US006084949A
`6,084,949
`[11] Patent Number:
`United States Patent 15
`
`Yun
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Jul. 4, 2000
`
`[54] TELEPHONE SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC
`DIALING USING INFRARED
`TRANSMISSION FROM ELECTRONIC
`POCKET BOOK
`.
`Inventor: Sung-Hum Yun, Gumi, Rep. of Korea
`[75]
`.
`.
`:
`[73] Assignee: Kyungkivlo,RepofKore, Ltd.,
`,
`
`5,144,654
`9/1992 Kelley etal. .
`5,379,319
`1/1995 Satoh etal. .
`oe tit008 me et al.
`.
`004,
`ee.
`5,526,424
`6/1996 Karnowski .
`5,561,712 10/1996 Nishihara oie 379/355
`5.570.295
`10/1996.
`Isenberg et al.
`.
`5,659,299
`8/1997 Williamson et al.
`5,797,089
`8/1998 Nguyen .
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`............ 340/825.57
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/872,766
`
`W0092010046
`
`6/1992 WIPO.
`
`Filed:
`Jun. 5, 1997
`[22]
`sas .
`:
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Jun. 5, 1996
`[KR]
`Rep. of Korea .....ee 96-20057
`[51]
`Int. C17 oes H04M 11/00; HO4M 1/00
`?
`.
`[52] U.S. C1.eeseseeecsteesteneeenee 379/563; 3791eee
`:
`[58] Field of Search o....c.cccccccceeeeee 379/355, 356,
`379/357, 56.1, 56.2, 56.3, 110.1; 455/459,
`387, 102.01, 101, 564; 359/172, 149, 147,
`143, 144
`
`56
`[56]
`
`Cited
`Ref
`elerences Me
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`teeons 12/1978 Sandstedt a
`jae toss Ckerioset a
`364/400
`4847760
`7/1989 Yagi
`,
`4,910,767
`3/1990 Bruglieraetal.sess. 379/355
`4,978,948 12/1990 Andresenetal. .
`5,054,051
`10/1991 Hoff.
`5,138,649
`8/1992 Krisberghetal. .
`
`Primary Examiner—Reinhard J. Eisenzopf
`Assistant Examiner—Charles N. Appiah
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Robert E. Bushnell, Esq.
`(57]
`ABSTRACT
`
`.
`eats
`An automatic dialing method of a telephone system includ-
`ing an optical reception unit sensitive to infrared reception
`from an electronic
`pocketbook including
`an optical trans-
`P
`P
`g
`mission unit for infrared transmission of a telephone number
`of an interested person registered in the electronic pocket-
`book. The dialing method includes receiving an infrared
`signal containing a telephone numberofan interested person
`selected for an automatic dialing function, transmitted from
`the optical transmission unit of the electronic pocketbook,
`via the optical reception unit of the telephone system, when
`a telephone handset is in an off-hook state; analyzing data
`information representing the telephone numberof the inter-
`ested person contained in the infrared signal; and automati-
`cally dialing the telephone numberofthe interested person,
`Via_a dialer of the telephone system, corresponding to
`analyzed data information.
`
`18 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`TS
`HANDSET.
`OFF-HOOK?
`
`310
`
`
`
`
`
` 314
`
`
`
`
`312
`IS INFRARED
`SIGNAL CORRESPONDIN'
`NO
`TO ELECTRONIC DL
`AL REQUEST
`
`
`RECEIV
`ED FROM ELECTRON
`POCKETB
`OOK?
`
`DOES RECEIVED
`IFRARED SIGNAL CONTAIN
`
`TELEPHONE NUMBER OF
`INTERESTED PERSON FOR,
`AUTOMATIC
`
`ANALYZE TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`
`CONTAINEDIN RECEIVE!
`INFRARED SIGNAL
`
`AUTOMATICALLY DIAL.ANALYZED
`INTERESTED PERSON CONTAINED
`TN RECEIVED SIGNAL
`
`318
`
`
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 1 of 9
`Apple v. Uniloc
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 1 of 9
`Apple v. Uniloc
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2000
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`6,084,949
`
`
` TELEPHONE ©
`
`LINE
`
`INFRARED
`
`SIGNAL
`
`2 A
`
`PPL-1005 / Page 2 of 9
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 2 of 9
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2000
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`6,084,949
`
`START
`
`IS
`HANDSET
`OFF-HOOK?
