Abstract:
A kit for converting an existing pay telephone to additionally provide computer network access includes an upper housing unit that latches to a lower housing of the existing telephone, and a network adapter unit which includes a network computer and a control module that selectively disables a hook switch connection to a payphone electronics module of the existing payphone. A coin scanner and an escrow unit of the existing payphone are connected through the control module to the payphone electronics unit. The network computer, in combination with the control module, provides a stand by mode, a pay phone mode, a data mode utilizing an optional data port socket for connection of an external data device, and a network mode. The kit provides for remote management of network functions as well as payphone functions over a single telephone line. Also disclosed is a complete network access pay telephone.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/864,597, filed on May, 23, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,590, which is incorporated herein by this reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present invention relates to telephonic communications, and more particularly to pay phones that provide for computer network access. 
   Over the past 100 years, the public telecommunications industry, which has produced and operated what are commonly known as “payphones,” has evolved into one of the most easy-to-use and widely accepted communications networks. The core device in public communications, the payphone, literally has made “on the go” communications possible for millions of people daily. In recent years, however, unprecedented technological, competitive and regulatory changes within the telecommunications industry have created an equally unprecedented challenge for the public communications sector. A decade previously, the payphone was the only way most people on the go kept connected to home or office. Now, however, wireless phones keep everyone—from high school students to housewives to business travelers—in touch while on the go, talking on the phone while walking down the street or through a busy airport. 
   The Internet likewise has revolutionized communications by replacing cards and letters with e-mail, by replacing in-person shopping with e-commerce, and replacing traditional access to news, information and other services with personalized portals. As a result, consumers increasingly demand access to “content” anytime, anywhere, and not just to the voice communications conventionally provided by landlines and wireless phones. Content equals information that includes voice calls, local news, mapped directions, investment updates, e-commerce transactions, email, and connectivity with the home, office and other web-based information. 
   Thus the single-function payphone is being driven toward a phase-out condition, and Internet kiosks are appearing in public places for use by those not having ready access to the Internet. Such persons include those not having a personal computer and/or an account with an Internet service provider (ISP). Also, many who have such accounts may wish to access the Internet while away from their home or office and, even if they are carrying a portable computer equipped for Internet access there may not be an available direct telephone line. Internet kiosks are relatively expensive to install when the required space is taken into account. Consequently, they are often installed in spaces previously occupied by pay telephones, which tends to diminish revenue otherwise received from pay telephone service, as well as to generate public dissatisfaction with reduced pay phone availability. As a result, pay phones are now marketed that provide Internet access in addition to conventional voice communication capability. However, these new pay phones are excessively expensive. 
   Thus there is a need for an inexpensive way to provide public computer network access without discontinuing pay telephone service at existing locations. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention meets this need by providing a network pay telephone that can be easily converted from a preexisting conventional pay telephone and includes a significant portion of the preexisting telephone, the inventive pay telephone being operable for both network and conventional voice communications. In one aspect of the invention, a network access pay telephone includes a housing structure supporting a coin scanner, an escrow unit, and a payphone electronics module, the payphone electronics module having a line connector for connecting an external telephone line, a coin scanner connection for electrically connecting the coin scanner, an escrow unit connection for electrically connecting the escrow unit, and an interface connection for electrically connecting an external interface, the payphone electronics module having circuitry for managing the conventional voice communications over the external telephone line in response to the coin scanner, the escrow unit, and signals into the interface connection; a front-end interface supported relative to the housing and adapted for feeding the signals to the interface connection of the payphone electronics module; a handset, a hook-switch, and a dialpad, each being supported relative to the housing and electrically connectable to the front-end interface; a network computer having non-volatile memory, a modem having a pass-through connection to the line connector of the payphone electronics module, a display, an input device, and a local interface port, the display and the input device being supported relative to the housing structure for operator access thereto; and a control module connected to the local interface port and to the front-end interface, the control module also having pass-through connections between the coin scanner and the payphone electronics module and between the escrow unit and the payphone electronics module. The control module and the network computer are implemented for enabling the network access in response to the input device and either one of the coin scanner and the local interface port. Thus payments for use of the data port can be by coins and/or credit card (when the local interface port is implemented as a credit card reader). Since the payphone electronics module can be a preexisting relatively expensive component of a conventional pay telephone, the inventive telephone can advantageously utilize such a device from inventory stock, or from a preexisting telephone. 
