JP3826319B2 - Information service receiving terminal system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information service receiving terminal system using a line selection device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Various information (providing) services or information distribution services using the Internet and telephone lines are known as methods for obtaining information at subscriber homes or subscriber stations of telephone lines (networks). A telephone line (network) subscriber can connect to the Internet via a telephone line and search for and obtain information if the information he desires exists on the Internet. .
[0003]
However, in order to use the Internet, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer), a modem, required application software, and the like are required, and a contract with an Internet connection provider (provider) is also required. Furthermore, search know-how on the Internet for obtaining necessary information is also necessary. That is, the threshold for acquiring information is high for a user of a personal computer in a general household. Even if they were subscribed to the telephone line network, the cost and effort required to actually receive the information were large.
[0004]
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 that provides predetermined information using a telephone line from an information provider or a mechanism (organization, trader) provided to provide an information (providing) service to individual subscriber houses of the telephone line network. A FAX information service is well known as one of such services. However, the information received by FAX does not look good when hard copied. Information that can be received by FAX is basically text data.
If the user wants to receive information similar to information obtained on the Internet from an information service using a telephone line, the terminal device has almost the same system as that used on the Internet, that is, a personal computer, a modem, and Application software is required.
[0005]
As described above, the conventional information reception method using a telephone line requires a personal computer and a modem, whether to obtain information from the Internet or to receive an information distribution service from an information provider through a telephone line. There has been a problem that the terminal system tends to be complicated and large, the cost for constructing the information receiving terminal tends to be large, and the operation up to information reception tends to be difficult.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is not necessary to use a personal computer and application software as components of the information receiving terminal system. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and simple information service receiving terminal system in which an information provider can receive information distributed to individual users without need.
[0007]
[Means for solving the problems]
The 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 a terminal device such as a telephone or a facsimile and a telephone line (subscriber line). The line selection device is a device that reads calling telephone number data transmitted from the terminal device such as a telephone or a facsimile, that is, dial number data, makes a predetermined determination, and selects a predetermined communication path.
[0009]
The line selection device is connected to a telephone line (network), and is connected to a display and a pager (hereinafter, the pager is referred to as a pager) . That is, the line selection device can exchange data with the display and the pager.
[0010]
The line selection device has an ID number. The line selection device records means for reading the telephone number of the calling side, that is, the outgoing (partner) side when called, and the data input via the telephone line or the pager. A memory is provided.
[0011]
The line selection device includes a control unit having a function of outputting data recorded in the memory to the display. This control means may be the same as or different from the control means for selecting the communication path that is the original function of the line selection device.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A line selection device (also called a line adapter) is a communication interface device installed between a telephone, facsimile, modem, or other terminal equipment and a telephone line (subscriber line), and recognizes dial numbers from the terminal equipment side. Thus, the data for selecting a predetermined line is transmitted to the telephone line (telephone station) side. For example, an LCR (Least Cost Routing) apparatus is a typical line selection apparatus. The present invention is an application of this line selection device to a terminal system that receives information from an information providing service provider (mechanism).
[0013]
In a subscriber house or a subscriber station of a telephone line, the line selection device is connected to a telephone line (network), and a display and a pager are connected. In addition, a terminal device (most commonly a wired telephone) desired by a subscriber (user), that is, a person who wants to receive an 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 provided in the line selection device, for example, a ROM. When calling the information provider from the line selection device to obtain information, the line selection device transmits this ID number. The information provider refers to the received ID number and determines whether to pass information.
[0014]
The line selection device is provided with a 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 control means for controlling the constituent elements of the line selection device, and the control means has a function of outputting data recorded in the memory to the display. Since the display can display information received from the information provider, the user can view the information. Further, it is desirable to design the line adapter and the display so that past data recorded in the memory can be displayed on the display and viewed.
[0015]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an 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 line network 11 and can perform information transmission and information providing work. What information service the information providing service provider 14 provides is determined by those skilled in the art, and examples thereof include travel planning guidance, catalog sales, and event information guidance.
[0016]
