DE4018685A1 - SUBSCRIBER CONNECTION DEVICE FOR A BROADBAND COMMUNICATION NETWORK - Google Patents

Abstract

A subscriber connection device for a broad-band communications network (VBN) has at least one video channel for incoming video signals (Vi) and at least one video channel for outgoing video signals (Vo), at least one audio channel for incoming audio signals (Ai) and at least one audio channel for outgoing audio signals (Ao) and a signalling channel (Z) for transmitting signalling signals. The subscriber connection device also contains a control system (ST1, ST2) which evaluates the signalling signals for establishing a connection and a connection established between subscriber stations of the broad-band communications network (VBN) and which connects the video and/or audio channels (Vi, Vo, and/or Ai, Ao) with corresponding channels of the called subscriber station (e.g., 12). The control system (ST1, ST2) connects a first storage unit (42) which transmits a predetermined quantity of information to an outgoing video channel (Vo) and/or an outgoing audio channel (Ao) in function of a predetermined number of incoming call signals contained in the signalling signals of a calling subscriber which are received at a subscriber station (12, 30, 32, 34, 36). The invention can be used to supply speech and image data automatically to a caller.

Description

The invention relates to a subscriber line device device for a broadband communication network, each with at least one video channel for incoming and outgoing de Video signals, each with at least one audio koka nal for incoming and outgoing audio signals and with at least one signaling channel for the transmission signaling signals, also with a control tion that the signaling signals for a Ver establishing a connection and a connection between Subscriber stations of the broadband communication network evaluates and with the video and / or audio channels corresponding channels of the called party merstation connects. The signals of the signaling channel can be separated from the video and audio signals len, e.g. B. on a separate line, or together transmitted with this.  

In broadband communication, signals with large ßer bandwidth are transmitted so that between the Subscriber stations a broadband dialog in the form of Telephony, video conferencing, faster data transfer u. is possible. As subscriber stations come for broadband communication alongside long distance also devices for teletex, fax, picture screen text, image services, data transmission u. in Be dress. The voice signals and low frequency data si gnale become in commu in broadband communication nication network via audio channels, the image signals and high-frequency data signals via video channels Such a communication network is e.g. B. that Forerunner broadband communication network of the Germans Bundespost or the ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network).

The one for establishing and closing a connection time required between the subscriber stations Chenga signals are in the broadband communication network transmitted over a signaling channel. This Channel works bidirectionally, i. H. he transmits the Character signals in both directions of transmission. In the Un different from conventional telephone communication the control system has its own signal channel available. This is required around the multitude of new services and surveillance functions and the associated increased signa to be able to realize the effort required. The control the connection establishment and disconnection takes place in Broadband communication network deviating from that in con conventional telephone networks based on new tax procedures, for example for ISDN in the D Channel protocol are set.  

In the conventional telephone communication network Subscriber lines with answering machines functions have been used for several years. At These devices will be saved as an announcement Text output to a caller. Such a Directions have proven very useful in practice proven so that it would be desirable to have answering machine Word functions in relation to image and voice information realizations in the broadband communication network sieren. The subscriber line facilities for Conventional telephony methods can However, they should not be used for this, as they are wide band communication network the useful signals, d. H. the Au dio and video signals, as well as the signaling signals other transmission routes and the Control works according to other control procedures.

It is an object of the invention to provide a subscriber line device for a broadband communication network give the answering machine functions with picture and Can run voice information.

This task is for a subscriber line tion solved at the outset in that the Control depending on a predetermined number outgoing Rufsi contained in the signaling signals signals of a calling subscriber instead of a part subscriber station a first storage unit for delivery a predetermined amount of information on an abge existing video channel and / or an outgoing audio channel switches.

