DE4342776C2 - Information retrieval system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an information retrieval system according to the Preamble of claim 1.

In today's communication technology exists for the part a diverse range of services, in which between meh different service categories. Win in the process Systems that both handle basic interactive services - the most used service is telephony - as well as the provision of indi viduell retrieved information from an information store more and more important. The called In formation can be text, sound, image, film information or another from the subscriber via a communication network calling information. Known application forms of the In Formation requests are, for example, video or audio retrieval, the transfer of moving images from Infor mation banks, distance learning, etc.

Interactive services can be used in different networks be judged. With the exception of the distribution of the usual ana lied television signals - as they from corresponding coaxial or fiber distribution networks is known - be video and Data signals from bandwidth economy to the individual part participants in digital form. Algorithm used for data reduction and compression, the a transmission of the respective television signal with some allow a few Mbit / s. On the reception side is off the transmitted compressed signal the original Reconstructed television signal and after editing the TV receiver fed.

Run in the existing public telephone network symmetrical subscriber lines to the subscribers. Due to the small bandwidth, more symmetrical unshielded  Lines is a downlink transmission of the desired information Only perform the subscriber with a limited bit rate bar. In the known ADSL method (Asymmetric Digital Sub scriber Line) is an information transfer up to 6 Mbit / s in a transmission direction over a few kilometers unshielded symmetrical cable possible. There is one bidirectional digital control channel with for example 16 kbit / s provided in which a return channel for program selection or the information retrieval can be set up.

The subscriber line usually ends with the part subscriber in a network termination facility. This network termination device has interfaces to one or more parts subscriber terminals, for example televisions. For the In the event that the subscriber is connected to several subscriber terminals different places in the house for reception in parallel Caller information is equal for one access from each of the subscriber terminals to the Local loop network decentralized facilities required.

For a downward distribution of information about the participants Mer terminal devices could usually be star or tree shaped mig trained coaxial house wiring used or in addition to the coaxial house network for several participants devices of a participant with the network termination device connected in-house network with symmetrical cables be installed.

From the German patent DE 35 08 180 C2 is an In formation call system with a narrowband dialog network in Form of the existing telephone network or a suitable one Known data network and with narrow-band dialog channels, over the text, graphic or other of a participant Narrow band information is available from a central office. Of the The information is called up via a subscriber terminal (e.g. a TV) connected to the dialog network is. In addition, the information retrieval system has  an operator panel connected to a for a screen text system required Btx decoder is switched on. The Informati ons polling system shows next to the narrowband dialog network Broadband network on, via the associated broadband broadband information available to the information center Subscriber terminal is supplied. To protect against The broadband information will be used keys sent out.

The invention is based, an inexpensive task and without the use of additional decentralized facilities or lines using the information retrieval system to the house internal equal access to information to create multiple people.

By using a telephone subscriber station with a basic apparatus connected to the network termination device and several arranged at the subscriber terminals Cordless handsets for parallel information retrieval The information can be found in different places by the corresponding subscriber terminals simultaneously and can be played independently. The selection of the Information to be retrieved is without any noteworthy additional costs equally possible for several recipients in one house. By entering suitable combinations of digits in the Network termination device are evaluated and implemented, on the keyboard of the cordless handset is one easy operation possible. The need for an instal lation of an additional symmetrical house line network or additional active terminals only for the information mation retrieval at the individual subscriber terminals, what egg there would be no significant cost factor.  

It is advantageous to use the basic set for the cordless Handset with the termination device at the end of the part subscriber line constructively and functionally to one Summarize unity.  

It is also advantageous that one for operating the part controller provided (e.g. an In infrared remote control) with the cordless handset of the Telephone subscriber station combined into one device is. Another advantage is that the mobile part of the remote speech station either separate keyboards for Telephony and for information retrieval or a common one same keyboard for both purposes.

An embodiment of the invention is based on the figures explained in more detail. Show it

Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of an information retrieval system using the example of video retrieval and

Fig. 2 facilities in a connected to a subscriber line network of the information retrieval system according to FIG. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of an information retrieval system with a first subscriber line network ANW0, a second subscriber line network ANW1 and a third subscriber line network ANW2. The subscriber access networks ANW0. . . ANW2 are connected to a broadband transmission network BNW, which, as a public communication network for broadband applications, guarantees a high transmission capacity and transmission speed with flexible handling at different bit rates according to the respective broadband applications.

