WO1986004756A1 - Telephone installation with short range radio transmissions comprising sets each simultaneously usable by a plurality of persons - Google Patents

Abstract

The installation comprises sets (10) provided in public locations and practically invulnerable since they do not include any vulnerable or fragile element: no handset, no cord, no coin. Each user carries a unit (1) of reduced volume comprising a keyboard (102), a receiver (103) and a microphone (104). It includes a radio transceiver (100) and an antenna (101). To telephone from the portable unit (1), the user can stand at a few meters from any set (10), can set on its transmitter (100), can enter for example an account number and a code number by means of the keyboard (102) and is then able to use the set (10) which comprises the radio transceiver (201) and an antenna (200) as well as a recognition unit (203) and a modem (205) connected to ordinary telephone lines. The user may then dial the telephone number and converse. A plurality of users may simultaneously use the same set (10) since the latter has either a plurality of radio transceiver or only one provided with a plurality of channels tuned to the channel of each set.

Description

 TELEPHONE SYSTEM WITH LOW-RANGE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS INCLUDING WORKSTATIONS EACH OF THEM BY SEVERAL PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME

We know that public telephone booths are often the object of assaults which for at least a third of them have as their reason the theft of the coins contained in the device.

The other attacks are acts of outright vandalism which are all the easier to perpetrate when the station is vulnerable due to the fragility of the handset, the cord even reinforced and the hook for receiving the handset, the coin-operated part being cited only for the record.

All of these attacks cost the French telecommunications administration a sum of about 32 million dollars in 1983 alone, and it is realized that the installations current standards no longer meet the safety and reliability conditions that the user is entitled to expect from such a public service.

To remedy this, thought has been given to eliminating telephone booths and replacing them with devices which must be located only in shops such as bars, restaurants and other public places in which surveillance can be constantly exercised.

It has also been thought, in parallel, to replace the use of money or tokens by the use of a card comprising electronic means either magnetic or with microprocessors.

It is clear that placing the devices in public places under surveillance reveals that no installation has yet been found which is sufficiently resistant to attack to discourage it, even though it is obvious more rational to provide public booths that can be placed in any place, and therefore usable at any time of the day and night, than to provide stations locked in stores which are necessarily closed or inaccessible to certain moments.

The present invention relates to a particularly resistant telephone installation and even almost invulnerable to vandalism, which can operate without any means of payment on the spot, which applies the principle according to which one dissociates the actual telephone set from the handset whose user needs and which makes it possible to provide extremely simplified stations, and no longer just fragile cabins, each of these stations being able to be used simultaneously by several people.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a telephone installation of the type comprising stations accessible to a plurality of persons and usable after the authorization of each of these persons by subordination of the use of the station to the delivery by each person in particular of a message of recognition such as an account number, of identification, of code or the like, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, stations equipped each with at least one emitter. radio receiver with at least two channels, or at least two short range radio transceivers, associated with at least one modu- reader-demαdulator connected to the telephone network and on the other hand, cordless, portable handsets intended to be held individually by people, each handset comprising on the one hand a short range radio transceiver tuned either to a channel a radio transceiver which has at least two, that is to say a radio transceiver of a station which comprises at least two, and on the other hand a dial of any type known for dialing telephone call numbers and codes to be transmitted by the transmitter of the combi¬ born, several people can simultaneously use a single station by standing near said station and each maintaining his handset at a distance less than the range of one transceiver. According to other characteristics of the invention:

- The installation includes a device intended to automa¬ tically interrupt an already established radio link, as soon as the handset in question is distant from the corresponding station beyond a predeter¬ mined distance, the device possibly comprising a means of warnings ¬ prior to the interruption;

- each channel, or each radio transceiver of the stations is associated with elements for signaling its occupied and unoccupied state and for displaying an identification mark corresponding to a code access transmitted by radio from a handset from a user action on the handset dial;

- each handset is granted to only one of the channels, or radio transceivers, of any station; - each handset is capable of operating with any of the channels, or radio transceivers, of any station;

- Each station is equipped with a device intended to establish automatically the connection with a handset and that of the channels, or radio transceivers, of a station considered which is unoccupied and not out of service;

- The installation includes means to oppose the understandable perception of the radio link by any receiver other than that of the handset and that of the station in question, in order to ensure the confidentiality of transmissions between handsets and stations; - The stations have a facade little or not compatible with the transmission of radio signals between the transceivers of the handsets and those of the stations, the facade being crossed by as many antennas as the station comprises channels or transmitters. radio receivers; - each antenna is embedded in the facade;

- Each handset comprises two parts which are movable one relative to the other and which can thus occupy either a deployed position for the use of the handset, or a position of least encombr¬ ment for storing the handset in a pocket of clothing, a bag, a briefcase or others.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are only given by way of indicative example and are not limiting. Figure 1 is a schematic view of a handset according to one invention.

