WO1994026056A1

WO1994026056A1 - Improved features for a telecommunications display system

Info

Publication number: WO1994026056A1
Application number: PCT/US1994/004893
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard A. Davis; Ronald K. Witmore; Charles J. Fette; Peter Mathys; Anthony J. Brittain
Original assignee: Radish Communications Systems, Inc.
Priority date: 1990-09-27
Filing date: 1994-05-02
Publication date: 1994-11-10

Abstract

A telecommunications system for communicating voice and data sequentially via a public telephone system (50) between a subscriber's position (10) and an agent's position (60), which could alternatively be between peers at those stations, includes a telephone (12, 62) at each station (10, 60) for voice communications and at least a data transmission component (64, 100) at the agent's station (60) and a data reception and display terminal (14) at the subscriber's station (60). The subscriber's terminal (14) has switching features (33, 320, 323, 334) to switch between voice mode and data mode, which switching features are controllable by the agent's terminal (100). The agent's terminal can also mark data transmitted with different levels of protection and handling by the subscriber's terminal (14), including temporary messages, normal messages, and billboard messages. A new operating system for the subscriber's terminal (14) can also be transmitted from the agent's terminal (100). Autoanswer features at the subscriber's station (10) include data only or data and voice reception. Memory in the subscriber's terminal (14) and the agent's terminal (100) have battery back-up.

Description

IMPROVED FEATURES FOR A TELECOMMUNICATIONS DISPLAY SYSTEM

Description Cross-Reference to Related Patent Applications

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of patent application, Serial No. 08/056,526 filed by Richard A. Davis et al., on April 30, 1993, entitled "Improved Features For A Telecommunications Display System," which is continuation-in-part of the patent application, Serial No. 07/877,328, filed by Richard A. Davis et al., on May 1, 1992, entitled "Improved Telecommunications Display System," which is continuation-in-part of the patent application, Serial No. 07/589,203, filed by Richard A. Davis on September 27, 1990, entitled "Telecommunications Display System" (now U.S. Patent No. 5164982). Technical Field

The present invention relates to telecommunications systems and more specifically to a telecommunications system adapted for transmission of speech and display data over standard, existing telephone lines for audio-graphic communication between parties. Background Art

It is often desirable to be able to transmit a visual image of data being discussed by parties over a telephone line concurrent with the verbal discussion. For example, a travel agent might wish to show a telephone customer a travel itinerary as they are discussing it, or a broker might want to show a customer a visual confirmation of a financial transaction, which the customer has just made orally over the telephone. Facsimile devices for transmitting data over telephone lines and displaying it for a receiving person in visual form are well known. However, such facsimile technology does not accommodate situations where the supplier of information needs instantaneous transfer of data for visual viewing by a receiver (customer) directly during the telephone conversation.

There are several devices that purport to allow alternate voice and visual display data via telephone lines for special purpose applications, but none of them really provide a general, user friendly system. Lacking is a system in which an agent can intersperse visual display transmissions over the same telephone to a subscriber or receiver between sentences in a voice conversation almost on a real time basis and within the time constraints of natural pauses in the conversation so as to not be disruptive of the conversation.

The U.S. patent no. 4,656,654, issued to Neil S. Dumas, describes a more complex conferencing system in which both the agent and the receivers have personal computers and speaker phones, and either one of them can interrupt voice communication through the speaker phones to send data from one personal computer to the other. However, that system is not particularly user friendly, requiring both the agent and the receiver to be computer literate enough to go through a fairly complex set of menu selections, and the visual data transmission requires a significant, unnatural pause or interruption in the voice conversation.

The Cooper-Hart patent, U.S. 4,715,059, and Walker patent, U.S. 4,845,636, both transmit images captured by a video camera during a voice communications. The Brown patent, U.S. 4,700,378, is an example of a system in which a subscriber or receiver wants to access a data base to receive visual data displays via telephone lines and is prompted by a voice synthesizer at the data base operator to press certain telephone touch tone buttons to do so.

There are also several devices that can switch between modes automatically, such as: U.S. Patent No. 4,815,121, entitled COMMUNICATION APPARATUS RECOGNIZING SPEECH AND AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHING FROM DATA TO SPEECH TRANSMISSION, issued in the name of Yoshida on March 21, 1989, and assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kasisha, and U.S. Patent No. 4,908,851, entitled FACSIMILE APPARATUS OPERABLE IN FACSIMILE OR CONVERSATION MODE, issued in the name of Kotani et al., on March 13, 1990, and assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha. Yoshida solves the problem of selectively switching between the data and speech transmission by use of a voice detector. Kotani et al. automatically switches over to voice when the standard facsimile hand shake signals are not received. However, these devices are not conducive to multiple switching back and forth concurrent with on-going voice communications, and they still can leave the less sophisticated users bewildered. Simultaneous with the upsurgance of new telephone equipment was the development and popularization of the personal computer and modems, which facilitate the transmission of digital data between computers over standard telephone lines. However, modems do not, in and of themselves, solve the problem of obtaining and displaying data for the average telephone user. These modems are often associated with extensive equipment including computers and display terminals, and they still require relatively sophisticated levels of understanding and abilities to use them. Also, as with facsimile machines, not all modem users are in a position to have a dedicated telephone line for data only. Switching between normal voice telephone line usage and data transmission usage can be done, for example, as taught by U.S. Patent No. 4,723,268, entitled DUAL MODE PHONE LINE INTERFACE, issued in the name of Newell et al. on February 2, 1988, and assigned to International Business Machines, which includes a method of providing the required FCC billing delay for autoanswer modems that can be selectively switched between human answer telephone set modes and modem modes.

Modems with their ability to communicate digital data over telephone lines have opened up a whole new world of information exchange. An example of some of the possibilities were contained in U.S. Patent No. 4,387,271, entitled COMBINED TELEPHONE AND DATA-TRANSFER SYSTEM, issued to Artom, on June 7, 1983, and assigned to CSELT Centro Studi e Laboratori Telecomunicazioni S.p.A. Artom describes subscriber controlled receipt of information by a telephone receiver, a personal computer, and a television by way of a local telephone line. Artom offers some wonderful possibilities for the future of home entertainment and information systems, however such total systems can be rather costly, complex, and still require a fair amount of expertise to operate.

A patent by Barsellotti incorporated a modem internal to a telephone unit for the purposes of receiving and displaying limited visual data, such as the telephone number called. This Barsellotti patent, U.S. Patent No. 4,608,686, entitled TWO WIRE VOICE AND DATA SUBSCRIBER LOOP, issued to Barsellotti, on August 26, 1986, and assigned to the Mitel Corporation, was a step in the right direction. However, once again, it requires special, complex, and expensive equipment.

In a concept similar to Barsellotti, Vij et al., provided a telemarketing system in which a telemarketing switching network can distinguish between several incoming lines. With this device, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,788,682, entitled TELEPHONE SYSTEM ADAPTED TO TELEMARKETING, issued to Vij et al., on November 29, 1988, and assigned to Northern Telecom Limited, product information associated with a particular phone number can be transmitted to a telemarketing agent along with the call itself.

Several other inventions have also addressed some special aspects or problems in combining voice and data transmissions. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,827,085, entitled VOICE AND IMAGE TELECONFERENCING SYSTEM INCLUDING PAPERLESS FACSIMILE MEANS, issued to Yaniv et al., on May 2, 1989, and assigned to Ovonic Imaging Systems, Inc., describes a touch-sensitive display screen with a typical teleconferencing phone, which allows users to sketch a drawing by touching a screen and then transmit that sketch to another user with a similar device. Another patent that extended this idea of combined voice and data communications is U.S. Patent No. 4,659,876, entitled AUDIOGRAPHICS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, issued to Sullivan et al. on April 21, 1987, and assigned to SPI Soft Pac International. This Sullivan et al. patent shows combined interactive graphics and audio communication with computer-like display screens on telephones. As with many previous devices, this Sullivan et al. invention requires rather expensive, complicated equipment to replace existing conventional voice communication telephones, and it requires two users of relatively equal and high level sophistication, both with the same equipment. Consequently, while there are many new innovations in telephone and computer equipment and technologies relating to concurrent voice and data transmission, they either require relatively sophisticated users and special, complex and expensive equipment, or they lack high quality, reliable, and nonobtrusive performance qualities necessary to make them widely acceptable and useable to a wide range of consumers. Furthermore, such equipment is often designed to replace conventional voice telephone devices as opposed to merely adding to them. Consequently, people who have an anticomputer bias or who cannot afford high-priced computer equipment, or who for whatever reasons are unable or willing to acquire the necessary expertise or computer equipment, are essentially left out. As a result, there was, prior to this invention, still not any equipment available that enabled a person to receive and view visual data over the telephone line concurrent with voice conversation, while interacting with a person who wants to transmit such visual data, and using equipment which allows the receiving party to remain almost completely passive in the visual data transmission process and in the use of the equipment. Thus, prior to this invention, there was nothing available, for example, to allow a travel agent to display a travel itinerary or a broker to display the details of a financial transaction almost instantaneously and concurrently with voice communications over the telephone lines to an average telephone user. Even for computer literate users, there has not been any combination voice and visual data communication systems available for communicating both verbally and visually over telephone lines in a fast, efficient, and easy-to-use manner without unnatural pauses in the voice communications. Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a communication system which is capable of providing a more efficient, faster, less expensive, and less error-prone exchange of information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a telephone system for both audio and visual transmission which requires less equipment and only equipment of a less complicated nature from the receiver's standpoint than heretofore available.

Further, it is an object of this present invention to provide a telephone system with greatly expanded data display capabilities and possibilities, such as access to enormous databases, despite having fewer and less complicated pieces of equipment.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a telephone system in which a receiving party can be provided with both audio and visual access to information and data bases, or merely to get visual confirmation of transactions without requiring that receiving party be skilled in the use of computers or possess expensive and complicated equipment.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a telemarketing or other consumer access system that combines all the advantages of interacting with a live agent or service provider with a visual display of information or data useful to a caller. A further object of this invention is to provide a visual data access system for consumers that is truly "user friendly" by combining speed and accessibility of computer technology and data transmission and display with concurrent human voice interaction wherein the sender controls and operates the visual data transmission and the receiver simply views it.

Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a telemarketing system which can utilize and take advantage of the existing conventional telephone equipment of both the service provider and a consumer or caller.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an audio-visual telecommunications system which requires no new tariffs or changes to the existing public switching equipment and lines. It is also an object of the present invention to provide equipment and systems that can accommodate switching between voice and visual communications modes over telephone lines in a sufficiently efficient and speedy manner that unnatural pauses in voice communications can be minimized or even eliminated while transmitting modest amounts of visual data.

Another object of this invention is to provide automatic answering features for combination voice and visual data communication equipment that utilizes telephone lines for the audio and visual communications, wherein the automatic answering capability can record or store for later playback or display either voice communications, visual data communications, or a combination of voice and visual data communications.

A further object of this invention is to provide a distinct levels of data communication and handling capabilities between transmitting and receiving telecommunications stations in which the transmitter can select and transmit data to the receiver's station for: (1) a one-time message display only that is not saveable, reviewable, or printable at the receiver's station (temporary message); (2) a storable, recallable, reviewable, and printable message display (normal message); a billboard message that can be posted and changed on the receiver's station only by an authorized transmitter and that is displayed repeatedly at the receiver's station at start-up and between displays of temporary or normal messages; and (4) data comprising a new operating system for the receiver's station.

A further object of this invention is to provide a subscriber's terminal for switching between and receiving voice and data mode communications on an analog telephone line from a plain old telephone system, wherein the subscriber's terminal has a microprocessor and associated memory for storing operating system software for the microprocessor, and wherein a subscriber can access an automated or human-operated agent's terminal for accessing and downloading new operating system software.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combination voice and visual commumcations system in which voice and visual communications can be broadcast by an agent to a plurality of users simultaneously via telephone lines.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination voice and visual communication system that includes a microprocessor in a user's or subscriber's terminal with which either an automated or a human-operated agent's terminal can communicate via a telephone line, which microprocessor is programmed with operating system software, and in which the agent's terminal can access the microprocessor and download new operating system software via the telephone line to the microprocessor.

A still further object of this invention is to provide battery back-up power to the memory components of the terminal to preserve received messages, billboard displays, and operating system that are stored for access by the microprocessor in the subscriber's and agent's terminals.

Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention shall be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and the advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and in combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the system and apparatus of this invention may comprise a subscriber or receiver station in which a display terminal is added to a conventional telephone or other voice communication equipment. Such display terminal may include a matrix liquid crystal display (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT), or other display technology and appropriate microprocessor, memory, modulation and demodulation, circuits, and other components for receiving and displaying text, graphics, and picture data. The display terminal may be essentially "dumb" to the receiver in that it is almost entirely controlled from a remote location, such as an agent position, which allows the receiver to be almost completely passive and inactive in the visual data transmission. In the alternative, two or more "smart" stations that are remote from each other, but connected via a telephone line can be used to alternately send and receive both voice and visual data communications. The subscriber position may additionally include a voice/data selector, either as an integral portion of the display terminal or as a separate device. The voice/data selector is capable of selectively connecting the typical incoming telephone line to the subscriber telephone or the subscriber display terminal. The remote location agent position is similarly equipped with a telephone or other voice communication device and a display terminal, which is usually in the form of a personal computer or other data terminal. The agent display terminal may further be tied into a larger main frame computer, which the agent may utilize for storage, generation, or transmission of data. An automatic answer feature, a changeable billboard message receiving and displaying capability, a broadcast capability, a temporary file receiving and displaying capability, and a downloadable program change-over feature.

Also, the method of this invention can begin with establishment of a voice communication between subscriber and agent over the respective telephone devices. This transaction between agent and subscriber can be accomplished using existing, standard telephone lines. At a desired time during the course of the conversation, the agent can interrupt the telephone conversation momentarily and transmit display data to the subscriber display terminal, also over existing, standard telephone lines. It is preferred that this display data be encoded in some standard digital code, such as any of the large number of graphics and text protocols, or any software compatible code such as ASCII. This transmission of display data requires no effort or input from the subscriber beyond mere possession of the display terminal. Following the transmission of display data, the voice communication linkage may be automatically re-established, while the displayed data is retained.

The display data may be in the form of existing pre-established patterns such as advertising billboards, trademarks, option menus, price lists, news, or announcements. However, this display data may also be dynamically constructed by the agent during the telephone conversation. Such dynamic display data might include, for example, a travel itinerary, individualized grocery order lists with associated grocery item prices, purchase options, business or financial data, visual confirmation of verbal transactions or orders, or even medical information.

During the typical voice communication, the voice/data selector may be defaulted to the telephone. However, the voice/data selector constantly monitors the incoming signal on the telephone line. When a particular tone sequence or other signal is detected indicating the beginning of a transmission of display data, the voice/data selector can automatically switch the incoming data stream to the display terminal. Following the transmission of display data the voice/data selector can automatically switch back to the telephone for continued voice communication. In the preferred embodiment, the agent is human, creating a friendly, personal interface between the subscriber and the database of information sought. However, the agent may also be a computer in which the transaction between agent and subscriber is provided according to a preestablished program or which is conducted through subscriber selection of menu options displayed on the subscriber display terminal, from the computer. In the latter case, the subscriber may enter his or her selection by means of pressing the appropriate keys on a touch tone phone, for example. Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a representation of the first preferred embodiment of the telephone display system of the present invention showing both the subscriber position and agent position with an optional user computer and alternate bridge system shown in broken lines at the user's position for peer-to-peer voice and data communications; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the subscriber position display terminal;

Figure 3 is a representation of the agent position arrangement of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the display interface;

Figure 5 is another representation of the agent position arrangement according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is still another representation of the agent position arrangement according to still another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is yet another representation of the agent position arrangement according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is another representation of the subscriber position according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is still another representation of the subscriber position according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 is yet another representation of the subscriber position according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a block diagram of the protocol layers of the telecommunications system of this invention;

Figure 12 is a simplified schematic of the principal components and functions of the subscriber's terminal; Figure 13 is a simplified schematic of the principal components of the agent's terminal;

Figure 14 is a block diagram of the high speed transmitter functions of the modem IC;

Figure 15 is a block diagram of the low speed transmitter functions of the modem IC;

Figure 16 block diagram of the dual tone transmitter functions of the modem IC;

Figure 17 is a block diagram of the low speed receiver function of the modem IC; Figure 18 is a block diagram of the high speed receiver function of the modem IC;

Figure 19 is a flow chart of the link establishment procedure at the terminal that initiates a data transfer;

Figure 20 is a flow diagram of the link establishment procedure at the terminal that responds to the link establishment initiated in Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a flow diagram of the link turn around procedure for the terminal was just previously receiving data;

Figure 22 is a flow diagram of the link turn around procedure for the terminal that was just previously sending data; Figure 23 is a flow diagram of the retry procedure for link establishment;

Figure 24 is a flow diagram of the link tear down control;

Figure 25 is a block diagram of the display reformatting feature of this invention;

Figure 26 is a schematic representation of the text change reformatting function for producing a reformatted target screen display of data from a source screen display according to this invention; Figure 27 is a schematic representation of the block move function of the reformatting application of this invention;

Figure 28 is a schematic representation of the add text function of the reformatting application of this invention;

Figure 29 is a flow diagram of the autoanswer feature logic flow; Figure 30 is a flow diagram of the billboard feature with password and logic flow; and

Figure 31 is a flow diagram of downloadable program feature logic flow. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

The telecommunication display system 8 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, enhances traditional telephone voice communication with a user's or subscriber's display terminal 14 positioned at a subscriber or receiver location 10, which display terminal 14 is capable of receiving and displaying text, graphics, pictures, and other visual information either before, during, or after the course of voice communications. The display terminal 14 is intended primarily to be a substantially passive user terminal that requires essential only "on" and "off" switching by the user to view visual data that is received via telephone line 52, although scrolling and several other simple operations are also available. In the alternative, the display terminal 14 can be replaced with a bridge component 14' that can also receive and store visual data via telephone line 52 either before, during, or after voice communications via the same telephone line 52, although the bridge component 14' has no visual display capability itself. Instead, the bridge component 14' sends visual data signals to a user's personal or other computer 14" which can be used not only to display visual data received by the bridge component 14', but also to send visual data, as will be discussed in more detail below. In the absence of the subscriber's display terminal 14, the alternative bridge component 14' would be connected to the subscriber's telephone 12 by line 22 to the public telephone network 50 by line 52, as indicated by phantom lines 22' and 52', respectively. This bridge component 14' with subscriber's computer 14" is an alternative to passive subscriber's terminal 14 for any of the variation setups shown in Figures 1-10 and for any of the variation configurations and alternatives that are described below.

