[comp.sys.amiga.tech] Dialing in to your computer

840445m@aucs.uucp (Alan McKay) (01/10/90)

This is a very easy technical question.  That is, I will be happy with a 
confirmed yes or no.  I want to write a program so that I can phone my
computer from anywhere and enter key sequences on a touch-tone phone.  Of
course I want the computer to be able to recognize what keys are being 
pressed.  I know that a modem will automajically answer the phone, but does
it have the ability to recognize touch-tones after it answers?  If the 
answer is yes then I am willing to take it from there, I just don't want
to spend time trying to figure out how to do something that cannot be done.

thanks in advance.  Oh, if you wish you *could* give me a few hints as to
how to do it.

-- 
+ Alan W. McKay       +  VOICE: (902) 542-1565                        +
+ Acadia University   +  "Courage my friend, it is not yet too late   +
+ WOLFVILLE, N.S.     +   to make the world a better place."          +
+ 840445m@AcadiaU.CA  +                    - Tommy Douglas            +

deven@rpi.edu (Deven T. Corzine) (01/10/90)

On 9 Jan 90 18:11:20 GMT, 840445m@aucs.uucp (Alan McKay) said:

Alan> This is a very easy technical question.  That is, I will be
Alan> happy with a confirmed yes or no.  I want to write a program so
Alan> that I can phone my computer from anywhere and enter key
Alan> sequences on a touch-tone phone.  Of course I want the computer
Alan> to be able to recognize what keys are being pressed.  I know
Alan> that a modem will automajically answer the phone, but does it
Alan> have the ability to recognize touch-tones after it answers?  If
Alan> the answer is yes then I am willing to take it from there, I
Alan> just don't want to spend time trying to figure out how to do
Alan> something that cannot be done.

Most modems will not be capable of this.  I think I have een ads
before for modems that also do "voice mail" (tone recognition, speech
synthesis, sampling) but that was on a PC and was a specialized
product.  Your average modem has no circuitry for tone recognition.

Alan> thanks in advance.  Oh, if you wish you *could* give me a few
Alan> hints as to how to do it.

You could conceivably build the hardware for it; a tone recognition
circuit isn't hard to build.  You can even get a chip from Radio Shack
which will do most of the work for you.  Of course, then you have the
problem of interfacing with the computer, both hardware and software,
and you need to detect the phone ring to answer.  All in all, not a
simple hardware project perhaps, but not unrealistic.

If there is already such hardware available commercially, I wouldn't
be surprised, but I can't say where to look, as I don't know.  Perhaps
someone else can fill in the blank.

Deven

#include <std/disclaimer.h>
-- 
Deven T. Corzine        Internet:  deven@rpi.edu, shadow@pawl.rpi.edu
Snail:  2151 12th St. Apt. 4, Troy, NY 12180   Phone:  (518) 274-0327
Bitnet:  deven@rpitsmts, userfxb6@rpitsmts     UUCP:  uunet!rpi!deven
Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible.

ridder@elvira.enet.dec.com (Hans Ridder) (01/13/90)

In article <1990Jan9.181120.2598@aucs.uucp> 840445m@aucs.UUCP (Alan McKay) writes:
>I want to write a program so that I can phone my
>computer from anywhere and enter key sequences on a touch-tone phone.  Of
>course I want the computer to be able to recognize what keys are being 
>pressed.

As someone already mentioned, most modems are not capable of this.
However, I saw a posting from someone else wanting to do this sort of
thing.  I think it was in sci.electronics or rec.dcom.telecom, but I
can't find it now.  Anyway, a company called TELTONE makes a device
which plugs into a phone line, and has an RS232 port.  As I remember,
it could send and receive DTMF (touch-tone) signals as commanded by
the RS232 port.  I don't remember what other things it could do, but
at the time it sounded pretty neat.  It was just a few weeks ago that
I saw it.  Good luck.

-hans


========================================================================
  Hans-Gabriel Ridder			Digital Equipment Corporation
  ridder@elvira.enet.dec.com		Customer Support Center
  ...decwrl!elvira.enet!ridder		Colorado Springs, CO

ridder@elvira.enet.dec.com (Hans Ridder) (01/17/90)

In article <1990Jan9.181120.2598@aucs.uucp> 840445m@aucs.UUCP (Alan McKay)
 writes:
>I want to write a program so that I can phone my computer from
>anywhere and enter key sequences on a touch-tone phone.  Of course I
>want the computer to be able to recognize what keys are being pressed.

I just got done talking to Mike Balch of TELTONE technical support.
He read my previous followup to this posting, but is unable to post a
followup, or send mail right now.  He tracked me down and called me
asking if I would post the information for him.  I hope this isn't too
commercial for anyone....

The device is called the T-130, sells for $369 (*ouch*).  Mike is
currently working on hooking one to his Amiga, and plans to interface
a digitizer to do voice mail type stuff.

I managed to track down the posting in comp.dcom.telecom, so since it
explains the details pretty well, I hope no one will mind if I just
include it.

****** Begin included stuff ******

Article 3930 of comp.dcom.telecom:
Path: shodha.dec.com!shlump.nac.dec.com!decwrl!sun-barr!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: ssc-vax!clark@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Roger Clark Swann)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Telephone/Computer Interface
Message-ID: <2601@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 4 Jan 90 05:55:27 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: Boeing Aerospace & Electronics, Seattle WA
Lines: 26
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 6, message 8 of 8


I seem to remember that someone was asking about an interface box
here recently. Today I came across an ad for a box that some of you
out there might be interested in. All I know about the device is
from the ad....


TELEPHONE/COMPUTER INTERFACE

T-130 Telephone Access unit with 2-way Touchtone/ASCII conversion:

* Intelligent dialer for PC's and other DTE devices. Responds to call
progress tones, voice, and other calling signals. ASCII controlled
DTMF and audio input.

* Intelligent answering device reports incoming rings for auto or
commanded answer. Answer tone, audio port, and DTMF to ASCII
conversion for remote phone data entry.

For more info call: 1-800-426-3926 (in Washingtion State: 206-827-9626)

TELTONE (R)   10801  120th Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA 98033

    Roger Swann               |    uucp:  uw-beaver!ssc-vax!clark
         @                    |
The Boeing Company            |

****** End included stuff ******

DISCLAIMER: I don't work for TELTONE.  I don't own one of these
devices, I just thought some of you might be interested.

-hans
========================================================================
  Hans-Gabriel Ridder			Digital Equipment Corporation
  ridder@elvira.enet.dec.com		Customer Support Center
  ...decwrl!elvira.enet!ridder		Colorado Springs, CO