WO2002087189A1 - System for emulating a terminal which is adapted to access a telecommunication network from a terminal which is inadapted to said access - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for emulating a WAP terminal from a Minitel terminal. Said system comprises the following elements for each emulation session: a module (24) for managing the display on the screen of the Minitel and a module (26) for interpreting information from the Minitel keyboard which are connected to a module (29) for processing the protocols X29 and Videopad, said module being connected to an X25 network layer associated with the Teletel network, in addition to a WML language translation module (22), a module (33) for adapating translated information, in addition to a navigation and context management module (25) which are connected to an HTTP client module (21) which is connected to a TCP/IP network layer (30) associated with the Internet network, said display management module and navigation and context management module receiving information from the adaptation module and interpretation module.

Description

 SYSTEM FOR EMULATING A TERMINAL SUITABLE FOR ACCESS TO A TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK FROM A TERMINAL SUITABLE FOR SUCH ACCESS

The present invention relates generally to a terminal emulation system suitable for accessing a computer system associated with a telecommunications network from a terminal unsuitable for such access.

By terminal is meant an apparatus making it possible to send commands through a network to a computer system, in particular a server, to receive information from this computer system and to view this information. A terminal comprises at least one input means, such as a keyboard, a display means, such as a screen, and a means of communication, such as a modem. By terminal suitable for access to a computer system associated with a telecommunications network is meant a terminal comprising the technical capacities necessary for such access. These are the technical capacities of the various devices associated with the terminal, whether these are the hardware devices, such as the processors, working or storage memories, input, display, sound processing and communication devices, or the non-hardware devices like software dedicated to applications on servers, operating systems and communication protocols. The insufficiency of certain other devices, such as for example the peripherals adapted in particular to the loading of software also indirectly influences the capacity of access. Among the devices associated with the terminal, the basic devices of the terminal are the input device, the display device and the communication device. It can also be the sound reproduction device if the latter play an important role in the communication of information to the user of the computer system.

By terminal unsuitable for access to a computer system associated with a telecommunications network, is meant a terminal whose technical capacities are insufficient to give it access capacity, unless substantial modification of its hardware components or not. For example, this is the case of a terminal whose processor power, memory capacity or operating system performance is insufficient. This is also the case for a terminal that does not allow software to access a service to be loaded. Nevertheless, the terminal in question here has the basic devices of a terminal and the technical capacities of these basic devices are sufficient to provide equivalents of those of a terminal suitable for access to the computer system, even if they are lower than those of the latter. By emulation of a terminal from the point of view of the user, is meant the simulation of the operation of a terminal from another terminal, a simulation which in particular allows the environment of the emulated terminal to be recreated, with equivalent input and display modes.

The present invention relates more particularly to a system for emulating an Internet terminal from a terminal of the Minitel type.

The term “Internet terminal” is understood to mean a terminal adapted to dialogue with servers through the Internet network, that is to say a terminal adapted to the execution of software dedicated to an application on a server associated with the Internet network, called client software. The terminal and the server interact according to a model called client-server which is a computerization model in which the processing is distributed between the terminal and the server. The server and the terminal interact by exchanging messages according to suitable protocols such as the protocols of the TCP / IP family (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), for example the HTTP protocol (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) used for exchanging documents. HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). HTML documents are documents in HTML language which is derived from the SGML standard (Standard Generalized Markup Language), a structured document language with in particular hyper-text links (ISO 8879).

A Minitel-type terminal allows access, via the switched telephone network and the Teletel network, to videotex servers. Because of its technical capabilities, a Minitel-type terminal cannot constitute an Internet terminal and the modifications that would have to be made to it so that it can not be envisaged, neither from a technical point of view, nor from from an economic point of view.

The present invention is particularly interesting in the context of the emulation of a WAP terminal (Wireless Application Protocol).

By WAP terminal is meant a particular Internet terminal, generally a mobile telephone, allowing access to the Internet network from a wireless telephone network based on the WAP protocol. The WAP protocol allows access to the Internet through browsers using small files adapted to the speed of wireless networks. The WAP protocol notably allows the exchange of documents in WML language (Wireless Markup Language) specially created for small screens like those of mobile phones. WML is based on XML (eXtensible Markup Language) which is derived, like HTML, from the SGML standard. A WAP terminal emulation system from a type terminal

Minitel has many interests. For a potential user of a WAP terminal, it makes it possible to discover the possibilities of such a terminal before acquiring it. The fact that many people, especially in France, have a Minitel-type terminal makes it interesting to use such a terminal. For a user of a WAP telephone who does not have a microcomputer, such an emulation system allows this user to consult WAP services at a lower cost.

Terminal emulation systems are already known in the field of IT applied to telecommunications. Examples include WAP phone emulators for personal computers, set-top-boxes or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). It is either a software to be installed permanently on the computer, the set-topbox or the PDA or a server, placed in a telecommunication network to carry out the transcoding of document, for example of WML language in HTML language with Javascript. The first type of system aims to transform the computer, the set-top box or the PDA into a real consultation terminal adapted to a WAP service. The second type of system aims to emulate a WAP phone thanks to the possibilities offered by browsers available on a computer, such as Communicator from Netscape or Internet Explorer from Microsoft. In both cases, these systems benefit from significant technical capacities, in particular power and ability to execute new software, installed or downloaded, from terminals from which emulation is done (personal computer, set-top-box or PDA), terminals which are not, strictly speaking, terminals unsuitable for access to WAP services. Such systems are unsuitable for low-power terminals, such as an alphamosaic terminal for example, or for terminals whose software cannot be modified or enriched.

There are also systems called "on the fly" document conversion gateways, capable, for example, of converting HTML or WML documents to videotex documents. These are specialized servers connected on one side to the Internet and on the other to the Teletel network; they try to best transform the original document into a document usable by a Minitel-type terminal. However, the result obtained, in terms of terminal emulation, is very far from what happens on a terminal like a computer or a WAP phone. In Minitel services, a choice is generally made by pressing a key on the keyboard corresponding to a number followed by pressing a key called the "Send" key. In Internet services, this same choice is generally made by selecting an active element visible on the screen, such as an icon or an underlined character string, corresponding to the choice in question by means of a selection generally comprising a means of designation as a pointer visible on the screen and steerable by means of a mouse or similar command and a validation means generally commanded by a key of the mouse or similar command. In WAP services, the active elements are generally arranged on the screen in the form of lists in columns, the designation means being represented on the screen by a change in the display of the designated active element and moving vertically d 'an active element to the other under the control of a wheel or a pair of keys' up arrow' and 'down arrow'. “On-the-fly” document conversion gateway systems dynamically add a number in front of each active element of the document, which, at best, increases the presentation of the document on the Minitel screen and, at worst, the makes it incomprehensible. The need to enter a number to make a choice is particularly problematic when the WML document has an input field. The Minitel cursor cannot be placed in two places at the same time. In addition, the use of figures to make a choice is closer to a Minitel environment than to an Internet environment, so that a user can hardly distinguish the Internet service from a conventional Minitel service, which makes use very uncomfortable and not very motivating.

