Information processing and communication apparatus

• US 5,757,898 A
• Filed: 12/12/1995
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/570,732
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 379/156-159, 379/164, 379/165, 379/167, 379/177, 379/242, 379/279, 379/289, 379/67, 379/387, 379/93.14, 364/705.05, 364/705.01
• US Class Current: 379/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/005 with subscriber controlled access to an exchange line

Abstract

Devices, such as a mouse and a keyboard, a monitor of a PC, a microphone and a speaker provided on the extension board, and a sound input/output device of the sound input/output unit which is connected to the extension board are utilized as a display unit, an operation unit, and a sound input/output unit of the key telephone, respectively, by interchanging control information between a central processing unit of a PC main device and a control unit of an extension board which includes an exchange circuit, an information processing circuit, an I/F circuit, and a telephone circuit for an extension line. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an information processing and communication apparatus, capable of controlling at least one external line and a plurality of extension lines, with superior operability, which has combined functions of a PC and a key telephone system.

Claims

1. An extension board, connected to a personal computer, for adding functions of a key telephone system to the personal computer by utilizing a monitor and an operation unit of the personal computer, said extension board comprising:

a first interface for connecting to an external line;

a telephone circuit for connecting to sound input/output means to make the personal computer serve as an extension telephone;

a second interface for connecting to a plurality of extension terminals;

an exchange circuit for connecting the external line to said telephone circuit or one of the plurality of extension terminals; and

a third interface for receiving control information sent from a central processing unit of the personal computer in accordance with operation of the operation unit

wherein said exchange circuit connects the external line to said telephone circuit for answering a call in accordance with the operation of the operation unit.

2. The extension board according to claim 1, wherein said first interface connects to a plurality of external lines.

3. An extension board according to claim 1 further comprising a processing circuit for processing information from the plurality of extension terminals.

4. The extension board according to claim 1, wherein said third interface receives control information from the central processing unit of the personal computer.

5. A personal computer comprising:

a first interface for connecting to an external line;

a telephone circuit for connecting to sound input/output means to perform as an extension telephone;

a second interface for connecting to a plurality of extension terminals;

an exchange circuit for connecting the external line to said telephone circuit or one of the plurality of extension terminals; and

a data processing circuit for controlling said exchange circuit for making a call in accordance with operation of an operation unit of said personal computer used as operation means of a key telephone.

6. The personal computer according to claim 5, wherein said first interface connects to a plurality of external lines.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for providing functions of a key telephone by controlling a CPU of a personal computer including an exchange circuit which Provides functions of the key telephone, said product comprising:

first computer readable program code means for controlling an external line connected to the exchange circuit included in the personal computer;

second computer readable program control means for controlling a plurality of extension lines connected to the exchange circuit included in the personal computer;

third computer readable program code means for interchanging information between the exchange circuit and the CPU; and

fourth computer readable program code means for utilizing an operation unit of the personal computer as operation means of the key telephone; and

fifth computer readable program code means for controlling the exchange circuit for answering a call in accordance with operation of the operation unit.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7 further comprising sixth computer readable program code means for interchanging a speech signal among the external line, the plurality of extension lines, and an internal tone generator.

9. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein said first computer readable program code means controls a plurality of external lines.

10. The computer program product according to claim 7 further comprising sixth computer readable program code means for displaying an image for operations as a key telephone on a monitor.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the image for the operations on the monitor includes an operation for substitutional reception of a call.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer medium having computer readable program means embodied in said medium for controlling a personal computer including an exchange circuit which provides functions of a key telephone, said product including:

first computer readable program code means for interchanging information between the exchange circuit included in the personal computer and a CPU of the personal computer;

second computer readable program code means for utilizing an operation unit of the personal computer as operation means of the key telephone; and

third computer readable program code means for controlling the exchange circuit for making a call in accordance with operation of the operation unit.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12 further comprising fourth computer readable program code means for displaying an image for the operations including an operation for substitutional answering of a call on a monitor.

14. A method for controlling a personal computer including an exchanging circuit which provides functions of a key telephone, comprising the steps of:

detecting an operation of an operation unit of the personal computer as operation means of the key telephone; and

controlling the exchange circuit for answering a call in accordance with the operation of the operation unit.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the call is transmitted to sound input/output means connected to the personal computer in said controlling step.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the call from one of a plurality of extension lines is answered in the controlling step.

17. The method according to claim 14 further comprising a step of making a call to one of a plurality of extension terminals.

18. The method according to claim 14 further comprising a step of interchanging control information between the exchange circuit and a CPU of the personal computer.