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A software platform in an Internet Protocol (IP) phone having the ability to be used with different communication infrastructures such as broadband, wireless communication and Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) service. Further, the software platform in the IP phone has the ability to be used with different applications operating on the IP phone. Further, the IP phone has the ability to perform additional functionality than traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) phones, such as searches and advertising, given its ability to converge voice and data within a single terminal.

Inventors: Carlos J. Velez-Rivera, Inaki Olivares-Arocho, Jose L. Cruz-Rivera
Original Assignee: Commuca, Inc.
Primary Examiner: Quynh H Nguyen
Attorney: Ruben C. DeLeon
Current U.S. Classification: 370/352; 379/114.13; 709/219

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US20020133396Mar 13, 2001Method and system for securing network-based electronic voting
US20030004937Sep 13, 2001Method and business process to maintain privacy in distributed recommendation systems
US20030136835Jan 21, 2003Packet-based internet voting transactions with biometric authentication

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US7609685Sep 24, 2004Oct 27, 2009Zyxel Communications CorpIP telephony apparatus providing simultaneous SIP communication for multiple IP phones and method for the same
US7656878Dec 3, 2004Feb 2, 2010Cisco Technology, Inc.System and method for providing enhanced caller ID in a session initiation protocol (SIP) environment
US7751378Mar 31, 2006Jul 6, 2010Intel CorporationMethod, apparatus and system for client-based distributed PBX for enterprise telephony
US8223955Oct 31, 2007Jul 17, 2012Broadsoft Casabi, LLCMethod and apparatus for delivering and tracking click/call information for PSTN and digital telephone networks

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an Internet Protocol (IP) phone coupled to a server,

wherein said IP phone is configured to receive contextual information from said server, wherein said IP phone comprises:
a memory unit operable for storing a computer program for performing contextual searches;
a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises:
circuitry for receiving a command to perform a contextual search;
circuitry for receiving search criteria;
circuitry for submitting said search criteria to said server; and
circuitry for receiving from said server a list of merchants matching said search criteria and information regarding each of said merchants in said list;
wherein a user of said IP phone completes a transaction with at least one of said merchants listed without the need to generate a voice call;
wherein said information received by said user of said IP phone comprises a variety of offers, wherein said user selects one of said variety of offers associated with said one of said merchants listed, wherein said selected offer is transmitted to said one of said merchants listed electronically; and
wherein said user's contact and payment information is not transmitted to said one of said merchants listed, wherein said user's contact and payment information is available to said one of said merchants listed.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said server is configured to log actions of a user associated with viewing said list of merchants and contacting said merchants in said list.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said search criteria comprises a location and a type of service establishment.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said information regarding each of said merchants in said list comprises a name and contact information.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for storing said information on one of said merchants in said list selected by a user of said IP phone in a directory in said IP phone.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said contact information comprises a telephone number, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for receiving a selection of said telephone number associated with one of said merchants in said list selected by a user of said IP phone; and

circuitry for initiating a telephone call to said selected merchant via one of a wireless network, a voice network, a public switched telephone network and a data network.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said merchants in said list of merchants select one of a plurality of advertising services, wherein each of said plurality of advertising services provides a different level of advertising exposure.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said different levels of advertising exposure comprise a different amount of contextual information presented to a user of said IP phone.

9. A method for performing contextual searches on an Internet Phone (IP) phone comprising the steps of:

receiving a command to perform a contextual search;

receiving search criteria from a user of said IP phone;

submitting said search criteria to a server coupled to said IP phone; and

receiving from said server a list of merchants matching said search criteria and information regarding each of said merchants in said list;
wherein said information received by said user comprises a variety of offers, wherein said user selects one of said variety of offers associated with said one of said merchants listed, wherein said selected offer is transmitted to said one of said merchants listed electronically; and
wherein said user's contact and payment information is not transmitted to said one of said merchants listed, wherein said user's contact and payment information is available to said one of said merchants listed.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of:

logging actions of said user associated with viewing said list of merchants and contacting said merchants in said list.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said search criteria comprises a location and a type of service establishment.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said information regarding each of said merchants in said list comprises a name and contact information.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of:

storing said information on one of said merchants in said list selected by said user in a directory in said IP phone.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said contact information comprises a telephone number, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a selection of said telephone number associated with one of said merchants in said list selected by said user; and

initiating a telephone call to said selected merchant via one of a wireless network, a voice network, a public switched telephone network and a data network.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said merchants in said list of merchants select one of a plurality of advertising services, wherein each of said plurality of advertising services provides a different level of advertising exposure.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said different levels of advertising exposure comprise a different amount of contextual information presented to said user.

17. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program for performing contextual searches on an Internet Phone (IP) phone comprising the steps of:

receiving a command to perform a contextual search;

receiving search criteria from a user of said IP phone;

submitting said search criteria to a server coupled to said IP phone; and

receiving from said server a list of merchants matching said search criteria and information regarding each of said merchants in said list;
wherein said user completes a transaction with at least one of said merchants listed without the need to generate a voice call;
wherein said information received by said user comprises a variety of offers, wherein said user selects one of said variety of offers associated with said one of said merchants listed, wherein said selected offer is transmitted to said one of said merchants listed electronically; and
wherein said user's contact and payment information is not transmitted to said one of said merchants listed, wherein said user's contact and payment information is available to said one of said merchants listed.

18. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 17, wherein said server is configured to log actions of a user associated with viewing said list of merchants and contacting said merchants in said list.

19. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 17, wherein said search criteria comprises a location and a type of service establishment.

20. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 17, wherein said information regarding each of said merchants in said list comprises a name and contact information. as recited in claim 17, wherein said information regarding each of said merchants in said list comprises a name and contact information.

21. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 20 further comprising the programming step of:

storing said information on one of said merchants in said list selected by said user in a directory in said IP phone.

22. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with program as recited in claim 20, wherein said contact information comprises a telephone number, wherein the computer program further comprises the programming steps of:

receiving a selection of said telephone number associated with one of said merchants in said list selected by said user; and

initiating a telephone call to said selected merchant via one of a wireless network, a voice network, a public switched telephone network and a data network.

23. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 17, wherein said merchants in said list of merchants select one of a plurality of advertising services, wherein each of said plurality of advertising services provides a different level of advertising exposure.

24. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with computer program as recited in claim 23, wherein said different level of advertising exposure comprises a different amount of contextual information presented to said user.

Drawings