WO1996038969A1

WO1996038969A1 - System for the transmission of messages with transportable signal generating module

Info

Publication number: WO1996038969A1
Application number: PCT/EP1996/002366
Authority: WO
Inventors: Helmut Pflaumer
Original assignee: Meiller Druck Und Verlag Gmbh
Priority date: 1995-06-02
Filing date: 1996-05-31
Publication date: 1996-12-05
Also published as: AU6220596A; EP0829156A1; DE19680350D2

Abstract

A system is disclosed for transmitting messages from a message-sending telephonic device (7) acoustically coupled to a transportable signal generating module (1) to a message-receiving device (6). The signal generating module (1) contains a storage unit for storing information units and an acoustic transducer (9) for converting the information units read out of the storage unit into acoustic analogue signals for the telephonic device (7). The messages to be transmitted are stored as information units in the storage unit of the signal generating module (1). The receiver device (6) contains a processing unit (11) that automatically processes the received messages.

Description

description

Message transmission system with portable signal module

The invention relates to a system for transmitting messages with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Such a transmission system is known from US 4941 172 A1. There, the transmission system has a telephone device as a transmitting device and a receiving device. The transmitting and receiving devices are connected to one another by means of a telephone line. The subscriber operating the telephone device, i.e. a customer communicates with a provider of goods and / or services assigned to the receiving device, e.g. to place an order. In this transmission system, the customer uses a transportable signal module designed in check card format. With the help of this signal module, the customer establishes the telephone connection to the receiving device in order to be able to transmit messages. For this purpose, the signal module contains a memory and a sound converter. A telephone number assigned to the receiving device is programmed into the memory, which telephone number uses the sound converter in the form of acoustic signals

(Multi-frequency method) is delivered to the telephone equipment. In this way, the messages can be transmitted without manually selecting the receiving device. A disadvantage of the previously known transmission system is that the customer must always transmit the messages themselves using the human voice. Message transmission is therefore often cumbersome and time-consuming.

The object of the invention is to simplify a message transmission system of the type mentioned in the introduction.

This object is achieved by the combination of features of claim 1. In the system according to the invention, the messages or messages to be transmitted are stored as information units in a memory unit of the signal module. These information units are emitted as acoustic signals from the signal module. If the user holds the signal module against the mouthpiece of a telephone set, the emitted analog signals are received there after selection of a receiving device and processed automatically. For this purpose, the receiving device contains a corresponding processing unit which triggers an action associated with the transmitted messages, for example the execution of a service.

Any telephone network serves as the transmission path between the telephone device and the receiving device. One or more semiconductor memories, e.g. RAM, ROM, FUSE memory used. The semiconductor memories can be designed to be readable and / or writable and / or erasable.

With the help of the aforementioned storage unit, the debiting of fee units during the transmission of messages can be regulated as with a conventional telephone card. The validity of the signal module can be limited in time and / or in terms of fees in a simple manner by means of the memory unit.

The transmitted messages are, for example, unchangeable information units stored once in the storage unit. This gives the customer a "talking phone card" for use in one-shot mailings, subscription advertising, catalog requests, etc. With the help of this signal module, message transmission is time-saving for the user. Because the user does not use his human voice for message transmission If the call has to be used and the call therefore remains anonymous, the inhibitor threshold for triggering a reaction at the receiver is lowered. With the aid of the signal module, the user can also carry out orders conveniently and easily. For the receiver, the sale or free distribution of the Signal modules to potential users an attractive advertising measure. This applies in particular to providers of goods and / or services as receivers. The potential user, ie the module owner, gives this type of message transmission increased attention because his curiosity is aroused due to the tactile and easy-to-use signal module. The provider can expect increased demand for his goods and services. Since the receiving device automatically processes the transmitted and received messages, the recipient has no significant personnel expenditure. This results in a simplified and inexpensive order or order acceptance for the provider. The automatic transmission of predefined messages and their automatic processing in the receiving device preclude incorrect processing of the transmitted messages, for example incorrect orders caused by misunderstandings during the telephone call. The signal module according to the invention is therefore also advantageous for those persons who have a psychological inhibition threshold prior to telephoning with a third-party receiver. Foreigners with poor knowledge of the respective national language can use the signal module to transmit difficult messages without errors to the recipient. In summary, the message transmission system according to the invention enables time-saving and cost-saving, error-free communication for both the module owner and the recipient.

