JP2000013496A - Computer system and automatic answering response message managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a computer system capable of easily setting an automatic answering response message while including a change. SOLUTION: In the case of setting the automatic answering response message to be returned at the time of call incoming from a telephone set 3, a response message setting part 14 accepts the text input of the automatic answering response message while showing a setting picture and stores a text inputted on the picture into a response message file 21 while keeping a text data format as it is. In the case of returning an automatic answering response message set that way, on the other hand, first of all, a voice synthesizing part 12 extracts the automatic answering response message in the text data format stored in the response message file 21 and synthesizes voice data corresponding to the extracted automatic answering response message while referring to a voice synthesizing dictionary 23. Then, a voice output part 13 returns the voice data synthesized by the voice synthesizing part 12 to the side of a telephone set 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system having an answering machine function for returning a preset answering machine response message to a sender and then recording the message sent from the sender, and an answering machine response message. Regarding management methods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, multifunctional personal computers (personal computers) having an AV function and a telephone function such as a television, a radio, and a compact disc player have appeared.

In recent telephones, when a call is received, after a predetermined number of calls (when there is no answer), a previously recorded voice is reproduced as an answering message, The mainstream is to have an answering machine function for recording the voice uttered by the caller. For this reason, most personal computers having a telephone function also have the answering machine function.

The answering machine response message used in the answering machine function is created by recording,
If you don't like the feeling of your voice after recording your voice and listening to it, you have to do the same thing over and over until you get a satisfactory message. Also, when a message different from the usual one is to be created due to a long-term trip or the like, the same work must be repeated before and after the trip, so that the usability is not always good.

[0005]

As described above, since the answering machine response message used in the conventional answering machine function is created by recording, it is necessary to repeat the same thing, and it takes time to change the message. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide a computer system and an e-mail reading method that can easily set an answering machine response message including a change. And

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, when an incoming call is received from a public network connected via a modem, voice data set in advance as an answering machine response message is returned.
In a computer system having an answering machine function for recording voice data transmitted from a source as a message, the answering machine response message setting means for setting the answering machine response message in a text data format, and the answering machine response message setting means Voice synthesizing means for synthesizing voice data corresponding to the text data of the set answering machine response message.

[0008] In the computer system of the present invention, the answering machine response message is created by inputting text data, not by a conventional recording. Then, when returning the answering machine response message, the voice data corresponding to the input text data is synthesized.

As described above, if the answering machine response message can be created by inputting the text data, the user can easily change the message. Also,
The computer system of the present invention is characterized in that the answering machine response message setting means includes means for setting a plurality of text data as an answering machine response message, and means for validating any one of the plurality of text data. It is characterized by having.

[0010] In the computer system of the present invention, individual answering machine response messages are created in advance for each of several possible patterns, and the most appropriate answering machine response message is validated from each of them. This makes it possible to change the answering machine response message more easily.

The computer system according to the present invention further comprises a voice setting means for setting at least one of voice type, intonation, speed, height, tone and volume of the voice data synthesized by the voice synthesis means. It is further characterized by comprising: According to the computer system of the present invention, it is possible to return the answering machine response message in a stable voice that matches the user's preference.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing functional blocks of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this computer system 10
Numeral 0 is connected to the subscriber line 2 derived from the public network 1, and when a call is received from the telephone 4 via the public network 1, the voice of the answering machine response message set in advance is set. It has an answering machine function for returning data to the telephone 4 and recording voice data transmitted from the telephone 4 as a message. Since the present invention is characterized by a method of managing an answering machine response message, the following description will focus on that point.

The computer system 100
Are various processing units of the control unit 11, the voice synthesis unit 12, the voice output unit 13, the response message setting unit 14 and the voice setting unit 15, and various files of the response message file 21, the setting information file 22, and the voice synthesis dictionary 23. It has. These various processing units are configured by software (or firmware), and various files are built on a memory device such as a magnetic disk device.

The control unit 11 controls the entire computer system 100. The voice synthesizer 12 synthesizes voice data corresponding to the answering machine response message stored in the response message file 21 in the text data format while referring to the setting information file 24 and the voice synthesis dictionary 25.

The response message file 21 is used for data registration by the response message setting unit 14. The response message setting unit 14 presents a setting screen shown in FIG. Accept.

