FR2784834A1 - Domestic telephone network for multi-purpose use, includes base connections with links to personal computer, fax and mobile telephone handsets - Google Patents

Abstract

The system combines all domestic telephone line applications into a single unit. The domestic telephone network comprises a connection base (50) providing a link to the switched telephone exchange (18), and a wireless terminal (20,21) providing one or more mobile telephone handsets. A charger (1) is provided for re-charging these handsets. The charger is also provided with a link (35) enabling the handset (21) to be connected to a data processing terminal (40). The charging link may be such that the charging current is modulated as a function of the data to be transmitted. The base also provides access to a database held on a personal computer (40), so that this may be accessible from the mobile handsets (20,21).

Description

Home automation telephone network comprising a data link
for the connection of data processing equipment.

The present invention relates to home automation telephone networks comprising a base connected by wire to the switched telephone network to connect, by wireless links, a plurality of terminals.

The user of such a home automation network wishes to be able to operate it easily, for example for the transmission of data through the base, for the monitoring of communication costs, for the storage of operating data, such as costs above or directories, or for ordering an answering machine.

However, neither the base nor the handsets have the means to fully meet these needs.

It is difficult to envisage systematically providing for such means in the base or in the handsets, because their price and their consumption would be increased, while certain users would not have the use of it.

The present invention aims to offer increased possibilities for operating such a network while avoiding excessively increasing the cost.

To this end, the invention relates to a home automation telephone network comprising a connection base, to the switched telephone network, of at least one wireless link terminal and comprising a charger assembly, a network characterized in that the charger assembly comprises a data transmission link for connecting the terminal to a connection link for data processing equipment.

Thus, the charger assembly also serves as a data link gateway to connect, by the terminal, any element of the network, base or terminals, to the data processing equipment, for example a PC. As a result, the home automation network, with external data processing, is modular and a user can, as desired, keep the network in minimal configuration, without PC, or else connect a PC, the marginal cost of which is generally practically zero since 'it is already used for other tasks.

Preferably, the data transmission link crosses load contact pads of the terminal and it comprises data transmission means arranged to modulate and demodulate the charging current as a function of the data to be transmitted.

An existing link is thus used and the volume of specific equipment for data transmission is therefore limited.

Advantageously, data processing equipment is arranged to establish communications with the switched network through corresponding data transmission links of charger assemblies.

There is thus a local network of equipment connected by wireless link to the switched telephone network and which can therefore be mobile.

The invention will be better understood using the following description of a preferred embodiment of a home automation telephone network according to the invention, with reference to the attached drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of assembly, by functional blocks, of the network of the invention, and FIG. 2 is an electrical diagram by functional blocks of a charger assembly and of a handset of the network.

The home automation telephone network represented in FIG. 1 comprises a base 50 for connecting, by wireless links, a plurality of terminals, here radio, such as those references 20 and 21 to a line 18 of the switched telephone network (PSTN). The terminal 21 is here a telephone handset received in a housing of a charger assembly 1 for recharging its battery supply from the sector, by a wired link.

A bidirectional data transmission link 35, here wired and compliant with the RS 232-C standard, makes it possible to connect data processing equipment, here a personal computer, or PC, to the charger assembly 1.

The circuits of the charger assembly 1, of the terminal 21 and of the PC 40 will now be described in more detail.

The charger assembly 1 comprises a current charger 2, here of direct current, supplied, not shown, by the sector. The charger 2 is connected at the output to a base for receiving mobile equipment and more specifically a portable terminal, here the radiotelephony handset 21. The charger 2 is connected, by a terminal with positive potential, to a pad 17 of a connector of the charger assembly 1, supplying the handset 21, a second associated pad 16 of the connector of the charger assembly 1 being connected to ground, which serves as a reference for the various circuits. The handset 21 includes an additional connector comprising a pair of charging pads 36.37 arranged to come into contact with the pads 16 and 17 respectively. A switch 5, here a relay contact, connects the pad 17 to the charger 2. The relay 5 is controlled by a data transmission circuit 4, receiving the data from a memory 3 and controlled by a central microprocessor unit 11 whose operation is punctuated by a time base 10.

On reception of data transmitted by the handset 21, through the pads 37 and 17, a detector 6 for modulation, or demodulator, of the electrical state (current or voltage) of the wire connection comprising the pads 17, 37 is connected at output to a data memory 8, through a data receiver 7, both controlled by the central unit 11, which also receives the output from the receiver 7.

