WO2004088965A1 - Information-transmission device which is built into a telephone socket - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (2) which is used to transmit information over a telecommunication network (6). The inventive device comprises means (21) for exchanging information over a telecommunication network (6) and means (22) for accessing information stored in storage means (8), such that said information can be transmitted to the telecommunication network (6). The invention is characterised in that it includes a telephone socket comprising a connector (17) which is used to connect to the telecommunication network (6) and a housing (16) which is solidly connected to said connector (17), the aforementioned information exchange means (21) and stored-information-access means (22) being built into said housing (16).

Description

INFORMATION TRANSMISSION DEVICE INTEGRATED IN A TELEPHONE SOCKET

The present invention relates to a device for transmitting information over a telecommunications network.

Today there are such devices formed for example of computer servers connected to a telecommunications network such as the Internet.

This equipment makes it possible to make information available to network users who can access it at any time.

However, this equipment is expensive, complex and bulky. 10 Furthermore, users of current computer equipment such as microcomputers have the possibility of configuring their equipment so as to leave part of the information contained on these computers accessible via a telecommunications network to which they are connected. . 15 This however poses significant security problems, the establishment of an effective protection system requiring specialized software and skills.

It therefore appears that today there is no simple and secure device enabling a user to make information available on a telecommunications network.

The object of the present invention is to solve this problem by proposing an information transmission device, simple and inexpensive.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for transmitting information over a telecommunications network, comprising means 25 for exchanging information over a telecommunications network and means for accessing information stored in storage means, to allow the transmission of said information to said telecommunications network, characterized in that it comprises a telephone socket comprising a connector for connection to said telecommunications network and a housing integral with said connector, said means for exchanging information and access to stored information, being integrated in said housing. According to other characteristics:

- said information storage means are integrated into said housing of the information transmission device;

- said information storage means comprise a removable memory, said access means comprising a device for reading said removable memory;

- said information storage means are distant from and accessible to said device by means of wireless radio waves;

- said information exchange means can transmit only the information contained in said storage means;

said information access means are adapted to detect the presence of information in said storage means and automatically control the transmission of this information;

- Said means of accessing information is adapted to be controlled locally by means of telephone equipment connected to said information transmission device;

- Said means of accessing information is adapted to be controlled remotely from a receiver station and through said telecommunication network, in order to access said information in response to a request from this telecommunication network;

- It includes programming means over time of its operation controlling the implementation of said information exchange means;

- It includes means for selecting the information to be transmitted adapted to allow the selection of all or part of the information contained in said storage means;

- Said means for exchanging information are suitable for receiving information, and they include means for writing information into said associated storage means; - It is supplied with electrical energy only through its connection to said telecommunications network; - It includes a rechargeable battery, intended to provide additional power for its operation and connected to said telecommunications network for recharging;

- it is integrated into a pull-out telephone socket; - all the hardware and software means of said information transmission device are produced in the form of a single component programmed for their implementation.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawing which represents a block diagram of a system implementing an information transmission device according to the invention.

This system comprises a device 2 for transmitting information and making it possible to transmit information to a receiver station 4 formed for example by a computer server 4a, a computer 4b or even a device 4c similar to the device 2 and associated with a 4d phone.

The information transmission device 2 and the receiver 4 communicate through a telecommunications network 6, such as the public switched PSTN network.

The information transmission device 2 is also associated with a memory 8, formed in the example described, of a removable memory card such as a card called "SMC" or even "M C".

In order to allow the use of such a card, the device 2 comprises a memory card reader 10 and a user interface 12 formed, in the example described, of two light-emitting diodes. In the embodiment described, the device 2 is also connected to a standard telephone set 14.

The device of the invention comprises a telephone socket comprising a box 16 and a connector 17 for connection to the telecommunications network 6, the box 16 being integral with the connector 17. Advantageously, the device 2 is a pull-out socket comprising a male connector and a female connector, so as to be connected to the PSTN network 6 and also to the standard telephone set 14. The device 2 of the invention comprises in the housing 16, means

21 for exchanging information on the telecommunications network 6, formed for example of a modem produced in a conventional manner and suitable for data exchanges according to protocols such as the V 23, V 34 or V 90 protocols.