In the first storage unit, for example, by a VCR or an image storage device can be realized are voice, image and data security  gnale saved. These signals are the caller supplied via the channels mentioned, without the ange called subscribers must intervene in the process flow. This makes it possible for the caller to to ensure that the called subscriber is informed To provide service information or to ask him to repeat his call later len. The In stored in the first storage unit The amount of information can be changed by the called subscriber changed and updated so that the caller too can be informed about current events at for example, about the stock market events or about the ak current weather conditions. The change in the amount of information can be done locally, i.e. H. near the Spei cher unit by an operator the first spoke operated to record an announcement. she can but can also be done remotely by the participant outputs coded control signals to the controller that this to control the first storage unit for the Evaluates the recording of a voice / picture announcement. The Be right to change the stored information quantity can be controlled by an access code.

The invention uses existing channels on the Participant side to the first storage unit with the to connect outgoing video and / or audio channels. This leaves the additional effort to implement the answering machine functions small, and the new one Subscriber connection facility can be simply by add additional building blocks to a conventional one Subscriber connection facility can be set up without that greater intervention is required in the latter. The additional building blocks contain e.g. B. the first Storage unit, channel switch and part of the control tion to implement the answering machine function  serves. This control part can be used with the rest Control of the subscriber line equipment to a be combined into a single control unit. This leads to a further reduction in hardware effort.

A preferred development of the invention provides that the control after the information from the first storage unit a second storage unit for Store incoming signals on an incoming Vi deo and / or audio channel switches, and that the control The storage process depends on one of them generated end signal aborts.

These measures ensure that the caller Participant sends a message to the called subscriber Can leave the saved and late their time can be evaluated by the called party. In order not to take the storage process unnecessarily long leave, the control generates an end signal through which the message recording is canceled. The end signal can depend on different conditions conditions are generated as detailed below becomes.

In an advantageous embodiment, the end signal after a predetermined storage time generated. If the caller answers this on the announcement limited storage time is pointed out, he will adapt his message to be saved to this time and keep it short. This will make him is enough that with a limited maximum memory a variety of messages from different callers can be recorded.  

Another embodiment of the invention provides that the end signal depends on one in the characters he signals contained connection termination signal is fathered.

This disconnect signal is generally from the control of the calling subscriber line device device is generated when the caller communicates terminates with the called subscriber station. A such termination signal can also from other taxes generated and output in the communication network be when the connection between participants is disturbed or interrupted. By the aforementioned Measure will be the recording of messages with the Occurrence of the abort signal ended, so that not un necessary space in the second memory is wasted.

Another development of the invention is thereby ge indicates that the first and second memories are a single VCR with one forward / backward run control is provided. Through this measure who which the first and second storage unit in one realized unit, which makes a special economical solution is achieved. The memory content the video recorder is expediently in divided two memory areas. In a first place area is the information for the announcement saved. The second memory area is used for opening drawing of the caller's message. The forward / backward run control optionally accesses one of the memories areas to make an announcement to the caller or record an announcement or around the recorded play recorded message. The forward / reverse  control of the video recorder is in turn by the Controlled the subscriber line equipment.

Another advantageous development of the invention is characterized in that the incoming audiosi gnal is fed to a decoder module, the double detects sound signals using the multi-frequency method and filters out, and that depending on these double tone signals len changed the memory content of the first memory unit changes or the delivery of information from the first or the second storage unit is repeated.

These measures ensure that a caller Influence on the control of the first and second memory can take unit by receiving double-tone signals Place voice signals through a dual tone transmitter transfers to the called subscriber station. This dop pelton signals are there as control signals for tax tion of the storage units interpreted so that a remote polling of recorded messages or it is possible to change the announcement.

The invention is described below with reference to the drawings explained in more detail. In it show:

Fig. 1 shows a conventional subscriber terminal device with a Netzab terminal unit and several subscriber stations and

Fig. 2 is a device according to the invention extended subscriber line device according to Fig. 1, the answering machine can perform terfunctions.