In the storage unit e.g. Personal data associated with the user of the signal module or the module owner is stored, which are automatically transmitted as messages when the signal module is used. This personal data can e.g. be the user's address, phone number, or personal customer number. Since the use of the signal module at the receiver is intended to trigger a specific reaction, the above-mentioned personal data are usually associated with receiver-related data which are likewise stored in the memory unit and are automatically transmitted. The recipient-related data are e.g. order code, order quantity, payment method, placing an order, a date etc.

Equipped with the appropriate information units (eg free goods order), the signal module can be received as a personal gift, e.g. in the private sector. put. With an attractive design, the signal module - similar to conventional telephone cards - can also be interesting as a collector's item.

According to claim 2, the transmitted messages are coded signals. With a small volume of stored information units, a large coded information content can be transmitted. The message transmission is therefore time-saving in comparison to acoustic voice signals and cost-saving in terms of telephone charges. In addition, the receiver can accept and process a larger number of telephone calls in a certain time interval. In addition, the small storage volume required for the storage unit supports the narrow construction of the signal module, which makes the handling of the signal module even more convenient for the user.

Claim 3 proposes digitizing the received messages. The received messages can therefore be quickly and efficiently e.g. with conventional computer systems or the like are processed.

According to claim 4, the received messages are evaluated in a form that is meaningful for the recipient. The receiving device contains e.g. a computer, telephone system, database or the like.

The measures according to claim 5 allow fully automated message transmission. Even the conventional manual selection of the receiver is unnecessary with the help of the signal module. For this purpose, the telephone number of the recipient is also programmed into the memory unit in addition to the usual information units. In addition to message transmission, dialing is therefore also carried out automatically (multi-frequency dialing method). The user can call the recipient automatically and - if specified by the recipient - free of charge from any telephone. The attractiveness, the durability, the value and the use of the signal module which is effective with the programmed telephone number as a business card is considerably increased. In principle, the receiver offering the signal modules can use the signal module as a fee-based or toll-free telephone card. When using this telephone card free of charge, either the telephone number valid for free telephone calls (in DE: 0130 ...) is programmed into the memory unit or a central switching point of the telephone company charges the recipient the telephone charges. The switching point can also evaluate the transmitted messages and limit the validity of the signal module in terms of time and / or fees, if this is desired by the recipient through the information units defined by him.

According to claim 6, the conversion and transmission of the stored information units is triggered automatically. The trigger signal present at a logic unit of the signal module for this purpose is e.g. mechanically according to the principle of the "singing" greeting card by opening the signal module or by pulling a tab attached to the signal module.

Claim 7 proposes a manually operated signal transmitter, e.g. Switch in front. Such a switch should be as small as possible in the sense of simple handling and convenient transportation of the signal module. Such switches are available inexpensively as mass articles, e.g. designed as a foil contact and thereby support the further miniaturization of the signal module.

According to claim 8, the module holder can select a very specific message to be transmitted from among several possible messages. This message is selected by manual actuation or activation of one or more signal transmitters. The signal transmitter is installed, for example, as a membrane switch in the signal module. Each selectable message can be assigned its own signal generator. The module owner can therefore individually compile his message to be transmitted or, to a certain extent, program it himself by manual activation. This has the advantage that, for example, a service provider offers several offers to a customer or the module owner. te or can offer different order quantities. The module owner can react individually to the offers by selecting the order quantity, article number, payment method, etc. himself on the signal module.