One application of the telecommunications display system 8 of the present invention is to the telemarketing or telephone sales industry, and it is such an application that is depicted in Figure 1 with telemarketing center 60. The use of this telemarketing application in this specification is for the purpose of facilitating the description of the principles and components of this invention and is not for the purpose of limitation, since other applications are possible, as will be discussed below.

A typical telemarketing center 60 might have one or more telemarketing agent position(s), depicted generally in Figure 1 as agent positions 61 and 65. Because of these multiple agent positions 61, 65, telemarketing center 60 may also contain telephone switching system 70 in the form of a PBX, central office switch, or other network switch.

When a telephone call from a remote location, such as a subscriber position 10, is received by center 60, switching system 70 directs the call to one of the agent positions 61, 65, such as for example position 61. Such a telephone call may typically be predominated by voice communication using plain old telephones 12 and 62, respectively. However, at desired times during the conversation, a telemarketing agent (not shown) at position 61 can momentarily interrupt the telephone conversation and transmit data or messages over standard telephone trunk 54 and line 52 to a display terminal 14 at the subscriber's location 10 for viewing by the subscriber (not shown) and possible discussion. The standard telephone trunk 54 line 52, along with the public telephone system 50 and standard telephones 12 and 62, are typical of the standard, state of the art analog telephone systems that are provided by public utility companies to businesses and homes and are commonly referred to as "plain old telephone system" or "POTS."

The display operation according to this invention is self-contained and can be controlled totally by the telemarketing agent at position 61, requiring nothing more from the subscriber at location 10 than the possession of the display terminal 14 and passive viewing of the data displayed. However, while this description is predominated for convenience by reference to a telemarketing agent station 60 that can interrupt voice communications to send visual data to a passive user at position 10, it should be understood that an active user at position 10 who has the bridge component 14' of this invention and a computer 14", as described above, can also interrupt voice communications to send visual data to an agent station 60. In other words, the attributes, features, components, and processes ascribed in this description to the agent's station 60 can also be ascribed according to this invention to a user's position 10 that is equipped with the bridge component 14' and a subscriber's computer 14". This assumption that the user's and agents functions and capabilities can be reciprocal is maintained throughout this description, unless otherwise specified. Terminal 14 is fed by a standard telephone line 52, which is usually analog, from a Public Switched Telephone Network 50, in other words, a plain old telephone system or POTS, as described above.

Display terminal 14 can be essentially "dumb" in that it does not require active input from the subscriber or receiver, but can be controlled almost entirely and remotely by the telemarketing agent at position 61. The telemarketing agent has a conventional telephone device 62, which may support analog or some other telephone protocol, as determined by switching system 70. Telephone 62 is connected by telephone line 63 to switching system 70. The agent at position 61 can have a data terminal 64, connected by data interface 82 to a host computer 80. Host computer 80 might not be necessary in some applications, if data terminal 64 is, for example, a personal computer or similar equipment. Data interface 82 can be whatever is appropriate to match existing protocol between host computer 80 and data terminal 64, such as, for example RS-232 or 3270 protocol. Also associated with agent position 61, as shown in Figure 1, but not necessarily in proximity of telephone 62 or data terminal 64, is a modem 72, which is connected between host computer 80 and the switching system 70 by data interface 84 and telephone line 74. In this embodiment, the host computer 80 has stored therein one or more data bases or other data, some of which the subscriber or receiver might wish to see. Such display data is downloaded to the subscriber from the host computer 80 along a different line, i.e. line 74, to switching system 70, and then to the telephone trunk 54 upon which voice communication travels. However, the agent at position 61 still controls the transmission of this display data from position 61, primarily by appropriate input to data terminal 64. Similar to agent position 61, agent position 65 can include a conventional telephone device

66, which also may be analog or other protocol, a data terminal or personal computer 68, and a modem 76. As indicated above, there might, and will typically, be several other telemarketing agent positions in addition to positions 61 and 65, using the same host computer 80 and switching system 70. However, such other agent positions need not be shown for the purpose of describing this invention and, for simplicity, are not shown.

In operation, a telecommunication linkage is established and conducted primarily by a voice connection between subscriber telephone 12 and telemarketing agent telephone 62 in a conventional manner, such as by either the subscriber or the agent dialing the other's telephone number. For example, this communication can be initiated by the subscriber (not shown) at location 10 making a call to the telemarketing center 60. This call is routed at the subscriber's position 10 from telephone 12 along telephone line 22 through display 14 or alternatively through bridge component 14' and then out along telephone line 52 to the public telephone switching network 50. More information concerning the workings of display 14 or bridge component 14' and the internal pathway for this calling signal will be described below.

This call is then routed by the Public Switched Telephone Network 50 to the telemarketmg center 60 in a conventional manner, where it is received at switching system 70. Switching system 70 may be any common system available on the market, such as those currently available from AT&T^™, Northern Telecom", or Rockwell". Software internal to switching system 70 locates and directs the call to a free agent, such as, for example, agent position 61. As soon as this incoming call is received at switching system 70, a three-way conference call arrangement is established between: (1) the incoming call from subscriber at location 10 along line 52, network 50, and trunk 54; (2) agent telephone 62 along line 63; and (3) associated modem 72 along line 74. The three-way conference call arrangement ensures there will be sufficient connections available within switching system 70 when the agent desires to transmit display data. The assurance of available connections provided by this three-way conference is especially important for large telemarketing centers containing numerous agents at numerous agent positions.

During the course of the voice communication, the telemarketing agent at agent position 61 can be formulating or deciding on the display to eventually be transmitted to subscriber location 10, with or without verbal input, requests, or suggestions by the subscriber. Such display data may already exist in whole or in part, or in random order in the data terminal or personal computer 64 or host computer 80. Alternatively, all or parts of these displays may be generated dynamically from data bases or may be entered directly from the keyboard, floppy disk 67 (shown on personal computer 64 in Figure 1), hard disk, or other input means at data terminal or personal computer 64. At an appropriate time during the telemarketing communication, the agent at location 60 can activate a data transmission command from data terminal 64, which is detected by host computer 80. Computer 80 in turn notifies software internal to switching system 70, via control line 78, to send out an appropriate signal along trunk 54, through Public Switching Network 50, and along telephone line 52, eventually arriving at a signal-activated display terminal 14 or bridge component 14' at the subscriber location 10. This appropriate signal causes display 14 or bridge component 14' to switch from a voice communication linkage with telephone 12 to a data communication linkage with display screen 20 or to the subscriber's computer 14", as will be explained more fully below. If the display screen 20 or the subscriber's computer 14" is turned off, the data can be directed to a random access memory or RAM 37 for storage and for later queuing and feeding into screen 20 or computer 14", as will also be discussed in more detail below.

Once the voice communication linkage has been temporally suspended and the data communication linkage has been fully established from data terminal 64 through host computer 80 to subscriber display 14 or subscriber's computer 14", the transmission of the display data is initiated. Host computer 80 then sends out the digital encoding of the desired display by way of line

84 to modem 72.

Modem 72 may be a standard or special modem that is capable of modulation and demodulation of binary digital information into audio tone signals suitable for transmission over standard analog telephone lines. This modulated digital signal is transmitted to switching system 70 by line 74, where it is sent out to display terminal 14 or subscriber's computer 14" immediately following the appropriate display activating signal sequence. The remainder of this data transmission connection is through trunk 54, public telephone switching network 50, and telephone line 52 to display terminal 14 or subscriber's computer 14".

This display data transmission may be accomplished in standard ASCII code, especially if it only comprises written material, to keep data transmission time to a minimum, as opposed to the pixel-by-pixel transmission that is common with facsimile devices, video cameras, and other display data. This ASCII code is mentioned for the sake of example and not for limitation as the display transmission may be in any other standard digital software code or protocol as well. A typical display transmission will take in the range of about two to eight seconds when transmitted at a baud rate of 2400 bits per second, as will be discussed more fully below.

Following transmission of the display data, the voice communication is immediately re¬ established automatically between telephones 12 and 62. Display of data on screen 20 is retained by display terminal 14 or subscriber's computer 14" in a fixed manner, even after re-establishment of voice communication between subscriber's telephone 12 and agent's telephone 62, thereby facilitating verbal discussion of the data by the subscriber and agent, as well as allowing the subscriber or receiver of the data sufficient time to assimilate and study it to his or her satisfaction. The apparatus and process for automatic re-establishment of voice communication between the subscriber telephone 12 and agent telephone 62 according to this invention will be described in greater detail below.

As an example, if the telemarketing agent is an airline ticket sales person or travel agent, he or she can put together a proposed travel itinerary during the course of, and in response to, the voice communication portion of the telecommunication transaction. Such travel itinerary may be generated, for example, utilizing information contained locally at data terminal 64 itself, or it may be created from information contained in a larger data base within host computer 80, with active inputs and data selections by the agent on the keyboard or other input device of the data terminal 64, but without requiring any active computer inputs or interfacing by the subscriber. Then at the appropriate time, when the travel agent wants to show the subscriber (traveler/ticket purchaser) this purposed travel itinerary, he or she can input an appropriate code or signal to data terminal 64 and thereby initiate transmission of the itinerary data for viewing on the subscriber terminal 14 or subscriber computer 14".

Additional examples of the types of data that may be displayed during a telemarketing communication include description of goods or services and their prices for comparison purposes or visual confirmation of an order. As an alternative, the agent switching system 70 can even be set up to transmit a display upon initial receipt of a call, such as visual instructions or an advertising display preprogrammed by the agent, while the call is being queued for a free agent or while the subscriber is on hold awaiting a free agent. Examples of such initial displays may be the telemarketing center's logo or trademark, or other displays such as a recipe of the week for phone orders placed to grocery stores.

For purposes of this description, the functional component diagram of subscriber's terminal 14 or bridge circuit 14' of Figure 12 is a more detailed and advanced substitute for the functional component diagram of Figure 2, but they are equivalent for many functions described herein. Likewise, the functional component diagram of agent's terminal 100 of Figure 12 is a more detailed and advanced substitute for the functional component diagram of Figure 4, which are none-the-less equivalents for many functions described herein. Terminal 14 should preferably be fitted with a minimum of controls, which in this case may include an on/off switch 24, a screen scroll button 16, a screen clear button 18, and picture controls 15. Picture controls 15 may include a contrast control and, in the case of a CRT screen, a brightness control. The other control 19 is optional print button, and will be discussed below. In keeping with the principles of this invention, which teach the capability and option of having an essentially "dumb" or passive terminal, terminal 14 is illustrated as not including a keyboard, hard disk, floppy disk, or other means of data entry locally at subscriber location 10, although it could also be equipped with those kinds of active input, data processing, and data storage devices, if desired. Of course, the peer- to-peer alternative could be a full-featured computer terminal 14" with display screen 20', keyboard 19', hard and/or soft disk drive (not shown), and the like. Display terminal 14 or bridge component 14' contains internally a voice/data selector 25, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 12. Voice/data selector 25 establishes a three-way communication linkage at junction or node 29 (Figure 2) or 220 (Figure 12) between incoming line 52, telephone line 22 attached to telephone 12, and data line 38. Data line 38 is further fed through modem 26 (Figure 2) or 222 (Figure 12) and data line 32 to microprocessor 30. This three-way linkage is similar to the three-way conference call linkage established at the agent switching system 70.

Voice/data selector 25 inchK^* - a switch 33 or 223, which is set to a normally closed position, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure ι~, respectively, to allow voice communication, whereby the incoming line 52 is connected to telephone position 12 (Figure 1) by way of line 22. A line monitor 28 in Figure 2 or 242, 244 in Figure 12 scans the incoming signals on line 52. When the monitor 28 or 242, 244 detects the particular signaling sequence indicating the beginning of a data transmission, as was discussed above, it alerts microprocessor 30 in Figure 2 or 230 in Figure 12 in such a manner that microprocessor 30 or 230 in turn actuates switch 33 via path 44 in Figure 2 or switch 223 via path 253 in Figure 12 to the open position, thereby momentarily disconnecting voice communication from or to subscriber telephone set 12 (Figure 1). Microprocessor 30 or 230 also activates modem 26 in Figure 2 or 222 in Figure 12 or causes it to go off-hook via control line 42 or 251, as well as alters display screen 20 or subscribers computer 14" via control path 46 to the reception of display data via line 32. This activation establishes a data communication linkage such that modulated digital data enters along incoming line 52 and is transmitted by line 38 to newly activated modem 26 (Figure 2) or 222 (Figure 12) for demodulation. The digital data is then transferred from modem 26 or 222 via line 32 and through micro-processor 30 (Figure 2) or 230 (Figure 12) to display screen 20 or to the subscribers computer 14" where it is displayed.

Microprocessor 30 (Figure 2) or 230 (Figure 12) and/or modem 26 (Figure 2) or 222 (Figure 12) handles all the necessary electronic handshaking and protocol typical of data transmissions or by the special protocol of this invention as described below. On subsequent transmissions of displays during the course of a single voice communication event, less handshaking or possibly even no handshaking may be required, as described in more detail below.

Microprocessor 30 or 230 may include a peripheral interface 31, which interfaces with most of the remaining components of display terminal 14, and a microcontroller 35, which acts as the central processing unit of display terminal 14. Microprocessor 30 or 230 may additionally include permanent memory storage capability ROM or PROM 39, which may contain operating instructions or even fixed displays internal to terminal 14. Additionally, temporary memory storage capability RAM 37 may be included in the general block microprocessor 30 or 230.

As described briefly above, actuation of switch 33 or 223 to its alternate state 33' also disconnects the telephone receiver 12 from the incoming line 52 during transmission of digital data. When this momentary disconnect occurs, telephone line 22 is alternately connected to tone source 36 (Figure 2) or 232 (Figure 12) during data transmission. Tone source 36 or 232, which is in an always on, ready state, as will be further described below, generates a pleasing tone that is heard over the telephone device 12 in place of the incoming modulated digital data. The pleasing tone of tone source 36 or 232 informs the subscriber or receiver on telephone 12 that he or she has not been totally disconnected from the agent position 61. A simulated voice message could also be used in place of, or in addition to, tone source 36 or 232 to inform the subscriber what is happening, and requesting that he or she stay on the line until the data transmission is complete. A default written message to the same effect could also be displayed on the screen 20 momentarily while the data transmission is occurring. Such a default message may be stored internally to display terminal 14 itself, in either RAM 37 or ROM 39, and actively delivered to display screen 20 along data path 48 by microprocessor 35.

For purposes of simplicity in describing this invention, reference is often made to the RAM 37 in the subscriber's terminal 14 or 14' shown in Figures 2 and 12 or to RAM 137 in the agent's terminal 100 shown in Figures 4 and 13. However, it should be understood that such RAM could also be the RAM memory (not shown) understood to be in a subscriber's computer 14", as shown in Figure 1 or in an agent's computer 80 or a computer terminal 64, 68, as also shown in Figure 1, to operate and perform substantially that same function, in substantially the same way to get substantially the same results.

The end of a data string, therefore, the end of a data transmission, is detected by modem 26 or 222 and/or by microprocessor 30 or 230. The end of a data transmission may be identified by microprocessor 30 or 230 by an end of file (EOF) marker or by modem 26 or 222 due to the end of the signal carrier. Once the end of data is detected, microprocessor 30 or 230 then generates a signal to re-activate switch 33 or 223 to its normally closed mode to re-establish the voice communication linkage to telephone set 12 while disconnecting the tone generator 36 or 232. Modem 26 or 222 then shuts down or goes on-hook after the appropriate delay, thereby disconnecting the data communication linkage to display screen 20 or subscriber computer 14".

As already mentioned, display terminal 14 may be provided with the memory and software capabilities, such as RAM 37 or ROM 39, for storing several screens of display data. Variable memory space, such as provided by RAM 37, could be used to dynamically store several display screens, either during the course of a single telephone conversation or for later reference after the completion of a given telephone conversation. In the case of fixed special message display screens, which for example may read "Please Stand By For Receipt of Display Information," the display information is stored in permanent memory, ROM 39. Such additional stored screens could then be transmitted back and forth between display screen 20 and microprocessor 30 or 230 by data path 48.

In the absence of power, such as during a black-out, switch 33 or 223 remains in its normally closed position allowing telephone device 12 to operate in normal voice transmission mode despite the inhibited display functions. Similarly, if power is lost during a data transmission, switch 33 or 223 returns to its normally closed position to allow continued normal operation of telephone 12.

An alternative embodiment of agent center 110 is shown in Figure 3. Only one agent position 61 is shown in center 110 for simplicity. However, this embodiment is equally adaptable to multiple agent positions. Center 110 contains the same agent switching system 70 and host computer 80 as the previous center 60. Similarly, agent position 61 also contains the same data terminal 64, connected to host computer 80 by data interface 82, and the same conventional telephone 62. The preferred feature of agent center 110 is a display interface 100. The three-way conference call connection among the switching system 70, the telephone 62, and the data terminal 64 is set up in display interface 100 instead of in switching system 70. Therefore, only one telephone line 90 need be directed to each agent position from switching system 70. This arrangement allows easy installation of the telecommunications display system of this invention without modification of existing switching equipment 70 and software. This three-way connection is between incoming line 90, telephone line 92 also connected to telephone 62, and data interface 94 connected to data terminal 64, and it occurs at node 129, as seen in Figure 4. Display interface 100, shown in Figure 4 and in Figure 13, is very similar to the organization and structure of display terminal 14 in Figures 2 and 12, except that it has a port 121 for an interface connection 94 to a computer 64 in Figure 4 or 14" in Figure 1 instead of a display screen 20 in Figure 1. Port 121 may be an RS-232 serial port or other appropriate control interface. Display interface 100 does have a microprocessor 130 (Figure 4) or 330 (Figure 13), an internal modulator/demodulator or modem 126 (Figure 4) or 322 (Figure 13), tone or signal generator 136 (Figure 4) or 332 (Figure 13), and a line monitor 128 (Figure 4) or 342, 344 (Figure 13). Line monitor 128 or 342, 344 may be a standard touch tone receiver chip such as, for example, a Teltone" M-957-01, if the intended data transmission identification signal is a touch tone signal. Line Monitor 128 or 342, 344 allows display interface 100 to function as in a similar fashion to line monitor 28 (Figure 2) or 242, 244 (Figure 12) in voice/data selector 25 (Figure 2) or 320 (Figure 13) by alerting microprocessor 134 (Figure 4) or 330 (Figure 13) in the event of the possible reception of display data from a peer with a similar capability of transmitting display data. Microprocessor 134 (Figure 4) or 330 (Figure 13) may contain a peripheral interface 131 and microcontroller 135, and it can also contain temporary memory storage space in RAM 137 and permanent memory storage space in ROM or PROM 139, in the same fashion as those discussed above with reference to microprocessor 30 or 230. In this way, display interface 100 allows operation both for an agent and a subscriber equipped with a personal computer, such as terminal 14" and terminal 64 in Figure 1 in peer-to-peer communication. Display interface 100 may even be in the form of a card installed internal to a computer 80 or a personal computer 14" or 64, in which case telephone lines 90 and 92 would be reconnected directly by jacks (not shown) to the back of computer 80 or to the back of personal computer 14" or 64.