The response message setting unit 14
A voice file (wav format file) prepared in advance can be set as an answering machine response message, and a voice input from a microphone provided in the computer can be recorded and used as an answering machine response message. It is. These are performed by turning on the "record" (wav) radio button. On the other hand, when setting the answering machine response message by text input, after turning on the "voice synthesis" radio button,
Enter the desired text in the text box next to it. Then, the text input through such an operation is stored in the response message file by the response message setting unit 14.

On the other hand, the setting information file 22 is a file for storing various data for adjusting the synthesized voice to the user's preference, and is set by the voice setting unit 15. The voice setting unit 15 presents the setting screen shown in FIG. 3 to urge the user to set the voice type, voice quality, intonation, speed, pitch, tone, and volume, etc., and the setting is performed on this setting screen. The contents are stored in the setting information file 22.

The speech synthesis dictionary 23 is a dictionary that stores, for example, standard speech data for each syllable. Then, the voice output unit 13 returns the voice data synthesized by the voice synthesis unit 12 to the telephone 4 side.

Next, an operation procedure of the computer system 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an operation procedure when setting an answering machine response message.

When setting the answering machine response message, the answering message setting section 14 presents the setting screen shown in FIG. 2, accepts a text entry of the answering machine response message (step A1), and presses the OK button (OK). When pressed, the text entered in the text box is stored in the response message file 21 in the text data format (step A2).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure when returning the answering machine response message.
When returning the answering machine response message, first, the voice synthesizer 12 extracts the answering machine response message in the text data format stored in the answering message file 21 (step B1), and corresponds to the extracted answering machine response message. The voice data is synthesized with reference to the voice synthesis dictionary 23 (step B2).

Then, the voice output unit 13 outputs the voice
2 is returned to the telephone 4 (step B3). As described above, in the computer system 100 of this embodiment, since the answering machine response message is set in the text data format, the change can be easily performed.

It is also effective to set, for example, a plurality of answering machines and to selectably manage them. This makes it easier to change the message.

Since the above-described method of managing the answering machine response message can be realized by software, a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy disk, an optical disk, and a semiconductor memory can be executed by a computer. And can be distributed.

[0025]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the answering machine response message can be created by inputting text data, so that the user can easily make the change.

Also, by supporting the operation of preparing an individual answering machine response message in advance for each of several conceivable patterns and validating the most appropriate answering machine response message from each of them. The answering machine response message can be changed more easily.

Furthermore, by setting at least one of the voice type, intonation, speed, pitch, tone and volume of the voice data to be synthesized, it is possible to record the voice message in a stable voice that matches the user's preference. A response message can be returned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view showing functional blocks of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view showing a setting screen presented by a response message setting unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing a setting screen presented by a voice setting unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining an operation procedure when setting an answering machine response message according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining an operation procedure when the answering machine response message of the embodiment is returned.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Public network 2 ... Subscriber line 3 ... Telephone 11 ... Control part 12 ... Voice synthesis part 13 ... Voice output part 21 ... Response message setting part 22 ... Setting information file 23 ... Voice synthesis dictionary 100 ... Computer system.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An answering machine for recording voice data transmitted from a caller after returning voice data set in advance as an answering machine response message when receiving an incoming call from a public network connected via a modem. In a computer system having a function, an answering machine response message setting means for setting the answering machine response message in a text data format, and voice data corresponding to text data of the answering machine response message set by the answering machine response message setting means And a voice synthesizing means for synthesizing the sound. 2. The answering machine response message setting means,
2. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for setting a plurality of text data as an answering machine response message; and means for validating any one of the plurality of text data. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a voice setting unit configured to set at least one of a voice type, intonation, speed, height, tone, and volume of the voice data synthesized by the voice synthesis unit. 3. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein 4. An answering machine for recording voice data transmitted from a caller after returning voice data set in advance as an answering machine response message upon receiving an incoming call from a public network connected via a modem. An answering machine response message management method for a computer system having a function, wherein the answering machine response message is set in a text data format, and when there is an incoming call from the public network, the set answering machine is set. An answering machine response message management method, comprising synthesizing voice data corresponding to text data of a voicemail response message and returning the synthesized voice data. 5. An answering machine for returning voice data set in advance as an answering machine response message upon receiving an incoming call from a public network connected via a modem, and then recording voice data transmitted from the source as a message. A program for controlling an answering machine response message management of a computer system having a function, wherein the answering machine response message is set in a text data format, and the setting is performed when an incoming call from the public network is received. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for operating the computer program so as to synthesize and return voice data corresponding to text data of an answering machine response message.