JP2001339521A - Video interphone system utilizing communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video interphone system by which a resident user can view an image of a visitor and listen to a voice message at a visit place by a portable telephone or the like via a communication network when the resident user leaves the home to go out. SOLUTION: An interphone master unit 2 is provided with a portable terminal 5 that is connected to a communication network 3 and conducts two-way communication with a portable terminal 5 connected to a telephone network 4 connected to the communication network 3 and with a recording means 2b that records a video image picked up through a camera attached intercom slave unit 1 and a voice message of a visitor. The video interphone system is configured such that when the intercom slave unit 1 receives a call from the visitor, after the slave unit 1 outputs a reply message to the visitor, the master unit 2 transmits the video image and the voice message of the visitor recorded in the recording means 2b to the terminal 5 through the communication interface 2a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a residential television intercom system using a communication network represented by the Internet or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, intercom systems with monitor televisions have become widespread in ordinary houses and the like. This system is configured by connecting an intercom master unit with a monitor TV installed indoors and an intercom slave unit with a camera installed at the entrance.

In this intercom system, the intercom master unit installed indoors can make a call while looking at the visitor's face, and at the same time, drives the camera of the intercom slave unit when necessary, so that the visitor and the entrance can be accessed. The previous video can be displayed on a monitor television for viewing.

On the other hand, the Internet has become widespread today as one of communication networks, and various electronic devices such as mobile phones, televisions, game machines and the like can be connected to the Internet to collect information. And e-commerce.

[0005] In such a system using the Internet, not only characters but also data such as images and sounds can be transmitted and received in two directions, so that users can view these images and sounds on a terminal, and It can also provide images and audio to specific and unspecified people.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention combines the latest technologies of the above-mentioned television intercom system and communication network, and the present invention realizes an answering machine acting system using a communication network by the present invention. I'm trying to get it.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to serve as a normal intercom with a television when a family member is at home, and to transmit a picture and a voice message of a visitor via a communication network when the family member is absent. It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that allows the user to view the image and the voice message using a mobile phone or the like while away from home and a system related thereto.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a television intercom system using a communication network, wherein the main unit of the intercom is connected to a communication network such as the Internet. Furthermore, a communication interface for performing two-way communication with a portable terminal connected to a connected telephone network, and a video of the visitor taken through a door phone with a camera, together with a voice message of the visitor. Recording means for recording, when a visitor's call is received from a door phone with a camera, after outputting a response message, an image of the visitor recorded on the recording means through the door phone camera, Voice messages are transmitted to the mobile terminal via the communication interface.

[0009] In the second aspect, the intercom master unit includes:
When there is a call from the intercom slave unit, the camera is driven to output a ringing sound for a predetermined time while taking a picture of the visitor, and when a response is made during the predetermined time, While the call can be made while watching the visitor with the intercom slave unit, if no response is made within a predetermined time, the intercom intercom unit can be notified by voice message that the message of the visitor can be accepted. After recording the video of the visitor captured through the door phone camera together with the received message message in the recording means, the video is transmitted to the portable terminal through the communication interface.

[0010] In the third aspect, the intercom master unit includes:
A mode switching setting means for selectively setting the home mode and the absence mode is provided, and when the home mode is set, the camera is driven in response to a call from the intercom slave unit to display the image of the visitor. You can make a call while watching the call, but when the answering mode is set, a response message requesting the recording of the answering message is output in response to the call from the intercom slave unit, and the visitor captured through the intercom camera After recording the video of the user together with the absence message in the recording means, the video is transmitted to the portable terminal through the communication interface.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first and second aspects, the portable terminal to which the video and voice message of the visitor recorded in the recording means by the intercom master unit are transferred is in communication or communication is disabled. In such a case, a response server connected to a communication network registered in advance is accessed, and the image of the visitor recorded in the recording means is transferred together with the voice message.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the intercom master unit is connected to a communication network such as the Internet, and has a communication interface for performing two-way communication with a portable terminal connected to the communication network; Recording means for recording the image of the visitor taken through the intercom slave unit together with the visitor's voice message, and when the visitor's call is received from the intercom unit with camera, the recording means The recorded image of the visitor and the voice message are transmitted to the portable terminal through the communication interface, and a two-way communication is performed between the intercom slave and the intercom master.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a configuration of a television intercom system using the Internet.

A TV intercom system 10 is configured by connecting a doorphone slave unit 1 with a camera installed at the entrance of a house and an intercom master unit 2 with a monitor TV installed indoors by a signal line. Further, it is connected to a mobile phone 5 via the Internet 3 and a mobile phone network 4 and connected to a response server 6 via the Internet 3.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the television interphone (master unit, slave unit).