The data memory 3 is used for example to download, into the handset 21, operating software and their updates (directories, and the like) or else orders for immediate execution (call to the PSTN for example). The memory 3 can be removable (EEPROM) so that it can easily be loaded on an external programmer. A data link management circuit 14 connects the central processing unit 11 to the link 35.

The handset 21 has a structure similar to that of the charger unit 1, the homologous elements of the handset 21 bearing the same reference as in the charger unit 1, increased by two tens.

The description will therefore not be repeated. We simply specify that the charger 2 corresponds to a battery 22, which it charges when necessary. The memory 28 receives the above data emitted by the memory 3. The switch elements 5.25 and detectors 6.26 belong here to two respective sets of charge current regulation, controlled by the respective central units 11 and 31. The circuit 34 is here a radio link circuit with base 19, according to the DECT standard in this example.

The PC 40 includes a time base 41 pacing the operation of a central microprocessor unit 42 connected to a data storage memory 43 as well as to a circuit 44 for managing the data link, connected to the link 35. A keyboard 45 with mouse and a screen 46 are also managed by the central unit 42. As a variant, a touch screen can be provided.

The PC 40 includes, in its central unit 42, software 421 for managing the taxation of outgoing communications from the handsets 20, 21 associated with a data area 431 of the database 43. It also includes software 422 for managing directory associated with a data area 432 of the memory 43 forming a database. It further comprises a man-machine relations software 423 (RHM) comprising in particular display functions (menu) of keys for handsets 20, 21 and base 50 and associated functions for selecting these keys with the mouse or on the keypad 45. The base 50 and each handset 20, 21 each include charging software, respectively 521 and 311. The base 50 and the handsets as 21 also have directory management software 522 and 312 respectively as well as respective software 523 and 313 for human-machine relations.

The base 50 comprises a time base 51 punctuating the operation of a central microprocessor unit 52 containing the software 521, 522,523 with memory 53, connected, on one side, to a radio interface circuit 54 managing the allocation of the time channel communications
DECT of the various handsets 20,21 and, on the other side, to a circuit 55 of interface for connection with the line 18, ensuring line seizure, output dialing and detection of ringing signals and of input data (DTMF).

There is thus formed a data transmission link, crossing here the connector 16,17,36,37, which connects the central unit 31 of the handset 21 to the connection link 35 of the PC 40, through the charger assembly 1 .

This link is extended here, by radio, to the central unit 52 of the base 50, by the circuits 34 and 54, and, through the latter, to the other handsets 20 and to the line 18.

The operation of the network will now be explained in more detail.

In general, the link 35 allows the PC 40 to exchange, with the terminal (21) which is then connected to the charger assembly 1, data or orders for management or activation (PSTN call) from the home automation telephone network, the terminal 21 relaying this data if necessary to the base 50 which, itself, can retransmit it to the PSTN network 18 or to the other handsets 20 or equivalent radio terminals. Conversely, the base 50 and the terminals 20, 21 can, if necessary through the base 50 and the terminal 20, transmit to the PC 40 data, charging for example, as well as requests for data services such as a directory. Thus, the PC 40 forms, with the charger assembly 1 and the handset 21, a unit functionally integrated into the home automation network and able to manage it.

The transmission of the data exchanged between the various elements of the network will first of all be explained.

To transmit data from the charger assembly 1 to the terminal 21, the central unit 11 first controls the closing of the contact 5, if this was not the case. Contact 25 is closed at rest. The central unit 11 can in particular arm a forced load control delay, so that the data transmission has the necessary time without risk of opening the link 5.25 (or 2.22) by circuits of load regulation.

We thus pass into a current transfer phase from the charger 2 to the battery 22. The memory 3 then controls calibrated openings of the relay 5 according to a time pattern representing a sequence of bits to be transmitted. The detector 26, made up here of a low series resistance (the connection diagram on the link is only functional) and of an amplifier circuit of the DC voltage, or current, detected, then reproduces the emitted pattern, which is stored in memory 28.

The data transmission is here mastered by the central unit 11, which has started the transmission procedure, the terminal (31) being a slave in this phase. Each central unit 11,31 dialogues with the transmitter 4,24 and the associated receiver 7,27 to exchange, with the other central unit 31, 11, procedure management data.

