JP2000236411A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function equivalent to an automatic answering telephone and to omit a labor and time for preparing a memo in particular by providing an interface with an intercom. SOLUTION: An intercom interface unit 20 transfers a signal between with an intercom through an interface signal line (interface line) 21 and includes a still picture/facsimile picture converting unit. Then, at the time of pressing the access button of an intercom entrance slave set 1, so-called a chime, the detection signal is transferred to an intercom master set 2 to generate chime sound. Then, a message previously stored in a memory 31 such as a message of 'Who is calling, please?' is inputted to the receiver signal of the normal master set 2 via the interface 21 and outputted from the speaker of the slave set 1. When a response is made to this, the message of a visitor is digitally coded and stored in a digital storing medium as digital information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal such as a facsimile terminal which combines a communication function connected to a public line and an intercom function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a countermeasure when a house (living room) is out of the office, there is a device that stores an intercom message in an answering machine function, converts a video into a facsimile image, and locally outputs the image to a facsimile terminal printer. Provided.

[0003]

However, there is no function for transferring an intercom message or video information to a facsimile whose address is registered as described above. In addition, there is no function of starting and monitoring an intercom from a facsimile or a telephone on the go and transmitting the information by facsimile.

[0004] On the other hand, if there is no response to the call by the intercom to the visitor, the customer has to return or leave a memo in a mailbox. In such a case, there was a plan to record a visitor's message and a face image on a facsimile of an absence house, but this had a disadvantage that it could be confirmed only after returning home.

[0005] By the way, recently, it is possible to make contact with a mobile phone or the like. However, if a visitor has malicious intent, it is conceivable that he may confirm his absence and commit a crime. .

Therefore, in claim 1 of the present invention, by connecting an intercom to a facsimile, the information of the visitor can be transmitted to the facsimile.
It is intended to provide a means for transferring in X.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the installation space by incorporating an intercom function in a communication terminal.

It is another object of the present invention to automatically transmit a visitor's message using a communication function so that a visitor at home can be confirmed at a destination to be away from home and security measures can be taken.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for transferring not only audio but also a still image of a visitor.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a still image of a visitor's face is automatically transmitted by using a communication function so that a visitor at home can be confirmed at an absence destination and security measures can be taken. The purpose is to be able to do it.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to monitor information on an out-of-home location as appropriate and to implement security measures.

According to claims 7 to 10 of the present invention, the visitor is urged to respond by a normal call, the destination or the business is surely heard and recorded in the communication terminal, and a function equivalent to an answering machine is provided. The purpose is to have.

Another object of the present invention is to output a stored information without transferring it so that a visitor can be confirmed after returning home.

Another object of the present invention is to apply the configuration of each claim described above to a facsimile terminal.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal for performing data communication with a communication apparatus of another party via a public line, wherein the communication terminal has an interface with an intercom. A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an intercom master unit for processing a signal from the intercom slave unit is installed therein.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a means for transmitting, via a public line, a voice input to a transfer destination set in advance in a communication terminal in response to a button operation from a slave unit notifying a visitor. It is characterized by having.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the intercom has a monitor camera, and the interface has means for receiving an image input from the monitor camera of the interphone. Further, in the present invention, a conversion means for receiving a video input from a monitor camera of the intercom and converting the video into communication image data, and setting the communication image data in a communication terminal in advance Means for transmitting to a transfer destination.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that there is provided means for transferring information input from the intercom and / or the monitor camera to the external terminal in response to an incoming call from another external terminal.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided means for outputting a predetermined message to the slave unit in response to a button operation from the slave unit to notify the visitor, prompting the visitor to respond, and storing a response message. It is characterized by the following. An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the storage of the response message is performed by an analog recording medium.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the response message is stored by digitally encoding an input voice and storing the digitally encoded voice in a storage medium for digital information.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, an image input from the monitor camera is stored together with the response message.

[0021] Further, the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a display means for displaying that the response message has been stored, and a reproducing means for reproducing the stored information based on a predetermined operation. Claim 12 of the present invention
Setting means for setting a transfer address, transferring the stored information to a transfer address when the predetermined operation is performed, and when a transfer address is set in the setting means, When the transfer address is not set in the information, the stored information is reproduced.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the communication terminal is a facsimile terminal, and includes a scanner unit for reading a document, a printer unit for outputting a document, and a procedure for transmitting or receiving a document via a public line. It is characterized by having a communication unit for controlling, and a control unit for detecting signals of various operation buttons and controlling operations suitable for them.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments and Examples of the present invention enable intercom signals to be connected to a facsimile, and transmit monitored voices and images as digital data to a facsimile where they are going. It is intended to be helpful.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a facsimile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the facsimile terminal shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, an intercom entrance slave unit 1
Has at least a microphone and a speaker, and further includes a TV camera 1a as shown by a broken line in this example. The intercom master unit 2 has at least a handset and, in this example, a TV display 2a as shown by a broken line.

