JP3496793B2 - Public telephone - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a public telephone that is used by connecting to a public network. When a public telephone is connected to a terminal such as a mobile terminal, infrared rays are used for cableless operation. The present invention relates to public telephones for data communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Up to now, in an environment such as a public telephone, which is placed on the street and processes charges immediately, a person who pays for a public telephone tries to connect and use the terminal with the public telephone. The terminal connection using the connection cable is only performed, including the explicit confirmation of the user's intention to use it.

As a method of performing data communication from a portable terminal or the like to a public network without a cable, there is a method of using radio like a cordless telephone, but in the case of radio, it is not possible to narrow the beam like infrared rays. , The distance cannot be limited.

A connection device for cableless data communication from a portable terminal or the like to a public network using infrared rays is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-214606. This uses infrared rays to connect to a portable terminal or the like without a cable in a general telephone or the like.

[0005]

Therefore, in order to perform cableless data communication between a public telephone and a mobile terminal or the like, when wireless is used, the communication distance is too long, and a plurality of wireless terminals are used. Competitive control and user confirmation must be performed, which is difficult with a simple circuit scale. When infrared rays are used, by narrowing the infrared beam and suppressing the infrared output, the infrared rays have directivity, the communication range is reduced, and only the person standing in front of the public telephone can connect using the mobile terminal. It is not easy, and it may be difficult to connect to other people. However, with public phones, the terminal connection fee when connecting a mobile terminal and the call charge during communication may be charged immediately, and when connecting the mobile terminal to a public telephone without using a cable, , It is necessary to know the timing of charging from the viewpoint of public telephones.

The present invention has been made in order to solve these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a public telephone in which the usage charge of the mobile terminal and the communication fee can be charged instantly. To do.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a public telephone having an infrared communication function capable of bidirectionally exchanging data with a portable infrared data terminal. Data communication start detection means for detecting the start of data communication connection by infrared rays of
Infrared data receiving means for receiving dial information by infrared rays from the infrared data terminal, public network / infrared data converting means for converting the received dial information into a number selection signal to the public network and transmitting it to the public network, and infrared rays Established the connection with the public network and the billing starting means for starting the billing of the terminal connection fee of the public telephone upon detection of the start of the data communication connection, and the billing starting means for starting the processing of the communication fee by establishing the connection with the public network. Public network connection detection means for detecting this, a notification means for notifying the portable infrared data terminal of this connection establishment, and if the connection destination of the public network is a data terminal or host computer, it is received from the portable infrared data terminal. Function to send the received data to the other terminal via the public network or the data received from the other terminal via the public network to the portable infrared data terminal. And public network connection means comprising at least one of the functions to send to, when the connection destination in the public network was a general telephone are those having a telephone means for performing a voice call and the destination telephone.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the data communication start detecting means detects infrared data from the portable infrared data terminal, dial information switching permission is permitted to permit reception of dial information from the portable infrared data terminal. It has a means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a physical button is used as dial information switching permission means for permitting reception of dial information from the portable infrared data terminal.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, data communication disconnection detecting means for detecting disconnection of infrared data communication, public network disconnecting means for disconnecting the connection on the public network side upon receiving this output, and public network disconnecting means. It has a return means for returning the unused fee at the time of disconnection.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A public telephone according to the present invention is a cableless communication between a portable terminal and a public telephone, and detects the start of data communication by infrared rays. The configuration is such that it can be switched to via telephone, and if the communication partner is a telephone, it can also be switched to a telephone. Also, when the connection usage fee is collected from the user of the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is connected to a public telephone via infrared and used, the collection timing can be set from the start time of infrared data communication. It is a thing.

When the public telephone user connects a portable terminal or the like by using infrared rays, the infrared rays can be switched by detecting the start of data communication by infrared rays without preparing a physical button. , It can be operated without being aware of the switching button.

Further, a physical button is provided for switching to the infrared ray, and the public telephone user can confirm the intention to perform the infrared data communication by pressing this button.

Further, in the case where the connection on the public network side is cut off by disconnecting the infrared data communication, the line is automatically connected even if the user leaves the public telephone with the portable terminal while keeping the line connected. Can be disconnected and prepared for the next user.