   Preferably the network pay telephone also includes a data port having an operator-accessible connection for connecting an external data device, including means for signaling the network computer in response to connection of the external data device, the network computer being further implemented for enabling communication between the data port and the external telephone line in response to the connection of the external data device and one of the coin scanner and the local interface port. The data port can have a data circuit portion and a sensor portion, the sensor portion being responsive to mechanical coupling of a mating counterpart of the data port to the data port for enabling the means for signaling the network computer that the external data device is actually connected. The means for signaling can include an electrical circuit having contacts in the data port that are opened in response to the mating counterpart being connected to or disconnected from the data port. The data port can have plural biasingly supported electrical contacts and a bridge contact, the data circuit portion including a first pair of the contacts, the sensor portion including a second pair of the contacts, the bridge contact shorting the second pair of the contacts unless the mating counterpart of the data port is coupled thereto. 
   The data port is preferably provided with a safety isolation circuit, including an isolation switch connected for selectively isolating and connecting the data circuit portion of the data port in response to an external signal, and a short-detector circuit for signaling the isolation switch for connecting the data circuit when there is a predetermined non-zero voltage at the data circuit portion. Thus the pay telephone is protected against loss of its other functions in the event that data port is subjected to a short-circuit such as might be caused by attempted connection of a faulty or improper external device. 
   The input device can include a pointing device, which can include a trackball. An alphanumeric keyboard is preferably provided in addition to the pointing device for facilitating network communications. 
   The network pay telephone can include a function keypad for signaling operator selections to the network computer, and/or a card reader for signaling machine-readable data to the network computer. The network computer can further include an audio output circuit, the telephone also having a speaker connected to the audio output circuit for sounding previously stored messages. 
   The network computer is preferably operative for providing a plurality of modes, including a stand by mode wherein the display is activated to show introductory information; a payphone mode wherein the display is activated initially to show dialing instructions upon an off-hook condition of the hook switch; and a network mode wherein the display is activated, in response to predetermined operator input other than the off-hook condition, to show further operator input options and responses thereto. The payphone mode is preferably disabled during the network mode for preventing inadvertent termination of a network operation; the network mode can also be disabled during the payphone mode. Preferably the stand by mode is entered upon termination of either the payphone mode or the network mode for resuming display of the introductory information. 
   In another aspect of the invention, the network access pay telephone can include the housing structure supporting the coin scanner, escrow unit, and payphone electronics module; the front-end interface; the handset, hook-switch, and dialpad, connectable to the front-end interface; the pass-through connection to the line connector; the data port; the means for detecting the presence of the external device connected to the data port; and the control module connected to the local interface port and to the front-end interface, the control module being implemented for enabling the data port in response to the coin scanner and the means for detecting to permit the external data device to access the network. Preferably the network pay telephone also includes the interface port, the control module being implemented for further enabling communication between the data port and the external telephone line in response to the local interface port (as a credit card reader, for example) and the means for detecting the presence of the external data device. 
   In another aspect of the invention, a kit for converting an existing pay telephone for network access as well as for conventional voice communications, includes an upper housing structure for coupling to a lower housing structure of the existing pay telephone, the upper housing structure including the front-end interface, a handset, a hook-switch, and a dialpad connected to the front-end interface, the front-end interface being electrically connectable to a payphone electronics module of the preexisting pay telephone, the electronics module being mounted in the lower housing structure with a coin scanner and an escrow unit; the data port, supported by the upper housing structure; the means for detecting the presence of the external data device; and the control module, implemented for enabling the data port in response to the means for detecting and the coin scanner. Preferably the kit also includes the network computer and associated network modem, the network computer and the control module being further implemented for enabling the data port in response to the means for detecting and the local interface port. The kit provides, in addition to the stand by, payphone, and network modes, a data mode wherein the display is activated initially in response to the means for detecting for requesting operator funding and, following payment, to indicate data port activation. Preferably the network modem has a caller ID circuit for permitting remote network management from predetermined locations, and remote payphone management from other locations after a predetermined number of rings. 