The display interface 100 can be substantially the same as the bridge component 14' at the user station 10 in Figure 1 and as shown in more detail in Figure 13. The only substantive difference between the display terminal 14 and the display interface 100 or bridge component 14' is the display screen 20 in terminal 14 whereas interface 100 or bridge 14' have interfaces 46 or 94 for connection to a computer 80 or 14". Also, as mentioned above, the RAM of a computer 80 or personal computer 14" or 64 could substitute in function for RAM 137 in terminal 100.

In operation of the equipment at the agent center or position 110, when an agent at location 61 desires to transmit data, such as graphics, ASCII text, or other display data either as a temporary message, a normal message, or a billboard display, or if the subscriber desires to receive new operating system software, appropriate command on the agent's computer terminal 64 is entered either automatically or by human intervention. Computer terminal 64 in turn notifies microprocessor 130 (Figure 4) or 330 (Figure 13) in display interface 100 via interface 94, port 121, and control line 148 to begin to set up a data transmission. Microprocessor 134 or 330 activates modem 126 or 322 by taking it off-hook via line 142 or 351, and flips switch 133 or 320, 323 by way of line 144 or 351 to its alternate position 133'. A standard digital sequence indicating the beginning of a data transmission may be generated by internal modem 126 or 322. The sequence can be specific to identify whether the data transmission will be a temporary message, a normal message, a billboard message, or an operating system, so the receiving microprocessor 30 or 230 will be instructed how to handle the data. For example, if the sequence is specific to a temporary message, the microprocessor 30 or 230 at the subscriber's terminal 14 is set to respond to one queue or display only and then to erase the data from memory. On the other hand, a sequence unique to a normal message sets the microprocessor 30 or 230 to route the message data to RAM 37 and to allow unlimited access to the message for repeated displays on the subscriber's terminal 14 or computer 14" or for erasure by the subscriber. A sequence indicating billboard data sets the microprocessor 30 or 230 to store the billboard data in RAM 37 and to access it for display each time the terminal 14 or computer 14 " is turned or powered on, or whenever the terminal 14 or computer 14" is on but inactive for more than a certain length of time, but in a manner that is not erasable from memory by the subscriber, even though it is erasable or replaceable by the agent. Finally, if the sequence indicates a new operating system, the microprocessor 30 or 230 will be set to go into a sequence of receiving the operating program in RAM 37, prompting the subscriber for authorization to change out the old operating system for the new one, switching operation to the new operating system upon receipt to the authorization, then replacing the old operating system in a PROM or EEPROM 39 with the new operating system, as will be discussed in more detail below. If for security reasons it becomes necessary to have a specialized digital sequence or inband signal, such a special sequence or signal can be generated by modem 126 or 322 or other circuitry within display interface 100. Such a signaling sequence could inhibit unauthorized access to a subscriber position display terminal 14 or subscriber computer 14". As before, no changes would be required to the serving switch 70 or to the public telephone switching network 50 with such a signal.

Once the initial data alerting string or sequence actuates modem 126 or 322, the digital data can be downloaded from the data terminal or personal computer 64 through port 121 and data bus 132 to internal modem 126 or 322 for modulation. Once modulated, this display data can be sent down line 138 and out line 74 and 90 to the subscriber location 10, where it is received, processed, and stored or displayed as described above.

Actuating switch 133 or 320, 323 to its alternate position 133' breaks the voice communication linkage between telephone lines 90 and 92 or 63 and 74 temporarily by connecting telephone 62 to tone generator 136 or 332 by way of line 92 or 63. This configuration prevents the transmission of the digital data from being heard on telephone receiver 62. Signal generator 136 or

332 can send out a pleasing tone or other audible message indicating data transmission is under way.

After the transmission of digital data, the transmitting agent's personal computer 64 sends an end of data transmission signal by way of interface 94 through port 121 and control path 148 to microprocessor 134 or 330. Microprocessor 134 or 330 then re-activates switch 133 or 320, 323 to re-establish the voice communication connection between lines 90 and 92 or 63 and 74. A message is also sent from microprocessor 134 or 330 by way of path 146 through port 121 and interface 94 informing data terminal or personal computer 64 of the completed transmission. Subsequent to data transmission, modem 126 or 322 goes on-hook after an appropriate delay, which for the sake of example and not intended as a limitation, could be one second. As with the previous subscriber position modem 26, modem 126 at the agent's end can be any standard off the shelf modem or comparable device as shown in Figure 4 or a device 322, as shown in Figure 13. For the sake of illustration and not intended as a limitation, modem 126 may be, for example, any stock 2400 Baud Hayes" modem. As described above, modem 126 can be set to go on-hook after an appropriate delay of one second. This on-hook delay time can usually be adjusted with typical off the shelf modems, such that this feature is disabled and the modem never goes on-hook, or up to about 25 seconds. As described above, a one second delay seems appropriate with the present invention. One second is long enough to ensure the end of data, while not creating an unnecessarily long delay.

Display interface 100, similar to display terminal 14 or bridge circuit 14', also allows the maintenance of voice communication if power is lost by switch 133 or 320, 323 remaining in the normal closed position between telephone lines 90 and 92 or 63 and 74. This operation occurs in a similar fashion to the procedure described above with reference to terminal 14.

Another alternative embodiment agent center 120, which can also include one or more agent positions 61, is shown in Figure 5. Center 120, with its represented agent position 61, can be substantially the same as center 110 of Figure 3, except that port 121 is connected directly to host computer 80 by interface 124 rather than to personal computer 64. As before the displays to be transmitted may either be called up from existing and stored displays or generated dynamically via data terminal 64. In either case, in this embodiment 120, the display is sent directly from or routed through host computer 80.

In a further alternative embodiment 131, one or more telemarketing agents can be replaced by an automated agent or recorded voice information system 140, as shown in Figure 6. Voice information system 140 may be an audiotex system, such as, for example, Conversant" manufactured by AT&T". Further, voice information system 140 may be a voice mail service, such as one of the several models available from Octel". Recorded voice system 140 may further be an integral part of the switching system 70, or it can be external to switching system 70, such as the system 140 shown in Figure 6. Recorded voice system 140 may also be connected to host computer 80 (not shown in Figure 6).

Embodiment 131 uses the same display interface 100 as described in the previous embodiments with telephone line 152 connected to recorded voice system 140. In embodiment 131 data transmission path 154 connects a display generator 156 to port 121 of display interface 100. Display generator 156 may be a separate processing system or combined with system 140. Display generator 156 is in communication with audiotex/recorded voice system 140 by linkage 158.

During operation of embodiment 131, the primary mode will again be voice communication. Typically, a subscriber will call into the audiotex or voice mail system 140, thereby establishing this voice communication. Once established, voice system 140 initiates preprogrammed messages, or audio instructions, which may be in the form of a menu of options, such as, for example "press one to listen to your messages, press two to record a new greeting, press three to receive a new operating system, etc." At the appropriate point, the voice information system 140 will notify the display generator 156 to begin the conversion to data communication, as described above.

A standard voice mail service 140 can record voice mail messages. These recorded voice mail messages may additionally be displayed by phone or extension number, date, and time called on the display terminal 14. When the subscriber dials into service 140 to retrieve his or her messages, voice mail service 140 may transmit a display listing the message. The subscriber can then select in a menu access fashion those voice mail messages he or she wishes to hear and in which order he or she wishes to listen to them. Accordingly, random access could be afforded to a voice mail system instead of the traditional, painstaking, serial access method.

Several such audiotex or voice mail systems 140 may be connected through a common gateway 160, as shown in Figure 7. Such gateways are common in the industry. A caller, possibly with a display calls into gateway 160 via trunks 54. Based upon number dialed or other selection criteria such as a caller inputted digits, gateway 160 then directs the call to any one of several systems 140. Gateway 160 could generate its own displays or displays in association with systems 140 by use of an internal display generator 162. This allows both oral communication with a caller via systems 140 as well as transmission of display data via display generator 162, without requiring systems 140 to have their own display generator associated with them.

Referring again to Figure 1, display screen 20 portion of display terminal 14, as shown and described above, is a flat screen, liquid crystal display (LCD). However, display terminal could also be a LCD or an electrochromic, eletroluminescent, plasma discharge, or vacuum fluorescent display, as well as a more conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) or any other visual display device, including a portable, pocket-sized screen, as would be obvious to persons skilled in this art after becoming familiar with the functions and components of this invention.

Now referring back to Figure 2 to offer a few more details, the nature of line monitor 28 may vary depending upon the nature of the signaling sequence used to indicate the beginning of data transmission. Such a signaling sequence may be DTMF or MF tones. If the signaling sequence is a DTMF signal, as might be sent by a DTMF sender chip, which may be internal to modem 126 (Figure 4), then line monitor 28 could be a DTMF receiver chip, which for the sake of example and not for limitation could be a Teltone" M-957-01.

Also for the sake of example and not intended as a limitation, microprocessor 30, including peripheral interface 31 and microcontroller 35, may be any one of several microprocessor integrated chips such as an Intel" 8051 microprocessor. Further, the RAM 37 may be any standard integrated chip, but again for the sake of example, may be comprised of multiple Harris" 65162 chips, which are 2000 X 8 bit static RAM chips.

The display terminal 14 features of the present invention may be further augmented by the addition of a printer (not shown), which could generate hard copies of the displays received by terminal 14. The printer could be queued by any optional print screen button 19, as shown in Figure 1. The printer could be any standard computer printer such as an EPSON" LQ-1000. More elaborate printers such as the Apple Laser Writer Plus" or the Hewlett Packard Laser Jet Series m" would be equally applicable, however, they may have more capabilities than would be required with the present invention.

A screen 20 with 80 columns by 25 rows should be enough to display a complete travel itinerary or a complete audiotex menu. At 2400 baud, a complete display of 2000 characters or about 300 words, can be transmitted in approximately two to eight seconds, which compares to only about 10-20 words, spoken intelligibly, in the same time interval.

The on/off switch 24 on display terminal 14 need only be activated once upon initial set-up and installation of display terminal 14. Terminal 14 may remain in a constant on, always ready posture from that point on. This constant on, always ready posture includes power being constantly supplied to tone generator 36 and microprocessor 30, as well as the other components of display terminal 14, with reference to Figure 2, such that they are in an always on and ready state. Accordingly, on/off switch 24 need not be in a predominate position, such as the front or side as depicted in Figure 1. Rather on/off switch 24 may be located in the back, behind a panel, or in some other concealed place.

Display terminal 14 can retain a given display on screen 20 after voice communication is re- established during a given telecommunication event, and it can also retain the display after the termination of such event when both parties have disconnected. A given display may therefore be retained and displayed indefinitely, until clear button 18 is pressed or another display is received.

Accordingly, the display terminal 14 may also serve as a visual answering machine or notification device. For example, terminal 14 can be set-up to act as a visual answering machine or in the alternative, terminal 14 may act as a notification device independent of a traditional telephone device 12, as seen in embodiment 170 in Figure 8. Then when a call is received, terminal 14 will answer the call under appropriate conditions, either answering machine mode in embodiment 10 from Figure 1, or as a notification device in embodiment 170 from Figure 8, and is ready to display a given transmitted display. Such display would then be retained until the subscriber arrives back at location 10 for viewing. If the display terminal 14 has provisions for storing multiple screens of information, such as RAM 37 as described above, it can answer and record multiple screens of information for later viewing, as will be described in more detail below.

Additionally, a typical voice recording answering machine 112, found in embodiment 180 and shown in Figure 9, can also be connected to telephone line 22. Answering machine 112 may be either internal or external to telephone device 12. In this embodiment 180, answering machine 112 could be set to autoanswer for the purpose of recording messages or screening calls as is well known in the industry. Upon receipt of a call, the three-way communication linkage could be established at node 29 in display terminal 14 (Figure 2). If the caller desires to leave a voice message, switch 33 could remain in the normally closed position connecting incoming line 52 to answering machine 12 via telephone line 22, and a voice message could be left on the voice answering machine. However, if the caller wished to leave a display message in addition to, or instead of, a voice message, the appropriate signaling sequence could be transmitted down line 52. This signaling woωd still be detected by line monitor 28, as described above, activating microprocessor 30 and altering display screen 20 for the reception of the given display. During the transmission of the display, a pleasing tone generated by tone source 36 would be left as a message on answering machine 112. As described above, the caller can be re-connected to answering machine 112 following transmission of display data.

It is also possible for a telephone device and a display screen, such as the above-described telephone 12 and display terminal 14, to be combined into a single unit 182, as shown in Figure 10. The structure and operation of such a single unit 180, with its display screen 190, handset 182, and digital or analog dialing mechanism 184 is similar to that described above with reference to separate devices 12 and 14.

A single unit device 180 may be in the form of a private phone for personal or business use or in the form of a public telephone such as a courtesy or pay phone in hotel lobbies, airports, or restaurants for example. Such a public display phone 180 could be used by travelers to make airline reservations with a visual confirmation, by business people to exchange financial information, or by the general public to access the above-described audiotex or voice services 140, (shown in Figures 6 and 7). Examples of consumer to business applications in addition to those given above include banking transactions, emergency hotline services, and entertainment. Examples of business to business applications include employee informational services, ordering of parts, daily news letters, and general information dissemination from headquarters to branch offices. Additionally, for business applications the above-described subscriber/agent relationship, could be replaced by an employee/employer relationship where each employee could play the role of agent in a peer-to-peer arrangement. A few possible examples of uses for specialized audiences include university course registration, hotel billing, notification services, and medical emergencies. Consequently, the applications for this invention are not limited to commercial telemarketing operations, but can be any situation where an active holder or creator of data or information needs to transmit the data for visual display to a passive viewer or receiver over the same telephone line on which they are having bidirectional verbal communications. The present invention can further serve as a service for the hearing impaired or any user who must operate in a noisy environment.

Although the present invention cannot directly access CompuServe" and other videotex services or such public access databases, such as Prodigy", Lexis", and Dialog", it can access a knowledgeable agent as described above who may have direct access to such services. Such public consumer databases require special equipment, knowledge, and frequently special training, which inhibits such use by persons who are not inclined to encounter those public consumer databases on those terms. The present invention may allow a consumer or subscriber access to these or similar databases with the benefit of a knowledgeable, helpful human agent at a telemarketing or other remote location to perform the complex steps for the consumer to access such data.

Additional features are possible if the telephone switching system 70 can identify whether or not a caller is set up with a display terminal 14. Upon receipt of an incoming call, switching system 70 could respond with a pre-recorded greeting, followed by a prompt to the caller, such as, for example "press one if you have a display terminal." Such a determination of whether a caller has a display terminal 14 by switching system 70 may also be accomplished by having switching system 70 generate and transmit an automatic query on the incoming caller's line. In which case, if the caller had a display terminal 14, microprocessor 134 could receive and recognize the automatic query and respond with an appropriate signal indicating the presence of a display terminal 14. All of which could be accomplished without any effort or input on the part of the caller.

If the subscriber can receive displays, the above described three-way conference calling arrangement can be established and an initial display, such as a billboard including a trademark, advertising, or other useful information can be sent, while the call is queued to an agent station 61. Further, the agent at position 61 can be informed, possibly by an appropriate message from switching system 70 or from host computer 80 for display on terminal 64, as to whether or not a caller has a display terminal 14, such as subscriber location 10.

The party identification features could also be accomplished if some of the various above described elements support ISDN. The current public telephone network is analog. ISDN, which stands for "integrated services digital network", if adopted would establish a new digital network. ISDN, as currently proposed, would include two carrier bands or channels and one channel for signaling information or data, referred to as 2B + D. It is this D or data channel which carries signaling information, addressing, party identification, and other hand shaking or functional protocols which could be used as a substitute for the above determination of whether a caller has a display terminal 14. Thus, if trunk 54 supports ISDN, it would be possible for a switching system 70 to establish whether or not a particular subscriber has a display terminal 14, without requiring the above described verbal or keyed touch tone sequence such as, "Press one if you have a display terminal."

Further, if the trunk 54, the public switching network 50, and the subscriber's telephone line

52, all support ISDN, then the data communication link can be established on a separate channel, and the voice communication link need not be interrupted during display transmission. It should be understood that the present invention neither requires nor depends on the adoption of ISDN. One of the many advantages of the present invention, as described above, is its efficient operation with the existing analog public telephone network, even though the present invention, as well as the entire telephone system and its peripherals, might be enhanced by ISDN. The features of the present invention may additionally be enhanced by a personal computer

14" at or near subscriber location 10 as shown in Figure 1. The subscriber could then exercise some control over display of visual data himself or herself rather than being merely a passive visual observer. He or she could send display data to other subscribers. This arrangement would allow the possibility of peer to peer transmission, or employee to employer as described above, although it departs somewhat from the passive terminal for unsophisticated subscribers, which is an advantage of the first preferred embodiment described above.

As discussed above, one of the principal objects of this invention is the ability to transmit data for visual display accurately, but also with minimal interruption of the voice communications. At the same time, another principal object of this invention is to allow one party or agent to initiate and control transmission of the visual display data to a passive receiver or subscriber. The receiver or subscriber needs virtually no computer training at all, other than to turn on the power for the display terminal 14 and possibly to use a button or knob 16 to scroll the display. Perhaps also nearly as important, the agent also needs very little computer literacy and a minimum of training to operate the system 100 from the agent's position 60. A principal feature of additional embodiments of this invention is a protocol that meets those objectives as well as additional speed and more user friendly performance than the conventional modem implementations described above.

