Communication support system in which a caller profile from a data processing device is transmitted to a telephone device upon incoming of a call

• US 6,240,165 B1
• Filed: 03/27/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Yasuo, Takebayashi, Tomoyoshi, Yano, Katsutoshi, Kakuta, Jun, Furukawa, Kimikazu, Azami, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/049,088
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.01, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/100.01, 379/100.15 , 379/142, 379/156, 379/165
• US Class Current: 379/88.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A communication support system includes a caller ID detection unit which detects a caller ID sent from a telephone network upon incoming of a call. A line switching unit switches on a first line between a voice signal path from a telephone set and a voice signal path from the telephone network before the connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established. The line switching unit switches off the first line and switches on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from a data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit. The data processing device has a main control unit which retrieves a caller profile from a database in response to the caller ID detected by the caller ID detection unit, and transmits a. synthesized voice signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone set through the second line when the line switching unit switches on the second line.

Claims

1. A communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone set through a communication control device to a data processing device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, the communication support system comprising:

the communication control device having a voice interface and a computer interface;

the data processing device connected to the communication control device through the voice interface and the computer interface;

a caller ID detection unit, provided in the communication control device for detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of a call;

a line switching unit, provided in the communication control device, for switching on a first line between a voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established, and for switching off the first line and switching on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the data processing device in response to a line switching command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit; and

a control unit, provided in the data processing device, for retrieving a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the caller ID received from the caller ID detection unit though the computer interface, and for sending a synthesized voice signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone set through the voice interface and the second line of the communication control device after the line switching unit switches on the second line wherein, when an off-hook state of the telephone set is detected, the control unit transmits the line switching command to the communication control device through the computer interface, so as to cause the line switching unit to switch off the first line and switch on the second line.

2. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein the communication control device comprises:

a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal sent by the telephone set after the voice signal from the data processing device is received by the telephone set; and

a voice relay for switching on and off a connection line between the telephone set and the telephone network, wherein the voice relay switches on the connection line when the control signal is detected by the control signal detection unit, so that the connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established.

3. A communication control device adapted to connect a telephone set and a data processing device through the communication control device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, comprising:

a caller ID detection unit for detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of a call; and

a line switching unit for switching on a first line between a voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established, and for switching off the first line and switching on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the data processing device in response to a line switching command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit,

wherein the communication control device is connected to the data processing device through a voice interface and a computer interface,

wherein a synthesized voice signal indicating a caller profile retrieved from a database of the data processing device is transmitted to the telephone set through the voice interface and the second line of the communication control device after the line switching unit switches on the second line and switches off the first line in response to the line switching command remotely transmitted by the data processing device.

4. The communication control device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal sent by the telephone set after the voice signal from the data processing device is received by the telephone set; and

a voice relay for switching on and off a connection line between the telephone set and the telephone network, wherein the voice relay switches on the connection line when the control signal is detected by the control signal detection unit, so that the connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established.

5. A communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone device through a communication control device to a data processing device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, the communication support system comprising:

the communication control device having a bus;

the data processing device connected to the communication control device through the bus;

a first multiplexer, provided in the communication control device, having inputs connected to a display data path from the data processing device and a voice signal path from the telephone network and an output connected to the telephone device via an interface, the first multiplexer transmitting a multiplexed signal, including display data from the data processing device and a voice signal from the telephone network, to the telephone device upon incoming of a call; and

the telephone device having a display and a demultiplexer having an input connected to the first multiplexer via the interface and having an output connected to the display, wherein the demultiplexer separates the multiplexed signal from the first multiplexer into the display data and the voice signal, the display data being transmitted to the display so that the display data is displayed on the telephone device upon incoming of the call;

a caller ID detection unit, provided in the communication control device, for detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of the call; and

a line switching unit, provided in the communication control device, for switching on a first connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and the voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established, and for switching off a second connection line between the telephone network and the communication control device in response to a command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit;

wherein the data processing device retrieves a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the caller ID received from the caller ID detection unit, and transmits a display data signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone device through the communication control device after the line switching unit switches off the second connection line, wherein the data processing device remotely transmits, after the caller ID is detected, the command to the communication control device through the bus, so as to cause the line switching unit to switch off the second connection line.