These gateways also pose a legal problem which can prove to be a nuisance for a telecommunications operator. Indeed, by adding numbers and user guidance information to improve ergonomics, he becomes an editor since he modifies the initial document. The WAP service provider may not accept the rendering of the changed document. In addition, when the original document contains illegal content, he could be held responsible for this content as the publisher of the modified document.

The use of an additional box connected to the terminal is practiced for the emulation of certain terminals from terminals of lower technical capacity.

Such boxes have sufficient material resources to be able, in association with the user's terminal, to emulate a more advanced terminal. But this solution is not very interesting from a commercial point of view, the cost of the box being close to that of the emulated terminal. In addition, some Minitel terminals do not have the connection means allowing the connection of an external box. This is particularly the case for Magis and Sillage terminals.

The present invention therefore relates to a system making it possible, from a physical terminal corresponding to a telecommunication network whose technical capacities are not sufficient to access a server of another telecommunication network, to emulate a terminal capable of '' access this server, recreating as closely as possible the environment of the emulated terminal, at least as regards display and input principles, and without having to make any hardware or software changes to the physical terminal. To this end, it offers a terminal emulation system suitable for access to a computer system associated with a first telecommunications network from a physical terminal unsuitable for access to said computer system and associated with a second telecommunications network, said emulation system being connected, on the one hand, to said first network by means of a first dialogue means and, on the other hand, to said second network by means of a second dialogue means, said emulation system being characterized in that it comprises a first processing means suitable for interpreting commands from said physical terminal, a second processing means suitable for analyzing information from said computer system and generating corresponding information which can be reproduced on a means of restitution of said physical terminal and a means of management of restitution adapted to generate information control rmations of said rendering means of said physical terminal, said rendering management means receiving information from said first and second processing means in order to control according to said commands from said physical terminal the rendering on said restitution means of said information from said computer system.

As with the “on the fly” document conversion gateways, the emulation system according to the invention is placed in a telecommunications network and not at the terminal. Thus, the system can be used by a service provider, a network operator or a company to give access to IT services to a large number of users without having to equip them individually. A simple PC-type personal computer can process up to 200 users simultaneously.

Unlike document conversion gateways "on the fly", the system according to the invention is not content to best transform a document sent by the computer system into a document that can be returned by the physical terminal and to adapt the commands from the physical terminal before transmitting them to the computer system. Due to the use of a refund management means, directly coupled to a command interpretation means, the system can directly process certain commands. In particular, orders involving only a change in the display and not a transmission of information or requests to the IT department are processed at the system level without requesting the IT system. This allows greater freedom to restore information since the system can then compensate for the terminal's shortcomings. Through example, in the case of emulating a WAP terminal from a Minitel terminal, the system can, using three keys of the Minitel, simulate the principles of display control of a WAP telephone. Two keys are used for controlling the movement of the designation means up and down and a third key is used for the validation command. Advantageously, so-called Minitel function keys will be used, the alphabetical and numerical commands being kept for the input operations. In fact, the assembly constituted by the Minitel terminal and the emulation system behaves like a real WAP terminal, the Minitel being used only for display and entry. The great freedom of restitution that the system according to the invention allows has many advantages. First of all, with regard to the display of information on the screen of the physical terminal, it is possible to confine this display in an area of the screen corresponding to the screen of the emulated terminal. The emulated terminal can be represented on the screen in order to make the simulation more faithful. You can also separate an area assigned to the image of the emulated terminal and an area reserved for help. Since it is also not necessary to modify the document displayed in order to assign control keys to each of the active elements, the system operator cannot be considered to be a service editor. Finally, as mentioned above, the navigation principles applicable on the accessed service can be fairly exactly simulated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the system also comprises a means for managing the navigation and the context fed by the information processed by said second processing means and adapted to transmit to said first means of dialogue requests to said subsequent computer system. to commands interpreted by said first processing means and established in function of a context stored in a means for saving the context.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention for the emulation of a WAP terminal from a Minitel terminal, the emulation system comprises, for each emulation session, on the one hand, a module for managing the screen display. Minitel and a module for interpreting information from the keyboard. Minitel connected to a module for processing the X29 protocols and Videopad itself connected to an X25 network layer associated with the Teletel network and, on the other hand, one. WML language translation module, a module for adapting translated information and a navigation and context management module connected to a HTTP client module itself connected to a TCP / IP network layer (30) associated with the Internet, said display management module and said navigation and context management module receiving information from said adaptation module and said interpretation module. Consequently, this system can provide, vis-à-vis the server, the functions of a real WAP terminal. The system can simultaneously provide several WAP terminal emulation sessions on Minitel terminals.

Advantageously, the system also includes a memory for storing images of WAP telephones which can send information to the display management module.

Advantageously, the system also comprises a module for recognizing the type of Minitel, receiving information from the module for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols and sending information to the command interpretation module, to the display management module, as well as 'to the navigation and context management module.

Thus, the system can recognize the type of Minitel of the user and consequently implement the corresponding resources. Thus, the same service can be rendered optimally according to the possibilities of the terminal. The possibilities of certain categories of Minitel terminals can thus be used, such as Magis Club type terminals which have the possibility of displaying images coded according to the JPEG standard.

According to another aspect of the present invention, said terminal to be emulated comprising a display screen allowing the display of character strings, said screen being able, at most, to display n lines each comprising m characters and said physical terminal comprising a screen 'display allowing the display of character strings, said screen being able to display n' lines each comprising m 'characters, with n'> n and m '> m, an area of the display screen of said physical terminal is reserved for the display of information intended to appear on the terminal to be emulated, said area of the display screen comprising n lines which can each accommodate m characters.

