WO1997035420A1

WO1997035420A1 - Terminal connected to the telephone network and with selective processing of incoming calls

Info

Publication number: WO1997035420A1
Application number: PCT/FR1997/000409
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Charbonnier; Thierry Charbonnier
Original assignee: Sagem S.A.
Priority date: 1996-03-19
Filing date: 1997-03-07
Publication date: 1997-09-25
Also published as: NO984317D0; FR2746570A1; AU2163697A; NO984317L; EP0888682A1; FR2746570B1

Abstract

The terminal, arranged to be connected to a telephone network (9) and to receive calls from other machines connected to the network (9), comprises means (13) receiving the identity of each calling machine provided by the network (9), and means (14) for storing an electronic agenda containing the identities and the call processing modes of a plurality of machines, and comparator means (15) intended to search for each identity received in the agenda and to control means (5, 11) for processing the calls according to the associated processing mode. Application to fax machines with answering-recording device.

Description

Terminal connected to the telephone network and selective processing of incoming calls

The telephone network allows the connection of an ever increasing number of types of electronic terminals, with ever more sophisticated functions.

If we consider for example a speech signal exchange terminal, a telephone set, the introduction of electronics allows in some countries to integrate various functions, such as filtering incoming calls by 1 display the telephone number of an extension that calls him. The user can thus, with full knowledge of the facts, choose to answer or else let his phone ring to order the call to an associated answering machine. The number of the calling station is known to the central office of the station of the called user and it is he who provides the service for supplying this number.

If, on the other hand, we consider a data exchange terminal, such as a facsimile machine, this service for providing the calling number had appeared without interest. In addition, a calling terminal can generally, once the communication has been established, supply its own telephone number as well as its type and characteristics of transmission. The called terminal either adapts to it or refuses to continue this initial dialogue and ends the communication.

However, the initial dialogue between terminals is a source of loss of time because, for example in the case of a purely telephone call terminating on a fax machine associated with an answering machine, the called fax machine does not detect that it is a telephone call, and only switches the call to the answering machine, after a period reflecting the absence of fax signaling reception. In other words, the information sought is deduced from the non-reception of signaling, and such a "dialogue of the deaf" is a waste of time. The present invention aims to more efficiently manage the processing of incoming calls.

To this end, the invention relates to a terminal arranged to be connected to a telephone network and to receive calls from other machines connected to the network, comprising means for receiving the identity of each calling machine, provided by the network. , terminal characterized in that it comprises means for memorizing an electronic diary containing, at least one machine, its identity and the method of processing its calls, and comparator means arranged to search for the identity received in the agenda and to order means for processing calls according to the associated processing mode. Thus, the identification of the calling machine can be carried out before any dialogue with it, which immediately makes it possible to process its call according to its characteristics. By characteristics, we mean not only the objective and technical characteristics of the calling machine and its telephone line, to which the terminal must adapt to establish communication, but also the subjective characteristics that we intend to reserve for the call. In other words, the terminal of the invention is a terminal with selective call processing.

It will be noted that the terminal of the invention can be a telephone terminal proper or a data transmission terminal. In addition, although it is called, it can be a reception and / or transmission terminal, such as for example a server.

It will be noted that the machines capable of calling the terminal of the invention are not necessarily endowed with the same characteristics as it. As machines, we can talk about fax machines, voice servers and even telephone devices. It is also understood that the identity provided by the network may in fact originate from the calling machine and be transmitted by a signaling channel, before the telephone answer from the called terminal, or by the telephone link once this has been established. In this case, the identity of the calling machine can be defined by data other than its telephone number; in other words, the machine can be moved from one line to another while retaining the same identity. The invention will be better understood using the following description of two preferred embodiments of a terminal according to the invention, with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a fax machine with telephone answering machine, according to the first embodiment,

- Figure 2 is a flowchart explaining the sequencing of the operation of the facsimile machine with the answering machine of Figure 1, and - Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electric consumption meter with remote reading, according to the second embodiment.

