JP2000324265A - Terminal system for receiving information service - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an inexpensive and simple information service receiving terminal system, in which an information provider can receive information distributed to respective users through cable or radio telephone line, without requiring a personal computer and application software nor needing a special operation for a user to receive information. SOLUTION: There are provided an indicator 2 and a pocket pager 3 are connected to a line selecting device 1 installed between a terminal device and a telephone line, an ID number is attached to the device 1, and a calling side telephone number reading means, a memory 5 recording data inputted via the telephone line or via the pocket pager and also a control means 6 which outputs data recorded on the memory 5 to the indicator 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an information service receiving terminal system using a line selection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various information (providing) services or information distribution services using the Internet and a telephone line are known as methods for obtaining information at a subscriber's house or a telephone station of a telephone line (network). By connecting to the Internet via a telephone line, a subscriber of a telephone line (network) can search for and obtain information if the desired information exists in an accessible state on the Internet. .

[0003] However, in order to use the Internet, a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer), a modem, and required application software are required.
A contract with is also required. In addition, know-how of searching on the Internet to obtain necessary information is also required. That is, the threshold for acquiring information is high for users of personal computers in ordinary households. This means that even if the user has subscribed to the telephone line network, the cost and effort required to actually receive the information are large.

On the other hand, an information service using a public telephone line network instead of the Internet is also known. This is an information distribution service in which predetermined information is provided from an information provider or a mechanism (organization, provider) provided to provide an information (providing) service to individual subscriber homes of a telephone network using a telephone line. One of such services is FA
X information services are well known. However, F
The information received by the AX does not look good when hard copied. Information that can be received by facsimile can be basically called text data. If the user wants to receive the same information as the information obtained on the Internet from the information service using the telephone line, the terminal device has almost the same system as that using the Internet, that is, a personal computer, a modem and Application software is required.

[0005] As described above, the conventional information receiving method using a telephone line is not limited to obtaining information from the Internet.
Even if you receive the information distribution service from the information provider over a telephone line, a personal computer and a modem are required, the information receiving terminal system tends to be complicated and large, and the cost of building the information receiving terminal tends to increase. However, there is a problem that the operation until receiving information tends to be difficult.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and does not require the use of a personal computer and application software as components of an information receiving terminal system. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and simple information service receiving terminal system that enables an information provider to receive information distributed to individual users without requiring the user to perform special difficult operations.

[0007]

An information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and is as follows.

[0008] The line selection device is disposed between terminal equipment such as a telephone and a facsimile and a telephone line (subscriber line). The line selecting device is a device that reads out calling telephone number data, that is, dial number data transmitted from the terminal device such as a telephone or a facsimile, makes a predetermined determination, and selects a predetermined communication path.

The line selection device is connected to a telephone line (network), and is connected to a display and a pager. That is, the line selection device can exchange data with the display and the pager.

[0010] The line selecting device has an ID number. Further, the line selecting device, when called, means for reading the telephone number of the calling side, that is, the calling (recipient) side, and records data input via the telephone line or the pager. Memory is provided.

[0011] The line selecting device has control means having a function of outputting data recorded in the memory to the display. This control means may be the same as or separate from the control means for selecting a communication path which is a function inherent to the line selection device.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A line selection device (also referred to as a line adapter) is a communication interface device installed between a terminal such as a telephone, a facsimile, a modem, etc. and a telephone line (subscriber line). A device that recognizes a dial number from the side and sends data for selecting a predetermined line to the telephone line (telephone office) side. For example, LCR (L
An east cost routing device is a typical line selection device. The present invention is an application of the line selection device to a terminal system that receives information from an information service provider (mechanism).

[0013] At a subscriber's house or a place of a telephone line,
The line selection device connects to the telephone line (network),
An indicator and a pager are connected. Also, a terminal device (most commonly a wired telephone) desired by a subscriber (user), that is, a person who intends to receive the information providing service, is connected to the line selection device. An ID number is assigned to the line selection device. That is, the ID number is stored in a storage medium included in the line selection device, for example, a ROM.
When calling the information provider from the line selection device and going for information, the line selection device transmits this ID number. The information provider refers to the received ID number and determines whether to pass the information.

Further, the line selecting device is provided with calling side telephone number reading means. This is for recognizing the telephone number of the information provider when the line selection device is called. Further, the line selection device is provided with a memory for recording data (information) issued by an information provider input via a telephone line or a pager. When the line selection device is called and recognizes the telephone number of the information provider, it connects the wired telephone line or the wireless telephone line and temporarily stores the received information in this memory. The line selection device has a control unit for controlling its own components, and the control unit has a function of outputting data recorded in the memory to the display. The display can display the information received from the information provider, so that the user can see the information.
It is also desirable to design the line adapter and the display so that the past data recorded in the memory can be displayed on the display for viewing.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of an information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention. The information providing service provider (mechanism) 14 is connected to the Internet 12 or the telephone network 11, and is capable of transmitting information and providing information. What kind of information service the information providing service provider 14 provides is determined by those skilled in the art, and examples thereof include travel planning guide, catalog sales, and event information guide.