For example, in the case of emulating a WAP terminal from a Minitel, the WML document is displayed on the Minitel screen in a display window representing the screen of the WAP phone on the Minitel. Advantageously, this zone can be integrated into a visual representation of the WAP telephone. The. representation of the WAP terminal makes it possible to visually distinguish the information corresponding to this WAP terminal from other information corresponding to the Minitel terminal, such as for example an area reserved for help.

Advantageously, when the size of the characters displayed on the terminal to be emulated is variable, the values n and m are calculated as a function of the minimum size of said characters.

This arrangement makes it possible to solve the problem which arises, for example, in the case of a Minitel whose typeface of the Minitel is with fixed hunting unlike that of WAP telephones. The display window is assigned a number of lines and a number of characters per line which correspond to the maximum of lines and characters that can be displayed on the screen of a WAP phone. In this way, the display window makes it possible to restore as much information at a given instant as the screen of a real telephone.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention for emulating an XHTML terminal from a Minitel terminal, the emulation system comprises, for each emulation session, on the one hand, a module for managing the Minitel screen display and a module for interpreting information from the Minitel keyboard connected to a module for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols, itself connected to a network layer X25 associated with the Teletel network and, d on the other hand, a XHTML language translation module, a module for adapting translated information and a navigation and context management module connected to an HTTP client module, itself connected to an associated TCP / IP network layer to the Internet, said display management module and said navigation and context management module receiving information from said adaptation module and from said interpretation module.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the display of information on a screen of said terminal to be emulated is done by means of character strings arranged on said screen in the form of lists, some of these character strings representing active elements, each of these active elements can be selected using a selection means to cause either a modification of the display such as the display of a new list or the display of an information entry field or sending a request or information to said computer system, said selection means comprising, on the one hand, a designation means that can move from one active element to another, the display of a designated active element being differently from the display of an undesignated active element and, on the other hand, a validation means for validating the selection of an active element designated by said designation means, commands from said physical terminal are used to control the movement of said designation means and a command of said physical terminal is used to control said validation means, said interpretation means controlling said management means of said rendering means so that the display of the designated active element is executed in a corresponding manner when one of said commands used to control the movement of said designation means is actuated, and said interpretation means controlling said means for managing said rendering means and, where appropriate, said means for managing navigation and context so that the display modification operation is executed in a corresponding manner and / or, if applicable éant, sending information or a request to said computer system when said command used to control said validation means is actuated. Thus, a terminal of the Internet terminal type can be emulated on a terminal that does not have the display devices necessary for the use of an Internet service such as the display devices controlled by a mouse type device. The principles of designation, selection and input used on the emulated terminal are functionally equivalent to those of a real Internet terminal. According to another aspect of the present invention, said second processing means is adapted to execute processing operations corresponding to requests from said computer system, the execution of which cannot be performed on said physical terminal.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a terminal emulation system suitable for access to a computer system associated with a first telecommunications network from a physical terminal unsuitable for access to said computer system and associated with a second telecommunications network is characterized in that the display of information on a screen of said physical terminal is done by means of display elements arranged on said screen in the form of lists, some of these display elements representing active elements, each of these active elements being able to be selected using a selection means to cause either a modification of the display such as the display of a new list or the display of a field of entering information, either sending a request or information to said computer system, said selection means comprising, on the one hand, designation means which can be moved r from one active element to another, the display of an element designated asset being done differently than the display of an undesignated active element and, on the other hand, a validation means for validating the selection of an active element designated by said designation means, and in that commands of said physical terminal are used to control the movement of said designation means and a command from said physical terminal is used to control said validation means.

The display elements can be grouped into a plurality of lists adapted to be successively displayed on the screen of said physical terminal in a given order. Advantageously, the commands making it possible to pass from one of said lists to a preceding list or to a following list are the same as those used to control said designation means.

Alternatively, the display elements can be arranged in the same list in a given order relative to each other, a portion of said list being able to be displayed on the screen of said physical terminal, the portion of displayed list being able to be modified by shift up or down.

Advantageously, the commands making it possible to modify the portion of the list displayed by shifting up or down are the same as those used to control said designation means. According to another aspect of the present invention, the active elements are navigation objects.

Advantageously, each of said navigation objects has at least one processing function and one function for defining a display element representing said object. The processing function associated with a navigation object can be, for example, a link function, allowing a user to access data provided by said computer system, an input function allowing a user to enter data to transmit to said computer system or a selection function allowing a user to make a choice from among several options offered. A function for defining a display element representing a navigation object can be, for example, a function for presenting said object in a. selected mode, said function being executed when said designation means is positioned on the corresponding active element, a function for presenting said object in an unselected mode, said function being executed when said designation means is moved from the corresponding active element or a function for presenting said object in an active mode, said function being executed when said designation means is positioned on the corresponding active element and said validation means is actuated. The presentation of said object in an active mode can correspond to a presentation allowing data entry.

It may happen that certain functionalities of a service cannot be rendered on a Minitel, or in a way that is hardly acceptable to users. The system then guarantees compatibility with the source service. He manages the restrictions himself in order to avoid malfunctions. For example, it can give a positive response to a request from the computer system, even if it could not perform the corresponding action in its entirety due to the technical limitations of the physical terminal. It then stores the parameters received from the server in a context storage memory in order to be able to reuse them during a subsequent dialogue with it, if necessary. Thus, the couple formed by the Minitel and the system behaves like a real terminal adapted to the service.

The invention applies each time one wishes to access a computer system from a terminal whose technical capacities are lower than those of the terminal adapted to this service and difficult or impossible to develop. As examples known today, we can cite, in addition to Minitel, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), televisions with teletext decoders, WAP telephones and game consoles when communicating, from these terminals, to computer systems for which these terminals are unsuitable.

From the point of view of the services accessible thanks to a terminal emulated by a system according to the present invention, there may be mentioned, in addition to the simple consultation of written or audio documents kept on a server, electronic commerce, management of bank accounts and reservations. of tickets. We can also cite interpersonal communication with a community of people through an IP network. The protocol for such a service is too complex to be processed by a PDA like the Palm Pilot from the company 3 COM. It is also completely incompatible with a WAP phone.