[0015]

1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 is a public telephone of the present invention, and reference numeral 200 is a portable infrared data terminal (hereinafter referred to as a mobile terminal) which performs infrared data communication with the public telephone 100. A public network 300 is a public telephone 10
Many 0s are connected. Reference numeral 400 denotes a partner's telephone and 500 denotes a partner's data terminal. In this example, the partner's data terminal 500 is directly connected to the public network 300. The configuration and function of each unit will be further described below. Public telephone 1
00 and the portable terminal 200 are provided with infrared light receiving and emitting units 1 and 201, respectively, in order to perform data communication by infrared rays. On the public telephone 100 side, the received data from the infrared light emitting / receiving unit 1 is converted into internal data by the infrared data receiving unit 3, and the transmission data to the infrared light receiving / emitting unit 1 is converted from internal data to infrared data by the infrared data transmitting unit 2. Converting. Further, the infrared reception signal from the infrared light emitting / receiving unit 1 is
The data communication start detecting means 4 for detecting the start of the data communication by the infrared ray and the data communication disconnection detecting means 5 for detecting the disconnection of the data communication by the infrared ray are sent to monitor the start and the disconnection of the data communication by the infrared ray. ing. The infrared data is converted into the data communication protocol of the public network 300 by the public network / infrared data conversion means 6,
The data / telephone switching means 7 is switched to the telephone means 8. The public network connection means 9 sends dial information to the public network 300 and performs data communication after connection with a communication partner. It has dial information switching means 10 for switching to dial information conversion means 11 for converting dial information from the infrared light receiving / emitting section 1 by infrared data communication into dial information for the public network 300. Further, the public telephone 100 has a billing start means 12 for performing instant billing, and has a return means 14 for returning the remaining balance due to the operation of the public network disconnecting means 13 after the end of the call. Numeral 15 is a dial information switching permitting means, and if conditions for permitting dial information switching are satisfied, dial information switching means 10
To switch to the dial information conversion means 11.
Reference numeral 16 is a public network connection detecting means, and 17 is a notifying means.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that the dial information switching permission button as the dial information switching permission means 15 of FIG. (Hereinafter, referred to as switch button) 15
A is used, and the other points are the same as in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the public telephone 100 according to the present invention. The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG. In addition,
(S1) to (S20) show each step.

In FIG. 2, the portable terminal 200 and the public telephone 1
00, the public network 300 and the partner data terminal 500 are shown.

(1) Initiation of infrared data communication When the user brings the portable terminal 200 to the public telephone 100, the use of the portable terminal 200 is started (S1). An infrared data communication start signal is emitted from the portable terminal 200 to the public telephone 100 as infrared rays (S2). When the public telephone 100 detects the start of the infrared data communication and the switch button 15A is attached to the public telephone 100, the push of the button is permitted and a start OK signal is returned to the portable terminal 200 by infrared rays. When the switch button 15A is not present. Starts immediately Immediately sends OK signal to mobile terminal 200
Return to (S3).

(2) Connection with the communication partner and the data communication user, if the start OK from the public telephone 100 can be confirmed on the portable terminal 200, the settlement means (coins, telephone card, etc.) for settlement of the communication charge is used for the public telephone. It is put into 100 (S4). Next, if the public telephone 100 has the switch button 15A, the switch button 15A is pressed (S5). When a connection instruction is issued to the mobile terminal 200 to establish a connection with the telephone 400 of the communication partner (S6), a dial signal of the data terminal 500 of the partner is transmitted as infrared data from the mobile terminal 200 (S7). On the public telephone 100 side receiving the dial signal by infrared rays, the public network 300
An infrared dial signal is converted into a partner selection signal to be sent to and sent to the public network 300 (S8). The public network 300 calls the partner's data terminal 500 according to the partner selection signal (S9), and if there is a response from the partner (S10), notifies the public telephone 100 of the response (S11). Then, the fact that the other party is connected is displayed (S12). Public telephone 10
0 and the other party's data terminal 500 are in data communication, the data from the other party's data terminal 500 is converted into an infrared signal by the public telephone 100 and sent to the mobile terminal 200, and the infrared signal from the mobile terminal 200 is used. The public telephone 100 converts the data into the data format of the communication partner and transmits it to the data terminal 500 of the partner (S13),
(S14), (S15).

(3) Completion of communication with the communication partner and termination of infrared communication If disconnected from the data terminal 500 of the partner (S16),
The public telephone 100 disconnects the connection with the public network 300 (S17), disconnects the infrared communication with the mobile terminal 200 (S18), terminates the connection (S19), and displays a termination display (S20).

