(12) United States Patent
`Giordano, III
`
`(16) Patent N68
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,870,828 B1
`Mar. 22, 2005
`
`US006870828B1
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`ICONIFYING AND AUTOMATICALLY
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`DIALING TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHICH APPEAR ON A WEB PAGE
`
`
`
`:VEO W0
`
`
`
`W0 WO 97/13382
`
`4/1997
`
`
`
`""""" " .......... .. H04Q/7/22
`
`(75) Inventor: Joseph Giordano, III, Redwood City,
`CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee; Cisco Technology, Inc” San Jose, CA
`(Us)
`
`(
`
`) Nonce'
`
`Subject to any dlsclalmer’ the term of thls
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl- N93 08/868,216
`(22) Filed:
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`(51) Int. c1.7 ...................... .. H04L 12/66; H04M 11/00;
`G06F 15/16
`(52) US. Cl. .................. .. 370/352; 370/401; 379/93.17;
`709/203
`(58) Field of Search ............................... .. 370/351—356,
`370/400, 401, 402, 252, 270, 271, 261;
`709/203—206; 707/10> 513> 500> 501> 520;
`379/8817, 9317, 93~15> 90-01> 90> 349,
`93, 96> 67> 88—89> 93-25> 93-19> 93-29>
`93-08, 110-01, 707; 345/762, 133, 348,
`375, 704; 340/542544; 455/412—415> 340;
`395/200> 203> 349> 600> 613
`_
`References Clted
`us PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`2/1991 Goldman et a1‘ """""" " 379/97
`4,995,074 A
`5250940 A 10/1993 Valentaten et a1‘ """" " 345/189
`5,483,352 A
`1/1996 Fukuyama et a1. ....... .. 358/402
`5 764 736 A * 6/1998 Shachar et al
`379/93 09
`5,784,001 A * 7/1998 Deluca ..................... .. 345/133
`5,822,539 A 4 10/1998 Van Hoff
`395/209“
`5,838,682 A * 11/1998 Dekelbaum ,,
`_______ __ 370/401
`5,850,433 A * 12/1998 Rondeau . . . . . .
`. . . .. 379/201
`
`5,859,636 A * 1/1999 Pandit . . . . . . . . .
`. . . . . . . .. 707/501
`5,903,631 A * 5/1999 Smith .................... .. 379/9001
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Kalberg et al., Instant Access to Relevant Information and
`Operations, Jan. 6, 1997, Intel Architecture Laboratories.
`Low, The Internet Telephony Red Herring, May 15, 1996,
`Hewlett Packard— Intelligent Networked Platforms Dept.
`
`Primary Examiner—Steven Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Thelen Reid & Priest LLP;
`Davld B- Rltchle
`
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A method and apparatus are provided for recognizing and
`accessing telephone numbers from a Web page_ In the
`preferred embodiment of the invention, an HTML code of an
`accessed Web page is parsed and Converted A parsing
`algorithm applied to the text in the HTML document pattern
`recognizes telephone numbers. Coding is added to iconify
`the recognized telephone numbers. The user’s Internet
`capable telephone displays the iconi?ed telephone numbers.
`A11 previously-active links and graphical displays supported
`by the Internet-capable telephone are maintained in this
`display. To call a phone number, the user selects the icon,
`and the Internet-capable phone determines how to initiate
`the call. For a two-line phone, the Internet-capable telephone
`initiates a telephone call to the selected number. For a
`one-line phone, the Internet-capable telephone determines
`whether the line is available for a call. If the line is not
`currentl bein used the Internet-ca able tele hone initiates
`.
`y
`g
`’
`p
`p .
`.
`a voice call to the selected number. However, if the user is
`Connectedtothe WebJheIntemet-eapabletelephone Option‘
`ally transparently disconnects from the Internet and initiates
`a voice call to the selected telephone number. At the con
`clusion of the telephone call, the Internet-capable telephone
`
`Optionally transparently re-connects t0 the Web,
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`37 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`1110
`
`I08
`
`'-——| ALGORITHM FAT'l'llN-EICO GNIZE!
