FR2653288A1 - Telephone device allowing automatic dialling on the basis of optical reading of printed or handwritten telephone numbers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to automatic dialling of a called number on the basis of simply reading it by an optical reader. The number can either be printed or handwritten and, in any event, presented on any document whatever. The invention consists of an optical reader (1) which picks up the figures making up a telephone number; this reader is linked to a microprocessor (2), to a RAM (3), to a EPROM (4), as well as to a telephone dial (5) so as to be able, on the basis of reading the number, to cause the latter to be dialled automatically.

Description

 The present invention relates to telephone sets and dialing without intervention on any dial.

Today the call of a subscriber is generated either by the decimal indication of a number using a rotary keyboard, or by key, or from a recording previously composed by manual intervention on a keyboard or by command voice or finally by optical reading of coded numbers.

With this invention, the operator simply presents the number to be dialed in printed or handwritten numbers in front of an optical reader.

Thus, handling is quick, error-free and direct.

The main users should be the operators of
Companies dealing with applications requiring the frequent call of subscribers, such as telemarketing from a listing, or even from a directory; Client recovery services, polling institute and anyone with a document specifying the telephone number of a contact person they must reach.

The invention consists precisely in the assembly of existing technologies
More specifically, the invention relates to a telephone device of the type comprising: - an optical tool (1) for entering printed or handwritten figures
presented on a document.

- a microprocessor (2) connected to the optical capture tool for
decode the light signals - a RAM memory (3) which memorizes the signals read.

- a read only memory (4) which backs up the libraries
of figures as well as the program.

- a telephone dialer (5) for automatic dialing
the figures transmitted to it by the microprocessor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the optical capture tool is external to the telephone set and all of this interface electronics is integrated in the optical reader or in a case located between the optical reader and the telephone set and is branch thanks to a pull-out plug on the telephone line
According to one aspect of the invention, this interface electronics can
reside in the telephone set itself.

According to another aspect of the invention, the optical capture tool can
itself be integrated into the telephone set.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from
examining the detailed description below.

- an optical pencil, a scanner or any other type of optical input,
(1) such as a CCD sensor (not shown) to which a
optical interface (lenses), will therefore enter the call number
printed or handwritten on any document
This optical reader will transmit the light signals to
interface electronics.

- The microprocessor (2) can for example be of the TMS 320 type or
TMS 7000. I1 will have to decode the light signals transmitted by the
optical drive via a RAM link bus (3) and the
recognize as numbers through an algorithm that will
locate the light signal, extract it, compare it with the figures
residing in the EPROM and proceeding with an Intelligent Recognition
numbers.

- The EPROM (4) will allow the microprocessor to tap into the
library of figures it contains and in a program
the shapes that come closest to it. This comparison
statistic of figures can be supplanted by a network of
neurons.

- The telephone dialer (5) will then dial automatically
the number decoded and recognized by the microprocessor.
composed of circuits, generates signals approved by the PTT.I1
can be replaced by electronic components, without
circuits.

We can also design a screen integrated or external to the
reader or at the telephone set allowing the number entered to be read
by the optical reader either in its entirety or digit by digit
It is also conceivable to adjust either from the reader
optics either from a mechanism external to the resident reader
in a housing the optical beam in function of the surface of
desired sweep.

Claims (3)

1- Telephone device of the type comprising:  - an optical tool (1) for entering printed or handwritten figures  presented on a document.  figures.  - a microprocessor (2) to decode the light signals in  are read.  - a RAM memory (3) to memorize the light signals which  digit libraries and a program.  - an EPROM read-only memory (4) which backs up the  the figures transmitted to it by the microprocessor.  - a telephone dialer (5) for automatic dialing  RAM via a link bus.  printed or handwritten on any document, transmits them to  - the optical reader (1) enters the call number  characterized in that,  numbers.  in the EPROM (4) and proceed to an Intelligent Recognition  Ram (3), extract it and compare it with the resident figures  an algorithm that will locate the light signal in memory in  the optical drive and recognizes them as numbers using  - a microprocessor (2) decodes the light signals transmitted by  microprocessor.  automatically dials the decoded number recognized by the  The telephone numberer (5), connected to the interface electronics, 2- Telephone device according to claim 1, characterized in  what interface electronics can be completely  integrated into the telephone set by the integration of the microprocessor  and memory. 3- Telephone device according to claim 1, characterized in  that the optical reader can be integrated into the telephone set 4- Telephone device according to claim 1, characterized  in that the entire assembly - optical reader and module  interface processing or electronics - can be integrated into  a phone booth.