6. The communication support system according to claim 5, wherein the telephone device further comprises a telephone set and a second multiplexer for transmitting a multiplexed signal, including a voice signal and a control signal from the telephone set, to the communication control device via the interface, and

wherein the communication control device comprises a demultiplexer for separating the multiplexed signal from the second multiplexer into the voice signal and the control signal.

7. The communication support system according to claim 5, wherein the display data signal transmitted by the data processing device includes the caller ID sent from the telephone network.

8. The communication support system according to claim 5, wherein the display data signal transmitted by the data processing device includes both the caller ID sent from the telephone network and the caller profile retrieved from the database in response to the caller ID.

9. The communication support system according to claim 5, wherein the communication control device comprises a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal sent by the telephone device, and

wherein the display data from the data processing device includes a command list read from the data processing device.

10. The communication support system according to claim 9, wherein the display data from the data processing device includes a telephone directory read from the data processing device in response to the control signal detected by the control signal detection unit, the telephone directory including a plurality of caller profiles.

11. The communication support system according to claim 5, wherein the communication control device comprises:

a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal sent by the telephone device; and

a line switching unit for switching on and off a connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and the voice signal path from the telephone network,

wherein a connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established after the control signal is detected by the control signal detection unit and the connection line is switched on by the line switching unit in response to the control signal.

12. A communication control device adapted to connect a telephone device and a data processing device through the communication control device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, comprising:

a first multiplexer having inputs connected to a display data path from the data processing device and a voice signal path from the telephone network and an output connected to the telephone device via an interface, the first multiplexer transmitting a multiplexed signal, including display data from the data processing device and a voice signal from the telephone network, to the telephone device upon incoming of a call,

a caller ID detection unit for detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of the call; and

a line switching unit for switching on a first connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and the voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established, and for switching off a second connection line between the telephone network and the communication control device in response to a command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit,

wherein the data processing device retrieves a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the caller ID received from the caller ID detection unit, and transmits a display data signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone device through the communication control device after the line switching unit switches off the second connecting line, wherein the data processing device remotely transmits, after the caller ID is detected, the command to the communication control device through the bus, so as to cause the line switching unit to switch off the second connection line,

wherein the telephone device comprises a display and a demultiplexer having an input connected to the first multiplexer via the interface and having an output connected to the display, and the demultiplexer separates the multiplexed signal from the first multiplexer into the display data and the voice signal, the display data being transmitted to the display so that the display data is displayed on the telephone device upon incoming of the call.

13. The communication control device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal sent by the telephone device;

wherein a connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established after the control signal is detected by the control signal detection unit and the first connection line is switched on by the line switching unit in response to the control signal.

14. A telephone device for use with a communication control device having a bus, a caller ID detection unit, and a line switching unit, adapted to connect the telephone device and a data processing device connected to the communication control device through the bus and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, wherein the communication control device includes a first multiplexer provided in the communication control device having inputs connected to a display data path from the data processing device and a voice signal path from the telephone network and an output connected to the telephone device via an interface, the first multiplexer transmitting a multiplexed signal, including display data from the data processing device and a voice signal from the telephone network, to the telephone device upon incoming of a-call,

the telephone device comprising:

a telephone set;

a display;

a demultiplexer having an input connected to the first multiplexer via the interface and having an output connected to the display, wherein the demultiplexer separates the multiplexed signal from the first multiplexer into the display data and the voice signal, the display data being transmitted to the display so that the display data is displayed on the telephone device upon incoming of the call; and

a second multiplexer for transmitting a multiplexed signal, including a voice signal and a control signal from the telephone set, to the communication control device via the interface;

wherein the a caller ID detection unit detects a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of the call, the line switching unit switches on a first connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and the voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established, and further switches off a second connection line between the telephone network and the communication control device in response to a command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the caller ID detection unit;

wherein the data processing device retrieves a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the caller ID received from the caller ID detection unit, and transmits a display data signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone device through the communication control device after the line switching unit switches off the second connection line, wherein the data processing device remotely transmits after the caller ID is detected, the command to the communication control device through the bus, so as to cause the line switching unit to switch off the second connection line.

