AU1180199A

AU1180199A - A method for recording and storing received sound signals and, possibly, picturesignals in connection with a telephone apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU1180199A
Application number: AU11801/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steinar Kolnes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-02
Filing date: 1998-09-30
Publication date: 1999-04-27
Also published as: CA2305439A1; WO1999018577A3; EP1057181A2; JP2001519609A; EA200000357A1; ID24614A; NO974863D0; CN1273733A; NO303960B1; BR9812613A; WO1999018577A2; KR20010040255A; NO974863A

Description

WO 99/18577 PCT/N098/00292 1 A METHOD FOR RECORDING AND STORING RECEIVED SOUND SIGNALS AND, POSSIBLY, PICTURE SIGNALS IN CONNECTION WITH A TELEPHONE APPARATUS The invention relates to a method for recording and storing 5 received sound signals and, possibly, picture signals in con nection with a telephone apparatus or a telephone central of fice adapted to receive said signals from a remote apparatus, and where the telephone apparatus or telephone central office further is adapted to receive information about the telephone 10 number of the remote apparatus, the telephone apparatus and the remote apparatus being connected to a telephone network, with the purpose of later to play back stored sound signals in a loadspeaker/handset, possibly to play back stored pic ture signals on a graphic display screen when the telephone is apparatus is called from the remote apparatus, the telephone apparatus or the telephone central office being assigned a data storage medium and a data processor adapted to search in the data storage medium for telephone numbers received via the telephone line, and to play back stored sound signals be 20 longing thereto, possibly picture signals if the telephone number exists in the data storage medium, and where the data processor further is adapted to store searchable telephone numbers and recordings in the data storage medium belonging thereto.

WO 99/18577 PCT/N098/00292 2 When a telephone apparatus signalises a call through a sound or light signal, it is often desirable to be capable of iden tifying from where the call comes. Digitised telephone systems, such as ISDN and mobile tele 5 phones of GSM type, may show the number of the calling appa ratus in a character window. The calling telephone number can also be transferred on analog communication. Telephone num bers can be difficult to remember, and it is previously known that a telephone apparatus can connect an identified number 10 to an electronically stored telephone list and show a name in the character window instead of the number. Known apparatus have a plurality of disadvantages. First, one has to maintain a telephone list oneself. Secondly, the call can not be identified without studying the character window, is this being a disadvantage where several people have a common telephone apparatus, such as the case would be in most homes. It is known to associate an identified calling telephone num ber to a voice message stored in a data storage medium, and play back the voice message in a loadspeaker, in order to 20 thereby facilitate the identification of a call. From International patent application W095/05045 it is previ ously known a telephone apparatus adapted to play back stored messages instead of ring sound. A disadvantage of this known solution is that storing speaking messages is bothersome, 25 storing being carried out upon a signal from the caller or upon a signal from the receiver. Of course, these measures also require relatively complex and expensive equipment. The object of the invention is to provide a method for sim plified storing of information which, upon playing back, can 30 identify the caller when the calling telephone number is re ceived over the telephone line.

WO 99/18577 PCT/NO98/00292 3 According to the invention, automatic recording of sound, possible picture, is carried out from the first seconds of a telephone connection with a remote apparatus. Voices are relatively easy to identify and, additionally, the caller 5 will most often introduce himself/herself early in a tele phone conversation. If a recording is not already associated to the actual remote apparatus, the calling telephone number is automatically stored searchably in a data storage medium and associated to the recording belonging thereto, the latter 10 also being stored. Concretely, this is carried out in that recordings of sound signals from the remote apparatus and/or the receiving tele phone apparatus, possibly picture signals, or display of text extracted from the stored voice message by means of voice-to 15 text-decoding, start upon the establishment of a telephonic connection with a remote apparatus, possibly first when suit able sound signals (voice) are received from the remote appa ratus, and wherein recording stops after a predetermined time, whereupon the telephone number of the remote apparatus 20 is searchably stored in the data storage medium and associ ated to the recording, which is also stored. When calling telephone number, as previously known, is iden tified upon a call, it is searched in the data storage medium for the telephone number. If the telephone number exists in 25 the data storage medium, the stored sound recording belonging thereto is played back in an amplifier, and a picture is, possibly, displayed on a graphic display screen. The conversation may also be announced in that a stored re cording is converted into text by means of a speech recogni 30 tion program in a computer. Thereupon, the text may be dis played. The playback may be automatic, e.g. in association with ring signals, or playback may be activated manually, prior to a WO 99/18577 PCT/NO98/00292 4 possible reply to the call. Sound recording can be played back through a separate loadspeaker, or through the handset. Necessary duration of a recording can be determined in sev eral ways, and the telephone apparatus may advantageously be S such adapted that the duration can be adjusted. This function can be present in a central, in other external equipment or within the telephone apparatus itself.

Claims

1. A method for recording and storing received sound signals and, possibly, picture signals in connection with a tele phone apparatus or a telephone exchange adapted to receive 5 said signals from a remote apparatus, and wherein the telephone apparatus or the telephone exchange further is adapted to receive information about the telephone number of the remote apparatus, the telephone apparatus and the remote apparatus being connected to a telephone network, 10 with the purpose of later playing back stored sound sig nals in a loadspeaker/handset, possibly playing back stored picture signals on a graphic display screen when the telephone apparatus is called from the remote appara tus, the telephone apparatus or the telephone exchange be 15 ing assigned a data storage medium and a data processor which is adapted to search in the data storage medium for telephone numbers received via the telephone line, and to play back stored sound signals belonging thereto, possibly picture signals, if the telephone number exists in the 20 data storage medium, and wherein the data processor fur ther is adapted to store searchable telephone numbers and recordings in the data storage medium belonging thereto, c h a r a c h t e r i z e d i n that recording of sound signals from remote apparatus and/or telephone apparatus 25 called, possibly picture signals, or display of text ex tracted from the stored speech message by means of speech to-text-decoding, starts when a telephonic connection has been established with a remote apparatus, possibly first when suitable sound signals (voice) have been received 30 from the remote apparatus, and wherein recording stops af ter a predetermined time, whereupon the telephone number of the remote apparatus is stored searchably in the data storage medium and is connected to the recording, which is also stored. 35