`
`YES
`
`310
`
` IGNAL CORRESPON
`
`
`
`U
`TO ELECTRONIC DIAL
`RECEIVED FROM ELECTRONI
`POCKETBOOK?
`
`320
`
`YES
`
`
`
`314
`
`PERFORM
`CORRESPONDING
`OPERATION
`
`DOES RECEIVED
`FRARED SIGNAL CONTAIN
`TELEPHONE NUMBEROF
`INTERESTED PERSON FOR
`AUTOMATIC
`DIALING?
`
`
`
`YES
`
`316
`
`318
`
`ANALYZE TELEPHONE NUMBER
`CONTAINEDIN RECEIVED
`INFRARED SIGNAL
`
`AUTOMATICALLY DIAL ANALYZED
`ENU
`INTERESTED PERSON CONTAINED
`
`IN RECEIVED SIGNAL
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 3 of 9
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 3 of 9
`
`

`

`6,084,949
`
`1
`TELEPHONE SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC
`DIALING USING INFRARED
`TRANSMISSION FROM ELECTRONIC
`POCKET BOOK
`CLAIM FOR PRIORITY
`
`incorporates the
`This application makes reference to,
`same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35
`US.C. £119 from an application for DIALING DEVICE
`USING ELECTRONIC POCKETBOOK AND METHOD
`THEREOFearlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property
`Office on Jun. 5, 1996, there duly assigned Ser. No. 20057/
`1996.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Technical Field
`
`The present invention relates to a telephone system, and
`more particularly, relates to a telephone system with auto-
`matic dialing using infrared transmission from an electronic
`pocketbook.
`2. Related Art
`
`Conventional electronic pocketbooks as disclosed, for
`example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,542 for Electronic Pocket
`Directory issued to Klausner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,905 for
`Pocket Data Receiver With Full Page Visual Display issued
`to Wells, U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,293 for Small Electronic Memo
`Data Storage, Display And Recall Apparatus issued to
`Murata, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,424 for Electronic Notepad
`issued to Karnowski, are organized to feature a visual
`display, computer linking and a host of communication
`options and expandability, including touch screen display,
`wordprocessor, calendar, scheduler, telephone directory and
`the like. Generally,
`telephone number registered in the
`electronic pocketbook must be manually retrieved by the
`user before the user can approach a telephone system and
`manually dial the telephone numberof an interested person
`registered in the electronic pocketbook. Alternatively, the
`telephone number as registered in an electronic note
`disclosed,
`for example,
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,035 for
`Electronic Apparatus issued to Oba et al, may be transmitted
`in a form of a dial tone signal to a telephone microphone in
`order to save the user the hassle of having to manually dial
`the telephone numberregistered in the electronic note at the
`telephone system. It
`is still inconvenient for the user to
`confirm the telephone numberregistered in the electronic
`pocketbook for automatic dialing purposes.
`While conventional telephone systems such as disclosed
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,895 for Telephone Apparatus With
`Automatic Dialing Function issued to Hirai et al., are widely
`organized to perform an automatic dialing function by way
`of, for example, optical scanning of telephone numbers from
`printed materials such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,
`948 for Rapid Dialing Method For Telecommunications
`issued to Andresen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,654 for
`Automatic Telephone Dialer System With Printed Storage
`issued to Kelley et al., or by way of voice recognition as
`disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,805 for Calling Number
`Identification Using Speech Recognition issued to Lee, or by
`way of body heat or infrared rays irradiated from a person
`as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,319 for Telephone
`Apparatus issued to Satoh et al., there is no convenient and
`effective way to link the electronic pocketbook with the
`telephone system which allowsthe user to automatically dial
`a telephone numberat the telephone system under control of
`operation from the electronic pocketbook.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`is therefore an object of the present
`it
`Accordingly,
`invention to provide a telephone system with automatic
`dialing using infrared transmission from an electronic pock-
`etbook.
