JP3276404B2 - Terminal data input / output method and device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for inputting / outputting terminal data by voice which can be mixed with a display terminal.

[0002] With the recent development of office automation and the like, computer networks have spread inside and outside offices, and effective use of host resources has been attempted. Accordingly, the number of terminals installed has increased significantly, and it has become increasingly difficult to secure a space for installing terminals in an office.

The terminal needs to have a function of recognizing the data sent from the host to the operator (terminal operator) and transmitting the intention of the operator to the host as a command. The emergence of a terminal data input / output method that does not require much installation space is desired.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, devices used as terminals of a computer network include a display device having a screen for displaying data transmitted from a host, a keyboard for transmitting command data to the host, and the like. It is comprised including.

In such a display terminal,
The operator visually recognizes characters or numbers displayed on the screen, writes command data and the like requested by the host to the screen using a keyboard, and sends and receives the data to input / output data to / from the host.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional display terminal, since a display device and a keyboard require a relatively large amount of space, for example, one office desk is occupied by one display terminal. Problem.

[0007] In particular, the display device requires a certain size so that the operator can easily see it.
There is a limit to miniaturization of the device. On the other hand, various voice telephone systems using a telephone having a push button as a terminal have been put into practical use in response to the use of multimedia in a man-machine interface.

For example, in a seat reservation system by telephone, a reservation center is called and a desired condition is inputted by a push button, and a reservation status data of a host is accessed to make a reservation. The acceptance or rejection of the reservation is voice-synthesized by the host or a device dependent on the host, and output as voice from the telephone.

However, in such a voice telephone system, a signal output from the host or a device subordinate to the host is a voice signal on the premise of voice output to the telephone.
Only a telephone can be used as a terminal.

Therefore, when the technology of the voice telephone system is incorporated into the above-mentioned conventional computer network, and a telephone is used as a terminal of the computer network, the host or a device subordinate to the host sends a voice signal to the terminal. Therefore, the telephone and the display device cannot be used simultaneously as the same host or application terminal.

In addition, when the terminal is replaced by a telephone instead of a display device, it is necessary to greatly change the currently running application software, and the labor and cost for this are expected to be enormous.

In view of the above problems, the present invention reduces the installation space by using a telephone as a terminal,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal data input / output method and apparatus which can use a display device as a terminal without changing application software on a host.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for solving the above-mentioned problems, as shown in FIG.
The host 11 sends character data and its attribute data for display on the screen to the terminal 14, and
A terminal data input / output method for the computer network 1 configured to send command data from the host 11 to the host 11, wherein the terminal 14 includes a telephone 23 having a push button,
The character data is converted into sound in the order according to the display position on the screen.
And output from the telephone 23 to the host 11.
When a command data input position is reached , data based on a signal input from a push button of the telephone 23 is input to the host 11 as the command data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the push button
And a voice from the telephone 23
Output the character data to the display position on the screen.
Means 33 for converting into an audio signal in an order according to the host;
When the command data input position for
Based on the signal input from the push button of the telephone 23
To the host 11 as the command data.
Input means 54.

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

All or part of the character data included in the data sent from the host 11 is converted into voice and output from the telephone as voice.

A signal input from the push button of the telephone is converted into command data and input as command data to the host 11. For data sent from the host 11, a message is used to efficiently convey the contents of a screen or the contents of a command to be input. In that case, the message data is stored in a storage device such as a magnetic disk device in advance, and a message corresponding to the contents of the screen is extracted, converted into a voice, and output from the telephone as a voice.

The push button of the present invention has a PB
It includes various operation means capable of outputting a signal or a similar signal.

[0021]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a computer network 1 according to the present invention. The computer network 1 includes a host 11, display terminals 13, 13... Connected to the host 11 via a line 12, and an audio terminal 1.
4. The illustration of the terminal control device and the like is omitted.

The host 11 sends data (data stream) DS to the terminals 13 and 14 based on data (command data or response data) RD sent from the terminals 13 and 14, and sends the data DS to the terminals 13 and 14. Performs processing according to the command.

The data stream DS sent from the host 11 includes character data (or character string) TD such as characters and numbers for display on a screen and its attribute data (or control data) AD.

The display terminal 13 is a conventionally known one that includes a display device having a screen, a keyboard, and the like. In the display terminal 13, the data stream D transmitted from the host 11
The character data TD in S can be displayed on the screen by the position, size, font, color, etc. specified by the attribute data AD. Further, it is possible to send command data RD to the host 11 by input from the keyboard.

The audio terminal 14 can receive the data stream DS transmitted from the host 11 similarly to the display terminal 13, and can send a command to the host 11 similarly to the display terminal 13. That is, the audio terminal 14 is equivalent to the display terminal 13 as viewed from the host 11.

The voice terminal 14 comprises an input / output converter 21, an exchange 22, and a number of telephones 23. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the input / output conversion device 21.

The input / output conversion device 21 comprises a processing device 31, a magnetic disk device 32, an audio input / output device 33, a line control device 34, a display device 35, a keyboard 36 and the like.

