Radio frequency-controlled telecommunication device

Abstract

Provided are telecommunications devices and systems which incorporate and use radio frequency (RF) tag technology. Telecommunications devices in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention incorporate RF transceivers (readers) which are configured to read associated RF transponders (tags) in order to automatically dial desired telephone numbers without the need for a manual user interface. Tags in systems in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention may be attached to or incorporated with a myriad of items, including picture frames, consumer products and packaging, advertising and promotional material, electronic business cards, record-keeping systems, etc. Devices and systems in accordance with the present invention have a variety of telephony and non-telephony applications.

1 . A telecommunications device comprising: 
 a microprocessor; and    a radio frequency transceiver coupled to said microprocessor;    wherein said radio frequency transceiver is configured to: 
 detect existence of a radio frequency tag;  
 receive from said radio frequency tag a radio frequency signal comprising tag data associated with a record keeping object with which the radio frequency tag is associated; and  
 provide said tag data to the microprocessor.  
   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said record keeping object is a calendar.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said record keeping object is a photo album.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said record keeping object is a photograph.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said tag includes a memory configured to store audible data and said device is configured to read audible data from said memory.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said tag includes a memory configured to store audible data and said device is configured to write audible data to said memory.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory, accessible by said microprocessor, configured to store audible data associated with the tag data.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to cause the audible data to be played in response to the tag data being received.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a database, accessible by said microprocessor, configured to store audible data associated with the tag.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to query said database using said tag data to obtain the audible data associated with the tag, and to cause the audible data to be played.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said database is on board said device.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said database is part of a telecommunications system of which said device is a part.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said database is on site with said device.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said database is online.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device is a telephone.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device is a facsimile machine.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device is a cellular telephone.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said radio frequency transponder is an interactive radio frequency tag.  
   
   
       19 . A method of playing audible data, comprising: 
 reading tag data from a radio frequency transponder with a radio frequency transceiver connected with the device; and    playing audible data associated with said tag data.    
   
   
       20 . A method of storing audible data, comprising: 
 reading tag data from a radio frequency transponder;    receiving audible data associated with said tag data; and    storing the audible data in a manner that associates the audible data with the tag data.