`
`TELEHIONI NUMBER IN_ TEXT___
`
`'1
`1
`-
`HTML co-nvimsn Iran I: DISPLAVEj I PHONE NUMBERS
`1'0 EQUIVALENT
`1'0 095:‘
`|
`ARE lcomnen I
`
`uwour J
`I
`i
`
`_
`
`I
`
`115
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`120
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`125
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`GOOGLE INC. 1005
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`1
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`US 6,870,828 B1
`Page 2
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`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,923,736 A * 7/1999 Shachar ................. .. 379/9317
`5,930,474 A * 7/1999 Dunworth
`. 707/10
`5,946,647 A * 8/1999 Miller ......................... .. 704/9
`
`5,966,652 A * 10/1999 Coad ........................ .. 455/412
`6,012,102 A
`1/2000 Shachar ....................... .. 710/5
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`2
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 22,2005
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`Sheet 1 of3
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`US 6,870,828 B1
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`100
`
`Hi5
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`‘ HTML l8 PAnsEn‘
`
`-——— ALGORITHM PATTERN-RECOGNIZES
`
`TELEPjiONE NUMBER IN TEXT";
`
`110———---
`
`OUT IS REHDEHE IN DISPLAYABLE FORM
`
`l
`gnu. cdiwEnTsn
`
`T
`‘TEXT IS m-s'P'LAvE'j I PHONE NUMBERS
`
`To EQUIVALENT
`
`LAYOUT
`
`v1'0 usEn‘
`
`|
`
`ARE ICONIFIED
`
`_
`
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`
`I
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`
`5
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`12B
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`125
`
`Flg. 1
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`3
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 22,2005
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`Sheet 2 of3
`
`US 6,870,828 B1
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`Ark-1% iEX! |§ EEIB, EHEEKED FDR NUMEFIIC EHAHACTERSI
`
`I.
`
`CHARACTER lg
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`nou‘uumsmc
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`PATTERN-RECOGNITION muommm , , ALGORITHM TAKES
`CHECKS SEQUENTIAL cnmucrzns
`TEXT cnnmmens 1w
`INTO ACCOUNT
`|
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`Q50
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`215
`
`——-_—=L-_H - ---"_---_I
`
`m_.lcacneo seuuences couuneo'
`TO PICTURE FORMATS
`|
`
`Fig. 2
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`4
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 22,2005
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`Sheet 3 of3
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`US 6,870,828 B1
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`39c___ Eutton ls pusnedl
`
`phone detsrm nos how (0 initiale he call
`
`380
`
`If iwcrline phone!
`
`sufficient bandwigth
`
`
`
`5.1-1.5. -EE___J"B° phone
`
`-.L
`
`IR connected to web
`32.0- ~
`
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`
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`
`If not cemented
`.
`10 :he Web
`
`_
`.5 9.5
`
`disccnnect frdrn Web
`
`I
`I'm-mate a voice call to phone number
`
`_
`
`,1 a q
`
`torminazsbvoica call
`
`_
`reconnect to Web
`__
`‘F QME'HM?» m»!
`-.,.. "5%
`
`Fig. 0
`
`5
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`

`
`US 6,870,828 B1
`
`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`ICONIFYING AND AUTOMATICALLY
`DIALING TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHICH
`APPEAR ON A WEB PAGE
`
`2
`iconi?ed telephone numbers to permit automatic dialing of
`a selected number. It Would be yet another advantage if such
`system organiZed such telephone numbers to facilitate locat
`ing a desired number.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention provides a method and apparatus for rec
`ogniZing and accessing telephone numbers that are con
`tained Within a Web page. The telephone numbers are
`iconi?ed to permit automatic dialing of a selected number.
`The preferred embodiment of the invention is adapted for
`use With a Web telephone. HoWever, alternative embodi
`ments of the invention are adapted for use With any Internet
`access device. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,
`either the server that controls Internet access or a client
`parses the HTML code of an accessed Web page. A parsing
`algorithm applied to the text in the HTML document pattern
`recogniZes telephone numbers having a standard format,
`such as United States numbers or international phone num
`bers.
`Coding is added to iconify recogniZed telephone numbers.
`The invention may be con?gured to iconify all pattern
`recogniZed telephone numbers, or to iconify only those
`numbers meeting speci?c criteria. An iconi?ed telephone
`number is identi?ed on the Internet-capable telephone
`screen by means including a button surrounding the number,
`font appearance, underlining, or highlighting.
