Multi-media information service center and multi-media communication system

Claim 2

A multi-media information service center (511) which is coupled to a telephone set (531) and a communication unit (533) via a line network (521), said communication unit being other than a telephone set, said multi-media information service center comprising line connection means (111) coupled to the line network for connecting the multi-media information service center to a predetermined line of the line network in response to a call which is received from a party which is coupled to an end of the predetermined line opposite to the multi-media information service center, storage means (121) for storing a voice information, voice information transmission means (131) coupled to the line network, said line connection means and said storage means for reading the voice information from said storage means and transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line, discrimination means (141) coupled to the line network for discriminating a communication mode of the party, and service providing means (151) coupled to the line network and said discrimination means for providing to the party a service which is dependent on a discrimination result in said discrimination means, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) and said discrimination means (141) operate simultaneously after said line connection means (111) connects the multi-media information service center (511) to the predetermined line.

Claim 3

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said storage means (121) stores a voice information related to a service start guidance and a voice guidance, and said voice information transmission means (131) transmits the service start guidance immediately after said line connection means (111) connects the multi-media information service center (511) to the predetermined line.

Claim 4

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221) for storing the service start guidance.

Claim 5

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221) for storing the service start guidance and a disk unit (291) for storing the voice guidance.

Claim 6

The multi-media information service center as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) transmits the voice guidance in succession to the service start guidance when said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as a manual calling mode in which a manual call is made from the party which is the telephone set (531).

Claim 7

The multi-media information service center as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) stops transmitting the service start guidance when said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as an automatic calling mode in which an automatic call is made from the party which is the communication unit (533).

Claim 8

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as a manual calling mode in which a manual call is made from the party which is the telephone set (531) when a signal in conformance with a predetermined communication procedure is not detected within a predetermined time from a time when said line connection means (111) connects the multi-media information service center (511) to the predetermined line, and discriminates the communication mode as an automatic calling mode in which an automatic call is made from the party which is the communication unit (533) when the signal in conformance with the predetermined communication procedure is detected within the predetermined time.

Claim 9

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the communication unit (533) is a facsimile machine (533), and the predetermined communication procedure is a facsimile communication procedure.

Claim 10

The multi-media information service center as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221).

Claim 11

A multi-media communication system comprising a multi-media information service center (511), a telephone set (531), a communication unit (533) which is other than a telephone set, and a line network (521) for coupling said telephone set and said communication unit to said multi-media information service center, said multi-media information service center comprising line connection means (111) coupled to said line network for connecting said multi-media information service center to a predetermined line of said line network in response to a call which is received from a party which is coupled to an end of the predetermined line opposite to said multi-media information service center, storage means (121) for storing a voice information, voice information transmission means (131) coupled to said line network, said line connection means and said storage means for reading the voice information from said storage means and transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line, discrimination means (141) coupled to said line network for discriminating a communication mode of the party, and service providing means (151) coupled to said line network and said discrimination means for providing to the party a service which is dependent on a discrimination result in said discrimination means, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) and said discrimination means (141) of said multi-media information service center (511) operate simultaneously after said line connection means (111) connects said multi-media information service center to the predetermined line.

Claim 12

A multi-media communication system comprising a multi-media information service center (511), a telephone set (531), a communication unit (533) which is other than a telephone set, and a line network (521) for coupling said telephone set and said communication unit to said multi-media information service center, said multi-media information service center comprising line connection means (111) coupled to said line network for connecting said multi-media information service center to a predetermined line of said line network in response to a call which is received from a party which is coupled to an end of the predetermined line opposite to said multi-media information service center, storage means (121) for storing a voice information, voice information transmission means (131) coupled to said line network, said line connection means and said storage means for reading the voice information from said storage means and transmitting the voice information to the predetermined line, discrimination means (141) coupled to said line network for discriminating a communication mode of the party, and service providing means (151) coupled to said line network and said discrimination means for providing to the party a service which is dependent on a discrimination result in said discrimination means, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) and said discrimination means (141) of said multi-media information service center (511) operate simultaneously after said line connection means (111) connects said multi-media information service center to the predetermined line.

Claim 13

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said storage means (121) stores a voice information related to a service start guidance and a voice guidance, and said voice information transmission means (131) transmits the service start guidance immediately after said line connection means (111) connects said multi-media information service center (511) to the predetermined line.

Claim 14

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221) for storing the service start guidance.

Claim 15

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221) for storing the service start guidance and a disk unit (291) for storing the voice guidance.

Claim 16

The multi-media communication system as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) transmits the voice guidance in succession to the service start guidance when said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as a manual calling mode in which a manual call is made from the party which is said telephone set (531).

Claim 17

The multi-media communication system as claimed in any of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that said voice information transmission means (131) stops transmitting the service start guidance when said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as an automatic calling mode in which an automatic call is made from the party which is said communication unit (531).

Claim 18

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said discrimination means (141) discriminates the communication mode as a manual calling mode in which a manual call is made from the party which is said telephone set (531) when a signal in conformance with a predetermined communication procedure is not detected within a predetermined time from a time when said line connection means (111) connects the multi-media information service center (511) to the predetermined line, and discriminates the communication mode as an automatic calling mode in which an automatic call is made from the party which is said communication unit (533) when the signal in conformance with the predetermined communication procedure is detected within the predetermined time.

Claim 19

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said communication unit (533) is a facsimile machine (533), and the predetermined communication procedure is a facsimile communication procedure.

Claim 20

The multi-media communication system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said storage means (121) includes a semiconductor memory (221).