Claim 9 proposes an interface integrated on the signal module for reading and / or writing information units. With the help of this interface, otherwise identical signal modules with different information units can be programmed. For the provider of the signal module, this has the advantage that he can change the content of the memory unit at any time if e.g. changes its range of goods or services. In this way, the durability and the value of the signal module increase. In addition, the contents of the stored information units can be checked, deleted or changed at any time with the aid of a suitable reading and / or writing device connected to the interface, so that additional services such as payment functions (for example telephone units, monetary units) or access authorizations possible are. Likewise, by means of these reading and / or writing devices connected to the interface, the temporal validity of information units can be set as desired.

Depending on the embodiment, the interface permits contact-based and / or contactless writing and reading of information units.

Claim 10 relates to a preferred embodiment of the interface of the signal module. This interface communicates with a suitable terminal, interface or the like by emitting or receiving electromagnetic waves. In this way, the signal module is galvanically isolated from external communication devices and is therefore well protected against electrical damage or destruction.

The measure according to claim 11 provides good protection against unauthorized access to the storage unit by unauthorized persons. The provider of signal modules is therefore well protected against misuse of its signal modules. Claims 12 and 13 support further miniaturization and cost-effective production of the signal module.

According to claim 14, the signal module is independent of an external energy supply. The energy storage integrated in the signal module is e.g. a conventional battery (button cell, thin-film cell or the like) or designed as a solar cell.

The measures of claims 15 and 16 support the simple handling of the signal module when used by the user and also when shipping by the provider.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. Show it:

1 shows a schematic representation of the system for message transmission according to the invention and FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the signal module according to the invention.

The system according to the invention for the transmission of messages, messages, messages and the like. 1 can be divided schematically into three areas, namely into a module holder area 2 assigned to the owner or user of a signal module 1, into a network operator area 3 with a suitable telephone network 4 and into a service provider area 5 with a receiving device 6. The signal module 1 is acoustically coupled to a telephone device 7 present in the module holder area 2. The messages are transmitted from the telephone device 7 via the telephone network 4 to the receiving device 6. The messages to be transmitted by means of the telephony device 7 are stored as information units in a memory unit 8 (FIG. 2) of the signal module 1. The stored information units are read out and converted by a sound converter 9, which is also integrated in the signal module 1, into acoustic analog signals 10 for the telephone device 7. The read out from the memory unit 8 and by the Sound converters 9 converted information units are automatically sent to the receiving device 6 and automatically processed in the receiving device 6. The receiving device 6 contains a processing unit 11 for the automatic processing of the received messages. Since the transmitted messages are coded signals, the processing unit 11 has a decoder (not shown here) for processing the received messages. Further receiving devices, not shown here, for receiving and processing the received messages are also part of the processing unit 11. The processing unit 11 also has an A / D converter 12 for digitizing transmitted analog messages.

The processing unit 11 is followed by an evaluation unit 13 and a further evaluation unit 14. The evaluation units 13, 14 analyze the received and digitized messages. The evaluation unit 13 consists of an EDP system, while the further evaluation unit 14 e.g. has a telephone system and / or a database.

In a first embodiment of the signal module 1, only the messages to be transmitted are stored in the memory unit 8 as information units. In a second embodiment of the signal module 1, in addition to the messages to be transmitted, the telephone number of the receiving device 6 is also stored in the memory unit 8 as information units. With the aid of the signal module 1 according to the second embodiment, the user does not even have to manually select the receiving device 6. The user only has to acoustically couple the signal module 1 to the telephone device 7. Both the selection of the receiving device 6 and the transmission of the messages take place fully automatically.

The sound converter 9 is connected to the memory unit 8 via a logic unit 15, which contains a suitable signal processor. When the signal module 1 is activated, the logic unit 15 receives a trigger signal and then controls the reading of stored information units from the memory unit 8 and the delivery of the read information units to the sound transducer 9. The trigger signal is generated by a switch 16 coupled to the logic unit 15. To activate the signal module 1, the switch 16 only has to be operated manually.

