Phone appliance with display screen and methods of using the same

Abstract

A phone appliance and method of use are provided where the phone appliance can be used to make VoIP communications calls. In a preferred embodiment, the phone appliance includes an RF connection for connecting to a computer or other computing device for facilitating the placement of the VoIP communications calls. The phone appliance further includes a display or portal for depicting advertisements provided by various advertisers. The advertisements provided can be used to defray all or part of the cost associated with making VoIP communications calls. The portal can also be used to communicate with businesses for ordering products, such as ordering a pizza, and to perform various services, such as purchasing stocks. In an exemplary system, the phone appliance is used to transmit to a control center information related to the user of the phone appliance, such as interests and buying habits, and queries for receiving additional information for various advertised products and services. The control center transmits the queries to the appropriate vendors for providing the user with additional information. Other functions and features are provided to the phone appliance, such as being able to download e-mail messages stored within or received by the computer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A phone appliance for facilitating sending voice-over-data communications, such as voice-over-the-Internet (VoIP) data communications, comprising: 
 means for establishing a communication link with the voice-over-data network;    means for displaying data received via the voice-over-data network and transmitted to the IP phone via the communication link; and    means for responding to data displayed by the means for displaying.    
     
     
         2 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication link is a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the voice-over-data network.  
     
     
         3 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for displaying data is a touch screen display.  
     
     
         4 . The phone appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein the means for responding to data includes a pointer for making contact with the touch screen display.  
     
     
         5 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for responding is a plurality of keys.  
     
     
         6 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for performing at least one gateway function.  
     
     
         7 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for converting analog to digital, generating packets of data from voice signals and means for compressing the data.  
     
     
         8 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising encryption/decryption means for facilitating secure transmission of data.  
     
     
         9 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the data displayed by the means for displaying is an advertisement or information.  
     
     
         10 . The phone appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for recording audio signals transmitted over the voice-over-data network.  
     
     
         11 . A voice-over-data network system for providing voice over a data communications network to at least one user, the system comprising: 
 at least one phone appliance having means for establishing a communication link with the data communications network, means for displaying data received via the data communications network and transmitted to the at least one phone appliance via the communication link, and means for responding to data displayed by the means for displaying; and    a control center having means for receiving and providing data from and to the at least one phone appliance via the data communications network, the control center further having means for analyzing data generated by the means for responding and received via the data communications network, and means for maintaining at least one database correlating the analyzed data with users of the plurality of IP phones.    
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein data displayed by the means for displaying includes an advertisement or information from vendors.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the means for maintaining at least one database includes maintaining a database correlating at least buying habits of the at least one user of the at least one phone appliance.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein a service operator and/or a user affiliated with the control center defrays part or all of the cost associated with the voice over the data network communications.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the communication link is a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the data communications network.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the means for displaying data is a touch screen display.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the means for responding to data includes a pointer for making contact with the touch screen display.  
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the means for responding includes at least one key.  
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one phone appliance includes means for performing at least one gateway function.  
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one phone appliance includes means for converting analog to digital, generating packets of data from voice signals and means for compressing the data.  
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one phone appliance includes encryption/decryption means for facilitating secure transmission of data.  
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising means for keeping track of billing information corresponding to the at least one user.  
     
     
         23 . A method for facilitating voice over a data network communications, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a voice-over-the-data network phone;    establishing a communication link with a voice-over-a-data communications network using the voice-over-the-data network phone; and    displaying data received via the voice-over-the-data communications network on a display of the voice-over-the-data network phone.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the step of establishing a communication link further comprises the step of establishing a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the voice-over-the data communications network.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the step of displaying data further comprises the step of displaying data on a touch screen display of the voice-over-the-data network phone.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the data displayed is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, multimedia, a video clip, an electronic message, and information from at least one vendor.