FR2568075A1 - Automatic terminal and installation for storing and sending data via a single line - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the sending of data. It relates to an installation for storing and sending data, in which a database 10 includes a first bank 14 containing digital signals which can be displayed on a screen and a second bank 16 containing digital data for addressing, for identification and for control. All the data are transmitted by a single line 20. The digital addressing data are firstly sent to the line 20 and converted into call signals to which the terminal 12 is responsive. In this way the terminal 12 automatically switches over and it is then able to exchange identification and control data with the second bank 16 and to receive displayable digital signals from the first bank 14. Application to the sending of data to terminals in the absence of an operator.

Description

The present invention concerns a terminal and a data storage and sending installation allowing either consultation or direct delivery and requiring only a single signal transmission line, the line having a low bandwidth.

The telephone lines of the switched network or the dedicated lines are used for the transmission of telephone signals and for the consultation of database or messaging servers, in particular by means of screen-keyboard terminals, for example used in the system. "Videotex. Such a terminal is sometimes called a" directory terminal "and allows information to be exchanged with a database in digital or audio format. This system does not allow this information to be exchanged if there is no call and connection operation performed by the terminal operator.

 It is however often desirable that urgent or specific information is immediately transmitted to the recipient's terminal or even that a visual or auditory message advising of the arrival of such urgent or even confidential information has been received by a server for him . Thus, databases can include databases in digital form or representing sounds associated with at least one database retaining information, for example the address of at least one recipient of the digital or audio information contained in the banks. data and information to identify the recipient's terminal.

Installations are already known which allow immediate transmission of urgent information to another installation. For example, we already know equipment that forms a proof from a distance - such as the facsimile or the fax machine. There are also known installations for recording a voice message sent by a correspondent, for example the telephone answering machine.

 However, there is no system allowing the automatic reception of a message on a screen not previously connected to the database device by a means of communication.

The invention relates to a terminal and an installation allowing the exchange of information in two different formats by a single line.

According to the invention, the installation is normally intended to operate with signals of a second format. However, it initially receives signals of a first format making it possible to cause the electrical supply to the second peripheral (28) and the switching from one peripheral to another at the terminal. The device then remains in this configuration for exchanging data signals in the second format until the database has signaled the end of the transaction.

The power supply to the second peripheral will however be ensured by the device only for a determined time during the exchange of the data signals in the second format as a function of the duration programmed by the database and transmitted to the terminal.

More specifically, the invention relates to a terminal intended to receive signals by a single line and comprising at least two peripherals intended to work with different formats, the terminal comprising - a line switching member normally having a first position in which it connects a first peripheral to the signal reception line and a second position in which it connects the second peripheral to the line, and - a supply switching member normally having a first position in which the second peripheral is not supplied by a voltage source and a second position in which the second peripheral is supplied by a voltage source, and - a control device intended to receive directly or indirectly at least part of the signals when the line switch is in its first position , to control the passage of the power switch in the position where it powers the second periphery ique, to then command the passage of the line switch in its second position, to command the maintenance of the power switch in its second position for a time which is determined by the signals received by the terminal or, failing this, for a minimum duration programmable.

- a dialogue device intended to receive or transmit at least part of the signals when the line switching device is in its second position and to transmit to the control device at least a portion of the signals when the switching device is in its second position.

It is advantageous that the second device is of the screen-keyboard type, exchanging digital data.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the second peripheral and the switching member are incorporated in the same device. This advantageously comprises a switching circuit which is sensitive to the control signals and puts the dialogue member and the line into communication only when the. analog signals received elsewhere by the controller indicate that digital signals will be transmitted.

 It is advantageous for the first peripheral to have only one control member and the element sensitive to the call signals of a subscriber on the telephone network. The voltage supply of the second device then being effected beforehand during the passage of an operator. The interruption of this supply is also the responsibility of an operator. In this advantageous version of the product, the supply of electrical energy to the first peripheral can be carried out directly by the telephone line.

The invention also relates to a database installation intended to ensure an exchange between a database and at least one terminal as described above, by transmission of signals by a single transmission line, this installation is such that - the base comprising a first database containing data of a first type, a second database containing data of a second type associated with data of the first type, and a control unit for the transmission of the numbering signals on a switched telephone network arriving at the terminal in the form of call signals, for example a voltage triggering a buzzer and of switching command, corresponding to the data of the first type, of command signals of duration representative of a time indicated, of identification signals of the terminal and the database and data signals in the second format, and corresponding to the data of the second type.

- The first device of the terminal is sensitive to data signals in the first format, - the second device of the terminal is sensitive to data signals in the second format, and - the signals received by the control unit of the terminal include at least the signals duration control received when the line switching member is in its second position and which control the maintenance of the supply switching member in its second position. during the time indicated by the duration control signals, or, failing this, during a programmable duration.

It is advantageous that the first format corresponds in the database to a digital format and that it corresponds, at the terminal level, to an analog signal for example a call voltage on the telephone network; and that the second format is a digital format.

The line is advantageously a telephone line of the public switched network.

In one embodiment, the terminal has a single demodulator modulator intended to receive signals in the second position and to transmit them to the second peripheral, to the dialog member and to the control member.