The signal module 1 contains an interface 17 coupled to the memory unit 8 for reading out and for programming information units. During the read / write operations, the interface 17 communicates with suitable external devices, not shown here, e.g. a terminal or an interface. The interface 17, which acts practically as an input / output module, is embodied as an antenna in one embodiment and in this case communicates in an electrically isolated manner with the aforementioned external read / write devices. The interface 17 is coupled to the memory unit with the interposition of the logic unit 15, so that the logic unit 15 having a processor controls both the programming and the reading of information units.

The memory unit 8 and the logic unit 15 are components of a single IC (integrated electronic circuit) module 18. The D / A converter and / or amplifier (in FIG. 2) that may be required to convert the information units read out and precedes the sound converter 9 not shown) is also part of the IC component 18 in one embodiment. In an embodiment not shown here, the interface 17 is also part of the IC component 18. The combination of the aforementioned components in a single IC component 18 supports the structurally narrow structure of the signal module 1.

The signal module 1 contains, as a further component, an energy store 19 for supplying the IC module 18 with the switch 16 closed. The signal module 8 has a flat plastic card 20 as a carrier for its components 9, 15-19, the entire signal module 1 in an embodiment variant is in credit card format. Of course, other formats of the plastic card 20 are also conceivable. In further exemplary embodiments, the plastic card 20 is replaced by another carrier housing, for example by the housing of a clock, for the components. Reference list

Signal module module holder area network operator area telephone network service provider area receiving device telephone device storage unit sound converter acoustic analog signal processing unit A / D converter evaluation unit evaluation unit logic unit switch interface IC component energy storage plastic card

Claims

Expectations

1. System for the transmission of messages between a telephony device (7) acoustically coupled to a transportable signal module (1) that sends the messages and a device (6) that receives the sent messages, the signal module (1)

- Contains a storage unit (8) for storing information units and

contains a sound converter (9) for converting information units read from the storage unit (8) into acoustic analog signals (10) for the telephone device (7), characterized in that

- That the messages to be transmitted are stored as information units in the storage unit (8) of the signal module (1) and

- That the receiving device (6) contains a processing unit (11) which automatically processes the transmitted and received messages.

2. Transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that

- That the transmitted messages are coded signals and

- That the receiving device (6) contains a decoder for processing the received messages.

3. Transmission system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving device (6) contains an A / D converter (12) for processing the transmitted messages.

4. Transmission system according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the receiving device (6) contains at least one evaluation unit (13, 14), for example a computer for analyzing the messages received and to be processed.

5. Transmission system according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in

- That stored information units represent the telephone number of the recipient or the receiving device (6) and

- That the telephone device (7) automatically processes these information units converted by the sound transducer (9) as dialing pulses for selecting the receiving device (6).

6. Transmission system according to one of claims 1-5, characterized in

- That the sound transducer (9) via a logic unit (15) with the storage unit (8) is connected and

- That the logic unit (15) controls the reading of stored information units from the storage unit (8) and the delivery of the read out information units to the sound transducer (9) when a trigger signal is received.

Transmission system according to claim 6, characterized by at least one signal transmitter coupled to the logic unit (15), e.g. Switch (16), the manual actuation of which triggers the reading and delivery of stored information units to the sound transducer (9).

8. Transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that by manual actuation of the signal generator from the memory content of the memory unit (8) information units to be read out are freely selectable.

9. Transmission system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal module (1) includes an interface (17) coupled to the memory unit (8) for reading and / or writing information units.

10. Transmission system according to claim 9, characterized by an antenna as an interface (17).

11. Transmission system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the interface (17) with the interposition of the logic unit (15) is coupled to the memory unit (8).

12. Transmission system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory unit (8) and the logic unit (15) are components of a single IC chip (18).

13. Transmission system according to claim 12, characterized in that the interface (17) is part of the IC module (18).

14. Transmission system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal module (1) contains an energy store (19) as a component for Energieversor¬ supply its other components.

15. Transmission system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that that the signal module (1) has a plastic card (20) as a carrier for its components.

16. Transmission system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal module (1) is designed in credit card format.