DE29806290U1 - Circuit arrangement for switching connections between communication devices - Google Patents

Description

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Utility model application

Circuit arrangement for switching connections between communication devices

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for switching connections between communication devices in which an automatic selection of a transmission channel from a selection of offers takes place and at the same time the connection is established on the device in such a way that a defined communication network operator is reached for the respective time. Devices that can be used as a telephone, video telephone, fax card for a computer or modem are referred to as communication devices.

The selection refers to the offers available on the market from the various communications network operators.

DE OS 32 28 176 (H04M 15/22) already describes a circuit arrangement for centrally controlled telecommunications switching systems with tariff-differentiated fee calculation. Fees are calculated for connections set up by subscriber stations. The fee tariff information used to calculate fees is stored in the central control unit.

At the time of the tariff change, the central control unit sends a start signal to all decentralized control units. However, with this circuit arrangement, it is not possible to select the most favorable provider of the service of connecting network participants with one another, or only with considerable effort.

It is also known that there are telephones on the market where a call is automatically made to a previously defined subscriber when a button is pressed and a connection is established. However, these telephone numbers that are to be stored are not differentiated in terms of time, i.e. the same communication subscriber is called when the button is pressed at any time of day, which means that the same communication network provider is always used without constantly reprogramming the communication device, regardless of whether it is effective for the user at the time or not.

The object of the invention is to develop a control for communication between communication devices, with which it is possible to control the most effective communication network provider on the market for the user of the transmission lines at the respective time of control or selection for the respective telephone zone to be reached, whereby the circuit should be simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

The solution is achieved with the features mentioned in the main claim.

A significant advantage of the invention is that the user of the communications device or the communications device in the private branch exchange, at any time, automatically dials into the communications network operator that is most effective for the user for the telephone zone in question at the time in question after dialing the country and area code or just the area code of the network subscriber to be reached.

This is done in such a way that the switching device with storage function, hereinafter referred to as the switching unit, stores the dialed digits defining the respective country code or area code when a communication connection is established, which begins after lifting the handset or by pressing a defined key, e.g. the hands-free key, combined with the dialing of the first digit, until a country code or area code has been completely dialed and also recognized by the communication device.

After recognizing the country or area code, the switching device detects in which telephone zone the selected location, linked to the area code, is located in the memory

The integrated circuit determines the time in question and also determines which defined communications network operator is assigned to this time in the switching element for this period and the identified telephone zone. The connection is then established with the most effective communications network operator for the telephone zone to be reached in the identified time by automatically dialing the combination of numbers or letters or combination of numbers and letters assigned to the relevant selected communications network operator.

The switching device then automatically dials the combination of numbers or letters or combination of numbers and letters stored for the current time, which clearly define the most effective communications network operator, as well as dialing the stored country or area codes.

When you press the number keys again, the main or extension line you want to reach is dialed directly by dialing the numbers or letters or combinations of numbers and letters that define the line in the correct order.

As a result, the user of the communication facility only incurs the most effective costs for him when initiating the connection between different communication facilities; since he only uses the most effective communication network operator for him at the specified time in the corresponding telephone zone.

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Because the user of the communication device can enter a program into the communication device, through which a switching unit carries out a previously stored assignment of the location to be reached to telecommunications zones at the time of the complete entry of a country or area code, the switching unit determines the exact time, and a network operator can be entered for each telephone zone for a fixed period of time, the user of the communication device always automatically ensures that the most effective communication network provider desired by him is used.

Furthermore, the program to be entered enables the input of commands that the communication device dials defined communication network participants at specific times at defined intervals, automatically, or at any time manually by pressing a special key, and after establishing a connection with these, automatically or on command, reads and saves the data stored by the participant at the time of establishing the connection in its own communication device.

This means that the user can read the constantly changing tariff structure of the communication network operators on the market into his communication device at self-defined intervals or at the upcoming time.

A complex and time-consuming search for the most effective communication network provider before each communication is completely eliminated.

It is sufficient if a program is developed and entered into the switching unit, with which specified country or area codes, which in turn define different telephone zones for the respective user, can be stored in connection with telephone zones, which recognizes country or area codes when numeric keys are pressed, stores them in a buffer and recognizes the telephone zone defined thereby, calculates the current time when the country or area code is recognized, selects the network operator defined for this telephone zone and the current time and triggers its dialing by dialing the combination of numbers or letters or combination of numbers and letters defined for the network operator, in conjunction with dialing the stored country or area code.

Only after this process are the pulses, which are dialed subordinately when the number keys are pressed to dial the main or extension connection to be reached in the local network already selected and are stored in a buffer if necessary, passed through and the further dialing of the subscribers to be reached is initiated.

