System and Method for Providing Information to a User of a Telephone about Another Party on a Telephone Call

Abstract

A system and method for displaying information to a user of a telephone during a telephone call may include requesting information from a plurality of applications in response to receiving data indicative of a telecommunications device during a telephone call. The information may include information associated with a second user of the telecommunications device. The information received from the applications may be displayed for the first user to view during the telephone call.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system configured to display information to a user of a telephone during a telephone call, said system comprising:
 an input/output (I/O) unit configured to communicate voice and data communications via a network;   an electronic display configured to display a user interface to a first user on a telephone call; and   a processing unit in communication with said I/O unit and electronic display, said processing unit configured to:
 in response to receiving data indicative of a telecommunications device to which said I/O unit is in communication during a telephone call, request information from a plurality of applications in communication with a plurality of geographically distributed data sources, the information including information associated with a second user of the telecommunications device; and 
 display the information received from the applications on said electronic display for the first user to view during the telephone call. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications include at least two of a content management application, calendar management application, email management application, document management application, content management application, menu management application, website management application, and database management application. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data sources includes at least one data source maintained by the second user. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit, in displaying the information received from the applications, is configured to display a graphical user interface having a plurality of regions, each region configured to display information from respective different applications. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the applications is remotely located with respect to said processing unit and available via a network. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the applications is locally located with respect to said processing unit. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to convert the information from a first language to a second language for display on said electronic display. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to receive the data via voice over Internet Protocol VoIP) data packets and communicate the VoIP data packets to a VoIP telephone to which said I/O unit is in communication for the first user to utilize during the telephone call. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to display a list of selectable elements that enable the first user to purchase goods or services in response to viewing the information displayed on said electronic display. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information displayed includes personal information about the second user. 
     
     
         11 . A method for displaying information to a user of a telephone during a telephone call, said method comprising:
 in response to receiving data indicative of a telecommunications device during a telephone call, requesting information from a plurality of applications in communication with a plurality of geographically distributed data sources, the information including information associated with a second user of the telecommunications device; and   displaying the information received from the applications for a first user to view during the telephone call.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , requesting information from a plurality of applications includes requesting information from at least two of a content management application, calendar management application, email management application, document management application, content management application, menu management application, website management application, and database management application. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of data sources includes at least one data source maintained by the second user. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein, in displaying the information received from the applications, displaying a graphical user interface having a plurality of regions, each region configured to display information from respective different applications. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein requesting information from at least one of the applications includes requesting information from at least one application remotely located and available via a network. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein requesting information from at least one of the applications includes requesting information from at least one application locally located. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising converting the information from a first language to a second language. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving the data via voice over Internet Protocol VoIP) data packets; and   communicating the VoIP data packets to a VoIP telephone for the first user to utilize during the telephone call.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising displaying a list of selectable elements that enable the first user to purchase goods or services in response to viewing the information. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein displaying the information includes displaying personal information about the second user.