   
     DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art pay telephone; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view as in  FIG. 1 , showing a network access pay telephone according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the network access pay telephone of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view as in  FIG. 2 , showing an alternative configuration of the network access pay telephone; 
       FIG. 5  is a pictorial block diagram of the prior art pay phone of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a pictorial block diagram of the network access payphone of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing operation of the network access payphone of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view as in  FIG. 4 , showing another alternative configuration of the network access pay telephone; 
       FIG. 9  is a pictorial block diagram of a telephone line circuit portion of the network access pay telephone of  FIG. 8 ; and 
       FIG. 10  is a partially exploded view of a data socket portion of the network access pay telephone of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is directed to a pay telephone that provides access to a computer network in addition to ordinary voice communications, that is particularly effective and easy to use, and that can be implemented as a conversion of existing pay telephones, incorporating substantial components thereof. With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 5  of the drawings, a conventional prior art coin-operated pay telephone  10  includes a rear or lower housing  12  having an upper housing  14  securely latched thereto, and a coin receptacle unit  16  that is also secured to the lower housing  12 . A handset  18  is tethered to the upper housing  14 , which also supports a hook-switch  20  and a dial keypad  22 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a conventional payphone electronics module  24  is mounted within the lower housing  12 , the module  24  having a line receptacle  26  for connecting an external telephone line  27 , a coin scanner socket  28  to which is connected a coin scanner  30 , an escrow unit socket  32  to which is connected an escrow unit  34 , and an interface cable  36 . The upper housing  14  supports an interface module  37  having an interface socket  38  for receiving the interface cable  36  of the payphone electronics module. The handset  18 , the hook switch  20 , and the dial keypad  22  are electrically connected to the interface module  37 , and to the payphone electronics module  24  through the interface cable  36 . 
   According to the present invention, and with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  6  and  7 , a network access pay telephone  40  includes the lower housing  12 , the coin receptacle unit  16 , the payphone electronics module  24 , the coin scanner  30 , and the escrow unit  34 , which can be unmodified components of the conventional pay telephone  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The inventive pay telephone  40  also includes a counterpart of the upper housing, designated  14 ′, having counterparts of the handset  18  and the dial keypad  22  attached thereto in a manner corresponding to the above-described conventional pay telephone  10 . A counterpart of the hook switch, designated  20 ′, corresponds to the hook switch  20  but preferably incorporates a two-pole switch element for electrical isolation of added circuit elements from circuitry of the payphone electronics module. The upper housing  14 ′ also supports a counterpart of the interface module, designated front-end interface  42 , having a counterpart of the interface socket  38 , the handset  18 , the hook switch  20 , with the dial keypad  22  also being electrically connected to the front-end interface  42 . Also mounted to the upper housing  14 ′ (but not necessarily required) are a function keypad  44  and a card reader  46  for sensing machine-readable data from a credit card or other device (not shown) that may be possessed by a user of the pay telephone  40 , the function keypad  44  and the card reader  46  being electrically connected to the front-end interface  42 . 
   The inventive pay telephone  40  also includes a network adapter unit  50  having a mounting base  52  as shown in  FIG. 3  and including an Industrial Personal Computer (IPC)  54  and a control module  56  that is connected to a local (serial) interface port  58  of the IPC as shown in FIG.,  6 , a control cable  60  connecting the control module  56  to the front-end interface  42 . The IPC  54  also has nonvolatile memory which can include a conventional hard disk drive  62 , a modem  64  including a pass-through telephone line connection  66  in the form of a modular socket pair, an LCD panel display  68 , an audio circuit output  70  having a speaker  72  connected thereto, and a pointing input device in the form of a trackball  74 . In the exploded view of  FIG. 3 , the hook switch  20 ′ is shown separated as a hook  20 A and a switch actuator  20 B, the LCD panel display  68  is combined with a protective cover, and the upper housing  14 ′ has a front bezel cover  76 . Other conventional components of the network pay telephone  40 , such as a coin chute, coin release, housing latch, etc., are not shown or described in detail. 