The magnetic disk device 32 includes various programs for processing in the processing device 31, a voice dictionary, and a PCM.
The message MD stored as data and the like, other programs or data, and the like are stored.

The voice input / output device 33 is a known device that converts a message MD or character data TD into a voice signal AS, or recognizes the voice signal AS and converts it into character data. The voice input / output device 33 has a storage / playback mechanism 41 and a voice synthesis mechanism 42. The storage / playback mechanism 41 plays back the stored message as voice, and
2 synthesizes speech from character data.

The line control unit 34 connects the processing unit 31 and the voice input / output unit 33 to a telephone line. The display device 35 is for displaying or confirming the processing state or operation state of the processing device 31, and the keyboard 36 is for inputting commands or data to the processing device 31.

The processing unit 31 includes a CPU, ROM, RA
M, various interface circuits, and the like. The processing device 31 extracts, from the data stream DS sent from the host 11, a message MD corresponding to the content of the screen specified by the host 11 or the PB signal or the like, and extracts a specified area of the specified screen. Extracts character data TD to be displayed in the device, converts them into data in a format suitable for speech synthesis, and outputs the data to speech input / output device 33. The PB signal input from the device 34 is converted into character data TD and sent to the host 11 with attribute data (control data) attached.

Further, the processing unit 31 sends a logon or a logoff to the host 11, stores and stores various messages MD as data in advance, and stores the stored messages MD and data from the host 11. In addition to executing processing for associating with the stream DS and other various processing, the input / output conversion device 2
1 is controlled in its entirety. The processing device 31 can be realized by, for example, a so-called personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the input / output converter 21. The emulator 41 operates such that the audio terminal 14 operates as a terminal of the host 11.
It receives the data stream DS and sends command data RD to the host 11.

The audio input / output APL 42 defines which of a number of screens included in the data stream DS sent from the host 11, which area, and which area of the screen, the emulator 41 and the The defined character data TD and the like are exchanged with the speech synthesis recognition 43. Also, the message MD extracted from the message file 45 is transferred to the speech synthesis recognition 43,
The code conversion of the character data TD is performed, the PB signal is converted into the character data TD, and the logon and logoff are automatically issued.

The message MD or character data TD sent from the voice input / output APL 42 is converted into a voice signal AS by the voice synthesis recognition 43 and sent to the telephone 23 via the line control 44. The voice input from the telephone 23 is recognized by the voice input / output APL 42 and sent to the voice input / output APL 42 as character data TD.

Accordingly, when the host 11 is called from one telephone 23, the data stream DS is transmitted from the host 11 to the voice terminal 14 in response to the PB signal input from the telephone 23, and the designated data stream DS is designated therein. The part of the character data TD is converted into voice and output as voice from the receiver of the telephone 23. The operator can understand the contents of the data stream DS, that is, the contents of the screen by listening to the sound.

When a command to the host 11 becomes necessary,
The operator operates the push button of the telephone 23 to
Send the B signal. The PB signal is converted into character data TD,
It is sent to the host 11 as command data RD.

As described above, the operator can input and output data necessary for the terminal of the host 11 by using the telephone 23. According to such a voice terminal 14, for example, by installing the input / output conversion device 21 and the exchange 22 near the host 11 and installing a large number of telephones 23 where necessary as final terminals, a large number of telephones 23 , A computer network 1 capable of using the host 11 can be constructed.

Since the telephone 23 is small and its installation space is very small, the telephone 23 does not occupy the office desk. And host 1
1 can treat the audio terminal 14 as equivalent to each other without distinguishing it from the display terminal 13, so that the same application provided by the host 11 can be used by either the display terminal 13 or the telephone 23. .

In addition, since there is no need to change the application running on the host 11 by adding the voice terminal 14, the conventionally used application can be used as it is.

Next, a specific example in the case where an electronic mail, which is one of the applications of the host 11, is used by the telephone 23 will be described. FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of the message MD stored in the message file 45, and FIG. 5 is a screen HG1 displayed when an e-mail is used.
5 are shown in order, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation or processing procedure corresponding to the screen of FIG.

In FIG. 4, the messages MD are numbered so that they can be identified, and the message MD is extracted from the message file 45 by this number.

The screens HG1 to HG5 shown in FIG.
Is a screen (host screen) transmitted from the display terminal 13 to the terminal, and is displayed on the screen when an electronic mail is used from the display terminal 13, but is not displayed when the electronic mail is used from the telephone 23. However, it can be displayed on the display device 35.

In FIG. 6, the operator dials from the telephone set 23 to the host 11 (# 1). When an incoming call is received (# 2), the emulator is activated (# 3). here,
A logon is sent to the host 11 based on the PB signal from the telephone 23, and after connection with the host 11, connection with an e-mail application is made.

When the reception of the data corresponding to the screen HG1 from the host 11 is confirmed (# 4), a message MD for requesting the operator to input is output by voice (# 5).

From telephone 23, "Please enter your employee number"
(# 6), the operator inputs the corresponding number or symbol from the push button of the telephone 23 (# 7). The number of digits is checked (#
8), an input to the host 11 on the screen HG1 is performed (# 9).