The facsimile A terminal 3 is connected to an intercom via an interface line 4.
The facsimile B terminal 5 communicates with the facsimile A terminal via the public line 6, and is a transfer destination of intercom information in this example.

In FIG. 2, an interphone interface unit 20 exchanges signals with an interphone via an interface signal line (interface line 4) 21, and also includes a still image / facsimile image conversion unit.

The scanner unit 22 reads a facsimile transmission original (document) and the like, and the operation panel 23 includes dial keys and the like and performs facsimile operations.

The ROM 24 contains software for instructing facsimile operation, and the like, and the image memory 25 is a memory for storing transmission images and reception images.

The printer unit 26 outputs a received image, and the codec 27 compresses a transmitted image or decompresses a received image. CCU 29 is N
It includes a CU and a modem, and performs line control for the public line 28. The CPU 30 controls these various units in accordance with the specification of the ROM 24.

The memory 31 stores image information and audio information received from the intercom.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile terminal including an intercom master unit as a modification of the configuration shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, intercom master unit 32 includes
It is incorporated in the main body of the facsimile A terminal 3 instead of the separate intercom master unit 2 shown in FIG.
In this case, the intercom entrance slave unit 2 and the intercom master unit 32 are connected by an interface line 33. The other configuration and the operation described below are common to those shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a message and image information storage area provided in the memory 31. As shown in FIG.

The storage area 7a is an area for storing the message 1, the storage area 7b is an area for storing the message 2, and the storage area 7m is an area for storing the message n. The storage area 7x is an area for storing image information 1 of a still image, and is a storage area 7y.
Is an area for storing image information n of a still image.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of an information table for each visit provided in the memory 31.

The storage area 8a is an area for storing the start address of the message 1 for the visit 1, the storage area 8b is an area for storing the start address of the message 2 for the visit 1, and the storage area 8c is for the visit 1
Area for storing the start address of the still image information corresponding to.

Similarly, the storage area 8d is an area for storing the start address of the message 1 for the visit 2, and the storage area 8e is for storing the message 2 for the visit 2.
Is an area for storing the head address of the message 2, but stores all 0 data indicating that there is no message 2. The storage area 8f is an area for storing the start address of the still image information for the visit 2.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation in the case where information received from the intercom is stored in this embodiment.

When the access button of the intercom entrance slave unit 1, ie, the so-called chime, is pressed, this is pressed at step S 41.
, And a detection signal is transferred to the intercom master unit 2 to sound a chime sound. Here, if the answering mode has not been set, it is determined in step 42 that no signal is transmitted to the intercom interface unit 20 and normal intercom operation is performed as shown in step S43. Respond.

Even if the user forgets to set the answering machine mode, if the receiver is picked up, a normal intercom response is immediately obtained. if,
If the answering mode is set, Ye is determined in step S42.
s is reached and the process proceeds to step S44. At this time, the signal line of the intercom entrance slave unit 1 is connected to the facsimile A
The connection to the terminal 3 continues.

Next, in step S44, a message previously stored in the memory 31, for example, the message "Which is it?" Is input to the normal handset signal of the base unit 2 via the interface 21, and the intercom entrance It flows from the speaker (not shown) of the machine 1.

If there is a response, Ye is determined in step S45.
s is determined, and the process proceeds to step S46. Here, the visitor's message is digitally encoded and stored as digital information in a digital storage medium. Alternatively, if the facsimile A terminal has an answering machine function (not shown), the voice itself can be stored on a tape (analog storage medium).

Thereafter, since the person is absent, further conversation does not proceed, and the step already set in step S47, for example, "I have been away for a while, please send a message if there is a message." Play two messages.

Next, in step S48, the input message is further stored, and recording is stopped after a predetermined time. This procedure is equivalent to a normal answering phone.

It should be noted that the process proceeds to step S42 with Yes, and in the case where the intercom entrance slave unit 1 is of a type having a camera,
While the created message 1 is output in step S44, a still image is created at a certain timing from the image input from the camera in step S44-1 by the interface unit 20 at a certain timing, and this signal is converted into a facsimile signal in step 44-2. The image data is converted into an image storage type raster scan and stored in the still image area 1 of the memory 31 (FIG. 7).

The association between the voice message and the still image in the memory 31 is created on a table, and for example, the visitor 1
Describes the storage addresses of message 1, message 2, and still image 1. Of course, when there is only message 1, only one address is described on the table (FIG. 8).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation when the information stored in the facsimile A terminal 3 is transmitted to the facsimile B terminal 5 of the transfer destination.