`Iconi?ed telephone numbers may be either automatically
`or manually stored in an address book for later use.
`To call a phone number, the user selects the icon, for
`example, by clicking on it. The Internet-capable phone
`determines hoW to initiate the call. If the user has a tWo-line
`phone, the Internet-capable telephone initiates a telephone
`call to the selected number.
`If the user has a one-line phone, the Internet-capable
`telephone determines Whether the line is available for a call.
`If the line isn’t currently being used, the Internet-capable
`telephone initiates a voice call to the selected number.
`HoWever, if the user is connected to the Web, the Internet
`capable telephone automatically disconnects from the Inter
`net and initiates a voice call to the selected telephone
`number. At the conclusion of the telephone call, the Internet
`capable telephone may or may not automatically re-connect
`to the Web.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a How chart of a method for recogniZing and
`accessing telephone numbers according to the preferred
`embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 2 is a How chart of an algorithm for recogniZing
`telephone numbers according to the invention; and
`FIG. 3 is a How chart of a method for accessing telephone
`numbers according to the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`The invention provides a method and system for recog
`niZing telephone numbers from a Web page. The telephone
`numbers are iconi?ed to permit automatic dialing of a
`selected number.
`FIG. 1 is a How chart of a method for recogniZing and
`accessing telephone numbers, according to the preferred
`embodiment of the invention. The preferred embodiment of
`the invention is adapted for use With the Web technique
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`1. Technical Field
`The invention relates to electronic communication sys
`tems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for
`recognizing and accessing telephone numbers from data
`bases distributed over an electronic netWork.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Electronic netWorks are increasingly being used to store
`and distribute a variety of data. Examples of such electronic
`netWorks include the Internet, and intranet systems. For
`example, a World Wide Web (Web) page may include text,
`graphical displays, video displays, animation, and sounds.
`The Web is usually accessed via telephone lines by a
`modem-connected computer. HoWever, the Web may also be
`accessed through other devices, including personal data
`assistants, fax machines, and Internet-capable telephones.
`One telephone that provides Web access is described in M.
`Valentaten, B. Moeschen, Y. Friedman, Y. -T. Sidi, Z.
`BlkoWsky, Z. Peleg , Malti-Mode Home Terminal System
`that Utilizes a Single Embedded General Parpose/DSP
`Processor and a Single Random Access Memory, US. Pat.
`No. 5,250,940 (Oct. 5, 1993).
`AWeb page is encoded in Hypertext Markup Language
`(HTML). An HTML document is a plain-text (ASCII) ?le
`that uses tags to denote the various elements in the docu
`ment. An element may include an attribute, Which is addi
`tional information that is included betWeen tags.
`HTML can be used to link text and/or images, such as
`icons, to another document or section of a document. The
`user activates a link by clicking on it, and the linked database
`is directly accessed. Links are used to access related
`information, or to contact a person or entity. HoWever,
`40
`information on a Web page must have the requisite HTML
`tags to be an active link.
`Web pages often contain additional information such as
`telephone numbers. These phone numbers appear as infor
`mational numbers, for example, for customer service, mar
`keting materials, further information, or for advertising.
`With the expansion of the Web, Web pages that specialiZe in
`providing phone numbers are being created. Such Web
`pages include directory services, White pages, and yelloW
`pages.
`HoWever, these phone numbers are provided on the Web
`as text. HTML cannot be used to dial a telephone number
`over the Internet. Rather, the user must ?rst search the text
`to locate a phone number. This search may be by visual
`inspection or by using a search engine to ?nd a particular
`reference and its associated phone number. To access a
`number, the user must manually dial the number, or manu
`ally input the number into an automatic dialing program.
`Furthermore, access to the Web is typically via a tele
`phone line. If the user has only one telephone line, the user
`must disconnect from the Web before the phone number can
`be dialed. The prior art process for obtaining and calling a
`phone number listed on the Web is neither time nor cost
`effective, especially in a business environment.
`It Would therefore be an advantage to provide a system for
`recogniZing telephone numbers from the World Wide Web.
`It Would be a further advantage if such system if the system
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`US 6,870,828 B1
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`described above. (See US. Pat. No. 5,250,940.) However,
`alternative embodiments of the invention are adapted for use
`With any Internet access device.
