VERBAL COMPUTER TERMINAL SYSTEM

A telephonic data communications system provides verbal communication of data in remote computer systems. The major components of the systems are a plurality of channels and a data processor. Each channel includes a text-to-speech translator for translating digitally stored textual data into analogue speech signals corresponding to the verbal expression of the textual data; a telephone interface for establishing a telephonic connection with a user by detecting incoming calls and by initiating calls; and an RS232 port for accessing a data base in a remote host computer system. The data processor includes software for controlling the communications protocols used by each channel, whereby each channel emulates a computer terminal suitable for communication with the remote computer system connected to that channel, and software for extracting selected data from the data received from the remote computer system. This system enables one to telephonically receive data from a remote computer without the need for a computer terminal and without needing to reprogram the remote computer to communicate with the telephonic data communication system.