JP2000059470A - Communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication device that is provided with voice detection function and which can accurately through voice at the arrival of an incoming call. SOLUTION: A tone ringer section 44 informs of an incoming call state by a prescribed ring tone, 1st, 2nd band-pass filters 30, 36, F-V converters 32, 38 and comparators 34, 40 detect voice energy, based on a prescribed level or higher which is picked up by a microphone 10, and a total control section 6 stops the ring tone, based on a 1st detection result obtained in the consecution of an incoming call state and closes the communication line, when a 2nd detection result is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device having a voice detection function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a telephone with a voice detection function capable of performing a line closing operation upon receiving an incoming call by voice input. In such a telephone, in order to prevent a malfunction due to a ringing sound, it has been proposed to close a line when a sound of a predetermined level or more is detected.

[0003]

However, at the time of an incoming call, the ringing sound interferes, and it is difficult to accurately detect sounds other than the ringing sound. In addition, if the line is always closed when a voice of a predetermined level or more is detected, the line may be closed even by accidentally generated noise.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication apparatus having a voice detection function and capable of accurately closing a voice when a call is received.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication apparatus, comprising: an incoming call notifying unit for notifying an incoming call state by a predetermined ringing sound; Voice detection means for detecting voice energy of a level or higher, and stopping the ringing sound based on the first detection result obtained by the voice detection means during the incoming call state, a second detection result is obtained. And control means for closing the communication line when the connection is established.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the communication line is closed only after audio energy exceeding a predetermined level is detected twice, it is possible to prevent erroneous closing due to noise or the like. Become. In particular, since the ringing sound stops after the first detection result is obtained, the external sound can be accurately detected, and the reliability of the second detection result is improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the confirmation of the first detection result or the re-input of the sound by the sound detecting means is performed based on the information from the control means. It has message output means for outputting a message for prompting.

According to the communication device of the second aspect, since a message prompting confirmation of the first detection result or re-input of voice is output, when a person is around the communication device,
It is possible to reliably obtain the second detection result.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the incoming notification unit obtains the second detection result by the voice detection unit within a predetermined time. If there is no incoming call and the incoming call state continues, the ringing is restarted based on the information from the control means.

[0010] According to the communication device of the third aspect, even if the first detection result is obtained and the ringing is temporarily stopped, the ringing is resumed under a certain condition, so that the continuation of the incoming call unclosed state is continued around. I can let you know. Therefore, when the first detection result is an error, it is possible to prevent a situation in which no incoming call is closed for a long time without anyone noticing.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the communication apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the voice detecting means is configured to detect a detection criterion different from a detection criterion of the first detection result. Is used to obtain the second detection result.

According to the communication device of the fourth aspect, since the detection criterion of the second detection result is different from the detection criterion of the first detection result, the reliability of the second detection result is further improved. Can be.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the fourth aspect, the voice detecting means detects a frequency band different from a frequency band which is a detection reference when obtaining the first detection result. The second detection result is obtained as a reference.

According to the communication device of the fifth aspect, the frequency band serving as the detection criterion of the second detection result is narrowed than the detection criterion of the first detection result, so that only the human voice excluding noise is removed. Can be reliably detected.
For this reason, the second detection result becomes more reliable.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication device, wherein the voice detecting means detects voice energy of a predetermined level or more captured from the external voice capturing means; When obtained, confirmation information output means for outputting information for confirming or re-entering the first detection result, and when the second detection result is obtained by the voice detection means, And control means for closing the communication line.

According to the communication device of the present invention, since the communication line is closed only after the sound energy exceeding the predetermined level is detected twice, it is possible to prevent erroneous connection due to noise or the like. Become. Then, when the first detection result is obtained, since information for prompting confirmation or re-input of the first detection result is output, when there is a person around the communication device, the second detection result is output. Can reliably be obtained.

[0017]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example in which the communication device of the present invention is applied to a telephone. The telephone includes a main body (not shown) and a handset 8, and is designed to enable hands-free communication.

In FIG. 1, an incoming call detecting section 2 detects an incoming call from a telephone line and outputs an incoming call signal. A network control unit (hereinafter, referred to as “NCU”) 4 transmits and receives signals between the telephone and another communication device connected via a telephone line. Overall control unit 6
Controls each part of the telephone, and includes a CPU,
It is configured to include a ROM, a RAM, an information recording medium, and the like.

A microphone 10 for taking in external sound and a speaker 12 for outputting a ringing sound and other sounds are built in the main body, and amplifiers 20 and 22 are attached to each of them.

The first band-pass filter 30 and the second band-pass filter 36 allow only an audio signal of a predetermined frequency band among external sounds taken in from the microphone 10 to pass. Among these, the second bandpass filter 30 is set to pass sound in a frequency band in a range narrower than that of the first bandpass filter in order to perform strict sound detection. Preferably, the frequency band to which the human voice belongs is 300
Hz to 4 KHz.

