KR20000050118A - Method and system for sending and receiving audio-visual messages through computer network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for transmitting/receiving a composite message with use of a computer communications network is provided to transmit/receive a composite message including voice message of a user and audio information, with visual information such as characters and figures to another person. CONSTITUTION: A method for transmitting/receiving a composite message by use of a computer communication network comprises the steps of: inputting and storing visual information such as names, addresses of transmitter and receiver in a computer(including similar things with the computer); transmitting the visual information and audio information(below called a composite message information) by a computer communication network; storing the transmitted information in the computer, output unit; storing a audio information signal among the stored composite message information in a message card; and printing the visual information.

Description

Method and system for sending and receiving composite messages using computer communication network and method thereof

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a composite message using a computer communication network, and more particularly, a computer (including performing a function of a computer such as a mobile phone, a digital TV, a PDA, and the like), the Internet, and a PC communication network. Method and apparatus (system) for transmitting / receiving visual information such as text and / or image (picture, picture, handwriting) and message containing audio information such as voice message and music (hereinafter referred to as compound message) using computer communication network It is about.

Recently, in addition to order delivery (including telephone orders) and home shopping, the e-commerce business using the Internet has been in the spotlight. It is known to send a guidebook while delivering it to a child. However, if the seller sends a notice / thank you with a voice message to the buyer rather than a simple guide letter, the seller can increase the kindness and credit of the seller, and when the buyer asks a third party to deliver the goods, By sending a complex message, you can expect more than the value of the goods and the rewards.

In addition, complex messages will play a very useful role for simple greetings, announcements, and advertisements.

Voice cards that can be used as a medium for sending such complex messages are known according to the following three methods.

1) A card with a certain voice already stored

2) Card that user can record voice arbitrarily

3) Card type voice telegram method and apparatus using voice response system

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a card in which a voice of a specific content is already stored, and a ROM 10, a voice decoder 11, a D / A converter 12, and a controller 13 in which a digital voice of a specific content is stored when a card is manufactured. ), The speaker 14 is provided, the process of storing the user's voice is inconvenient, there is a disadvantage that must rely on large orders.

2 is a block diagram of a voice card that allows a user to record voices arbitrarily, an input unit 20 such as a microphone for receiving a voice, and an A / D converter 21 for converting an input analog voice signal to digital. A voice coder 22 for compressing and storing a digital signal, a digital coded voice signal storage 23, a decoder 24 of the coded voice signal, and a D / A for converting a digital signal into an analog signal. It includes a converter 25, a control unit 26 and a speaker 27.

The voice card of Figure 2 is very convenient, but the price is expensive, there is a disadvantage that there is no remote delivery means, there is a problem that takes a long time even if the remote delivery is possible.

3 is a block diagram of a voice card system using a voice response system disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 99-23086, which includes an input unit 30 that receives an input through a telephone line, and an A / D for converting an input analog voice signal into digital. A conversion unit 31, a speech encoder 32 for encoding and storing a digital signal, first means including a first controller 33 for controlling the digital signal, a speech signal storage unit 34, and an encoded speech signal. An apparatus composed of a decoding unit 35, a D / A converter 36 for converting a digital signal into an analog signal, a second control unit 37 for controlling the same, and a second means including a speaker 38, A card type voice telegram method is described that includes recording a voice message, storing the recorded voice message on an independent system card, delivering the system card, and playing the delivered card.

The prior art shown in FIG. 3 has the following disadvantages.

1) The system configuration is expensive because the telephone line must be used and the telephone interface must be provided to use the voice answering system.

2) The purchaser has the inconvenience of having to pronounce the address, receiving address, and other messages by voice or by sending this message to the service provider via fax, and the service provider often has to reconfirm this information.

3) The quality of sound is often poor because the outgoing voice data is an analog signal sent over the telephone line.

4) You cannot send images (text, handwritten text, pictures).

The present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the prior art as described above, an object of the present invention is to quickly send a complex message including the audio information, such as voice messages, music, etc. of the user with the visual information such as text, figure, etc. The present invention provides a method and apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving data accurately and inexpensively.

1 is a configuration diagram of a card in which voice is stored;

2 is a configuration diagram of a card capable of recording voice;

3 is a block diagram of a card-type voice telegram using a voice response system,

4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a composite message according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a block diagram of an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a composite message according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a configuration diagram of a modification of the apparatus of FIG. 5;

7 is a flowchart of a procedure for inputting and transmitting a compound message, and

8 is a flowchart in which an output device downloads a complex message from a server computer.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a computer (or equivalent) for inputting visual information such as a name or address of a user or an orderer (hereinafter referred to as a sender) and the other party and audio information such as a caller's voice. Input and store in the same); Transmitting the visual information and the audio information stored in the above step through a computer communication network and storing them in a computer as an output device; Outputting the stored information signal in the step and storing and printing the audio information and the visual information on the message card respectively; Delivering the processed message card to a recipient; And it provides a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a complex message using a computer communication network, comprising the step of the recipient listening to the audio information stored in the message card received.

