DATA TRANSMISSION APPARATUSThis invention relates to apparatus for the transmission of data in electrical/electronic format. More particularly, this invention relates to the transmission of confidential data in electrical/electronic format.
The term "data in electrical/electronic format" as used herein is intended to cover the transmission of the voice (as a telephone signal), voice-mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail or the general exchange of data between computer terminals through a network or modem link, especially where the data is ultimately generated in hard copy, such as in a facsimile transmission, which is capable of being read by people other than the addressee. Transmission of data personto-person is becoming more common, and it is desirable that confidential or at least commercially sensitive data is passed electrically/electronically between sender and receiver without the intervention of a third party, for example a secretary passing a facsimile message to the intended receipient. The wish to exclude third parties becomes more apparent when the third party involved has no connection with the recipient, for example when the recipient is a hotel guest and the third party is the hotel reception. Situations of this sort are becoming more common where hotels are providing so-called "business suites" but without dedicated telephone lines or facsimile machines.
It is therefore an object of the invention to enable the transmission of confidential data through a switchboard without the intervention of a switchboard operator, and without the need for dedicated lines.
Accordingly, the invention provides apparatus for enabling person-to-person direct transmission of data in electronic/electrical format from a sender to a receiver terminal through a switchboard, the apparatus including means for receiving incoming data, means for identifying the addressee of the data, means for storing the transmitted data, at least temporarily, in a storage memory assigned to the addressee, means for transferring the data to a retrieval terminal and means for preferably selective actuation of the retrieval terminal to retrieve the data by the addressee.
Preferably, the means for storing the incoming data in the appropriate storage memory comprises a multi-mediaLocal Area Network (LAN) incorporated into the telephone switchboard system.
The selectively operable data retrieval actuation means may be operable by means of a key, a password, an electromagnetic card, by entering a personal identification (PIN) number or by a tone signal such that only the person for whom the data is intended can operate the terminal and retrieve the data. The storage means preferably comprises at least one multi-media mail-box assigned or dedicated, at least temporarily, to a particular person.
The data retrieval means may be selectively actuated either locally - that is, at the same or connected premises as the receiving and storage means - or remotely, whereby the transfer means can be instructed by the addressee to transfer the data from the storage means to a suitable remote retrieval terminal.
In a hotel installation, for example, each bedroom may be provided with a facsimile terminal equipped both for transmitting and receiving facsimile messages via a suitable receiver terminal connected with the central switchboard. An arriving guest, having had a bedroom allocated to him or her, is assigned a key, a personal identification number or other unique authorisation code associated with that room for the duration of the occupancy thereof, and a mailbox is automatically opened for the exclusive use of the guest via the authorisation code. Preferably, where a password is assigned to the user, the user is given the opportunity to change the password to one of their own choosing which is easier to remember. Incoming facsimile messages are automatically assigned to the appropriate mailbox pending retrieval by the guest either in the bedroom or at a remote location.
Facsimile messages may also be sent direct from the bedroom terminal. When the guest checks out, the mailbox is closed and charges for the use thereof are added to the guest's bill.
In one mode of operation, the receiver terminal connected with the central switchboard, referred to as the server, comprises a microprocessor, a hard disc drive and voice and facsimile telephony boards. On arrival in his room following the checking-in procedure, the guest presses a pre-programmed registration key as part of the room terminal and the server is automatically dialled. The server selects an available number, generally the oldest available number, from a database of numbers and associates the selected number uniquely with the room or calling station, through a Calling Station Identifier of the room terminal, and a table is created to store all incoming facsimile messages for this particular guest.
The server then notifies the guest of the selected number by creating an instruction coversheet containing the number and transmits it by facsimile to the room terminal. The guest then has the ability to send and receive messages by facsimile for the duration of his stay or occupancy of the room. All incoming calls are received by the main server, which directs the message to the database table already created. The server identifies the destination terminal by interrogating the database to determine the appropriate internal extension number, dials the number and transmits the message from memory to the destination terminal, where it is either stored in memory until printed out on command from the guest or is automatically directly printed in hard copy.
Apparatus according to the invention may also be used for or include means for communicating with in-house service providers and may, for example, be used to order in-room meals or snacks, laundry services and the like.
Apparatus according to the invention also includes appropriate software enabling the provision of mailboxes and for assigning incoming transmitted data thereto or for other appropriate purposes.