`The server that controls Internet access for the I-Phone
`parses the HTML code of an accessed Web page (100).
`While parsing the HTML, the server examines the text in the
`HTML document. It should be appreciated that parsing may
`just as readily be performed on the Client instead of the
`server. Thus, the folloWing discussion is provided for pur
`poses of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the
`invention. An algorithm is applied to this text to pattern
`recogniZe telephone numbers (105). The algorithm is readily
`modi?ed to recogniZe any telephone numbers having a
`standard format, such as United States numbers or interna
`tional phone numbers.
`The layout is then rendered in a displayable form (110).
`In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the server (or
`the Client) converts the HTML layout to an equivalent of the
`HTML layout (115). Alternative embodiments of the inven
`tion do not convert the HTML layout, or convert the HTML
`to different broWser formats.
`Where the parsing is performed by the server, the HTML
`page can be converted into different formats prior to being
`sent to clients, depending on the client’s particular require
`ments. For example, an HTML page can be converted into
`formats accessible by a Web telephone, a cellular phone, or
`a personal digital assistant having a Wireless phone. The ?les
`are sent to the user’s Internet-capable telephone and the Web
`page is displayed on the telephone’s screen (120). All
`previously-active links and graphical displays supported by
`the Internet-capable telephone are maintained in this display.
`As a part of the HTML conversion, coding is added to
`iconify recogniZed telephone numbers (125). The invention
`may be con?gured to iconify all pattern-recognized tele
`phone numbers, or to iconify only those numbers meeting
`speci?c criteria. In this case, a restrictor is used to direct the
`pattern-recognition softWare to only recogniZe or to ignore
`certain area codes, not to iconify certain foreign-country
`telephone numbers, or to iconify only telephone numbers
`associated With speci?c text headings such as “Customer
`Support.” In such case the number still appears on the screen
`display, but is not iconi?ed.
`In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an iconi?ed
`telephone number is identi?ed on the Internet-capable tele
`phone screen by a button surrounding the number. HoWever,
`in alternative embodiments, the telephone number may be
`identi?ed by different means, such as font appearance,
`underlining, or highlighting.
`FIG. 2 is a How chart of an algorithm for recogniZing
`telephone numbers, according to the invention. A set of
`Picture Formats are developed for the patterns of phone
`numbers. While the softWare program is reading the HTML
`document, it reads the text of every character that it comes
`across and checks to see if the text is a number (200). If the
`character is non-numeric (225), HTML parsing continues.
`HoWever, the identi?cation of a number (205) triggers the
`pattern-recognition algorithm (210). The pattern-recognition
`algorithm sequentially checks the characters folloWing the
`identi?ed number to determine if they also are numbers. A
`series of consecutive numbers is cached (215) and then
`compared to the Picture Formats (220). A matching format
`indicates a telephone number.
`Telephone numbers can include text, such as hyphens or
`parentheses, or spaces interspersed With numbers. The pat
`terns in the Picture Formats are therefore de?ned by those
`text characters that can be before and in betWeen numbers.
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`Because some text characters void the pattern, the algorithm
`should take this into account (230). Thus, the algorithm can
`distinguish, for example, among parentheses surrounding an
`area code, parentheses surrounding a sentence, and a serial
`number containing both numbers and text characters.
`The patterns in the Picture Formats are also de?ned by the
`length of the number string. For example, US. area codes
`are usually three digits, and pre?xes are usually three digits,
`folloWed by four ?nal digits.
`The folloWing is an example of an algorithm that supports
`U.S. phone numbers. The algorithm looks for the folloWing
`patterns:
`
`Where x represents a numeric digit, * represents one
`character, and ** represents either one or tWo characters, all
`of Which can only be equal to
`,
`,
`.
`, or “ ”. There is
`a ?rst character case that is omitted Which is a “+” or a “ ”.
`FIG. 3 is a How chart of a method for accessing telephone
`numbers, according to the invention. To call a phone
`number, the user selects the icon by clicking on it, or by
`another suitable selection method (300). The Internet
`capable phone makes the determination of hoW to initiate the
`call (305). If the user has a tWo-line phone, the Internet
`capable telephone initiates a telephone call to the selected
`number (335).
`If the user has a one-line phone (315), the Internet-capable
`telephone ?rst determines Whether the line is available for a
`call. If the line is not currently being used for another
`telephone call or to connect to the Internet (325), the
`Internet-capable telephone initiates a voice call to the
`selected number (335). HoWever, if the user is connected to
`the Web (320), the Internet-capable telephone automatically,
`and transparently, disconnects from the Internet session
`(330) and initiates a voice call to the selected telephone
`number.
`The Internet-capable telephone recogniZes the conclusion
`of the call and terminates the telephone call session (340).
`The Internet-capable telephone may then automatically, and
`transparently, re-connect to the Web (345). If desired, this
`feature may be a user-determined preference. In alternative
`embodiments of the invention, the Internet-capable tele
`phone may be con?gured to re-connect to the Web only
`When directed to do so by the user. The Internet-capable
`telephone is thus seamlessly integrated With the Web.
`In one embodiment of the invention, the pattern
`recognition softWare is con?gured to recogniZe identi?ca
`tion. For example, telephone numbers directly folloWing
`headings such as Technical Support or Sales are recogniZed
`and iconi?ed. In one embodiment of the invention, the
`pattern-recognition algorithm is con?gured for use With an
`Internet Telephone directory. The user can then look up a
`telephone number in such a directory and directly dial the
`retrieved numbers from the Internet-capable telephone dis
`play screen.
`In an alternative embodiment of the invention, iconi?ed
`telephone numbers are stored in an address book for later
`use. For example, HTML tags in an Internet telephone
`directory that identify a record, eg including name and
`address, that can be added to an address book are recog
`niZed. These records can then be either automatically or
`manually added to the user’s address book. In a manual
`implementation, the Internet-capable telephone displays a
`button or other type of selection means that the user can
`select to store a record, including such information as name
`and address.
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`Although the invention is described herein With reference
`to the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art Will
`readily appreciate that other applications may be substituted
`for those set forth herein Without departing from the spirit
`and scope of the present invention.
`For example, in the preferred embodiment of the
`invention, the translation from HTML is performed by the
`server. HoWever, in alternative embodiments, the translation
`is performed by the Internet-capable telephone, or by a
`computer netWorked to the Internet-capable telephone.
`Further, such conversion may be an HTML-to-HTML
`conversion, for example as provided by a plug-in that
`operates in a connection With a conventional Web broWser,
`such as Navigator, manufactured by Netscape Communica
`tions Corporation of Mountain VieW, Calif. Further, pattern
`recognition may be performed by the Client.
`Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the
`claims included beloW.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A method performed on a Web page containing teXt
`based information other than previously iconi?ed
`information, said method performed by a communication
`system including a Web page server containing said Web
`page, an access server, and an access device capable of
`communicating With said Web page server through said
`access server, said method performed during a communica
`tion session and comprising:
`at said access server:
`retrieving said Web page contained on said Web page
`server;
`parsing said teXt-based information Within said Web page;
`recogniZing a teXt-based telephone number contained
`Within said teXt-based information of said parsed Web
`page, said teXt-based telephone number including a
`plurality of number symbols and at least one teXt
`symbol interspersed With said plurality of number
`symbols;
`converting an HTML code representation of said Web
`page; and
`adding a representation that iconi?es said recogniZed
`teXt-based telephone number.
`2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
`at said access device, transparently disconnecting from
`said communication session upon selection of said
`representation that iconi?es said recogniZed teXt-based
`telephone number to initiate a telephone call session.
`3. The method of claim 2, further comprising at said
`access device:
`recogniZing the termination of said telephone call session;
`and
`transparently re-connecting to said communication ses
`sion.
`4. The method of claim 1, further comprising at said
`access server:
`transmitting said Web page With said iconic representa
`tion of said recogniZed teXt-based telephone number to
`said access device.
`5. The method of claim 4, Wherein said access device is
`an Internet-capable telephone.
`6. The method of claim 1, Wherein said iconi?ed tele
`phone number is identi?ed by one of a button surrounding
`the number, font appearance, underlining, or highlighting.
`7. The method of claim 1, Wherein all recogniZed tele
`phone numbers are iconi?ed.
`8. The method of claim 1, Wherein telephone numbers
`meeting a speci?c criteria are iconi?ed.
