DE4236176A1 - Image call-up answering device for paperless central archives - stores and plays back image and speed information on VTR, and has LCD display on ISDN telephone to indicate programme menu - Google Patents

Abstract

The answering device has storage media (4,5) for the picture information or image and speech information which is transmitted over a telecommunication network (1). A control unit (3) is connected to the storage media and the telecommunication network. A VTR (4,5) is used to stored image and speech information and playback the same information. An ISDN telephone may be included with the VTR, which can store moving and still pictures. The control unit operates so that a user must enter their access code before calling up, changing or erasing information. After entering the correct access code, the user enters address(es) and time to transmit information immediately or at a specified later time to one or more network users. USE/ADVANTAGE - Telemedicine with archives of image documents and corresp. patient data, rapid exchange of images between hospitals; telepublishing, ISDN. No need for paper, secure system.

Description

The Berliner initiated by the Deutsche Bundespost Berkom communication system supports the development of new ones Broadband services and applications. The Broadband communication infrastructure offers, among other things, the Possibility of high resolution or longer image documents Transfer files in a very short time. This enables the Establishment of paperless central archives so that users the required documents automatically via the broadband network can query.

Application projects in Berkom are e.g. B. Telemedicine with archives of image documents with associated patient data, as well as the rapid exchange of such images between clinics. For the So-called telepublishing is an electronic publication with High-resolution image communication possible in the printing area. There is also broadband information systems, such as database systems for text, Sound, fixed and moving images ("Universal telecommunications network für broadband services ", by D. Knodel, ntz vol. 42 (1989), volume 8, Pages 494 to 501).  

Video telephones for ISDN are also known. Video telephones essentially have a camera, one Color screen, an image encoder and the properties of a digital ISDN telephones. Using an ISDN basic connection Image, voice and data are transmitted simultaneously. In Combination with external devices can send documents (pictures), Image databases queried, local or remote locations monitored or video conferences are also carried out ("Communication Terminals", Electrical Communication, Volume 65, No. 1, pages 76 to 77).

The present invention is based on the object for Broadband networks as well as image services known for ISDN are more flexible and to handle with less expensive means.

According to the invention, this object is achieved through the technical teaching of Claim 1 solved.

With the inventive picture answering machine you can at any time regardless of whether a subscriber is currently available, in particular moving image information preferably together with Voice information to a subscriber about a Telecommunication network are transmitted. Besides, that can Transmission of moving picture information for each participant already can be realized very inexpensively, since according to the invention only e.g. B. a slightly modified ISDN telephone and a video recorder are necessary, in which case the recorded image information can simply be played on a normal TV can.

In an advantageous manner, a calling subscriber can first receive one Image announcement are transmitted.  

In addition, it is possible according to the invention via the Telecommunications network from a remote location Poll answering machine or the information change if necessary and to other participants forward. Only an authorized participant, e.g. B. by entering a personal access code Receive picture answering machine.

Further advantageous refinements of the subject matter of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

An embodiment is shown below with reference to the drawing explained.

The figure shows a schematic representation of a Picture answering machine according to the invention.

An image answering machine, as shown in the figure, consists of a control unit 3 which is connected to a telecommunications network 1 and to storage means 4 , 5 for recording incoming or outgoing image information or preferably image and voice information. As shown, the control unit 3 can optionally be connected to an image or image and voice reproduction unit 2 .

The telecommunications network 1 can be a broadband B-ISDN network, such as the predecessor broadband network VBN of the Deutsche Bundespost, with a transmission rate of 140 Mbit / s. They can also be ATM networks (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) or MAN networks (Metropolitan Area Network). Then the picture answering machine must have appropriate network interfaces. For this, e.g. B. a video telephone BF 4100 from Alcatel SEL AG can be used, a video recorder with integrated TV tuner being connected as storage means 4 , 5 . A 14 inch monitor of the BF 4100 then represents the image display unit 2 .

The video answering machine according to the invention can also be operated via an ISDN network with a transmission rate of 64 kbit / s, in which case the video answering machine consists of an ISDN telephone and a video recorder connected as storage means 4 , 5 , which, for. B. can be connected via a Euro-AV connection. The ISDN telephone can e.g. B. an ISDN video telephone with corresponding network interfaces, in particular with an H.261 encoder / decoder in PC format for image compression / decompression of the codec, with a flat screen, a camera, a handset, an alphanumeric keyboard and an LCD Display exists (communication terminals, electrical communications, volume 65, No. 1, pages 76 to 77). Instead of a video recorder as storage means, so-called video RAM's can also be used.

