KR20020016101A - Apparatus for Internet phone using mobile terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An Internet phone system using a mobile terminal is provided to make a phone call with low cost by using a mobile terminal as an Internet phone. CONSTITUTION: A mobile terminal(50) comprises an antenna(51), a keypad part(53), a speaker(56-1), a microphone(56-2), and a camera(56-3) in order to execute an intrinsic mobile communication function. The first communication part(57) is provided to interface the mobile terminal(50) with a user computer(10-1). A mode control part(54) outputs a mode selection signal to judge whether the mobile terminal(50) is to be used as an intrinsic mobile terminal or an Internet phone. A signal selection part(55) makes various telephone signals from the mobile terminal(50) transferred through the first communication part(57) or a mobile terminal function part(52) according to the mode selection signal outputted from the mode control part(54). The user computer(10-1) is connected to the Internet(20) through an Internet access part(10-11). Also the user computer(10-1) is connected with the mobile terminal(50) through the second communication part(10-13). An Internet phone program(10-12) is installed in the user computer(10-1).

Description

Apparatus for Internet phone using mobile terminals}

The present invention relates to an Internet phone device, and more particularly, to an apparatus for enabling the use of an Internet phone using a mobile terminal.

As the Internet is widely used as part of daily life, the types of services provided through the Internet are also diversifying. These services include an Internet phone service that allows a telephone call through the Internet, which has the advantage of being very cheap. As the function of the personal computer (PC) is rapidly improved and the data transmission speed of the Internet is rapidly improved, the quality of the telephone call is also comparable to that of the general telephone.

1 is a schematic diagram of an Internet phone system, wherein each user's computer 10-1, 10-2 is connected to each other via the Internet 20, and each user computer 10-1, 10-2 has an Internet phone. Various components are provided for use. Components to be provided in the user computers 10-1 and 10-2 in order to use the Internet phone include a microphone, a speaker, a camera, a hands-free set, an Internet phone program, and the like.

The Internet phone is possible not only between the user computers 10-1 and 10-2 but also between the user computers 10-1 and 10-2 and the general telephones 40-1 and 40-2. In this case, the Internet 20 and the public telephone network PSTN are generally connected to each other through the gateway 30. That is, since the Internet phone service transmits a user's voice or video in the form of digital data through the Internet 20, the gateway 30 needs to convert the signal formats of both networks in order to access the public telephone network (PSTN). There is.

The Internet phone programs mounted on the user computers 10-1 and 10-2 restore the digital data for the telephone received through the Internet 20 into sound data and image data, and then the user computers 10-1 and 10-2. It outputs to the speaker or display means provided in the, and transmits the voice received from the microphone provided in the user computer (10-1, 10-2) and the image received from the camera to the other party through the Internet (20). Therefore, the user computers 10-1 and 10-2 are provided with a sound card for processing sound data, a connection device for connecting to the Internet 20, and the like.

However, such a conventional Internet phone system is inconvenient to use when the user is located in front of the computer (10-1, 10-2). This caused particularly inconvenience for users who want to make phone calls while moving. In addition, users who are unfamiliar with the use of the Internet phone program have a problem in that they are reluctant to use the Internet phone because they feel a burden to use the Internet phone.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can use an Internet phone by using a mobile terminal, which is devised to solve the above problems.

In order to achieve the above object, an Internet phone device using a mobile terminal according to the present invention, a user computer and a mobile terminal interoperate with each other, the mobile terminal is connected to the base station of the mobile communication system according to the selected operation mode of the unique It performs a mobile communication function or operates in conjunction with the user computer, the user computer is characterized in that it is configured to send and receive a telephone signal between the mobile terminal and the mobile terminal.

The mobile terminal includes a first communication unit for connecting the mobile terminal and a user computer; A mode control unit outputting a mode selection signal for determining whether to perform a unique mobile communication function or interworking with the user computer according to an input from a keypad; And transmits various telephone signals output from the mobile terminal to the user computer through the first communication unit according to the mode selection signal, and transfers various telephone signals input from the user computer through the first communication unit. It can be preferably implemented by including a signal selection unit for transmitting to the corresponding component of the terminal.

At this time, the user computer is configured to include a second communication unit for connecting to the first communication unit of the mobile terminal to send and receive the call signal, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port It may be configured, or may be configured to send and receive signals wirelessly.

On the other hand, when the Internet phone program of the user computer is interlocked with the mobile terminal, the signal input from the mobile terminal through the second communication unit is processed as a telephone input signal, and receives the signal received from the other party through the Internet It may be preferably implemented by performing a function of transmitting to the mobile terminal through the second communication unit as an output signal for a telephone.

At this time, the Internet phone program should know the operation mode of the mobile terminal, it can be configured to allow the user to set the operation mode directly on the Internet phone program. In addition, if the Internet phone program can automatically detect the operation mode of the mobile terminal to set its own operation mode can be more preferably implemented.

1 is a schematic diagram of an Internet phone system;

2 is a schematic diagram of an Internet phone system according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an Internet phone device according to the present invention;

4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment using a USB port,

5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment for wirelessly connecting;

6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a process of making a call;

7 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a process of receiving a call.