The system according to the invention uses the user's terminal only as a display, input and, where appropriate, sound reproduction device. It is he who fully plays the role of adapted terminal vis-à-vis the service. The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation showing the place of an emulation system according to the invention in interconnected networks; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the hardware architecture of the emulation system of FIG. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the architecture of the modules created for a session in the processor of the emulation system of FIG. 1; Fig. 4 is a front view of a display screen of a terminal with which an emulation system such as that of FIG. 1; Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, a terminal command having been actuated; Fig. 6 is a front view of a display screen of another terminal with which an emulation system such as that of FIG. 1; FIGS. 7 to 13 are flowcharts showing the operation of the emulation system of FIG. 1; Fig. 14 is a diagram which represents the various functions of the emulation system of FIG. 1; Figs. 15 to 21 show display windows appearing on a display screen of a terminal with which an emulation system such as that of FIG. 1 during the various stages of operation of this system; and Fig. 22 represents a WML page sent by a service and processed by the emulation system of FIG. 20.

In Fig. 1, an emulation system 10 of a WAP terminal from a Minitel 6 type terminal operates between said Minitel terminal 6 and a WAP server 1 within interconnected networks. The Minitel 6 is connected to the switched telephone network 5 which gives access to a videotex access point (PAVI) 4. The information from Minitel 6 recovered by the PAVI 4 is transmitted via the Transpac 3 network to the system. emulation 10. At its other end, the emulation system 10 is connected to the IP network 2 which gives it access to the WAP server 1.

In Fig. 2, the emulation system 10 comprises a processor 12 connected, on the one hand, to an Ethernet network card 11 and, on the other hand, to an X25 network card 13. The processor 12 is arranged in modules, some permanent and others created during each emulation session of a WAP terminal. The processor 12 is adapted to process several emulation sessions of WAP terminals in parallel. In other words, the system 10 can simultaneously process communications between several Minitel terminals and several WAP servers. The maximum number of sessions depends on the power of the processor 12, the capacities of the network cards 11 and 13 and the size of the memory 14. A single PC can process up to 200 users simultaneously. Fig. 3 represents the modules brought into play for a session. The Ethernet card 10, a local network standard standardized by ISO, defines, for each emulation session, a TCP / IP network layer 30 (see Fig. 3) which makes it possible to communicate with the WAP server through the Internet. .

The X25 network card, a protocol standardized by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) for public packet switching networks, defines, for each emulation session, an X25 network layer 31 (see Fig. 3) which allows dialogue with PAVI through the Transpac network and, therefore, to send and receive information from Minitel.

The processor 12 is also connected to a memory for storing the context of the emulators 14 and to a memory for storing WAP phone images 15. The memory 14 makes it possible to define, for each session, a context storage area 28 (see FIG. . 3) and the memory 15 makes it possible to have a set of images of WAP telephones 23 (see FIG. 3).

In Fig. 3, each emulation session of a WAP terminal involves a set 20 of modules created for a session. A session management module 32, receiving information from the X25 network layer 31, is suitable for creating this set of modules.

A module 21 is an HTTP client module, forming a means of dialogue with the WAP server. A module 22, called a WML parser, is a module for analyzing information from the WAP server. A module 33 is a module for processing the information analyzed by the module 22. A module 24 is a module for managing the display on the Minitel. A module 25 is a navigation and context management module. A module 26 is a module for interpreting commands from the Minitel. A module 29 is a module for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols forming a means of dialogue with the Minitel terminal. To all of these modules to which are added the context saving area 28 and the set of images of WAP telephones previously mentioned, is also associated a module 27 for recognizing the type of Minitel.

The module 29 for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols exchanges information with the X25 network layer 31. This module 29 sends information to the module 26 for interpreting Minitel commands and receives information from the display management module 24. The HTTP client module 21 exchanges information with the TCP / IP network layer. This module 21 sends information to the WML parser module 22 and receives information from the navigation and context management module 25. The information processing module 33 receives information from the module 22 and generates information transmitted as appropriate to the display management module 24 and to the navigation and context management module 25. The command interpretation module 26 sends information to the display management module 24 on the Minitel and to the navigation and context management module 25. The navigation and context management module 25, associated with the context storage area 28 and receiving information from the command interpretation module 26, from the processing module 33, sends information to the HTTP client module 21. The display management module 24 can draw from the image set of WAP phones 23. The type recognition module 27 of Minitel receives information from the module 29 for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols and sends information to the modules 24, 25 and 26 for display management, navigation and context management and interpretation of commands from the Minitel.

A user first accesses, using their Minitel terminal, a classic Minitel service offering portal functionality with classification of accessible WAP services into themes and sub-themes. The transition to a WAP terminal emulation session through the system 10 takes place when the user wishes to see what the service of his choice looks like.

In Fig. 3, when a Minitel connects to the emulation system via PAVI and the Transpac network, the X25 network layer 31 receives a packet of calls. It then notifies the session management module 32, which then dynamically creates the set 20 of modules necessary for the session. The Minitel type recognition module 27 extracts the type of Minitel from the Videopad protocol data received at connection. This information is transmitted to the navigation and context management module 25.

Is sent, via the HTTP client module 21 and the TCP / IP network layer 30, a request to the WAP server in order to receive the first page of the targeted service which will be called the source service. This page is then transmitted, via the TCP / IP network layer 30 to the HTTP client module 21, which transmits it to the WML parser module 22. The treatment of the other pages is similar. We will qualify the content of the source page transmitted by the term "document".

The module 22 checks the syntax of the document and creates a representation of the various information contained in the document in the form of a structure of the tree of objects type, following the hierarchy defined between objects by the designer of the document. More precisely, the document being composed of marking tags, the module 22 browses the document in chronological order and extracts each element represented between a start tag and an end tag to make it an object. Insofar as the language defines a hierarchy between the objects, the module 22 represents the objects in a tree-like form. In the tree, each object has a parent object and can have one or more child objects. An object is characterized by a type, content, one or more attributes or parameters, the reference of its father and the reference of its son or children if it has any. The processing module 33 traverses the objects originating from the parser, taking into account their hierarchy in the initial document in order to locate the objects used for navigation. For each, it creates a particular object called a browser object. Browser objects are made up of executable functions and a data block memorizing the parameters of the object. Each object has at least one processing function (Process) to execute during validation and display functions with one function to represent the object when it is active (Select) and another to represent the object when it is inactive (Deselect). Objects corresponding to an information entry process also have a function for representing the object during entry (Start Edition). The constitution of the data block depends on the type of object. For example, for a type A browser, these can be parameters such as the URL of the document to be reached and, if necessary, one or more predefined values and one or more values indexed on d 'other objects (variables, input fields, options, etc.). The module 33 creates a list of navigator objects, in sequence or in a linked list, adapted to the target terminal, depending on the source page navigation elements timeline. A browser can be of the “link”, “entry”, or “selection of one or more options” type.