In one embodiment, the data of the second type contained in the second database are digital data, and the data of the first type contained in the first database are digital data suitable for dialing on a switched telephone network.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing in which FIG. 1 is a general block diagram representing an installation for storing and sending data according to the invention. invention; and FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of an example of a data storage and sending installation according to the invention.

The installation schematically represented in FIG. 1 comprises a database 10 and terminals, one of which is identified by the reference 12. The database comprises two databases 14, 16, the bank 16 being considered by. example as containing representative data of subscriber numbers. A circuit 18 for controlling the database provides all the necessary management functions.

The database 10 is connected to the terminal 12 by a line 20. Although a simple telephone line has been shown, it should be noted that the connection is generally carried out by means of one or more telephone exchanges. In this example, line 20 is considered to be a switched public service line with narrow bandwidth (300-3400 Hz) or low speed.

In particular, these lines do not allow the parallel transmission of two types of data in different frequency bands with suitable bit rates.

The terminal 12 comprises a switching member 22 which normally ensures the connection of the line 20 to a first peripheral 24 comprising modules for example for ring signal detection. The second peripheral 28 is only connected to line 20 when the switching member 22 (for example a relay) has been excited by a control member 30.

The second peripheral 28, for example a screen-keyboard, is connected to the line switching member 22 by means of a modulator-demodulator 26. In FIG. 1, the dialogue member 32 is shown connected to the modulator-demodulator 26 which already supplies the second peripheral 28. The dialog member 32 is also shown connects to the control member 30 which, moreover, is also connected to another circuit of the line switching member 22 . In FIG. 1, the control member 30 is also connected on the one hand directly to the supply switching member 23 and on the other hand, by means of a circuit 25 introducing a delay, to the line switching device 22.

We now consider the operation of the circuit of Figure 1. The second device 28 allows the subscriber with the terminal 12 to request, in the usual way, the services he wants. In particular, he may request the display of information from various pages deposited in the database for him.

To do this, he simply has to manually control the connection from the second peripheral 28 to line 20 from terminal 12.

Furthermore, an automatic operation of the device is achieved when the circuit 18 for controlling the database determines that the terminal 12 must be called and in the case of the switched telephone network, dials the subscriber number of the terminal 12, the signals call reaching the control member 30 through the line switching member 22 placed at rest, in its first position. The control member 30 thus receives a switching order from the supply switching member 23 in its other position, that in which it supplies electrical power to the second peripheral 28 and a switching order from the switching member. switching line 22 in its other position, that or the second peripheral 28 is connected to line 20.

However, to allow effective taking into account of the switching order of the member 22, a small delay will be introduced by the circuit 25 in sending this order compared to 1 sending the order to the power switching device 23.

The dialogue member 32 then initially exchanges with the control member 18 identification data relating on the one hand to the terminal 12 and supplied to the dialogue member 32 by the peripheral 24 through the control unit 30 and on the other hand, concerning the database 10 and supplied to the control unit 18 by the data bank 16.

Comparison with previously authorized lists
stored in device 24 and in bank 16
allows, in the event of a positive result, to continue the exchange
information between terminal 12 and the base
data 10.

Thus, in a second step, the control member 18
then sends data to the dialogue unit 32
representing the time during which organ 30 should
control the maintenance of the ali switching device
mentation 23 in its second position in which the
second device (28) is powered by a source of
external tension. If the duration command thus received
is compatible with the instructions stored in
by the user of terminal 12 in the
first device 24, the terminal is kept under
voltage for the time required by the database
10.

Thirdly, for example, organ 18.de
command can transmit the associated data, drawn
from database 14, to device 28. These
data can for example be viewed on
The terminal 12 keypad screen and kept in this
status on the screen as long as the switching device
23 is kept in its second posi
tion.

In a variant also applicable to the embodiment
of FIG. 2 described hereinafter in this memo,
the powered position of the peripheral 28 prohibits any
new communication with a database (10) in
particular different from the one that actually
transmitted the first message.

One of the most advantageous configurations for the
terminal is shown in figure 2. This terminal
is advantageous because it implements the greatest
part of an existing device, such as under the name
of "terminal-directory" and comprising a screen-keyboard,
connected by a modulator-demodulator and already comprising a line switching device.

More precisely, this terminal comprises a first device 33, known as a "directory terminal" which comprises a relay constituting a switching member 34, a modulator-demodulator 36, a decoder 38, and a screen keyboard 40. The the terminal also has a "peripheral socket" 42 which allows connection to the decoder 38 and to the excitation circuit of the relay 34.

In this way, the control member can be connected to the device 33 by the socket 42. The control member comprises a device coupling circuit 44, a circuit 46 constituting a central processing unit, for example a microprocessor , a circuit 47 for detecting a telephone ring signal and memories 48. The diagram described therefore corresponds, in general, to that of FIG. 1.

The telephone handset 50 is connected to the contact of the relay 34 which is open when the terminal is in communication with the database.

FIG. 2 represents, in its upper left-hand corner, a database of a particular type, since it contains addressing, identification and duration data associated with information data, the whole being transmitted over the same line 20.

