JP2918917B2 - Alternate number calling method - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of transmitting an alternative number which allows a message to be left to a partner by communicating with a substitute terminal even when the partner is absent during communication. It is about.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a real-time network such as a telephone network, it is difficult to communicate intentions when the other party is talking or when the other party is absent. For this reason, a call waiting service that allows an interrupt connection when the other party is talking, and an answering machine that can leave a message even when the other party is absent have been developed and provided. However, all of these methods require the called party to subscribe to the service or replace the terminal, and if the called party is a conventional black telephone, it cannot be used as the calling party. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the call many times, to use other communication means, for example, to call another telephone at heart, to send a telegram to call, or to send a message by fax. However, there is a drawback that both are performed manually and are troublesome and troublesome. If you forget that you have another phone or fax, you can't use this method either.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative number transmitting method which solves the trouble and the difficulty of finding a number.

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, when the other party is on the phone, the communication network number of the alternative communication terminal is automatically presented to the caller when the other party is absent, and the caller substitutes the alternative communication network number. The most important feature is that a call can be transmitted automatically or manually by giving an instruction with one touch, and the intention of communication can be conveyed. For this purpose, an alternative communication network number is stored in the transmitting terminal, an alternative communication network number is stored in the communication network, or an alternative communication network number is stored in the receiving terminal. Whereas conventional methods require humans to seek alternatives and communicate manually, the communication terminal or network automatically presents the alternative network number and retransmits it automatically or manually. Further, a plurality of fixed messages are stored in a fixed message list in the calling terminal, one of the fixed messages is selected, the call is transmitted to a terminal having an alternative communication network number, and conversion according to the type of the terminal is performed. The fixed form message selected by the device is converted and transmitted.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a terminal 1 of a caller A is a personal computer with a telephone, and the personal computer with a telephone 1 has a display 11, a telephone number and a menu for selecting a menu. A dial key 12, a message lamp 13 indicating that a message has arrived, and a handset 14 are provided. The personal computer with telephone 1 is connected to a communication network (for example, telephone network) 3 through a subscriber line 2 and connected to the communication network 3 by a terminal 4 on the receiving side.
-10 are connected through separate subscriber lines 2 respectively. Callee B
Is a representative telephone (hereinafter referred to as a parent telephone) 4,
Telephone of a person who will take care of the message in the absence of called party B (for example, 4 is an office telephone and 5 is a secretary telephone)
Alternatively, there is a telephone at which the called party B stops (for example, 4 is a home phone and 5 is an office phone), and the called party C is the telephone 6 and a fax terminal that can be used by the called party C (eg, an office of C's office). A fax machine 7 is provided, and the called party D includes a telephone 8 and a radio pager 9 with a message of the called party D (hereinafter abbreviated as a pager) 9, and a display 10 on the pager 9. A list 15 of fixed form messages is stored in the memory of the personal computer 1 with a telephone, and a table 16 showing the presence / absence of a destination terminal and the communication network number for each destination of the sender A (the destinations B to D) is shown in FIG. It is remembered.

Further, the communication network 3 has a radio calling base station 30, a telephone number fax number, a pager number, a telephone number information center 31 which can store and search alternative numbers such as a related telephone number, etc. of a specific subscriber.
A voice storage center 32 for recording a voice message, calling a specific subscriber and reproducing it, and a character-fax conversion center 33 for converting a character code into a fax signal are connected.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the personal computer with telephone 1 used in the present invention. A central control unit (CPU) 17 for controlling the whole is provided with a program and a fixed message list 1.
5, the memory 18 for storing the number list 16 is connected, and the CPU 17
I / O bus 19 for sending and receiving commands and data from
And a character-fax converter 190 for converting character data to a fax screen signal, a speech synthesizer 191 for converting character data to a voice signal, and converting character data into two for each character.
Character to pager code converter to convert to numeric code 19
2. Modem for converting / inverting characters into multi-frequency modulated signals 19
3. Network control unit (NCU) 1 with functions such as calling / answering, dial transmission, partner response detection, busy tone detection, voice signal switching, etc.
95, a display 11, and dial keys 12 are connected to an input / output bus 19, and a character-fax converter 190, a voice synthesizer 1
91, character-pager code converter 192, modem 193, NCU1
Each analog terminal 95 is connected to the audio bus 194.

