Telephone apparatus

The invention relates to a telephone set according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Telephone sets, such as the Kirk Delta II, generally have a keyboard for entering telephone numbers and function keys. A display is usually arranged to display certain functions or the telephone numbers entered and a microphone for speaking and a hearing transducer or loudspeaker for listening. In addition, so-called cordless telephones are also known which have a handset with a keyboard and possibly also with a display, the microphone or the loudspeaker or hard transducer also being arranged in the handset.

With the transmission technology via telephone lines in the field of visual media, fax transmissions can be used to record paper, with Internet or BTX electronic picture pages and, in the case of picture phones, also interactive moving pictures of call participants.

So-called mobile phones are also known, which are connected wirelessly via digital mobile radio networks. Today, the mobile radio networks mostly correspond to the so-called GSM standard (Global System Mobile), such as currently D1, D2 and E + in Germany. Such mobile telephones can also already be connected to input arrangements which have a pressure-intensive writing surface which can be written on with a pen. Such devices for mobile phones are described, for example, in issue 8, page 86 of the 1998 c't magazine. Issue 11 of this magazine, page 46, also describes the further expansion to date with additional functions and additional arrangements for normal, traditional telephone sets.

Despite the presence of pressure-sensitive writing surfaces and the connection to cell phones, no normal telephone set has become known so far, in which interactive writing or sketching is possible, since a mere transfer of the principle would not lead to success.

The invention is therefore based on the object of modifying a telephone or a telephone set with a cordless handset in such a way that the communication modality of interactive writing or sketching can also be implemented with these telephone sets.

The achievement of the object is characterized in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

Further solutions to the problem are characterized in the characterizing part of claims 2 to 10.

The specified solution, namely the connection or integration of a pressure-sensitive writing surface with a pen (English T-scratchboard) with or in a telephone, means that the communication modality of interactive writing or sketching and the transmission to subscribers in the telecommunications network is achieved by an analog device equipped in this way. or ISDN telephone possible without other additional devices. By using a pressure-sensitive writing surface, which can be written on with a pen, with a telephone, for example, a verbally difficult to describe facts such as mathematical / chemical formulas, directions, floor plans, etc., is also convenient, and an interactive online design is also easy with the Phone possible. In addition, silent communication is also possible with a telephone equipped in this way, in that a private short message, secret numbers, gesture symbols, etc. are recorded using the pressure-sensitive writing surface and the pen. It is also used to enter signatures using a telephone. Based on the ISDN and the analog transmission system, an interactive online writing, sketching and drawing game option can now also be implemented using a telephone.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention, in particular the arrangement of the pressure-sensitive and detecting writing and sketching surface on or in a telephone, and the control and adaptation result from the following description and the drawing.

The invention is described below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. In the description, in the patent claims, in the abstract and in the drawing, the terms and assigned reference symbols used in the list of reference symbols given below are used.

In the drawing:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a basic block diagram for solutions to be implemented.</dd></dl>

In order to implement interactive writing or sketching with the aid of a telephone, a commercially available pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing surface or sketching surface 7 is connected to the telephone set. One variant of the connection consists in the connection via cable, another via a design using a plug or plug-in connection, or another in a direct integration into the telephone set. The pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing surface 7 is described with the aid of a pen 19. The pressure-sensitive and detecting writing and sketching surface 7 is made transparent and a color or gray tone monitor, not shown, is placed in front. By means of the pen 19, one can write or sketch on the pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing and sketching surface 7 while the writing or the sketch is visualized with an LCD monitor, not shown. Said writing and sketching surface 7 is advantageously to be arranged in landscape format and should not be less than 40 cm² be. The display resolution of the monitor and the sensitivity of the pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing surface has to be set larger than 100 dpi in order to simulate a fine pen width. In addition, the following components according to the block diagram according to FIG. 1 are required for the faultless operation of a telephone equipped with a writing and sketching surface 7:

Image management keys 12, at least one image storage key 13, at least one image delete key 14 and image selection keys 15, which accordingly initialize image management, image storage, image deletion or image selection. In addition, circuits for the monitor, for the pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing surface 7 and the control buttons are present on a common card. Box 4 symbolizes a memory for at least 3 pictures and box 5 a microprocessor for coordination or control. A bus 6, which is connected to the card 3, serves as the connecting link for the components 1 to 5. For input and output for the connection status, a connection request switch 9, a connection display 10 to other write or Sketching areas, a data transfer light 11 and the image management keys 12, the image storage key 13, the image delete key 14 and the image selection keys 15 are present. The input 16, represented by a symbolic circle, from a telephone socket and an output 17 to the telephone set serve as the data interface in an analog telephone. The input 16 and the output 17 are connected to the ISDN telephone interface or the modem for analog telephone 1. The mains supply 18 is connected to all components of the block diagram according to FIG. 1, which is represented schematically by the line 8. In the following, the operations and functions of the individual components of the block diagram according to FIG. 1 are basically described. First, the telephone cable is looped through the writing and sketching surface 7. The cable of the telephone is plugged into the writing and sketching surface 7 and an additional telephone cable is installed from the writing and sketching surface 7 to the telephone.

The power supply to the writing and sketching surface 7 is then set up. It should be mentioned here that telephoning is possible even when there is no power supply to the writing and sketching surface 7.

First, an A-subscriber establishes a telephone connection to the second, the B-subscriber, with his connected telephone. When the connection request switch 9 is switched on, the writing and sketching surface 7 of the A subscriber sends an individual identification sequence via the D channel in the case of ISDN or in the in-band method with an analog telephone. During an entire telephone conversation, the writing and sketching area 7 waits for an identification sequence of the writing and sketching area 7 of the B subscriber via the D channel or the in-band. If there is no connection within a certain time, for example a minute, the connection request switch 9 is switched off and the connection display 10 to the other writing and sketching surface 7 goes out. If, on the other hand, a connection is established, further transmission conditions are then negotiated or implemented and the connection request switch 9 is switched off. The participants can initiate a connection establishment at any time by turning on the connection switch 9.

