CH653506A5 - DEVICE FOR RETRIEVING DATA. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1 and is particularly concerned with such a device of this type, in which the information to be retrieved or retrieved is signaled from a remote location, in response to one of the devices the remote location signaled request for this information.

A device for use in a connection station of a visual data system or text communication system, for example the Prestel system operated by the British postal authorities, is a display device of the specified type, and the invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with a terminal or connection device for such a device System.

A number of computerized systems, such as the Prestel system, are currently in operation and are accessible over the public telephone network. Some of these systems include a data storage device known as a "response frame".

Information providers who provide the computer system with data pages for access by authorized persons or for general access require feedback information from those who gain access to their data pages. For example, a manufacturer can provide an information page that briefly describes its products and prices and that invites the information seeker to request a brochure or call a representative. When the information seeker requests a brochure, it may be convenient for him to press one or more of a variety of hand operated buttons on his data connection device, and the system will then store the name and address of the information seeker in the response frame of the information provider.

An information provider, for example the manufacturer mentioned above, can act as an information provider in some computer systems. Therefore, the information provider must periodically gain access to each system with a response frame and call up the information contained in the response frame.

If the information provider is a manufacturer, the response frames of the computer systems in each area can be called up by a sales representative.

However, getting the information from the response frames from some computing systems is a time consuming business. Each system must be selected individually. There is a risk that you will dial the wrong number. In addition, malfunctions can occur in the switching facilities and overloads can occur. If dialing is successful, the page number of the response frame that is specific to the particular system must be entered, and the page to which access has been obtained is retrieved regardless of whether it contains any messages or not.

If the information provider wishes to change the systems that are to be accessible, for example the use of a new computer system by the information provider or the abandonment of participation in a system as an information provider, such a change must be communicated to the user who is responsible for retrieving the response frames responsible for.

The aim of the invention is to provide an electronic device of the specified type in which at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above are no longer present.

The device according to the invention has the features stated in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

An embodiment of the device according to the invention

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further contains the features set out in dependent claim 2.

The device for recording the information received via the line preferably contains a printer and a memory which stores the signals received from the remote database at a first baud rate and opens up the possibility of the signal delivery of the next telephone number to the line being continued can while the printer is printing the information it has already received at a second lower baud rate.

In a preferred development of the device according to the invention, calls made to stored telephone numbers to which the respective remote database has not responded are identified, and following the termination of the calls for each of the stored telephone numbers, a further call attempt is made for each of the identified telephone numbers .

In addition, the device according to the invention is expediently designed in such a way that a predetermined number of these call attempts is repeated and, if none of these call attempts has been successful, any telephone number for which a correct answer has not been given is recorded.

The transmission of the first telephone number stored in the memory can be triggered by pressing a manually operable key. However, the device can also be designed such that it carries out operational cycles independently at periodic time intervals.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to a drawing, for example. In a single figure, a block diagram of a device according to the invention is shown.

The device shown contains a visual display unit 1, which is arranged and designed such that it can display information received via a telephone line 2 under the control of a microprocessor 3, to which a program memory 8 and a data memory 9 are assigned. The microprocessor 3 also has access to a local printer memory 4, which is connected to a printer 5 via an interface 6.

A keypad 7 allows a user of the device to initiate special functions or to enter parameters in the data memory.

The device can have a general structure which has already been proposed (United Kingdom, patent application number 7942912) and in which the program memory is a read-only memory designed as a plug-in or plug-in unit.

When a user of the device wishes to accept information from response frames of computer systems to which he has access, he presses a manually operated key on the keypad 7.

The microprocessor 3 detects the actuation of the key and seizes the line 2 of a public telephone exchange (not shown). Under the control of the program stored in program memory 8, microprocessor 3 causes loop separation signals to be output on line 2 which identify the telephone number of a remote database (not shown). This telephone number can be permanently programmed in the program memory 8 or it can be stored in the data memory 9. If the telephone number is stored in the data memory 9, it can be changed as required by pressing keys on the keypad 7.

After the transmission of the telephone number has ended, the microprocessor 3 waits for the reception of a carrier signal from the remote database before the identity of the

Terminals or connecting devices is transmitted, which is permanently stored in the connecting device.

The remote database responds to the receipt of the identity of the connection device by sending its own opening announcement and waits for a page request from the connection device.

The microprocessor 3 transmits to the remote database a page number that identifies a data page with a list of telephone numbers and, if necessary, a corresponding page number associated with each of the telephone numbers in the list.

The remote database transmits the requested data page to the connection device, which stores the list in a telephone number memory.

The microprocessor 3 then causes the line 2 to be released.

If the carrier signal is not received within a predetermined period of time after the end of the dialing process, for example within 20 s, the microprocessor 3 causes the line 2 to be released and then makes another attempt to connect to the remote database.