In Fig. 1, a subscriber line device is shown in a block diagram, which is closed to the preliminary broadband network VBN of the Deutsche Bundespost. A broadband network termination unit 10 forms the interface between the communication network VBN and a subscriber A. For the transmission of information between this and other participants in the communication network VBN are a video channel Vi for incoming video signals, a video channel Vo for outgoing video signals, an audio channel Ai for incoming audio signals and an audio channel Ao for outgoing audio signals. Furthermore, the Netzabschlußein unit 10 is connected via a separate signaling channel Z to the communication network VBN, via which signaling information is transmitted in both directions. This information is fed to a controller ST 1 , which generates outgoing characters and evaluates incoming characters, in particular in order to control the connection establishment and connection clearing between the participants. The control ST 1 contains a program-controlled microprocessor unit with a working and a program memory as well as with input and output modules.

At the network termination unit 10 , an operator station 12 is connected, which combines several communication modules in a single device, such as. B. a handap for making calls, a loudspeaker, a speakerphone, a call organ, a dial pad, a control panel with a function keyboard, an optical status indicator and an alphanumeric display field for phone numbers and texts. The function keyboard can be used to generate signals which reach the control ST 1 via a control line 14 and trigger control functions there, such as, for example, connecting further subscriber stations for communication or connecting several stations for a conference circuit.

The audio signals, ie data and voice signals, which are received and emitted by the operator station 12 , who transmit the unit 10 via two audio channels 26 , 28 to the Netzabschlussein. The respective direction of transmission of the channels 26 , 28 is indicated by arrows.

A document camera 30 , a conference camera 32 and a monitor 34 are connected to the network termination unit 10 via video channels 16 , 18 , 20 as further subscriber stations. With the help of these devices 30 , 32 , 34, functions such as video telephony and image transmission can be realized.

Furthermore, an external sound device 36 is connected to the network termination unit 10 via two audio channels 22 , 24 , which serves for the reproduction and recording of sound signals.

The subscriber-side channels 16 to 28 are connected to the network-side channels Vo, Vi, Ao, Ai by channel switches S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 contained in the network termination unit 10 . The switch S 1 makes it possible to switch either signals from the document camera 30 or the conference camera 32 to the outgoing video channel Vo. With the channel switch S 2 , a connection between the incoming video channel Vi and the monitor 34 can be established, on the other hand, the signals generated by the cameras 30 , 32 can be fed to the monitor 34 in the other switch position shown in dashed lines. The latter is often used to check the settings of the cameras 30 , 32 and to correct them if necessary. With the Kanalschal tern S 3 , S 4 can be switched between the sound devices of the operator station 12 and the external sound device 36 .

The switch positions of the channel switches S 1 to S 4 are controlled by the controller ST 1 , which in turn receives control information via the signaling channel Z or the control line 14 . At this point it should be mentioned that the channels and channel switches shown in Fig. 1 and later also in Fig. 2 are shown as logical switching symbols. Physically, the channels are implemented using 2 or multi-wire lines, on which signals are transmitted continuously or according to the time multiplex method. The channel switches are implemented by electronic switches.

In the switch positions of channel switch S 1 to S 4 shown in FIG. 1, communication of subscriber A with another subscriber, not specified in more detail, takes place on broadband communication network BKN via subscriber stations operator station 12 , monitor 34 and conference camera 32 . By pressing radio function keys of the operator station 12 , the respective switch position of the channel switches S 1 to S 4 can be changed so that further stations can participate in the communication or certain stations can be excluded from this.

In Fig. 2, a subscriber connection device is shown in a block diagram, in which the invention is implemented. The subscriber connection device according to the invention builds on the conventional subscriber connection device shown in FIG. 1, the parts of which are given the same designations are not explained again. The channels 16 , 20 , 22 and 24 are fed to an additional module 40 which, as will be explained, performs functions of an audio / video answering machine. The additional module 40 contains a video recorder 42 for a video announcement and a further video recorder 44 for a video recording.