`
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`2
`It is also an object to provide an electronic pocketbook
`with a telephone directory containing a plurality of tele-
`phone numbersof interested persons and an infrared trans-
`mitter for transmitting an infrared signal containing a tele-
`phone numberselected for calling to the telephone system
`for automatic dialing purposes.
`It is another object to provide a telephone system with an
`automatic dialer and an infrared receiver for receiving an
`infrared signal containing a telephone numberselected for
`calling from the electronic pocketbook in order to perform
`an automatic dialing function.
`These and other objects of the present invention can be
`achieved by an automatic dialing method of a telephone
`system including an infrared receiver sensitive to infrared
`reception from an electronic pocketbook including an infra-
`red transmitter for infrared transmission of a telephone
`number of an interested person registered in the electronic
`pocketbook. The automatic dialing method includesreceiv-
`ing an infrared signal containing a telephone numberof an
`interested person selected for an automatic dialing function,
`transmitted from the infrared transmitter of the electronic
`
`pocketbook, via the infrared receiver of the telephone
`system, when a telephone handset is in an off-hookstate;
`analyzing data information representing the telephone num-
`ber of the interested person contained in the infrared signal;
`and automatically dialing the telephone number of the
`interested person, via a dialer of the telephone system,
`corresponding to analyzed data information.
`In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an
`electronic pocketbook that uses infrared link to enable a
`telephone system to automatically dial a telephone number
`of an interested person includes a memorystoring a direc-
`tory of pre-registered telephone numbers of interested per-
`sons; a key input unit for allowing an operator to input
`telephone numbers, and to initiate transmission of an infra-
`red signal containing a telephone numberof an interested
`person selected for an automatic dialing function; a display
`unit for providing a visual display of telephone numbers
`input by the operator and the telephone number of the
`interested person selected by the operator for the automatic
`dialing function; an infrared transmitter for transmitting the
`telephone number of the interested person selected for the
`automatic dialing function in a form of an infrared signal;
`and a controller for controlling said infrared transmission of
`the infrared signal containing the telephone number of the
`interested person selected for the automatic dialing function.
`In accordance with another aspect of the present
`invention, a telephone system linked to the electronic pock-
`etbook includes a handset; an infrared receiver for receiving
`the infrared signal transmitted from the infrared transmitter
`of said electronic pocketbook; a controller for analyzing the
`telephone number contained in a received infrared signal;
`and a dialer for automatically dialing the telephone number
`contained in the received infrared signal analyzed from the
`controller.
`
`The present invention is more specifically described in the
`following paragraphsby reference to the drawings attached
`only by way of example.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`A more complete appreciation of the present invention,
`and manyof the attendant advantages thereof, will become
`readily apparent as the same becomesbetter understood by
`reference to the following detailed description when con-
`sidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
`which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar
`components, wherein:
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 4 of 9
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 4 of 9
`
`

`

`6,084,949
`
`3
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephone system con-
`structed according to the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic pocketbook
`constructed according to the principles of the present inven-
`tion; and
`FIG. 3 is a control flow chart of an automatic dialing
`process according to the principles of the present invention.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1,
`whichillustrates a telephone system constructed according
`to the principles of the present invention. As shownin FIG.
`1,
`the telephone system includes a control unit 110, a
`hook-switch 112, a speech forming unit 114, a dial unit 116,
`a handset unit 118, a ring detection unit 120 and an optical
`reception unit 122.
`Control unit 110 may be constructed by a one-chip
`microprocessor for controlling the overall operation of the
`telephone system. The controller 110 includes a read-only-
`memory (ROM) for storing an application program and a
`random-access-memory (RAM)for temporarily storing data
`generated while executing the application program. The
`RAM has a key buffer for storing telephone numbers
`received from the optical receiving unit 122 for enabling
`performance of an automatic dialing function.
