JP2000244649A - Message transmission system for hotel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a hotel message transmission system capable of easily and rapidly dealing with the claim of a lodger (guest) concerning a memo message by recording call contents concerning the memo message, adding the transmission history of a room identifying number (room number) and of call date to the contents and transmitting it as a voice message. SOLUTION: A call recording control part 31 receives recording start indicating information which is inputted by way of LAN 5, instructs recording start to a call recording part 32 and also records the date and time and the room number at that point of time. The part 32 stores voice data received through a voice processing mechanism from the receiver of a message clerk telephone set 9 in a call contents temporary storing part 33. A call contents transmitting part 34 reads recording data from the part 33, converts it into voice data of a form being the same as that of voice data in a voice mail server and transmits voice data and the date and time to the voice mail server through an LAN.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hotel message transmission system using a voice mail system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A voice mail system used as one of message transmissions in a hotel is a system in which when a guest in the guest room is absent, a message from another person can be left in the voice of the message. is there. Voicemail is managed on a per-room basis, and when a voice message is recorded by a message,
The message lamp of the room phone of the guest room flashes, so that the guest returning from outside can know whether there is a message.

[0003] When a guest presses a message button on the room phone or presses a specific number set in advance in the room phone, the phone is connected to the voice mail system and the voice message in the room is played. It has become so. With such a system, a guest can obtain a message from outside without going through a hotel employee.

[0004] However, messages to hotel guests are not all voice messages, and some messagers do not want to transmit their own voices, but rather transmit them via hotel employees. There is also a request to come directly to the hotel reception and give me a memo written by the message person himself.

In a hotel, such a message memo message other than a voice message is generally handled by a message section (often a front man at a hotel front also serves). The message clerk writes the message received from the message or writes the memo received from the message himself in the key rack of the room, and then turns on the message present button of the room in the room indicator, The message lamp of the room phone can be blinked.

However, in this case, when the message button of the room telephone is pressed, it is necessary to connect to the telephone of the message clerk. The message clerk who receives the call checks whether there is a handwritten message or a voice message in the room, and conveys a message memo message, and if there is a voice message, specifies the room number and sends it to the voice mail system. It is necessary to connect and listen to the voice message of the room. In such an operation, the burden on the message staff increases.

[0007] Further, when the message manager informs the guest of the contents of the memo, the transmission time is stamped on the memo and the transmission time is managed, but the wording actually transmitted to the guest does not remain. However, when a guest complains of message transmission after a message memo message is transmitted, there is a problem that the hotel cannot verify the validity of the transmitted content. It is possible to record the contents of the call itself by attaching a call recording device such as a cassette tape to the telephone of the message clerk, but there was a complaint in a large-scale hotel that handles more than 1000 memo messages a day. There is a problem that the search in the case is very troublesome, and it is not possible to check the association with the transmission time of the voice message.

A well-known example of a plurality of message exchange systems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-145493. In this known example, the registration or retrieval related processing automatically performed by the message exchange device at the time of message registration and retrieval of the message exchange device is set finely and flexibly for each box.

According to this known example, when a mail is received in the mailbox, a notification can be given by a pager, a facsimile or the like determined for each mailbox. However, it does not provide history management means for transmitting the mail itself. Therefore, even if this known example is applied to a message system for a hotel, the above-mentioned problem cannot be solved.

As a service providing system for a hotel, there is Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-215447. In this known example, a CATV device installed in a guest room is used for providing a hotel service. When this known example is used for a message memo message transmission method, the following can be considered.

The paper on which the message is written is input by an input device such as an image scanner, converted into digital data, and stored in a message server. When a request is received from a guest room, a memo is displayed on the screen of the CATV device in the guest room. A system for displaying an image is conceivable. However, in this case, since only the contents of the memo can be displayed, the message clerk must carefully write the contents in beautiful large characters when receiving the message, and cannot be used for transmitting a voice message.

[0012]

When transmitting a voice message and a message memo message to a guest at a hotel,
A message attendant who transmits a message has to perform a work of confirming the presence / absence of a voice message and an operation of connecting to a voice mail system for a telephone call for a message inquiry from a guest room, which increases the burden on the message attendant.