The processing module 33 traverses the objects originating from the parser, taking into account their hierarchy in the initial document to locate the multimedia objects and transform them into a form compatible with the target terminal. Multimedia objects are objects with content such as text, images or sounds to be reproduced on a screen or through a loudspeaker. During the course of the tree, the processing module 33 is adapted to read this content and transform it into elements that can be displayed on the Minitel screen or reproduced by the Minitel speaker when the latter is provided with it. The multimedia elements are extracted chronologically with respect to the source page according to certain parameters such as the type of presentation representing the terminal usually used to consult a service, the window data, such as positioning, window width and height, font color, etc. Other parameters are taken into account such as those concerning the presentation mode which can be done by displaying several windows or by scrolling in a window. The extracted elements are transformed so that they can be presented either in n displayable windows, or in a single window of suitable width with presentation by scrolling. The processing module 33 filters the objects which cannot be restored on the Minitel.

The processing module 33 transmits to the navigation and context management module 25 the presentation elements and the navigation elements described above to be saved in the saving zone 28.

Finally, the processing module 33 executes certain functions defined in the initial document, such as a time delay between two displays or a request for the next document; scripts in WMLscripts for example. For this, it can send commands through the HTTP 21 client module. Presentation and / or navigation elements which cannot be supported by the Minitel terminal and which cannot be transformed to be supported by this terminal are taken into account by this module 33. The latter possibly performs processing operations associated with these elements in synchronism with the source service, in order to allow progression in this source service.

The information processed by the processing module 33 is available to the display management module 24. This module 24 will, preliminary, order the display on the Minitel screen of an image of the corresponding WAP telephone extracted from the set of images 23. The screen of this image of the WAP telephone corresponds to a window reserved for displaying the information extracted from the WML document. The module 24 then controls the display of part of the information extracted from the WML document in the window reserved for display. The commands from the Minitel when the user actuates a key on his keyboard are received in the module 26 for interpreting the commands of the Minitel, via the module 29 for managing the X29 and Videopad protocols and the X25 network layer 31.

These commands are sorted in the Minitel command interpretation module. The commands giving rise to an action from the point of view of the emulated terminal are the three function keys existing on the Minitel called "continuation", "return" and "send". The "next" and "back" keys are used to control the movement of the designation means, in practice a gray area which highlights the designated character string, up and down. The "send" key is used for the validation command and the "summary" key is used for the "back" command. Alphabetical and numerical commands are kept for input operations.

Some of the commands received are routed directly to the display management module 24 on the Minitel for immediate execution of a display operation, change of designated element, display of the rest of the document, display of a field of entry, display of a sublist or others. When a validation operation carried out corresponds to an action aimed at sending a request to the WAP server to obtain a new WML document or at sending information entered by the user to the WAP server, the module 25 navigation and context management is requested.

Certain commands do not give rise to any action. This is the case of keys which are not useful for the service, but which the user can inadvertently press.

When the Minitel disconnects or when a network incident occurs, the session management module 32 is informed. It then eliminates the modules of the corresponding session and purges the memory of all the data stored during this session.

This embodiment is easily adaptable to the emulation of XHTML terminals, the module 22 can also form XHTML parser. Figs. 7 to 13 are flowcharts showing the operation of the emulation system.

In Fig. 7, in a step 100, the emulation system receives a source page and performs the analysis of this page. In a step 102, the document is scanned according to the XML tree.

The system extracts, in chronological order, the presentation elements and / or the content (text, attributes, images, sounds, etc.) and the navigation elements (links, entries, selection of one or more choices).

In a step 103, the presentation mode is chosen from parameters defined by default or defined in a configuration file. The presentation is done either in the form of n windows, or by scrolling in a window.

In a step 104, the elements extracted during the step 102 are processed in order to produce either n elements forming windows displayable by the Minitel terminal, or a window element of suitable width with presentation by scrolling. It can be a line-by-line scrolling and / or a scrolling by lists. The presentation or navigation elements cannot be supported or modified to be supported by the Minitel terminal, they are subject to special treatment. This is particularly the case with image filtering and the execution of timers. These elements are executed with the desired synchronization relative to the source service. In a step 105, a list is made, in the form of a sequence or of a linked list, of browsers whose display is adapted to the Minitel terminal.

In a step 106, the presentation elements and the navigation elements produced are stored.

Processing continues with step 107 shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, in a step 107, is checked if the presentation is made in an image representing the terminal usually used to consult the source service. If not, the processing continues at step 113. If yes, the processing continues at step 108.

In a step 108, it is checked whether it is a first connection. If so, the processing continues at step 110. If no, the processing continues at step 109.

In a step 109, the change of format of the source file (for example from WML to XHTML or vice versa) is verified. If not, the processing continues at step 114 shown in FIG. 9. If not, treatment continues at step 1 10. In a step 110, it is checked whether a particular presentation is wanted by the source service, or by an access portal. If so, the processing continues at step 111. If no, the processing continues at step 112.

In a step 111, a personalized image is selected which is adapted to the Minitel terminal and which represents the terminal usually used to consult the source IT service, as well as associated parameters relating to the window reserved for viewing the processed information corresponding to the information transmitted by this service. Processing continues at step 114 shown in FIG. 9. In a step 112, a default presentation of the image of the terminal and of the viewing window is executed. Processing continues at step 114 shown in FIG. 9.

In a step 113, a default presentation is executed, such as a full screen presentation or a presentation in a window defined by default according to the type of source (WML or XHTML). Processing continues at step 114 shown in FIG. 9.

In Fig. 9, in a step 114, is checked whether the presentation must be in the form of a plurality of windows that can be displayed on the screen of the Minitel. If yes, the processing continues at step 115, if not, at step 131 shown in FIG. 12. In a step 115, a displayable window element is transmitted to the Minitel.

In a step 116, it is checked whether a navigation element is present. If yes, the processing continues at step 117, if not at step 118.

In a step 117, the navigation element present is activated and the display of this element is modified. In a step 118, orders from the terminal are managed

Minitel. If a validation command is activated (for example if the “send” key is pressed), the processing continues at step 150. If a move down command is activated (for example if the “more” key is activated), processing continues at step 119 shown in FIG. 10. If an upward movement command is activated (for example if the “return” key is pressed), the processing continues at step 125 shown in FIG. 11.

