A TELEPHONE SYSTEM HAVING A TELEPHONE CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER THROUGH A SERIAL PORT Technical Field The present invention relates to a telephone communication system, and more particular to the telephone communication system in which a telephone may be connected directly to a serial port of a computer through a interface to call simply by operating computer and all sort of information transmitted from the opposite party may be stored in computer.

Background Art The telephone has been necessaries device for communication, since the telephone introduced. The function and capacity of the telephone are remarkably improved by developing the telephone device, the signal- transmitting technology, and the communication line technology. In accordance with the development of the mobile communication, further, the mobile phone has been introduced widely so that the mobile phone becomes the worldwide communication device recently.

On the other hand, the telephone service using internet has bee also developed as a telephone service. The internet had its genesis in U. S government programs funded by the Advanced Research Agency network (ARPANET) to exchange the information between the university and improved to the worldwide network. Although the internet had originated in order to exchange the information between scholars, it is developed to

the data communication network recently. Improving the computing and networking technologies, the internet serves the E-mail, Telet, File Transfer Protocol, search of the information, Usenet News, and video conferences.

This internet has been further developed with the progressed computer technology, networking and pile processing technology, so that the various services such as an e-commerce, an internet banking service, and an internet phone service, are provided. In particular, the internet phone service is widely used because of the cost down.

Since the internet phone is introduced by Vocaltec Corp. in 1995, its use is rapidly extended because of the low price. The low price of the internet phone is caused by a particular transmitting method, the packet transmitting method. The general telephone uses a line transmitting method. In the line transmitting method, the caller and the called party occupy exclusively one particular telephone line through which the voice signal is receiving and transmitting. This occupied line cannot be owned with other person. In this line transmitting method, a great number of telephones use the limited telephone line at the same time in the whole world, which causes the high line fee and resultant high telephone charges.

Further, the voice signal is transmitted and received in the data size used for the telephone, 64kbyte, so that the charges per unit capacity is also increased.

However, in the internet phone having low price service because of the packet transmitting method, there are problems that the installation cost is high because of the communication device such as a modem and software for internet phone. Further, the telephone conversation may be

delayed by the initialization of the communication device and interrupted during the other computer work.

Diselosure of Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a telephone communication system in which the interface unit is connected to the serial port of the computer to connect with the telephone and computer in order to operate the telephone by the controlling information of the computer.

It is other object of the present invention to provide the telephone communication system storing the caller information and the telephone message to search easily the caller information and the communication information.

In order to achieve the object, the telephone communication system of the present invention comprises a telephone connected to an outer telephone line, a computer for storing a software for telephonic communication to store the information received from the telephone and provide the signal to the telephone, an interface unit connected to the computer through a serial port thereof to provide a dial signal of the phone number selected from the computer to the telephone and to convert the information from the telephone into the digital data so as to provide to the computer, and a voice processing unit connected to the telephone and the interface unit to encode the voice signal into the digital data and to store the encoded data in the computer.

In this invention, the software telephone is directly connected to the computer. At this time, the telephone is connected to the outer telephone

station trough the outer telephone line and the connected to the computer through the interface unit. The interface unit may be connected to the serial port of the computer. In the telephone communication system of the present invention, the computer is connected to the internet trough the LAN card. The software for telephonic communication is installed in the computer. When loading the software, the signal is input into the telephone to call.

Further, the information received through the interface unit id transmitted to the computer through the telephone and then stored in the computer. The information includes the name of caller, the phone number, the date and time of the communication, and period of the communication time.

The communication message is encoded into the digital data by the voice processing unit and stored in the storing unit of the voice processing unit. When completion of the telephonic communication, the stored digital data is transmitted to the computer and stored in the storing device of the computer. At this time, the storing data can include the date and time of the communication, the caller information, and the summary of the communication message. Thus, user is able to search the information and listen the stored message. Further, the message of the user can be stored in the computer. This message, for example, the automatic response or the guide information, is converted into the voice signal by the voice processing unit. While telephone communication, this converted voice signal is output through the telephone.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the telephonic communication system in which the telephone and the computer are connected through the serial port vf the computer.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the caller information expressing function during the telephonic communication in the present invention.

FIG 3 is a flow chart showing the communication message storing function during the telephonic communication in the present system.

FIG 4 is a flow chart showing the output function of the message stored in the computer in the present system.

FIG5. is a flow chart showing financial service method using the electronic card in the present system.

Best Mode For Carrving Out the Invention Referring to FIG. 1, the present telephonic communication system comprises a telephone 100, a computer 150 on which the software for telephonic communication mounted, an interface unit 160 connected to a serial port of the computer 150 to connect the telephone 100 to the computer 150, and a voice processing unit 180 connected to the telephone 100 to convert the voice signal into the digital data and then to store the converted digital data.

The telephone 100 includes receiver/transmitter 103 for telephonic communication, and a telephonic function processing unit 101 for processing the phone number inputted by a dial 106 to transmit the transmitting signal and processing the signal inputted through the receiver/transmitter 103. The telephonic function processing unit 101 is connected to the outer telephone line through the outer telephone line jack

107. The computer 150 is connected to the internet through the LAN card (not shown in drawing) therein and then connected to the web server 190.