[0013] Further, if there is a complaint regarding the message transmission of the message memo message, for example, a complaint that the time or place of the negotiation was conveyed incorrectly or that the message was received after the negotiation time passed. However, there is a problem that the content itself and the date and time of transmission to the guest cannot be easily and quickly confirmed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object the message transmission system of a hotel which can easily and promptly respond to a guest (guest) complaint regarding a memo message. Is to provide.

[0015]

The feature of the present invention is to record the contents of a call between a room telephone and a message telephone relating to a memo message, and to add the room identification number (room number) and the call date and time to the contents of the call. The transmission history can be attached and the message can be transmitted as a voice message.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly respond to a complaint from a customer by reproducing a voice message.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a private branch exchange 1 is
It is a device for controlling the telephone line in the hotel, and is connected to the guest room telephones 6a to 6n, the message telephone 9 and other business telephones and fax machines (not shown) via the LINE line. The telephone exchange 1 is connected to the voice mail server 2 by a LAN 5.

The voice mail server 2 is a device for recording voice messages, storing voice messages, and playing back voice messages. Voicemail server 2
Is a plurality of voice modems 7a having voice compression and decompression functions.
7m, the telephone exchange 1 and the LINE line 10a
Connected at 10m.

In recording a voice message, a voice signal enters the voice modems 7a to 7m from the private electronic telephone exchange 1 via the LINE lines 10a to 10m, and the voice modem 7 digitizes and compresses the voice signal. Then, the data is taken into the voice mail server 2 as voice message data.

At the time of reproducing a voice message, voice data in the voice mail server 2 is sent to the voice modems 7a to 7m, the data is expanded in the voice modems 7a to 7m, and then converted into a voice signal. , LINE lines 10a-1
It is sent to the private electronic telephone exchange 1 through 0 m.

The LI connected to the voice modems 7a to 7m
The NE lines 10a to 10m are usually prepared in about 4 to 8 lines, and these lines are set with representative numbers as connection line numbers to the voice system. When the LINE lines 10 are six lines, the extension number of each line is 4401 to 44
06, it is assumed that, for example, 4400 as a representative number for the six extension numbers 4401 to 4406.
Set. Thus, the extension number 4400 becomes the extension number for connection to the voice system, and the LINE line 10a
This eliminates the need for the operator to select which LINE line from 10 m to 10 m to use.

For example, if the LINE line 10a is in use, the private line exchange 1 automatically selects the LINE line 10b by dialing the extension number 4400, and a voice signal enters the voice modem 7b. become.

The call recording device 3 is connected to a telephone 9 for a message via a LINE line, and a voice signal input from the LINE line is converted into a voice digital signal by a personal computer (not shown) built in the call recording device 3. After compression and compression, it is temporarily stored in a hard disk (not shown). The call recording device 3 is connected to the voice mail server 2 via the LAN 5 and can receive a recording start instruction from the voice mail server 2.

The handwritten message memo message is usually received by a message clerk at the front desk, and the written memo or the message memo directly received from the message is stored in the key box of the room, and the room indicator 4 indicates the message of the room. Turn on the switch. As a result, the lamp with a message corresponding to the room in the room indicator 4 is turned on, and the digital information indicating that there is a message memo message is converted into an analog signal by the data modem 8b and transmitted to the data modem 8a via the transmission path. The information is digitized by 8a and taken into the private electronic telephone exchange 1 as information indicating that there is a message memo message.

The telephone exchange 1 sends the received room memo message to the room telephones 6a to 6
Flick the 6n message lamp. Further, information indicating that there is a message memo message is transmitted from the telephone exchange 1 to the voice mail server 2 via the LAN 5. As described above, the voice mail server 2 can receive not only the presence / absence of a voice message but also the presence / absence of a message memo message.

Next, a general operation mode of the voice mail system in a hotel will be described.

For telephone calls other than dial-in to the hotel, a telephone exchange operator (a front desk clerk depending on the hotel) receives a call once and calls a telephone in a designated guest room. If the guest is absent and there is no answer to the call, the telephone exchange operator stops calling the room phone, informs the caller that the guest is absent, and sends a voice message. Ask if you want to leave, and connect to your voicemail system if voice message tells you to leave.