The subscriber access networks point at the access network level ANW0. . . ANW2 each have a large number of connected parts subscribers SUB0, SUB1. . . SUBn on. The connection of the participants to the respective subscriber access network ANW0, ANW1 or ANW2 takes place via at least one of the respective participants associated subscriber line. At the participant master network ANW0 leads a subscriber line ACL0 to Subscriber SUB0, a subscriber line ACL1 to  Subscriber SUB1, a subscriber line ACL2 to Subscriber SUB2. . . and a subscriber line ACLn to subscriber SUBn. The same applies to the participants final networks ANW1 and ANW2. The respective subscriber line network ANW0. . . ANW2 can be star, double star, tree or ring shaped and made of symmetrical, coaxial or be formed optical lines. Also wireless connection conditions are possible.

The information retrieval system is used in the present example for retrieving video signals (Video On Demand) from or several information banks. In addition, others can Information such as B. Sound information (Audio On Demand), text and image information (home shopping, distance learning) etc., abge will call. First information is required for video access onsbank ISC0 and a second information bank ISC1 to the Transmission network BNW switched on, of which the Informati onsbank ISC0 stores a variety of videos.

All available for the calling subscriber Videos are stored in an archive store AM - for example a mass storage device in the form of magnetic tapes - The one with a call memory LS lower storage capacity connected is. At the polling memory LS is a small Ver averaging device SW1 for producing an online Ver binding between the polling memory LS and the transmission BNW network switched on for the purpose of information transmission. In addition, the information bank ISC0 has one Processor CP1 for controlling information output necessary procedures. The second information bank For example, ISC1 has another archive for the information that can be called up by the respective participants.

There is also the option of connecting directly network level to install a local information bank for accessing the most frequently requested information not having to use the BNW transmission network. For this The reason for the subscriber access network ANW0 is a local one  Information bank LHE0, to the subscriber access network ANW1 a local information bank LHE1 and to the participant connecting network ANW2 a local information bank LHE2 tet.

The local information bank LHE0 shows - like the others local information banks LHE1 and LHE2 - a local Ab Call memory LM with a small switch on processing device SWL. Contained in the local memory LM videos, the number of them for reasons of economy is limited, on-line through the switch SWL can be accessed. In addition, the local informa LHE0 a local processor to control the CPL Procedures necessary for information retrieval. The Rarely requested information can be obtained from the local Information bank LHE0 at a remote information bank - e.g. B. the information bank ISC0.

The transmission of the desired video signals to the calling Participants through the information retrieval system can, in addition to the Processing of interactive basic services - such as B. the Fernspre chen - on the existing connection network with symmetrical Two-wire copper lines are carried out. For cables television networks (CATV) is that lead to the respective participant Transmission medium a coaxial line over which next a certain number of television signals additional Communication channels for information retrieval and interactive Narrow and broadband services are offered. In the case, that a fiber-optic network flows down to the respective participant TV and videosi gnale transmitted via optical fibers from / to the participant will. This enables a symmetrical Lei lines and coaxial lines increased bandwidth for the Use simultaneous transmission of different services.

Fig. 2 shows the example of the subscriber SUB0 stellvertre tend for all participants, the facilities provided for an information retrieval system according to the invention. The subscriber line ACL0 leading in part to subscriber SUB0, via which the connection to the subscriber line network ANW0 takes place, ends in a network termination device STB0. The network termination device STB0 has interfaces for telephony and for information retrieval, the interfaces for information retrieval both enabling the downward transmission of information signals (for example television signals) to the receivers and the upward transmission of control signals (for example program selection signals).

Participants are at different points in a house several subscriber terminals - e.g. B. TV sets - TV1, TV2 and TV3 arranged, from which a video retrieval by a Operator can be started in each case. Here are the Subscriber terminals TV1. . . TV3 via a back channel CH to Send control information to select the ones to be retrieved Information and via one or more transmission channels VCH turned on to receive the retrieved information.