The protocol according to the improvements of this invention is layered, as illustrated in Figure 11, including a physical layer 202, data link layer 204, and application layer 206 at the subscriber terminal 14 or bridge component 14' and similarly described physical layer 212, data link layer 214, and application layer 216 at the agent terminal 100. The physical layers 202 and 212 of the respective terminals 14 and 100 or bridge component 14' include the computer and switching hardware that convert digital control and data information into connections and analyze signals that are required to interface with, and to transport information across the telephone network 50, as will be described in more detail below. Therefore, the physical layer 202 at the subscriber terminal 14 or bridge component 14' and the physical layer 212 at the agent interface 100 are connected by telephone lines 52 and 54, or by suitable wireless substitutes, to each other through the telephone network 50, as described above.

This physical layer or connection 202 can include well-known data access arrangement (DAA) and signal conditioning circuits (not shown in Figure 11). It also includes directional coupler, high pass filter (HPF), and limiter, which will be described in more detail below. In the preferred embodiment, a special purpose modem integrated circuit (modem IC), such as a R96DFX MONOFAX (trademark) manufactured by Rockwell International Corporation, is included and used in the physical layer 202 for modulation, demodulation, tone generation, and tone detection, but part of it is also used in the data link layer 204 to provide HDLC (High Level Data Link Control) processing. Switching arrangements in the physical layer 202 allow a microcontroller (not shown in Figure 11) to configure the circuit into either the voice mode for normal voice communication or the data mode for reception or sending of data for visual display, as will be described in more detail below. The data link layer 204 and application layer 206 of the subscriber terminal 14 or bridge component 14' may be perceived for purposes of this description as being in direct communication with their respective peer data link layer 214 and application layer 216 of agent terminal 100, as indicated by phantom line arrows 208 and 209 in Figure 11, but they actually communicate through the adjacent lower layers and through the telephone network 50. The data link layers 204 and 206 according to this invention comprises essentially a modified

HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) protocol that provides pocketing for outgoing data, error detection using CRC and error correction for retransmission for ensuring accuracy of the data transmission, control of line turnaround for reception and transmission of signals, and reassembly of incoming pockets into application level messages. The data link layers 204, 214 implement implicit link establishments at the physical layers 202 and 212, implements selection of data transmission speed according to certain criteria to optimize overall transmission time, and other functions as will be described below.

The application layers 206 and 216 provide the sources for the data to be transmitted and the destination for data received by the lower layers. The method of formatting messages from the application layer is provided according to this invention to allow the data link layers 204, 214 to determine when application responses, thus link turnaround, are required. Those data compression functions are also considered part of the application layer 206, and partial screen updating is implemented in the application layer. Finally, the link tear down control according to this invention is implemented in the application layers 206, 216, including deciding whether no response, one response, or open-ended interchanges are allowed following the current application transmission before the data link is torn down. The term "response" as used here means a response from the peer application layer, 206 or 216, not the normal acknowledgements that the data layers 204 and 214 exchange to insure data integrity.

Referring now to Figure 12, the preferred embodiment of physical level 202 of the subscriber terminal 14 or of the bridge component 14', includes a telephone line 52 from the telephone network 50, which telephone line 52 is connected to a first relay switch 220. This first relay switch 220 is for connecting and disconnecting the subscriber telephone 12 and the modem IC 222 to and from the telephone line 52 in response to control signals from the microprocessor or microprocessor 230. The microprocessor 230 preferably comprises a microprocessor integrated circuit 235 and associated memory 37, 39, and peripheral interface circuitry 31. For example, it can be a 80C32 device manufactured by Intel Corporation of 3065 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, California 95051. When the relay switch 220 is switched to its alternate broken-line position, signals are rerouted via connections 38 and 258 and summing device 260 to the RXIN contact of the modem IC 222. The subscriber's telephone 12 is also connected by line 22, a second relay switch 223, internal connection 224, directional coupler 226, and internal connection 228 to the first relay switch 220. The second relay switch 223 also operates in response to a control signal from the microcontroller 230 as indicated by connection 253 to alternately connect and disconnect the telephone network 50 via directional coupler 226 and connection 228 and to connect and disconnect the tone generator/local power source 232 to and from the subscriber's telephone 12. A third relay switch 234 is provided to connect and disconnect a ring detector 236 and the microcontroller 230 from the internal telephone connections 224, 228 and directional coupler 226.

The system is normally defaulted to the voice mode, where all the relay switches 220, 223, and 234 are in the solid-line positions shown in Figure 12 and as described above. Therefore, when the subscriber wants to call out, he or she can do so in a normal or conventional manner by dialing the desired number and ringing out. The directional coupler 226 is fixed such that signals are transmitted bidirectionally between its contacts A and B, thus between the subscriber's telephone 12 and an outside telephone (not shown, in Figure 12, but possibly including the agent's telephone 62 in Figure 1). On the other hand, the directional coupler 226 allows only incoming signals on contact A to be transmitted to contact C, where the ring detector 236, microcontroller 230, high pass filter (HPF) 238, limiter 240, and detector portions 242, 244, 256 of modem IC 222, are connected to the directional coupler 226. Signals from the subscriber's telephone 12 on contact B cannot reach the contact C in directional coupler 226, so that signals from the subscriber's telephone 12 cannot reach the detectors 242, 244, 256 in the modem IC 222. The directionality of the directional coupler 226 as described above is not perfect, but it greatly enhances reliability of initial tone detection.

Essentially, therefore, the agent's terminal or display interface 100 as best seen in Figures 3, 5, 6, and 13 is connected by telephone lines 54 and 90 to the telephone network 50, as described above. The agent's telephone 62 is connected to the interface 100 by a local telephone line 92, and it can be selectively connected and disconnected to the telephone network 50 by relay switches 320 and 323, which are controlled by signals from the microcontroller 330. It also includes high pass filter 338 and limiter 340 for noise suppression, and a special purpose modem IC 322, which can be a R96DFX MONOFAX (trademark) device manufactured by Rockwell International Corporation of 4311 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92658. When the agent decides to send data for a visual display to the subscriber's terminal 14 or to a bridge component 14', he or she designates on his or her display terminal 64 (Figures 3 and 5), the visual data to be sent, which is usually derived in an application level 216 (Figure 11) from a data base in a host computer 80 (Figures 3, 5, and 6) and initiates a send signal at the agent's display terminal 64. The agent initiates the send signal to the microcontroller 330 (Figure 13) via computer 64 or host computer 80 to data interface 100, usually by pushing a designated key on his or her keyboard or by clicking on a designated spot in a "Windows" application at his terminal 64, as will be described in more detail below; however, data transmission can also be initiated automatically by computer 80 or terminal 64, or by display generator 156 in embodiment 131 (Figure 6), as described above. The physical layer 212 at the agent's interface 100 then implements an implicit link establishment between the agent's interface 100 and the subscriber's terminal 14 or bridge component 14' via the telephone network 50 so that the visual data from host computer 80 or terminal 64 can be transmitted by the agent's interface 100 and received by the subscriber's terminal 14 or bridge component 14' . Please note that for the purposes of this description, the words "visual data" provides a convenient term for reference to the data usually, but not necessarily, from host computer 80 or agent's data terminal 64, that is stored, transmitted, and received for the purpose of displaying in a visually perceptible format, such as on the subscriber's screen or LCD display 20 of terminal 14 or screen 20' of subscriber's personal computer 14", although the data obviously cannot be seen in its magnetic format for storage or in its electric format for transmission. Therefore, visual data means the data that is intended for visual display, as opposed to the signals or electronic transmissions for voice communications via the telephones 12 and 62. Also, the term "voice mode" refers to the configurations of the physical and data link layers of the respective terminals or interfaces 100, 14, 14' for voice communications between the agent and the subscriber, while "data mode" refers to the configurations of those elements for transmission and reception of visual data. Finally, for purposes of describing the link establishment and tear down procedures of this invention, the agent's interface 100 is sometimes referred to more generically as the agent's terminal 100.

Upon receipt of the "send" signal from the agent's keyboard or terminal 64 (Figures 3 and 5), which is designated generally in Figure 13 along with the host data interface 94 to computer 80 or 64 by the microcontroller 330, the agent's data link layer 214 (Figure 11), which is implemented by the physical layer 212 (Figures 11 and 13), initiates a signal to be sent from the physical layer 212 of the agent's terminal 100 (Figures 3, 11, and 13). Therefore, the microcontroller 330 in the agent's terminal 100 functions both at the data link layer 214 and at the physical layer 212 in implementing this implicit link establishment function. To implicitly establish the implicit data link, the microcontroller 330 of the agent's terminal

100 in Figure 13 outputs signals through connections 351, 353 to the relay switches 320, 323, and 334 to change from voice mode to data mode, i.e., to switch to the alternate, broken-line switch positions, thereby disconnecting the agent's telephone 62 from the telephone line 54 and telephone network 50. Simultaneously, the microcontroller 330 also outputs a signal via connection 355 to actuate the local power supply/tone generator 332, if it is not already actuated, to provide an alternate local power supply to the agent's telephone 62 and to provide a pleasing tone or simulated voice message to assure the agent that his or her phone 62 has not gone dead.

Next, the microcontroller 330 configures the modem controller 346 in modem IC 322 to cause the tone generators 350, 352 to generate two simultaneous tones of different frequencies on the TXOUT terminal and send them via the telephone network to the subscriber's terminal 14 (Figure 12). For purposes of simplicity in describing the operation of this preferred embodiment, a reference to subscriber's terminal 14 will be presumed to apply also to the alternate embodiment of a bridge component 14' and subscriber's computer 14" unless otherwise indicated. These two tones can be, for example, 2312.5 Hz and 2912.5 Hz for 200 milliseconds. These two tones will signal the subscriber's terminal 14 that visual data is coming, so the subscriber's terminal 14 can reconfigure itself to the data mode and implicitly establish the data link, as will be described in more detail below.

The microcontroller 330 then reconfigures modem controller 346 in modem IC 322 to cause the data transmit device 354 to send a number of small flag signals, e.g., six flag signals, at a low rate of about 300 bits per second (bps). A standard HDLC protocol flag, which may be used in this invention, includes six bytes of data where a 01111110 byte is standard in HDLC protocol. The flags are intended for detection by the subscriber's terminal 14 as an indicator that transmission speed designator signals s coming next, as will be described in more detail below.

Once the iiags have been sent, the microcontroller 330 (Figure 13) reconfigures the modem controller 346 again to cause the one or more of the tone generators 350, 352 to generate tone signals that indicate to the - bscriber's terminal 14 (Figure 12) the bit rate that is selected for the actual visual data transmis. a once the link is established. For example, a single 1412.5 Hz tone generated by tone generator 35_* for 60 milliseconds indicates that the baud rate of the visual data transmission will be the low rate, e.g., about 300 bps. A single 2312.5 Hz tone generated by tone generator 350 for 60 milliseconds may indicate the bit rate will be a medium rate, e.g., about 4,800 bps. Simultaneous 2312.5 Hz and 1412.5 Hz tones for 60 milliseconds can indicate the bit rate will be a high rate, e.g., about 9,600 bps. The selection as to which bit rate to use for visual data transmission is based on a set of criteria that is the most time efficient for the nature of the visual data that is to be sent, as will be described in more detail below. The subscriber's terminal 14 (Figure 12) uses these signals to get itself configured to receive the visual data at the bit rate that is selected by the agent's microcontroller 330 (Figure 13), as will also be described in more detail below.

These tone patterns described above are also used each time the link is turned around after it is established initially, although it may be advantageous to increase the durations for the medium rate of about 4,800 bps and the high rate of about 9,600 bps speeds in order to compensate for the missing initial tones and flags. For example, tone durations of 188 milliseconds may be used for this purpose. The initial tone pair that was generated to notify the subscriber's terminal 14 that visual data is coming and the follow-up flags, as described above, are not regenerated when the link is merely turned around, as opposed to establishing it in the first instance.

After the last tones indicating the data transmission bit rates are transmitted, the agent's microprocessor 330 at the data link layer 214 (Figure 11) assumes that the data link has been established. Therefore, it reconfigures the modem controller 346 (Figure 13) to set the data transmit device to the selected bit rate and to transmit the visual data, for example in ASCII code format, or in any other desired standard or nonstandard format, and it proceeds to send or transmit the visual data. This assumption that the link has been established and proceeding immediately to send the visual data saves a substantial amount of time in most ordinary circumstances. If this assumption is wrong, and the data link was not established, for example, due to a momentary interruption in the connection, the data link layer 214 (i.e., the microcontroller 330) will use a "retry" procedure to repeat the above-described sequence one or more times, as will be described in more detail below.

At the subscriber's terminal 14, as best seen in Figure 12, which is normally in the voice mode before visual data transmission is initiated by the agent, as described above, the pair of different frequency tones indicating the initiation of a voice data transmission is received. These initial tones, it may be recalled from the description above, tell the subscriber's terminal 14 that visual data is coming. That pair of tones, upon reaching contact A of directional coupler 226, via the telephone network 50, are transmitted to contact C, where they are picked up by the modem IC 222 via the high pass filter 238 and limiter 240. The high pass filter 238 passes only high frequency signals, like this pair of tones, to eliminate low frequency noise from the subscriber's telephone 12 that might get through the directional coupler 226, since the directional coupler device 226 is not prefect in passing signals only from the outside source.

The modem IC 222, as illustrated in Figure 12, has two energy or tone detector functions 242, 244, which can be used for detecting the two-tone signal generated at the agent's terminal 100 that says visual data is coming. One tone detector function 242 is tuned to the frequency of the first of the two tones, e.g. 2312.5 Hz, and the other tone detector function 244 is tuned to the frequency of the second of the two tones, e.g., 2912.5 Hz. A modem controller 246 controls the two tone detector functions 242, 244 and monitors those tone detector functions 242, 244, and when a preset threshold energy is detected from both of them, the modem controller 246 sends a signal to the microcontroller 230, thereby letting the microcontroller 230 know that visual data is coming on the telephone line 52.

An automatic gain control device 248 is provided in front of the energy or tone detector functions 242, 244 to adjust the energy level or amplitude of incoming signals to keep the incoming signal level within limits acceptable to the tone detector functions 242, 244. At the same time, the limiter 240 is positioned in front of the automatic gain control 248 to place a high limit on the amplitude of signals transmitted therethrough so that an extraneous noise burst or spike emanating from the subscriber's telephone 12 or anywhere else in the system that might get through the directional coupler 226 does not cause the automatic gain control 248 to lower the energy level at the same time that the tones are coming from the agent's terminal 100. A speaker phone at the subscriber's location could be particularly problematic, for example, if it is picking up a loud background conversation while the tone signal is being transmitted. Pots and pans clanging in the background or other loud noise sources also have the potential of causing problems, if they occur while the tones are being transmitted. Therefore, using tone frequencies that are high in the voice band (300 Hz to 3300 Hz), such as the 2312.5 Hz and 2912.5 Hz tones described above, in conjunction with the directional coupler 228, high pass filter 238, and limiter 240 helps to provide the robustness according to this invention that is required for the reliable detection of the initial tones for establishing the data transfer link. The high pass filter 238 prevents lower frequency signals from reaching the modem IC 222. Since much of the energy in voice signals is in these lower frequencies, the automatic gain control function 248 in the modem IC 222 is prevented from saturating and thereby inhibiting the detection of the desired tones. The limiter 240 is also important in preventing high amplitude (loud) signals from causing the automatic gain control function 248 in the modem IC 222 to saturate. Upon receiving the signal from the modem controller 246 that data is coming, as described above, the microprocessor 230 emits control signals via connections 251 and 253 to switch relays 220, 223, and 234 to the data mode, i.e., to the broken-line positions illustrated in Figure 12, thereby disconnecting the subscriber's telephone 12 from the telephone network 50 and telephone line 52. This disconnection is implemented so the subscriber will not hear the data stream, and noises from the subscriber's telephone 12 will not interfere with the data transmission or reception. At the same time, the microcontroller 230 also sends a signal via connection 255 to the local power supply/tone generator 232, which is now connected by relay switch 223 to the subscriber's telephone 12. In this data mode, the local power supply/tone generator 232 powers the subscriber's telephone and provides a pleasing tone or simulated voice message letting the subscriber know that his or her telephone 12 did not go dead and that data is being transferred.

After the 2-tone energy drops below the preset threshold, the microcontroller 230 reconfigures the HDLC or modem controller 246 to detect flag signals in the data receiver function 246 of modem IC 222, which is also connected through the data (broken line) mode of relay switch 220, connection 258, and summing device 260 to the telephone line 52. As described above, the agent's terminal 100 transmits a number of flags immediately after the initial tone pair signal to inform the microcontroller 230 in the subscriber's terminal 14 that signals indicating transmission rate are coming next. As described below, these initial flags are relatively short data streams, so they are usually transmitted initially at a low rate, such as the 300 b.p.s. described above. Therefore, the microcontroller 230 is programmed to instruct the modem controller 246 to initially set the data receiver function 256 to the low rate, e.g. 300 b.p.s.

Upon receiving the signal from the controller 246 of modem IC 222 that the flag or flags have arrived, the microcontroller 230 resets or reconfigures the controller 246 to actuate its tone detector functions 242, 244 to detect the tones that comprise the rate signal from the agent's terminal 100, e.g., 1412.5 Hz and 2312.5 Hz, because those are the tone frequencies generated by the agent's terminal 100 to indicate the bit rate selected for the data transmission, as described above. It might be feasible in some circumstances to eliminate this flag notice function and program the microcontroller 230 to look directly for the bit rate indicator tones after the initialization, which could be faster, but it also could compromise robustness in terms of reliability. To compensate, the tones for the 4,800 bps and 9,600 bps speeds should also have a longer duration, such as 188 milliseconds.

The tone or tones indicating the bit rate for the data transmission are then received and detected by the controller 246 of the modem IC 222. The tones detected are then signaled to the microcontroller 230, which interprets them to decipher the bit rate set by the agent's terminal, and the microcontroller 230 in turn instructs the modem controller 246 of modem IC 222 to set its data receive function 256 to the bit rate indicated by the tone signal. If the flags or rate tones are not detected, the microcontroller 230 returns the subscriber's terminal 14 circuit to voice mode, and the agent's terminal 100 will eventually retry to establish the data link, as will be described in more detail below.

