JPH04304750A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the user to listen to a message addressed to itself efficiently in the automatic answering telephone set connected to plural telephone lines. CONSTITUTION:The automatic answering telephone set connected to plural telephone lines 1a, 1b is provided with a transmission means sending a reply message by closing a telephone line detecting a bell signal and a recording means (7) detecting the closed telephone line and recording the incoming message therefrom onto a tape 5 or 6 with respect to the closed telephone line from the tapes 5, 6 provided corresponding to the plural telephone lines and the message of the different telephone line is recorded respectively on the relevant tape 5 or 6 and the reproduction is uniquely attained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine capable of recording messages input from a plurality of telephone lines.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been an answering machine that connects to multiple telephone lines (hereinafter referred to as lines) and records messages. The caller's message was then recorded.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional answering machine connected to multiple lines, messages from multiple lines are recorded in sequence on the same tape, so it is difficult to connect multiple lines to individuals. Even if the message is assigned to each user, in order to listen to a message addressed to oneself, all messages including messages addressed to others must be played back, and there is a problem in that listening to messages takes a wasted time. The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide an answering machine that accommodates a plurality of lines and is capable of efficiently listening to messages.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, an answering machine of the present invention includes a bell signal detecting means for detecting a bell signal, and a line closing means for closing the telephone line where the bell signal is detected. , a line input/output means for sending a response message to the closed line and inputting an incoming message from the telephone line, a message recording means for recording the incoming message, and a beginning of message recording from the telephone line. storage means for storing the position and end position; line designation means for designating each of the plurality of telephone lines; message playback means for playing back the recorded message;
and control means for controlling each of the means to record and reproduce messages, and the control means receives detection information from the bell signal detection means and closes the corresponding telephone line by the line closing means. , sends a response message via the line input/output means, determines which telephone line is closed, performs positioning for recording a message coming from the telephone line, and records the incoming message by the message recording means; However, when a message is played back by the message playback means, it has a function of controlling the playback of the message from the telephone line designated by the line designation means.

[0005]

[Operation] Therefore, according to the present invention, messages from multiple lines can be recorded in respective specific message areas, and when a line is specified and the message is played back,
Only incoming messages from specified lines can be played back, and no time is wasted playing back messages.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing essential parts of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1,
1 (1a, 1b) is a line, 2 is a line closing means,
2a and 2b correspond to the central office lines 1a and 1b, respectively. 3 is a bell signal detection means, and 3a and 3b correspond to the office lines 1a and 1b, respectively. 4 sends a response message to the line 1 (1a or 1b) closed by the line closing means 2 (2a or 2b), or
b) line input/output means for recording and reproducing incoming messages from line 1a; 5 is an OGM tape for recording response messages and incoming messages from line 1a; and 6 is an ICM tape for recording incoming messages from line 1b. , 7 is the OGM
A cassette deck controls the recording and playback of tape 5 and ICM tape 6, 8 is an OGM tape counter that counts the number of revolutions of OGM tape 5, and 9 indicates the start and end positions at which the incoming message from central office line 1a was recorded. 10 is a line mode switch that specifies which incoming message recorded from line 1 (1a or 1b) is to be played; 11 is a playback switch for playing the incoming message; 12 is an answering machine. This is a control means that controls the entire device.