Figure 2 is a diagram comprising a station according to the in¬ vention, with which must cooperate by radio one, or simultaneously several, combined of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic view showing a station according to the invention provided with an antenna embedded in the facade of said station.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic view showing an alternative embodiment of a handset according to the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a station according to the invention showing an alternative embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1, we see that a handset 1 according to the invention comprises a radio transceiver 100 associated with an antenna 101. The handset 1 then has only one possibility of connection with a receiver -transmitter, because it must be tuned and the handset 1. If you want to give handset 1 greater possibilities, you can either equip it with several radia transceivers of different wavelengths, or provide a single transmitter radio receiver associated with several different channels, each of these solutions being within the reach of the skilled person.

Furthermore, the installation comprises several stations 10 distributed over a more or less vast territory: a city, a country, etc. as are currently the public cabins. However, as will be better understood below, the invention makes it possible to install stations 10 not only in cabins but also by sealing them in a wall, since the stations 10 do not include wire, dial, coin mechanism or no weather sensitive parts. Each station 10, depending on the solution chosen for the handsets 1, may comprise a single radio transceiver, several radio transceivers or even a single radio transceiver provided with several channels. Here, to illustrate the invention without complicating the des¬ sin, only the solution of a single radio transceiver has been shown because it is easy for the skilled person, starting from the indications for a single transmitter- receiver, to carry out an installation with several. Each station 10 comprises an antenna 200 associated with a transceiver 201 connected by a link 202 to a recognition assembly 203 connected by a link 204 to a modulator-demodulator 205 itself connected by a link 206 to the purely electrical and telephone components. ¬ post 10 picnics.

The enabling operation is done only by means of radio signals emitted by the transceiver 100 from information supplied by manipulation of the keys of a keyboard 102 of the handset 1 and these signals are received by the transmitter. -Receiver 201 via the antenna 200 then are supplied to a verification unit 203 which authorizes or condemns the communication.

If the communication is authorized, the modulator-demodulator 205 receives the desired information and ensures the communication. The transmitter 201 then receives the electrical signals by a link 207 which avoids passing through the assembly 203 and the radio message is transmitted via the antenna 200 to be received via the antenna 101 by the transmitter-receiver 100 handset 1.

The user then hears the tone through an earpiece 103 and is thus informed that he can dial the number of his correspondent on the keypad 102.

When the communication is established, the user speaks into a microphone 104. The power of the transmitters 100 and 201 must be minimal since the handset 1 and the set 10 always remain at a distance which is of the order of meters, so that the components can be small to be accommodated without difficulty in the handset 1 and be obtained at low cost. Naturally, if the antenna (or antennas) 200 is internal to station 10, the front part of the latter must be permeable to radio waves and to avoid constituting a Faraday cage, station 10 must not be constituted by a fully metallic hood.

Each antenna 200 can be embedded in a robust material which is permeable to radio waves.

It can also be provided, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, that each antenna 200 crosses the facade 10a_ of the station 10 and is embedded in the latter. Here, we have shown the case where the antenna 200 is arranged along a winding path to have the desired length over a small area, but it is also possible to provide a straight path. The embedding can be integral, that is to say leaving no space between the facade, the antenna and an insulator which separates them.

We see in Figure 1 that the keyboard 102 is provided in the central fraction of the "upper" part 106 because this solution can be advantageous since it involves only simple electrical connections between the two articulated parts, only the microphone 104 being on the folding part 105. If, on the contrary, provision is made for the keyboard 102 on the folding part 105, the presence of a joint can be a handicap.

In Figure 5, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the handset 1 which comprises practically only a single part 110 containing the electronic components, a microphone 111 being disposed at the end of a rod 112 articulated to the part 110 which can, as shown, have a housing in which the rod 112 and microphone 111.