The interface unit 160 includes a communication controlling unit 162 for controlling the telephone 100 by signal inputted from the computer 150 when the software installed in the computer 150 is operating, a dial signal generating unit 168 for generating the dial signal for the phone number of the called party to be input through the computer 150 and then outputting to the telephone when the software for telephone installed on the computer 150 is operated, a transmitting information converting unit 167 for converting the caller information, such as the name and phone number of the caller, into the digital data to input the converted information to the computer 150, a main controlling unit 164 for connecting the interface unit 160 to the serial port of the computer 150 and controlling the above mention device, a representing unit 166 for representing the transmitting information or whether the voice signal is input or not, a storing unit 165 for storing the converted transmitting information.

The voice processing unit 180 comprises a central processing unit 182 for converting the voice signal of the called party input through the telephone into the digital data and transmitting the converted data to the computer 150 through the interface unit 160 and a storing unit 181 for storing temporarily the converted data.

As described above, the telephonic communication system includes the telephone 100 connected to the computer 150 through the serial port and the software for internet phone is installed on the computer 150.

Further, the computer 150 is connected to the internet through the LAN card. Not shown in drawing, the various information for operating the

telephone is represented on the screen of the computer 150, when the software for telephonic communication is operating. For example, the phone number button. If this button is clicked with a mouse or the phone number is input with keyboard, the dial signal corresponding to the phone number is generated by the dial signal generating unit 168 in the interface unit 160 and input into the function processing unit 101 of the telephone 100 to call.

The software installed on the computer 150 has the web browser function. That is, since the computer 150 is connected to the web server 190 through the LAN card, the web page down loaded from the web server can also be represented on the screen of the computer 150. This means that the system of the present invention serves the internet service and the telephone call on the one screen of the computer 150 at the same time.

Specialty, the web server 195 of this system provides the various function for the telephone call. As an example, the web page is useful for the telephone controlling function of the computer 150. When the internet user clicks the phone number represented on the web page, the information of the phone number is input into the computer and then input into the telephone through dial signal generating unit 168 of the interface unit 160 for the telephonic communication.

Further, the various information about the called party is stored in the computer 150, such as the name, the address, the occupation, the hobby, and the particular facts. If the caller information is input into the computer 150, the computer 150 searches the caller information from the stored information therein and represents the searched caller information on the screen. Thus, the user is able to call while viewing the information of the called party on the screen.

Not shown in drawing, a camera can be attached in the computer 150. In this case, the image data taken by the camera is transmitted to the telephone through the interface unit and processed by the computer to be represented on the screen. Further, the image data is transmitted to the web server, so that the caller and the called party are capable of the image-telephonic communication by connecting the web server. This causes the effect as the telephone for picture communication in spite of the genera ! telephone.

In case where the dial signal is generated by the computer 150 to call, as shown above, the mike and speak (not shown in drawing) which are the inpul/output devices of the computer can also be used as the receiver/transmitter. At this time, the voice signal of the called party received through the telephone is encoded by the central processing unit I o2 of the voice processing unit 180 to be converted into the digital data and stored in the storing unit 181. This stored digital data is input and stored in the computer 150. In the computer 150, the digital data is again converted into the voice signal and then output through the speaker.

Furthcr, the voice signal of the caller input through the mike is also converted into the digital data by the computer 150 and then converted digital data is again converted into the analog voice signal by the central processing unit 182 of the voice processing unit 160 for transmitting to the telephone This analog voice signal is transmitted to the called party for automatic response service.

Hereinafter, the function of the system of this invention is described in detail, accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart indicating the representing function of the

information of the caller. As shown in drawing, the caller information received from the other party is converted into the data to be stored in the computer by the transmitting information converting unit 167 of the interface unit 160 (S101). This converted data is stored in the storing unit l 65 of the interface unit 160 when the computer is turned off or the receiving party is away (S102. S103). When the computer is turned on, the converted data is transmitting to computer through the communication port, i. e., the serial port (S 104). The computer recognizes the received data and searches the information of the other party stored in the storing device If the information corresponding to the transmitting data is stored in the storing device of the computer, this information may be represented on the screen of the computer 150 (S105, S108). At this time, since the searched information is automatically pop up on the screen, the user is able to recognize the information of the other party without any operation of f, ie computer 150.

In case where the information of the other party corresponding to the transmitted data is not stored in the computer 150, this data is stored in the computer 150 to represent on the screen of the computer 150 (Sl06, Sl07, S108).

In the present invention, as described above, it is possible to converse with the other party while viewing the various information of the other party representing on the screen in the basis of the transmitting information. Thus, the user can effectively converse with the other party because the user recognizes the various information of the other party. In case cf the telephone counsel, for example, the counselor can converse with the opposite party in state of recognizing the his information such as the name, the address, the hobby, the living standard, and the occupation

so that the counsel may be effective.

