JP2612280B2 - Data communication method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a data terminal device including at least a personal computer, even when the personal computer is performing data communication, an incoming call is received from another terminal device. The present invention relates to a data communication system for enabling effective reception of a catch phone service that informs the exchange side of such a situation.

[Conventional technology]

A data communication device for transmitting and receiving data via a telephone line is conventionally known as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-165168, but once a communication device is connected to a telephone line to transmit data. After starting the communication, no consideration has been given to stopping the data communication halfway and changing the connection to another line.

Also, as described in JP-A-60-128767, when a dedicated switching device is provided, it is possible to change the connection to another line, but in that case, the cost is too high and the cost is too high. Obviously, the present invention cannot be applied to a data terminal device owned by an individual but also to data communication such as personal computer communication via a public telephone line.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As a data terminal device, a terminal device including at least a personal computer in addition to a telephone, and switching the two to the same telephone line and connecting them is becoming popular in ordinary homes and the like. No consideration was given to responding to incoming calls (other than incoming calls to the phone, another incoming call to the PC, etc.) during data communication. When another call is received from another party, a call service that informs the exchange side of the call is well known and can be handled accordingly. The traditional technology was that the call-phone service did not work.)

Especially in personal computer communications, if the DDX-TP system, in which the line usage fee is charged not based on the length of time the line is connected but on the amount of information actually transmitted, becomes widespread, the line usage fee will be reduced. Is expected to increase the number of terminals that keep the line connected from places that are not directly related, so that when viewed from the exchange, the terminal is always in data communication with a specific partner,
Even if there is an incoming call to the telephone in the terminal device (or an incoming call from another data communication partner), the catch phone service does not function, and there is a possibility that the telephone line is practically exclusively used for personal computer communication. Can be

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal device having at least a personal computer in addition to a telephone, and connecting the two to the same telephone line by connecting to the telephone while the personal computer communication is being performed by the personal computer (or from another data communication partner). It is an object of the present invention to provide a data communication system which can respond to an incoming call without disconnecting the personal computer communication up to that time.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a catch phone service signal identification device that, when receiving a catch phone service signal from an exchange, identifies that fact and outputs an interrupt signal to a personal computer.

More specifically, the interruption cancels the data transfer currently being performed in the currently communicating personal computer communication, divides the personal computer screen, and switches the telephone line to a new receiving side. If a carrier signal is detected on this telephone line, it is determined that the other party of the new incoming call is also a personal computer, and personal computer communication is performed using the divided screen. If the new call recipient is a human being, the other party is a telephone, so that the call is displayed on the screen or indicated by voice, the handset of the telephone is picked up, and at the same time, the modem for data communication in the terminal device is set. The intervening line is switched to a telephone line. When the handset is placed again, the line is switched to a line via a data communication modem, and the original personal computer communication is continued.

Domestic call phones allow only one line to be interrupted during a call, but overseas ones allow multiple lines to be interrupted and temporarily return to the original line. In the case of the former type, a hold tone is sent to the host (PC) of the connected PC communication, but this sound is a signal that cannot be recognized by the host computer (PC), so the personal computer Before monitoring the host computer for disconnecting the line while monitoring the preset interval time (when the interval time elapses, the line will be disconnected from the host computer side, such a preset interval time). Then, the user of the terminal device is caused to return to the host computer side of the line by using a device for displaying an alarm by a screen display or sound. In the latter type, a signal (set for each host computer) for giving communication to the host computer is sent to the host computer instantaneously at every preset interval time. By adding a device that returns and transmits,
The present invention can be implemented.

[Action]

The call service identification device recognizes the interrupt tone generated and transmitted by the call service function of the exchange, and when the interrupt tone is input, interrupts the personal computer in data communication. Thereby,
The PC can determine that the current PC communication has been interrupted, go on-hook to the line,
It is possible to respond to the interrupted line without disconnecting the line that was performing data communication until then.

Also, the modem provided in the terminal device determines whether the signal coming from the line is an audio signal or data for a personal computer by comparison, and if the signal is an audio signal,
Switch the line to the telephone.