In step S50, it is determined whether or not there is an unanswered voicemail input immediately before, and if so, step S51.
It is determined whether or not the transfer mode is set, and if it is set, the process proceeds to step S52.

Then, in this step S52, an automatic call is started to a preset transfer address. Next, in step S53, a connection operation is performed with the facsimile B terminal 5,
If the connection has been established, the process proceeds to step S54, where the information storage area of the facsimile B terminal is referred from the table shown in FIG. I asked you to send the parcel. ") And the corresponding voice message 2 (for example," Because it's a creature, take it home.
Please contact )) To the facsimile B terminal 5 as an audio file.

Next, in step S56, when the address of the still picture is further stored in the table of FIG.
The images converted into facsimile images are successively transferred. As a result, at the transfer destination, the name and the business of the visitor who has visited the answering machine, as well as the face and the like can be known. Depending on the contents, it is possible to take measures such as returning home immediately or calling a related party.

When the answer is NO in step S51, the setting is made so that even the answering machine is not transferred, so that the data obtained by converting the voice information or the still picture information into the facsimile image is stored in the own facsimile A terminal. .

At this time, a lamp with information is displayed on the facsimile A terminal and output after returning home.
You can check the requirements.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method of setting a transfer address.

In step S61, the operation panel 23 is used to enter the absence mode setting. Next, in step S62, it is determined whether or not the transfer address setting mode has been input. If No, the self-recording mode is set in step S63. If Yes, the process proceeds to a destination address registration process in step S64 to register the address of the facsimile to be transferred.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for starting up from another facsimile terminal and monitoring with an intercom.

In step S90, the address is dialed.
Place a call to a facsimile with an intercom. Step S
If there is an automatic response at 91, the process proceeds to step S92 at Yes, and a button for starting the intercom is pressed (or an interphone start setting may be made before dialing. In this case, this step is skipped).

In step S93, the intercom entrance slave unit is activated, and the state is the same as when the monitor button is pressed from the normal master unit. In step S94, the sound coming from the slave unit at this time is recorded for a preset time, encoded, and stored in the memory 31 as digital information.

In step S95, it is further determined whether or not the intercom can display an image. If the answer is Yes, in step S96, the data obtained by converting the image at a certain point of time into a facsimile image is stored in the memory 31 as well. . After the storage is completed, polling is set from the calling terminal in step S97. In step S98, voice information is transmitted as polling information, and in step S99, a still image converted to a scanned image is transmitted. After the transmission, the connection is disconnected in step S100, and the communication is terminated.

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing an example of a communication protocol (ITU-T Recommendation T.30) corresponding to the operation of FIG. Hereinafter, the facsimile protocol T. The operation will be described in further detail with reference to FIG.

After the line is connected, the "internet function bit" is turned on as a DIS indicating the terminal function from the facsimile terminal with an intercom on the receiving side. If this bit is not a standard function, it is indicated as a part of the non-standard function NSF. In response to this, the calling side turns on the “interphone activation bit” of the DCS. If this is not a standard function, it is set as a part of NSF. Thereafter, training, CFR and normal pre-image transfer procedures are performed. Up to this point corresponds to step S93 in FIG.

In steps S94 to S96, a dummy message is transmitted in order to secure processing time for recording voice and image. When the transmission is completed, the procedure returns to the DIS procedure through the normal procedure of EOM and MCF. At this point, the "transmission preparation completed" of the called side is notified to the calling side as a DIS bit. Upon seeing this, the calling side switches to the polling mode and sets the DTC to the "interphone information polling bit".
Turn on.

On the other hand, the called side returns the DCS with the “voice message transmission bit” turned on,
The process proceeds to the information transmission procedure via the FR. Up to this point corresponds to step S97.

If the time for recording the voice and the image on the called side is not enough, the receiving side "not ready for transmission"
Turn on the bit and send DIS. When the calling side sees this and makes no response due to time gain, after 3 seconds DI
Give S. At this time, if the called party is ready for the data, it notifies the calling party of "transmission ready" as a DIS bit.

Next, voice message information digitally encoded as data is transmitted to the calling side as one page. After that, the EOM indicating the end and the normal reception of information are
Return and return to DIS. Here, when there is an image to be transmitted, the "still image information bit" is turned on and a DIS is issued. Upon detecting this, the calling side issues a polling DTC again. After the training, the still image information is received as the next page, and when the EOP is received, the MCF indicating normal image reception is received.
And the called party has no more information to send,
Issue a DCN and disconnect the line.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which a still image (face, etc.) is converted and sent as a scanned image after being compressed by, for example, MMR. However, a new file format is defined as a still image as an image file. Alternatively, transmission may be performed using a BFT procedure or the like. Alternatively, it is also possible to transmit the digital camera image as digital image information from an intercom entrance unit having a digital camera function by transferring the digital camera image. Further, a similar system may be configured by a data communication terminal other than the facsimile terminal.