The operation of the embodiment configured as above will be explained. Figure 2 is a flowchart for reproducing a message input from a specific line, and Figure 3 is a flowchart for playing back a message input from a specific line.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating recording positions of response messages and incoming messages recorded on the GM tape 5. FIG. The operation will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. First, the bell signal detection means 3 (3a or 3b) detects the line 1 (1a or 1).
When the bell signal from b) is detected (S1), the control means 12
Notify. The control means 12 controls the line closing means 2 (2a or 2b) to close the line 1 (1a or 1b) on which the bell signal has been detected (S2), and also closes the line 1 (1a or 1b) that has been closed by controlling the line closing means 2 (2a or 2b). 1b), the cassette deck 7 is controlled to transmit the response message recorded on the OGM tape 5 (see FIG. 3) from the line input/output means 4 to the connected line 1 (1a or 1b).
) (S3). After sending the response message, the control means 12 determines whether the closed line is 1a or 1b (S4). When the line 1a is closed, the control means 12
From a, the OGM tape 5 is fast-forwarded and positioned until the count value of the OGM tape counter 8 matches the value stored in the storage means 9 as the final position of the incoming message already recorded on the OGM tape 5. (S5). The calling party is notified that the positioning of the OGM tape 5 is in progress, and when the positioning is completed, the control means 12 notifies the calling party that recording of the message will start, and turns on the line input/output means 4. OG
Record on M tape 5 (S6). When the recording of the message is completed, the control means 12 controls the OG
The value of the M counter 8 is stored in the storage means 9 as the end position of the incoming message recorded from the line 1a (S7), and the control means 12 opens the line 1a which has been closed by the line closing means 2a (S9). If line 1b is closed,
The control means 12 controls the cassette deck 7 to record the incoming message input via the line input/output means 4 onto the ICM tape 6 (S8). When the recording of the message is completed, the control means 12 opens the line 1b that has been closed by the line closing means 2b (S9). Next, line 1 (1
a and 1b) are not closed, that is, when there is no bell input (NO in S1), when the playback switch 11 for playing the message is pressed (YES in S10), the control means 12 causes the line mode switch 10 to Line 1 (1
It is determined which message a or 1b) is to be reproduced (S11). When reproducing recorded messages from the line 1a (S11, 1a), the control means 12 controls the cassette deck 7 so that the count value of the OGM tape counter 8 is the starting point (S11, 1a) of all incoming messages recorded from the line 1a. (see Figure 3) and align the OGM tape (see Figure 3).
S12), the message recorded from the line 1a is played back from the OGM tape 5 (S13). When reproducing the recorded message from the line 1b (S11, 1b), the control means 12 controls the cassette deck 7 and aligns it with the starting point of the recorded message on the ICM tape 6 (S14).
, the message recorded on the ICM tape 6 is played back. As described above, the present invention records a message in the recording area of the tape corresponding to the line through which the message is received. Note that in the above embodiment, messages are recorded on separate tapes for each line, but
It is of course possible to record on the same tape with separate recording areas for each line, without providing separate tapes for each line.

[0008]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention records messages received from a plurality of lines in the recording area corresponding to each line. When played back, all the messages necessary for the user are played back, and it is not necessary to play back all the messages, which has a great effect of shortening the playback time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the main parts of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing recording positions on an OGM tape according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Telephone line (line), 2... Line closing means, 3
...Bell signal detection means, 4...Line input/output means, 5
...OGM tape, 6...ICM tape, 7...cassette deck, 8...OGM tape counter, 9...
Storage means, 10...Line mode switch, 11...
regeneration switch, 12...control means;

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An answering machine connected to a plurality of telephone lines, comprising: a bell signal detection means for detecting a bell signal; a line closing means for closing the telephone line on which the bell signal has been detected; a line input/output means for sending a response message to the telephone line and inputting an incoming message from the telephone line; a message recording means for recording the incoming message; and a starting position and end position for recording the message from the telephone line. a storage means for storing a location; a line specifying means for specifying each of the plurality of telephone lines; a message playback means for playing back a recorded message; and controlling each of the above means to record and play a message. and a control means, the control means receives the detection information from the bell signal detection means, closes the corresponding telephone line by the line closing means, and sends a response message via the line input/output means. , determining a closed telephone line, performing positioning for recording an incoming message from the telephone line, and recording the incoming message by the message recording means;
An answering machine having a function of controlling the reproduction of a message from a telephone line designated by the line specifying means when the message is reproduced by the message reproducing means.