The transmitting information stored in the computer 150 may include the various information, for example, the name of the other party, the caller's phone number, the day and time of telephone communication, the period of the conversation time, and the text message transmitted telephone conversation. These data are classified and stored in the computer 150 for easy search. The various information of the caller information is confirmed by the search. By the search function, further, tl, e call hlocking may be set. That is, in case where there is the other party not to be converse in the other party stored in the storing device of the computer 150, the computer recognizes the call blocking state and sends the busy signal of the telephone to the telephone in order to refuse the receipt of the signal if the call blocking is set for this person. And, it is possible to call easily by clicking the searched person to generate the dial signal.

FIG 3 shows the method of storing the communication message.

First. when the hook switch 105 of the telephone 100 is hooked on, the voice signal of the communication message is input to the voice processing unit 180 and then encoded to the digital data (S201, S202). This digital data is temporarily stored in the storing unit 181 of the voice processing unit 108 (S203).

When the hook switch 105 of the telephone is hooked off, i. e., ring o. f, t ! ^ e storage indicating window of the communication message is represented on the screen of the computer and the user clicks the storage button of the message if necessary (S205).

By clicking the storage button, the digital data stored in the storing unit 181 of the voice processing unit 180 is transmitted to the computer

l 5"and stored in the storing device of the computer (S206, S207).

Practically, the communication message can be stored in the general telephone Since this general telephone has the limited storage-capacity, hcwever, it is possible to store the long message and the various messages.

Accordingly, the stored message should be removed to store the new message However, it is possible to store a lot of the communication message in the present invention, because the converted digital data is stored in the storing device of the computer, for example hard disk.

Further, the additional information such as the day and time of telephone communication and the period of the conversation time can be added to the digital data. The digital data can also be edited to add the information, such as the communication message and the calling party, to thereof so that the easily search can be achieved.

This search of the information is specially useful of the internet service such as the E-commerce and the information providing service, in case where the user requests the desired information and the counsel of the service.

Further, the data is stored in the computer as the digital data file.

Thus, it is possible to transmit this data file to the other computer and the wireless communication apparatus such as the mobile phone.

The voice signal can be converted to the digital data in the various formats. Through the mp3 file is preferable as the digital format, the other formats such as wave, midi, avi, and mpeg are also useful.

In present invention, the messages of the receiving party can nf be stored. These messages may automatically be transmitted to

the crier through the telephone in case of the reception of the transmitting signal. These messages may include the automatic response and the information explanation. In FIG. 4, the message transmitting method is disclosed.

Referring to FIG. 4, the various messages are stored in the computer (S30 I). At this time, these messages input through the mike are converted into the mp3 data file by the controlling unit of the computer and stored in tille computer.

Subsequently, the user searches the message to be set as the response (S3 02) and the set message is transmitted to the central processing unit 182 of the voice processing unit 180 to convert into the voice signal (S303, S304). This converted voice signal is temporarily stored in the storing unit 181 of the voice processing unit 180 to output to the other party when receiving telephone (S305, S306).

As shown above, since the message is stored in the computer, the great amount of messages can be stored and the desired message may easily be searched.

The present invention provides the financial service such as an electronic-settlement. This financial service is similar with the internet baking service or the tele-banking service. However, the financial service cf the present invention can be adopted in the internet banking service and the tcic-banking service. In the present invention, that is, the item of the financial service is transmitted through the internet or the telephone line and represented on the screen of the computer 150. By selecting the item, the user is able to use the desired financial service.

FIG. 5 indicates the method of providing the financial service in the present invention. Among the various financial services, in FIG. 5, only

4 e electronic settlement service using a prepayment card on the internet is described.

First, as shown in drawing, when the computer is connected to the system of the financial institution, i. e., the server, the i, for the financial institution is represented and the user selects the settlement service while viewing the screen (S501). When the user sélects the settlement service using the electronic card, the telephone is connected to the management system of the financial institution to receive the various information including the image information and then the information is represented on the screen of the computer (S502).

At the same time, the information necessary for the electronic settlement is received from the management system. Thereafter, the user information is input in the computer and transmitted to the management system té telephone (S503). On the other hand, the management system recognizes the transmitted user information and is transmitting the in formation such as the balance and the use number of times of the electronic card to the telephone to output thereof through the computer viewing the screen of the computer, the user requests the fi) ! ing the electronic card with fund in case where the current fund of the electronic card is less than the settlement fund (S505, S506). The electronic settlement is completed using the filled electronic card (S507).

Industrial ApDticabiHtv As described above, the telephone of the present invention is connected to the serial port of the computer through the interface unit software for the telephonic communication is installed on the

computer for operating thereof. When the phone number is selected from the dial pad indicated on the screen of the computer, the dial signal is input to the telephone through the interface unit for the telephonic communication. The various information may be stored in the computer.

Therefore, it is possible to call by clicking merely the person represented on the screen after search the desired person to call in the computer.

Further, the input of the phone number through the keyboard makes it possible to call. These causes the simple telephone communication.

In the present, the caller information is input during the telephonic communication. This caller information is stored and sorted for easy search.

Further, the conversation message of the voice signal can be coni ; <r. d into the digital to store the converted digital data in the computer. Therefore, a lot of the various messages can be stored and the response message can also be stored for response service.

While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, this should not be construed as limitation on the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.