The operation of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The personal computer with telephone 1 of the caller A displays the number list 16 on the display 11 in an initial state. First, it is assumed that the called party B is called. When the caller A designates the callee B with the dial key 12, the CPU 17 indicates on the display 11 that the other party has the parent telephone number b1 and the related telephone number b2. When dialing b1 with the dial key 12 in order to make a call to the parent telephone 4 of the called party B, the CPU 17 sends the parent telephone number b
1 is sent to the NCU 195 via the input / output bus 19. The NCU 195 sends a call to the communication network 3 and sends b1 as a dial. Communication network 3
Connects to the parent telephone 4 and calls the called party B. Callee B
Caller A looks at display 11 and indicates an alternative number (b2 in this case) with dial key 12, and NCU 195 disconnects the line and dials b2 instead of b1. The information is automatically transmitted as in the above procedure. This makes it easy to contact the substitute.

If there is no substitute telephone, the message delivery service of the public use voice storage center 32 may be used. That is, the number b3 of the voice storage center 32 is set in place of b2, and the dial key 12 is used when the other party is absent or busy.
b3, the voice storage center 32 is called, and when the voice storage center 32 answers, the caller A sends the number b1 by a PB signal,
Next, a voice message is selected through the handset 14 or, in the case of a fixed message, selected from the list 15 and the voice synthesizer 191 is selected.
The voice storage center 32 stores the voice signal, and calls the telephone of b1 at predetermined time intervals, and sends a stored voice message if there is a response. In this manner, a voice message can be delivered to the called party B via the voice storage center 32.

Callee C with telephone and fax (telephone number c
Even if the user is not present by calling 1), the line is temporarily disconnected by the instruction of the caller A, the alternative number c2 is extracted from the number list 16, and the dial of c2 is automatically transmitted to the fax 7 through the NCU 195. When the other party's fax 7 automatically answers and the telephone-attached personal computer 1 of the caller A detects it, the caller A displays a fixed message list 15 on the display 11, and displays the fixed message list 15, such as the caller's name and contact telephone number. When one of the fixed message containing information is indicated by the dial key 12,
The CPU 17 sends the character string of the designated fixed-form message to the character-fax converter 190 via the input / output bus 19, and the converter 190 converts the character string into a fax image signal and sends it to the destination fax machine 7. Thereby, the callee C
Can automatically get the message out when you are away. In this case, the public character-fax conversion center 33 may be used without performing the character-fax signal conversion in the calling terminal. In other words, if you call recipient C and there is no answer,
Caller A uses the dial key 12 to enter the character-fax conversion center.
Instruct 33 phone numbers to make automatic calls through NCU195,
When the character-fax conversion center 33 responds, the fax number c2 of the called party C is transmitted as a multi-frequency signal by the modem 193, and the fixed form message selected from the list 15 is converted into the multi-frequency signal by the modem 193. To send. The character-fax conversion center 33 calls the received fax with the number c2, and if there is a response, converts the fixed text message previously received from the sender A into a fax image signal and sends it out.

Callee D holding phone and pager (phone number d1)
And call the pager 9 with a message in the same procedure. That is, the pager 9 is first called, the number d2 of the pager 9 is transmitted as a PB signal, and the selected fixed message is transmitted to the character-pager code converter 19.
Each character is converted into a two-digit code by 2 and transmitted, and the radio paging base station 30 calls the pager 9 of the number d2 and transmits the received fixed message, whereby a message is displayed on the display 10 on the pager 9 Is done.