The additional module 40 also contains a controller ST 2 , which receives control signals from the controller ST 1 via a control channel 41 and from a manually operable input unit 50 . The video recorders 42 and 44 are connected to the control ST 2 via a line 56 and exchange status and control signals via these. The controller ST 2 also controls the switch positions of channel switches S 5 , S 6 , S 7 , S 8 . Finally, a decoder module 52 is connected via a line 54 to the controller ST 2 and outputs control signals to this controller.

In the switch positions of the channel switches S 1 to S 8 shown in FIG. 2, both the network termination unit 10 and the additional module 40 are in an active state in which communication with a subscriber in the predecessor broadband network VBN can take place. In this state, a video signal emitted by the video recorder 42 passes through the channel switch S 5 , the channel 16 , the channel switch S 1 to the outgoing video channel Vo. At the same time, an audio signal emitted by the video recorder 42 reaches the outgoing audio channel Ao via the channel switch S 6 , the channel 22 and the channel switch S 3 . Via the two signal paths mentioned, an announcement information stored in the video device 42 can be given to the calling subscriber.

For incoming messages, the signals of which consist of audio and video signals, two signal paths are also switched. The video signal arriving via the video channel Vi reaches the video input of the video recorder 44 via the channel switch S 2 and the channel 20 . The audio signal arriving via the audio channel Ai reaches the audio input of the video recorder 44 via the channel switch S 4 , the channel 24 and the decoder block 52 , the function of which will be explained later. This makes it possible to record the incoming message through the video recorder 44 on a video tape.

The video signal arriving at the video recorder 44 and the audio signal are looped through it, ie the signals are still available at the output of the video recorder 44 after passing through the tap points 46 and 48 . It is thus possible to feed the audio signal to the sound device 36 via the channel switches S 8 and S 7 and to convert it into an acoustic signal there. The video signal is also fed to the monitor 34 .

Various operating modes of the subscriber line device are described below. These operating modes are set by pressing a function key on operator station 12 . In the "automatic recording" mode, the controller generates ST 1 after receipt of a predetermined number of call signals from the calling subscriber via the signaling channel Z signaling characters for establishing a connection. These characters are in turn transmitted via the same signaling channel Z to a switching device upstream of the subscriber line device and contained in the predecessor broadband network VBN. This establishes the connection between the participant and the calling subscriber. The controller ST 1 switches the channel switch S 3 and S 4 from the positions shown in broken lines, which are normally the rest positions of the channel switches S 3 and S 4 , in the position shown in FIG. 2. At the same time, the control ST 1 sends a start signal to the control ST 2 via the control channel 41 . Triggered by this signal, the control ST 2 in turn generates further signals which it outputs via line 56 to the video recorders 42 and 44 and which control their start, stop, forward, rewind, rewind, record and play functions. These functions are not described in more detail below, since they are generally known for video recorders in the form of video home devices or studio devices. Furthermore, the controller ST 2 controls the switch positions of the channel switches S 5 to S 8 .

After receipt of the start signal, the controller ST 2 causes the video recorder 42 to be played in order to deliver a video announcement to the caller. After the announcement, the video recorder 42 is stopped and, if necessary, rewound. Then the VCR 44 is turned on to record a message from the caller. Recording is ended by outputting an end signal on line 56 . This Endesi signal is generated depending on various events, z. B. after a predetermined recording time or when reaching a maximum storage amount of the VCR 44th Another possibility is to generate the end signal after a waiting period in which no information was contained in the signals to be stored or the information content in the incoming signals has not changed. For this purpose, an electronic module, not shown in FIG. 2, is used, which compares the actual state of the audio and / or video signals with previous signals. If signal changes can no longer be detected, there is a high probability that there is a transmission error or the caller has interrupted the communication without clearing the connection in accordance with the regulations. Furthermore, an end signal is generated when the connection between subscriber A and the caller is broken. From such a break is signaled by abort signs that reach the control ST 1 via the signaling channel Z. This in turn signals the controller ST 2 the connection termination, which generates the end signal, whereupon the recording or, if appropriate, the announcement is aborted.