If the device fails to establish a connection with the remote database with a predetermined number of attempts, for example four attempts, the device causes the printer 5 to print out a suitable message.

After receiving and storing the list of the telephone numbers and the page numbers from the remote database, the microprocessor 3 causes the line 2 to be seized again. Signals are now sent via line 2 to the telephone exchange (not shown) which identify the first telephone number stored in the telephone number memory 10, which is the telephone number of a corresponding remote database.

After receiving the carrier signal from the relevant remote database, the microprocessor 3 sends out the identity of the connection device, then receives the opening announcement of the relevant remote database and transmits the relevant page number to the remote database.

The remote database responds by either sending out data indicating that no messages have been received, or sending out data representing a message or messages contained in the requested page. In the former case, in which it is indicated that no messages have been received, the microprocessor 3 releases the line 2 and then makes a call with the next telephone number in the list stored in the telephone number memory 10.

Upon receipt of data representing a message or messages, the microprocessor 3 causes this data to be stored in the local memory 4 at the baud rate at which it is received.

After the message has been stored in the local memory 4, the microprocessor 3 causes the line 2 to be released and then occupied again before the transmission of signals which characterize the second telephone number in the list stored in the telephone number memory 10 is initiated. This second telephone number is the telephone number of a relevant remote database.

The data stored in the local memory 4 is printed out by the printer 5 at the baud rate of the printer on paper or the like while the device continues to make calls.

If a call to a remote database has been successful and the required data page has been received, the relevant telephone number is

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Speech number memory 10 deleted by the microprocessor 3.

After all the telephone numbers stored in the telephone number memory 10 have been called in the manner described above, the microprocessor 3 makes another attempt to call the remaining numbers in the list. If, for example, after four runs through the list, there are still numbers left in the list stored in the telephone number memory 10, the microprocessor 3 sends a call miss list to the local memory 4, which contains all the telephone numbers remaining in the memory 10. This call list with the remaining telephone numbers is printed out by the printer 5 after the printing of the received messages has ended.

It is readily possible to design the microprocessor 3 so that it automatically initiates the message retrieval instead of a manual request by the keypad 7 at periodic time intervals.

There is also the possibility that the telephone number memory 10 can contain a fixed list of telephone numbers that can be changed by the keypad 7.

In the case of such a fixed list, the microprocessor 3 must be designed such that it introduces a data marker instead of deleting the 5 numbers of successfully executed calls if a call fails.

Furthermore, it is possible to use the keypad 7 to change parameters, such as the number of retry attempts which are carried out prior to the identification of a call as a false call.

Finally, the local memory 4, the program memory 8, the data memory 9 and the telephone number memory 10 can also be included in an internal random access memory (RAM) of the microprocessor 3.

i5 It should also be noted that in a case in which the list is retrieved from a first remote database, the numbers contained therein can be changed by the information provider without further action being required by those who have access to each of the 20 Need remote databases.

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1 sheet of drawings

Claims (8)

653 506 2nd PATENT CLAIMS Apparatus for retrieving data, comprising a device (5) for recording information which the device receives via a line (2) from a remote location, a signaling device (3) for emitting signals to the line (2) which identify the telephone number of a requested database and a memory (10) for storing data relating to a plurality of telephone numbers, each of which is the telephone number of a remote database accessible via a network in the manner of a telephone network that the signaling device sequentially transmits each of the telephone numbers stored in the memory (10), that when the signaling for each telephone number has ended, the device is ready to receive signals from the relevant remote database, the signals received either indicating that there is no data are to be received by the device or identify information to be recorded by the device and that the device is further designed such that it records the received information and, when the reception of the signals from the relevant remote database has ended, repeats the process for each telephone number stored in the memory (10). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a second memory (9) is present, which is used to store data received via the line (2) from the first remote database, which identify the telephone numbers of the remote databases, that the device is designed is that it causes the signal output device (3) to transmit the first telephone number stored in the second memory (9) onto the line (2), to receive data from the associated remote database which characterize the said plurality of telephone numbers, and in the first memory ( 10) to save which telephone numbers can then be used to access the remote databases mentioned. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device (5) for recording the received information is assigned a memory device (4) which enables the signals received via the line (2) to be transmitted with a first baud rate. Speed can be saved and can be displayed with a second, slower baud rate. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device (5) for recording the received information is a printer. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that telephone numbers to which the relevant remote database has not responded are identified and that after the end of the call with each telephone number for which a call is to be made, another Call attempt is made for each identified phone number. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that after the making of a predetermined number of call attempts for each identified telephone number in the absence of receiving a correct answer, each identified telephone number is recorded by the recording device (5). 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the transmission of the first telephone number can be triggered by a device user by means of a manually operable key of a keypad (7). 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a call with the first telephone number is triggered at periodic intervals.