The box 16 also includes means 22 for accessing the information contained in the card 8, formed in the embodiment described, software means for controlling the reader 10 of removable cards.

In the example described, the reader 10 and the means 22 allow both reading and writing of information in the removable memory 8.

In addition, the device 2 includes means 23 for programming its operation over time, and means 24 for selecting from the memory 8, the information to be transmitted.

Advantageously, the device 2 for transmitting information also includes means 25 for configuring its operation accessible to a user.

Finally, the information transmission device 2 being connected to the telephone 14, it includes means 27 for identifying the called device and means 28 for switching calls in order to be able to identify the recipient of an incoming call and switch this call to phone 14.

Thus, the device 2 comprises, in the housing 16, only the means necessary for the transmission of information over the network 6.

In the embodiment described, the supply of electrical energy necessary for the operation of the device 2 for transmitting information is ensured only by the PSTN network 6 thanks to the difference in potential existing between the twisted wires of the PSTN network.

For example, the switched network in France has a potential difference of 48V DC and allows 10mA to be used when the line is hung up and 60mA when the line is hung up. Thus, the absence of supply means specific to the device 2 for transmitting information and an adequate miniaturization of the components which it comprises, makes it possible to obtain a device 2 of low cost and of compact size. This makes it possible, in particular, to produce the device 2 for transmitting information in the form of a box 16 of bulk that is substantially similar to that of a telephone socket, connected directly to the PSTN network 6. Still with reference to the figure 1, we will now describe several modes of operation of the device 2 of the invention.

In a first mode of operation, the memory card 8 containing information to be transmitted, such as for example information containing photographs, is inserted into the reader 10. This insertion is detected by the access means 22, which verify that the memory 8 contains a lot of information, and in this case, automatically starts their transmission by means of information exchange means 21.

For example, the configuration means 25 make it possible to enter the telephone number of the receiving station or else this number is a predetermined number corresponding for example to the server 4a.

Thus, the information contained in the memory 8 is automatically transmitted by the means 21 of exchange through the network 6 to the server 4a, which receives it and stores it. Advantageously, during the information transmission duration, a diode of the interface 12 indicates that the transmission is in progress.

For example, the server 4a is a photographic service server, and the photo information received is intended to be printed and is associated with a user identified, for example by the transmitter telephone number of the device 2.

In another embodiment, the access means 22 are controlled locally via the telephone 14.

A user then has the possibility of inserting the memory card 8 into the device 2, then of controlling the implementation of the means 22 for accessing information and the means 21 for exchanging information on the network 6 by through the telephone 14. For example, a user enters the recipient's telephone number, preceded by a series of control characters such as a keystroke #, detected by the device 2 inhibiting direct dialing, to implement the transmission of information.

Advantageously, the telephone 14 also makes it possible to program the operation of the device over time using the programming means 23 and to select all or part of the information from the memory card 8 using the information selection means 24.

Thus, a user can control the transmission of part of the information contained in the memory card 8, by sorting it for example by type of files and by programming the transmission so that it takes place later in time, for example during the night.

The selected information can therefore be transmitted immediately or later to a receiving station 4, such as the computer 4b which receives this information directly in the form of computer files or in the form of an e-mail containing these information. In yet another embodiment, the means 22 for accessing information on the memory card are adapted to be remotely controlled in response to a request from a receiving station 4.

For example, a request for information request is sent by a user using the computer 4b. Advantageously, the storage means 8 contain information directly usable by the computer 4b, such as for example, a home page in so-called "http" format forming an Internet consultation site.

In another embodiment, the device 2 is accessible from the telephone 4d and via the information transmission device 4c similar to the device 2, by identifying the recipient of the request by his subscriber number on the telephone network 6.