From the mobile terminal 200 to the public network 300
If there is a signal to disconnect the connection with the public telephone 10
0 disconnects the connection with the communication partner and also disconnects the infrared communication.

When the infrared connection with the portable terminal 200 is disconnected (for example, when the user leaves the portable terminal 200 while keeping the infrared connection), the connection with the communication partner is disconnected and the infrared ray is disconnected. The side also performs the cutting process. When the connection with the communication partner and the connection with the infrared communication are completed, the public telephone 100 discharges the coins inserted by the settlement means and the remaining telephone cards, and returns them to the user.

After these operations, public telephone 100 returns to the initial state of waiting for the start of infrared data communication.

[0025]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, the charge for using the public telephone can be deducted before the data communication between the public telephone and the portable terminal by infrared rays. In addition, it is possible to charge the communication fee immediately during the data communication by infrared rays.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the data communication start detection by infrared rays from the mobile terminal is used as a trigger for switching the connection with the mobile terminal, the user connects the public telephone and the mobile terminal. When performing data communication using infrared rays, bring the mobile terminal close to a public telephone and operate the mobile terminal by detecting that the mobile terminal has emitted infrared data for infrared data communication. It is possible to eliminate the switching button by assuming that the person who is present is a public telephone user and performs data communication by infrared rays.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the dial information switching permission button is provided for switching the connection with the portable terminal, whether the user wants to perform infrared data communication or makes a telephone call. The intention to use the service can be clearly transmitted to the public telephone.

According to the invention described in claim 4, when the data communication in the infrared section is cut off, the connection on the public network side is also cut off. Therefore, even if the mobile phone is inadvertently taken away from the public telephone. Since the line on the public network side is disconnected, the following users can use the public telephone. In addition, unused charges can be automatically returned.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a public telephone according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of a public telephone according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation flow diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Public Telephone 200 Mobile Terminal 201 Infrared Receiver / Emitter 300 Public Network 400 Counterphone 500 Counter's Data Terminal 1 Infrared Receiver / Receiver 2 Infrared Data Transmitter 3 Infrared Data Receiver 4 Data Communication Start Detector 5 Data Communication Disconnection Detector 6 public network / infrared data converting means 7 data / telephone switching means 8 telephone means 9 public network connecting means 10 dial information switching means 11 dial information converting means 12 billing starting means 13 public network disconnecting means 14 returning means 15 dial information switching permitting means 15A Dial information switching permission button (switching button) 16 Public network connection detection means 17 Notification means

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A public telephone having an infrared communication function capable of bidirectionally exchanging data with a portable infrared data terminal, and data communication start detecting means for detecting a start of data communication connection by infrared rays from the infrared data terminal. An infrared data receiving means for receiving dial information by infrared rays from the infrared data terminal; a public network / infrared data converting means for converting the received dial information into a number selection signal for the public network and transmitting it to the public network; Establishes the connection with the public network by detecting the start of the data communication connection by the device and starting the billing of the terminal connection fee of the public telephone, and by starting the processing of the communication fee by establishing the connection with the public network. Public network connection detecting means for detecting that the connection has been established, notification means for notifying the portable infrared data terminal of this connection establishment, When the destination of the network is a data terminal or host computer, the function to send the data received from the portable infrared data terminal to the other terminal via the public network or the data received from the other terminal via the public network to the portable infrared A public network connection means having at least one of the functions of transmitting to the data terminal, and a telephone means for making a voice call with the telephone of the connection destination when the connection destination in the public network is a general telephone Characteristic public telephone. 2. The public telephone according to claim 1, wherein when the data communication start detecting means detects infrared data from the portable infrared data terminal, dial information for permitting reception of dial information from the portable infrared data terminal. A public telephone having a switching permission means. 3. The public telephone according to claim 2, wherein a dial information switching permission button is used as dial information switching permission means for permitting reception of dial information from the portable infrared data terminal. Pay phone. 4. The public telephone set according to claim 1, wherein a data communication disconnection detecting means for detecting disconnection of infrared data communication, and a public network side receiving an output of the data communication disconnection detecting means. A public telephone having a public network disconnecting means for disconnecting the connection between the public network and a return means for returning an unused charge when the public network is disconnected.