The fax machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises a set 1 of interface with a telephone line 9, here of the switched telephone network, PSTN, a set 2 of conventional fax elements, a set 3 of a conventional telephone answering and recording machine, associated with a set telephone 4, and a central unit 5, common to these assemblies, connected to a keyboard 6 by a general bus 10. The interface assembly 1 comprises a relay 11 with typically two blades, switching diagrammatically of line 9 on a call ring detector 12 and on a receiver 13 of identity signals of a calling machine, supplied by the PSTN and also comprising date and time stamps such as the date and the time. The calling machine can for example be a telephone set, a voice server or a fax machine. An electronic memory 14, containing an electronic diary of identities and respective modes of processing calls from such machines capable of calling the fax machine shown, is connected to a first input of a comparator 15, a second input of which is connected to the output of the receiver 13. The comparator 15 controls the relay 11 as well as the central unit 5, the latter with the bus 10 and the assembly 1 constituting an automaton processing the calls, incoming and outgoing, according to the various possible modes .

The representation of the assembly 1 in the form of wired logic has only a didactic purpose to clearly show the functional relationships between the elements of this assembly 1. The elements 11 to 15 are in fact connected to the bus 10 by interfaces appropriate and the comparator 15 is in fact integrated into the central unit 5. Similarly, the switching relay 11 can be functionally considered as a logical addressing for connecting the line 9 to the desired electronic circuits.

The assembly 2 comprises a circuit 21 for looping the DC line and a modem 22, connected to the line 9 through the contacts of the relay 11 in the rest position. In practice, the modem 22 and the receiver 13 may be only one component. The assembly 2 also includes a memory 23 for program and received fax data, a scanner 24, a printer 25 and a display 26. The bus 10 connects the circuits 21-26 to the central unit 5. It could have been planned not to connect, at rest, that the assembly 1 to the line 9, that is to say to arrange it in cutoff, for example by a pull-out socket. A monitoring circuit, such as a current detector powered by a current generator downstream of the cutoff, would scan the state of the downstream assemblies 2-4 to detect a seizure of line for an outgoing call.

The assembly 3 comprises, connected to the bus 10, a memory 31 for voice announcements, or welcome messages, a memory 32 for received voice messages and a coded code 33 connected to a handset 36, comprising a microphone 34 and a loudspeaker. speaker 35, used to record welcome messages and to listen to or replay received messages and welcome messages. The coded 33 is connected to line 9 through the working contacts of relay 11. The station 4, which could have been replaced by the handset 36 associated with a dial pad, for example controlling the modem 22, is connected in parallel to 1 answering and recording unit 3.

The operation of the answering machine - recorder will now be explained. In a commissioning phase, the user of this memorizes in the agenda 14, from the keyboard 6, the telephone number of one or more machines capable of calling the fax machine with answering machine - recorder and associates it a method of processing the call. In the case of this example, only a purely voice call or a fax message can be successfully received.

Therefore, here, the agenda number 14 is associated with a processing mode indicating that it is a telephone set or that it is a fax machine. In the case of a fax machine, its technical characteristics are also specified for the transmission of a fax message, that is to say for example its group, a characteristic of the line quality as described. below, or the fact that he has a specific quick contact procedure.