Such a request can be sent directly under the command of the user of the receiving station 4 or can be sent subsequently by the device 4c as a function of programming carried out by means of the telephone 4d.

The device 4c thus sends a request to the device 2 through the PSTN network 6. The request received by the device 2 is identified by the means 27 and switched by the means 28 to the means 21 for exchanging information and the means 22 for accessing the stored information.

If the incoming call had been a normal call, this would have been switched to telephone 14 by means 27 and 28.

Following receipt of this request, the means 22 access the information 8 which is sent to the device 4c by the information exchange means 21.

Thanks to means similar to the information exchange means 21, the device 4c receives the transmitted information and records this information, using writing means, in a memory similar to memory 8.

Two users equipped with the same device suitable for reading and writing on removable memory card cards can thus quickly and simply exchange the content of their memory cards using information transmission devices according to the invention and through the PSTN network.

Furthermore, the device can be equipped with means for transmitting a transmission report, for example, in the form of a voice message or a text message of SMS type, addressed to the sender of the information.

It therefore appears that the device of the invention allows the transmission of information and the provision of information over a telecommunications network in a simple and inexpensive manner.

In addition, the information exchange means 21 can only transmit the information available in the storage means 8, thus limiting the security problems linked to the provision of information on the network 6.

In addition, in the context of the use of a removable memory card, this may include a physical write-lock switch, thus making it possible to ensure information security in a simple manner and in the absence of software means. . Of course, other embodiments and variants can be envisaged and in particular, the device 2 can have its own power supply.

Advantageously, the device 2 may include a rechargeable battery providing additional power necessary for its operation and connected to the telecommunications network in order to be recharged.

Furthermore, in the case where the telecommunications network is a computer network, the various pieces of equipment used can be addressed by means of their addresses on the network, such as so-called "IP" computer addresses.

In addition, the memory associated with the information transmission device can be an internal memory or even a remote memory connected to the information transmission device by means of wireless radio waves.

Advantageously, all the hardware and software means of the transmission device are produced in the form of a single component programmed for their implementation.

Claims

1. Device (2) for transmitting information over a telecommunications network (6), comprising means (21) for exchanging information over a telecommunications network (6) and means (22) for accessing information stored in storage means (8), to allow the transmission of said information to said telecommunications network (6), characterized in that it is integrated in a pull-out socket and comprises a telephone socket comprising a connection connector ( 17) to said telecommunications network (6) and a box (16) integral with said connector (17), said means (21) for exchanging information and (22) for accessing stored information, being integrated in said box (16). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (8) for storing information are integrated in said housing (16) of the device (2) for transmitting information. 3. Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said information storage means comprise a removable memory (8), said access means (22) comprising a device (10) for reading said removable memory (8). 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said information storage means are remote from said device (2) and accessible by the latter by means of wireless radio waves. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said means (21) for exchanging information can transmit only the information contained in said storage means (8). 6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said means (22) for accessing information are adapted to detect the presence of information in said storage means (8) and automatically control the transmission of this information. 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said means (22) for accessing information are adapted to be controlled locally by telephone equipment (14) connected to said information transmission device 2. 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said means (22) for accessing information are adapted to be controlled remotely from a receiver station (4) and through said telecommunications network (6), in order to access said information in response to a request from this telecommunications network (6). 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises means (23) for programming in time of its operation controlling the implementation of said means (21) for exchanging information . 10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises means (24) for selecting the information to be transmitted adapted to allow the selection of all or part of the information contained in said storage means ( 2). 11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said means (21) for exchanging information are suitable for receiving information, and in that they comprise writing means information in said associated storage means (8). 12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is supplied with electrical energy only through its connection to said telecommunications network (6). 13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a rechargeable battery, intended to provide additional power for its operation and connected to said telecommunications network (6) for recharging. 14. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that all the hardware and software means of said device (2) for transmitting information are produced in the form of a single component programmed for their implementation .