JPH0918585A - Voice mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a long-period saved message which is already heard and an unnecessary message from causing hindrance to voice mail service by preventing them from being stored. SOLUTION: A message storage period is set in a message storage period setting part 10 through button operation on a telephone set 1, and while a message or a communication voice is recorded in a message voice recording and reproducing means 8, the difference between its date and current time is stored in a message storage memory 9. A message storage period comparison part 11 compares the difference between the date and time of the message and the current date and time and when the long-period stored message in the message storage memory 9 exceeds the set period in the message storage period setting part 10, a speech guidance for the presence of the long-period stored message and its erasure confirmation is reproduced from a speech guidance memory 6 and sent to a telephone set 1; and a message erasing means 13 is placed in operation through the button operation on the telephone set 11 to erase the long-period stored message.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice mail system, and more particularly, when a long-term storage message exists, the telephone of the owner of the box containing the message is called and the long-term storage message exists. The present invention relates to a voice mail system having a function of notifying the user, confirming whether or not the message can be deleted, and automatically deleting the long-term storage message.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional voice mail device, there is a method of unconditionally deleting a long-term storage message. However, it is the owner of a box as to whether or not the voice mail system may automatically delete the long-term storage message. There was no way to confirm and erase.

[0003]

In the conventional voice mail apparatus as described above, there are many cases in which already listened messages are stored indefinitely, and the message collection that can be recorded in a certain box is exceeded. If you try to record a new message, you will not be able to record in that box, which may interfere with the service of your voicemail system.

Further, in the conventional technique, there is a problem that a long-term storage message is unconditionally deleted, and a necessary message is deleted.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, prevents the accumulation of already-listened long-term storage messages and unnecessary messages, and exceeds the number of messages preset in each box. It is an object of the present invention to provide a voice mail system capable of preventing the voice mail service from being hindered by preventing the voice mail service.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a telephone interface section for communicating voice and data with a key telephone, and a DTMF (multi-frequency signal) / A DTMF / DP detection circuit for detecting a DP (dial / pulse) signal, a voice guidance memory for storing voice guidance such as voice mail operation guidance in advance, and a voice guidance reproducing means for reproducing the voice guidance in the voice guidance memory. Message recording / playback means for recording and playing a voice call or a message by the key telephone, a message storage memory for storing the call voice or the message and the recording date and time thereof, and a message storage memory for operating the button of the key telephone. Set the retention period for stored messages The message retention period setting unit, the clock unit indicating the current date and time, the current date and time of the clock unit and the date and time of the message stored in the message storage memory are compared, and the difference is determined by the message retention period setting unit. A message storage period comparison unit that determines whether the set storage period has been exceeded, and when the message storage period comparison unit determines that the message storage period has been exceeded, a call is made to the telephone corresponding to the box number of the message. A long-term storage message is played back from the message storage memory by the message recording / playback means and sent to the telephone to notify the presence of the long-term storage message, and the voice guidance playback means is activated to confirm the deletion of the long-term storage message. Control means for notifying guidance,
Message confirmation means for deleting the long-term storage message from the message storage memory by operating the button of the key telephone after confirming the long-term storage message.

Further, according to the present invention, if it is desired to further store the long-term storage message when the existence of the long-term storage message is confirmed, the clock means is controlled by a button operation of the key telephone to deal with the message. The date and time of the message storage memory are rewritten.

Further, according to the present invention, when the telephone corresponding to the box containing the long-term storage message does not respond even if the telephone is called a preset number of times, the telephone is called to another preset telephone for long-term storage. A message is reproduced from the message storage memory by the message recording / playback means and sent to the other telephone to notify the existence of the long-term storage message, and the voice guidance playback means is activated to confirm the deletion of the long-term storage message. It is characterized in that a control means for notifying the guidance is further provided.

[0009]

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, when a certain period of time set by the message storage period setting unit elapses, there exists a long-term storage message that calls the telephone of the box owner of the message stored in the message storage memory for a long period of time. Notification, and then play a voice prompt to confirm whether to delete the message,
Select whether to delete the long-term storage message by operating the buttons on the telephone. Therefore, by preventing the accumulation of long-term storage messages that have already been listened to and unnecessary messages, and by preventing the number of messages that have been preset in each box from being exceeded, the service of the voice mail system will be hindered. Never.

Further, in the present invention, by rewriting the date and time of the long-term storage message, it becomes possible to further store the long-term storage message.