Line selection device, that is, line adapter 1
Are connected to a telephone network 11 and the Internet 12. The connection method of the line adapter 1 to the Internet 12 may be either a dedicated line or a telephone line. Also,
A telephone 7 and a facsimile 8 are connected to the line adapter 1, and interface the telephone line network 11 and the Internet 12 with the telephone 7 and the facsimile 8. That is, the line adapter 1 controls (manages) the connection state and the non-connection state of the transmission (communication) path between the telephone 7 or the facsimile 8 and the telephone line network 11 or the Internet 12.
are doing.

A display 2 is connected to the line adapter 1. The display 2 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD)
Etc. can be used. Since the display 2 normally has a display driver (not shown), the line adapter 1
Can be performed by passing (outputting) display data to the display driver. Then, the display 2 displays an image corresponding to the display data. The display 2 may be provided with predetermined operation buttons to request the line adapter 1 to output display data. However, whether or not to design the display 2 in this way is appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. The telephone 7, the facsimile 8 and the display 2 are provided with an input / output unit 9 as an input / output interface function element.
Is connected to the control means (CPU) 6 of the line adapter 1 via the.

The line adapter 1 has a pager terminal 10. The pager terminal 10 may be provided inside the input / output unit 9. Pager 3
It is connected to the pager terminal 10 and can communicate with the control means (CPU) 6 of the line adapter 1.

The line adapter 1 has a memory 5 for recording information from an information providing service provider 14 input via the telephone line network 11, the Internet 12, or the pager 3. Information service provider 14
Transmits predetermined information to a predetermined pager 3 via the telephone network 11. Recently, the peripheral base stations 13 of a telecommunications carrier such as NTT can connect to not only the telephone network 11 but also the Internet 12, so that information is transmitted to the pager 3 via the Internet 12. It is also possible.

The line adapter 1 has calling side telephone number reading means 4, and the pager 3 receives a call (calls).
Then, data on the telephone number of the caller is taken in from the pager 3 to recognize the telephone number of the calling side.
If the recognized telephone number belongs to the information providing service provider 14, the information received via the pager 3 is fetched and stored in the memory 5.

The control means 6 outputs the information stored in the memory 5 to the display 2 via the input / output unit 9. Therefore, the information providing service provider 14 displays the pager 3 on the display 2.
The information sent to is displayed.

If the user looks at the information displayed on the display 2 and wants to obtain more detailed information or another information, the telephone 7 is used to provide information. What is necessary is just to call the service agent 14. Telephone 7
When a transmission path is formed between the network adapter and the information providing service provider 14, the line adapter 1 transmits its own ID number (automatically). The information providing service provider can specify the user (information acquirer) based on the ID number and charge the user if necessary. The ID number may be stored in the CPU 9 or may be stored in an ID number storage element 15 such as a ROM as shown in FIG.

[0023]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. Since the line selection device (line adapter) is provided with a calling side telephone number reading means, when a call is received from the information providing service provider, it can be recognized that the call is from the information providing service provider, and the wired or wireless communication can be performed. Phone line is ready to talk,
Information from the information providing service provider can be received and recorded in the memory. A display is connected to the line selection device, and the control means of the line selection device can output data (information) recorded in the memory to the display. As a result, the display can display information received from the information provider. The user can instruct the line selection device which information of the information recorded in the memory is to be displayed on the display. Further, since the line selection device has a pager terminal, by connecting a pager to the terminal,
The information received by the pager can be recorded in the memory and displayed on a display. As described above, when the information providing service provider distributes information to individual users via a wired or wireless telephone line, the line selecting device automatically receives the information and records the information in the memory. The user does not need to do anything to receive the information. If the user wants to obtain information from the user side, the line selection device sends the ID number assigned to itself to the information providing service provider, so that it is possible to receive necessary information. A line selection device having a communication interface function between a telephone line and a terminal device is provided with a memory for recording information received from an information service provider and a control means for outputting data recorded in the memory to a display. Accordingly, the information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention does not need to use a personal computer and application software when receiving information from an information providing service provider, and requires a special operation by a user to receive information. Nothing to do. Therefore, the present invention can provide an inexpensive and simple information service receiving terminal system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of an information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Line selection device 2 Display 3 Pager 4 Calling side telephone number reading means 5 Memory 6 Control means 7 Telephone 8 Facsimile 9 Input / output unit 10 Pager terminal 11 Telephone network 12 Internet 13 Peripheral base station 14 Information service provider (Mechanism) 15 ID number storage element

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04M 15/16 H04L 13/00 317 5K101 F term (Reference) 5B089 GA26 HA02 HA10 KA03 KA11 KB06 KG01 KG05 LB14 5K025 AA08 KK08 5K034 AA17 CC04 CC05 EE03 EE12 FF18 HH01 HH02 5K036 AA15 EE13 5K067 AA34 AA41 BB22 DD13 DD17 DD51 DD52 DD53 EE03 EE10 FF02 FF07 FF23 FF31 GG11 KK15 5K101 KK01 NN1618

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A line selection device, which is disposed between a terminal device such as a telephone or a facsimile and a telephone line and selects a predetermined communication path according to calling telephone number data from the terminal device. An information receiving terminal system to which the present invention is applied, wherein a line selecting device is connected to a telephone line network, a display and a pager are connected, and the line selecting device is provided with an ID number, A telephone number reading means, and a memory for recording data input via a telephone line or via the pager are provided, and the line selection device transmits the data recorded in the memory to the display. An information service receiving terminal system comprising control means having an output function.