The data receive function 256 of the modem IC 222 is the demodulator portion of the modem function. It receives data, including the visual data being transmitted by the agent's terminal 100. The controller 246 of the modem IC 222 checks good frame/bad frame sequences in the visual data received and, if the frames are good, sends the visual data to the microcontroller 230. The microcontroller 230 then gathers the good frames of visual data until it gets a complete set and then sends them to subscriber's LCD display 20 or to subscribers computer 14" or whatever other compatible display device that is being used. The microcontroller 230 is programmed to recognize when it receives a complete visual data set and whether it is the end or if it is supposed to give a response back to the agent's terminal 100. The controller 246 may also first store the visual data in memory for later retrieval along with other received groups of visual data. When the end of the data transmission has been received, the microcontroller 230 turns the link around once in order to send an acknowledgement to the agent's terminal 100 that all of the frames were received. To do so, the microcontroller 230 instructs the modem controller 246 to set up the data transmit function 254 of the modem IC 222 for the appropriate transmission rate, as described in more detail below, and it sets up the tone generators 250, 252 to send an advance signal ahead of acknowledgement data to let the microcontroller 320 of the agent's terminal 100 know what bit rate will be used. The microprocessor 320 of the agent's terminal 100 uses that rate signal to set up the data receive function 356 of the agent's modem IC 322 at the elected bit rate, similar to that process described above for the subscriber's terminal 14, so it can receive the acknowledgement data and send it to the agent's microcontroller 320. Initial start tones and flags do not have to be sent for this link turn around function for purposes of the acknowledgement.

Once the acknowledgement is sent, the subscriber's terminal 14 turns the link around and waits to receive a disconnect message from the agent's terminal 100. When the disconnect is received, or when a time limit is reached, the microcontroller 230 tears down the data link by outputting signals to the relay switches 220, 223, and 234 and to the local power source/tone generator 232 to switch them back to the voice mode. The microcontroller 230 then reconfigures the modem controller 246 to activate the tone detector functions 242, 244 of the modem IC 222 to detect data link initiation tones again, and finally it goes into an idle mode waiting for the next data link initiation tones.

At the agent's terminal 100, the acknowledgement data is received by the data receive function 356 of the modem IC 322 via alternate connection 358 and summing device 260. It is demodulated and sent by the controller 346 to the microcontroller 330. The microcontroller 330 notes the receipt of the acknowledgement data, which indicates that it does not have to initiate a retry. The microcontroller 330 turns around the link and sends a disconnect message to the subscriber's terminal 14, then the microcontroller 330 finishes tearing down the data link by outputting signals to the relay switches 320, 323, and 334 and to the local power source/tone generator 332 to return the agent's terminal 100 to the voice mode, i.e., to reconnect the telephone 62 to the telephone network 50.

The microcontroller 330 can also be programmed to send signals to the agent's display interface or terminal 80 to display visual messages, such as "Data Transfer in Progress" during the link establishment and visual data transmit operations and "Data Transfer Complete" during the link tear down process. After the link tear down is complete, the microcontroller 330 goes into an idle mode, waiting for the next "send" signal initiated by the agent from the agent's keyboard or Windows display terminal 80.

The block diagram in Figure 14 illustrates the high speed (9,600/4,800 bps) transmitter function steps utilized in the data transmitter functions 254, 354 of the modem IC's 222 and 322 of the terminals 14 and 100. The data to be transmitted is digital at the input. It is fed into a scrambler step 420 for evening out the distribution of l's and O's, then into an encoder step 422 for breaking up the data into groups of bits suitable for modulation, through a modulator step 424 for conversion from digital to analog form, and then through a shaping filter 426 for compensating for telephone network transmission characteristics. The result is an analog data signal that is transmitted via the telephone lines to the other terminal 14 or 100.

By comparison, the low speed (300 bps) transmitter functions 254, 354 of modem IC's 222 and 322 are illustrated in Figure 15. The digital data goes only through an FSK (frequency shift keying) modulator 428 for conversion from digital to analog form and a shaping filter 430 for compensating for telephone network transmission characteristics for output in analog form to the telephone lines.

The dual tone transmitter functions 250, 350 and 252, 352 of the modem IC's 222 and 322 are illustrated in Figure 16. A digital control signal for the value of first tone frequency is fed from the controller 246 or 346 of the modem IC 222 or 322 to the tone generator 250, 350 to generate the first tone at 2312.5 Hz. A level 1 digital signal is input at 432 for controlling the amplitude of the first tone. It is then fed through summing device 434 and through a low pass filter 435 for elimination of undesired frequency components. Likewise a digital control signal for the value of second tone frequency is fed from the controller 246 or 346 to the tone generator 252, 352, which generates the 1412.5 Hz or 2912.5 Hz tone. A level 2 digital signal is applied at 438 for controlling the amplitude of the second tone. The second tone is passed through the summing device 434 and low pass filter 436. The result is a single tone of either frequency or both tones simultaneously, as described above, for either initiating the link establishment procedure or setting the transmission speed.

The low speed (300 bps) tone receiver function 242 or 342 of the modem IC's 222 or 322 is shown in Figure 17. This configuration of modem IC's 222 and 322 is used when receiving 300 pbs data or when detecting tones.

When receiving tones, the received analog signal is passed through bandpass filter 440 to eliminate unwanted frequencies, then to variable gain element 442, which together with automatic gain control 443, implements the automatic gain control 248, 348. The output of the variable gain element 442 feeds into tone detector functions 242, 342 and 244, 344. The tone detector functions 242, 342 produce digital signals, which are directed to the modem controller 246, 346 to indicate the presence or absence of the tones to which they are tuned.

When receiving 300 bps data the bandpass filter 440, variable gain element 442, and automatic gain control 443 operate as described above. The output of the variable gain element 442 from automatic gain control 248, 348 feeds into data receive function 256, 356. Data receive function 256, 356 includes FSK filter 444, demodulator 446, and timing recovery function 448. The data from automatic gain control 248, 348 feeds into FSK filter 444 where the data tones are filtered from the signal, then to timing recovery function 448 where the bit positions are identified, and to demodulator 446 where the data is recreated in digital form. The resulting data from demodulator 446 is sent to the controller 246, 346 of modem IC 222 and 322 for the digital processing previously described.

The high speed configuration of modem IC 222 and 322 shown in Figure 18 is used when receiving 9600 bps or 4800 bps data. The received analog signal is passed through bandpass filter 440 to eliminate unwanted frequencies, then to variable gain element 442, which together with automatic gain control 443, implements the automatic gain control 248, 348. The output of the variable gain element 442 feeds into data receive function 256, 356. Data receive function 256, 356 includes demodulator 458, adaptive equalizer 460, timing recovery 462, decoder 464, and descrambler 466. The data from automatic gain control 248 feeds into demodulator 458, timing recovery 462, and adaptive equalizer 460 where the signals are reduced to a decodable form, then to decoder 464 where the digital data is recovered, then to descrambler 466 where the originally transmitted data is separated from the scrambling sequence. The resulting data from descrambler 466 is sent to the controller 246, 346 of modem IC 222 and 322 for the digital processing previously discussed. On the levels of the data link layer 214 and application layer 216 of the agent's terminal 100

(Figure 11), the implicit link establishment procedure is best illustrated by the flow chart logic in Figure 19. The procedure to initiate link establishment begins in the application layer 216 (Figure 11) at the start step 400 (Figure 19) when the agent presses a key on the keyboard or clicks a mouse with the cursor on a Windows screen selection, thereby requesting that the visual data selected by the agent be transmitted to the subscriber's terminal. The data link layer 214 responds by instructing the physical layer 212 (Figure 11) to execute the link establishment procedure described above.

For purposes of describing the process of establishing and tearing down data links according to this invention, it will be done from the perspective of initiating data transfer at the agent's terminal 100 and receiving data at the subscriber's terminal 14. It should be understood, however, that in some circumstances, such as when the subscriber has the alternate bridge component 14' and computer 14" set-up illustrated in Figure 1 and described above, then the data link establishment can be the other way around from the subscriber's bridge component 14' to be received by the agent's terminal 100. In such alternate circumstances, the subscriber's bridge component 14' performs the functions described below for the agent's terminal 100, and the agent's terminal 100 performs the functions described below for the subscriber's terminal 14.

The physical layer 212 changes the agent's terminal 100 from voice mode to data mode at step 402 (Figure 19), sets up the modem IC 322 (Figure 13) to generate the 2312.5 Hz and 2912.5 Hz initiate tones at step 404 (Figure 19), and sets up the modem IC 322 (Figure 13) to generate the six flags at 300 pbs at step 406 (Figure 19).

In the next step 408, the data link layer 214 (Figure 11) selects the transmission speed to be used for sending the visual data to the subscriber's terminal 14. The criteria for transmission speed selection is basically that a short data stream with few characters can be sent more time efficiently by low transmission speeds that do not require as much time to prepare the link for transmission, such as echo canceler switching and the like, as to prepare for higher rate transmissions. For example, any data stream that is less than four characters is preferably transmitted at 300 bps. Any data stream that contains 4 or more characters is preferably transmitted at a transmission rate of 9,600 bps (or 4,800 bps if that is the current speed).

The implementation of the transmission speed selection according to this invention depends on the fact that the protocol used requires the application layer 216 to terminate each data transmission with one of the following control characters: EXT, ETB, or EOT. If the data link layer 214, specifically the microcontroller 330, received one of these control characters before receiving the predefined number of characters, i.e., 4, it sets up the transmission rate at 300 bps; otherwise, it sets up the transmission rate at 4,800 bps or 9,600 bps. Then, before initiating the data transmission, the microcontroller 330 sets up the modem IC 322 to generate the speed indicator tones at step 410, 412, or 414 for the subscriber's terminal 14, so it can set itself to receive data at the selected speed. Finally, the microcontroller 330 sets up the modem IC 322 at step 416; which ends the implicit link establishment procedure according to this invention. Transmission of the visual data at the selected speed then follows. The implicit link establishment functions of the data receiving terminal is shown in Figure 20. The visual data receiving terminal is considered to be the subscriber's terminal 14 for purposes of this description, but, as explained above, it could also be descriptive of the agent's termmal 100 under some circumstances. It starts at 470 with the assumption that the circuit of terminal 14 is in the voice mode and the modem IC 222 is set to detect the 2312.5 Hz and 2912.5 Hz initializing tones. The first step 472 is for the microcontroller 230 to determine whether both of the 2312.5 Hz and 2912.5 Hz tones were received by the modem IC 222. If not, the microcontroller 230 stays at idle. If so, the microcontroller 230 switches the terminal 14 from the voice mode to the data mode, as described above, at step 474. The microcontroller 230 proceeds to the next step, 478 to set up the modem IC 222 to receive the data at 300 bps and to start a timer. The time is set to provide an outside limit for the microcontroller 230 to see transmission of the flags before it returns the terminal to voice made. Otherwise, a false signal that sounds like the initiating tone could cause a switch to the data mode and leave it locked there waiting for the flags that never come. The microcontroller 230 then monitors receipt of the six data flags, and at step 480 it determines whether at least one of the flags have been received. If not, step 482 checks to see whether the time has run out. If not, it continues to wait. If so, it proceeds to step 404, where it changes the subscriber terminal 14 back to the voice mode.

On Jhe other hand, if at least two flags are detected at step 480, then the microcontroller 230 sets up the modem IC 222 at step 486 to detect 2312.5 Hz and/or 2912.5 Hz tones generated by agent's terminal 100 to inform the subscriber terminal 14 as to what baud rate the following data will be transmitted. It also resets the outside time limit for detecting those tones.

The step 488 is where the microcontroller 230 finds that either the speed setting tones are detected or the time runs out. If the time runs out at step 488 with no speed tones detected, then it proceeds to step 484 where it changes terminal 14 back to the voice mode. On the other hand, if the speed tones are detected at step 488 before the time runs out, then the microcontroller 230 proceeds to set up the modem IC 222 to receive at either 300 bps (step 490), 4,800 bps (step 492), or 9,600 bps (step 494). Specifically, receipt of a single 1412.5 Hz tone causes a 300 bps set-up; a single 2312.5 Hz tone causes a 4,800 bps set-up; and a 1412.5 Hz tone together with a 2312.5 Hz tone causes a 9,600 bps set-up. Once the modem IC 222 is set to receive the visual data at the selected speed, the link is established.

After receiving the visual data, the microcontroller 230 in the subscriber's terminal 14 turns the link around to transmit the acknowledgement data to the agent's terminal 100 according to the procedure in Figure 21. Of course, having just received the visual data, the subscriber's terminal 14 is already in the data mode at the start 496 of the link turn around procedure. It first determines at step 500 which speed it will use to transmit the acknowledgement data according to the criteria discussed above. For a simple acknowledgement data transmission, which is usually very short, the 300 bps rate will probably be selected, so the modem IC 222 is set up at step 502 to transmit the single 2312.5 Hz tone for 188 ms to tell the agent's terminal that 300 bps will be the transmission speed. However, since the turn around link procedure may also be used for other purposes, or for transmitting back other and longer data, the steps 504 and 506 for setting up the modem IC 222 to transmit tones for 4,800 bps or 9,600 bps are also shown. Finally, after the speed tones are generated and sent, the microcontroller 230 proceeds to the final link turn around step 508 where it sets up the modem IC 222 to send the acknowledgement data.

For the other terminal, i.e., the agent's terminal 100, the link turn around procedure is illustrated in Figure 22. Essentially, as described above, after having sent the visual data, the microcontroller 330 of agent's terminal 100 sets up the modem IC 322 at step 510 to detect incoming speed tones at the 1412.5 Hz and 2312.5 Hz frequencies. It also starts the timer to measure the time elapsed from the set-up of the modem IC 322 until the speed tones are received.

The microcontroller 330 at step 520 determines which tones were detected, thus the speed of the acknowledgement data transmission coming. If the time has run out before this time, a failure is reported at step 516, which may initiate a retry or a return to the voice mode. However, if a single 1412.5 Hz tone is detected, step 522 sets the modem IC 322 to receive data at 300 bps. If a single 2312.5 Hz tone is detected, step 524 sets the modem IC 322 to receive data at 4,800 bps. If both 1412.5 Hz and 2312.5 Hz tones are received, step 526 sets the modem IC 322 to receive data at 9,600 bps. The data link is thereby completely turned around, and the agent's terminal 100 is ready to receive the acknowledgement or other data from the subscriber's terminal 14.

The retry strategy, according to this invention, is illustrated in Figure 23. At step 528, the data link is established at maximum speed, according to the procedures illustrated in Figures 19 and 20, as described above. The maximum speed is 9,600 bps, which in this retry procedure is always the starting retry speed. However, it does not have to be set up this way, so that retries at initial lower speeds can also be used, for example, if the preceding transmissions had resulted in reduced speed retries. For example, once the speed has been reduced during a call, it is likely that the lower speed will have to be used in subsequent transmissions anyway, so it may be better to start with the lower speed.

In step 530, the block of data, such as the visual data, is sent by the agent's terminal 100, and the receiving terminal, such as the subscriber's terminal 14, after receiving the data turns the link around to send the acknowledgement data back to the agent's terminal 100, as shown in Figure 22 and described above. Also, as described above, the time is also set during the link turn around to indicate whether there is a failure.

If the transmit is a success at step 532, then the success is reported at 534, and the terminals 14 and 100 go back to voice mode. Success means that the link turn around procedure of Figure 22 ended without failure and the response received from the subscriber's terminal 14 indicates that all data was received correctly. On the other hand, if a successful transmission is not determined at step 532, the retry procedures go to the next step 536 to query whether the number of retries has already reached a preset maximum, because it would be futile to continue retrying indefinitely to establish the data link and make a successful data transmission where it is obviously not working. If the maximum total retries have been reached at step 536, then failure is reported at 538, so the terminal can return to voice mode. However, if the maximum number of retries have not been reached at step 536, the next step 540 queries whether the number of retries at this particular speed has reached a preset maximum for that speed. The purpose for this step is to allow a certain number of retries at the current transmission speed and then going to the next lower speed to retry a certain preset number of times at that speed, too. The idea is that a retry at lower speeds might work where higher speeds do not.

If the maximum number of retries at a certain speed has been reached, at step 540, then the next step 542 determines whether there are any lower speeds available. In other words, is the retry already operating at the lowest 300 bps rate, or is it still at one of the higher 4,800 bps or 9,600 bps speeds. If it is already down to 300 bps, so there is no lower speed available, then a failure is reported at 538 as before. However, if a lower speed is available, step 544 resets the modem IC transmission speed to the next lower speed, i.e., from 9,600 bps to 4,800 bps, or from 4,800 bps to 300 bps. Then the process continues to the next step 546 where a check is made to see whether the failure at step 532 was due to excessive time elapsed, again referring back to those time checks in the link turn around procedure in Figure 22. Of course, if the maximum retries at the particular speed in step 540 have not been reached, the process would go immediately to the time-induced failure check of step 546.

If the failure at step 532 is determined at step 546 not to have been due to excessive time, the next step 548 is to turn the link around again, and then resend the data at step 550. Also at step 550, after the data has been resent, the link is turned around again, the time is restarted, and the process is then returned at step 532 to see if the last retry at sending the data was a success. On the other hand, if the step 546 determines the failure was due to excessive time, step 552 skips the turn around step of 548 and goes through implicit link establishment and data send operations again. A failure which is not the result of time out occurs when the response received from the subscriber's terminal 14 indicates that not all the data was received correctly. A failure which is the result of time out occurs when the agent's terminal 100 receives no response at all from the subscriber's terminal 14. Eventually, of course, this retry procedure will cycle enough to either report a success at 534 or a failure at 538. In either instance, the ultimate result will be to return the systems to voice mode. The link tear down control utilized in this invention is shown in Figure 24, which is illustrated from the standpoint of the terminal that initiates the data transmission. Therefore, for the purposes of this description, Figure 24 is used to illustrate the link tear down control in the agent's terminal 100 (Figure 11). It may be noted that the tear down control functions from the standpoint of the subscriber's terminal 14 (Figure 11) are essentially the same as those illustrated in Figure 24, except that the word "send" would be replaced by the word —receive— and vice versa.

The start step 560 means essentially that the agent executes the keystroke or clicks on the Window display that sends the signal to the microcontroller 330 in the agent's terminal saying it wants to send down some data, such as the visual data to be transmitted to the subscriber's terminal 14. Upon receipt of this "send" signal, the microcontroller 330 proceeds to step 562 to establish the data link, which was described above and illustrated in Figure 19 and may include some or all of the retry procedure illustrated in Figure 23. With the data link established, the microcontroller 330 instructs the modem IC 322 at step 564 to send the data, such as the visual data, to the subscriber's terminal 14.