In this way, when the terminal device receives a personal computer communication request or an incoming emergency call from another party during the personal computer communication, the terminal device can receive the request.

Since the interrupt tone generated by the call-phone function is a 400 Hz intermittent tone, it has a different frequency from that of the audio signal, and also has a different frequency from that used for communication with the personal computer of the computer. Therefore, the above-described apparatus for identifying a call signal having the function of detecting the frequency of 400 Hz and the function of checking that the detected frequency is intermittent can perform the intended operation of the present invention correctly.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a public telephone line, which is connected to a counterpart of personal computer communication currently being executed. Reference numeral 2 denotes a public telephone line, which is connected to a newly interrupted party. Reference numeral 3 denotes a telephone exchange, which is a function of a call-phone service for transmitting a tone for notifying that a new call has been received on a busy line when a new call arrives on a busy line. Having.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a call-phone signal identification device.
When the tone output from the CPU is input and identified, an interrupt signal 5 is output to the personal computer 11. Reference numeral 9 denotes a modem, which demodulates a signal coming from the line 8 if it is data for a personal computer (including a carrier signal) and sends it to the personal computer 11 via a data transmission line 10; Then, the line is connected to the ordinary telephone 7.
DE is a terminal device.

When an interrupt occurs to the personal computer 11 by the interrupt signal 5 from the call signal identification device 4, the personal computer 11 displays on the screen that there is a new incoming call, and the voice generating device 12 Is generated, and the user of the personal computer 11 is warned. The interrupt signal 5 is restored to the on-hook state by receiving the interrupt.

Next, the modem 9 checks whether the content of the new incoming call is a voice signal or data for personal computer communication based on the presence or absence of a carrier signal in the incoming signal. Inform 11 computer
If the incoming call is a voice signal, the screen 11 and the voice generator 12
Let this user know this. If the incoming data is data for personal computer communication, split the screen into two,
Suspend the currently running work in a state where it can be restarted, and execute new PC data processing.

In this case, a signal of 400 Hz as a call phone service signal is output on the telephone line up to that time,
The PC 11 cannot recognize this 400 Hz signal, and consequently regards it as a no-signal state. In order to reduce the load, the current computer system disconnects the line when a no-signal state continues for a certain period. Therefore PC
Even at 11, the line is disconnected if the state regarded as the no-signal state continues for a certain period. In order to avoid this, even if you try to temporarily return to the original line connected to the PC 11 from the newly received line, in the case of a catch phone (in Japan), once the line is changed to the newly received line When the switching is performed, line switching between the original line and the newly received line is not allowed, so that it is not possible to temporarily create a state with a signal for the personal computer 11. Therefore, after a certain period of time, the personal computer 11 disconnects the line.
The screen and the sound generator 12 draw the user's attention. Since this fixed time differs depending on the system, the time setting for notifying the user that the PC is about to disconnect the line after a certain time has elapsed is set as follows:
The user can make any setting in advance.

In the case of an overseas call phone service, even if there are a plurality of interrupts due to a new incoming call, all of them are allowed, and switching between these lines is allowed freely. In the case of an exchange having such a call phone service function, the original line to which the personal computer 11 is connected is switched at regular intervals and a system wait instruction is issued to prevent the personal computer 11 from disconnecting the line. be able to.

In addition, the time required for switching lines for issuing the wait instruction is about several milliseconds, and a newly received line is interrupted only for several milliseconds, so that the communication itself does not interfere. .

The user is informed that the time for the personal computer 11 to cut off the line is approaching, and as a signal to alert the user, the screen and the sound generator are used, but either one of them or a light emitting device such as a strobe is used. Use is also possible.

The present invention can be applied not only to a public line but also to a local area network or the like using a dedicated line, as long as there is an exchange for notifying that there is an interruption from a line during a call.

When communication by the incoming call line is terminated,
If it is a telephone (voice), it goes on-hook upon termination, and the modem 9 recognizes this and switches the line from the newly received line to the original data communication line. 13 is used to notify the personal computer 11 to resume the previous work and continue.

