FR2799330A1 - DEVICE COMPRISING A COMPUTER AND A DEVICE COMMUNICATING REMOTELY BY SOUND CONNECTION - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprising on the one hand a computer of the “multimedia” type and on the other hand at least one external so-called “peripheral” device such as a screen, a keyboard, a demodulator or other modulator, to be connected to the computer each by one or more wire conductors.It is characterized in that it comprises at least one additional peripheral (10) without wire connection with the computer (1), and which is provided with a sound transmitter intended to be picked up by a microphone (6) fitted to the multimedia computer (1), and a receiver of sounds to be picked up when they are transmitted by at least one speaker (8-9) fitted to the multimedia computer (1), said sounds possibly being coded.

Description

Device comprising a computer and a device communicating with

  distance by sound link Computers include a central unit and a number of external I0 devices called "peripherals: screen, keyboard, mouse, modulator demodulator (" modem "), etc. The central unit has a number of external plugs , named "ports" having different internal characteristics and junctions depending on the nature of the device to which each port is intended Each of these ports receives a specific connector placed at the end of wire conductors connected to the corresponding device. , all access to the computer by the ports are already occupied: * keyboard by its specific port, * mouse by its specific port, * printer by the parallel interface, * modem on the RS 232 link, * link to a network through the LAN interface, * etc. So you can not add another device to a computer whose ports are

all busy.

  Some attempts have already been made by providing a non-flair connection by means of an added interface, operating by emission of infrared rays or radio waves but this poses difficult problems to solve both for the design

  material only for its implementation.

2- 2799330

  The present invention proposes a new solution that makes any additional equipment installation possible, by providing for the deportation to the device itself of the

means of communication.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is a device comprising on the one hand a "multimedia" type computer and on the other hand at least one "peripheral" external device such as a screen, a keyboard, a demodulator modulator or other, to be connected to the computer each by one or more wired conductors. characterized in that it comprises at least one additional device without a wired link with the computer, and which is provided with a sound transmitter intended to be picked up by a microphone equipping the multimedia computer, and with a sound receiver to be picked up on their transmission by at least one speaker on the multimedia computer. said sounds being

possibly coded.

  According to other features of the invention> the additional device is placed near the computer and the sounds of the transmitter of the device arrive directly at the microphone of the computer and the sounds of the or speakers of the computer directly to the device receiver> the additional device is located away from the computer, and the device sender sounds to the computer microphone and the sounds from the speaker (s) reach the device receiver through via a wired or radio telephone network having a remote handset and a handset placed near the computer; the additional peripheral is located at a distance from the computer and the sounds reach the computer and the peripheral via an "acoustic" demodulator modulator, that is to say comprising a frequency converter voice in digital signals? the device comprises a support which is intended to receive a telephone handset in operation and provided with a microphone and an earpiece, in order to establish a sound communication on the one hand between the microphone of the support and the earphone of the handset and on the other hand, between the earpiece of the stand and the microphone of the handset> the microphone and the earpiece of the stand are arranged together in the central part of said stand, the microphone and the earphone of the handset to be placed on the side and other of this central part; the additional device includes a reader for microprocessor cards.

  The invention will be better understood from the detailed description given below with reference

  in the attached drawing. Of course. the description and the drawing are given only as

  indicative and non-limiting example.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic overview of a device according to the invention, comprising a multimedia computer, its usual peripherals and a peripheral device

additional without wired link.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an additional device according to the invention intended to operate directly in the vicinity of a multimedia computer and comprising here a microprocessor card reader, the card being in

  Position to be engaged in said reader.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the additional peripheral of the

  Figure 2, after introduction of the microprocessor card in the reader.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an additional device according to the invention, provided with a support for receiving a telephone handset, for remote communication between the additional device and a

multimedia computer.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the additional peripheral of the

  Figure 4, after deployment of the handset support.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the additional device of FIG. 5, after deployment of the handset support and an extension flap allowing

  the use of a telephone handset of standard dimensions.

  Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the additional device of Figure 5, after deployment of the handset support only, for the use of a telephone handset of reduced dimensions. including a handset

portable radiotelephone.

  Referring to Figure 1, we see that the device according to the invention comprises a computer 1 of multimedia type, that is to say, the central unit 2 is connected (in addition to a display screen 3 , to a keyboard 4 and to a mouse 5), to a set of sound

  composed here of a microphone 6 incorporated in the box 7 of the screen 3 and two loudspeakers.

  separate speakers 8 and 9, this set also comprising a voice interface internal to the central unit 2, associated with standard implementation software such as those of

WINDOWS (registered name).