A further advantage is that the dialing process for dialing into the currently most effective network provider takes place without any delay, exactly after entering the country or area code, identifying the telephone zone and the current time. The dialing is carried out as quickly as technically possible and there are no connection times and therefore no fees.

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The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. The drawing shows

Figure 1 the circuit arrangement for a telephone Figure 2 the circuit arrangement for a video telephone Figure 3 the circuit arrangement for a fax

Figure 4 shows the circuit arrangement for a modem or fax card in the computer

According to Figure 1, a numeric keypad 2 with the individual numeric keys, function keys and the telephone control is arranged on the base plate 1. All keys on the numeric keypad are referred to as keys in the following. The numeric keypad has a connecting element 3, with which it is connected to a switching unit 4. The switching unit 4 is able to carry out switching operations, but also to store data. The numeric keypad 2 is also connected to a handset 6 via a connection 5, e.g. a cable. By picking it up or putting it down, a switch 7 enables the numeric keypad 2 and the switching unit 4 to be supplied with electrical voltage via a connection 19, e.g. a cable, or not to be supplied with it, and thus to be activated or deactivated. The numeric keypad 2 is also connected via a connection 8, e.g. a cable, to the house connection 9, the interface between the line network of the user and the line network of the communications network operator. The actual communications network 10 is connected to the input side of the house connection 9, via which the user is connected to the communications network provider and, via this, to the desired communications subscriber by dialing number or letter combinations or combinations of numbers or letters. The current for feeding the switching unit 4 or the numeric keypad 2 with the telephone control is permanently present at the house connection 9.

After picking up the handset 6 or pressing the hands-free button and after dialing the country or area code, the switching unit 4 recognizes the telephone zone defined for the respective location, recognizes the current time and the network provider defined for this time period, automatically dials the combination of numbers or letters or combination of numbers and letters defined in the switching unit 4 for the recognized network provider and thus establishes the connection to the actual communications network 10 via the connection 8 with the house connection 9, via which the communications network operator to be selected is controlled and via which the actual dialing process to the other subscribers to be reached then takes place.

According to Figure 2, in addition to the circuit arrangement according to Figure 1, a monitor 12 is arranged via a connection 11 and a camera 14 is arranged via connection 13.

According to Figure 3, which concerns the operation of a fax, the connection 5, the receiver 6 and the switch 7 are omitted, in contrast to the circuit arrangement according to Figure 1.

According to Figure 4, in contrast to Figure 1, a fax card for a computer or a modem is connected in such a way that a switching device 18 is arranged on a mounting plate 17. The mounting plate 17 is connected to a computer 16 via a connection 15. This in turn is connected to the house connection 9 via a connection 8, e.g. a communication line or a communication network, to which the actual communication network 10 is connected on the input side and establishes the connection to the selected communication subscriber. The computer 16 is also connected to an external keyboard 20 for controlling the computer via a connection 21, e.g. cable.

Reference symbols

1 base plate

2 Numeric keypad (with number keys, function keys, telephone control unit)

3 Connecting element

4 Switching unit

5 Connection

6 headphones

7 switches

8 Connection

9 House connection

10 Communication network

11 Connection

12 Monitor

13 Connection

14 Camera

15 Connection

16 computers

17 Mounting plate

18 Switching device

19 Connection

20 external keyboard

21 Connection

Claims (4)

Protection claims 1. Circuit arrangement for a communication device that automatically selects the most effective network provider characterized, that in a telephone a numeric keypad 2 is arranged on a base plate 1, to which a switching unit 4 is connected via a connection 3, that the numeric keypad 2 is further connected to a handset 6 via a connection 5. that by picking up the handset 6 or by pressing a hands-free button, a switch 7 connected to the numeric keypad 2 triggers a circuit, that the numeric keypad 2 is also connected to the house connection 9 via a connection 8, that the communication network 10 is connected to the input side of the house connection 9. 2. Circuit arrangement according to claim 1
characterized, that for a video telephone, in addition to the circuit arrangement for Figure 1, a monitor 12 is to be arranged via a connection 11, that in addition to the circuit arrangement for Figure 1, a camera 14 is to be connected via a connection 13 to the numeric keypad 2, 3. Circuit arrangement according to claim 1
characterized that in a fax, contrary to the circuit arrangement for Figure 1, the connection 5, the receiver 6 and the switch 7 are omitted, 4. Circuit arrangement according to claim 1
characterized that a switching device 18 is arranged on a mounting plate 17 for a fax card for a computer or for a modem, that the recording plate 17 is connected to a computer 16 via a connection 15, that the computer 16 is connected via a connection 8 to a house connection 9 that the house connection 9 is connected on the input side to the communication network 10 that the computer 16 is connected via a connection 21, e.g. cable, to the keyboard 20, which can function as a numeric keypad.