It is here provided, when a fax message cannot, for reasons of quality of the calling line in particular, be established at the maximum speed of the receiving fax machine represented, to store in agenda 14 a fallback transmission speed of the last. Thus, upon receipt of a subsequent call from the same calling fax machine, the called fax machine will indicate, during the conventional prior speed negotiation with the calling fax machine, that it can only operate at this fallback speed. This self-learning will thus avoid a waste of time linked to an unsuccessful attempt to establish data transmission at its maximum speed, too high taking into account the quality of the telephone line of the calling fax machine. In operation, an incoming call from a calling machine is detected by circuit 12 which informs the central unit 5. The PSTN provides, after the first ringing of incoming call, the identity, or telephone number, of the line from which the call originates and the circuit 13 transmits this identity, in the appropriate form, to the comparator 15. A search in the agenda 14, under the control of the central unit 5 activated for this purpose by the detector circuit 12, allows the comparator 15 to detect the presence, if this is the case, of the telephone number identifying the calling machine. The processing mode associated with this calling number is then read to selectively process the call, that is to say, here, start by routing it (11) to the fax unit 2 or to the telephone part 3- 4, to then manage (5) a communication establishment protocol. There is therefore no initial sorting phase according to signals emitted by the calling machine and linked to its application.

In a first case, for which the calling machine has a processing mode indicating a voice machine, such as a telephone set or a voicemail, the relay 11 switches to the work position so that the rest of the network's ringtones reach the set 4 and the ring. Conventionally, it is the responder-recorder assembly 3 which performs, after delay, a line loop, not shown, if the station 4 does not respond. Central unit 5 then selects, in memory 31, a voice announcement according to the processing mode which has been read and which indicates for example that it is a call coming from a member of the family of the user of the fax machine with answering machine - recorder or a business relationship. The coded 33, or a voice synthesizer if the greeting messages are coded with a data compression algorithm, ensures the online transmission 9 of the greeting message adapted to the caller and, conversely, digitizes the received voice message , which is stored in memory 32.

In a second case, for which the processing mode indicates a call from a fax machine, the relay 11 remains idle, the station 4 is therefore not rang, the circuit 21 loops the line 9, and the modem 22 provides data exchange, under the control of the central unit 5 which manages the fax protocol. As indicated above, the latter can for example manage the protocol for establishing the facsimile data communication by immediately indicating the fallback speed of the facsimile machine 2. The display 26 is used here to provide a call notice in indicating the calling number, provided by circuit 13, and the associated processing mode if it is in the agenda 14. The name of the user of the calling machine can intervene in the processing mode and be displayed. An audible indication of the processing mode can be provided, by means of the code 33 and the loudspeaker 35, under the control of the central unit 5, informed by the reception circuit 13 and reading the diary 14. The call notice can also be printed (25) under the control of the central unit 5.

In this example, the calendar 14 is automatically updated by the central unit 5, which receives from the reception circuit 13 the telephone number of each machine which calls and detects, according to the possible presence of fax protocol signals , if he it is a telephone machine or a fax machine. The central unit 5 also specifies whether or not the maximum data transmission speed can be used. Such an update may be subject to the receipt of several calls from the same machine. It is also planned to update a time base, not shown, of the central unit 5 from the time stamp information provided by the PSTN network.

It is further provided that the central unit 5 memorizes, in the memory 23, the identity, or telephone number, of machines having called the terminal 1-4 without obtaining an answer, as well as the date and the time. The absence of off-hook from station 4, and the return to the recorder-answering machine 3, can be considered as an absence of response. Similarly, a return from extension 4 on a simple answering machine, not a recorder, can be considered as an absence of response. In such a case, the man-machine relationship circuits 6 and 33-35 allow the user to consult the memory 23 to recall the machines that called.

In the present example, the identity received by circuit 13, that is to say the calling telephone line number, attests that a received fax message indeed comes from the fax machine connected to the identified line. This identity provided by the network authenticates the identity or telephone number of the calling fax machine, supplied by the latter during the initial negotiation, managed by the fax protocol, but which could be falsified by the calling fax machine. The central unit 5 then associates with the fax message received an indication of authenticity when the number provided by the PSTN through the circuit 13 corresponds to that provided, at the application level, by the calling machine. It can be planned to restrict such authentication to the numbers of the agenda 14, or even to only accept faxes from fax machines identified in agenda 14 and thus logically constitute a closed network.