During the announcement process and the recording process, it is possible to supply the corresponding video and audio signals to the monitor 34 and the sound device 36 . The channel switch S 7 is then to be closed. The subscriber A is thus able to follow the incoming message directly or to check the announcement.

In the "play" operating mode, one person operates the input unit 50 and thus acts on the control ST 2 . This controls depending on the commands entered len the channel switches S 5 to S 8 and the video devices 42 and 44 so that an announcement can be re-recorded and corrected or the recorded messages can be played back via the monitor 34 and the sound device 36 .

In another operating mode, "remote inquiry", a calling subscriber can call up the recorded messages himself. The well-known multi-frequency method is used for this. In this audio signal, double-tone signals are transmitted, which are filtered out by the decoder module 52 . The double-tone signals are encoded according to a predetermined code, e.g. B. according to the 1-of-4 code with which several control commands, for. B. 16 individual commands can be displayed. These control commands are recognized by decoder module 52 and communicated to control ST 2 via line 54 . This controls the channel switches S 5 to S 8 and the video recorders 42 and 44 so that the calling subscriber the stored messages are transmitted or he can change the announcement.

In the subscriber connection device shown in FIG. 2, essential technical functions are implemented in two structural units, namely in the network termination unit 10 and in the additional module 40 . It is also possible to realize these functions in a single unit, the control ST 1 taking over the functions of the control ST 2 . The control channel 41 can then be omitted and the functions of the input unit 50 are taken over by the operator station 12 .

Claims (11)

1. Subscriber connection device for a broadband communication network, each with at least one video channel for incoming and outgoing signals, with at least one audio channel for incoming and outgoing audio signals and with at least one signaling channel for the transmission of signaling signals, further with a controller that evaluates the signaling signals for a connection establishment and a connection clearing between subscriber stations of the broadband communication network and which connects the video and / or audio channels with the corresponding channels of the called subscriber station, characterized in that the controller (ST 1 , ST 2 ) depends on a predetermined number of incoming call signals contained in the signal signals of a calling subscriber instead of a subscriber station ( 12 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 ) a first storage unit ( 42 ) for delivering a predetermined amount of information to an outgoing V ideokanal (Vo) and / or an outgoing audio channel (Ao) switches. 2. Subscriber connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller (ST 1 , ST 2 ) after delivery of the information from the first memory unit ( 42 ), a second memory unit ( 44 ) for storing incoming signals on an incoming video channel (Vi ) and / or an incoming audio channel (Ai), and that the controller (ST 1 , ST 2 ) interrupts the storage process depending on an end signal generated by it. 3. subscriber line device according to claim 2, there characterized in that the end signal according to Ab generated after a predetermined storage time becomes. 4. subscriber line device according to claim 2, because characterized in that the end signal is dependent from one contained in the signaling signals Abort signal is generated. 5. subscriber line device according to claim 2, because characterized in that the end signal according to Ab is generated during a waiting period during which signals to be stored no information were or the information content in has not changed the signals. 6. Subscriber connection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the end signal at He rich a maximum amount of memory of the second memory unit ( 44 ) is generated. 7. Subscriber connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a video recorder is provided as the first ( 42 ) and as the second storage unit ( 44 ). 8. Subscriber connection device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a single video recorder with a forward / reverse control is provided as the first ( 42 ) and as the second memory unit ( 44 ). 9. Subscriber connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a monitor ( 34 ) and / or a sound device ( 36 ) are provided, to which the incoming and outgoing signals can be supplied. 10. Subscriber connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operating device ( 12 , 50 ) is provided, via the commands to the controller (ST 1 , ST 2 ) for setting different operating modes and for controlling the first ( 42 ) and the second memory unit ( 44 ) can be entered. 11. Subscriber connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the incoming audio signal is supplied to a decoder module ( 52 ) which detects and filters out double-tone signals according to the multi-frequency method, and that, depending on these double-tone signals, the memory content of the first memory unit ( 42 ) changes ge or the delivery of information from the first ( 42 ) or the second storage unit ( 44 ) is repeated.