In Fig. 10, in a step 119, is checked if a next navigation element is present in the display window element already transmitted. If yes, the process continues in step 124, if not in step 120. In a step 120, it is checked whether there is a next displayable window element. If yes, the method continues at step 121, if not, the method returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9.

In a step 121, a next displayable window element is transmitted to the Minitel.

In a step 122, it is checked whether a navigation element is present in the displayable window element transmitted. If yes, the process continues at step 123, if not, it returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9.

In a step 123, a navigation element present is activated and the display corresponding to this element is modified. The method then returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9.

In a step 124, the current navigation element is deactivated, the next navigation element is activated and the display is modified correspondingly.

In Fig. 11, in a step 125, is checked whether a previous navigation element is present in the display window element already transmitted. If yes, the process continues in step 130, if not in step 126.

In a step 126, it is checked whether there is a previous displayable window element. If yes, the method continues at step 127, if not, the method returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9. In a step 127, a preceding displayable window element is transmitted to the

Minitel.

In a step 128, it is checked whether a navigation element is present in the displayable window element transmitted. If yes, the process continues at step 129, if not, it returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9. In a step 129, a navigation element present is activated and the display corresponding to this element is modified. The method then returns to step 118 shown in FIG. 9.

In a step 130, the current navigation element is deactivated, the previous navigation element is activated and the display is modified accordingly. In Fig. 12, in a step 131, it is checked whether a scrolling up command has been activated (for example if the "more" key has been pressed) or if a scrolling down command has been activated (for example if the "return" key has been pressed). In the first case, the processing continues at step 132, in the second case, at step 139 shown in FIG. 13. In a step 132, it is checked whether a following navigation element is present in the window element displayed on the Minitel. If yes, the processing continues at step 138, if not, at step 143 shown in FIG. 13.

In a step 133, it is checked if the last line of the document is reached. If yes, the processing returns to step 131, if not, it continues to step 134.

In a step 134, a modification of the display is carried out corresponding to a shift of the information downwards with respect to the display window, which gives access to information located above (Roll Up).

In a step 135, it is checked whether a new navigation element is present in the display window as modified. If yes, the process continues in step 136, if not, in step 143 shown in FIG. 13.

In a step 136, the previous navigation element is deactivated and its display is modified correspondingly. The new navigation element is activated and its display is changed accordingly. The method then goes to step 143 shown in FIG. 13.

In a step 138, the previous navigation element is deactivated and its display is modified correspondingly. The new navigation element is activated and its display is changed accordingly. The method then goes to step 143 shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, in a step 139, is checked if a previous navigation element is present in the window element displayed on the Minitel. If yes, the processing continues at step 144, if not, at step 140.

In a step 140, it is checked whether the first line of the document is reached. If yes, the processing returns to step 131 shown in FIG. 12. If not, a modification of the display is carried out corresponding to an offset of the information upwards with respect to the viewing window, which gives access to information located below (Roll Down).

In a step 141, it is checked whether a new navigation element is present in the display window as modified. If yes, the process continues in step 142, if not, in step 143.

In a step 142, the following navigation element is deactivated and its display is modified in a corresponding manner. The new navigation element is activated and its display is changed accordingly. The process then goes to step 143. In a step 143, the commands from the Minitel terminal are managed. If a validation command is activated (for example if the “send” key is pressed), the processing continues at step 150. If a move down command is activated (for example if the “more” key is pressed pressed), processing continues at step 139. If an upward movement command is activated (for example if the "return" key is pressed), processing continues at step 132 shown in FIG. 12.

In a step 144, the following navigation element is deactivated and its display is modified correspondingly. The new navigation element is activated and its display is changed accordingly. The process then goes to step 143.

In a step 150, the processing corresponding to a navigation element which has been activated is executed.

If it is a link type navigation element, the URL associated with the link and any dependent data (for example, "input", "options" and variables data) are retrieved. An HTTP request is issued to the service. The treatment waits for the answer to reach it. Once the answer is obtained, treatment can resume. The "Option" tag having the value "Onpick" as an attribute can be considered as a link. If it is a “Type” navigation element, an element is opened, which allows the user to enter from the keyboard of the target terminal, such as a terminal of the so-called Minitel type. In the case of the Minitel, these can be the "correction", "cancellation" and "checks of authorized characters" keys. The processing waits until the entry is validated (for example, in the case of the Minitel, by pressing the "send" or "carriage return" keys). The information entered is stored and the display of the navigation element is changed accordingly. Processing then resumes where it left off.

If it is a "Selection of one or more options" navigation element, an option list element is opened. Once one or more options have been selected (positioning on the corresponding option by using the "next" and "back" keys and validation by the "send" key), the selected option (s) are stored, the display is modified accordingly and processing resumes at the point where it remained. To make the display and navigation clearer for the user, the "Options list" element can temporarily replace, at the presentation and / or navigation level, a "Displayable window page" element in the body of the document.

A browser object can have four functions. A Process function which consists in reproducing the function (s) of the source element as well as updating the data (a (anchor), Do, Input, Select, Option Onpick, Optgroup (Option group)), by adapting user commands according to the possibilities of the Minitel. A Deselect function which consists in restoring the presentation of the navigation element in non-activated and / or non-activatable mode, possibly recording the context relating to this element, and deactivating the Process, i.e. the actions allowed and / or executed according to user actions from the Minitel. A Select function which consists in presenting the navigation element in activated and / or activatable mode, possibly restoring the context relating to this element and activating the Process. Finally, if necessary, a Start Edition function which consists in positioning and / or possibly activating elements in order to allow the user to enter data and / or commands taking into account the possibilities and / or constraints of Minitel. (activation of the cursor, display of call points for data entry, etc.).

Fig. 14 illustrates various functions performed by the emulation system. A block 160 represents a first function consisting in browsing chronologically according to the XML tree a source page (WML or XHTML). From this first function, follow three other functions represented by blocks 161, 162 and 163.

Block 161 represents the taking into account of the elements of presentation and / or navigation incompatible with the Minitel neither directly, nor even after possible adaptation. These include executing timers and filtering images. Actions corresponding to these elements are executed directly at the level of the emulation system in synchronism with what the original service requires.