If an ISDN video telephone is not used, the image and voice information recorded on the video recorder can be displayed very inexpensively on a television set which is normally present anyway as the playback unit 2 .

In the event that only still images are to be transmitted, it is even sufficient to use the analog telephone network with transmission rates of 9600 bit / s as telecommunication network 1 .

With the picture answering machine according to the invention, moving pictures and / or still pictures can be recorded in the storage means 4 , which in response to a via the z. B. ISDN network incoming call of a subscriber to the calling subscriber can be transmitted as a picture announcement. For this purpose, the control unit 3 controls z. B. the video recorder in a playback mode, in which case a greeting announcement is then transmitted over the ISDN network. Thereafter, the calling subscriber can move and / or still picture information, preferably underlaid with language, which he z. B. has recorded on a video recorder, to which the video recorder of the picture answering machine controlled by the control unit 3 in a recording operation.

The recording of transmitted image information can also be done in another video recorder, so that the incoming and the outgoing transmission direction are independent of each other.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, information stored in the picture answering machine can only be queried by an authorized subscriber. For this purpose, controlled by the control unit 3 , identification is always carried out in such a way that the authorized subscriber, for. B. on the keyboard of the ISDN telephone entered personal access code is checked and that only if it matches a stored reference code the authorized subscriber access to the picture answering machine is enabled.

The authorized participant can then use any image, Query voice information (e.g. on a connected Play TV), he can change this information in the he z. B. records additional information or he can delete any part of the recorded information.

If the picture answering machine has two video recorders, can also provide information for archiving purposes as a copy be filed.

The authorized subscriber can carry out these procedures directly on the picture answering machine, but he can also carry out a remote inquiry from any remote location via the telecommunication network 1 . This can e.g. B. with the help of predefinable codes that can be entered via the keyboard for querying, changing and deleting. For this purpose, a corresponding program sequence can be stored in the control unit 3 , which then controls the video recorder accordingly for recording, storing or deleting information as a result of the codes transmitted via the telecommunications network 1 .

There is also the possibility that the authorized subscriber can cause recorded image and voice information to be transmitted directly to one or more subscribers via the telecommunications network. Any later point in time for forwarding the information can also be specified. For this purpose, the control unit 3 can be a z. B. contained in menu form stored program flow, which is shown on the LCD display of the ISDN telephone of the picture answering machine for subscriber guidance such that the subscriber can enter predefinable commands for the addresses or the time of forwarding.

In addition, the control unit 3 can also automatically forward information to one or more predefined subscribers. For this purpose, the authorized subscriber only has to enter the address beforehand, so that as a result of an incoming image information, the control unit 3 automatically controls forwarding to the specified address of a subscriber (or more subscribers).

Claims (9)

1. image answering machine, with storage means ( 4 , 5 ) for incoming and outgoing image information or image and voice information via a telecommunications network ( 1 ) and with a control unit ( 3 ) connected to the telecommunications network ( 1 ) and the storage means ( 4 , 5 ). 2. Picture answering machine according to claim 1, with a video recorder ( 4 , 5 ) as storage means for recording picture and voice information and for playing back recorded picture and voice information. 3. picture answering machine according to claim 2, consisting of an ISDN telephone or a video telephone or which is connected to the video recorder ( 4 , 5 ). 4. picture answering machine according to claim 1 or 2, in which in the storage means ( 4 , 5 ) moving images and / or still images are stored, which in response to an incoming call via the telecommunications network ( 1 ), controlled by the control unit ( 3 ) be transferred to a calling subscriber. 5. picture answering machine according to claim 1 or 2, in which as a result of an incoming call via the telecommunications network ( 1 ), controlled by the control unit ( 3 ), incoming moving and / or still images are recorded. 6. picture answering machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit ( 3 ) with an image or image and voice reproduction unit ( 2 ) is connected. 7. picture answering machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit ( 3 ) controls an identification of a subscriber such that only an authorized subscriber to query or change or delete due to an input of a personal access code to the storage means ( 4 , 5 ) of recorded information. 8. picture answering machine according to claim 7, in which after identification of the authorized subscriber, the subscriber by entering predeterminable commands - address (es), time - to the control unit ( 3 ) can cause that information recorded in the storage means ( 4 , 5 ) be transmitted directly or at a predeterminable point in time to one or more subscribers via the telecommunications network ( 1 ). 9. picture answering machine according to one of the preceding claims, in which, as a result of an incoming and recorded in the storage means, automatically this information, controlled by the control means ( 3 ) on the basis of predefined commands to one or more predefined subscribers via the telecommunications network ( 1 ) will.