`Hook-switch 112 is connected to a telephone line from a
`central telephone network, when the handset unit 118 is
`off-hook. Then, the speech forming unit 114 processes a
`voice signal for performing a call under control of the
`control unit 110. A dial unit 116 dials a telephone number
`under control of the control unit 110. The handset unit 118
`converts a voice signalinto an electric signal or the electric
`signal into the voice signal. The ring detection unit 120
`detects a ring signal received through the telephone line and
`then provides the received signal to the control unit 110. The
`optical reception unit 122 receives an infrared ray signal
`containing a telephone number of an interested person
`transmitted from the electronic pocketbook and provides the
`sameto the control unit 110 for enabling the dial unit 116 to
`perform an automatic dialing function.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic pocketbook
`constructed according to the principles of the present inven-
`tion. As shownin FIG. 2, the electronic pocketbook includes
`a control unit 130, a key input unit 132, a display unit 134,
`a memory unit 136 and an optical transmission unit 138.
`Control unit 130 controls overall functions of the elec-
`tronic pocketbook including, for example, a calendar display
`mode, a schedule storage/display mode, a phone modefor an
`electronic phone book or the like. The key input unit 132
`corresponds to a key matrix which includes modeselection
`keys for selecting any one of the foregoing modes,a dial key
`for initiating transmission of an infrared ray signal contain-
`ing a telephone numberselected by the userto the telephone
`system as shown in FIG. 1,via the optical transmission unit
`122. Key matrix also contains template keys for permitting
`the user to input digits such as telephone numbers, character
`input keys for permitting the user to input characters and the
`like for memo, and a symbol telephone key for inputting a
`symbolfor setting the digits input through the template keys
`as a telephone number.
`The key input unit 132 provides key input data to the
`control unit 130. The display unit 134 in a form of liquid
`crystal display (LCD) provides a visual display of data
`information input from the key input unit 132 under control
`of the control unit 130. The memory unit 136 contains a
`
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`read-only-memory (ROM) for storing programs for the
`control unit 130 to process data information in each mode of
`operation.
`In particular,
`the ROM stores a program for
`automatically transmitting a telephone numberregistered at
`the memo mode contained in a form of an infrared ray signal
`at the optical transmission unit 138, and a display control
`program for enabling the control unit 130 to control the
`visual display of data information in response to the user’s
`key input. The memory unit 136 also contains a random-
`access-memory (RAM) for temporarily storing data infor-
`mation input through the key input unit 132. The optical
`transmission unit 138 converts data information provided
`from the control unit 130 into an infrared ray signal con-
`taining an electronic dial request and telephone numberof
`an interested person selected for an automatic dialing func-
`tion. After the conversion, the optical transmission unit 138
`transmits the infrared ray signal containing the telephone
`numberofthe interested person to the telephone system as
`shown in FIG. 1 for performing an automatic dialing func-
`tion.
`
`Turning now to FIG. 3 which illustrates a control flow
`chart of an automatic dialing process between the telephone
`system of FIG. 1 and the electronic pocketbook of FIG. 2
`according to the principles of the present invention. The
`process of dialing a telephone number of an interested
`person using the electronic pocketbook includes initially
`analyzing the telephone numbercontained in the infrared ray
`signal received from the electronic pocketbook after receipt
`of an electronic dial request
`in an off-hook state, and
`automatically dialing the analyzed telephone number con-
`tained in the infrared ray signal.
`The automatic dialing operation using an electronic pock-
`etbook according to the principles of the present invention
`will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3
`hereinbelow.
`
`First, the control unit 110 of the telephone system deter-
`mines whetheror not a handset unit 118is off-hook in order
`
`to make a phonecall at step 310. Here, whenit is determined
`that the handset unit 118 is not off-hook, the control unit 110
`returns to step 310 until the handset unit 118 is off-hook.
`Whenit is determined that the handset unit 118 is off-hook,
`however, the control unit 110 monitors whether an infrared
`ray signal corresponding to an electronic dial request is
`received from the electronic pocketbook via the optical
`reception unit 122. Herein, the infrared ray signal corre-
`sponding to the electronic dial request is transmitted from
`the electronic pocketbook through its optical transmission
`unit 138 under control of its control unit 130 in accordance
`with specific key input from the key input unit 132 included
`in the electronic pocketbook.Atthis time, if the infrared ray
`signal corresponding to the electronic dial request is not
`received from the electronic pocketbook, the control unit
`110 proceeds to step 320, thereby performing the corre-
`sponding operation. However,
`if the infrared ray signal
`corresponding to the electronic dial request from the elec-
`tronic pocketbook is received at step 312, the control unit
`110 determines whether the infrared ray signal contains a
`telephone numberof an interested person for an automatic
`dialing function at step 314.