Next, the screen HG sent from the host 11
In response to “2”, “2” of the number of incoming e-mails is read as character data TD (# 10), and this character data T
The message MD corresponding to the screen HG2 is output with the sound of D (# 11).

The telephone 23 emits voices such as "mail is", "2", "go", "please give the subscriber number"(# 12), and the operator inputs a number or symbol corresponding to the voice (# 13). ). The number of digits is checked (# 1
4), an input to the host 11 on the screen HG3 is performed (# 15).

In correspondence with screen HG4, the document names "about demonstration" and "information for OA seminar" are read as character data TD (# 16), and message MD
(# 17).

From the telephone 23, "The document is as follows"
Then, the first document name is read out, and then a voice of "Please input 1 when reading out" is issued (# 18). Since the operator wants to know the contents of the first document, he operates the push button and inputs "1"(#
19). As a result, a request to read out (display) the document content is issued (# 20), and a command to the host 11 on the screen HG4 is sent (# 21).

Then, the next screen HG5 displays the character data TD.
(# 22), and the read character data TD is output as voice (# 23).
3 can listen to the contents (# 24).

After that, a message MD for ending is output. When the telephone 23 is operated in response thereto, "logoff" is sent to the host 11 to end the use of the e-mail, and the host 11 Be separated.

The message MD output to the telephone 23 by voice includes, in addition to the above-mentioned message MD, an input error notification, an acceptance response, a next processing request, a continuation determination,
There are various messages such as host processing status notifications.

Thus, the application of the host 11 can be used by the telephone 23 in the same manner as by the display terminal 13. According to the above-described embodiment, the audio terminal 14 is equivalent to the display terminal 13, and the audio terminal 14 can output any character data TD of the data stream DS transmitted from the host 11 as audio. It is possible to create an application with a high degree of freedom without being aware of the presence of the voice terminal 14 when creating the application.

In the above embodiment, the message MD corresponding to the screen HG from the host 11 is read out, so that the contents of the screen or the contents of the command to be input can be efficiently transmitted to the operator by the message MD. . On the other hand, the reading of the message MD may be eliminated, and only the voice output of the character data TD from the host 11 and the data input to the host 11 based on the PB signal may be performed. This simplifies data input and output, and enables application to most applications provided by the host 11 without performing any other special processing in the processing device 31.

In the above embodiment, various methods can be used to convert the character data TD and the message MD into voice. As the audio terminal 14, one input / output conversion device 21 may be used for one telephone 23. A telephone having a display screen may be used as the telephone 23. In that case, all or a part of the content output to the telephone 23 can be displayed on the screen.

In the above-described embodiment, the present invention can be applied to an application for calling a specific telephone 23 from the host 11 and other various applications. The connection of the display terminal 13 may be omitted. The display device 35 or the keyboard 36 may be omitted. In addition, the configuration of each unit of the input / output conversion device 21, the configuration of the audio terminal 14 or the computer network 1, and the like are as follows.
Various changes can be made in accordance with the gist of the present invention.

[0058]

According to the present invention, terminal data can be input / output by using a telephone as a terminal, thereby reducing installation space and using a display device as a terminal without changing application software on a host. A method or apparatus can be provided.

[0059] In addition, data input and output is simplified, it is possible to apply to the application without performing any special treatment of any.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a computer network according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an input / output conversion device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the input / output conversion device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a message stored in a message file.

FIG. 5 is a diagram sequentially showing screens displayed when electronic mail is used.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation or processing procedure corresponding to the screen of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 computer network 11 host 14 voice terminal (terminal data input / output device) 21 input / output conversion device (terminal data input / output conversion device) 23 telephone set 31 processing device 33 voice input / output device 42 voice input / output APL 43 voice synthesis recognition 45 message file

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Tomoko Yamazaki, Inventor 3-3-22 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Kansai Electric Power Company (72) Tadaaki Yoshikawa 3-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, Osaka 22 Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (56) References JP-A-5-53596 (JP, A) JP-A-61-123927 (JP, A) JP-A-58-169197 (JP, A) 53598 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/16 G06F 13/00 H04M 11/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A for the host or we end end sends the text data and attribute data for display on the screen, the end end
A terminal data input method for a computer network configured to deliver a command data for the pressurized et the host, construction including a phone with a push button and with said end end and to keep the phone or al and outputs the converted voice in the order corresponding to the character data to the display position of the screen, when it becomes an input position command data against the host, push buttons of the phone terminal data output method characterized by entering <br/> force data based on the signal inputted to the host as the instruction data from. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the host displays a message on a screen with respect to the terminal.
Character data and its attribute data,
To send command data to the host.
Terminal data for the computer network to be created
An input / output device, A telephone having a push button; The character data is output from the telephone as voice.
To convert audio signals into audio signals in the order according to the display position on the screen.
Steps and When the command data is input to the host
The signal input from the push button of the telephone
Input the data based on the
Means to force, A terminal data input / output device comprising: