JPH033545A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain message recording till a caller is satisfied by allowing a caller itself to confirm and correct the content of a recording message. CONSTITUTION:A control means 1 consists of an arithmetic means 1a, a random access memory(RAM) 1b, a read only memory(ROM) 1c, an input section 1d and an output section 1e. The control means 1 reads an output of a control signal detection means (DTMF receiver) 11 from the input section 1d, uses the output section 1e to stop a timer 14 when the control signal of DTMF indicates re-recording and outputs a signal to stop the operation of a deck drive means 12. Moreover, the control means 1 applies re-recording when the content of the timer 14 set in advance is not equal to the message recording setting time and applies reproduction when equal. Thus, the caller itself confirms the message recording message just after message recording and records it again to leave the confirmed message recording.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine having a function that allows the caller to replay or re-record a message recorded by the caller as many times as desired.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, answering machines having this type of message recording function have been constructed so that the caller cannot control message recording.

Therefore, in conventional answering machines of this type, the caller cannot check the contents of the recorded message, and cannot re-record the message after it has been recorded. This gives callers a sense of anxiety and reluctance to record messages, and as a result, many callers do not record their messages, resulting in a problem that the answering machine does not fully function.

The present invention solves these conventional problems and alleviates the caller's anxiety about answering machines by allowing the caller to check and modify the contents of the recorded message. To provide an excellent answering machine which eliminates the feeling of being uncomfortable, allows the caller to record the message until he/she is satisfied, and prevents the message from being unrecorded as much as possible.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a means for recording the caller's business in response to an incoming call, and a means for reproducing the recorded business based on the caller's instructions. and means for invalidating and re-recording the recorded message based on the caller's instructions.

According to the present invention, the caller can play back and listen to the recorded message based on the caller's own instructions as necessary. As a result of playback, if the recorded message is desired to be changed, the recorded message can be invalidated and a new message can be re-recorded.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, ■ is a control means constituted by a microcomputer, 2 is a magnetic tape for recording messages, 3 is a magnetic head for writing and reading messages, 4 is an amplification means, and 5 is a device and a line. The line connection terminal to be connected, 6 is an incoming signal detection means, 7 is a station line closing means, 8 is a response message sending means, 9 is a guidance for sending a pre-speech-synthesized message to the caller after recording the message. 10 is a call end detection means; 11 is a control signal detection means (DTMF receiver) for detecting a control signal sent from a calling party; 12 is a deck drive means for driving the magnetic tape 2; 13 is a deck drive means for driving the magnetic tape 2; A rotation counter receives signals from the deck driving means 12 as the tape runs, and counts up or down depending on the tape running direction. Reference numeral 14 is a timer in which the input time of the recording message is set in advance.

The control means 1 is composed of a calculation means 1a, a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as W) 1b1, a read only memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM) IC1, a manual section Id, and an output section 1e.

Next, the operation of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when a caller makes a call to the line, it is detected by the incoming signal detection means 6 and then input to the input section 1d of the control means 1. That is, the control means 1 monitors the output of the incoming signal detection means 6 in step 15 of FIG. At step 17, a signal for driving the station line closing means 7 and response message sending means 8 is outputted from the output section 1e. The line is thereby closed and a response message is sent to the line via the line connection terminal 5.

When the sending of the response message is completed, the control means 1 first resets and starts the timer I4 in step 18, outputs a signal to reset the revolution counter 13 to zero in step 19, and starts recording the message in step 20. The signal is outputted from the output section 1e. As a result, the drive means 12 is driven to run the tape and start recording. Further, as the tape runs, the rotation counter 13 counts up. In this way, during the recording of the matter, the audio signal from the line is transmitted to the line connecting terminal 5, the office line closing means 7
, an amplification circuit 4, and a magnetic tape 2 via a magnetic to rad 3. At this time, the audio signal from the line is also input to the end of call detection means 10 and the DTMF receiver 11 at the same time.

When the call end detection means 10 detects the end of the call in step 23, the control means 1 stops the timer 14, stops the recording of the message in step 25, and then proceeds to step 4.
Press 3 to open the central line.

On the other hand, when a DTMF control signal is sent from the calling party during recording of the message, the DTMF receiver 11 detects this.

Then, in step 21, the control means 1 reads the output of the DTMF ranger 11 from the input section 1d.

Here, if the DTMF control signal instructs re-recording, the control means 1 stops the timer 14 from the output section 1e, and outputs a signal to the deck driving means 12 to stop its operation. Also, when the recording of the business is finished by the timer 14, similarly, in step 22, the timer 1
4 and outputs a signal to stop the deck driving means 12.

Due to this signal, in steps 26 and 27, timer 1 is
4 is stopped, the deck driving means 12 is also stopped, and the recording of the business is completed, so that the rotation counter 13 also stops counting up. This count value indicates the end position of recording the business matter, and is stored in the RAM 1b.

With this, when returning the magnetic tape 2 to the start position of the message recording, the count value becomes zero, and when setting it to the end position of the message recording, the count value becomes the value of m1b. The deck driving means 12 may be driven as follows.

If the recording of the message has ended by the timer 14,
Step 28 branches, and step 29 sends guidance information to the caller. This guidance information informs the caller how to play or re-record the recorded message. In addition, in step 30, the control means 1 inputs the rotation counter value into the RAM 1b for when reproducing the message. Thereafter, in steps 31, 32, and 33, under the supervision of the control means 1, the message magnetic tape 2 is rewound to the message recording start position.

Next, to determine whether to play or re-record,
In step 34, the value of timer 14 is used. The control means 1 performs control so that if the value of the timer 14 is not equal to the business recording setting time, re-recording is performed, and if it is equal, reproduction is performed. If re-recording is to be performed, the message recording operation is performed again after sending the response message, and if reproduction is to be performed, the message is played back to the end position of message recording in steps 35, 36, and 37. After the playback is finished, in step 39.40,
- Waits for control signal only for a certain period of time. During this period, only if a control signal is output from the rectal rectal receiver 11, the control means 1 stops the timer 14 in step 39, and reverses the deck driving means 12 to perform rewinding in order to perform playback or re-recording again. After that, the control signal is determined and the playback or re-recording operation is controlled again. Also, if the control signal does not come on the open side for a certain period of time, in steps 42 and 43, the timer 14
The machine stops and opens the station line, and the machine returns to standby mode.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention enables the caller to check and re-record the recorded message immediately after recording the message, and the message can be used to the caller's satisfaction. Since it is possible to leave a recorded message, it has the advantage of reducing the caller's dislike of answering machines. As a result, it is possible to prevent unrecorded messages from being recorded as much as possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment device of the present invention, Fig. 2 (A)
(B) is a flowchart explaining the operation of the embodiment device of the present invention. 1... Control means, 2... Magnetic tape for business, 3...
- Magnetic head, 4... Amplifying means, 5... Line connection terminal, 6... Incoming signal detection signal, 7... Office line closing means, 8... Response message sending means, 9... Guidance information sending means, 10... End of call detection means, 11... Control signal detection means (DTMF renderer), 12... Deck driving means, 13... Rotation counter, 14... Timer. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] a means for answering an incoming call and answering the caller and recording the caller's business; a means for reproducing the recorded business based on the caller's instructions; and a means for playing the recorded business based on the caller's instructions. and a means for invalidating and re-recording the received message.