`It is noted that, prior to the transmission of infrared ray
`signal containing a telephone numberofan interested person
`from an electronic pocketbook, data information stored in
`the memory 136 of the electronic pocketbook is first
`retrieved for a visual display on the display unit 134 in
`response to the user’s specific key input via key input unit
`132. Data information displayed on the display unit 134 is
`then confirmed by the user and is subsequently transmitted
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 5 of 9
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 5 of 9
`
`

`

`6,084,949
`
`10
`
`6
`5
`said optical reception unit in a form of an infrared sensor
`through the optical transmission unit 138 in response to the
`for receiving said infrared signal transmitted from said
`user’s specific key input via key input unit 132. The data
`optical transmission unit of said electronic pocketbook;
`information transmitted generally includes a name of the
`interested person, an address, a telephone numberandso on.
`a control unit for analyzing the telephone number con-
`However, for automatic dialing purposes, only telephone
`tained in said received infrared signal; and
`number of an interested person need be transmitted via
`said dialer for automatically dialing the telephone number
`optical transmission unit 138.
`contained in said received infrared signal analyzed
`from said control unit.
`At step 314, when it is determined that the infrared ray
`signal received contains a telephone numberofan interested
`3. An automatic dialing method of a telephone system
`person for an automatic dialing function, the control unit 110
`including an optical reception unit sensitive to infrared
`of the telephone system proceeds to analyze the telephone
`reception from an electronic pocketbook including an opti-
`number contained in the received infrared ray signal at step
`cal transmission unit for infrared transmission of a telephone
`316. Then, the control unit 110 proceeds to control the dial
`number of an interested person registered in the electronic
`unit 116 to automatically dial the telephone numberof the
`pocketbook, comprising the steps of:
`interested person after analyzing the telephone number
`receiving an infrared signal transmitted from said optical
`contained in the infrared ray signal.
`transmission unit of said electronic pocketbook, via
`said optical reception umit of said telephone system,
`As described above, the present invention advantageously
`when a telephone handset is in an off-hook state, said
`permits the user to automatically dial a telephone numberof
`infrared signal containing a telephone number of an
`an interested person registered in an electronic pocketbook
`interested person selected for an automatic dialing
`at a telephone system, directly from the electronic pocket-
`function and previously registered in said electronic
`book via infrared ray transmission without having to require
`pocketbook, wherein said electronic pocketbook is
`the user to manually dial the telephone number that he/she
`separately located from said optical reception unit, and
`must memorize from the electronic pocketbook.
`While there have been illustrated and described what are
`wherein said telephone system includesa first key input
`unit for manually inputting other telephone numbers;
`considered to be preferred embodiments of the present
`analyzing data information representing the telephone
`invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art
`number of the interested person contained in said
`that various changes and modifications may be made, and
`infrared signal; and
`equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without
`departing from the true scope of the present invention. In
`dialing, automatically, the telephone numberofthe inter-
`addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a
`ested person received via said optical reception unit,
`particular situation to the teaching of the present invention
`via a dialer of said telephone system, corresponding to
`without departing from the central scope thereof. Therefore,
`the analyzed data information;
`it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the
`said electronic pocketbook comprising:
`particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contem-
`a control unit for controlling all modes of operation of
`plated for carrying out the present invention, but that the
`said electronic pocketbook including at least a cal-
`present invention includes all embodiments falling within
`endar display mode, and a telephone mode for an
`the scope of the appended claims.