Further, in the present invention, when the owner of the telephone corresponding to the box in which the long-term storage message exists is not present, another telephone is called to notify the presence of the long-term storage message and the long-term storage message is present. By notifying the voice guidance for confirmation of deletion, the long-term storage message can be deleted and stored even if not the owner of the box of the long-term storage message, and it is possible to prevent accumulation of listened long-term storage messages and unnecessary messages.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the voice mail system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, a voice mail device 2 includes a CPU 7 for controlling the entire voice mail device, a telephone I / F section 3 for communicating voice and data with the key telephone 1, and a DTMF (multi-function) by button operation from the telephone 1. Frequency signal) /
DTMF / D that detects DP (dial pulse) signals
P signal detection circuit 4, voice guidance memory 6 for storing voice guidance such as voice mail operation guidance in advance, voice guidance reproducing means 5 for reproducing voice guidance in voice guidance memory 6, message storage memory for storing call voices and messages 9, message recording / playback means 8 for recording and playing voice and messages, message storage period setting unit 10 for setting a message storage period,
Listened when the period set in the message storage period comparison unit 11 that compares the current date and time and the date and time when message recording or call recording was performed, the clock function unit 12 that indicates the current date and time, and the message storage period setting unit 10 has elapsed Message erasing means 13 for automatically erasing the long-term storage message.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, by operating the buttons on the telephone 1, the message storage period is set in advance by the telephone I / F unit 3, DTMF /
It is set in the message storage period setting unit 10 via the DP signal detection circuit 4 and the CPU 7. Then, a new message and call voice from the telephone 1 are recorded / recorded.
The voice data is recorded in the reproducing means 8 (step S1), and the voice data is stored in the message storage memory 9 by the message recording / reproducing means 8. At the same time, the date / time data is output from the clock function unit 12 and added to the voice data (step S2) to be set and stored in the message storage memory 9. Further, the message is heard and stored (step S3). For this message, the message storage period comparison unit 11 periodically compares the date and time of the message and the current date and time.
Is compared with the clock function unit 12 to determine whether the present date / time-the date / time when the message was recorded> the message storage period (step S4). If it is determined that the message storage period is longer than the message storage period preset in the message storage period setting unit 10, the CPU 7 controls the telephone 1 corresponding to the box number containing the message (step S5). ), A specified voice guidance is selected from the voice guidance memory 6 under the control of the CPU 7, and a long-term storage message exists by voice guidance to the owner of the box via the voice guidance reproducing means 5 and the telephone I / F unit 3. Is transmitted (step S6).

Further, when the reproduction of the long-term storage message is completed, the specified voice guidance is selected from the voice guidance memory 6 under the control of the CPU 7, and the box is owned via the voice guidance reproducing means 5 and the telephone I / F section 3. The voice guidance for confirming whether the long-term storage message may be erased by the voice guidance of the person is reproduced by the telephone 1 (step S7). Here, it is judged whether or not the message can be deleted (step S8), and when the message can be deleted, the DT is operated by operating the button of the telephone 1.
The MF / DP signal detection circuit 4 and the CPU 7 control the message erasing means 13 to erase the long-term storage message stored in the message storage memory 9 (step S).
9). If you want to store more long-term storage messages, you can operate the buttons on the telephone 1 to
The clock function unit 12 is configured by the DP signal detection circuit 4 and the CPU 7.
Control, the date and time data of the message is updated, and the message is saved (step S10). After a certain period of time has passed, the same voice guidance is given as described above, and the same operation is performed until the long-term storage message is deleted.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In another embodiment, when a long-term storage message exists in a certain box, the number of times the telephone corresponding to the box is called is determined by the button operation of the telephone 1, the telephone I / F unit 3, the DTMF / DP signal detection circuit 4. And set by the CPU 7. Further, the telephone number of another telephone to be called when the confirmation of the message deletion cannot be obtained after calling a preset number of times, the telephone number 1
The button operation, telephone I / F unit 3, DTMF / DP signal detection circuit 4 and CPU 7 are set.

In such a state, first, by operating a button on the telephone 1, the message storage period is set in advance by the telephone I.
/ F unit 3, DTMF / DP signal detection circuit 4 and CPU 7
It is set in the message retention period setting unit 10 via the. Then, a new message and call voice from the telephone 1 are recorded in the message recording / playback means 8 (step S21), and the voice data is stored in the message storage memory 9 by the message recording / playback means 8. At the same time, the date / time data is output from the clock function unit 12 and added to the voice data (step S22) to be set and stored in the message storage memory 9. Further, the message is heard and stored (step S23). For this message, the date and time of the message and the current date and time are periodically compared by the message storage period comparison unit 11 and the clock function unit 12 to determine whether the current date and time-the date and time when the message was recorded> the message storage period ( Step S24). Here, if it is determined that it is longer than the message retention period set in the message retention period setting unit 10 in advance, C
Under control of the PU 7, the telephone 1 corresponding to the box number containing the message is called (step S2).
5) It is determined whether the called telephone has answered (step S26).

If there is no response from the telephone that has been calling for a certain period of time and the deletion of the long-term storage message cannot be confirmed, the call is temporarily stopped under the control of the CPU 7. Further, under the control of the CPU 7, the telephone 1 corresponding to the box in which the long-term storage message exists is called a preset number of times of calling. If the number of calls exceeds the preset number of calls,
When the telephone 1 corresponding to the box in which the long-term storage message exists is not answered, it is determined that the deletion of the long-term storage message cannot be confirmed (step S27),
Then, under the control of the CPU 7, the telephone number of another telephone set in advance is dialed via the telephone I / F unit 3 (step S28), and it is determined whether the called another telephone has answered (step S29). Here, if a response is made, the process proceeds to step S31, and if no response is made, the process proceeds to step S30. When it is desired to further store the long-term storage message, the button operation of the telephone 1 is performed.
The clock function unit 12 is controlled by the MF / DP signal detection circuit 4 and the CPU 7, the date and time data of the message is updated, and the message is saved.