More precisely, the database proper, bearing the general reference 10, comprises, as in FIG. 1, a first database 62 containing viewable digital data and a second control database 64 containing signals representative of the address of the recipient (s) and the length of time for which the information displayed must be kept. The database controller 66 is connected to a circuit 68 for switching between the dialing mode and the data transmission mode; this switching circuit 68 transmits the signals representing the address of the recipient and coming from the database 64 to a dialer 76 on a switched network, then to a channel switch 72 which supplies the line coupler 74.

When the data transmitted by the database 10 come from the database 62, that is to say from the viewable data, or when they consist of the control data representative of a duration or of a control identity, and come from the database 64, the switching circuit 68 supplies a modulator-demodulator 70 then a channel switch 72 which supplies the line coupler 74.

The circuit just described allows the transmission of information from the database 10 to the terminal 12 as well as in the opposite direction.

Thus, according to the invention, the database which knows the recipient of a message dials the number of this recipient and remotely controls the display of the message on the screen in the presence or not of an operator which operator can take knowledge of this message on the screen of his terminal.

One of the advantageous embodiments of the database 10 is a terminal 19, shown in FIG. 3, used by an operator, and in which the database 64 is contained in the memories 148; terminal in which the circuit 146 constituting a central processing unit fulfills the functions of the circuits 66 for controlling the database and 68 for switching; terminal in which the apparatus 133 fulfills the functions of the modulator-demodulator circuit 70, of the channel switch circuit 72, and of the line coupler circuit 74, terminal finally in which the handset 150 fulfills, when it is handled by the operator , the functions of the dialer 76 of telephone numbers and in which the operator supplies, for example by typing on the keyboard 140, the data contained according to the other embodiment, in the database 62.

In this advantageous embodiment, the operator has the possibility of directly supplying, as indicated in FIG. 3, the apparatus 33 with electrical energy so as to be able to operate independently of the closed or open state of the switching member. 135.

Claims (10)

1. Terminal intended to receive signals by a single line (.20) and comprising at least two peripherals (24, 28) intended to work with different formats, characterized in that it comprises  - a line switching member (22) normally having a first position in which it connects a first peripheral (24) to the line and a second position in which it connects a second peripheral (28) to the line,  - a power switching device (23) normally having a first position in which the second peripheral (28) is not supplied by a voltage source and a second position in which the second peripheral (28) is supplied by a voltage source,  - a control member (30) intended to receive signals directly or indirectly when the line switching member (22) is in its first position and then to control on the one hand, the passage of the switching member d feed (23) in its second position and on the other hand, the passage of the line switching member (22) in its second position and,  - a dialogue member (32) intended to receive or transmit at least part of the signals when the line switching member (22) is in its second position and to transmit a portion to the control member (30) at least signals when the switching member (22) is in its second position. 2. Terminal according to claim 1 characterized in that the first peripheral (24) comprises at least one element sensitive to the call signals of a subscriber on the telephone network and that the second peripheral (28) is of the screen-keyboard type . 3. Installation of. data consultation intended to ensure the exchange between a database (10) and at least one terminal (22) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, by signal transmission by a single line (20) characterized in than  the database (10) comprises a first database (14) containing data of a first type, a second database (16) containing data of a second type and associated with data of the first type, and a control member (18) for the transmission of data signals in a first format, arriving at the terminal (12) in the form of call signals corresponding to the data of the first type, of duration control signals representative of a time indicates, identification signals from the terminal (12) and the database (10) and data signals in the second format, and corresponding to the data of the second type,  the first peripheral (24) of the terminal (12) is sensitive to data signals in the first format,  the second peripheral (28) of the terminal (12) is sensitive to data signals in the second format, and  - The signals received by the control member (30) of the terminal (12) include at least the duration control signals which are received when the line switching member (22) is in its second position and which control the holding the power switching device (23) in its second position for the time indicated by the duration control signals, or, failing this, for a programmable duration and the identification signals which can trigger depending on the operator's instructions, stopping communication and the power switching device (23) falling back into its first position. 4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the second format is a digital format. 5. Installation according to one of claims 3 and 4 characterized in that the single line is a telephone line of the switched network or a dedicated line. 6. Installation according to any one of claims 3 and 5, characterized in that the terminal comprises a single modulator-demodulator intended to receive signals when the line switching device (22) is in its second position and to transmit them to the second peripheral (28), to the dialog member (32) and to the control member (30) of the terminal. 7. Installation according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the terminal includes a keyboard allowing the operator to send to the dialog member (32) at least one identification number transmitted over the line when the line switching device (22) is in its second position and allowing, if necessary, the transmission of a confidential message. 8. Installation according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the terminal keyboard allows the operator to send to the dialog member (32) at least instructions for comparing a number d identification, received from the line when the line switching device (22) is in its second position, with at least one number stored in the dialogue device (32) the result of the comparison authorizing or not the reception of data from each database. 9. Installation according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the reception of a message sent by an authorized database (10) results in a message on the screen, a. light signal or an audio signal at the terminal. 10. Installation according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the database can be replaced by a terminal (19) identical to the terminal (12) operated by an operator wishing to send a message to the terminal (12) .