Method for selecting a broadcast voice channel served in a telephone switching network, and a system thereof

• US 5,343,511 A
• Filed: 05/08/1992
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Osada, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US07/880,597
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 370/50, 370/109, 379/56, 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/63, 379/354, 455/33.1, 358/85, 358/86
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available

Abstract

A method for selecting one of broadcast voice channels served in a telephone network by a channel selector which is provided between the telephone network and a plurality of broadcast signal receivers for making a subscriber in the telephone network select a broadcast voice channel by making the subscriber initially call a switch provided in the telephone network so as to be connected to the channel selector and send a channel selecting signal to the channel selector through the switch, holding the connection between the subscriber and the switch as it is, in response to an inquiring signal sent from the channel selector in correspondent to the initial call. The channel selector makes the subscriber select another broadcast voice signal by making the subscriber perform hooking and send another channel selecting signal to the channel selector through the telephone network, holding connection between the subscriber and the switch as it is.

Claims

1. A method performed by subscribers in a telephone network, for selecting a broadcast voice channel from broadcast voice channels provided in the telephone network which includes switches operatively connected to the subscribers and broadcast signal receivers each converting a broadcast signal sent from a broadcast station, to a broadcast voice signal, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing the switch by dialing a designated dialing number for designating the switch;

receiving a response signal sent from channel selection means provided between the switch and the broadcast receivers, said response signal being sent to the subscriber in response to the dialing performed in said step of accessing and comprising an inquiring signal for inquiring of the subscriber to send a channel selecting signal to the channel selection means through the telephone network, and said channel selecting signal being a signal for selecting one of the broadcast voice signals of the broadcast stations;

sending the channel selecting signal to the channel selection means through the telephone network, by dialing a channel selecting number while holding a connection between the subscriber and the switch, after receiving the response signal from the channel selection means; and

receiving the broadcast voice signal selected at the channel selection means in accordance with the channel selecting signal sent from the subscriber.

2. A selecting method according to claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of sending another channel selecting signal to the channel selection means through the telephone network, by hooking and dialing another channel selecting number while holding the connection between the subscriber and the switch, when the subscriber selects another broadcast voice channel while the subscriber is receiving a former broadcast voice signal.

3. A selecting method according to claim 1, wherein:

said response signal used in said step of receiving the response signal, further comprises an inquiring tone signal sent to the subscriber after said inquiring signal is sent to the subscriber; and

said step of sending the channel selecting signal is performed after the subscriber recognizes that the inquiring tone signal is arrived from the channel selection means.

4. A selecting method according to claim 1 wherein said inquiring signal used in said step of receiving the response signal is a vocal signal to which the subscriber listens.

7. A selecting method according to claim 3, wherein said inquiring signal used in said step of receiving the response signal is a voice signal to which the subscriber listens.

5. A channel selecting system for selecting a broadcast voice channel from broadcast voice channels provided in a telephone network including subscribers and switches operationally connected with the subscribers and broadcast signal receivers converting broadcast signals sent from broadcast stations, to broadcast voice signals respectively, said system comprising channel selection means provided between one of the switches and the broadcast signal receivers, for selecting one of the broadcast voice signals, said channel selecting system comprising:

channel selection means provided between the one of the switches and the broadcast signal receivers for selecting one of the broadcast voice channels in response to a subscriber'"'"'s requirement of selecting the broadcast voice channel, said channel selection means comprising;

responder means for responding to the subscriber by sending an inquiring signal through the switch when the subscriber makes a call to the switch for selecting the broadcast voice channel by dialing a designated dialing number; and

selector means connected with the broadcast signal receivers, for selecting one of the broadcast voice signals sent from the broadcast signal receivers when the subscriber sends a channel selecting signal to said selector means through the switch by dialing a channel number while holding a connection between the subscriber and the switch, after receiving the inquiring signal from said responder means, and for sending the selected broadcast voice to the subscriber through the switch, said selector means for selecting another broadcast voice signal to the subscriber when the subscriber performs hooking and sending the another broadcast voice signal and sends a channel selecting signal to said selector means through the one of the switches by dialing a channel number while holding a connection between the subscriber and the switch, and for sending the another broadcast voice signal to the subscriber through the switch.

6. A channel selecting system according to claim 5, wherein said channel selection means further comprises:

channel selecting signal receiver means for sending an inquiring tone to the subscriber after the inquiring signal is sent from said responder means to the subscriber and for transferring the channel selecting signal received from the subscriber to said selector means, said inquiring tone being used by the subscriber so that the subscriber sends the channel selecting signal after receiving said inquiring tone while holding a connection between the subscriber and the one of the switches; and

connection controller means for controlling connection of signals transferred among said responder means, said selector means, said channel selecting signal receiver means, the one of the switches and the subscriber.