The transfer conditions are:<ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Short, unique identification number of the writing and sketching surface 7</li><li>Monitor geometry, display resolution, colors</li><li>Transmission speed</li></ul>

When data is being transmitted to control the other writing and sketching surface 7, the data transfer light 11 lights up. The transmission takes place via the D channel, provided that both subscribers have an ISDN telephone connection. Otherwise the data is transmitted in the in-band process (while silence in the speech channel).

The protocol makes it possible to operate different image and image composition formats. The standard is the online write mode, in which sequences of x, y pen coordinators and control data for pen placement, color changes, etc. are transmitted. In full screen mode, images are transferred in the bitmap.

During the online writing mode, both participants can write on their writing and sketching surface 7. In addition to your own writing records, the other participant's writing records are displayed.

If one of the participants A or B deletes the writing and sketching surface 7 with the delete key 14, then the writing and sketching surface 7 of the other participant is also deleted. With the memory key 13 it is possible, for example, to save a page. The image selection keys 15 make it possible to select stored images and also to display what has been written or drawn on both writing and sketching surfaces 7. Basically it is assumed here that in the display mode both writing and sketching surfaces 7, for example the participants A and B, should have identical representations at all times. However, other regulations can also be made without departing from the principle of the present invention. In the following, the events after a telephone call connection and the triggered programs or Steps of a general nature specified; Variations of the events and / or the triggered programs are easily possible.<tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0975130A2_D0001.tif" /></tables>

To explain the variables used:<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>ABBAU_REQ (ID)</dt><dd>Desired connection</dd><dt>AKT_BILD_NR</dt><dd>Current image page number</dd><dt>MOVE</dt><dd>Pen movement data</dd><dt>BEW_REQ (ID, BEW)</dt><dd>Notification of the pen movement BEW</dd><dt>IMAGE</dt><dd>Image data</dd><dt>IMAGE()</dt><dd>Image storage for at least three images (as described above)</dd><dt>ID</dt><dd>Identification Number</dd><dt>CONF</dt><dd>Configuration of the writing surface</dd><dt>CONF</dt><dd>Configuration data</dd><dt>KONF_REQ (ID), KONF_ACK (ID, KONF)</dt><dd>Configuration data request, transmission of configuration data CONF</dd><dt>DELETE_REQ (ID)</dt><dd>Delete command</dd><dt>CLEAR</dt><dd>Image delete button pressed</dd><dt>TO SAVE</dt><dd>Image save button pressed</dd><dt>VERB_REQ (ID), VERB_ACK (ID)</dt><dd>Connection request, connection confirmation</dd><dt>VERB_WUNSCH</dt><dd>Switch position of switch 12</dd><dt>CONNECTION</dt><dd>if ON there is a connection between the A and B writing surfaces</dd><dt>ZEIGEBILD_REQ (ID, BILD)</dt><dd>Deletes current writing surface and shows image data IMAGE</dd></dl>

As already stated, the writing and sketching surface 7 can also be integrated into a telephone set. The pressure-sensitive and detecting writing or sketching surface is arranged directly above the display, namely as a transparent layer. The arrangement of the display as well as the pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing and sketching surface 7 lying above it takes place in the area below the keyboards, so that both the number keys and the function keys cannot be actuated unintentionally. The arrangement just described is the preferred one, but other arrangements are possible, such as to the right of the keyboard or to the left of the keyboard or in special cases above the keyboard. By integrating the pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing and sketching surface 7, a connecting cable is no longer required and thus also a change of the cable connections. In addition, the writing surface can also be used as a number pad, provided that there is sufficient power supply for the writing surface.

Phone settings can be clearly displayed and manipulated. Function keys can also be realized by arranging them at fixed points with the transparent, pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing or sketching surface 7.

You can also use a phone as a game console and address book with an additional programming device, sound generator and additional storage unit, also memory-resident. For this purpose, a program card is inserted into the program reader, whereupon the writing and sketching surface 7 executes the read program. It is also possible to create a telephone connection with the writing and sketching surface 7 and to exchange further information, for example from a server.

Telecommunications services can be made much more intuitive by means of the writing and reading device obtained using the writing and sketching surface 7, for example:<ul id="ul0002" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Phone number information is displayed</li><li>Cooking recipes, calendar of events, weather forecast, etc. are visualized</li><li>Using a handwriting recognizer installed at the telecommunications provider, handwritten entries can be easily converted into text and, for example, forwarded as an email</li><li>further Internet services can be used assimilated to the writing and sketching area environment</li><li>Signature verification and e-cash procedure</li><li>Server for multi-user applications (games, tele-votes, etc.)</li></ul>

List of reference numbers

<dl id="dl0003" compact="compact"><dt>1</dt><dd>ISDN telephone interface or modem for analog telephone</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>Memory for transfer conditions to the connected writing and sketching area</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>Circuits for monitor, pressure-sensitive and -detecting writing surface as well as for control buttons</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>Storage for at least three pictures</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>Microprocessor for coordination and control</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>bus</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>Pressure sensitive and detecting writing and sketching surface</dd><dt>8</dt><dd>management</dd><dt>9</dt><dd>Connection request switch</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>Connection display to other writing and sketching areas</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>Data transfer display</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>Image management buttons</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>Image save button</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>Image delete button</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>Image selection buttons</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Entry of telephone jack</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>Output to the telephone set</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>Power supply</dd><dt>19</dt><dd>Pen for writing</dd></dl>