In the protocol used in this invention, the application layer 216 of the agent's terminal 100 must decide before the end of a data transmission whether no response, one response, or open-ended exchanges will be allowed. The term "response" as used for this purpose means a response from the peer application layer 206 of the subscriber's terminal 14, not the normal acknowledgement data that the data link layers 204 and 214 exchange to insure data integrity. For example, no response may be selected for the usual case in which the agent transfers a screen of data to be viewed by the subscriber, while one response might be appropriate for the agent who wishes to retrieve some information from the subscriber's terminal 14, such as the amount of memory space available. Open ended exchanges may be selected when the protocol is used between two agent-type terminals 14' and 100 which are being used in a back-and-forth transaction such as between two peers.

The protocol used in this invention, therefore, requires the agent's application layer 216 to inform the data link layer 214 of the responses expected from the subscriber's application layer 206 by, for example, terminating each data transmission with one of the following characters: ETX, ETB, or EOT. An ETX character is used to signal that an open-ended exchange is allowed. An ETB character indicates that one response is allowed. An EOT character indicates that no response is allowed. Therefore, the data link layer 214 of the agent's terminal 100 has to detect which response option, open ended (ETX), one response (ETB), or no response (EOT) has been selected and designated by the application layer 216 of the agent's station, such as where the data originates in computer 80 or other data source. This detection occurs in steps 566, 568, and 570 of the tear down control in Figure 24. In step 566, the microcontroller 330 checks the end of the data transmission that comes down from the application layer 216 to see if it has an ETX character at the terminal end of the data. If so, the microcontroller 330 at the agent's terminal cannot tell whether the current data transmission that just ended was the last one expected in an exchange or whether it should expect responding data to come back from the subscriber's terminal 14. Therefore, it does not start to tear down the data link. Instead, it leaves the agent's terminal 100 in the data mode and waits to receive data from the subscriber's terminal 14. On the other hand, if the current data transmission coming from the agent's application layer 216 is not terminated with an ETX character, the microcontroller 330 proceeds to the next step 568 to check for an ETB character, as will be described below.

If the ETX character was detected at step 566 and the data link is left intact, as described above, the next step 572 would be to receive the next data transmission from the subscriber's terminal 14. Since the subscriber's terminal 14 operates under the same protocol as the agent's terminal 100, any data transmission received from the subscriber's terminal 14 by the agent's terminal 100 at step 572 also has to end with one of the characters ETX, ETB, or EOT. Therefore, the agent's microcontroller 330 can also tell from the data transmission received from the subscriber's terminal 14 whether the data link is to be torn down.

Consequently, at step 574, the data received by agent's terminal 100 in step 572 from the subscriber's terminal 14 is checked by microcontroller 330 for the terminal character ETX. If ETX is present, then the microcontroller 330 still does not tear down the data link, and it leaves the agent's terminal 100 in the data mode ready to send more data, as determined by the application level 216. However, if the data received at step 572 does not terminate with an ETX, then the microcontroller 330 checks for an ETB in the next step 576. If an ETB is present, the indication is that the subscriber's terminal 14 expects to receive just one more response from the agent's terminal 100. Therefore, the microcontroller 330 keeps the agent's terminal 100 in the data mode for sending one more data transmission at step 580. However, if there is no ETB detected at step 576, the microcontroller 330 goes to the next step 578 and checks for the EOT character. If the EOT character is not present, the indicator is that the end of the data transmission did not arrive. Therefore, the microcontroller 330 tears down the data link at step 584 to return to voice mode and reports an error at step 588 to the agent's display interface 80. However, if the EOT is detected at step 578, then the microcontroller 330 knows that nothing else is expected either from or to the subscriber's terminal 14, so it tears down the data link at step 586 and reports a success to the agent's display interface 80. At the same time, the subscriber's terminal 14 would also have already torn down its data link and returned to the voice mode in response to that same EOT character. Returning now to step 568, where the original data transfer by the agent's terminal 100 to the subscriber's terminal 14 did not have an ETX, the microcontroller 330 checks for the ETB character at the end of the data transmission. If the ETB is present, then one more response is expected from the subscriber's terminal 14, so the data link is left intact to receive that response.

The expected one data response from the subscriber's terminal 14 is then received at step 582, and, upon receipt, the microcontroller 330 proceeds immediately to step 586 to tear down the link and return to voice mode. It also reports the successful data transfer at step 590 to the agent's display interface 80.

Finally, if there was no ETB at step 568, the microcontroller 330 checks for EOT in the data transmission at step 570. If EOT is not detected, it tears down the link to return to voice mode at step 584 and reports the error at step 588 to the agent's display interface 80. However, if the EOT is detected at step 570, the microcontroller 330 tears down the link at step 586 to return to voice mode and reports a successful data transfer to the agent's display interface 80.

As mentioned above, the subscriber's terminal 14 operates under the same protocol, so a separate description of the link tear down control for the subscriber's terminal 14 is not necessary. While the above description concentrates primarily on monodirection data transmission applications from an active agent to a passive subscriber, because that is its primary purpose, it works equally as well in data transmission from either terminal, such as in bidirectional peer-to-peer data and voice communications. Also, the above description is a high level description to show the inventive concepts of this telecommunications system in a concise and understandable manner, as well as to enable persons skilled in this art to practice the invention. There are, of course, many more details involved in implementing the invention that are common and known to persons skilled in this art, such as implementing the HDLC protocol, details of the modem IC's presenting a suitable interface to the subscriber, controlling the host computer to terminal link, data compression techniques, and the like. The actual visual data transferred from the agent's terminal 100 to the subscriber's terminal

14 for visual display on the subscriber's screen or LCD 20 can be whatever data is displayed on the agent's computer display screen 64 and in the same format. However, it is preferable in many applications to transfer to the subscriber's terminal 14 only selected portions of the data displayed on the agent's screen 64 or to display the data in a different format or configuration on the subscriber's screen 20 from the way it appears on the agent's screen 64.

For example, many computer applications or software programs are designed and written to create output information for certain classes of professionals. Such outputs or displays, while useful, are often complex and may contain mnemonics that are readily understood by trained professionals, but which are not recognizable to lay persons, or they may contain certain data that is irrelevant to the subscriber along with relevant data that could be useful to many subscribers. Such screen displays may be difficult for the lay person to interpret and use, or they might even contain some confidential data that the agent would not want to disseminate to subscribers.

One way to avoid these problems, of course, would be to create the applications in the first place to display data in formats that are more useable to ordinary people. However, that approach may be very limiting to the use of the telecommunications system of this invention, which is directed primarily to bring data from more sophisticated sources to lay persons in a simple visual format that can be read and understood readily. It would also not be economical, feasible, or perhaps even legal without obtaining appropriate permission, to modify existing application software used by the more sophisticated professionals to make it more suitable for display by lay persons. Therefore, this invention also includes a formatting feature in the application layer 216 of the agent's terminal 100 for capturing selected data from a screen display of another application data source and reformatting the captured data into another display format, preferably more appropriate and easier for the subscriber or receiver to read and understand, before transmitting it to the subscriber's terminal 14. For purposes of this description, the screen display of data on the agent's terminal display device 64 from the original or originating application software is called the "source display", and the new, reformatted display of selected information captured from the source display is called the "target display".

The reformatting application, according to this invention, is used as illustrated in Figure 25. It assumes the existence of some originating application that gathers and displays data for the agent on the agent's terminal display 64, such as information stored in a data base or available to a host computer 80, some of which the agent may wish to show to his or her customers or subscribers. Before displaying such information to the subscriber, however, the agent or the owner of the agent's station 60 (Figure 1), may want to reformat the display from the originating application and perhaps to eliminate some of the data from the display or add additional information, headings, addresses, dates, and the like. To do so, the agent or some administrator can call up the data onto his or her computer, which may be the agent's computer 64 or some other similar device, with the originating application in a normal manner. In this manner, the agent or administrator acquires a sample data display 610 from that existing application on his or her computer screen. The agent or administrator then uses the reformatting application 600 according to this invention to capture selected data from the sample display 610 and apply selected reformatting rules from a set of such reformatting rules 602 that are stored in a structured file to create specific reformatting rules 604 that are to be applied to data displays from the originating application whenever such data are to be sent to a subscriber.

The custom specific reformatting rules 604 that are created for data displays from that originating data application in the host computer 80 are then implemented in the agent's display computer 64. Therefore, when the agent is conversing with a customer or subscriber via their telephones 12 and 62 and decides to show the subscriber some data from a data base, such as data available through the host computer 80, the agent calls up the actual data with the originating application 606, which is displayed on the agent's computer display 64 in its original format. When the agent initiates the "send" signal to transmit the data, the data display is automatically reformatted according to the specific reformatting rules 604 created for that kind of data display, before it goes to the agent's terminal 100 for transmission to the subscriber's terminal 14 via the telephone network 50, as described above. The data is, therefore, displayed on the subscriber's LCD or display screen 20 in the reformatted display.

The reformatting function is application independent, as it uses the screen captured application's display to create the target display. Many computer applications have been designed and written to create output information for a certain class of professionals. The output formats are often complex, contain mnemonics, contain irrelevant data, and are difficult for a nonprofessional to interpret. Data transfer, according to this invention, provides for timely data transfer during normal telephone conversations, and the on-the-fly reformatting is a way of presenting quality information without the need to change the originating application.

The reformatting is done by the routine that is running in the sending computer 64. These routines are customized to the operating environment (PC-DOS, UNIX, PC-Windows, etc.) and run unobtrusively as background tasks. These routines use sets of structured rules 602 previously created.

The person assigned to create the specific reformatted output rule sets 604 uses a tool kit to create them. These are then copied to the agent's computers 64, 68 where the agent software is installed.

When an existing application's output 606 is presented on the computer's display, and the agent initiates a transfer of this information to a subscriber's terminal 14, this reformatting application identifies the data 606 displayed, locates the specific formatting rule set associated with displays from that originating application, reformats the data from the display data 606, and then transfers the reformatted information to the subscriber's terminal 14. At the same time, the reformatted target display replaces the source display on the agent's computer screen 64, so the agent is looking at the same display as the subscriber.

This reformatting application and tool kit 600 use the existing applications' source output formats and create a newly formatted target output for the targeted subscriber without requiring time- consuming and expensive reprogramming of the existing applications. Using the tool kit does not require computer programming skills. When creating the reformatting rules, the effects of these reformatting rules can be reviewed during their creation. When satisfied with the final presentation, as a result of applying the selected rule sets 602, the resulting specific reformatting rules 604 or structure information is available to transfer to the agent's computers 64, 68 that are designated for running the agent's software. This reformatting application 600 runs in a Window's environment, and it uses an actual, or a representative, source data display to create and review the specific reformatting rules 604.

The tool kit 600 produces sets of specific rules 604 that are structured for high performance reformatting during the data-sending operation. These specific rules 604 are ordered according to an efficient and correct sequence of operations automatically by the tool kit 600, and without requiring knowledge of the syntax of the structures. The target display is created from the representative source display 610 within a Windows environment, similar to using a word processor. The correct rules are created by the tool kit using a unique design and set of algorithms, eliminating the need for direct programming and other editing interactions. These specific rules 604 are used during the data formatting operation, and they are applied to the application-produced screen displays. These structures are stored in three files, and in such a way so that the formatting application can use them with little additional processing.

The set of commands used within the tool kit 600 to create the formatting rules is divided into two modes of use. One mode is to create a target display using copy operations for the text components within the source display. The other mode is to transfer the source display in its entirety to the target and then make modifications to it. The first method is used for report creations that involve many complex transformations. The second method is used when the source screen is very close to acceptable for the target display and only a few minor clean-up actions are required. The specific structured rule sets 604 are applied to conditionally transfer, filter, enter, replace, or select textual components from the source display 606 for inclusion into the target display and to remove, replace, and enter text.

Most of the commands are conditional. This means that if certain text (string of characters) appears within a pre-selected range (rows and columns of the source display are identified for these commands), then the requested action is taken. If the text is not found, then the associated action is not taken. An example of a command's action is to enter a character string into a (relative) location in the target display. Another example is: when a mnemonic is located within a block of text in the source display, then enter a descriptive text string into the target display.

The commands operate in a relative manner, based upon a starting location (the row and column of the source display is identified). Actions taken will be relative to the starting position (the selected row and column) for the target display. For example, if a mnemonic is located within a block of the source display, the replacement description will be entered into the target at a row location relative to its starting row and at the column specified for the target. This allows a single formatting rule to be applied over a range of the source display and to correctly position the related information into the target screen. The example in Figure 26 demonstrates the action of two rules. The first rule enters the text string "Start" into the target display 620 when the string "ABC" is found within the source display 622. The second rule enters the string "End" into the target display 620 when the string "EFG" is found within the source display 622. The location (row and column) for the source display 622 is different from the target display's 620 row and column. The relative location for the text "Start" is maintained according to the position of "ABC" in the source display 622.

Commands used in the reformatting application 600 locate the same text on a screen with a starting row and a column number along with the numbers of the rows and columns to use. This format defines a rectangular block on the screen display. The target screen display location is defined with a row and a column position for the starting location of the block. A number of formatting commands or rules are available in the formatting application of this invention, including "Copy Text", Conditional or Replacement Copies", "Enter Text", "Remove a Block of Text," "Copy Entire Text", and "Remove Blank Lines".

The "Copy Text" command will cause the reformatting application to copy a specified block 624 of the text from the source screen display 622 to the target screen display 620, as illustrated in Figure 27. The block 624 is defined on the source display screen 622 with a mouse (or by entering the numbers of the rows and columns from the keyboard). The desired location for the block 624 for target screen display 620 is entered from the keyboard by column and row designations.

The "Conditional or Replacement Copies" command causes a search for some specific text, mnemonic, or the like. If the search-for text is found within a specified block of the source display screen, then the reformatting application can do any of the following selected functions: (1) Copy the text to the target display; (2) Enter substitute text into the target, such as to replace a mnemonic with a more recognizable work; and (3) Enter an area of blanks on the display instead of the searched-for text, and the like.

The "Enter Text" command allows the agent or administrator to enter a new literal string or text, such as a heading, address, etc., into the target display that was not in the source display, as illustrated in Figure 28.

The "Remove a Block of Text" commaπ ς«uses the reformatting application to completely remove a selected block of text from the source display. This command is useful when the source display contains a block of irrelevant information or data that the agent does not want the subscriber to see, while it allows other more relevant data to go from the source display into the target display.

The "Copy Entire Text" command simply incorporates the entire source screen display into the target display (same row and column locations).

The "Remove Blank Lines" command will move up lines in the target display, packing them into blank lines. This command may be used, for example, to fill up blanks in the target display that were created by the "Remove Block of Text" command described above.

Of course, other commands can also be provided to help reformat source displays, once the principles of this invention are understood.

There are two autoanswer features useable with the telecommunication display system of this invention. The first of these autoanswer features utilizes the subscriber's terminal 14 in combination with a conventional telephone answering machine 112, as illustrated in Figure 9. The other is an automatic answering feature in the subscriber's terminal 14 itself. Of course, as discussed above, either one of these features is also useable with, or included in, the bridging component 14' and in the agent's terminal 100. Therefore, while the autoanswer features of this invention are discussed primarily in relation to the subscriber's terminal 14, they are equally applicable to the bridging component 14' and to the agent's terminal 100.

Through the use of the autoanswer feature of this invention as described above and shown in Figure 9, the subscriber's terminal 14 is capable of receiving and storing both voice and visual messages and other data when unattended. Essentially, the telephone answering machine 112 is set in a conventional manner to go off-hook and play back a pre-recorded message into telephone lines 22 and 52 when the subscriber's telephone 12 does not go off-hook within some preset time interval or number of unanswered rings. After the answering machine 112 plays its pre-recorded message, such as, "John and Susan are not available to answer the telephone, so please leave a message after the beep," the answering machine 112 turns on its tape recorder and remains off-hook to receive and record whatever voice message the caller wishes to leave. If the caller is an agent equipped with an agent's terminal 100, he or she can leave one or more voice messages interspersed with one or more visual messages or other data transmissions. For example, after the first pre-recorded message from the subscriber's answering machine 112 and the beep, as described above, the agent could say something like, "Hello Susan. This is your travel agent getting back to you with your travel itinerary. I will leave it on your display terminal." Whereupon, the agent initiates a data transfer of scheduled airplane flights assembled at the agent's personal computer 64 for transfer by the agent's terminal 100 in the manner described above. The subscriber's terminal 14 senses the initial signal or flag indicating data is coming, switches from voice mode to data mode, as described above, and, as the tone generator 36 (Figure 2) or 232 (Figure 12) generates a tone to keep the answering machine 112 (Figure 9) off-hook (most conventional answering machines will hang-up after some short period of time on a dead line or not receiving any signals), receives the visual data of the flight schedule into RAM 37 (Figure 2 or Figure 12), where it is stored for later recall and viewing by the subscriber. The visual flight schedule data can also be directed immediately to screen 20 for display. Upon completion of the flight schedule data transmission, the subscriber's terminal 14 switches back to voice mode, so the agent can leave another voice message, which gets recorded on the answering machine 112, such as, "I also have your hotel and car rental choices, which I will also leave for display on your terminal." Again, the agent initiates his second visual data transfer, which contains the hotel and rental car choices, with his personal computer 64 and agent's terminal 100, which causes the subscriber's terminal 14 to switch again to data mode, while it receives the visual data of the hotel and rental car choices in RAM 37. After completion of this second visual data transfer, the subscriber's terminal 14 switches back to voice mode, so the agent can leave another voice message on the answering machine 112, such as, "Sorry I missed you. Please review the flight schedule and the hotel and car rental choices and then call me to let me know if they are satisfactory. Thank you for allowing me to serve you. Good-bye." When the agent hang's up his or her telephone 62, the subscriber's answering machine will follow by going back on-hook, and the subscriber's terminal 14 will remain on idle waiting for another data transmission. The subscriber, upon his or her return, can listen to the recorded voice messages on the answering machine 112 and display the visual data provided by the agent on screen 20 at his or her leisure. The second autoanswer feature is self-contained in the subscriber's terminal 14, as best seen in Figure 12. While the subscriber's display terminal 14 is normally defaulted to voice mode, i.e. where all the relay switches 220, 223, and 234 are in the solid-line positions shown in Figure 12, it can be placed into an autoanswer mode such that the agent can dial up the subscriber's telephone number, have the subscriber's terminal 14 switch from voice mode to data mode, and download information or visual data to RAM 37 at an unattended subscriber's terminal 14. In this second autoanswer mode, the agent cannot leave voice messages, as he or she could with the answering machine 112 in the first autoanswer mode described above, because there is no voice recording feature provided in subscriber's terminal 14. However, the agent can leave visual data messages in RAM 37 for later recall and display by the subscriber. For example, when an agent calls a subscriber, and the subscriber does not answer his or her telephone 12, the ring detector 236 in the subscriber's terminal 14 detects the ring voltages on thr telephone line 52 and sends ring signals via line 257 to the microcontroller 230, as shown in Figure 12. After the microcontroller 230 receives a pre-set minimum number of ring signals from ring detector 236, it sends a signal to switch 223 via line 253 to switch from the solid to the broken line position, thereby effectively causing the subscriber's terminal 14 to go "off-hook" in place of the subscriber's telephone 12 going "off-hook". A voice synthesizer 263 can also be provided, actuateable by a signal from microcontroller 230 via line 265 after switching the relay switch 223, to provide a synthesized voice message to the agent, such as "Susan is not available to answer the telephone. If you wish to leave a visual data message, please begin data transfer now." The subscriber's terminal 14 then awaits receipt of the tone or flag that indicates data is coming, as described above. The agent can then initiate transfer of the visual data, and, when the subscriber's terminal 14 detects the tone from the agent's terminal 100, it sets up the data transfer link, as described above to receive visual data. The visual data, when received, is directed to RAM 37 for subsequent recall and display by the subscriber, as described above. However, if no data transfer tone is received within some pre-set time period, the microcontroller 230 signals switch 223 to go back "on-hook" by switching from the broken line position to the solid line position. On the other hand, if visual data is received from the agent, the terminal 14 waits for completion of the data transfer before tearing down the data transfer link and going back to the voice mode. The autoanswer mode feature and ring count necessary to activate subscribers terminal 14 are activated and set from the menu display. In step 700 of Figure 29, the agent's terminal 100 of Figure 13 is initiating a call to the subscriber's terminal 14. The directional coupler 226 in the subscriber's terminal 14 in Figure 12 allows incoming signals on contact A to be transmitted through contact C to the ring detector 236. At steps 704, 706, and 708 of Figure 29, the ring detector 236 in Figure 12 senses the incoming ring signals or voltages and generates signals to microcontroller 230 that are indicative of the presence of ring signals at the ring detector 236. The microcontroller 230 is programmed to count the ring presence signals from ring detector 236 and, after a predetermined ring count programmed into the RAM 37 or PROM 39, to answer the call in step 710 by actuating switch 223 to the broken line position, as described above. In step 712, after transmitting the synthesized voice message and then detecting the data tones from the agent's terminal 100, microcontroller 230 activates modem controller 246 in modem IC 222 and causes one of the tone generators 250, 252 to generate the modem answer tone signal required by the FCC (steps 714 and 716) on the TXOUT terminal and send it via the telephone network 50 back to the agent's terminal 100. Simultaneously with the transmission of the modem answer tone signal in step 714 back to the agent's terminal 100, microcontroller 230 outputs a signal via connection 251 to the relay switches 220, 234 to change from voice mode to data mode, i.e., to switch to the alternate, broken-line switch positions. In addition, microcontroller 230 outputs a signal via connection 255 to actuate the local power supply /tone generator 232 to provide an alternate local power supply to the subscriber's telephone 12 and to provide a pleasing tone or simulated voice message to alert the subscriber if the phone 12 goes off-hook that the phone 12 has not gone dead and that subscriber's terminal 14 is in data mode.