This set is particularly compact and therefore easy to store and use.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment according to which the station 300 can be embedded in a wall C which makes the various electrical and electronic components practically in¬ vulnerable. It comprises either several radio transceivers, or a single radio transceiver with several channels, each corresponding to a channel or to a transmitter of the handsets 1. These are essentially channels for different frequencies. These various transceivers have been represented by simple circles 301 which, here, are twenty in number. Each transceiver corresponds to a set of recognition and to a modulator-demodulator according to the principle described with regard to FIG. 2. If one accepts to expose LEDs despite the risk of vanda¬ lism which they represent , an may provide pairs of green indicator light and red indicator light for each transceiver in the immediate vicinity of a number, here 1 to 20, so that a user arriving with his / her handset in front of the extension 300 while other users located at nearby are visibly in conversation, immediately see the red lights and observes to which numbers these red lights correspond so that it knows which are the numbers of transceivers occupied and, consequently, which are the numbers of the transceivers free since they are those whose numbers have the green light on and the red light off.

The user then dials on the dial of his handset the number of the transceiver he chooses from among those whose green light is on, if necessary in combination with the action on another key on the dial and when by this operation he reserves the transceiver, the green light goes out and the red light comes on.

He then begins the authorization procedure which can be identical to that which has been described with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2.

For the installation to function properly, it is of course necessary that the frequencies of the coupled transceivers respect tively on each handset and the post 300 are granted and at the same ^'time distinct from the other transceivers of the same station 300.

Given the very short range of the radio installation, it is easy to provide bandwidths spaced sufficiently apart from one another to avoid any interference despite the proximity of the combi¬ born used simultaneously.

Likewise, a person skilled in the art knows how to perfectly produce, in the minimum dimensions required by the handsets 1, a frequency selector so that the simple dialing, on the dial 102 of a handset 1, of a number appearing on the set 300 turns on the handset 1 transmitter on the corresponding frequency. As soon as this connection is established, the frequency is automatically blocked for other users. If we even want to remove the LEDs, the installation can still work since it suffices to empirically test the numbers of the transceivers 301 because if the transceiver 301 whose number has just been dialed is busy, it immediately responds with a busy signal and the user repeats his calls until the number he dials corresponds to a free 301 transceiver, in which case the user receives a message opposite to the previous one and signifying that '' he can start the authorization procedure in order to establish a communication.

But, according to a more rational and more convenient solution, the stations are equipped with a device which automatically establishes the connection of the handsets with a free channel (or frequency), that is to say not currently used and in order Steps.

When all channels are unavailable, a visual, audible or emitted warning signal can be provided to the handset.

If the user moves away from the station beyond a predetermined distance as corresponding to the limit of the place where a communication can be ensured under good conditions, the connection can be automatically interrupted, in order to keep the facility its provisional service character and protect it against abuse which would consist in not voluntarily interrupting the radio link (which would be equivalent to what is called with conventional telephone installations "do not hang up"). It is, in fact, a telephone installation whose stations 10 have a precise location and not an organization of mobile radio telephones. This provision also protects the distracted user who leaves by forgetting to "cut" the communication. It is indeed a protection because, logically, the counting of the price of the communication does not end until the user interrupts it. Naturally, the invention could be implemented by means different from those which have been described here.

The dials 102 of the handsets 1 can be of any known type and include all kinds of keys different from the number keys in order to make the use of the installation simpler, more attractive or more efficient: repeat keys for the last number call, display of the duration and / or the price of the call, calculator etc.

The payment methods for communications can be of any known type and in particular the allocation to an account identified by a number given by the user at the same time as a confidential code thanks to which the identity of this user is verified. .

The sets 10 can be associated with a device delivering a file clearly showing the date, the number dialed, the duration of the call and its price corresponding to the amount debited from the user's account, etc.

The stations can, of course, be located in all well-known public places but also in private premises and can have a telephone number.

It emerges from the above description that an installation in accordance with the invention makes it possible to reach a degree of invulnerability unknown to date.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the stations 10 comprise a device intended to automatically direct the transmission of the handset 1 that the newcomer user is handling to the available frequency. The invention also makes it possible to make access to the interior of the station, for its repair or maintenance, subject to the prior emission of a coded message releasing a lock for a mask concealing the dismantling members proper. It is also possible to superimpose on the modulated carrier wave another modulation corresponding to an individual code ensuring the confidentiality of the communications and guaranteeing the correct allocation of the expenses to the desired account.

