Telephony device comprising a base station and at least a subscriber unit, subscriber unit for such a telephony device and method used in such a telephony device

[0002] The invention relates to a telephony device comprising a base station connected to the switched network, at least a subscriber unit and at least a communication element of the responder type, notably linked with the base station which has a management element formed, inter alia, by a processor assembly, by a memory containing an execution program and by a random-access memory.

[0003] The invention likewise relates to a method used in such a telephony device and also relates to a subscriber unit suitable for such a telephony device.

[0004] The invention finds interesting applications in telecommunication systems implying protocols which is notably the case with telephony devices satisfying the DECT standard, for example.

[0005] The telephony devices of this type very often comprising numerous subscriber units offer more and more functions to the user. One of these functions is that of the responder which makes it possible to receive and transmit messages for those who call and which authorize the return of messages to the user at his request.

[0006] A problem posed with this type of device is for the user who may be located far from the base station to know whether he has messages. The user may also have the need to make an announcement and thus desires to know whether his responder is available. This problem is all the more serious when one faces devices that satisfy the DECT standards which may thus comprise a large number of subscriber units.

[0007] The present invention proposes a device of the type defined in the opening paragraph which permits a user to manage in an easy fashion the accesses to the responder inserted into the base station.

[0008] Therefore, such a device is characterized in that data about the state of the communication element is broadcast to all the subscriber units.

[0009] The idea of the invention consists of utilizing the possibility of broadcasting data to all the subscriber units so as to make known to them the state of their responder and, possibly, communicating with them.

[0010] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

[0011] In the drawings:

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention,

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a diagram explaining the operation of the base station, and

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a diagram explaining the operation of a subscriber unit.

[0015] In FIG. 1, the device which is represented is a device satisfying the DECT standards. Reference 1 shows the base station BS to which may be connected, by radio channel, a plurality of subscriber units (handsets) HS1, HS2, . . . This base station 1 comprises, inter alia, a line circuit 10 which makes it possible for connecting the base station to the switched network by a telephone line 12 and a radio circuit 14 which authorizes the dialogue with the various subscriber units HS1, HS2, . . . , by emitting and receiving waves via an antenna 16. For processing all the analog information which transits the basic circuit, a signal processing element 15 is provided formed around a digital signal processor DSP which processes notably the speech signals. A flash memory 17 is used for performing the function of responder. That is to say that it contains the speech data coming from remote subscribers through line 12 and also announcement data which are more often than not intended for these remote subscribers. The data of this memory 17 are processed by the circuit 15 which carries out the various analog/digital conversions and vice versa.

[0016] All the elements of this basic circuit 1 are managed by a microprocessor assembly 20. This assembly is formed, notably, in usual manner by a random-access memory 24, a read-only memory 26 containing the instructions and operation of the device and a management processor 29. With this assembly it is possible to know when the flash memory 17 which is the main constituent part of the responder function is available or not and if a message has been registered there or not.

[0017] The subscriber unit HS1, only shown in detail (the unit HS2 may have an identical structure) comprises a communication assembly 40 with an antenna 41 which permits the unit to communicate with the base station BS and from there with the other subscriber units HS2, . . . This assembly processes the information coming from the microphone 42 and also produces signals for an earphone 44. Also provided is a management element 50 formed, just like the management element 20, by a random-access memory 54, a read-only memory 56 containing the operating instructions of the device, and by a management processor 59. The subscriber unit HS1 also has a screen 60 on which the various data are displayed and a keyboard 61. These handsets are mobiles and because of this they are fed by an accumulator not shown on the FIG. 1.

[0018] According to the invention, the state of the responder circuit is shown on the screen 60 without the intervention of the user. This is achieved due to an interesting characteristic feature of the invention by realizing a message broadcast. For this purpose, the prescriptions of the paragraph 7.2.4.3 of the ETS standard 300 175-3 are used.

[0019] The Table I below shows how this standard is used.

[0020] Thus, word pairs are found which are mutually exclusive. M1 and M1′ are mutually exclusive as are the pairs M2, M2′ and M3 and M3′. These words are explained at the places referenced a32 to a47 of said standard.

[0021] In FIG. 2 are explained the operation steps of the responder circuit.

[0022] The state ST1 is considered which indicates that the responder is not in service, thus the word M1′ is transmitted in the direction of all the subscriber units. If the responder is put into operation, for example, by validating this start which appears on a menu visible on a screen of the base station, then state ST2 is proceeded to, the word M1 is thus transmitted. After that, the responder may be aligned, state ST3 corresponding to the transmission of the word M3 for carrying out a task such as: registering a message which comes from the telephone line 12, broadcasting an announcement over this telephone line 12 or also returning a message to a user on one of the subscriber units. Having performed its task, the responder changes to the state ST4 corresponding to the transmission of the word M3′ by passing either through the state ST5 which indicates that no message has been registered during the alignment, or by passing through state ST6 which indicates that a message has been registered. The states ST5 and ST6 imply the transmission of the words M2′ and M2, respectively. It is evident that from each of these states one may come back to the state ST1 by deactivating the responder function.

[0023] Starting from a subscriber unit, one may consult the state of this responder circuit by validating certain items of a menu. This is shown in a diagram in FIG. 3.

[0024] If the word M1′ has been transmitted, which is detected in box K1, thus signaling that the responder is not in service, only this data M1′ is visible to the user. He is thus shown that the responder is not in service (box K2). If the word M1 has been transmitted, then the data concerning the words M1, M2 or M2′, M3 or M3′ are visible (box K3).

[0025] These various words are transmitted periodically, so that, if a subscriber unit is no longer in the coverage area of the base station, the state data concerning the responder will be updated the moment the subscriber unit will come back to said coverage area.

[0026] However, it should be observed that the words M1′ and M2 are not exclusive. Indeed, it may happen that the user has:

[0027] put his responder into operation, transmission of the word M1,

[0028] received messages, transmission of the word M2,

[0029] put his responder out of operation, without reading the messages, transmission of the word M1′.

[0030] In this case, the words M2 and M1′ will be transmitted at the moment of the change of state and after that periodically. And the data corresponding to the words M2 and M1′ will have to be visible.