The line selection device, that is, the line adapter 1 is connected to the telephone line 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. The telephone adapter 7 and the facsimile 8 are connected to the line adapter 1 to interface between the telephone network 11 and the Internet 12 and the telephone 7 and the facsimile 8. That is, the line adapter 1 controls (manages) the connection state and non-connection state of the transmission (communication) path between the telephone set 7 or the facsimile 8 and the telephone line network 11 or the Internet 12.
[0017]
A display 2 is connected to the line adapter 1. As the display device 2, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be used. Since the display device 2 normally has a display driver (not shown), the line adapter 1 may pass (output) display data to the display driver. Then, an image corresponding to the display data is displayed on the display device 2.
The display device 2 can be provided with a predetermined operation button, and the line adapter 1 can be requested to output display data. However, whether or not to design the display device 2 in this way is determined appropriately by those skilled in the art.
The telephone 7, facsimile 8, and display 2 are connected to the control means (CPU) 6 of the line adapter 1 via an input / output unit 9 that is an input / output interface functional element.
[0018]
The line adapter 1 includes a pager terminal 10. The pager terminal 10 may be provided inside the input / output unit 9. The pager 3 is connected to the pager terminal 10 and can communicate with the control means (CPU) 6 of the line adapter 1.
[0019]
The line adapter 1 has a memory 5 for recording information from the information providing service provider 14 input via the telephone line network 11, the Internet 12 or the pager 3.
The information providing service provider 14 transmits predetermined information to the predetermined pager 3 via the telephone line network 11. Recently, peripheral base stations 13 of telecommunications carriers such as NTT can be connected not only to the telephone network 11 but also to the Internet 12, so that information is transmitted to the pager 3 via the Internet 12. It is also possible to do.
[0020]
The line adapter 1 has a calling side telephone number reading means 4. When the pager 3 is called (called), the line adapter 1 takes in data relating to the telephone number of the caller from the pager 3, and Recognize your phone number. 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.
[0021]
The control means 6 outputs the information stored in the memory 5 to the display device 2 via the input / output unit 9. Therefore, the information transmitted from the information providing service provider 14 to the pager 3 is displayed on the display 2.
[0022]
If the user looks at the information displayed on the display 2 and wants to obtain more detailed information or to obtain other information, the information providing service provider 14 uses the telephone 7. Call us. When a transmission path is formed between the telephone 7 and the information providing service provider 14, the line adapter 1 (automatically) transmits its own ID number. The information providing service provider can identify the user (information acquirer) based on the ID number and charge the user if necessary.
The ID number may be given to the CPU 9 or may be stored in an ID number storage element 15 such as a ROM as shown in FIG.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
Since the calling side telephone number reading means is provided in the line selection device (line adapter), when called from the information providing service provider, it can be recognized that the call is from the information providing service provider, and it is wired or wireless. The telephone line can be placed in a call-ready state, 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 the data (information) recorded in the memory to the display. As a result, the display can display the information received from the information provider. Of the information recorded in the memory, the user can also instruct the line selection device which information is displayed on the display.
Further, since the line selection device has a pager terminal, the information received by the pager can be recorded in the memory and displayed on the display by connecting the pager to the terminal. .
In this way, when information is distributed from the information providing service provider side to individual users via a wired or wireless telephone line, the line selection device automatically receives the information and records it in the memory. The user does not need to do anything to receive the information. If it is desired to collect information from the user side, the line selection device sends the ID number attached to itself to the information providing service provider, so that necessary information can be received.
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 providing service provider and a control means for outputting the data recorded in the memory to a display. Thus, the information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention does not require the use of a personal computer and application software when receiving information from the information providing service provider, and the user needs a special operation for receiving information. I don't have to. 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 an embodiment of an information service receiving terminal system according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Line selection apparatus 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 line network 12 Internet 13 Peripheral base station 14 Information service provider (mechanism)
15 ID number storage element

Claims (1)

An information receiving terminal system that is arranged between a terminal device and a telephone line and applies a line selection device that is a means for selecting a predetermined communication path according to calling telephone number data from the terminal device,
The line selection device is connected to a telephone line network and is connected to a display and a pager .
An ID number is assigned to the line selection device,
A calling side telephone number reading means and a memory for recording data input via a telephone line or the pager are provided,
The information service receiving terminal system, wherein the line selection device has a control means having a function of outputting data recorded in the memory to the display.

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