Providing the handsets 1 individually to the users, instead of leaving them available to everyone, guarantees excellent hygienic conditions.

It is easy to provide many widely distributed stations since they have a minimal footprint and, thanks to this, we tend to suppress the queues and even, if desired, to remove the most exposed cabins for replace them with simple plates embedded in a wall.

It can be foreseen that the interruption of a conversation does not cause the interruption of the combined link 1-station 10 in order to allow the users to establish several communications in succession without having to restart the authorization and connection procedure. .

To further increase the invulnerability of the installation by eliminating any element of temptation, it can be provided that the stations accessible to the public are in fact only ends of antennas, all the electronic components being, themselves, distant and placed in highly protected places (premises of the body responsible for telecommunications, for example).

To each frequency corresponds an antenna length and to avoid mounting errors, it is possible to provide individual antenna fixing members for each frequency, these members constituting polarizing elements.

When one chooses to drown the antennas in a mass such as concrete, it can be advantageous to drown in fact not the antennas themselves but tubes, in particular in synthetic materials, in which the antennas can be inserted and removed easily . According to a particular embodiment, provision is made for the introduction of an element (such as a memory card) into a slot in the stations 10, but the presence of this slot constitutes an element of vulnerability.

On the other hand, this provision contributes to making the installation easy to use even by foreigners because one can hand over to them handsets 1 (possibly against deposit of a deposit) and a usable card without use of confidential code and without operation automatic debit from an account.

This also allows, without administrative complications and without costly organization, to donate tickets to people we want to honor or, quite simply, to needy people if the item is a ticket and not a re-usable card .

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Claims

1 - Telephone installation of the type comprising stations accessible to a plurality of people and usable after empowerment of each of these people by subordination of the use of the station to the delivery by each person in particular of a message of recognition such that an account number, d ¹ identification, code or analog, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand sets (10-300) each equipped with at least one radio transceiver (201 ) at least two channels, or at least two short range radio transceivers, associated with at least one modulator-demodulator (205) connected to the telephone network and on the other hand handsets (1) without wire, portable and intended to be held individually by people, each handset (1) comprising on the one hand a radio transceiver (100) of short range tuned either to a channel of a radio transceiver which includes minus two, or a radio transceiver of a station (10-300) which comprises at least two, and on the other hand a dial (102) of any type known for dialing telephone numbers and codes to be transmitted by the transmitter (100) of the handset (1), several people can simultaneously use a single station (10-300) by standing near said station (10-300) and each holding their own handset (1) at a distance less than the range of the transceiver (100). 2- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device intended to automatically interrupt an already established radio link, as soon as the handset (1) in question is distant from the station (10-300) corresponding beyond d 'a predetermined distance, the device possibly comprising a means of warning prior to one interruption. 3- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each channel, or each radio transceiver of the stations (10-300) is associated with elements for signaling its occupied and unoccupied state and for display of an identification mark ¹ corresponding to an access code transmitted by radio from a handset (1) from a user action on the dial (102) of the handset (1). 4- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each handset (1) is granted to only one of the channels, or radio transceivers, of any station. 5- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each handset (1) is capable of operating with any one of the channels, or radio transceivers, of any station. 6- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each station (300) is equipped with a device intended to establish automatically the connection with a handset (1) and that of the channels, or radio transceivers, d 'a post (300) considered which is not occupied and not out of service. 7- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means to oppose the comprehen¬ sible perception of the radio link by any receiver other than that of the handset (1) and that of the station (10-300 ) in question, in order to ensure the confidentiality of the transmissions between handsets (1) and sets (10-300). 8- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the stations (10) have a facade (10aJ little or not compatible with the transmission of radio signals between the transceivers (100) of the handsets (1) and those (201) stations (10), the facade (10a_) being crossed by as many antennas (200) as the station (10) comprises channels or radio transceivers (201). 9- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each antenna (200) is embedded in the facade (10a_). 10- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each handset (1) comprises two parts (102-105) which are movable relative to each other and which can thus occupy either a deployed position for the use of the handset (1), or a posi _¬ tion of compactness for storing the handset (1) in a garment pocket, a bag, a document holder or the like. ***