`electronic phone book;
`Whatis claimed is:
`a second key input unit including mode selection keys
`1. An automatic dialing method of a telephone system
`for selecting at least said telephone mode,a dial key
`including an optical reception unit sensitive to infrared
`for initiating transmission of said infrared signal
`reception from an electronic pocketbook including an opti-
`containing the telephone numberselected, via said
`cal transmission unit for infrared transmission of a telephone
`optical
`transmission unit, and template keys for
`number of an interested person registered in the electronic
`permitting a user to input digits such as telephone
`pocketbook, comprising the steps of:
`numbers for registration, wherein said second key
`receiving an infrared signal transmitted from said optical
`input unit is for manually inputting additional tele-
`transmission unit of said electronic pocketbook, via
`phone numbers;
`said optical reception unit of said telephone system,
`a display unit for providing a visual display of data
`when a telephone handset is in an off-hook state, said
`information input from the key input unit under
`infrared signal containing a telephone number of an
`control of the control unit;
`interested person selected for an automatic dialing
`a memory unit including a read-only-memoryfor stor-
`function and previously registered in said electronic
`ing programs for the control unit to process data
`pocketbook, wherein said electronic pocketbook is
`information at
`least
`in said telephone mode of
`separately located from said optical reception unit,
`operation, and a random-access-memory for tempo-
`wherein said electronic pocketbook includesafirst key
`rarily storing data information input through the key
`55
`input unit for manually inputting other telephone
`input unit; and
`numbers, and wherein said telephone system includes a
`said optical
`transmission unit for transmitting said
`second key input unit for manually inputting additional
`infrared signal containing the telephone number of
`telephone numbers;
`the interested person, when the user depresses said
`analyzing data information representing the telephone
`dial key after the telephone numberregistered in said
`number of the interested person contained in said
`memory unit is selected for an automatic dialing
`function.
`infrared signal; and
`dialing, automatically, the telephone numberofthe inter-
`ested person received via said optical reception unit,
`via a dialer of said telephone system, corresponding to
`the analyzed data information.
`2. The automatic dialing method of claim 1, further
`comprised of said telephone system comprising:
`
`4. The automatic dialing method of claim 2, further
`comprised of said electronic pocketbook comprising:
`a control unit for controlling all modes of operation of
`said electronic pocketbook includingat least a calendar
`display mode, and a telephone modefor an electronic
`phone book;
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`APPL-1005 / Page 6 of 9
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`APPL-1005 / Page 6 of 9
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`

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`6,084,949
`
`7
`a key input unit including modeselection keysfor select-
`ing at least said telephone mode,a dial key forinitiating
`transmission of said infrared signal containing the
`telephone number selected, via said optical transmis-
`sion unit, and template keys for permitting a user to
`input digits such as telephone numbersfor registration;
`a display unit for providing a visual display of data
`information input from the key input unit under control
`of the control unit;
`a memory unit including a read-only-memoryfor storing
`programs for the control unit to process data informa-
`tion at least in said telephone mode of operation, and a
`random-access-memory for temporarily storing data
`information input through the key input unit; and
`said optical transmission unit for transmitting said infra-
`red signal containing the telephone number of the
`interested person, when the user depressessaid dial key
`after the telephone numberregistered in said memory
`unit is selected for an automatic dialing function.
`5. A communication system using infrared linking from
`an electronic pocketbook for performing an automatic dial-
`ing function at a telephone system to automatically dial a
`telephone numberreceived via said linking, comprising:
`said electronic pocketbook comprising:
`a memory storing a directory of pre-registered tele-
`phone numbers of interested persons;
`a first key input unit for allowing an operator to input
`telephone numbers, and to initiate transmission of an
`infrared signal containing a telephone number of an
`interested person selected for the automatic dialing
`function;
`a display unit for providing a visual display of tele-
`phone numbers input by the operator and the tele-
`phone numberof said interested person selected by
`the operator for the automatic dialing function;
`an infrared transmitter for transmitting the telephone
`number of said interested person selected for the
`automatic dialing function in a form of an infrared
`signal; and
`acontroller for controlling said infrared transmission of
`the infrared signal containing the telephone number
`of said interested person selected for the automatic
`dialing function;
`said telephone system comprising:
`a handset;
`an infrared receiver for receiving said infrared signal
`transmitted from said infrared transmitter of said
`
`electronic pocketbook, wherein said telephone sys-
`tem includes a second key input unit for manually
`inputting additional telephone numbers;
`a controller for analyzing the telephone number con-
`tained in said received infrared signal; and
`a dialer for automatically dialing the telephone number
`contained in said received infrared signal analyzed
`from said controller, wherein said electronic pock-
`etbook is separately located from said telephone
`system.
