Phone landline and videophone handset allowing simultaneous exchange of video images over an internet network

摘要

The phone landline and videophone handset system is related to landline videophone devices, videophone methods, and videophone systems for establishing video communications between two or more persons through an internet network, wherein a telephone landline is used for the voice transmission and the internet videophone is used for visual transmission.

主权项

1. A first videophone (10), configured to perform, after issuing or receiving a call request to or from a second videophone (11) having a predetermined phone number, a simultaneous exchange of video images (14) with the second videophone (11) through an internet network (12), whereby the first videophone (10) is configured to transmit and receive video images (14) to and from the second videophone (11) through the internet network (12) thereby enabling said simultaneous exchange of video images (14), the first videophone (10) comprising:
(a) a data storage unit (39), housed within the first videophone (10) and operatively connected to the same, whereby the data storage unit (39) is configured to store information acquired by the simultaneous exchange of video images (14), information corresponding to the first videophone and a plurality of other videophones, and also store a plurality of phone numbers which identify the first videophone (10) and other videophones; and (b) a controller (37), configured to establish an interconnection with the second videophone (11), over the internet network (12), by using the information stored in the data storage unit (39) upon issuing or receiving a call request to or from the second videophone (11) having the predetermined phone number to thereby make a subsequent phone call to the second videophone (11); and (c) a wireless internet card (36), operatively connected to said first videophone (10), which enables the first videophone (10) to transmit and receive visual images (14) over the internet network (12) to and from the second videophone (11); and (d) a microprocessor (38), operatively connected to the wireless internet card (36), the data storage unit (39), and the controller (37), where said microprocessor (38) is configured to enable the simultaneous exchange of video images (14) by querying the data storage unit (39) for information about the first videophone (10) and the second videophone (11), enable the controller (37) to establish an interconnection between the first videophone (10) and the second videophone (11), and enable the wireless internet card (36) to transmit visual images (14) through the internet network (14) by and between the first videophone (10) and second videophone (11); wherein said first videophone (10) is further configured to be compatible with and connectable to a land line network (13), whereby audio communications (15) by and between the first videophone (10) and second videophone (11) are conducted over said land line network (13) and not over the internet network (12), wherein the land line network (13) is exclusively for audio communications and the internet network (12) is exclusively for simultaneous exchange of video images (14).