On the other hand, step S26 or step S2
When the telephone responds in step 9, the process proceeds to step S31, the designated voice guidance is selected from the voice guidance memory 6 under the control of the CPU 7, and the box owner is passed through the voice guidance reproducing means 5 and the telephone I / F unit 3. Tell the user that there is a long-term storage message by voice guidance. Further, the long-term storage message is taken out from the message storage memory 9 under the control of the CPU 7, and the long-term storage message is reproduced by the telephone via the message recording / reproducing means 8 and the telephone I / F unit 3. When the reproduction of the long-term storage message is completed, the designated voice guidance is selected from the voice guidance memory 6 under the control of the CPU 7, and the voice guidance of the box owner is transmitted via the voice guidance reproducing means 5 and the telephone I / F unit 3. The telephone 1 reproduces the voice guidance for confirming whether the long-term storage message may be deleted (step S3).
2). Here, it is judged whether or not the message can be deleted (step S33), and when the message can be deleted, the DTMF / DP signal detection circuit 4 and the CPU 7 operate the button of the telephone 1 to delete the message. Is controlled to erase the long-term storage message stored in the message storage memory 9 (step S34). If the message is not deleted, the process proceeds to step S30 and the process of step S30 is executed.

[0021]

As is apparent from the above embodiment, the present invention enables the box owner's telephone of a message stored in the message storage memory for a long period of time after a certain period of time set by the message storage period setting unit has elapsed. Notify that there is a called long-term storage message, and play a voice guidance to confirm whether to delete the message, and then confirm whether to delete the long-term storage message by operating the buttons on the telephone. Since it is possible to select, it is possible to prevent the accumulation of already stored long-term storage messages and unnecessary messages, and to prevent the number of messages preset in each box from being exceeded, thereby hindering the voice mail system service. You can prevent coming.

According to the present invention, the long-term storage message can be further stored by rewriting the date and time of the long-term storage message.

Further, according to the present invention, when the owner of the telephone corresponding to the box containing the long-term storage message is absent, another telephone is called to notify the presence of the long-term storage message, and the long-term storage message is stored. By notifying the voice guidance of message deletion confirmation, even a user who is not the box owner of the long-term storage message can delete and store the long-term storage message, and can prevent the accumulation of already listened long-term storage messages and unnecessary messages. Has the effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a voice mail system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of voice mail in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of voice mail according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Telephone 2 Voice Mail Device 3 Telephone I / F Section 4 DTMF / DP Signal Detection Circuit 5 Voice Guidance Playback Means 6 Voice Guidance Memory 7 CPU 8 Message Recording / Playback Means 9 Message Storage Memory 10 Message Storage Period Setting Section 11 Message Storage Period Comparison unit 12 Clock function unit 13 Message erasing means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A telephone interface unit for performing voice and data communication with a key telephone, and a DTMF / DP detection circuit for detecting a DTMF (multi-frequency signal) / DP (dial pulse) signal by button operation from the key telephone. And a voice guidance memory for storing voice guidance such as voice mail operation guidance in advance, a voice guidance reproducing means for reproducing the voice guidance in the voice guidance memory, and a message for recording and reproducing a call voice or a message by the key telephone. A recording / playback means, a message storage memory for storing the call voice and the message and the recording date and time thereof, and a message storage period setting unit for setting the storage period of the message stored in the message storage memory by the button operation of the button telephone. And a clock showing the current date and time Means for comparing the current date and time of the clock means with the date and time of the message stored in the message storage memory, and comparing whether the difference exceeds the retention period set by the message retention period setting unit And the message storage period comparison unit determines that the storage period of the message is exceeded, the telephone corresponding to the box number of the message is called and the long-term storage message is recorded / recorded from the message storage memory. Control means for reproducing by the reproducing means and sending to the telephone to notify the existence of the long-term storage message, and for operating the voice guidance reproducing means to notify the voice guidance of deletion confirmation of the long-term storage message,
A voice mail system comprising message erasing means for erasing the long-term storage message from the message storage memory by operating the button of the key telephone after confirming the long-term storage message. 2. The voice mail system according to claim 1, wherein when it is confirmed that the long-term storage message exists, the long-term storage message is further stored, the button means is operated to control the clock means. Then, the date and time of the message storage memory corresponding to the message is rewritten. 3. The voice mail system according to claim 1, wherein when the telephone corresponding to the box containing the long-term storage message does not respond even if the telephone is called a preset number of times, another preset To the other telephone to notify the existence of the long-term storage message and activate the voice guidance reproduction means. A voice mail system, further comprising control means for giving notification by voice guidance of confirmation of deletion of long-term storage message.