Alternatively, when there is no answer to a call from the room telephones 6a to 6n within a predetermined time, the telephone may be automatically connected to the voice mail system.

In either case, after connection to the voice mail system, the voice mail system automatically records the voice message of the message person without intervention of the telephone exchange operator, and manages and stores the message together with the room number. Then, the message lamps of the cabin telephones 6a to 6n are blinked. The guest who has returned from the outside has room telephones 6a to 6
n noticed the blinking of the message lamp of the room telephone 6a.
When dialing a message reproduction button or a specific number for message reproduction, the telephone exchange 1 calls the voice mail system and reproduces the voice message of the room number.

Next, the voice mail server 2 of the embodiment will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the voice mail server 2.

In FIG. 2, a line control unit 21 is connected to the LINE line 10 via the voice modem 7, and outputs a voice signal and a switch signal from the room indicator 4 (hereinafter referred to as P
This is referred to as a B signal. ) And control. Line control unit 21
Supplies the voice signal and the PB signal from the LINE lines 10a to 10m to the voice message recording unit 22, and outputs the voice signal and the PB signal from the voice message playback unit 23 to the LINE.
Transmit to lines 10a to 10m.

The voice message recording unit 22 stores the digitized voice data in the voice message storage unit 24, analyzes the PB signal indicating the room number received when recording the voice message,
The information that the voice message has been recorded is written into the voice message management area of the room number of No. 5.

The voice message reproducing unit 23 analyzes the PB signal indicating the room number received from the line control unit 21,
The message management table 25 is searched with the room number,
Voice data is specified based on the presence or absence of a voice message, a pointer to voice data, and the like, voice data is called from the voice message storage unit 24, and voice data is transmitted from the line control unit 21.

The transfer destination telephone number table 2A stores a telephone number for automatically transferring a call when a message memo message exists in the room. When the voice message is registered, the message presence / absence information transmitting unit 26
The presence / absence of a voice message for the guest room is transmitted to the private electronic telephone exchange 1 via the LAN 5.

The telephone exchange 1 blinks the message lamps of the room telephones 6a to 6n based on the voice message presence / absence information and the message memo message presence / absence information sent from the room indicator 4. Further, the telephone exchange 1 blinks the message lamps of the room telephones 6a to 6n when any one of the voice message and the message memo message is present, and waits until all the messages in the room have been transmitted. To turn off the message lamp.

The message presence / absence information receiving section 27 determines whether or not there is a message memo message from the telephone exchange 1 (this is information sent from the room indicator 4 to the telephone exchange 1, and the voice mail server 2 receives the message via the telephone exchange 1). Receive information.

The transmission history management unit 28 manages the reproduction history of the voice message and the history of the voice data, which is the content of the conversation between the message attendant and the cabin when transmitting the message memo message. The call recording management unit 29, when both the voice message and the message memo message in the room,
After the voice message is reproduced, a message recording start instruction is given to the message recording device 3 of the telephone of the message clerk.
And transmits the data of the room number and the voice data to the transmission management unit 28.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the internal structure of the message management table 25.

As shown in FIG. 3, the message management table 25 is a record for each guestroom number. Each room number has information on the number of unplayed voice messages, the number of played voice messages, and the presence / absence of a message memo message registered in the guest room. (1 for playback, 2 for already played, 0 for no message) and pointer information to voice data in the voice message storage unit 24. In the present embodiment, a set of a pointer to the unreproduced / reproduced section and the audio data is secured in an area of 20 cases per guest room so as to hold 20 messages per guest room.

FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of the voice message reproducing unit 23.

When the guest returns from the outside to the guest room, notices the blinking of the message lamps of the guest room telephones 6a to 6n, and presses the message button of the guest room telephones 6a to 6n.
Switch signal (PB) to the telephone exchange 1 through the INE line
Signal), the room number and information indicating that the message is to be reproduced are transmitted.

The telephone exchange 1 calls the voice mail server 2 through the LINE lines 10a to 10m to the voice mail server 2 based on the information, and the room number and the information indicating that the message is to be reproduced are transmitted via the line control unit 21. And give.

As a result, the voice message reproducing section 23 operates to execute the flow of FIG.