* Explanation of symbols for main numbers

10-1,10-2: User Computer 10-11: Internet Connection

10-12: Internet Phone Program 10-13: Second Communication Unit

20: Internet 30: Gateway

31: Public telephone network (PSTN) 40-1, 40-2: Public telephone

50: mobile terminal 51: antenna

52: mobile terminal function portion 53: keypad portion

54: mode control unit 55: signal selection unit

10-14,56-1: Speaker 10-15,56-2: Microphone

10-16,56-3: camera 57: first communication unit

10-17,57-1: USB port 10-18,58: Wireless transceiver

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

2 is a schematic diagram of an Internet phone system according to the present invention, wherein the user's computer 10-1 and the mobile terminal 50 are configured to interoperate with each other. At this time, the mobile terminal 50 is not limited to the type of cellular, PCS terminal, PDA, IMT-2000 terminal.

The user may arbitrarily select an operation mode of the mobile terminal 50. When the mobile terminal 50 is set to a unique mobile communication mode, the user may access a base station of the corresponding mobile communication system 80 to perform a unique mobile terminal function. Perform. However, when the operation mode of the mobile terminal 50 is set to the mode (internet phone interlocking mode) interoperating with the user computer, the communication with the base station of the mobile communication system 80 is interrupted and the terminal operates for the internet phone.

In other words, when the operation mode of the mobile terminal 50 is set to be interlocked with the user computer 10-1, the Internet phone program mounted on the user computer 10-1 is used for the call between the mobile terminal 50 and the mobile terminal 50. Send and receive signals That is, the dialing signal, the user's voice, and the video signal transmitted from the mobile terminal 50 are processed as an input signal for the telephone, and the voice or video signal of the other party received through the Internet 20 is used as the output signal for the telephone. The process is transmitted to the mobile terminal 50.

3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an Internet phone device according to the present invention.

The mobile terminal 50 includes components such as an antenna 51, a keypad 53, a speaker 56-1, a microphone 56-2, and a camera 56-3 for performing a unique mobile communication function. Equipped with. The camera 56-3 is a component for inputting a video signal, and is a component included in a mobile terminal capable of video telephony such as IMT-2000. The camera 56-3 is a component not provided in a cellular or PCS terminal.

Herein, the mobile terminal function unit 52 is required to perform a mobile terminal function in addition to the antenna 51, the keypad unit 53, the speaker 56-1, the microphone 56-2, and the camera 56-3. A component used as a meaning encompassing components.

Meanwhile, the first communication unit 57 is a component for connecting the mobile terminal 50 and the user computer 10-1, and may be configured to transmit and receive a signal by wire or wirelessly. In the case of a wired connection, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to configure as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port 57-1. In this case, the second communication unit 10-13 of the user computer 10-1. It is also configured as a USB port 10-17. In the case of a wired connection, in addition to the USB port, the mobile terminal 50 may be configured to be connected through a connector generally provided. In addition, the mobile terminal 50 and the user computer 10-1 may be configured to transmit and receive signals wirelessly. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 50 and the user computer 10-1 may have various telephones. Wireless transceivers 58 and 10-18 are provided to wirelessly transmit and receive a dragon signal.

The mode control unit 54 operates the mobile terminal 50 as a unique mobile terminal for mobile communication in response to a key input from the keypad 53 or an internet phone in conjunction with the user computer 10-1. Outputs a mode selection signal to determine whether to serve as a terminal. At this time, the key signal for inputting the mode selection signal may be defined as a combination of keys (for example, * 44 #) on a conventional keypad, and may be configured to select a mode by providing a separate key.

The signal selector 55 passes various telephone signals output from the mobile terminal 50 to the first communication unit 57 according to the mode selection signal from the mode control unit 54 or to the mobile terminal functional unit 52. Make it work. That is, when the mobile terminal 50 is set to the Internet phone interlocking mode, the dialing signal input from the keypad unit 53 by the signal selecting unit 55, the voice of the user input from the microphone 56-2, and In the case of a video call, the video signal input from the camera 56-3 is connected to the first communication unit 57 and transmitted to the user computer 10-1.

In addition, the audio signal of the telephone signal received from the user computer 10-1 through the first communication unit 57 is transmitted to the speaker 56-1, and the video signal is transferred to a predetermined display screen (not shown). Delivered.

The user computer 10-1 connects to the Internet 20 through the Internet connection unit 10-11 and to the mobile terminal 50 through the second communication unit 10-13. Here, the Internet connection unit 10-11 means a component used to connect to the Internet 20, such as a telephone modem or an ADSL modem, and the second communication unit 10-13 is a USB port or a wireless terminal as described above. Can be configured.

The Internet phone program 10-12 mounted on the user computer 10-1 is set from the mobile terminal 50 through the second communication unit 10-13 when the operation mode is set to the interlocking mode with the mobile terminal 50. The mobile terminal 50 processes the incoming telephone signal as a telephone input signal and simultaneously outputs a telephone signal received from the other party through the Internet 20 as a telephone output signal through the second communication unit 10-13. To pass.

