using information entered or selected by a user of said videophone device with said videophone device, and means for selectably displaying the signals representing any transmitted signals representing the images on said display screen, and for playing any transmitted signals representing the sounds on said speaker.
2 . A videophone as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising remote memory means at the remote location, and wherein said remote memory means includes telephone directory information, whereby a user can use said means for placing a videophone call to connect to the remote memory means and selectably retrieve and display such telephone directory information.
3 . A videophone as claimed in claim 2 wherein said telephone directory information comprises stored database of traditional white page data.
4 . A videophone as claimed in claim 2 wherein said telephone directory information comprises stored database of traditional yellow page data.
5 . A videophone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said remote memory means includes supplemental information, and whereby a user can use said means for placing a videophone call to connect to the remotely stored memory means and selectably retrieve and display such supplemental information, and wherein such supplemental information includes one or more of the following types of information: scheduling information services such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing personal calendars, information services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing news, business, weather or sports information, educational services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing customer support or automated training, or data services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing flight information, medical information.
6 . A videophone as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising supplementary information output means for selectably downloading said supplemental information to another device.
7 . A videophone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said means for selectably accessing a remote location further comprises means for programming the videophone to periodically access the remote location on an automatic basis, and wherein said means for selectably receiving signals from the remote location further comprised means for identifying the images and sounds that are desired to be received.
8 . A videophone as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for selectably displaying the signals comprises means for displaying the identified images and sounds when the videophone is not being used for a call.
9 . A videophone as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for selectably displaying the signals comprises means for displaying the identified images and sounds when the videophone is being used for a call and in a manner so as to not unduly obstruct and video or audio information associated with the call.
10 . A videophone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said means for selectably accessing a remote location further comprises means for instructing the videophone to access a desired remote location, and wherein said means for selectably receiving signals from the remote location further comprised means for identifying the images and sounds that are desired to be received.
11 . A method for receiving and displaying information on personal videophone communications device, which device includes at least a display screen, telephone keypad, and speaker, all of which are operatively connected, comprising: connecting said videophone to a communications network configured for transmitting video and audio communications, selectably receiving digital signals being transmitted over said communications network representing the images and sound being transmitted, and for selectably displaying the transmitted signals representing any images on said display screen and for playing the transmitted signals representing any sounds on said speaker, wherein said signals have been stored in remotely located memory means capable of being accessed by said videophone through said communications network, and selectably accessing said remote memory means using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone device with said videophone device.
12 . A method for receiving and displaying information on personal videophone communications device as claimed in claim 11 further comprising including telephone directory information within the storage means, and selectably retrieving and displaying such telephone directory information of the screen of the videophone communication device.
13 . A method for receiving and displaying information on personal videophone communications device as claimed in claim 11 further comprising including one or more of the following types of supplemental information within the storage means: scheduling information services such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing personal calendars, information services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing news, business, weather or sports information, educational services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing customer support or automated training, or data services information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the services providing flight information, medical information, and selectably retrieving and displaying such supplemental information on the screen of the videophone communication device.
14 . A network operations center for a videophone system in which the operations center and a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network by a plurality of communications media, said network and media being configured for transmitting video and audio communications, and in which said operations center being configured to communicate with said videophones via said communications network and communications media, said operations center comprising: storage means for storing information related to the users of said videophones, first processing means for receiving information requests from said video phones and for retrieving such information as is requested from said storage means and transmitting the requested information to the requesting videophone, second processing means for receiving information from said videophones and for selectively storing the received information in said storage means.
15 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising third processing means selectively for requesting and retrieving information related to the communications media and communications network intended to connect two videophones during a call, and for determining the suitability of such media and network for such call.
16 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising means for alerting the party attempting to make a call of the suitability of such media and network for such call.
17 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said second processing means further comprises means for requesting and retrieving information from said videophones.
18 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said second processing means periodically requests directory information from said videophone and stores said directory information in said storage means.
19 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said second processing means periodically requests user setup information from said videophone and stores said user setup information in said storage means.
20 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said second processing means further comprises means for accepting requests from said videophones to send information to the network operations center and to store information in said storage means.
21 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said second processing means periodically receives requests from said videophones to store directory information and stores said directory information in said storage means.
22 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said second processing means periodically receives requests from said videophone to store user setup information and stores said user setup information in said storage means.
23 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first processing means requests and retrieves directory information from said storage means.
24 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first processing means requests and retrieves user setup information from said storage means.
25 . A network operations center for a videophone system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said first processing means further comprises means for requesting and retrieving information from a first of said videophones with respect to information related to a second of said videophones, and wherein said first processing means requests and retrieves the request information from said second of said videophones.