ARRANGEMENT FOR THE CONNECTION OF A COMPUTER TO AN INDIVIDUAL ANALOG TELEPHONE

Abstract: In order to connect a computer (4) to an individual analog telephone (1), the computer is provided with a modem card (5) including a modem function, telephone audio bus adapter, a gate adapted for a digital control bus of the telephone, connections for the control and audio buses, and software, which is able to convert the digital modem instructions into telephone instructions and vice versa. The telephone (1) is preferably a cellular telephone and the computer (4) can be a portable PC. It is also possible to arrange the modem card to be connected to other immobile telephone network equipment, such as a telefax terminal.

Description: Arrangement for the connection of a computer to an individual analog telephone The subject matter of the present invention is an arrange¬ ment for the connection of a computer to an individual analog telephone, the computer being provided with a modem card realised in one or more parts and including a modem and connections for the audio and control buses of the telephone. Such arrangement is well-known in connection with a conventional telephone. In connection with a cellular phone, an arrangement ac¬ cording to figures 1 and 2 is known. Here, the chain in¬ cludes, as is seen in the figure, a telephone 1 that may b a cellular telephone, an adapter 2, a two-wire connection from the adapter to a modem 3, and finally a computer 4. The blocks of the adapter 2 and the modem 3 are described in more detail in figure 2. The adapter includes a UART unit, 21, a microprocessor, 22, an analog amplifier, 23, and a telephone adapter, 24. The modem 3 correspondingly includes a microprocessor, 32, an analog IC, 33, a tele¬ phone adapter, 34, and an external serial bus, e.g. an adapter, 35, for a bus of the V.24 type. The impractical form of the system is a drawback of this known arrangement, as it has three or four individual unit with cables between them. A drawback is also the unnecess¬ ary mechanics, which leads to costs, and moreover the use¬ less combination of the DTMF transmitter and the DTMF receiver units. In the known system the modem converts a telephone number into DTMF tones based on a call set up instruction from th computer. The tones are transmitted from the modem, from which they are connected to a data-adapter, whose DTMF- receiver again converts the sequence into a digital sequence. This number sequence is added to a control mess- age sent further to the telephone, the message causing the telephone to call the number in question. Naturally it would be possible to put all units described here in the same housing, but in that case the telephone and the computer could not be purchased or used individu¬ ally and the whole combination always had to be carried along. The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement, in which the above mentioned drawbacks are avoided and in which the system will be both simplified an cheaper. In order to achieve this, the invention is charac¬ terized in that the telephone is an individual analog cellular telephone and that the modem card further in- eludes, as an integrated part or otherwise connected thereto, a telephone audio bus adapter, a port adapted for the digital control bus of the telephone, and software, which converts the digital modem instructions into tele¬ phone instructions, and vice versa. The modem card may also be adapted to be connected to an immobile telephone network, whereby the card also will include a telephone adapter. Then it is also possible to connect it to other equipment, such as a telefax terminal, of the immobile telephone network. The invention is described in more detail below and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which figures 1 and 2 show a known arrangement described above, figure 3 shows as a block diagram of an arrangement according to the invention, figure 4 shows in more detail an implementation of the modem part, and figure 5 shows an alternative implementation of the modem part. Thus, according to the invention the computer itself in¬ cludes a modem card taking care of the control and audio service between the computer and the modem. In comparison with the prior system you now need only a telephone, which may be a cellular telephone, and a computer equipped with modem card of the new type according to the invention. When the telephone is a cellular telephone, the modem card may e.g. be in accordance with figure 4. In other words, the modem card includes a gate 51 adapted for the digital control bus of the telephone, a microprocessor 52, and an analog IC-circuit, that is the actual modem 53 functioning as a kind of D/A-converter, correspondingly A/D-converter between the microprocessor 52 and a telephone. The modem card further includes an adapter 55 for the PC-bus and an audio bus adapter 56 between the modem and the audio connections of the telephone. In the arrangement according to the invention the modem's call set up instruction is converted directly and digitally by the modem card into a digital control message for the telephone. As is seen in the figure 4, the modem card has a direct connection to th audio and control buses of the cellular telephone. Part of the gate 51 can be constitued by an adapter situated in th connection piece to the telephone. Also the audio bus adapter 56 can be situated in a connection piece outside the card itself. The control instructions for the cellular telephone are located in the program memory of the modem card micro- processor 52 and not in the individual data adapter as in prior arrangements. It is also possible to realize the modem card so that it can be connected to immobile telephone network equipment, such as a telefax terminal. Figure 5 shows such an expanded arrangement. It includes the parts 51, 52, 53, 55 and 56 in the same way as a modem card in accordance with figure 4, and further a telephone adapter 54 for the above mentioned interface. The arrangement according to the invention is thus smaller than the prior one, and it contains fewer cable connec¬ tions. The DTMF-circuits can be omitted from the system, which of course will reduce manufacturing costs. The telephone and the computer can be purchased and used individually. The best implementation due to its versa- tility could be that of figure 5, where the modem card is connected to the PC, to a cellular telephone and to a terminal of the immobile network.

Claims: Claims 1. Arrangement for the connection of a computer (4) to an individual analog telephone (1) , the computer being pro¬ vided with a modem card (5) realized in one or more parts and including a modem (53) and interfaces for the audio an control buses of the telephone (1) , characterized in that the telephone (1) is an individual analog cellular tele¬ phone and that the modem card further includes, as an integrated part or otherwise connected thereto, a telephon audio bus adapter (56) , a gate (51) adapted for a digital control bus of the telephone, and software, which converts the digital modem instructions into telephone instructions and vice versa. 2. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized i that the modem card (5) is arranged to be connected to an immobile telephone network, whereby the card (5) also in¬ cludes a telephone adapter (54) . 3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 2, characterized i that the modem card (5) is arranged to be connected also t other immobile telephone network equipment, such as a telefax terminal. 4. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized i that the computer (4) is a portable PC. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 24 April 1992 (24.04.92); original claim 1 amended; remaining claims unchanged (1 page)] 1. Arrangement for the connection of a computer (4) to an individual telephone (1) , the computer being provided with a modem card (5) realized in one or more parts and including a modem (53) and interfaces for the audio and control buses of the telephone (1), characterized in that the telephone (1) is an individual cellular telephone and that the modem card further includes, as an integrated part or otherwise connected thereto, a telephone audio bus adapter (56), a gate (51) adapted for a digital control bus of the telephone, and software, which converts the digital modem instructions into telephone instructions and vice versa. 2. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the modem card (5) is arranged to be connected to an immobile telephone network, whereby the card (5) also includes a telephone adapter (54). 3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the modem card (5) is arranged to be connected also to other immobile telephone network equipment, such as a telefax terminal. 4. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the computer (4) is a portable PC.

Inventors: ROSSI MARKKU, TERHO MIKKO, ROSSI, MARKKU, TERHO, MIKKO
Applicants: NOKIA MOBILE PHONES LTD, NOKIA MATKAPUHELIMET OY
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H04M11
IPC codes: G06F13, H04M11, H04W88