First, in block S01, the message management table 25 is searched to check whether there is an unplayed message in the guest room. If there is an unplayed message, block S0
Step 2 plays all unplayed messages. Next, in a block S03, the message management table 25 is searched to check whether there is a message memo message in the room. If there is a message memo message, in block S04, a talk key such as "The message memo message is also kept at the front desk and will be forwarded to the front desk" is sent to the room telephones 6a to 6n through the line control unit 21. .

In block S05, the telephone is transferred to the telephone number registered in the message memo transfer destination telephone number table 28. In block S06, the message recording start instruction information is sent to the message
To send over. The message clerk receiving the telephone call transferred in block S05 looks at the room number displayed on the telephone for the message clerk, and notifies the guest of the contents of the message memo message of the room. At this time, the content of the call is recorded in the call recording device 3 in response to the recording start instruction transmitted to the call recording device in block S06, and ends when the call is disconnected. Block S03
Then, if there is no message memo message, play a talkie indicating the end of playback such as "The message received is over" and hang up.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of the call recording device 3. As shown in FIG.

As the call recording device 3, a personal computer having a voice processing mechanism is used.

In FIG. 5, the call recording control section 31 is LA
It receives the recording start instruction information coming in via N5, instructs the call recording unit 32 to start recording, and stores the date and time and the room number at that time. The call content recording unit 32 stores voice data received from a handset (receiver) of the message telephone 9 through a voice processing mechanism in the call content temporary storage unit 33. The recording of the voice data ends when the call content recording unit 32 detects that the handset has turned ON HOOK.

When the recording is completed, the fact that the recording has been completed and the date and time at that time are notified to the communication contents transmitting section 34. The call content transmission 34 reads the recorded data from the call content temporary storage unit 33, converts the data into voice data in the same format as the voice data in the voice mail server 2, and then transmits the voice data and the date and time to the voice mail server 2. Transmit via LAN5.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the management table in the transmission history management unit 28.

At the head of the table, a table write pointer is provided. This write pointer indicates the record number to be written next. The management table has a fixed number of records, and is written to the first record after the last record. The contents stored in one record are a room number, a message classification, a recording date and time, a reproduction date and time, and a pointer to an audio file.

The message category is a category of a voice message or a message memo message. For example, it is 1 for a voice message and 2 for a message memo message.

In the case of a voice message, the recording date and time is the date and time when the voice message was recorded. In the case of a message memo message, the call recording management unit 29 instructs the call recording device 3 to start recording. Date and time.

In the case of a voice message, the reproduction date is the date and time of the reproduction of the voice message, and in the case of a message memo message, the year when the recording was completed by the call content recording unit 32 in the call recording device 3. Month, date and time. The pointer to the voice file is a pointer to voice data stored in the voice message storage unit 24. In the case of voice messages, voice data of call recording contents when a message memo message is transmitted is treated in exactly the same way.

With the management table of the transmission history management unit 28, it is possible to search the transmission history using the guest room number, the reproduction date, and the like as search keys. Further, regardless of the voice message or the message memo message, the content of the transmission can be confirmed by reproducing the voice data.

The message is transmitted as described above. The presence or absence of the voice message and the message memo message can be collectively managed by the voice mail server, and the transmission request from the cabin is not leaked. Furthermore, when a guest receives a complaint etc. in the message content of the message memo message, the room number and the date (in some cases, hour and minute)
Can be used to search for the contents of the call at the time of transmission, and to reproduce the contents of the call at the time of transmission, and it is possible to verify the contents of the claim.

It is obvious that a unique message memo message management device may be provided for the message memo message without using the voice mail server together.

[0060]

According to the present invention, transmission of a memo message in a hotel using both a voice message directly received from a message by voice and a message memo transmitted to a hotel guest via a hotel message clerk. Can be performed reliably, the history and the contents of the transmission can be searched, and there is an effect that it is possible to promptly respond to a complaint relating to the message of the guest.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a voice mail server.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a message management table.