   With further reference to  FIG. 4 , the payphone  40  has an alternative and preferred configuration of the upper housing, designated  14 ″, and an alternatively configured bezel cover, designated  76 ′, that supports a sloping alphanumeric keyboard  78  below the LCD display  68 , the hook switch  20 ′, the dial keypad  22 , the card reader  46  being suitably relocated. Also, a rearranged counterpart of the function keypad, designated  44 ′, has a reduced key complement in view of the availability of the alphanumeric keyboard  78  for operator input, the function keys provided being those most desirable to be prominently accessible. The keyboard  78  can be configured in a conventional manner, with a conventional device driver associated therewith in the IPC  54 , except that some or all of conventional function keys (F1–F12, and the scroll-lock key) are omitted or disabled for preventing unauthorized user termination of application programs of the IPC. Thus it is possible to omit all of the function keys from the keyboard  68 , with provision for a very limited subset thereof such as “Help” (F1) to be activated from the function keypad  44 ′. It will be understood that the block diagram of  FIG. 5  includes the alphanumeric keyboard  78 , which plugs into the IPC  54 , the keyboard  78  being omitted in the configuration of the pay phone  40  that is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   A microcomputer implementation suitable for use as the IPC  54  is available as model Gene-4310 from Aaeon Technology, Inc., of Hsin-Tien City, Taipei, Taiwan. A modem board suitable for use as the modem  64  is available as PCM-5600, also from Aaeon Technology. A 6.4 inch LCD display suitable for use as the LCD panel display  68  is available as 6.4″ TFT-LCD from Prime View International Co., Ltd., of Science-Based Industrial Park, Shinchu, Taiwan. 
   Operation of the network access pay telephone may be better understood with reference to  FIG. 7 , which shows a multiple mode process  80  having a stand by mode  82  wherein the LCD panel display  68  is activated to show a previously stored presentation, such a series of advertisements, in which audio messages are preferably played on the speaker  72 . In the stand by mode  82 , the function keypad  44  (or  44 ′) is enabled and the hook switch  20 ′ is repetitively tested for either an off-hook condition, which results in entry of a payphone mode  84 ; otherwise, a network mode  86  is entered upon detected activation of any key of the the function keypad  44 . In the payphone mode, the function keypad  44  is disabled, the speaker  72  is muted, and the display is activated with conventional dialing instructions. In the network mode  86 , the display  68  is activated with a dialog window corresponding to the particular key of the function keypad  44  that was pressed, and signals from the hook switch to the payphone electronics module  24  are disabled. When the activated function is completed (such as by user activation of a “Quit” function from the trackball  74  or an assigned function key), the hook switch signal to the payphone electronics module  24  is restored and control is passed to the stand by mode  82 . 
   During the payphone mode  84 , repetitive testing of the hook switch  20 ′ is continued with the payphone electronics module  24  operating in a conventional manner until an on-hook condition is detected, upon which control is returned to the stand by mode (with re-enabling of the function keypad  44 ). 
