FR2792487A1 - Public telephone unit programmable audio broadcast unit having integrated memory store producing audio message and modem telephone connected - Google Patents

Abstract

The programmable audio broadcast unit has an integral audio message and memory store (1) with a telephone unit. The telephone unit has a telephone connection (4) and modem (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a device intended to equip stations

  public telephones, with a view to the transmission of auditory messages of an informative and / or advertising nature, intended for the users of said public telephones, when they pick up the handset or else

Courts of Appeal.

  The device according to the invention is characterized, among other things, in that it is local, independent and

programmable remotely.

  By local, it should be understood that the device is attached to the local telephone set, as part

  integral or as additional equipment added.

  By independent, it should be understood that the device does not depend on the network (s) to which it is connected, nor on the payment medium used, and does not require any time

  connection to the network for sending messages.

  By remote programmable, it should be understood that the messages transmitted by the device can be modified, both in content and in organization, by the remote action of a specialized operator.

  not requiring the physical presence of the operator on the site of the device.

  In the current state of the art, certain devices allow visual display of messages that are independent of the telephone network used, but not the emission of auditory messages independent of the telephone network used or the payment media used (such as

  magnetic cards or "smart" cards).

  Indeed, the existing current solutions for the emission of auditory messages consist in

  send messages by a remote centralized server during a communication.

  In such solutions, two major drawbacks must be borne: 1 / It is necessary for the user to call, voluntarily or involuntarily (by rerouting,

  for example), the remote server to hear messages.

  Any call made to a destination different from that of the server does not allow transmission

messages.

  2 / Although it is possible, from a remote server, to diversify the messages for each telephone device, this diversification entails an additional cost of connection time to the server. Messages are indeed sent during the telephone connection, the duration of which is

  inevitably billed, either to the user or to the operator.

  The object of the invention is to make the transmission of messages independent of the network or networks on which (which) calls are made, as well as to allow modification, remotely the

where applicable, said messages.

  Thus, with a device equipped with a device according to the invention, an integral part or related to said device, it is possible to transmit different messages, if necessary, on each device in service in correlation with different factors specific to the users. potentials, such as the place of installation, the particular environment, or even the events

  particular to a given period in a given place.

  The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

  The device according to the present invention consists of equipment for transmitting auditory messages (1 Fig. 1), which can for example be a voice computer card with -2- memory or even a digital, analog or digital audio recorder. any type, with adequate power supply, control equipment (2 Fig. 1) of the message transmission equipment, programmed to allow the operation of said message transmission equipment as a function of various manipulations of the user of the telephone set (for example when off-hook, or even after a certain period of time), finally of a modem (3 Fig. 1) intended to allow, by a telephone link (4 Fig. 1) carried out from a remote operator station in the direction of the telephone station concerned, the

  remote programming of messages to be sent.

  In one of the embodiments of the device, it consists

  - a computer card with voice characteristics and memory capacity (1 Fig.l).

  This card is linked to the telephone handset so that messages can be sent

  in the receiver of the telephone handset.

  - a computer control card for the device (2 Fig. 1).

  This control card detects events intended to cause the transmission of messages, for example, lifting the handset, pressing a particular key on the device, a

  determined time count, etc., and orders the sending of messages accordingly.

- a modem (3 Fig. 1).

  This modem, connected to the PSTN by the telephone line of the public station (4 Fig. 1), allows the remote operator to modify the content of messages as well as the organization of commands

  performed by the control card.

  - an energy source (5 fig. 1) intended to ensure the functioning of the entire device. This energy source can be the public network or an autonomous source, of the battery type. In a variant of the device according to the invention, it is possible to modify the messages by inserting an appropriate medium on site (magnetic card, smart card,

  cassette, diskette, CD, etc.) in a corresponding reader.

  One of the industrial applications of the device may consist of a local telephone process free of charge for the user, financed by advertisers. In such an application, the user picking up the handset of the public station equipped according to the device of the invention, will hear, before being able to dial the number he requests, the advertiser's welcome message, indicating to him that the 3 minutes communication services that follow are offered

by the advertiser.

  The remote operator will be able to manage, as and when changes are made to advertisers' budgets, the type of message, the modes and rates of transmission, the number of public stations

concerned, etc.

  Given the specific characteristics of the device according to the invention, such a free local telephone method can thus be carried out on any public telephone network.

or private.

-3 -

Claims (4)

  1) Device intended to ensure, in a public telephone set, the emission of messages   fixed or variable hearing aids intended for users of the public station.   2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it is connected directly to the station   public, as an integral or related part.   3) Device according to claim 1 characterized by the presence of at least one means for transmitting auditory messages whose content is available locally without requiring   access to the communications networks to which the public station is connected.   4) Device according to claim 1 characterized by the use of at least one means of controlling auditory messages allowing among other things the modification of the content and / or The organization of said messages.   ) Device according to claim 1 characterized by the use of at least one means of communication with the outside, such as modem or media player, offering the possibility of   remotely program the content and / or organization of auditory messages.