The downward distribution of video signals from the network termination device STB0 to the subscriber terminals TV1. . . TV3 can for example through an in-house coaxial network in Tree structure can be achieved. To this end, the called video signals in the network termination STB0 in Appropriate VHF or UHF signals implemented by the part slave terminals TV1. . . TV3 can be received and played back can. A single information signal (e.g. a TV signal) either from one of the connected Emp catchers are received or different informa tion signals simultaneously (e.g. in different VHF or UHF channels) are transmitted to the receivers. An assignment channels to the individual receivers only need once during the first installation in the network termination facility STB0.

The subscriber terminal TV1 is operated via an operating device IC1 the subscriber terminal TV2 via an operating device IC2 and that  Subscriber terminal TV3 via an operating device IC3 each controlled operator. The control units IC1. . . IC3 exist in the event that the subscriber terminals ten TV1. . . TV3 is television sets, from usual infra red remote controls, each with an associated keyboard for entering the various control functions.

For a wireless connection from the subscriber terminals TV1. . . TV3 to the subscriber's network termination device STB0 SUB0 is a telephone subscriber station with one to the Network termination device STB0 connected basic apparatus MS and cordless handsets CT1, CT2 and CT3, that for the retrieval of the video signals from the respective subscriber device TV1, TV2 and TV3 are arranged. The additional over Transfer of tax data for the selection of those to be called up Information from the cordless handset CT1. . . CT3 can be entered, for example, by entering more suitable ones Number combinations using the ge for the respective handset trigger the appropriate keyboard. The evaluation and implementation of the Control data takes place in the network termination device STB0.

Such mobile telephone subscriber stations enable in addition to the communication with the public communica network, also in-house message traffic and in particular an inexpensive and simple implementation of a de central information that is equal for every operator mation calls. An additional installation of active end directions for the return channel from the subscriber terminals to Network termination device and an additional house network are not mandatory.

The basic set MS of the telephone subscriber station, the one Recess for the respective holder of the cordless handap parats, can be constructive and functional with the Network termination device STB0 combined into one unit will. In addition, there is the possibility of the respective Control unit IC1. . . IC3 for the associated subscriber terminal TV1. . . TV3 in the respective cordless handset CT1. . . CT3  to integrate. In this case, this can result mobile operating device for several control functions - Informati on-demand, television reception and telephony - either two separate keyboards or a common keyboard Have tur for different purposes.

Claims (8)

1. Information retrieval system for retrieving film, image, text, sound information from an information store (e.g. LHE0) of a communication network (e.g. ANW0) to the subscriber (e.g. SUB0... SUBn) via a subscriber line (e.g. ACL0) and a network termination device (STB0) are connected, the information to be retrieved via at least one subscriber terminal (TV1... TV3) connected to the network termination device (STB0). CH) can be selected, characterized in that a telephone subscriber station is connected to the network termination device (STB0), consisting of a basic unit (MS) and several cordless handsets (CT1... CT3), and that by actuating various cordless handsets (CT1 ... CT3) the information can be called up in parallel and can be reproduced simultaneously and independently of one another by corresponding subscriber terminals (TV1... TV3). 2. Information retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized ge features that the basic set (MS) of the telephone subscriber station (MS, CT1 ... CT3) in the network termination device (STB0) inte is free. 3. Information retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized ge features that the basic set (MS) of the telephone subscriber station (MS, CT1 ... CT3) separately from the network termination device (STB0) is arranged. 4. Information retrieval system according to one of the preceding An sayings, characterized, that one for operating the subscriber terminal (TV1... TV3) provided control device (IC1... IC3) with the respective cordless handset (CT1 ... CT3) into one device is composed.   5. Information retrieval system according to claim 4, characterized ge features that the device has a first keyboard for telephony and a second keyboard for information retrieval. 6. Information retrieval system according to claim 4, characterized ge features that the device has a common keyboard for telephony and has the information retrieval. 7. Information retrieval system according to one of the preceding An claims, characterized, that the communication network (e.g. ANW0) with a broadband gene transmission network (BNW) is connected to the at least an information bank (e.g. ISC0) as an information store connected to store the retrievable information is. 8. Information retrieval system according to one of the preceding An claims, characterized, that the communication network (e.g. ANW0) as a participant final network is formed, to which a local information  bank (e.g. LHE0) as an information store for storing the accessible information is connected.