   With further reference to  FIGS. 8–10 , another alternative and preferred configuration of the payphone, designated  40 ′, includes the upper housing  14 ″ and a counterpart of the bezel cover, designated  76 ″, that supports a data port socket  88  for permitting network access by an external data device such as a user&#39;s laptop or notebook computer (not shown). In the exemplary configuration shown in  FIG. 8 , the bezel cover  76 ″ also supports a reduced-key counterpart of the alphanumeric keyboard, designated  78 ′. As further shown in  FIG. 8 , an in-line counterpart of the function keypad, designated  44 ″, is located below the keyboard  78 ′, the dial keypad  22  and the trackball  74  are raised slightly, and the card reader  46  is located proximate the bottom of the bezel  76 ″, the data port socket  88  being associated with the card reader  46 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , the data port socket  88  is connected to the telephone line  27  through a protection circuit  90  that includes an isolation switch  92  and a short-circuit detector  94  as further described below. As more clearly shown in  FIG. 10 , the data port socket  88  includes a molded base  95  that holds a plurality of electrical contacts  96 , an end extremity of each contact being biasingly cantilevered for making contact with corresponding contacts of a mating connector (not shown) for communication with the external data device, the socket  88  also having a molded outer housing  97  that snaps over the base  95 , being configured for holding the mating connector, which can be a conventional RJ-Series plug, RJ-11 being shown. A central first pair  96 A of the contacts  96  form a data port data circuit portion. According to the present invention, a second pair  96 B of the contacts, together with a bridge contact  98 , form a data port sensor portion, the bridge contact  98  shorting the contacts  96 B when a mating plug counterpart of the data port socket  88  is not engaged therewith. The bridge contact  98  is configured for being fixedly retained by the outer housing  97 , the contact  98  clearing the first pair  96 A of the contacts whether or not the mating plug counterpart is plugged in. 
   As further shown in  FIG. 9 , an exemplary implementation of the pay telephone  40 ′ has one of the spring contacts  96 B of the data port socket  88  connected to a positive (+5V) voltage source, the other contact  96 B signaling the IPC  54 . When the mating counterpart of the data port  88  is engaged, each of the contacts  96  is deflected away from the bridge contact  98 , including the second pair  96 B opening the +5V path to the IPC  54  for signaling the presence of the external data device. Initially upon occurrence of the open circuit signal, the IPC  54  generates a message to inform a user how to use the data port and how to pay for such use. The IPC  54  is programmed in a conventional manner to enable data transmission between the external data device and network destinations that are accessible over the telephone line  27  when a predetermined payment has been received. More particularly, the IPC  54  is responsive to the coin scanner  30 , the escrow unit  34 , and/or the card reader  46 , in addition to the signal from the second contact pair  96 B as indicated at  100  by logical ANDing of those inputs in  FIG. 9  by means of appropriate firmware for determining proper payment prior to enabling the data circuit connection of the data port socket  88 , and for metering continued enablement thereof. In one exemplary implementation of this feature, the IPC  54  controls a source or sink current source, designated source driver  101  in  FIG. 9 , from which the isolation switch  92  is driven, the inactive state of the switch  92  being that of isolation. 
   The short-circuit detector  94 , which may be powered from the telephone line  27  or in any suitable manor known to those having skill in the art, can be configured as a voltage comparator circuit to operate the isolation switch  92  to disconnect the data port  88  from the telephone line  27  in case of a short-circuit across the first contact pair  96 A of the data port socket  88 . It will be understood that suitable implementations of the short-circuit detector  94  can utilize a high-impedance leakage path across the isolation switch  92  for producing a low but non-zero voltage across the first contact pair  96 A even when the IPC  54  has not provided the source or sink current by which the isolation switch is activated to its conducting state. 
   As further shown in  FIG. 9 , an additional feature of the network access pay telephone  40 ′ is the capability of independent remote management of both conventional payphone functions and for network access functions. The payphone electronics module  24  includes a payphone modem  102  for managing remote management software of the above-described conventional pay telephone  10 . The modem  64  that is associated with the IPC  64  for network access also has remote management capability, in addition to its dial-up and fax functions. For both modems to receive data from different hosts separate telephone lines would ordinarily be required. However, the pay telephone  40 ′ of the present invention provides these functions using only the single telephone line  27  as described herein. The payphone modem  102  is set for answering after a predetermined number of rings, such as three. The modem  64  is provided with a caller ID circuit  104  that can be set for answering calls originating from one or more associated remote management sites, after fewer than the predetermined number of rings for which the payphone modem  102  is set. Thus the modem  64  answers incoming calls from predetermined locations providing remote management of the IPC  54  and functions related thereto, but other incoming calls are ignored by the modem  64  and answered automatically after the predetermined number of rings by the payphone modem  102 . 
   Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not necessarily be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.