In more detail, instead of the user voice input from the microphone 10-15 and the image input from the camera 10-16, the voice and video signals received from the mobile terminal 50 are transmitted to the counterpart through the Internet 20. The mobile terminal 50 instead of outputting calls, user voices, and video signals received from the other party through the Internet 20 to the speaker 10-14 and the display means (not shown). To pass).

On the other hand, in order to perform this function in the user computer 10-1, the Internet phone program 10-12 needs to know the current operation mode of the mobile terminal 50.

As an example, the user may be configured to directly set the operation mode in the operation screen of the Internet phone program 10-12. That is, a mode setting button is provided on the operation screen of the Internet phone program 10-12, and the user can click the mode setting button to change the mode.

However, if the Internet phone program 10-12 automatically detects the current operation mode of the mobile terminal 50 and matches its operation mode with the current operation mode of the mobile terminal 50, it can be more preferably implemented. have. In this case, the mobile terminal 50 is configured to transmit a signal indicating the current operation mode to the user computer 10-1.

An example of a process of making a call using the Internet phone apparatus according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

First, a user who wants to make a call through an internet phone using the mobile terminal 50 sets the mobile terminal 50 to an internet phone interworking mode (S610). When the other party's telephone number is dialed using the keypad 53 (S620), the dialing signal is transmitted to the user computer 10-1 (S630).

This dialing signal is detected by the Internet phone program 10-12 mounted on the user computer 10-1, and the Internet phone program 10-12 is connected to the other party's terminal (computer or general telephone) through the Internet 20. Attempt to connect to (S640).

If the call connection attempt in step S640 succeeds (S650), the Internet phone program 10-12 relays a phone call between the mobile terminal 50 and the counterpart terminal (S660). Step S660 is a process of transmitting the user's voice and video input from the mobile terminal 50 to the other party through the Internet 20 and simultaneously transmitting the voice and video received through the Internet 20 to the mobile terminal 50. .

Then, the Internet phone program 10-12 monitors whether the telephone call ends (S670), and when the telephone ends, terminates the telephone call between the mobile terminal 50 and the counterpart terminal and terminates the relay (S670).

An example of a process of receiving a call using the Internet phone device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7.

In order to receive an incoming call to the Internet using the mobile terminal 50, a mobile communication system 80 to which the mobile terminal 50 is subscribed must first apply for a call forwarding service to the corresponding Internet phone. S710). Then, the mobile terminal 50 is set to the Internet phone interlocking mode (S720).

Then, when a call to the mobile terminal 50 is requested, the mobile communication system 80 automatically forwards the call to the Internet phone (S730).

Internet phone program 10-12 received a call from the Internet 20 through step S730 connects the call to the mobile terminal 50 (S740), if the connection with the mobile terminal 50 is successful (S750), The phone call is relayed between the mobile terminal 50 and the counterpart terminal (S760). In addition, the Internet phone program 10-12 monitors whether the telephone call is terminated (S770), when the telephone is terminated, terminates the telephone call between the mobile terminal 50 and the counterpart terminal and terminates the relay (S780).

According to the present invention, a user can arbitrarily use his mobile terminal as a terminal for an Internet phone. Therefore, the use of the Internet phone is very convenient, there is an effect that can be used cheap phone.

Claims (9)

In an Internet phone service system that provides a telephone service through the Internet using an Internet phone program installed in a user computer, The user computer is linked to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal is connected to the base station of the mobile communication system according to the selected operation mode to perform a unique mobile communication function or operate in conjunction with the user computer, the user computer In the case of interworking with a mobile terminal, the Internet phone device using a mobile terminal, characterized in that configured to send and receive a telephone signal between the mobile terminal. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal, A first communication unit for connecting the mobile terminal and a user computer; A mode control unit outputting a mode selection signal for determining whether to perform a unique mobile communication function or interworking with the user computer according to an input from a keypad; And In response to the mode selection signal, various telephone signals output from the mobile terminal are transmitted to the user computer through the first communication unit, and the various telephone signals input from the user computer through the first communication unit are moved. Internet phone device using a mobile terminal, characterized in that it comprises a signal selection unit for transmitting to the corresponding component of the terminal. The Internet phone apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the user computer comprises a second communication unit which connects with the first communication unit of the mobile terminal and transmits and receives the telephone signal. According to claim 3, The Internet phone program of the user computer, In the case of interworking with the mobile terminal, the signal input from the mobile terminal through the second communication unit is processed as a telephone input signal, and the signal received from the other party through the Internet is output as a telephone output signal for the second communication unit. Internet phone device using a mobile terminal, characterized in that it is configured to further include a function for transmitting to the mobile terminal through. The Internet phone apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the Internet phone program is configured to allow a user to directly set an operation mode on the program. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the Internet phone program is configured to automatically detect an operation mode of the mobile terminal and to match its operation mode with the detected operation mode of the mobile terminal. Internet phone device used. The Internet phone apparatus using a mobile terminal according to claim 3, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit are configured as a universal serial bus (USB) port. The Internet phone apparatus using a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit are configured to transmit and receive signals wirelessly. The Internet phone device using a mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the first communication unit is configured as a connector provided in the mobile terminal.