After the transmission of the modem answer tone signal by subscriber's terminal 14 and reception by the agent's terminal 100, a data link is established between the agent's terminal 100 and the subscriber's terminal 14 according to the procedures previously described and also illustrated in steps 718, 720, 722, and 730. After the agent's terminal 100 initiates the call, a hang-up time is set at step 718 by microcontroller 230 at the subscriber's terminal 14 and the microcontroller 230 at the subscriber's terminal 14 begins to monitor the hang-up timer as illustrated in steps 720 and 724. The microcontroller 230 in subscriber's terminal 14 turns off the modem 222 at step 726 and disconnects the call at step 728 if a start tone from the agent's terminal 100 is not detected by the subscriber's terminal 14 within the allotted hang-up time. After the call is disconnected in step 728, the subscriber's terminal 14 is returned to voice mode. If a start tone is detected in step 720, the data is transmitted and received at step 722, and the hang-up time is reset at step 718.

If the subscriber's phone 12 goes off-hook anytime after the subscriber's terminal 14 goes off- hook, but before visual data is received, an "off-hook" detector 259 connected to the subscriber's telephone line 22 detects the off-hook condition of the subscriber's telephone 12 and sends a signal via line 261, to the microcontroller 230, which in turn sends signals via connection 253 to return subscriber terminal 14 immediately to voice mode at step 734, i.e., the relay switch 223 returns to the solid-line position shown in Figure 12. In voice mode, the agent and subscriber can have a voice conversation, and the agent can then establish the data mode and initiate the send signal as previously discussed at step 732. However, if a data stream is already being transmitted from the agent's terminal 100 to the subscriber's display terminal 14 when subscriber's phone 12 goes off-hook, the microcontroller 230 holds the subscriber's display terminal 14 in the data mode, and the voice mode is delayed until the data stream is completely transferred and the data mode is completed. At that point, the data link is torn down as described above to re-establish the voice mode.

When the subscriber wants to receive his or her messages, he or she can turn on either the voice answering machine 112, to hear verbal messages left by the agent or by anyone else, and he or she can turn on the subscriber's terminal 14 to receive any visual messages left in RAM 37 by the agent's terminal 100 in the subscriber's absence. In the alternate case, the subscriber's computer 14" queues the microcontroller 230 in the subscriber's bridge component 14' to access any visual data that was left in RAM 37. The subscriber's computer 14" then displays such visual data on its screen 20' for viewing by the subscriber.

As mentioned above, the subscriber's terminal 14 or bridge component 14' can receive and handle four different levels of data transmissions from the agent's terminal 100. The first level, a temporary visual message, features information that is for ephemeral display once on the screen 20 and, once displayed, it is erased from memory and cannot be displayed again. The second level, a normal visual message, can be recalled and displayed on screen 20 any number of times, as long as it is in the RAM 37, or it can be erased from memory by the subscriber as desired. The third level, a billboard visual message, comprises a screen display that cannot be erased by the subscriber. Instead, it is called from RAM 37 for display on screen 20 whenever the subscriber's terminal 14 is first turned on or after the subscriber's terminal 14 sets turned on, but inactive for a predetermined period of time. The fourth level is a new or updated operating system to replace the original operating system for the microcontroller 230 in the subscriber's terminal 14. Such new operating system is transmitted by an agent's terminal 100, but it is preferred to require some active authorization or participation by the subscriber as a security measure to ensure that a competitor or saboteur cannot call up the subscriber's terminal 14 and download a new operating system to replace the original operating system, thereby possibly cutting off or limiting the original agent's access to, or control over, the subscriber's terminal 14 without the approval of the subscriber. Any of these first, second, third, or fourth level data transmissions can be made by an agent's position 60 that has active human agent participation or by an automated agent's position.

The temporary screen feature of this invention allows the agent to transmit visual information to the subscriber's terminal 14 that will be erased from the RAM 37 of the subscriber's terminal 14 after the subscriber has viewed it once. It is erased from memory after it is scrolled over or if new information is received. In most respects the temporary screen information is transferred in the data transmit mode by the agent's terminal 100 and received by the subscriber's terminal 14 in the same procedure as other data transfers previously discussed. However, the data transmission of a temporary screen file can include a special flag in the data transfer, which indicates to the microcontroller 230 at the subscriber's terminal 14 that the data being transmitted is a temporary screen file and is to be erased after one display. The microcontroller 230 puts the data in RAM 37. After one queue to call up the data from RAM 37 for display, microcontroller 230 erases it from RAM 37. In the alternative, the microcontroller 230 can just operate on the assumption that any visual data file which does not have any special marker is to be erased from memory after one queue or access and display, and that only data files with special markers will be saved. Likewise, if the temporary message is queued by the subscriber's computer 14" from the bridge component 14', it will not only be erased from RAM 37, but also from memory in the subscriber's computer 14" after one display on computer monitor 20'.

The normal visual data message can either carry a flag or code to microcontroller 230 to set the microcontroller 230 to allow unlimited access to, and display of, the message, or it can carry no such flag or code if the microcontroller 230 is set to assume any visual data is to be treated as normal visual data unless instructed or signaled otherwise. If it is the former, the agent's terminal 100 must transmit a flag with the visual data to set the microcontroller 230 at the subscriber's terminal to store and treat the visual data as normal information, as described above. Through the use of the passworded billboard feature of this invention, the agent can download or transfer visual data of a new or updated billboard type information, i.e. advertisements or bulletins, to either an attended or an unattended subscriber terminal 14. The billboard is displayed whenever the subscriber terminal 14 is powered on by the subscriber or whenever the subscriber terminal 14 has been left powered on and is left idle for a predetermined period of time. Upon powering up, or after nothing is used for a predetermined time, a program in the PROM 39 is activated, which queues the RAM for a special marked billboard file and sends it to display on screen 20. As shown in step 740 of Figure 30, when using the passworded billboard feature, the agent first initiates a call to the subscriber terminal in the manner described above. The agent then initiates the billboard transfer step 742 in the same manner that the agent would when transferring any other visual data file or message but with a special flag and password as described below. The visual data transmission of a billboard file includes a password and a special flag to indicate that the file being transmitted is a billboard file. The microcontroller 230 is programmed to recognize the password by comparing it to a password that has been stored previously in the RAM 37 connected to microprocessor 230. A second special flag can be included in the billboard file if the password stored in the RAM 37 at the subscriber's terminal 14 is to be changed to another password accompanying the billboard file. The visual data comprising the billboard file is received by the subscriber's terminal 14 at step 744, and the message header of the file is examined by the microcontroller 230 at step 746. This operation is similar to the treatment of all files previously discussed where the message header indicates the type of file. The type of file received is determined by the microcontroller 230 at subscriber terminal 14, as shown at step 748, and, if the file received is recognized as a billboard file, the microcontroller 230 at subscriber terminal 14 checks at step 752 to determine if a password has been previously assigned and stored in RAM for billboard changes.

If the subscriber terminal 14 has not been previously assigned a password the password sent along with the billboard is stored at step 760 in RAM 37 at step 754, and that newly stored billboard visual data file becomes the new billboard for the subscriber's terminal 14. If the subscriber's terminal 14 already has a password assigned to it, the old billboard cannot be changed to the new billboard, unless the new billboard data is accompanied by a password that matches the password in the RAM 37. Therefore, the subscriber's terminal 14 password is matched against the password accompanying the billboard file (step 758). If the two passwords match, the billboard visual data file becomes the new billboard for the subscriber's terminal 14 at step 760. If the two passwords do not match, the old billboard is retained and the new billboard does not replace it. Instead, the new billboard is treated by the microcontroller 230 as a temporary file in step 756 and is displayed as any other temporary file upon queuing by the subscriber. Meanwhile, the original billboard file is still the one that gets displayed automatically upon power up or after the predetermined time period. This password feature allows only the agent with the correct password to change the billboard display and prevents other unauthorized advertisers or agents from calling up the subscriber's terminal 14 and putting an unauthorized billboard in RAM 37.

If the agent also desires to change the existing password in RAM 37 to a new password, the billboard file being transferred from the agent's terminal 100 is accompanied by the existing password as well as a new password. The microcontroller 230 at the subscriber's terminal 14 compares the existing password in the data transfer with the existing password in the RAM 37. If there is a match, not only does the new billboard file become the new operative billboard file in RAM 37, as described above, but the new password in the data transfer replaces the existing password in RAM 37 to become the operative password for subsequent billboard file transfers.

A broadcast feature allows an agent to select a broadcast mode in which the same file temporary, normal, or billboard information, can be sent sequentially or simultaneously to more than one subscriber at a time. For example, the agent's telephone PBX type switching system 70 which can be a stand-alone component, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5, or a multiple line dialing and hold open feature built into the agents station 100 (not shown), can initiate simultaneous conference call- type connections to multiple subscriber terminals 14 on different telephone lines or an automatic dialer (not shown) can dial different subscribers sequentially after each file transfer. This broadcast feature can be used to transmit the same agent visual data or billboard data files to multiple subscriber's following voice connections as described above. Again, the agent's terminal 100 for purposes of this feature can be part of a human-operated agent position 60, or it can be part of an automated agent system that is programmed to transmit data automatically to subscribers in the absence of a human agent.

Another feature of this invention that is accessible and can be selected through the menu display is a program download feature by which the agent's terminal 100 can replace the firmware resident in subscriber's terminal 14, thus updating the resident firmware in the subscriber's terminal 14, as shown in Figure 31. The firmware in the subscriber's terminal 14 is not stored in the RAM 37, rather it is part of the permanent ROM 39 shown in Figure 12. Therefore, for security purposes, it is preferred, but not necessary, for the program download feature to require that the subscriber participate in authorizing the program change. Therefore, the subscriber can be the one who selects the program download feature from the menu display stored in the PROM 39 of the microcontroller 230 of subscriber's terminal 14, as shown in step 772, after a connection is first established between the subscriber's terminal 14 and the agent's terminal, 100 as seen at step 770. The agent can assist the subscriber in this process by either verbal communication in the voice mode or by transmitting written instructions for display on the subscriber's screen 20 or on the subscriber's computer 14", as described above. Selection by the subscriber or user of the "Download Program" routine at step 772 can be done with one of the control buttons on the subscriber's terminal 14, such as the menu button 18 shown in Figure 1, or by pressing a designated key on the keyboard 19' of the alternate subscriber's computer 14", or by clicking on a menu choice on the screen 20' of the subscriber's computer that is set up for that purpose, as is within the capabilities of persons skilled in this art once this purpose and function of this invention is understood as described herein. This selection of the "Download Program" routine causes the microprocessor 230 to begin operating from the download program portion of the firmware that is stored in PROM 39, which first presents a warning display at step 774 in Figure 31 on the subscriber's screen 19 or on alternate computer 14". The warning display is intended to alert the subscriber that following this routine is something not encountered in normal operation of the system and could result in loss of messages in RAM 37 or otherwise disrupt the operation of the subscriber's terminal 14 or bridge component 14'. Step 776 of this routine provides the subscriber the option of discontinuing with the program download should the subscriber so desire. A second opportunity for the subscriber to discontinue with the program download is provided in step 780 before the subscriber's terminal 14 is placed in the receive new firmware program mode.

Once authorized by the subscriber's menu selection, as described above, the agent can transfer a new the program file from agent's terminal 100 using the visual data transfer procedures previously described and as shown generally in steps 784, 786, and 802. The header for the program file contains a special flag that indicates to the microcontroller 230 that the file being received at the subscriber's terminal 14 is a program file, which calls up a special program file changing routine from PROM 39 to handle the new program. This procedure includes displaying a periodic update at step 786 of the percentage of the total program file received by the subscriber's terminal 14, and the microcontroller 230 initially directs the new program file to RAM 37 for temporary storage. Once the full new program file is received by the subscriber's terminal 14, the data and the program version are verified at step 788. If the accuracy of the downloaded program file is not confirmed by the subscriber's terminal 14, perhaps due to an error during transmission, the program download is cancelled at step 790 and the procedure must be restarted from step 772. If the downloaded program file passes verification at step 788, it is stored temporarily in

RAM 37. The subscriber is then queried at step 792 to determine if the subscriber wishes to continue the program changing routine, so that the current program file in the firmware resident in the subscriber's terminal will be replaced. A negative response from the subscriber at step 794 cancels the new program download procedure. A positive response from the subscriber causes the PROM 39 containing the old firmware program version to be erased at step 796. The new version of the firmware program is then called up from RAM 37 and loaded and programmed into the PROM 39 at step 79. During this change-over routine, the microcontroller 230 is still controlled by the special program download routine in the PROM 39. The menu display is then updated to reflect the new version number of the downloaded firmware program, and the last function of the program download routine causes the subscriber terminal microcontroller 230 to reset itself at step 800 and becomes operative under the control of the new program firmware in PROM 39.

The subscriber's terminal 14 and the agent's terminal 100 also include a battery backup capability (see Figures 12 and 13). The battery backup circuit can include a rechargeable NICAD battery 501. The terminals 14 and 100 do not operate from the battery 501. Instead, the backup battery 501 only supplies power to the RAM 37, so that the stored messages and the option settings are retained if power to the terminal is discontinued. A battery recharger (not shown) can be included to recharge the battery 501, as is well-known to persons skilled in battery recharging art.

Accordingly, a product and process are provided by this invention in which existing voice telephone communications are augmented in a manner that allows visual data reception and display by a passive subscriber or subscriber concurrent with, and almost simultaneous with, voice communication over a telephone line. The data transmission, as described above, is not technically simultaneous with voice communications, since there is a short voice disconnect and delay during data transmission, but the disconnect and automatic reconnect are so easily activated and used by the agent and almost completely passive to the subscriber or receiver, that it can almost be considered for practical purposes to be concurrent and simultaneous.

The foregoing is considered to be illustrative only of the principles and of an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

Claims

ClaimsThe embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A telecommunications system for transmitting data via a public telephone system, comprising: transmission means connectable to said public telephone system for transmitting data; receiving means at a remote location from said transmission means and also connectable to said public telephone system for receiving data from said transmission means via the public telephone system; said receiving means including access means coupled to the public telephone system for facilitating access of the receiving means by the transmission means, controller means responsive to signals in data transmitted from said transmission means for controlling said receiving means, memory means for storing data transmitted from said transmission means and received by said receiving means, and display means for displaying data that is stored in said memory means; said transmission means including dialing and modem means for accessing said access means and transmitting the data to said receiving means via the public telephone system; and said data including operating system instructions for controlling said receiving means.