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS.
Will be described schematically.

This system 10 is designed so that a resident in the house A can talk with the visitor B while watching the image of the visitor B taken by the television camera of the intercom slave 1 on the monitor television of the intercom master unit 2. In addition to the above function, the intercom master unit 2 has a function of enabling two-way communication with a mobile phone and a response server 6 connected to the Internet.

The intercom master unit 2 with a monitor TV is
Communication interface 2a for communicating with a portable terminal constituted by a portable telephone 5 or the like via the Internet 3
Recording means 2b for recording the image of the visitor taken by the camera of the door phone handset 1 in association with the visitor's voice message, and furthermore, mode switching capable of selectively setting the home mode and the absence mode (See FIG. 2)
reference).

The intercom base unit 2 can not only communicate bidirectionally with the mobile phone 5 through the communication interface 2a, but also visits the response server 6 when the mobile phone 5 is busy or unable to communicate. It is equipped with a function that can send visitors 'images and visitors' voice messages.

The video and audio messages received by the response server 6 on behalf of the mobile phone 5 are transferred to the mobile phone 5 as appropriate.

More specifically, this will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a basic operation of the television intercom.

When a call from the visitor B is received from the door phone handset 1 with a camera, a ringing tone is sounded indoors and the driving of the camera is started (above, 101 to 10).
3).

Here, it is determined whether the mode switching setting 2c is set to the home mode or the absence mode.
In the home mode, the system waits for a predetermined time until the family member responds to the intercom master unit 2, and if there is no response even after the predetermined time has elapsed, automatically switches to the absence mode (104 to 104).
6).

If there is a response, the figure of the visitor B is displayed on the monitor television, and the family starts talking with the visitor B while watching the figure of the visitor (105, 107, 108).

In the absence mode, a response message requesting the recording of the absence message is output to the door phone handset 1 because the family member is away, and the image of the visitor B and the voice message of the visitor B are output. These are received and recorded in the recording means 2b together with the reception time by the time stamp function (104, 106, 109, 110).

After the recording of the absence message is completed, the recorded video is transferred to the portable telephone 5 together with the voice message (111).

This transfer process (110) is performed on the mobile phone 5 by the communication interface 2a. If the mobile phone 5 is busy or unable to communicate and there is no response, an e-mail is sent to the response server 6. Transferred by (interception function). In this case, the e-mail is sent, for example, in the form of a compound file in which a video and a voice message of the visitor are compounded.

Upon receiving the video and the voice message of the visitor B, the response server B calls the mobile phone after a predetermined time has passed since receiving the video and voice message, and sends the electronic mail to the mobile phone 5.
Transfer to The information transferred in this case may be stored in the response server 6 for a certain period of time, and then transmitted collectively.

Since the mobile phone network of the mobile phone 5 is connected to the intercom base unit 2 or the response server 6 via the Internet, the interphone base unit 2 or the response server 6 is inquired as to whether there is a message. After that, the video and audio message may be transmitted from either the intercom master unit 2 or the response server 6.

The image of the visitor B may be transmitted as a moving image, or may be transmitted as a still image of one frame or a plurality of frames.

As described above, this system 10 transmits the video and audio message of visitor B from mobile phone 2 to portable telephone 5 or response server 6, so that the householder who is out can , The message of visitor B can be heard.

Further, by setting the switching setting mode, it is possible to easily use the function as a normal TV intercom and the function as an answering machine substitute. further,
After a predetermined time, the mode is automatically switched from the home mode to the absence mode, which is effective when the visitor does not want to respond.

In this embodiment, the transfer from the intercom master unit 2 to the portable telephone 5 is performed after the visitor B finishes responding. A configuration is also possible in which a voice message is bidirectionally communicated with the mobile phone 5 via the communication interface 2a of the intercom master unit 2.

As a result, the video and voice message of the visitor can be transferred to the mobile phone 5 in real time, so that the outgoing household having the mobile phone 5 can watch the visitor while watching the visitor. In response, you can make a call directly. That is, a call can be made to the visitor as if it were a videophone call.

[0036]

As can be understood from the above description, according to the television intercom system according to the first and second aspects, the image of the visitor who is away and the voice message of the visitor are transmitted to the portable terminal. Since the structure is such that the transfer can be performed, the message of the visitor can be heard while confirming the visitor's appearance with the portable terminal device even when the family member is out.

Further, since the video and the audio message are recorded in the recording means of the intercom master unit with a time stamp, it is possible to know the visit time of the visitor.

Further, since the portable terminal and the intercom master unit can communicate bidirectionally, the portable terminal can inquire the intercom to confirm the presence or absence of a message.