The indication of authenticity is printed here in the form of a specific pattern at the edge of the sheets on which the fax is printed, more precisely in a 6 mm margin of sheets of thermal paper 216 mm wide, which leaves available the 210 millimeters required for A4 format. We could have considered integrating the indication of authenticity into the returned fax, for example printing with a specific color or with a background in the form of a frame of spaced black dots constituting a gray background, protecting against falsification by photocopying after receiving the fax. The consultation in memory of faxes also makes it possible to ensure the conformity of a printed fax with that which was transmitted online 9.

In an alternative embodiment, it can be provided that the automaton (1, 5) for routing incoming calls is simply listening in parallel with sets 2 and 3, therefore without action on them. Upon receipt of a first burst of ringing, the machine ensures a calibrated looping of the line and picks up the identity signals supplied by the PSTN, before releasing the line. In this case, the automaton can display the identity of the caller, with the date and time, memorize it, produce a specific ringtone depending on the machines identified, or even control actuators to for example lower the sound 'A television. The reaction of assemblies 2 and 3 can be estimated by a line monitoring circuit detecting a line voltage drop indicating a stall, or the presence of voice or fax signals, which makes it possible to deduce therefrom a list of identities of machines that called without getting an answer. The detailed operation of the controller 1, 5, 10 will now be explained with reference to FIG. 2.

In a step 41, the central unit 5 performs a filtering and a recognition of the identity tones supplied by the PSTN network and we pass to a step 60 of call memorization and statistical accumulation, which is followed by a storage in a statistical memory of calls (61). We then go on to a step 62 for suggesting an update to the agenda 14, edited on the facsimile machine 2 or displayed (26) or synthesized by voice (33), which is followed by an end step 63.

Starting from the initial step 41, by comparison with the agenda 14 it is determined (45) also if the identity of the caller is in the agenda 14. If not (46), this number is assimilated to a number banal, calling for a standard reaction. In the affirmative, a call notification program 42 is called (47) and the identity of the caller and / or prints it (25) is displayed (26) or generates a voice announcement (33) at a step 48, with indication of the date and time (49). If it is detected, at a step 50, that a timer, armed at the start of the call, has expired, an automatic response program 43 supplied with data 44 is called (51) and for this purpose activated (52) answering machine 3 and / or fax machine 2, with indication of the time (53). In a step 54 following the step 51, the user called is picked up during a response 52 and, if not (56), a buzzer and / or the display 26 are activated at the end of the response. If yes in step 54 (off-hook) or if the user goes off-hook in step 50 before the timer expires, it is detected (55) if the automatic response stop is requested. If yes (57), we switch to ordinary telephone function, otherwise (58), we make a fax answer and simultaneously switch to ordinary telephone function. After steps 57 and 58, we go to step 59 of unchanged statistical situation detection. If yes, we end the process (63), if not, we go to step 62 of suggestion to update agenda 14.

In the other embodiment, in FIG. 3, the facsimile machine 1, 2, 5, 6 is replaced by a device having to transmit data to and / or receive data from the correspondent. In the present example, it is a device 80 for remote reading of a sensor in the form of an electric meter for measuring the consumption of electricity, gas, water or the like.

The device 80 comprises an interface assembly 71 processing incoming calls, disposed at the head of the terminal, on the telephone line side, and in series with the latter. The assembly 71, identical to the assembly 1, comprises a relay 81 equivalent to the relay 11 and a circuit 70 controlling the relay 81 and which, equivalent to the circuits 12 to 15, is therefore not described further.

The circuit 70 controls a remote reading set 72 comprising a circuit 73 for configuring a sensor / counter 74, circuit 73 connected at the input to the telephone line 9 through the rest contacts of the relay 81. The circuit 73 comprises a configuration memory of the counter 74, the latter here measuring an electricity consumption by a measurement input 75. A transmitter circuit 76, controlled by the circuit 70, connects a measurement output of the counter 74 to the telephone line 9, through the contacts relay 81 rest.

