1. A device to register a biometric object for viewing, the device comprising:
a guide for aligning the biometric object to view multiple surface regions of the object in a substantially non-distorted state, the guide including multiple rails in which at least a portion of the object is aligned when resting therein, each rail of the guide including a window for viewing a corresponding surface region of the object; and
a base to which each of the multiple rails is movably attached, the base including at least one window for viewing a surface pattern on the object.
2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide is capable of aligning different-sized but similarly-shaped objects.
3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide for aligning the object is disposed between the object and a scanning device that generates images of the multiple surface regions of the object through the windows.
4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the object loosely registered in the guide is identified based on at least one unique pattern as viewed through an opening of the guide.
5. A device as in claim 4, wherein a unique object is identified based on a biometric pattern of exposed flesh through a window of the guide.
6. A device as in claim 4, wherein the object is a hand in which patterns on fingers are viewed through windows of the rails and patterns on a palm are viewed through a window in the base.
7. A device as in claim 1 further comprising:
a scanner that produces an image of the object comprising of patterns viewed through the windows of the guide to identify the object.
8. A device as in claim 7, wherein the images of the object as viewed through the windows are compared to images stored in a database.
9. A device as in claim 1, wherein the object is a human hand and the guide can be adjusted based on a length of each finger.
10. A device as in claim 9, wherein a person associated with the hand can be identified based upon a biometric pattern viewed through at least one window.
11. A device as in claim 1, wherein undistorted surface patterns of biometric matter are viewed through the windows.
12. A device as in claim 1, wherein at least one window is a void in material from which the guide is formed.
13. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide is made of plastic.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for identifying a telephone number to a computer system for processing a telephone call over the Internet to a user assigned to said telephone number comprising:
receiving data entered into said computer system by a caller through a web browser;
searching said data for said telephone number or a proxy representing said telephone number;
processing said telephone call through a packet switched data network to said telephone number if said telephone number is found in said data; and
accessing a name server to translate said proxy into said telephone number for return to said computer system for processing said telephone call if said telephone number is not found in said data.
2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the web browser translates the proxy in accordance with an established protocol.
3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the protocol is the dialto protocol.
4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the web browser creates search hook objects from said data entered into the computer system to translate said data when the web browser is unable to identify the established protocol.
5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein data that cannot be translated using search hook objects is transferred back to the web browser.
6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said name server can store a proxy for a telephone number.
7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the web browser provides a sub-window within the main web browser window on the computer system wherein a proxy for a telephone number can be created and stored for later access.
8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the proxy consists of a name, letters, numbers, or symbols.
9. A system that allows users to place and receive calls using a web browser, said system comprising:
a computer connected to a computer network;
said computer equipped with a web browser;
said web browser with the ability to parse web pages and identify a telephone number using a specified predictive or adaptive algorithm;
said web browser enabled to convert a detected telephone number into a URI and provide the URI as a hyperlink;
said computer enabled to obtain and display the URI provided by the web browser; and
said web browser enabled to connect a user of the system with the telephone number associated with the URI by dialing the telephone number associated with the URI.
10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein telephone numbers can be dialed using the computer network or a circuit switched telecommunication network.