According to claim 2, if the family member is at home,
A call can be made with the intercom base unit while checking the visitor's appearance with the intercom slave unit. That is, it can be used as a normal television intercom system.

On the other hand, if there is no response during a predetermined time due to absence or the like, the message of the visitor can be recorded together with the video and transferred to the portable terminal.

According to the third aspect, the intercom master unit is
Since either the home mode or the answering mode can be selected, the function as a normal television intercom and the function as an answering machine can be used properly.

In the home mode, if there is no response within a predetermined time, the mode is automatically switched to the absence mode, so that there is no need to respond to uninvited customers, and the absence can be used effectively.

According to the fourth aspect, when the portable terminal is busy or cannot communicate, the video and voice message of the visitor are transferred to the answering server connected to the communication network, and the portable terminal receives the message by proxy. The intercepted voice message and video can be further transferred to the portable terminal from the response server.

According to the fifth aspect, since the video and voice message of the visitor are transmitted to the portable terminal in real time, even if the family member is out, the visitor can be seen through the portable terminal. While you can answer and talk directly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a configuration of a television intercom system using a communication network of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part of a television intercom (master unit and slave unit).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a basic operation of the television intercom.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 TV intercom system 1 Doorphone handset with camera 2 Intercom master unit with monitor TV 3 Internet 4 Cellular phone network 5 Cellular phone 6 Response server

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 H (72) Inventor Masakazu Fukunaga 1048 Kadoma, Kazuma, Kazuma, Osaka Matsushita Electric Works Incorporated (72) Inventor Yoshihiko Tokunaga 1048 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ryuichi Maeda 1048 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Pref. Matsushita Electric Works F-term (reference) 5C054 AA02 CD04 CD06 DA01 DA09 GB04 GD03 HA22 5K027 AA09 HH08 5K038 CC02 DD15 DD22 DD23 GG03 5K039 BB07 CC06 EE01 FF16

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a television intercom system, an intercom base unit with a camera installed at the entrance and an intercom master unit with a monitor TV installed indoors are connected. A communication interface for two-way communication between the communication network and a portable terminal connected to the communication network and further connected to the telephone network, and a visitor photographed through a camera-equipped door phone handset. Recording means for recording the video together with the voice message of the visitor, and when receiving the call of the visitor from the door phone slave unit with the camera, after outputting the response message, the recording means is recorded on the recording means through the door phone camera. Visitor images and
A television intercom system using a communication network, wherein a voice message of a visitor is transmitted to the portable terminal via the communication interface. 2. The intercom base unit according to claim 1, wherein when a call is received from the intercom slave unit, the intercom master unit drives a camera to shoot a video of a visitor and emits a ringing sound for a predetermined time. When a response is made during the predetermined time, the call can be made while watching the visitor with the intercom slave unit. The message message of the visitor can be accepted is output to the intercom slave unit as a voice message, and the image of the visitor captured through the intercom camera is recorded in the recording means together with the accepted message message. A television intercom system using a communication network, wherein the television intercom system is configured to transmit to the portable terminal. 3. The intercom base unit according to claim 1, further comprising mode switching setting means for selectively setting a home mode and an absence mode, wherein when the home mode is set, the intercom base unit receives a signal from the intercom slave unit. In response to the call, the camera can be driven to make a call while watching the visitor's image, while when the absence mode is set, the absence message is recorded in response to the call from the intercom slave unit. After outputting the response message requesting the request, recording the image of the visitor captured through the intercom camera together with the absence message in the recording means, and transmitting the image to the portable terminal through the communication interface. TV intercom system using a network. 4. The intercom base unit according to claim 1, wherein the intercom master unit is a telephone terminal or a portable terminal unit to which the visitor's image and voice message recorded in the recording means are transferred or are unable to communicate. A video interphone using a communication network, wherein a response server connected to a pre-registered communication network is accessed to transfer the visitor's video recorded in the recording means together with a voice message. system. 5. A television intercom system configured by connecting an intercom slave unit with a camera installed at the entrance and an intercom master unit with a monitor TV installed indoors, wherein the intercom master unit is connected to the Internet or the like. Connected to the communication network of
A communication interface for performing two-way communication with a portable terminal connected to a communication network, and a recording means for recording, together with a voice message of the visitor, an image of the visitor taken through a door phone handset with a camera When a visitor's call is received from the camera-equipped door phone handset, the visitor's image and voice message recorded in the recording means are transmitted to the portable terminal through a communication interface. A television intercom system using a communication network, wherein a two-way telephone call is made between the intercom slave unit and the intercom master unit.