`6. The communication system of claim 5, further com-
`prised of said controller of said electronic pocketbook
`further:
`
`storing telephone numbers of interested persons input
`from said key input unit, in said memory, when a phone
`registration key from said key input unit is depressed
`by the operator;
`determining whether a phone mode key is depressed by
`the operator; and
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`8
`accessing said memory for review and reproduce the
`telephone numberof the interested person selected for
`the automatic dialing function from in said memory,
`and controlling infrared transmission of said infrared
`signal containing the telephone number of the inter-
`ested person selected for the automatic dialing
`function, via said infrared transmitter.
`7. The communication system of claim 6, further com-
`prised of said memory including a read-only-memory unit
`for storing an infrared transmission program for the auto-
`matic transmission of the telephone numberofthe interested
`person in a form of said infrared signal at sad infrared
`transmitter, and a display control program for enabling the
`controller to control the visual display of data information in
`response to the operator’s key input, via said key input unit.
`8. The communication system of claim 7, further com-
`prised of said memory including a random-access-memory
`for temporarily storing data information input through the
`key input unit.
`9. The communication system of claim 5, further com-
`prised of said controller of said telephone system further:
`determining whether the handset is off-hook;
`whenthe handsetis off-hook, monitoring whether said
`infrared signal transmitted from said infrared transmit-
`ter of said electronic pocketbook is received via said
`infrared receiver;
`analyzing data information representing the telephone
`number of the interested person contained in said
`infrared signal; and
`automatically dialing, via said dialer, the telephone num-
`ber of the interested person corresponding to analyzed
`data information.
`10. An electronic pocketbook using infrared linking to
`enable a telephone system to automatically dial a telephone
`numberof an interested person registered in said electronic
`pocketbook, said telephone number received by an optical
`reception unit via said linking, comprising:
`a memorystoring a directory of pre-registered telephone
`numbers of interested persons;
`a first key input unit for allowing an operator to input
`telephone numbers, and to initiate transmission of an
`infrared signal containing a telephone number of an
`interested person selected for the automatic dialing
`function;
`a display unit for providing a visual display of telephone
`numbers input by the operator and the telephone num-
`ber of said interested person selected by the operator
`for the automatic dialing function;
`an infrared transmitter for transmitting the telephone
`numberof said interested person selected for the auto-
`matic dialing function in a form of an infrared signal;
`and
`
`a controller for controlling said infrared transmission of
`the infrared signal containing the telephone numberof
`said interested person selected for the automatic dialing
`function, wherein said electronic pocketbook is sepa-
`rately located from said optical reception unit, and
`wherein said optical reception unit includes a second
`key input unit for manually inputting additional tele-
`phone numbers.
`11. The telephone system of claim 10, comprising:
`a handset;
`an infrared receiver for receiving said infrared signal
`transmitted from said infrared transmitter of said elec-
`
`tronic pocketbook;
`
`APPL-1005 / Page 7 of 9
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`APPL-1005 / Page 7 of 9
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`6,084,949
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`9
`a controller for analyzing the telephone numbercontained
`in said received infrared signal; and
`a dialer for automatically dialing the telephone number
`contained in said received infrared signal analyzed
`from said controller.
`
`12. An electronic pocketbook using infrared link to enable
`a telephone system to automatically dial a telephone number
`of an interested person registered in said electronic
`pocketbook, comprising:
`a memorystoring a directory of pre-registered telephone
`numbers of interested persons;
`a first key input unit for allowing an operator to input
`telephone numbers, and to initiate transmission of an
`infrared signal containing a telephone number of an
`interested person selected for the automatic dialing
`function;
`a display unit for providing a visual display of telephone
`numbers input by the operator and the telephone num-
`ber of said interested person selected by the operator
`for the automatic dialing function;
`an infrared transmitter for transmitting the telephone
`numberof said interested person selected for the auto-
`matic dialing function in a form of an infrared signal;
`and
`
`a controller for controlling said infrared transmission of
`t