  The sound assembly allows the central unit 2 to receive internal fixed or removable circuits, generally called "cards", as well as several readers of different kinds of data carriers: hard disk, floppy disks, cartridges, CD ROMs etc. It is therefore possible to use the computer I not only to execute programs and calculations but also as a television receiver, as a radio receiver, as a musical compact disc player, or with programs and programs.

  audiovisual software, especially video games.

  All the elements outside the central unit 2, namely here the display screen 3, the keyboard 4, the mouse 5 and the two separate speakers 8 and 9, and a possible

  printer and a possible modem (not shown) are named devices.

  As they are either indispensable (screen 3 and keyboard 4), or useful (mouse 5, high

  speakers 8-9, printer, modem), their connection to the central unit 2 is by external plugs, or ports, of different types, each corresponding to specific internal connections, so that it is practically not possible to add a non-standard device that would require a port of CPU 2 to be free and

  in addition, this port has the desired internal connections.

  According to the invention, it is possible to add an additional device using the access path that constitutes the sound assembly, including its internal interface. The device 10 is here a device having a keyboard 11 and a display screen 12 which can be used, in particular, small computing machine or even a handheld computer. It has an internal microprocessor card reader. or "smart card" or "smart card", one of which, A, is shown in Figure 2 in the insertion position in an input slot of the reader, according to the arrow Fl. In Figure 3, we see the device 10 in working order (as in FIG. 1) because the card

  microprocessor A is in the active position in the reader.

  The device 10 contains a voice signal transmitter which can operate either automatically or by action on a command constituted by a

  or more of the keys on the keyboard 1 1.

  The vocal frequency means that the sounds used are placed in the frequency spectrum containing those of the human voice. In fact, it would be more accurate to refer to the sensitivity of the whole sound, which can be adjusted to also include sound frequencies that are not or not audible to the human ear, being reminded, if necessary, that the frequencies vocal are obviously accorded to the sensibility of hearing. The invention therefore allows a dialogue between peripheral and computer by transmitting / receiving sounds at frequencies adjusted to those of the whole sound and not

  strictly to those that correspond to human voice and hearing.

  For example, the user can compose a more or less complex message by operating keys on the keyboard 11 and following the accuracy of the message on the screen 12, then, after having checked this message, it actuates the desired key or keys (Backup and send) for the transmitter to translate the electrical signals into voice-frequency sounds and transmit them as is symbolized in X in Figure 1, near the microphone 6, and therefore without any wired connection with the computer 1 and, more specifically. with unity

Central 2.

  The sounds received by the microphone 6 are translated into electrical signals directly

usable by the computer 1.

  The device 10 also contains a sound receiver, tuned to the frequencies

  voice, capable of collecting sounds emitted by at least one of the speakers 8-9.

  In FIG. 1, the emission of sounds by the single speaker 9 is symbolized in Y. The computer, via its voice interface. has transcribed data in the form of electrical signals into sounds whose frequencies are within the sensitivity spectrum of

speakers 8-9.

  Thus, one can have a complete interaction by the sonic way, thus not flair, between

  Computer 1 and Device 10. This may apply to multiple circumstances.

  The application that has just been described comprises a double transcription: in the direction of the device 10 to the computer 1, the device transcribes the electrical signals into voice-frequency sounds,

  * the computer transcribes the sounds into electrical signals.

  But it is also possible to use the human voice directly, prerecorded or not, since the computer is capable of interpreting these sounds and transcribing them into signals

  electric. There is then only one transcription in the sense sounds> signals.

  Of course, the emitted sounds can be coded, which is similar to a signature

  electronic since the coding is the equivalent of a personal identification.

  The dialogue between the microprocessor card A of the device 10 and the computer 1 and its environment, including a network, can be realized by an interface whose technology can, for example, be of the type described in the document FR 2 699 035. or

  well be the one known as the DTMF.

  Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 7, an embodiment of the invention is shown in which the additional device 20 is adapted either for direct use, near a computer, as described above, or remote use by a

  telephone communication network or telephone radio.

  It will not describe the direct operation that is identical to the previous one, the device 20 also having a keyboard 21, a screen 22. and a reader of

  microprocessor card A, an internal transmitter and receiver.

  In Figure 4, the device is in the rest position. his keyboard 21 and his screen 22

  being covered by a protective panel 23 pivotally mounted along the F2 wire.

  In Figure 5, the panel 23 has been raised and folded laterally and then has two locations 24 and 25 corresponding to the receiver and the transmitter of the device

additional 20.

  This panel 23 then constitutes a support for a telephone handset which can be

  either of wired type or radiotelephone type.