As regards the time control of the receiver 27 on the transmitter 4, an asynchronous transmission can be provided, with START and / or STOP bit (s). Provision may also be made, at the level of the detector 26, for a frequency and phase servo-control circuit, of the phase-servo loop type, on the detected signals, for slaving a clock for sampling these signals, such as a clock. shift register or simple flip-flop D (27). The receiver 27 thus ensures the logical shaping and the synchronization of the signals received.

It will be noted that it is sufficient, for transmitting the data, to modulate the amplitude or intensity of the current or of the supplied voltage, without having to completely interrupt the link. In other words, the relay 5 could be an attenuator, equivalent to a contact in parallel with a resistor, or equivalent circuit, for maintaining a minimum current (slow charge). Similarly, an inductive element such as a transformer secondary could produce, in place of the relay contact 5, positive or negative pulses detected by the detector 26, a serial element like 25 then being inductive to prevent the battery 22, at low impedance, only short circuits the pulses. One can likewise envisage a modulation by parallel action on the link 17, 37, and no longer serial, by a relay contact which would energize a load, such as resistance, causing the voltage of the charger 2 to drop, and therefore the current. transmitted to the battery 22. In general, it is therefore sufficient to modulate the electrical state of the charge link of the battery 22.

As a variant, the connector 16, 17, 36, 37 could comprise one or more complementary contacts (17, 37), dedicated exclusively to the transmission, mono or bidirectional, of data between the charger unit 1 and the handset 21. A link electromagnetic wireless data transmission, between the charger unit 1 and the handset 21, is likewise conceivable for exchanging data, for example by transponders associated with antennas coming to coupling when the handset considered 20,21 is placed on the 'charger assembly 1, or by optical transceivers. The link 35 can likewise be of the wireless type.

It will be understood that the transmission of data from the memory 23 of the terminal 21 to the memory 8 of the base 1 follows the principles set out above, the contact 5 being permanently closed and the contact 25 being open depending on the reason for the data to be transmitted. . The central unit 31 is then master and the central unit 11 is slave.

The link 35 is of the conventional RS 232 C type and links together, bidirectionally, the circuits 14 and 44 constituting interfaces for shaping the data by bytes and temporary storage (function
UART), allowing a temporal decoupling between the respective microprocessors 11,42 and the link 35. Thus, the microprocessor 42 of the PC 40 communicates with the microprocessor 11 of the charger assembly 1 through the circuit 44, the link 35, the circuit 14, each of these processors being able to store the data thus received in the memory 43 respectively 3.8 associated.

The microprocessor 11 and the associated memory 3,8 of the charger assembly 1 communicate with the microprocessor 31 and the associated memory 23,28 as explained above.

The microprocessor 31 and the associated memories 23, 28 of the terminal 21 can communicate with the microprocessor 52 and the associated memory 53 of the base 50 through the radio circuits 34 and 54.

The microprocessor 52 and the memory 53 can likewise communicate by radio with the terminals as 20 as well as with the PSTN line 18 by the circuit 55.

In the minimum configuration, only the terminal 21 is intended to be loaded and therefore includes the data link circuits with the PC 40. The other wireless link terminals can, if desired, be fixed and / or distant from the charger assembly 1 and be supplied by another source, such as the sector.

Preferably, however, as here, all the radio handsets 20, 21 include the circuits described above relative to the handset 21, so that the PC 40 remains operational when a handset other than that referenced 21 is connected to the charger assembly 1 , or, in other words, when the handset 21 is used as a mobile for telephoning.

The functions of the various constituents of the network will now be specified.

Taxation
With regard to the charging, the base 50, which manages the access of the handsets 20, 21 to the network line 18, has the identity of any handset 20, 21 in outgoing connection with this line 18, following the request to this effect emitted by the handset 20,21. When an external unit, called by a handset 20, 21, picks up, the software 521 of the base 50 commands the transmission to the
PC 40 of data identifying the handset 20,21 considered and specifying the number called or at least the beginning of it. The software 421 of the PC 40 can then, according to a correspondence table, deduct therefrom the cost of the call per unit of time and total it until the software 521 of the base 50 signals the end of the call to it. communication. The software 421 adds the cost of the communication to the previous total relating to the handset considered 20,21 and the last total volume of charges replaces the previous one in the database 431. The external number called can also be stored in association with the times of start and end of each communication. The base 50 can also detect, by the circuit 55, charging pulses emitted by the switched network 18 and inform the PC 40 on each such detection, from the central unit 52 and through the circuits 54, 34 31 and the terminal link 21 / charger assembly 1 joining the link 35. The counting of these pulses by the microprocessor 42 makes it possible to locally determine the cost of the communication.

