Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-20
2004-01-20
Ramakrishnaiah, Melur (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
C379S088170, C379S088180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06681000
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a signal converter, a server, a network information system, control methods thereof and a telephone terminal and, more specifically, to a signal converter which realizes the control of a server by using a DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) signal, i.e., a PB (Push Button) signal or a packet signal, from a telephone terminal such as a portable telephone terminal or a stationary telephone terminal, a server, a network information system, control methods thereof and a telephone terminal.
BACKGROUND ART
As a system in which a user can communicate with an information provider interactively, a personal computer communication system and a system that collects questionnaires in real time are known.
Particularly in recent years, along with the development of personal computer communications, a network game has been receiving attention. This network game can be enjoyed in a variety of ways such as playing against unknown players or solving riddles with a number of other players gathered in the same field.
However, the above conventional system has a problem in that each of the players must develop a computer system, which makes the game difficult to participate in for some players.
That is, when a number of players play against one another, a personal computer connected to a network environment such as LAN (Local Area Network) is essential for each of the players.
However, there are not many places with a substantial LAN environment as exemplified by offices, it has been nearly impossible to implement a LAN environment to which a plurality of personal computers are connected.
Further, when a number of players wish to play against one another, they must gather in the same field, which makes it difficult for them to play against one another.
As a solution to these problems, a network game using the Internet is available. However, such a network game also requires each player to implement a computer system and is not a system in which everybody can participate easily.
Further, in the case of the system that collects questionnaires in real time, it is necessary to use specifically designed terminals, and the implementation and modification of the system are not always easy.
If widely popular telephone terminals (stationary telephone terminals, portable telephone terminals (=mobile telephones including PHS)) can be used as controllers, the above problems can be solved at a time.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a signal converter that can respond to the information provided by an information provider (i.e., server) by using a telephone terminal as a controller, a server, a network information system, control methods thereof and a telephone terminal.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The first embodiment of the present invention is a signal converter that is connected to a server via a communication line to output control data to the server, comprising a signal-converting unit that converts a DTMF signal from a telephone terminal connected via a public communication line into predetermined control data and a data-transmitting unit that transmits the control data to the server via the communication line.
The second embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises a connection-request-rejecting unit that rejects a connection request from a telephone terminal other than the telephone terminal registered in advance.
The third embodiment of the present invention is the second embodiment of the present invention, in which the connection-request-rejecting unit further comprises a connection-not-granted message-transmitting unit that transmits a connection-not-granted message to the telephone terminal other than the telephone terminal registered in advance when receiving a connection request from the telephone terminal.
The fourth embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises an audio-information-storing unit that stores audio information in advance, and an audio-information-transmitting unit that reads the audio information from the audio-information-storing unit and transmits it to the telephone terminal when audio-output-instructing data is inputted from the server.
The fifth embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the data-transmitting unit further comprises a data-transmission-prohibiting unit that prohibits the transmission of the control data corresponding to the telephone terminal other than the telephone terminal which is permitted to transmit the control data at a predetermined timing when receiving DTMF signals from a plurality of telephone terminals.
The sixth embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the number of communication lines is at least two and the data-transmitting unit transmits the same control data to the plurality of communication lines simultaneously.
The seventh embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises a target-server-selecting unit that selects a server to which the signal converter should be connected via the communication line when a predetermined DTMF signal is inputted.
The eighth embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises a telephone-terminal-identifying-information-providing unit that provides the server with the caller number of the telephone terminal or the caller identification number corresponding to the caller number and the line number corresponding to the telephone terminal identified by the caller number.
The ninth embodiment of the present invention is the eighth embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises a line-information-storing unit that stores the caller number or the caller identification number corresponding to the caller number and the line number corresponding to the telephone terminal identified by the caller number.
The tenth embodiment of the present invention is the eighth embodiment of the present invention, in which the data-transmitting unit transmits the line number when transmitting the control data to the server via the communication line.
The eleventh embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises an audio-channel-establishing unit that establishes an audio channel which enables audio communication at least between two of the telephone terminals when a plurality of the telephone terminals are connected via the public communication lines.
The twelfth embodiment of the present invention is the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, in which the audio-channel-establishing unit establishes the audio channel between the telephone terminals corresponding to the connection-instructing data from the server.
The thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, in which the connection-instructing data is predetermined binary data.
The fourteenth embodiment of the present invention is the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, which further comprises a channel-disconnecting unit that disconnects the telephone terminal corresponding to the audio channel established by the audio-channel-establishing unit from the audio channel on the basis of the instruction data outputted by the server when a predetermined DTMF signal is inputted from the telephone terminal or the instruction data outputted by the server by itself.
The fifteenth embodiment of the present invention is a server that is connected via a public communication line to a signal converter comprising a signal-converting circuit that converts a DTMF signal from a telephone terminal connected via the communication line into predetermined control data and a data-transmitting circuit that transmits the control data via the communication line, which comprises an emulation unit that converts the control data received
Itagaki Takatoshi
Moriguchi Atsushi
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
NTT DoCoMo, Inc
Ramakrishnaiah Melur
LandOfFree
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