AN INTEGRATED DATA/VOICE/GRAPHICS TELECOMMUNICATION PERIPHERAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY

WE PROPOSE THE DESIGN OF A UNIQUE COMPUTER PERIPHERAL THAT COMBINES DATA, VOICE, AND GRAPHICS COMMUNICATION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEVICE IS TO ALLOW ONE USER TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANOTHER USER OVER AN UNCONDITIONED TELEPHONE LINE, BOTHIN VOICE AND DATA. THE PROPOSED DESIGN MAKES USE OF STATE-OF-THE-ART APPLICATION IN DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES. THE UNIQUE FEATURE OF THIS DEVICE IS THAT IT ALLOWS TRANSPARENT OPERATION OF BOTH VOICE AND DATA, WITHOUT USER INTERVENTION, OVER A SINGLE TELEPHONE LINE. WITH THE PROPER COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE ANDPERSONAL COMPUTER (PC) GRAPHICS DRAWING PACKAGES, A USER WOULD BE ABLE TO SKETCH FIGURES ON HIS PC (WITH A MOUSE, LIGHT PEN, OR TABLET) WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CARRYING ON A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION. THE OTHER PARTY COULD RECEIVE THE SKETCHED IMAGE (AS IT IS DRAWN) AND WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO INTERACTIVELY MODIFY THE SKETCH OR INCLUDE ONE OF HIS OWN. COMMUNICATION COSTS COULD BE REDUCED BY ALLOWING A SINGLE PHONE LINE TO BE USED FOR SIMULTANEOUS VOICE/DATA TRANSFERS.THIS SAVINGS COULD BE SUBSTANTIAL WHEN LONG DISTANCE CALLS WERE INVOLVED. THE RECENT SURGE IN POPULARITY OF LAP-PORTABLE PCS AND CELLULAR TELEPHONES WILL HELP TO EXTENDTHE USEFULNESS OF SUCH A PRODUCT.