In addition, the present invention comprises the steps of inputting a compound message to the input device, transmitting and storing the compound message stored in the input device to the server (application server) through a computer communication network, such as a PC communication mailbox or a website of the Internet; The present invention is embodied in a method and apparatus including downloading, receiving and storing a compound message stored in a server computer through an output device, and storing and printing the compound message stored in the output device on a message card.

According to the present invention, visual information input by a sender using a computer keyboard, a digital camera, a scanner, and the like, and audio information input using a computer sound editing apparatus, a message card, or the like through a telephone network are combined. It is delivered quickly and accurately to the recipients, printed and recorded on the message card by the operator.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of examples.

Example

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by way of examples.

(Example 1)

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a compound message using a computer communication network according to the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the apparatus is a personal computer (PC). 100, a computer communication network 200 which is connected to the input device 100 and transmits a complex message, and an output which is a computer connected to the computer communication network 200 to receive and store a compound message. Device 300; The output device 300 is configured to include one or more message card 400 that is a receiving means for storing / playing the composite message.

Each input device 100 includes, for example, one microphone 101 for inputting audio information and one A / D converter 102 for converting audio information input through the microphone 101 into a digital signal. And one encoder 103 for encoding the digital audio information signal converted by the A / D converter, and one for inputting visual information such as personal information and text messages of the user and the other party (or the sender and the recipient). A keyboard 104, one packager / compressor 105 for combining and compressing the encoded digital audio information signal and the visual information signal, and one decoder 106 for identifying the encoded audio information signal. And one D / A converter 107 and a speaker 108, and one controller 109 for controlling each component, which each sender is provided or borrowed, and each component is provided with. One ordinary PC commercial It is.

The operation program of the above input device may be provided by a provider (hereinafter referred to as an operator) of a service according to the present invention for a fee or free of charge through a computer communication network.

Each output device 300 is a device for storing and outputting a compound message received through the computer communication network 200 by the input device 100. For example, one compound message signal data storage unit (hard disk) 301 And visual information such as coded characters from the depackaging / decompressing unit 302 and the depackaging / decompressing unit 302 which decompress the compressed and depackaged ones of the complex message signal data. A printer 303 capable of printing a network, an interface 304 for outputting encoded audio information from the depackaging / decompression unit 302, and one controller for controlling the above components. 305, which is provided and used by an operator, and a computer provided with each of the above components is commercially available as a PC.

The message card 400 is coupled to the output means 300 by the operator and controlled by the control unit 401 so that the encoded visual information of the output means 300 is printed on the printer 402 by the printer 300. The encoded audio information is stored in the storage unit 403 by the interface 304.

The message card 400 processed as described above may be used alone or together with other items such as greeting cards, toys, and other goods, or in an unified state, by an operator or a third party (a person authorized by the operator, a forwarder, etc.). The service is terminated by delivery.

When the recipient who checks the sender's personal information and other visual information by the printing unit 402 of the message card 400 operates the message card 400, the audio information signal is controlled by the control unit 401, The encoded audio signal data is converted into a digital signal by the decoder 404, and then converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 405 to be reproduced as audio information through the speaker 406. The information and audio information is delivered completely to the recipient in the form of a multimedia card.

If the operator's service area is very large or there are people who deliver a large number of message cards, such as a goods delivery company, the operator does not process the message card directly, but only through the computer communication network to handle the message card of a separate card delivery company or goods delivery company. After sending the composite message information to the terminal or the card delivery company or the goods delivery company may download the composite message information to the terminal dedicated to message card processing through the computer communication network to load the information on the message card to deliver.

According to a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, a method for transmitting and receiving a composite message using a computer communication network includes the following steps.

The sender inputs personal information such as the address and name of the sender and the recipient, and if necessary, visual information such as greetings and notifications through the keyboard of the input device 100, and inputs audio information into the computer using a message card and a microphone. do. The input visual information and audio information are converted into digital signals, packaged, compressed and stored according to computer functions.

The input device 100 is connected to a computer communication network 200 such as the Internet, and transmits and stores visual information and audio information to an operator's server computer.

The operator's computer 300, which is an output device, receives or downloads visual image information and audio information from a server computer and stores the image in the storage unit.

