Patent ID: 6449347
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A public terminal for access to a computer network, comprising:means (24) for linking the terminal to an analog telephone network (STN); a central unit (12) furnished with peripherals (14, 16, 18) providing a human/machine interface; an algorithm for navigating around the computer network, stored in memory; a telecommunications payment cards reader (22); automatic means (26) for establishing a telephone link with a server center by the way of the analog telephone network as soon as a payment card is introduced into the reader (22) as a function of an available call credit, said automatic means (26) maintaining the telephone link as long as the payment card is introduced into the reader (22); and means for linking the terminal to a digital network (ISDN), said means for linking comprising a relay (38) controlled by the central unit (12) in such a way as to maintain a communication between said central unit (12) and the digital network as long as the telephone link with the server center is maintained.