As another application example, a facsimile with an intercom may be set in the telephone mode so that the facsimile can be activated from a telephone at a destination and can listen to the monitor on from the intercom entrance unit in real time. At this time, the intercom entrance slave unit can be activated by registering an appropriate combination of dial numbers in advance.

Further, switching from this state to facsimile, voice and image information can be recorded and obtained by polling, or a combination of dial numbers in advance can be made possible. In the case of a facsimile with a built-in intercom, this function can be easily inserted.

[0069]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following effects can be obtained. First, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a function equivalent to a telephone answering function is provided by connecting an intercom to a facsimile, and there is an effect that the trouble of creating a memo can be omitted. According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is an effect of providing an intercom function by installing the communication terminal of the present invention.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that a message from a visitor at the time of absence can be known at a destination. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that a video (face) of a visitor can be transferred as a still image. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is also an effect that the face of the visitor at the time of absence can be known on the go. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the user can start up from a location and know the voice and surrounding image information through the intercom.

According to the seventh to tenth aspects of the present invention, there is an effect that the name and the message can be heard without making the visitor recognize the absence. Also, by putting a message that returns immediately, there is an effect of providing a security effect. According to the eleventh and twelfth aspects of the present invention, even when there is no FAX at a destination, there is an effect that it is possible to output as voice and image information after returning home. According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the configuration of each of the above aspects can be applied to a facsimile terminal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a facsimile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the facsimile terminal shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile terminal including an intercom master unit as a modified example of the configuration shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation in the case of storing information received from an intercom in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when information stored in the facsimile A terminal 3 is transmitted to the facsimile B terminal 5 of the transfer destination in the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method for setting a transfer address in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a storage area of a message and image information provided in a memory 31 in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an information table for each visit provided in the memory 31 in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of starting from another facsimile terminal and monitoring with an intercom in the above embodiment.

10 is a communication protocol (IT) corresponding to the operation of FIG. 9;
U.T. Recommendation T. It is a sequence chart which shows the example of 30).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Intercom entrance handset, 1a ... TV camera, 2 ... Intercom master unit, 2a ... TV display, 3 ... Facsimile A terminal, 4 ... Interface line, 5 ... Facsimile B terminal, 6 ... Public line.

Continued on front page F-term (reference) 5C054 DA09 EA03 EG08 EH07 HA22 5C062 AA02 AA12 AA30 AB17 AB20 AB22 AB23 AB38 AB42 AC02 AC04 AC05 AC22 AC34 AC43 5K038 AA05 BB00 CC02 DD15 DD22 DD23 FF12 GG03 NN01 NN01

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A communication terminal for performing data communication with a communication device of a communication partner via a public line, the communication terminal having an interface with an intercom. 2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein an intercom master unit for processing a signal from the intercom slave unit is installed therein. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, in response to a button operation from a slave unit notifying a visitor, a voice input to a transfer destination set in the communication terminal in advance is transmitted via a public line. A communication terminal comprising: 4. The intercom according to claim 1, wherein the intercom has a monitor camera, and the interface has a unit for receiving an image input from the monitor camera of the intercom. Communication terminal. 5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein a video input from the monitor camera of the intercom is received, and the conversion unit converts the video into communication image data, and the communication image data is set in a communication terminal in advance. And a means for transmitting to the transfer destination. 6. The interphone and / or the mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein:
Alternatively, a communication terminal having means for transferring information input from a monitor camera to the external terminal. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined message is output to the child device in response to a button operation from the child device notifying the visitor to prompt the customer to respond, and a response message is generated. A communication terminal having means for storing. 8. The communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein the storage of the response message is performed by an analog recording medium. 9. A communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein said response message is stored by digitally encoding an inputted voice and storing the digitally encoded voice in a storage medium for digital information. 10. The communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein a video input from the monitor camera is stored together with the response message. 11. The display device according to claim 7, further comprising: display means for displaying that the response message has been stored, and reproduction means for reproducing the stored information based on a predetermined operation. A communication terminal characterized by the above-mentioned. 12. The stored information according to claim 11, further comprising setting means for setting a transfer address, wherein when the predetermined operation is performed, and when a transfer address is set in the setting means, the stored information is set. To a transfer address, and when the transfer address is not set in the setting means, reproduces the stored information. 13. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal is a facsimile terminal, and transmits a document via a scanner unit that reads a document, a printer unit that outputs a document, and a public line. Alternatively, a communication terminal comprising: a communication unit that controls a receiving procedure; and a control unit that detects signals of various operation buttons and controls an operation suitable for the signals.