15. A method of executing a telephone service processing in a communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone set through a communication control device having a voice interface and a computer interface to a data processing device connected to the communication control device through the voice interface and the computer interface;

and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, the method comprising the steps of;

detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of a call;

switching off a first line between a voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the telephone network and switching on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the data processing device switching on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the data processing device in response to a line switching command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected;

retrieving a caller profile from the data processing device in response to the caller ID;

transmitting a synthesized voice signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone set through the second line;

switching on the first line before a voice connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established;

detecting an off-hook state of the telephone set; and

transmitting the line switching command to the communication control device through the computer interface, so as to cause switching off the first line and switching on the second line.

16. A method of executing a telephone service processing in a communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone device through a communication control device having a bus, connected through said bus to a data processing device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving display data from the data processing device and a voice signal from the telephone network by the communication control device upon incoming of a call, the display data including a caller profile retrieved from the data processing device in response to a caller ID sent from the telephone network;

transmitting a multiplexed signal, including the display data and the voice signal, to the telephone device;

separating the multiplexed signal into the display data and the voice signal by the telephone device; and

transmitting the display data to a display of the telephone device so that the display data is displayed on the telephone device before a connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established

detecting a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of the call,

switching on a first connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and a voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established, and switching off a second connection line between the telephone network and the communication control device in response to a command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected;

retrieving a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the detected caller ID;

transmitting a display data signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone device through the communication control device after switching off the second connection line; and

transmitting after the caller ID is detected, the command to the communication control device through the bus, so as to cause a switching off of the second connection line.

17. A computer readable medium storing program code for causing a processor to execute a telephone service processing in a communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone set through a communication control device having a voice interface and a computer interface to a data processing device, the data processing device connected to the communication control device through the voice interface and the computer interface, and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, comprising:

first program code means to cause the processor to detect a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of a call;

second program code means to cause the processor to switch off a first line between a voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the telephone network and switch on a second line between the voice signal path from the telephone set and a voice signal path from the data processing device after the caller ID is detected;

third program code means to cause the processor to retrieves a caller profile from the data processing device in response to the caller ID;

fourth program code means to cause the processor to transmit a synthesized voice signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone set through the second line; and

fifth program code means to cause the processor to switch on the first line before a voice connection between the telephone set and the telephone network is established

sixth program code means to detect an off-hook state of the telephone set, wherein after said sixth program code means detects the off-hook state, the third program code means transmits a line switching command to the communication control device through the computer interface, so as to cause the second program control means to switch off the first line and switch on the second line.

18. A computer readable medium storing program code for causing a processor to execute a telephone service processing in a communication support system which is adapted to connect a telephone device through a communication control device to a data processing device and adapted to connect a telephone network to the communication control device, comprising:

first program code means to cause the processor to receive display data from the data processing device and a voice signal from the telephone network by the communication control device upon incoming of a call, the display data including a caller profile retrieved from the data processing device in response to a caller ID sent from the telephone network;

second program code means to cause the processor to transmit a multiplexed signal, including the display data and the voice signal, to the telephone device;

third program code means to cause the processor to separate the multiplexed signal into the display data and the voice signal by the telephone device; and

fourth program code means to cause the processor to transmit the display data to a display of the telephone device so that the display data is displayed on the telephone device before a connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established;

fifth program code means to detect a caller ID sent from the telephone network upon incoming of the call; and

sixth program means to switch on a first connection line between a voice signal path from the telephone device and a voice signal path from the telephone network before a voice connection between the telephone device and the telephone network is established, and to switch off a second connection line between the telephone network and the communication control device in response to a command remotely transmitted by the data processing device after the caller ID is detected by the fifth program code means;

wherein the data processing device retrieves a caller profile from a database of the data processing device in response to the caller ID received from fifth program code means, and transmits a display data signal indicating the caller profile to the telephone device through the communication control device after the sixth program means switches off the second connection line, wherein the data processing device remotely transmits after the caller ID is detected, the command to the communication control device through the bus, so as to cause the line switching unit to switch off the second connection line.