FIG. 4 is an operation flow of a voice message reproducing unit.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a call recording device.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a table of a transmission history management unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Electronic telephone exchange on premises 2. Voice mail server 3. Call recording device 4. Room indicator 5. LAN on premises 6. Telephone in room 7. Modem (voice modem) 8. Modem (data modem) 9. Message telephone set 10. LINE line

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5K015 GA02 GA03 GA05 5K024 AA72 BB05 CC01 FF02 FF06 GG12 9A001 HH15 JJ72 KK60

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A telephone exchange for exchanging telephones with a plurality of guestroom telephones provided in a guest room of a hotel, and a voice message to the guest room is stored for each guest room, and based on a reproduction request from the guest room, the telephone exchange of the guest room is performed. A voice mail device for sending a voice message to a telephone via the telephone exchange, a message telephone capable of talking to the room telephone via the telephone exchange, and a memo message for notifying the corresponding guest room that there is a memo message Presence / absence notification means, a call recording device for recording the contents of a memo message transmitted between the room phone and the message attendant telephone, and a transmission history including a call room and a call date and time regarding the call contents of the call recording device. A memo message management device for managing a message so that it can be transmitted as a voice message. Transmission system. 2. A telephone exchange for exchanging telephones with a plurality of guestroom telephones provided in a guest room of a hotel, a message telephone capable of making a telephone call with the guest room telephone via the telephone exchange, and a voice message to the guest room. Accumulate for each room,
A voice mail device that sends a voice message to the telephone in the room via the telephone exchange based on a playback request from the room and, when there is a memo message to the room, notifies the message telephone after the end of voice message transmission. Memo message presence / absence notification means for notifying the guest room and the voice mail device that there is a memo message, and transmitting the memo message content of the message attendant telephone based on the memo message content confirmation request from the room phone. A call recording device for recording the contents of a call, and a voice message storage means of the voice mail device are managed so that a transmission history including a call room number and a call date and time can be transmitted as a voice message regarding the contents of the call of the call recording device. And a memo message management device. Hotels of message transmission system. 3. A telephone exchange for exchanging telephones with a plurality of guestroom telephones provided in a guest room of a hotel, a telephone for a message attendant who can communicate with the guestroom telephone via the telephone exchange, and a memo message. A memo message presence / absence contact means for contacting a guest room and a voice mail device to be described later via the telephone exchange, a call recording device for recording a call content of a memo message content transmission between the room phone and the message phone, A voice message to the guest room is stored for each guest room, a voice message is sent to the telephone of the guest room via the telephone exchange based on a reproduction request from the guest room, and a call room of the call recording device is talked about. A voice mail device for transmitting a transmission history including a number and a call date and time as a voice message. That hotels of message transmission system. 4. A telephone exchange for exchanging telephones with a plurality of guestroom telephones provided in a guest room of a hotel, a telephone for a message attendant who can make a call with the guestroom telephone via the telephone exchange, and a memo message. A memo message presence / absence contact means for contacting a guest room and a voice mail device to be described later via the telephone exchange, a call recording device for recording a call content of a memo message content transmission between the room phone and the message phone, A voice message to the guest room is stored for each guest room, and a voice message is transmitted to the telephone of the guest room via the telephone exchange based on a reproduction request from the guest room. After the transmission is completed, the room phone and the memo message phone are instructed to talk, and Message transmission system of the hotel is characterized by comprising a voice mail device to send a voice message transmission history that includes a call date and time and the call room number in relation to the story content. 5. A telephone exchange for exchanging telephones with a plurality of guestroom telephones provided in a guest room of a hotel, and a voice message to said guest room is stored for each guest room, and said guest room is stored in said guest room based on a reproduction request from said guest room. A voice mail device for sending a voice message to a telephone via the telephone exchange; a plurality of voice modems provided between the telephone exchange and the voice mail device for converting a voice signal into a digital signal; A message telephone that can make a call to the room telephone through the exchange, room instruction means for inputting a room number corresponding to the presence of a memo message by an analog signal, and a room number input by the room instruction means on a digital signal Memo message, which is converted to a voice signal and transmitted to the corresponding guest room and the voice mail device via the telephone exchange. A call recording modem for recording the contents of a memo message transmitted between the room telephone and the message attendant telephone; and a call room and a call date and time regarding the contents of the call recording device. A message transmission system for a hotel, comprising: a memo message management device that manages transmission history so that transmission history can be transmitted as a voice message.