Importance

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Abstract

An Internet access terminal automatically manages telephone communication with an Internet service provider to reduce inactive telephone line usage when the user toggles from the Internet mode to the television mode. A user who has been browsing the Internet can toggle the terminal to the television mode from the Internet mode, which has a particular state relating to the Internet page that is being viewed. The terminal saves state information representing the Internet state and monitors the time that elapses after the terminal is toggled. If a first period of time elapses, the telephone connection is dropped. If a longer, second period of time also elapses, the state information is discarded. Upon toggling back to the Internet mode, communication is resumed using the telephone connection and the Internet state is restored if the first period has not elapsed. If the first period has elapsed and the second period has not elapsed, the terminal automatically reestablishes communication by telephone and restores the Internet state. If the first and second periods have elapsed, the terminal automatically reestablishes communication and selects a default Internet state.

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First Claim