Block 163 represents the creation of navigator objects corresponding to the navigation elements contained in the source page and adapted to the Minitel. This function is associated with the navigation management function represented by block 164.

Block 162 represents the extraction of multimedia elements such as text elements (attribute characters, etc.), images and / or alternative text, 3D elements and sound. From this function, follows a function, represented by a block

165, of cutting the text according to a mode of representation, and more generally of restitution, adapted to the Minitel. This breakdown is done according to image models representing the terminal usually used to consult the service and associated data (in particular window data). The function for storing this data is represented by block 168. Two splitting modes are used: splitting into a series of displayable windows, represented by the block

166, giving rise to n pages of displayable windows and the division allowing presentation by scrolling in a window, represented by block 167. The text thus cut feeds the navigation management function represented by block 164.

The navigation management function, represented by block 164, is associated with a function, represented by block 169, for recognizing commands issued by the user from the Minitel, represented by block 171, and with a function represented by block 170, for sending data to the Minitel. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the representation 42 of a WAP telephone emulated on the screen 40 of a Minitel with alphamosaïc display. The information corresponding to the WAP service is displayed in a window 41 reserved for this purpose and corresponding, in the representation 42, to the screen of the WAP telephone. The active elements 43 displayed, here strings of characters, are underlined. A designated active item is highlighted by a shaded area 44.

The help zone 46 is very distinct from the display zone of the WML content; it does not change the perception of the WAP service.

Fig. 6 represents a WAP telephone 52 represented on the screen 50 of a Minitel of the Magis Club type with alphamosaïc and photographic JPEG display. The window 51 for displaying information corresponding to the WAP service has the same size as the window 41 for the representation of FIGS. 4 and 5.

The "Next" and "Back" keys move the gray area designating the active element that can be selected by pressing the "Send" key. Fig. 5 shows the evolution of the display with respect to FIG. 4 after a user has pressed the "Next" key, the gray area then designating the next active element 45.

Pressing the "Next" key when the designated active element is the element at the bottom of the screen and the "Back" key when the designated active element is the element at the top of the screen causes the display, respectively, of the rest of the document or of the previous part of the document respectively.

Minitel of the Magis or Sillage type have their “up arrow” and “down arrow” keys coupled with the Continue and Return keys. From the user's point of view, the WAP phone simulation is even more accurate than with standard Minitel.

To make an entry, the user of a WAP phone must select the corresponding item represented by three points between two symbols <[»and«] ». An input field is then displayed on the screen. When the entry is complete, the user performs a validation operation. The display of the WML document is then restored on the screen with part of the entry replacing the three dots between the two symbols <[»and«] ». With a WAP terminal emulated from a Minitel terminal with the emulation system according to the present embodiment of the invention, the input operation can also be carried out from an active element represented by three points between two symbols <["and"] ", as seen in FIG. 6. When the gray area is positioned on this active element using the “Next” or “Back” keys and the “Send” key is pressed, an input field is then displayed on the screen. When the entry is complete, the user presses the "send" key again. As seen in Fig. 6, at least part of the entry is displayed on the screen between the two symbols <[»and“] ”. To avoid destroying the phone image if the user enters more characters than the display area allows, the input field can be displayed at the bottom of the Minitel screen.

In the same way, to make a choice in a list, the user moves the gray area with "Next" or "Back" keys to an active element representing the list and validates his choice by pressing the "Send" key. The different choices are then displayed in the viewing window in the form of character strings forming active elements underlined and arranged in columns, the gray area being placed on the first active element or the element designated by default. The passage from one active element to another is carried out by pressing the "Next" and "Return" keys and the validation is carried out by pressing the "Send" key. The list is then replaced by the WAP document in which the chosen character string appears between the symbols "[" and "]".

Return to the previous document ("back" function) is done by pressing the "Summary" function key on the Minitel. The return to home ("home" function) is obtained by pressing the "*" and "Summary" keys of the Minitel.

Figs. 15 to 21 illustrate the reception of a WML page shown in FIG. 22. The emulation system receives the WML page. A graphic representation of a mobile phone is then transmitted to the Minitel, as described above.

The system analyzes the elements on this page and constructs presentation elements in relation to a determined window size so as to allow the display in the space reserved for this purpose in the graphic presentation transmitted to the Minitel, in relation to the content of the page, and in relation to the navigation elements present on this page.

In the example of the WML page shown in FIG. 22, the content can be presented in the form of a single window as shown in FIG. 15. Three browser objects have been defined. An Input type browser represented by the display element 200, a Select type browser represented by the display element 201 and a Link type browser represented by the display element 202. The system, operating in in chronological order, first executed the Select function of the Input browser object, retrieving in the display context the coordinates of the line to be modified. The background color of the display element 200 is therefore different (darker) than that of the elements 201 and 202.

The system then executes the Start Edition function of the object, transmitting to the

Minitel of input presentation elements, then the Process function waits for user actions. The display element 210 corresponding to the input presentation is shown in FIG. 16. A cursor allows the user to position his input.

When the user has entered and validated it by pressing the "send" key, the data entered is transmitted and the presentation is modified to show that the entry has been made. The corresponding display element 220 is shown in FIG. 17. The cursor is off, but the background color remains gray to indicate to the user that he is still positioned on this browser.

If the user presses the “continue” key, the system activates the following browser object, that is to say the browser of the Select type, represented by the display element 201 in FIG. 15. This display element is then replaced by an element 21 1, as shown in Fig. 18. When the user presses the "Send" key, the system will command the display so that a list of options is displayed, as shown in Fig. 19.

By pressing the "Next" key, the user can select a new option, for example that represented by the display element 213 in FIG. 19.

When the user presses the "Send" key, the selected data are transmitted and the initial window is displayed again with the corresponding changes represented by the display element 221 in FIG. 20.

When the user presses the "Next" key again, the system activates the following browser object, that is to say the browser of the Link type, represented by the display element 202 in FIG. 15. This display element is then replaced by an element 212, as shown in FIG. 21. When the user presses the "Send" key, the system will retrieve the data relating to this link, constitute the URL from this data and transmit this URL to the Internet service through the Http (or https) client. The URL is encoded if necessary. The system then waits for reception of the new page.