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`9. The method of claim 1, Wherein said parsing and
`recogniZing further comprises:
`developing a set of Picture Formats for the patterns of
`telephone numbers;
`reading an accessed Web page;
`checking every character in said teXt-based information
`Within said Web page to determine if said character is
`a numeric character;
`applying a pattern-recognition algorithm to sequentially
`check a character folloWing an identi?ed numeric char
`acter to determine if said folloWing character is any of
`a numeric or an interspersed teXt or punctuation char
`acter;
`caching a series of consecutive identi?ed numeric char
`acters; and
`comparing said cached series to said Picture Formats;
`Wherein a matching format indicates a teXt-based tele
`phone number.
`10. The method of claim 2, Wherein said transparently
`disconnecting from said communication session upon selec
`tion of said iconi?ed teXt-based telephone number and
`calling said telephone number further comprises at said
`access device:
`selecting said representation that iconi?es said recogniZed
`teXt-based telephone number in a display of said access
`device;
`initiating a telephone call With said access device to said
`selected recogniZed teXt-based telephone number if a
`telephone line or suf?cient bandWidth is available;
`transparently disconnecting said access device from said
`session if a telephone line is not available, and there
`upon initiating a telephone call to said selected recog
`niZed teXt-based telephone number;
`recogniZing With said access device the termination of
`said telephone call; and
`optionally transparently re-connecting said access device
`to said communication session.
`11. The method of claim 4, further comprising at said
`access device:
`automatically storing said representation that iconi?es
`said recogniZed teXt-based telephone number in an
`address book.
`12. A method for utiliZing an access server to recogniZe
`and iconify telephone numbers from a Web page, said
`method comprising:
`retrieving said Web page during an Internet session link
`ing a Web page server to an access device, Wherein said
`Web page is retrieved by said access server from said
`Web page server at the request of said access device;
`parsing the HTML code of said Web page;
`applying a parsing algorithm to teXt-based information
`other than previously iconi?ed information Within said
`Web page to pattern-recogniZe a teXt-based telephone
`number contained therein;
`converting said HTML code to a representation of said
`Web page;
`adding coding to said representation of said Web page to
`produce a selectable telephone number icon associated
`With said recogniZed teXt-based telephone number; and
`transmitting said representation of said Web page With
`said selectable telephone number icon to said access
`device for display.
`13. The method of claim 12, Wherein said applying said
`parsing algorithm further comprises:
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`developing a set of Picture Formats for the patterns of
`teXt-based telephone numbers;
`reading an accessed HTML document using a softWare
`program on said access server;
`checking every character in said teXt-based information of
`said HTML document to determine if said checked
`character is a numeric character;
`using pattern-recognition algorithm to sequentially check
`a character folloWing an identi?ed number to determine
`if said character is any of numeric or interspersed teXt
`or punctuation character;
`caching a series of consecutive numeric characters; and
`comparing said cached series to said Picture Formats;
`Wherein a matching format indicates a teXt-based tele
`phone number.
`14. The method of claim 12, Wherein said selectable
`telephone number icon is identi?ed by one of a button
`surrounding the number, font appearance, underlining, or
`highlighting.
`15. The method of claim 12, Wherein all recogniZed
`telephone numbers are iconi?ed.
`16. The method of claim 12, Wherein telephone numbers
`meeting a speci?c criteria are iconi?ed.
`17. A program storage device readable by a machine,
`embodying a program of instructions eXecutable by the
`machine to perform a method for utiliZing an access server
`to recogniZe and iconify telephone numbers from a Web
`page, said method comprising:
`retrieving said Web page during an Internet session link
`ing a Web page server to an access device, Wherein said
`Web page is retrieved by said access server from said
`Web page server at the request of said access device;
`parsing the HTML code of said Web page;
`applying a parsing algorithm to teXt-based information
`other than previously iconi?ed information Within said
`Web page to pattern-recogniZe a teXt-based telephone
`number contained therein;
`converting said HTML code to a representation of said
`Web page;
`adding coding to said representation of said Web page to
`produce a selectable telephone number icon associated
`With said recogniZed teXt-based telephone number; and
`transmitting said representation of said Web page With
`said selectable telephone number icon to said access
`device for display.
