US 5,208,850 A · Multi-media information service center and multi-media communication system

Abstract

A multi-media information service center is coupled to a telephone set and a communication unit via a line network and comprises a line connection part coupled to the line network for connecting the multi-media information service center to a predetermined line of the line network in response to a call which is received from a party which is coupled to an end of the predetermined line opposite to the multi-media information service center. The multi-media information service center further comprises a storage part for storing a voice information, a voice information transmission part coupled to the line network, the line connection part and the storage part for reading the voice information from the storage part and transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line, a discrimination part coupled to the line network for discriminating a communication mode of the party, and a service providing part coupled to the line network and the discrimination part for providing to the party a service which is dependent on a discrimination result in the discrimination part. The voice information transmission part and the discrimination part operate simultaneously after the line connection part connects the multi-media information service center to the predetermined line.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A multi-media information service center which is coupled to a telephone set that transmits keypad information and to a communication unit that transmits communication signals via a line network which includes a predetermined line, the communication unit being other than a telephone set, said multi-media information service center comprising:

line connection means for connecting the multi-media information service center to an end of the predetermined line of the line network in response to a call received from the other end of the predetermined line;
storage means for storing voice information;
voice information transmission means for reading the voice information from said storage means and for transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line;
discrimination means for receiving the call and for discriminating a communication mode of the call based on determining immediately upon reception of said communication signals within a predetermined time whether the call originated from the communication unit;
and
service providing means for providing a service immediately to one of the telephone set and the communication unit in response to the communication mode discriminated by said discrimination means,
said voice information transmission means and said discrimination means operating simultaneously and immediately after said line connection means connects the multi-media information service center to the predetermined line.

4 more elements

A multi-media communication system, comprising:

a multi-media information service center;
a telephone set which transmits keypad information;
a communication unit which transmits communication signals and which is other than a telephone set;
and
a line network for coupling said telephone set and said communication unit to said multi-media information service center including a predetermined line;
said multi-media information service center comprising:
line connection means for connecting the multi-media information service center to an end of the predetermined line of the line network in response to a call received from the other end of the predetermined line,
storage means for storing voice information,
voice information transmission means for reading the voice information from said storage means and for transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line,
discrimination means for receiving the call and for discriminating a communication mode of the call based on determining immediately upon reception of said communication signals within a predetermined time whether the call originated from the communication unit, and
service providing means for providing a service immediately to one of the telephone set and the communication unit responsive to the communication mode discriminated by said discrimination means,
said voice information transmission means and said discrimination means operating simultaneously and immediately after said line connection means connects the multi-media information service center to the predetermined line.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-media information service center and multi-media communication system

Life of this patent

Multi-media information service center and multi-media communication system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18