2. A telecommunications system for transmitting data via a public telephone system, comprising: transmission means connectable to said public telephone system for transmitting data; receiving means at a remote location from said transmission means and also connectable to said public telephone system for receiving data from said transmission means via the public telephone system; said receiving means including: access means coupled to the public telephone system for facilitating access of the receiving means by the transmission means; controller means responsive to signals in data transmitted from said transmission means for controlling said receiving means to handle said data either as a temporary message, as a normal message, or as a billboard message; memory means for storing data transmitted from said transmission means and received by said receiving means, and display means for displaying data that is stored in said memory means; said transmission means including dialing and modem means for accessing said access means and transmitting the data to said receiving means via the public telephone system; and said data including signals for controlling said receiving means to handle said data either as a temporary message, as a normal message, or as a billboard message.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said controller means is responsive to a temporary message signal in said data to allow display of said data by said display means only once.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said controller means is responsive to the temporary message signal to erase said data from said memory means after a single display of said data by said display means.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 4, wherein said controller means is responsive to the temporary message signal to prevent electronic copying of said data to a different memory.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said controller means is responsive to a normal message signal in said data to allow repeated displays of said data by said display means.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said controller means is responsive to a billboard message signal in said data to store said data in said memory means as a billboard message, and to cause said display means to repeatedly display said billboard message upon the occurrence of a set condition.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7 , wherein said set condition includes turning on electric power to said display means.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said set condition includes passage of a period of time during which data displayed by the display means is not the billboard message, and is not changed to display different data.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein a password is stored in said memory means, said data also includes a password, and said controller means is programmed to compare the password in the data to the password in the memory means, and to handle the data as a billboard message only if the password in the data matches the password in the memory means.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said controller means is programmed to handle said data as a temporary message when the password in said data does not match said password in said memory means such that said controller means erases said data from said memory means after a single display of said data by said display means.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said data also includes a new password and, when the password in the data matches said password in said memory means, said microcontroller means is programmed to replace said password in said memory means with said new password.

13. A telecommunications system for transmitting data via a public telephone system, comprising: transmission means connectable to said public telephone system for transmitting data; receiving means at a remote location from said transmission means and also connectable to said public telephone system for receiving data from said transmission means via the public telephone system; said receiving means including: access means coupled to the public telephone system for facilitating access of the receiving means by the transmission means; controller means responsive to signals for controlling said receiving means to receive, store, use, display, or erase data transmitted from said transmission means; memory means for storing data transmitted from said transmission means and received by said receiving means, display means for displaying data that is stored in said memory means; and operating system code stored in said memory means for operating said controller means according to predetermined instructions, in said transmission means including dialing and modem means for accessing said access means and transmitting the data to said receiving means via the public telephone system; and said data including new operating system code for operating said controller means according to some new instructions that are different from, or in addition to, some of the predetermined instructions of said operating system code in said memory means, and said data also including an operating system change signal that triggers said controller means to replace said operating system code in said memory means with said new operating system code.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 13, wherein said memory means includes RAM means and PROM means, said operating system code being stored in said PROM means.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 14, including change-out code in said PROM means for instructing said controller means in a sequence of operations to change said operating system code, said controller means being responsive to said operating system change signal to initially direct said data including said new operating system code in said RAM means for temporary storage and then to access said change-out code and operate according to instructions in said change-out code to replace the operating system code in said RAM means and then to begin operating according to instructions in said new operating system code.

16. A telecommunications system for sequentially transmitting voice and data communications via a plain old telephone system (POTS) connection, comprising: an agent station having agent telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; agent data generating means for generating agent data; agent transmitting means connected to said agent data generating means for producing a subscriber mode switch signal and for transmitting said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data on said POTS; agent switch means for alternately switching between an agent voice mode, in which said agent telephone means is connected to said POTS for voice communications and said agent transmitting means is disconnected from said POTS, and an agent data mode, in which said agent telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said agent transmitting means is connected to said POTS for transmitting said agent data; agent microcontroller means connected to said agent transmitting means for actuating said agent transmitting means and to said agent switch means for actuating said agent switch means to switch between said agent voice mode and said agent data mode in response to an agent mode switch signal; and agent local mode switch means for producing an agent mode switch signal; and a subscriber station remote from said agent station and having subscriber telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; and subscriber data handling means for receiving and displaying agent data, said subscriber data handling means including: subscriber receiving means for receiving said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data from said agent station on said POTS; subscriber memory means connected to said subscriber receiving means for retaining agent data received by said subscriber receiving means; subscriber display means connectable to said subscriber memory means for accessing and displaying said agent data; subscriber switch means for alternately switching between a subscriber voice mode for voice communications, in which said subscriber telephone means is connected to said POTS, and said subscriber receiving means is disconnected from said POTS, and a subscriber data mode in which said subscriber telephone means is disconnected from said POTS, and said subscriber receiving means is connected to said POTS; subscriber microcontroller means connected to said subscriber receiving means and to said subscriber switch means for actuating said subscriber switch means to switch between said subscriber voice mode and said subscriber data mode in response to a subscriber mode switch signal; and subscriber ring detector means connected to said POTS and to said subscriber microcontroller means for detecting ring signals on said

POTS and causing said subscriber microcontroller means to actuate said subscriber switch means to said subscriber data mode and to actuate said subscriber receiving means to receive agent data.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein said subscriber microcontroller means is programmed to actuate said subscriber switch means to said subscriber data mode and to actuate said subscriber receiving means to go into an off-hook condition and to receive agent data after said subscriber ring detector means detects a preset minimum number of ring signals on the POTS.

18. The telecommunications system of claim 17, wherein said subscriber ring detector means generates said subscriber mode switch signal to said subscriber microcontroller means after detecting said present minimum number of ring signals on the POTS.

19. The telecommunications system of claim 17, wherein said subscriber ring detector means outputs a count signal to said subscriber microcontroller means upon detecting each ring signal on sa 1 POTS and said microcontroller means generates said subscriber mode switch signal after receivmg a number of said count signals that matches said preset number of said ring signals on said POTS.

20. The telecommunications system of claim 17, including a preset hang-up time in said subscriber memory means and wherein the subscriber microcontroller means is programmed to monitor time elapsed from actuation of said subscriber switch means to said subscriber data mode and, if no agent data is received within the preset hang-up time, to actuate said subscriber switch means back to said subscriber voice mode.

21. The telecommunications system of claim 18, including subscriber telephone off-hook detecting means for detecting when said subscriber telephone means goes off-hook and for outputting a signal to said subscriber microcontroller means indicative of the off-hook condition of the subscriber telephone means.

22. The telecommunications system of claim 21, including firmware connected to said microcontroller means that causes said subscriber microcontroller means to actuate said subscriber switch means back to said subscriber voice mode in response to an off-hook condition signal from said subscriber telephone off-hook detecting means prior to receipt of agent data by said subscriber receiving means.

23. The telecommunications system of claim 21, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to delay actuation of said subscriber switch means back to the subscriber voice mode until after all of the agent data is received by the subscriber receiving means when said subscriber telephone off-hook means outputs a signal indicative of off-hook condition of the subscriber's telephone means after reception of agent data by the subscriber receiving means has already begun.

24. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein said microcontroller means is programmed and connected to direct said agent data received by said subscriber receiving means to said subscriber memory means.

25. The telecommunications system of claim 24, wherein said subscriber display means includes a light-producing screen with screen driver means interfaced with said microcontroller means for accessing the agent data in said subscriber memory means for displaying said agent data on said screen.

26. The telecommunications system of claim 24, wherein said subscriber display means includes a subscriber personal computer.

27. A telecommunications system for sequentially transmitting voice and data communications via a plain old telephone system (POTS) connection, comprising: an agent station having agent telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; agent data generating means for generating agent data; agent transmitting means connected to said agent data generating means for producing a subscriber mode switch signal and for transmitting said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data on said POTS; agent switch means for alternately switching between an agent voice mode, in which said agent telephone means is connected to said POTS for voice communications and said agent transmitting means is disconnected from said POTS, and an agent data mode, in which said agent telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said agent transmitting means is connected to said POTS; agent microcontroller means connected to said agent transmitting means for actuating said agent transmitting means and to said agent switch means for actuating said agent switch means to switch between said agent voice mode and said agent data mode in response to an agent mode switch signal; and agent local mode switch means for producing an agent mode switch signal; and a subscriber station remote from said agent station and having subscriber telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; and subscriber data handling means for receiving and displaying agent data, said subscriber data handling means including: subscriber receiving means for receiving said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data from said agent station on said POTS; subscriber memory means connected to said subscriber receiving means for retaining agent data received by said subscriber receiving means; subscriber display means connectable to said subscriber memory means for accessing and displaying said agent data; subscriber switch means for alternately switching between a subscriber voice mode, in which said subscriber telephone means is connected to said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is disconnected from said POTS, and a subscriber data mode in which said subscriber telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is connected to said POTS said subscriber switch means including a subscriber telephone disconnect switch that disconnects said subscriber telephone means from said POTS and from said subscriber data handling means and that causes a simulated off-hook condition on the POTS by the subscriber data handling means; subscriber microcontroller means connected to said subscriber receiving means and to said subscriber switch means for actuating said subscriber switch means to switch between said subscriber voice mode and said subscriber data mode in response to a subscriber mode switch signal; subscriber voice synthesizer means for generating a synthesized voice message on said POTS; and subscriber ring detector means connected to said POTS and to said subscriber microcontroller means for detecting ring signals on said POTS and causing said subscriber microcontroller means to actuate said subscriber telephone disconnect switch to disconnect said subscriber telephone means from said POTS and from said subscriber data handling means and to simulate an off-hook condition on said POTS, and causing said subscriber microcontroller means to actuate said subscriber voice synthesizer means to generate a synthesized voice on said POTS.

28. The telecommunications system of claim 27, whereinsaid subscriber voice synthesizer means includes a synthesized voice message comprising instructions to actuate said agent transmitting means.

29. A telecommunications system for sequentially transmitting voice and data communications via a plain old telephone system (POTS) connection, comprising: an agent station having agent telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; agent data generating means for generating agent data; agent transmitting means connected to said agent data generating means for producing a subscriber mode switch signal and for transmitting said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data on said POTS; agent switch means for alternately switching between an agent voice mode, in which said agent telephone means is connected to said POTS for voice communications and said agent transmitting means is disconnected from said POTS, and an agent data mode, in which said agent telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said agent transmitting means is connected to said POTS for transmitting said agent data; agent microcontroller means connected to said agent transmitting means for actuating said agent transmitting means and to said agent switch means for actuating said agent switch means to switch between said agent voice mode and said agent data mode in response to an agent mode switch signal; and agent local mode switch means for producing an agent mode switch signal; and a subscriber station remote from said agent station and having subscriber telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; and subscriber data handling means for receiving and displaying agent data, said subscriber data handling means including: subscriber receiving means for receiving said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data from said agent station on said POTS; subscriber memory means connected to said subscriber receiving means for retaining agent data received by said subscriber receiving means; subscriber display means connectable to said subscriber memory means for accessing and displaying said agent data; subscriber switch means for alternately switching between a subscriber voice mode, in which said subscriber telephone means is connected to said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is disconnected from said POTS, and a subscriber data mode in which said subscriber telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is connected to said POTS; subscriber microcontroller means connected to said subscriber receiving means and to said subscriber switch means for actuating said subscriber switch means to switch between said subscriber voice mode and said subscriber data mode in response to a subscriber mode switch signal; and subscriber audio answering means connected to said subscriber switch means in parallel relation to said subscriber telephone means for detecting ring signals on said POTS and going off-hook and receiving and storing voice communications when said subscriber telephone means does not go off-hook after a predetermined number of rings.

30. The telecommunications system of claim 29, wherein said subscriber audio answering means includes a pre-recorded voice message comprising instructions to actuate said agent transmitting means and voice recording means for receiving and recording for storage voice communications on said POTS.

31. The telecommunications system of claim 30, wherein said subscriber data handling means includes tone generator means connected between said subscriber switch means and said subscriber audio answering means for generating telephone line voltage and sound signals to said subscriber switch means is actuated to said subscriber data mode.

32. A telecommunications system for sequentially transmitting voice and data communications via a plain old telephone system (POTS) connection, comprising: an agent station having agent telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; agent data generating means for generating agent data of a nature desired for unique level of protection and handling and including a marker that designates the unique level of protection and handling; agent transmitting means connected to said agent data generating means for producing a subscriber mode switch signal and for transmitting said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data on said POTS; agent switch means for alternately switching between an agent voice mode, in which said agent telephone means is connected to said POTS and said agent transmitting means is disconnected from said POTS, and an agent data mode in which said agent telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said agent transmitting means is connected to said POTS; agent microcontroller means connected to said agent transmitting means for actuating said agent transmitting means and to said agent switch means for actuating said agent switch means to switch between said agent voice mode and said agent data mode in response to an agent mode switch signal; and agent local mode switch means for producing an agent mode switch signal; and a subscriber station remote from said agent station and having subscriber telephone means for transmitting and receiving voice communications on said POTS; and subscriber data handling means for receiving and displaying agent data, said subscriber data handling means including: subscriber receiving means for receiving said subscriber mode switch signal and said agent data from said agent station on said POTS; subscriber memory means connected to said subscriber receiving means for retaining agent data received by said subscriber receiving means; subscriber display means connectable to said subscriber memory means for accessing and displaying said agent data; subscriber switch means for alternately switching between a subscriber voice mode, in which said subscriber telephone means is connected to said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is disconnected from said POTS, and a subscriber data mode in which said subscriber telephone means is disconnected from said POTS and said subscriber receiving means is connected to said POTS; subscriber microcontroller means connected to said subscriber receiving means to said subscriber memory means, to said subscriber display means, and to said subscriber switch means for actuating said subscriber switch means to switch between said subscriber voice mode and said subscriber data mode in response to a subscriber mode switch signal and for controlling storage of agent data in said subscriber memory means and displaying of said agent data by said subscriber display means, said subscriber microcontroller means being responsive to said marker in said agent data to protect and handle said agent data at the level designated by said marker.

33. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said level of protection and handling is a temporary message and said marker designates temporary message level, and wherein said subscriber microcontroller means is responsive to said marker to erase said agent data from said subscriber memory means after a single queue of the agent data for display by said subscriber display means.

34. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said level of protection and handling is a normal message and said marker designates normal message level, and wherein said subscriber microcontroller means is responsive to said marker to facilitate multiple repetitive queues of said agent data in said subscriber memory means for display by said subscriber display means.

35. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said level of protection and handling is a billboard message and said marker designates billboard message level, and wherein said subscriber microcontroller means is responsive to said marker to queue said agent data in said subscriber memory means for display by said subscriber display means upon the occurrence of a predesignated condition.

36. The telecommunications system of claim 35, wherein said condition is initial power-up of said subscriber data handling means.

37. The telecommunications system of claim 35, wherein said condition is passage of period of time with no other change of agent data displayed by said subscriber display means.

38. The telecommunications system of claim 35, wherein the marker identifies said agent data as a billboard data file and wherein said subscriber microcontroller means has firmware that causes said subscriber microcontroller means to access said agent data in said subscriber memory means that includes said marker for display by said subscriber display means whenever said subscriber display means is powered up such that said billboard data file is an initial display on said subscriber display means whenever said subscriber display means is turned on.

39. The telecommunications system of claim 38, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to replace a billboard data file in said subscriber memory means with a new billboard data file received by said subscriber receiving means in the form of new agent data that includes said marker that designates agent data as billboard message level.

40. The telecommunications system of claim 39, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to search for a password in new agent data that includes the billboard marker received from said agent station before replacing a billboard data file in said subscriber memory means.

41. The telecommunications system of claim 40, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to compare a stored password in said subscriber memory means with a password in the new agent data that includes the billboard marker and, if they match, to replace the billboard data file in the subscriber memory means with a new billboard data file comprising said new agent data that includes the billboard marker.

42. The telecommunications system of claim 40, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to compare a stored password in said subscriber memory means with a password in the new agent data that includes the billboard marker and, if they do not match, to remove the billboard marker in the new agent data and direct the remaining new agent data to said subscriber memory means for access by said subscriber display means and not replace the billboard data file in the subscriber memory means.

43. The telecommunications system of claim 40, wherein, in the event the subscriber microcontroller means does not detect a password in the new agent data, then said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to direct the new agent data to said subscriber memory means for access by said subscriber display means.

44. The telecommunications system of claim 40, wherein, in the event there is not a password in the subscriber memory means then said firmware causes said microprocessor to direct said new agent data that includes the billboard marker to said subscriber memory means for access by said subscriber display means, replacing any billboard data file that is already in said subscriber memory means.

45. The telecommunications system of claim 44, wherein said firmware also causes said microcontroller to direct a password that is with the new agent data and billboard marker to said subscriber memory means for comparison with future passwords in future agent visual data that may be received by said subscriber receiving means.

46. The telecommunications system of claim 41, wherein said firmware causes said subscriber microcontroller means to also recognize a new password that is with the agent data along with the password with the agent data that matches an existing password in the subscriber memory means and to replace the existing password in the subscriber memory means with the new password for comparison with future passwords in future agent data that may be received by said subscriber receiving means.

47. The telecommunications system of claim 32, including back-up battery power means connected to said subscriber memory means for preventing loss of agent data in said subscriber memory means in the event of normal power failure.

48. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said subscriber memory means includes subscriber random access memory (RAM) means for storing agent data for display on said subscriber display means and programmable read only memory (PROM) means for storing a subscriber operating program file that controls the basic operations of the subscriber microcontroller means, said PROM means also holding a download program routine for causing the subscriber microcontroller means to change the subscriber operating program file in the PROM means.

49. The telecommunications system of claim 48, wherein said agent station includes operating file generating means connected to said agent transmitting means for generating program data in the format of a new subscriber operating program file and operating file flag data that identifies the program data as a subscriber operating program and for delivering said new subscriber operating program with operating file flag data to said agent transmitting means for transmission with a subscriber mode switch signal via said POTS to said subscriber data handling means.

50. The telecommunications system of claim 49, wherein said download program routine includes a download program flag subroutme that causes said subscriber microcontroller means to recognize said operating file flag data as an indication that accompanying program data received by said subscriber receiving means is a new subscriber operating program file and to direct said new subscriber operating program file to said RAM means for temporary storage.

51. The telecommunications system of claim 50, wherein said download program routine causes said subscriber microcontroller means to erase said subscriber operating program file in said

PROM means and to reprogram said PROM means with said new subscriber operating program file from said RAM means and then to reset itself to begin operating under control of said new subscriber operating file in said PROM means.

52. The telecommunications system of claim 51, wherein said subscriber data handling means includes subscriber input means connected to said subscriber microcontroller means for inputting a subscriber generated signal to said subscriber microcontroller means, wherein said download program routine includes visual queue data for generating a screen display requesting subscriber input, and wherein said download program routine causes said subscriber microcontroller means to generate said screen display for access by said subscriber display means and then causes said subscriber microcontroller means to erase said subscriber operating file from said PROM means only after receiving a subscriber generated signal from said subscriber input means.

53. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said agent station includes PBX switching means connected between said agent switch means and said POTS for connecting said agent station to multiple subscriber stations simultaneously.

54. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein said agent station includes automatic dialing means for connecting said agent station to multiple subscriber stations sequentially after each transmission of agent data.