The operator combines the message card 400 with a computer that is an output device.

The operator combines the message card with a computer, which is an output device, and prints out visual information of the information stored in the storage unit, and stores audio information in the storage unit of the message card through the interface.

Deliver the completed message card to the recipient.

When the recipient checks the visual information of the sender's personal information, greetings, notices, etc. by the printing part of the message card and operates the message card, the audio information signal from the sender stored in the message card is decoded and converted to D / A through audio. The information is reproduced through the speaker of the message card to be heard by the recipient.

In the above embodiment, the visual information is limited to characters and is input through a computer keyboard. However, it is a matter of course that various types of graphic information other than characters such as figures, handwritten letters, and drawings can be input, transmitted, and reproduced using a scanner. .

(Example 2)

5 and 6 are block diagrams illustrating an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a composite message using a computer communication network according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the apparatus is a personal computer (PC) owned by one or more senders, respectively. The composite message input device 100 and the server computer 210 connected to one website of the composite message transmission / reception service provider on the Internet 200, which is a computer communication network to which the input device 100 is connected and transmits a composite message. At least one output device 300 which is a computer that can be connected to the server computer 210 via the Internet; A telephone network (200A) capable of accessing the automatic answering system of the server computer (210); The output device 300 is configured to include one or more message card 400 that is a receiving means for storing / playing the composite message.

Since the input device 100, the computer communication network 200, the output device 300 and the message card 400 is configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

The second embodiment further embodies the method and apparatus of the first embodiment in which a sender and an operator are connected through a computer communication network to input a compound message to the output device 300 to use a compound message transmission service, so that the operator can access the Internet ( A sender connects to a server computer 210 connected to a website established at 200 and transmits and stores a compound message, and an operator downloads or receives a compound message from the server computer 210 by the output device 300. It relates to a method and an apparatus for receiving.

That is, in the present embodiment, the sender transmits and stores the compound message to a server computer connected to one website opened by the operator, and the operator downloads it by the output device and provides the compound message transmission / reception service. The first embodiment is specified.

That is, when one sender accesses the server computer 210 on the Internet 200 through the compound message input device 100 which is his PC, and stores the compound message information including visual image information and audio information (see FIG. 5). A, A '), the operator downloads it from the server computer 210 via a suitable one of the plurality of output device 300 to receive and store the composite message information (see B of FIG. 5), after which In the same manner as in the first embodiment, the apparatus (system) of the present invention is operated to deliver an article including the message card 400 or the message card 400 containing the composite message to the recipient.

The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that all or part of the audio information can be transmitted through the telephone network 200A.

That is, when the sender cannot use the input device 100 to transmit all or a part of the compound message information, the user can directly or a third party send the compound message information excluding all or part of the audio information. The computer 210 transmits and stores the data, and then accesses the server computer 210 through the telephone network 200A, and transmits part or all of audio information such as a user's voice to a predetermined routine of the automatic response system of the server computer 210. According to the first embodiment, the system of the present invention operates to deliver the message card 400 or the message card 400 containing the compound message to the recipient.

Although only one website is described above, for example, a separate website for each country and region is opened (see FIG. 6), and one of a plurality of output devices is connected to the server computer of each website through the Internet. It can also be connected to download complex message information.

In addition, while the transmission and storage of audio information through the telephone network has been described as supplementing other parts of the composite message information, on the contrary, the audio information is first transmitted and stored through the telephone network, and then the remainder of the composite message information remains. Portions can also be sent and stored via input devices.

The flow of the procedure in each step of the method of the present invention is described in detail below.

7 is a flowchart of a procedure for inputting and transmitting a compound message by the method of the present invention.

In Fig. 7, when the sender connects the input device to the operator's server computer through the Internet, the server computer is initialized to select the message card or the type of the article including the message card according to the instructions, and the address of the sender and the recipient. After inputting the name and name, if there is a text message, enter the text message if it exists, and if not, proceed to the next step.

Subsequently, depending on the presence or absence of an image message, if there is an image message, it is inputted. If not, the process proceeds to the next step, and selects an input means of an audio message to directly input a computer as an input device or selects a telephone to receive a unique number.

If the telephone is selected as the input means for all or part of the audio message, when the caller accesses the operator's server computer's automatic answering system through the telephone network, the server computer is initialized to input the unique number. If it is confirmed, it confirms the input of the audio message by confirming the input of the audio message, and if the inputted unique number is not confirmed as approved, the operation ends.

The audio message is packaged and compressed and added to the previously entered compound message information.

Thereafter, the personal information of the sender and the recipient, input information such as an audio / visual message, etc. input to the computer is packaged, compressed and stored, and the input information is transmitted to the operator's server computer.