  The panel 23 is integral with a flap 26 pivotally mounted according to the arrow F3, but which could also be slidable, to constitute an extension of the panel 23, and which has a location (not visible in the drawing) similar to that 25 corresponding to In fact, a handset of the ilaire type is longer than a radiotelephone comrbine, the latter being portable, to be as small as possible, so that the peripheral

  must be able to receive indifferently any type of handset.

  In Figure 6, the handset B is connected by a cord C to a base of known type, itself connected to a telephone network cables. The flap 26 is then deployed and when the user places the handset 13B, the listener thereof is applied to the location

  24 while the microphone is applied to the location of the shutter.

  In FIG. 7, the handset I) is a portable radiotelephone whose earpiece and microphone are respectively applied to the location 24 and to the location of the support 23. The flap 26 is then simply lifted to clearly unmask the location 25 of support 23, but its exact position is irrelevant since

  the location he is wearing is not used.

  According to an alternative embodiment, the support 23 comrporte a single location (not shown) common to the transmitter and the receiver of the device 20, located in the central part of the support 23, the microphone and the earpiece of the handset to be placed of on this unique location, because the technology allows the transmission of voice-frequency sounds close to and not just in the immediate vicinity of

receiver involved.

  With this embodiment. the user can be very far from the computer 1 because the manipulations that he performs on the keyboard 21 are translated into electrical signals transcribed into voice-frequency sounds that are transmitted to the transmitter located at the location 24 and The sounds are then transcribed in a conventional manner for their transmission either by wire (handset B) or by radio (handset D) to another handset (not shown) located near the handset. 1. Of course, this may be a corded handset or a telephone radio handset. Since there is telephone communication, there is necessarily a telephone user near the computer I and this user, warned by the remote user, can then place the handset of the handset near the microphone 6 and the optionally,

  place the microphone of your handset near one of the 8-9 speakers.

  The distant user can therefore operate remotely, as if he were himself close to

the computer 1.

  The invention also provides that it is possible to use a specific device formed of a modem equipped with an electrical signal converter in sound and vice versa. This modem is connected to the central unit 2 by its usual port. it can be used either conventionally or according to the invention by transmitting / receiving sounds in

voice frequencies.

  We have just described the use of a device according to the invention in combination with a telephone handset applied on the support 23 but it is also possible to use a telephone handset simply maintained near the device,

  as shown in Figure 3.

  Here, we see a radiotelephone handset D maintained, on the right side of Figure 3, in an inclined position so that its earphone (transmitter) E is placed near the receiver of the device 10, while on the left side of the same figure 3 the handset D is oriented differently so that its microphone (receiver) F is placed

  near the transmitter of the device 10.

  The transmission of the device 10 to the handset D is symbolized in W and the transmission of the handset D to the device 10 is symbolized Z.

Claims (7)

  1. Device comprising on the one hand a multimedia type computer and on the other hand at least one "peripheral" external device such as a screen, a keyboard, a demodulator or the like, to be connected to the computer each by one or more flair conductors, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional device (1020) without flair connection with the computer (1), and which is provided with a sound transmitter intended to be picked up by a microphone (6) fitted to the multimedia computer (1), and a sound receiver to be picked up by at least one loudspeaker (8-9) on the multimedia computer (1),   said sounds being optionally coded.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional device (10-20) is placed near the computer (1) and the sounds of the device transmitter directly to the microphone (6) of the computer (1) and the sounds of the speaker (89) of the computer (1) arrive directly at the   device receiver (10-20).   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional device (10-20) is located at a distance of. the computer (1) and the sounds of the transmitter of the device reach the microphone (6) of the computer (1) and the sounds of the loudspeaker (s) (8-9) reach the receiver of the peripheral (10- 20) via a wired or radio telephone network having a handset (BD)   remote and a handset placed near the computer (1).   4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional device (10-20) is located at a distance from the computer (1) and the sounds reach the computer (1) and the peripheral (10-20) via an "acoustic" demodulator modulator, that is to say comprising a frequency converter voice in digital signals.   5. Device according to claim 1. characterized in that it comprises a support (23) which is intended to receive a telephone handset (BD) in operation and provided with a microphone and a headphone, to establish a sound communication on the one hand between the microphone (24) of the support (23) and the receiver of the handset (B - D) and,   on the other hand, between the earpiece (25) of the support (23) and the microphone of the handset (B -   D). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the microphone (24) and the earpiece (25) of the support (23) are arranged together in the central portion of said support (23), the microphone and the earpiece of the handset (B - D) to be placed   on both sides of this central part.   7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional peripheral device   (10-20) includes a reader for microprocessor cards (A).