Directory management, calendars, settings
For directory management, the software 312 of the handsets 20, 21 allows their user to call the PC 40 to access the directory 432. This comprises, in this example, a general directory and specific directories and agendas for the various handsets 20,21, access to each of these, in writing and reading, being reserved for the only terminal 20,21 to which this particular directory and agenda is assigned, this by checking the identity sent in similar case by each terminal 20,21.

Parameterization data for the functions of the handsets 20, 21 can likewise be stored in reserved areas. In general, the data exchanged uses a protocol providing for associating with the data the identity of their sender and of the recipient so as to control routing through the nodes of the network, that is to say the charger assembly. 1 with the terminal 21 and the base 50. The microprocessor 31 and the associated memories 23 and 28 manage the data exchanges of the terminal 21 and in particular here all the exchanges with the storage memory 43.

The handsets like 20, other than the handset 21 being recharged, access the PC 40 through the base 50, whose circuits 52-54 relay the data exchanged between the terminal 20 and the terminal 21 which serves as a link interface radio for link 35 from PC 40.

Human-machine relationships
Via the keyboard screen 46, 45, the user of the PC 40 can activate the handset 21 to enter into communication, through the link 35, the handset 21 and the base 50, with data transmission equipment (PC, fax machine or other) connected to PSTN 18, or simply local and connected, for example, also to another charger assembly similar to that referenced 1 and connected to a terminal such as 20.21. The RHM 423 software makes it possible to display, by keyboard command 45, a list of optional commands from the handset 21 and / or an image of control keys (orders, dialing keypad) of the terminal 21, the choice being entered on the keyboard 45 or by mouse. The microprocessor 42 then remote controls, by the link 35 and through the connector 17, 37, the microprocessor 31 of the terminal 21, to take the PSTN line 18.

In addition to its functions for managing the home automation network, the PC 40 can also be connected, by the charger assembly 1 and the radio terminal 21, to the line
PSTN 18 of base 50. Functionally, the three entities 40, 1, 21 form a data processing equipment with radio link, this equipment being able to be integrated into a single entity, possibly mobile, the link 35 then being internal. A plurality of charger assemblies 1 can be provided, at least one of which is designed to be connected to the
PC 40 as described above and, preferably, several such entities 40,1,21 can even be provided, making it possible to connect a plurality of PCs, or other data processing equipment, to the PSTN line 18 by links data such as 35 and a corresponding plurality of charger sets, for establishing links with the PSTN 18 and exchanging data with remote data processing apparatuses.

This local equipment and the PC 40 may in particular include software for faxing, communication on the INTERNET and management of answering machine-recorder to transmit corresponding data and to answer incoming calls from such equipment and store the data therein. the database 43.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1.-Home automation telephone network comprising a base (50) for connection, to the switched telephone network (18), of at least one terminal (20,21) with wireless connection and comprising a charger assembly (1), characterized network by the fact that the charger assembly (1) comprises a link (35) for transmitting data for connecting the terminal (21) to a connection link for data processing equipment (40). 2. Network according to claim 1, in which the terminal (21) is arranged to be connected to the data processing equipment through the charger assembly (1). 3. Network according to one of claims 1 and 2, comprising a plurality of charger assemblies (1) arranged to be connected to a corresponding plurality of data processing equipment (40). 4. Network according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the data transmission link passes through contact pads (17,37) for recharging the terminal (21) and it comprises data transmission means (4 -7.24-27) arranged to modulate and demodulate a load current as a function of the data to be transmitted. 5. Network according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which a plurality of terminals (20,21) and the base (50) include data exchange means (23,28,31; 52-54) for accessing a directory data storage memory (43) (432) of a personal data processing computer (40), through the data transmission link (35). 6.-Network according to claim 5, wherein the data exchange means (23,28,31) are arranged to also access specific agendas (432) of the storage memory (43). 7. Network according to one of claims 5 and 6, wherein the data exchange means (23,28,31) are arranged to also access, in the storage memory (43), areas (432 ) configuration data of the terminal considered (20,21). 8. Network according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the base (50) comprises means (52) for managing outgoing calls to the telephone network (18) and for transmitting to the data transmission link. (35), corresponding charging data. 9. Network according to claim 7, wherein the personal computer (40) comprises means (421) for calculating a volume of charges. 10. Network according to one of claims 3 to 9, in which the data processing equipment (40) is arranged (423) to establish communications with the switched network (18) through the corresponding data transmission link. (35).