The above-described example shows a method of storing the destination number list 16 in the terminal on the calling side, but this list is frequently changed, and the number guidance center 31 which the communication network 3 manages in a database. May be provided. In this case, if the call is made to the other party's terminal and the other party is not present without the presence of the other party, the line is temporarily disconnected and the call is automatically sent to the directory assistance center 31. When the directory assistance center 31 responds, the parent telephone number (eg, b1, c1, d1, etc.) of the called party is sent from the personal computer with telephone 1 to the directory assistance center 31 through the modem 193. The directory service center 31 searches the database from the received number and returns to the personal computer with telephone 1 an alternative number such as a related telephone number, a fax number, a pager number, etc. relating to this subscriber, which can be replaced. This is displayed on the display 11, and the caller A looks at it and gives a selection instruction using the dial key 12, thereby enabling alternative communication.

In this case, when the other party does not appear, the directory assistance center 31
In response to this, instead of the calling terminal transmitting, the exchange detects that the called party does not come out, calls the directory assistance center 31 and answers the call, sends the called party's parent telephone number, and asks for an alternative number. Alternatively, the substitute number can be sent to the caller A to automatically obtain the substitute number.

Further, instead of inquiring the alternative number to the directory assistance center, there is also a method in which the parent telephone of the partner terminal individually stores the information and notifies the calling side every time an incoming call is received. This is the subscriber line interface (CCIT) of the integrated services digital network.
This is because such information can be sent at the time of an incoming call by using a user-user signal by utilizing a standard I interface.

In the above description, when the called party does not come out, an alternative number or a center number is designated by the dial key 12 and the NCU 195 automatically makes a call, but these numbers may be sent manually by operating the dial key 12. . For example, in the case of automatic dialing, after operating the special key indicating that it is automatic dialing, an alternative number is specified.In the case of manual dialing, each digit of the alternative number is ordered from the dial key 12 without operating the special key. input.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when a call is made and the other party is absent or busy and the communication purpose cannot be achieved, an alternative number is provided from the calling terminal, the directory assistance center, and the receiving terminal. Therefore, there is an advantage that the alternative communication can be selected by a simple operation, and it is possible to provide support when it is absolutely necessary to contact the user, which is very convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a communication system for explaining the configuration and operation of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a terminal (personal computer with telephone) used in the present invention.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] In the communication terminal on the calling side, the same receiver is provided.
A number list that stores a plurality of communication network numbers and their terminal types, a fixed message list that stores a plurality of fixed messages, a character-to-fax converter that converts character data to a fax screen signal, and character data to each character A character-to-pager code converter that converts each number to a two-digit code is provided. The type of the receiving terminal is obtained, a message is selected from the fixed message list, transmitted to the other communication network number, and the selected message is converted by the converter according to the terminal type of the communication network number. An alternative number transmission method characterized by communicating. 2. The communication network number and the terminal type of another terminal to be contacted for each called party when talking or not present are stored in a directory guide center in the communication network. A character-fax conversion center for converting character data into a fax screen signal, a fixed message list for storing a plurality of fixed messages in a communication terminal on the transmitting side, and converting / inverting a character into a multi-frequency modulated signal. A modem and a character-to-pager code converter that converts character data into a two-digit code for each character. If a call cannot be reached during the other party's call or when the other party is absent, a call is sent from the calling terminal to the directory assistance center. Then, ask the other party to provide the communication network number and terminal type of the other terminal to be contacted, select the fixed message, and confirm that the terminal with the communication network number provided by the fax If not, the selected fixed message is transmitted to the character-fax conversion center using the modem, and the communication network number of the fax terminal is transmitted to the character-fax conversion center. From the other communication network number, the selected message is converted into a screen signal and transmitted, and if the other communication network number terminal taught above is a pager, calling the pager, A method for transmitting an alternative number, comprising transmitting the selected message using the character-pager code converter. 3. A fixed message list for storing a plurality of fixed messages in a calling communication terminal, a character-fax converter for converting character data into a screen signal by facsimile,
A character-pager code converter for converting character data into a two-digit code for each character, and storing, in the called communication terminal, a communication network number of another terminal capable of alternative communication and its terminal type; If no human responds to the incoming call, the stored communication network number and terminal type are transmitted to the transmitting side, and the transmitting side selects a message from the fixed message list, and transmits to the other received network number. A method for transmitting an alternative number, comprising transmitting the selected fixed message and converting the selected fixed message by the converter according to the type of the communication network number terminal.