8 is a flowchart of a procedure in which an output device downloads complex message information from a server computer.

In Fig. 8, when the output device is connected to the server computer via the Internet, the server computer is initialized to input the password, and when the password is confirmed to be registered, the password is approved, and after the password is approved, the output device is required. When the server computer transmits the request message data, the output device downloads it. When the download of the complex message information is completed, the server computer ends the operation and the connection for downloading is terminated.

According to the present invention, for the audio information input, for example, because a message card in a computer is used, an operator does not have to use an A / D converter for converting an analog voice signal into a digital voice signal, compared to the prior art of FIG. 3. Since the cost is reduced and the personal information of the sender / recipient is directly input by the keyboard, there is no inconvenience that the operator has to reproduce the text by confirming and texting, as in the prior art of FIG. And the contents and sound quality of the audio information is much superior to the prior art of FIG.

According to the present invention, a message card including audio information such as congratulatory music, greeting message and greeting information of a person who requested product delivery by order delivery, home shopping, as well as electronic commerce, and visual information such as printed letters, handwritten letters and figures are provided to the recipient. It can be sent with the goods to convey the sender's will to the recipient accurately and intimately.

Moreover, according to the present invention, pleasant greetings and congratulations during celebrations such as anniversaries such as Christmas, childbirth, birthdays, marriages, and sixtieth birthday, new year, as well as greetings of consolation can be realistically delivered.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to promptly deliver goods such as a message card or a message card attached, inserted, or installed to a remote place at low cost through the Internet.

Claims (14)

Inputting and storing visual information such as names and addresses of senders and recipients into a computer (or equivalent) as an input device; Transmitting the visual information and audio information such as a voice of a user (hereinafter referred to as compound message information) through a computer communication network and storing the same in an output device which is a computer; And storing an audio information signal of the compound message information stored in the output device and printing visual information on a message card. The computer network of claim 1, wherein at least one website (including the equivalent thereof) is established in the computer communication network, and the input device and the output device are connectable to the server computer of each website through the computer communication network. How to send compound messages using a computer network. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the visual and audio information are stored together in a computer as an input device and transmitted to the output device via a computer communication network. The telephone network according to claim 1 or 2, wherein only the visual information or only all of the visual information and part of the audio information are input and transmitted by a computer as an input device, and all or part of the audio information is accessible to the computer communication network. A method of sending a composite message using a computer communication network, characterized in that the input and the transmission via. The computer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the inputting and storing of the visual information comprises inputting visual information such as figures, handwriting, and pictures using a digital camera, a scanner, and the like. How to send a compound message using a network. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the computer communication network is the Internet. At least one compound message input device 100, which is a computer (or equivalent) capable of inputting visual information and audio information, and one computer communication network to which the input device 100 is connected to transmit a compound message. An output device 300 which is a computer connected to the computer communication network 200 and receiving the composite message; And at least one message card (400) for receiving visual information of the compound message and outputting audio information by the output device (300). 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one website having a server computer (210) is established in the computer communication network. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one telephone network (200A) is configured to be accessible to said computer communications network (200). 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one telephone network (200A) is configured to be accessible to said server computer (210). 10. The apparatus of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the input device 100 converts one microphone 101 into which audio information is input and the audio information input through the microphone 101 into a digital signal. One A / D converter 102, one encoder 103 for encoding the digital audio information signal converted by the A / D converter, personal information of the user and the other party (or sender and recipient), A keyboard 104 for inputting visual information such as a text message, a package / compressor 105 for combining and compressing the encoded digital audio information signal and the visual information signal, and confirming the encoded audio information signal And a PC including one inverse coding unit 106, one D / A converter 107 and a speaker 108, and one control unit 109 for controlling the components. Composite mesh using computer network Device to send and receive information. 10. The apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the input device (100) is a PC, a mobile phone, a digital TV or a PDA. 10. The method of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the output device 300 is one composite message signal data storage unit (hard disk) 301, the compressed of the composite message signal data is unpacked and packaged A depackaging / decompressing unit 302 for separating, a printer 303 capable of printing visual information such as coded characters from the depackaging / decompressing unit 302, and a reverse package. A computer communication network, characterized in that it comprises a single interface 304 for outputting the encoded audio information from the video compression / decompression unit 302 and one control unit 305 for controlling the above components. Device for transmitting and receiving a compound message using. 10. The method of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the message card 400 is coupled to the output means 300 is controlled by the control unit 401 so that the encoded visual information of the output means 300 And audio information printed and encoded on the printing unit (402) by the printer (300) is stored in the storage unit (403) by the interface (304).