The first and second bandpass filters 30,
36 is switched by a switch S controlled by the overall control unit 6.

The FV converters 32 and 38 convert the audio signal waves in the frequency band that have passed through the first and second bandpass filters 30 and 36 into voltages, and obtain the average value or the effective value. The output voltages of these FV converters 32 and 38 are compared with reference voltages V1 and V2 by comparators 34 and 40, respectively.
Sent to Here, the reference voltage V1 is set to a voltage capable of removing a ringing sound in consideration of a ringing time, and the reference voltage V2 is set.
Is set lower than V1 in anticipation of non-ringing. However, the reference voltages V1 and V2 can be set to the same voltage.

The message output section 42 connected to the speaker 12 via the amplifier 22 outputs a predetermined voice message, and the tone ringer section 44 outputs a predetermined ringing sound and a tone signal sound.

The switching unit 46 switches which of the microphone 10 and the speaker 12 and the handset 8 is connected to the NCU 4.

The key input unit 14 includes various keys such as a numeric keypad and function keys. Then, the LED 16 emits light based on a signal from the overall control unit 6.

The tone ringer unit 4
The speaker 4 and the speaker 12 correspond to an incoming notification unit, and the microphone 10 corresponds to an external voice capturing unit. Further, the first and second bandpass filters 30 and 36, the FV converters 32 and 38, and the comparators 34 and 40 correspond to voice detection means, and the overall control unit 6 corresponds to control means. The message output unit 42 and the speaker 12 correspond to a message output unit. Further, the output of the comparator 34 becomes the first detection result, and the output of the comparator 40 becomes the second detection result.

When such a telephone receives an incoming call through a telephone line, the line can be closed and a call can be made by inputting voice from the microphone 10 in addition to putting the handset 8 off-hook. .

Here, the line closing process based on the voice input by the overall control unit 6 will be described. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the line closing program for that purpose.

First, based on the output from the incoming call detector 2, it is determined whether or not an incoming call is present (S1). If the incoming call is present (S1: YES), a signal is output to the tone ringer 44. Then, the sound starts (S2). At this time,
The switch S is set on the first bandpass filter 30 side.

When the first detection result is obtained after the start of the sounding (S3: YES), the overall control unit 6 sets the tone ringer unit 4
4 is stopped (S4), the LED 16 is turned on, and a message requesting confirmation of the first detection result is output by the message output unit 42 (S5). Specifically, for example, when an external voice “Hi” is detected, a message “Hi?” Is output as a voice.

Thereafter, when the switch S is switched to the second bandpass filter 36 and a second detection result is obtained (S6: YES), a signal from the overall control unit 6
The line is closed by the NCU 4 (S7), and a call becomes possible.

If the predetermined time has elapsed without obtaining the second detection result (S6: NO, S8: YES), it is determined whether or not the incoming call state is continued (S1). (S1: YES), the ringing is resumed (S
2). This predetermined time may be arbitrarily set as long as it is longer than the non-sounding time periodically generated during the normal sounding.

During the incoming call state, a signal indicating that the call is being made is transmitted from the exchange (not shown) to the caller via the telephone line.
The effect of stopping the ringing does not affect the caller.

After the line is closed, the switch S is disconnected from both the first and second bandpass filters 30 and 36.

As described above, since the closing is performed after the second detection result is obtained, erroneous closing is prevented even when the first detection result is obtained due to noise or the like. can do. In addition, since the sound is stopped when the second detection result is obtained, the external sound can be more accurately detected. In particular, the second bandpass filter 36
Since the setting is made according to the frequency band to which the human voice belongs, the reliability of the second detection result is further improved.
Then, since a message prompting confirmation of the first detection result is output as voice, it is easy for a person around the telephone to recognize the necessity of inputting the second voice. In particular, since the LED 16 is turned on together with the message output, it is easy to notice visually. For this reason, the second voice can be reliably detected. Further, if the predetermined time has elapsed without obtaining the second detection result, the ringing is resumed if the incoming state is continued. It is possible to prevent the unclosed state from being left for a long time without anyone noticing.

Next, another line closing process based on a voice input by the general control unit 6 will be described. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a line closing processing program for that purpose.

First, when it is determined that an incoming call is received (S10:
YES), the tone ringer unit 4 is instructed by the overall control unit 6
4 starts sounding (S11). Next, when the first detection result is output from the comparator 34 through the first bandpass filter 30 (S12: YES), the tone ringer 44 generates and outputs a tone signal tone different from the ringing tone, At the same time, the LED 16 is turned on (S13). Thereafter, when the second detection result is output from the comparator 40 via the second bandpass filter 36 (S14: YES), the NCU 4 closes the line based on the instruction of the overall control unit 6 (S15). , You can talk.