`18. The device of claim 17, Wherein said applying said
`parsing algorithm further comprises:
`developing a set of Picture Formats for the patterns of
`teXt-based telephone numbers;
`reading an accessed HTML document;
`checking every character in said teXt-based information of
`said HTML document to determine if said checked
`character is a numeric character;
`using pattern-recognition algorithm to sequentially check
`a character folloWing an identi?ed number to determine
`if said character is any of numeric or interspersed teXt
`or punctuation character;
`caching a series of consecutive numeric characters; and
`comparing said cached series to said Picture Formats,
`Wherein a matching format indicates a teXt-based tele
`phone number.
`19. The device of claim 17, Wherein said selectable
`telephone number icon is identi?ed by one of a button
`surrounding the teXt-based telephone number, font
`appearance, underlining, or highlighting.
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`20. The device of claim 17, Wherein all recogniZed
`teXt-based telephone numbers are iconi?ed.
`21. The device of claim 17, Wherein teXt-based telephone
`numbers meeting speci?c criteria are iconi?ed.
`22. A system for processing a Web page containing
`teXt-based information other than previously iconi?ed
`information, said system including a Web page server con
`taining said Web page, an access server, and an access
`device capable of communicating With said Web page server
`through said access server, said processing performed during
`a communication session, said system comprising:
`said access server comprising:
`means for retrieving said Web page contained on said Web
`page server;
`means for parsing said teXt-based information Within said
`Web page;
`means for recogniZing a teXt-based telephone number
`contained Within said teXt-based information of said
`parsed Web page, said teXt-based telephone number
`including a plurality of number symbols and at least
`one teXt symbol interspersed With said plurality of
`number symbols;
`means for converting an HTML code representation of
`said Web page; and
`means for adding a representation that iconi?es said
`recogniZed teXt-based telephone number.
`23. The system of claim 22, Wherein said access device
`comprises:
`means for transparently disconnecting from said commu
`nication session upon selection of said representation
`that iconi?es said recogniZed teXt-based telephone
`number; and
`means for automatically dialing said selected recogniZed
`teXt-based telephone number to initiate a telephone call
`session.
`24. The system of claim 23, Wherein said access device
`further comprises:
`means for recogniZing the termination of said telephone
`call session; and
`means for transparently re-connecting to said communi
`cation session.
`25. The system of claim 22, Wherein said access server
`further comprises:
`means for transmitting said Web page With said iconic
`representation of said recogniZed teXt-based telephone
`number to said access device.
`26. The system of claim 25, Wherein said access device is
`an Internet-capable telephone.
`27. The system of claim 22, Wherein said representation
`that iconi?es said recogniZed teXt-based telephone number is
`identi?ed by one of a button surrounding said recogniZed
`teXt-based number, font appearance, underlining, or high
`lighting.
`28. The system of claim 22, Wherein all recogniZed
`teXt-based telephone numbers are each converted to an
`iconic representation.
`29. The system of claim 22, Wherein recogniZed teXt
`based telephone numbers meeting speci?c criteria are each
`converted to iconic representations.
`30. The system of claim 22, Wherein said means for
`parsing and means for recogniZing further comprise:
`means for developing a set of Picture Formats for the
`patterns of telephone numbers;
`means for reading an accessed Web page;
`means for checking every character in said teXt-based
`information Within said Web page to determine if said
`character is a numeric character;
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`means for sequentially checking a character following an
`identi?ed numeric character to determine if said fol
`lowing character is any of a numeric or an interspersed
`teXt or punctuation character;
`means for caching a series of consecutive identi?ed
`numeric characters; and
`means for comparing said cached series to said Picture
`Formats;
`Wherein a matching format indicates a teXt-based tele
`phone number.
`31. The system of claim 23, Wherein said means for
`transparently disconnecting and said means for automati
`cally dialing further comprise:
`means for selecting said representation that iconi?es said
`recogniZed teXt-based telephone number in a display of
`said access device;
`means for initiating a telephone call With said access
`device to said selected recogniZed teXt-based telephone
`number if a telephone line or suf?cient bandWidth is
`available;
`means for transparently disconnecting said access device
`from said session if a telephone line is not available,
`and thereupon initiating a telephone call to said
`selected recogniZed teXt-based telephone number;
`means for recogniZing With said access device the termi
`nation of said telephone call; and
`means for optionally transparently re-connecting said
`access