If the communication through the newly received line is data communication, the personal computer 11 uses the signal line 13 to connect to the modem 9.
To the end, switch the line to the original data communication line, and continue the previous work. In this way, it is possible to automatically switch to the original line by setting the line to the on-hook state.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific circuit example of a main part of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the same or corresponding parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Other 16
Is a 400 Hz signal detection circuit (a circuit that detects when a 400 Hz signal is included in an input signal and outputs an interrupt signal 5 at the same time), 17 is a microcomputer, 18 is a data bus, 19 is an address bus, It is. That is, this figure shows that the 400 Hz signal detection circuit 16 can be used as the call signal identification device 4.

FIG. 3 is a state transition diagram showing an operation state of the embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG.

Please refer to FIG. First, when the line is in the unused state (a), if there is a communication request from another, the line shifts to the communication state (b), and returns to the unused state (a) when the communication ends.

When a 400 Hz signal as a call service signal is received while in the communication state (b), the communication line is shifted to the interruption state (c) while being held, and the contents of the interrupted new incoming call are displayed. For a phone call request,
The state shifts to the call state (d), during which the time at which the communication line being held is disconnected is set by a timer period and an interrupt is issued. Also, if the interrupted new incoming call is a data communication request while in the interrupt state (c), the state shifts to the communication state (e) and the time at which the held communication line is disconnected during that time is counted by a timer. Set according to time limit and interrupt. In both the call state (d) and the communication state (e), the process returns to the interrupt state (c) when the operation is completed. When returning from the call state (d) to the interrupt state (c), an on-hook signal is output and the line returns to the original communication state (b). When returning from the communication state (e) to the interrupt state (c), the line returns to the original communication state (b) by a notice from the personal computer.

In addition to the above description, by using the modem 9, even when the terminal is a facsimile instead of a personal computer, the facsimile automatically analyzes the contents of the incoming call and determines whether the other party is a human or a machine. The present invention can be embodied by changing the way the ringing tone is emitted.

That is, after a telephone call, connect the line and check whether there is a carrier sound in the signal on the line, and if there is no carrier sound, use a sound generator or a ringing sound like a bell, It informs the user that the new call recipient is a telephone.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, in a terminal device including at least both a personal computer and a telephone, a line is conventionally monopolized by the personal computer during communication, and even if an emergency call or the like is entered, the terminal can receive the line. The PC that is communicating can detect these emergency calls,
An operation relating to communication with a new telephone can be performed while holding the communication currently being performed, and there is an advantage that reception of an emergency telephone or the like becomes possible.

Furthermore, this detection circuit can be shared with the circuit of the automatic call reception function, and is economically excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a state transition showing an operation mode of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,2,6 ... Public line network, 3 ... Phone exchange, 4 ... Catch phone signal identification device, 5 ... Interrupt signal, 7 ... Telephone, 8 ... Data transmission line, 9 ... Modem , 10 ... Data transmission line, 11 ... PC, 12 ... Sound generator, 13 ...
Signal line, 16: 400 Hz signal detection circuit, 17: microcomputer, 18: data bus, 19: address bus

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data terminal device including at least a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) during execution of data communication with a first partner via an exchange having a call phone service function. When a call phone service signal indicating that there is an incoming call from the second party is output from the exchange to the data terminal device,
This is a data communication system that enables receiving the signal and interrupting the personal computer to display the effect, and when receiving a call service signal from the exchange, identifies the fact that the personal computer has Equipped with a catch phone service signal identification device that outputs an interrupt signal to
When the personal computer receives an interrupt from the call service identification device, the personal computer enters an interrupt state, and then suspends the first data communication, which is the data communication currently being processed, while holding the line, and performs data communication with the other party that has newly received the call. A certain second
At which time the line of the first data communication which is in the hold state after the shift to the second data communication is disconnected due to continuing the hold state for a certain period of time. A data communication method characterized in that the time is set before a time is set, and then the personal computer returns to the interrupt state when the set time comes, so that the line of the first data communication is not disconnected.