The operation of the device 80 is as follows.

Circuit 70 includes, in its diary, the telephone number of a remote metering / remote management center. In the event of a call coming from the latter, the relay 81 remains in the rest position, otherwise it switches to the working position to route the call to a telephone set 4 in the room concerned and to ensure, in transparency, conventional telephone communications. Thus, the assembly 71 ensures the switch of the call, before any answer by looping line 9, and thus operates transparently for the user of telephone set 4.

When the call comes from the center above, the assembly 71 controls the off-hook by looping over line 9 by a circuit not shown and also controls circuit 73 so that it receives from line 9 and stores data, or parameters, possible remote control, here remote setting, of the counter 74, for example the pricing to be applied as a function of the time. For transmissions, on line 9, in the opposite direction, the circuit 70 controls the circuit 76 for the transmission of the counting data from the counter 74. A single operating center number can be provided in the calendar (14 ) or many.

In the case of another application, which would be in real time, such as remote monitoring, a monitoring center can perform a cyclic scanning, at high speed, of a large number of monitoring systems, replacing the sensor 74 and its circuits 73 and 76 output only systems with an alarm to transmit taking a line after receipt of the identity of the center, to transmit the alarm information generated by a sensor.

Claims

1. Terminal arranged to be connected to a telephone network (9) and to receive calls from other machines connected to the network (9), comprising means (13; 70) for receiving the identity of each calling machine, provided by the network (9), a terminal characterized in that it includes means (14; 70) for storing an electronic diary containing, at least one machine, its identity and the method of processing its calls , and comparator means (15; 70) arranged to search for the identity received in the diary and to control means (5, 11; 81) for processing calls according to the associated processing mode.

2. Terminal according to claim 1, in which there are provided means (14) for memorizing an electronic diary containing, of a plurality of machines, their identities and the methods of processing their calls, and the comparator means ( 15) are arranged to search for each identity received in the agenda and to control the means (5, 11) for processing calls according to the associated processing mode.

3. Terminal according to one of claims 1 and 2, comprising facsimile means, in which there is provided automatic means (5) for updating the calendar (14).

4. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which there are provided, in addition to facsimile means, means (5) for processing identities provided by the network (9) and identities provided by the calling machines to authenticate these by means of these.

5. Terminal according to claim 4, wherein the processing means (5) are arranged to control the printing, by a printer (25), of a specific pattern on the edge of the facsimile facsimile.

6. Terminal according to one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the processing means are arranged to control the rendering, by a printer (25), of the indication of authenticity in the form of a gray background on supports fax machine.

7. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which there is provided, in addition to facsimile means, a telephone answering machine (3) comprising means (31, 33) for storing and reproducing online voice messages d 'Home.

8. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein there is provided facsimile means and the comparator means (15) are arranged to control, depending on the processing mode, the referral, by the processing means (11), calls to an answering machine (3) associated with the terminal (2).

9. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein there is provided, in addition to facsimile means, means (23-26) for indicating the identities of the calling machines.

10. Terminal according to claim 9, wherein said identification means comprise voice reproduction means (33, 36).

11. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the call processing means (11) are arranged in cut on the line.

12. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the call processing means comprise a bus (10).

13. Terminal according to one of claims 11 and 12, wherein the call processing means (11) comprise means for monitoring the state of circuits (2, 3) for receiving calls.

14. Terminal according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the call processing means (5) are arranged to update a time base from time stamp information provided by the network.

15. Terminal according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the means (71) for processing calls are arranged to control means (76) for online data transmission.

16. Terminal according to claim 15, in which the data come from a sensor (74).

17. Terminal according to claim 16, in which the sensor (74) is a consumption counter.

18. Terminal according to claim 16, in which the sensor belongs to a monitoring system.

19. Terminal according to one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the processing means (71) are arranged to control means (73) for receiving remote control data from the sensor (74).