On the other hand, if the predetermined time has elapsed without obtaining the second detection result (S14: NO, S16: YE
S), if the incoming state is continued (S17: YES),
Returning to S12, if the incoming call state has ended (S17: N
O), stop the sounding (S18), and return to the standby state (S18)
10).

Even when the processing is performed according to such a procedure, since the closing is performed after the second detection result is obtained, erroneous closing due to noise or the like can be prevented. Further, since a tone signal sound prompting confirmation of the first detection result is output and the LED 16 is lit, it is easy for a person around the telephone to recognize the necessity of inputting the second voice. For this reason, when there is a person around, there is a difference in reliably obtaining the second detection result.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described example, and various modifications can be made. For example, one of the message, the tone signal, and the lighting of the LED may be selectively applied, or all of them may be omitted completely. Further, the message may be a message that prompts a re-input of the voice. Alternatively, instead of the first and second bandpass filters 30 and 36 and the FV converters 32 and 38,
A digital signal processor (DSP) can also be used. Furthermore, the first and second detection results may be set so as to be obtained based on the same reference. In this case, since the configuration of the voice detection means can be simplified, cost reduction can be achieved. Further, the present invention can be applied to a cordless parent-child telephone. In this case, a voice detection unit is provided for each of the master unit and the slave unit connected wirelessly, and the fact that the first and second detection results are continuously obtained in the same terminal is controlled by the overall control of the master unit. When the unit confirms, the line is set to the terminal.

[0042]

As described above, according to the communication apparatus of the first aspect, since the communication line is closed only after the sound energy exceeding the predetermined level is detected twice, the communication line is erroneously closed due to noise or the like. It is possible to prevent knots. In particular, since the ringing sound stops after the first detection result is obtained, the external sound can be accurately detected,
The reliability of the second detection result is improved.

According to the communication device of the second aspect, since a message prompting confirmation of the first detection result or re-input of voice is output, when a person is around the communication device,
It is possible to reliably obtain the second detection result.

According to the communication device of the third aspect, even if the first detection result is obtained and the ringing is temporarily stopped, the ringing is resumed under a certain condition, so that the continuation of the incoming call unclosed state is performed around the communication device. I can let you know. Therefore, when the first detection result is an error, it is possible to prevent a situation in which no incoming call is closed for a long time without anyone noticing.

According to the communication device of the fourth aspect, since the detection criterion of the second detection result is different from the detection criterion of the first detection result, the reliability of the second detection result is further improved. Can be.

According to the communication device of the fifth aspect, the frequency band serving as the detection criterion of the second detection result is narrowed than the detection criterion of the first detection result, so that only the human voice excluding noise is removed. Can be reliably detected.
For this reason, the second detection result becomes more reliable.

According to the communication device of the present invention, since the communication line is closed only after audio energy exceeding a predetermined level is detected twice, it is possible to prevent erroneous connection due to noise or the like. Become. Then, when the first detection result is obtained, since information for prompting confirmation or re-input of the first detection result is output, when there is a person around the communication device, the second detection result is output. Can reliably be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a telephone.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a line closing program by voice input.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing another example of a line closing program by voice input.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 Overall control unit (control unit) 10 Microphone (external voice capturing unit) 12 Speaker (incoming call notification unit, confirmation information output unit) 16 LED (confirmation information output unit) 30 First bandpass filter (voice detection unit) 32, 38 FV converter (voice detection means) 34, 40 Comparator (voice detection means) 36 Second bandpass filter (voice detection means) 42 Message output unit (message output means, confirmation information output means) 44 Tone ringer unit (incoming call) Notification means, confirmation information output means)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Toshihiro Ito 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi F-term (reference) in Brother Industries, Ltd. 5K027 BB05 BB07 EE11 FF03 FF25 FF28 GG08 HH20

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An incoming call notifying means for notifying an incoming call state by a predetermined ringing sound; a sound detecting means for detecting sound energy of a predetermined level or higher taken from an external sound taking means; Control means for stopping the ringing sound based on the first detection result obtained by the means, and closing the communication line when the second detection result is obtained, apparatus. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein a message for prompting confirmation of the first detection result or re-input of voice is output based on information from the control unit. A communication device comprising message output means. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein said incoming call notifying means is a case where said second detection result is not obtained by said voice detecting means within a predetermined time. A communication device which restarts sounding based on information from the control means when the state is continued. 4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the voice detection unit is configured to perform the second detection based on a detection criterion different from a detection criterion of the first detection result. A communication device for obtaining a detection result. 5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the voice detection unit performs the second detection using a frequency band different from a frequency band that is a detection criterion for obtaining the first detection result as a detection criterion. A communication device for obtaining a result. 6. A voice detecting means for detecting voice energy of a predetermined level or more captured from an external voice capturing means, and when a first detection result is obtained by the voice detecting means while the incoming call state continues. Confirmation information output means for outputting information for confirming or re-entering the first detection result, and control for closing a communication line when a second detection result is obtained by the voice detection means A communication device, comprising: means.