Claims

1) Terminal emulation system suitable for access to a computer system (1) associated with a first telecommunications network (2) from a physical terminal (6) unsuitable for access to said computer system and associated with a second telecommunications network (3, 4, 5), said emulation system being connected, on the one hand, to said first network by means of a first dialogue means (21, 30) and, on the other hand, to said second network by means of a second dialogue means (29, 31), said emulation system being characterized in that it comprises a first processing means (26) adapted to interpret commands from said physical terminal, a second processing means (22, 33) adapted to analyze information from said computer system and to generate corresponding information that can be restored on a rendering means of said physical terminal and a rendering management means (2 4) adapted to generate control information of said rendering means of said physical terminal, said rendering management means receiving information from said first and second processing means in order to control according to said commands from said physical terminal the restitution on said means restitution of said information from said computer system.

2) Emulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a navigation and context management means supplied by the information processed by said second processing means and adapted to transmit to said first dialogue means ( 21, 30) requests to said computer system (1) following commands interpreted by said first processing means and established as a function of a context stored in a context saving means (28). 3) Emulation system according to claim 1 or 2 for the emulation of a WAP terminal from a Minitel terminal, characterized in that said emulation system comprises, for each emulation session, a firstly, a module (24) for managing the display of the Minitel screen and a module (26) for interpreting information coming from the keyboard of the Minitel connected to a module (29) for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols, itself connected to an X25 network layer (31) associated with the Teletel network and, on the other hand, a WML language analysis module (22), a module (33) for adapting the translated information and a module ( 25) navigation and context management connected to an HTTP client module (21), itself connected to a TCP / IP network layer (30) associated with the Internet, said display management module and said navigation and context management module receiving information from said adaptation module and from said module 'interpretation. 4) Emulation system according to claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises a memory (23) for storing images of WAP telephones which can send information to said module (24) for managing the display.

5) Emulation system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it also comprises a recognition module of the Minitel type, receiving information from said module (29) for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols and sending information to said audit command interpretation module (26), said display management module (24), as well as said navigation and context management module (25).

6) Emulation system according to claim 1 or 2 for emulating an XHTML terminal from a Minitel terminal, characterized in that said emulation system comprises, for each emulation session, a firstly, a module (24) for managing the display of the Minitel screen and a module (26) for interpreting information coming from the keyboard of the Minitel connected to a module (29) for processing the X29 and Videopad protocols, itself connected to an X25 network layer (31) associated with the Teletel network and, on the other hand, an XHTML language analysis module (22), a module (33) for adapting the translated information and a module ( 25) for navigation and context management connected to an HTTP client module (21), itself connected to a TCP / IP network layer (30) associated with the Internet, said display management module and said module navigation and context management receiving information from said adaptation module and said interpretation module.

7) Emulation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second processing means (22,33) is adapted to execute processing corresponding to requests from said computer system (1) which cannot be transmitted said physical terminal (6) or processed through said physical terminal.

8) Emulation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display of information on a screen of said terminal to be emulated is done by means of display elements arranged on said screen in the form of lists, some of these display elements representing active elements (43), each of these active elements being able to be selected using a selection means (44) to cause either a modification of the display as the display of a new list or display of a field for entering information, either sending a request or information to said computer system, said selection means comprising, on the one hand, a means designation (44) can move from one active element to another, the display of a designated active element being done differently than the display of an undesignated active element and, on the other hand, a means of validation to validate the selection of an active element designated by said designation means, commands from said physical terminal (6) are used to control the movement of said designation means and a command from said physical terminal is used to control said validation means tion, an interpretation means (26) controlling said management means (24) of said restitution means so that the display of the designated active element is executed in a corresponding manner when one of said commands used to control the movement of said designation means is actuated, and said interpretation means controlling said management means of said restitution means and, where appropriate, said navigation and context management means (25) so that they are executed in accordance with the operation to modify the display and / or, if necessary, send information or a request to said computer system (1) when said command used to control said validation means is actuated.

9) Terminal emulation system suitable for access to a computer system (1) associated with a first telecommunications network (2) from a physical terminal (6) unsuitable for access to said computer system and associated with a second telecommunications network (3, 4, 5), characterized in that the display of information on a screen of said physical terminal is done by means of display elements arranged on said screen in the form of lists, some of these display elements representing active elements (43), each of these active elements being able to be selected using a selection means (44) to cause either a modification of the display as the display a new list or the display of a field for entering information, either sending a request or information to said computer system, said selection means comprising, on the one hand, a designation means (44) able to move by one element active to the other, the display of a designated active element being done differently than the display of an active element not designated and, on the other hand, a validation means for validating the selection of an active element designated by said designation means, and in that commands from said physical terminal (6) are used to control the movement of said designation means and a command from said physical terminal is used to control said validation means.

10) Emulation system according to claim 9, characterized in that said display elements are grouped into a plurality of lists adapted to be successively displayed on the screen of said physical terminal (6) in a given order.

11) Emulation system according to claim 10, characterized in that the commands for passing from one of said lists to a previous list or to a next list are the same as those used to control said designation means.

12) Emulation system according to claim 9, characterized in that said display elements are arranged in the same list in a given order relative to each other, a portion of said list can be displayed on the screen of said physical terminal, the portion of the list displayed can be modified by shifting up or down.

13) Emulation system according to claim 12, characterized in that the commands for modifying the portion of the list displayed by shifting up or down are the same as those used to control said designation means.

14) Emulation system according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that said active elements are navigation objects.

15) Emulation system according to claim 14, characterized in that each of said navigation objects has at least one processing function and a function of defining a display element representing said object.

16) Emulation system according to claim 15, characterized in that said processing function associated with a navigation object is a link function allowing a user to access data provided by said computer system.

17) Emulation system according to claim 15, characterized in that said processing function associated with a navigation object is an input function allowing a user to enter data to be transmitted to said computer system. 18) Emulation system according to claim 15, characterized in that said processing function associated with a navigation object is a selection function allowing a user to make a choice from among several options offered.

19) Emulation system according to any one of Claims 15 to 18, characterized in that a function for defining a display element representing a navigation object is a function for presenting said object in a selected mode, said function being performed when said designation means is positioned on the corresponding active element.

20) Emulation system according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that a function for defining a display element representing a navigation object is a function for presenting said object in an unselected mode , said function being performed when said designation means is moved from the corresponding active element.

21) An emulation system according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that a function for defining a display element representing a navigation object is a function for presenting said object in an active mode, said function being executed when said designation means is positioned on the corresponding active element and said validation means is actuated.

22) Emulation system according to claim 21, characterized in that said presentation of said object in an active mode corresponds to a presentation allowing data entry.