JP2001069229A - Facsimile equipment provided with voice recording and reproducing function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a facsimile equipment provided with voice recording and reproducing function capable of reproducing the recording state of a recorded voice message at an appropriate output level all the time regardlessly of the ambient environment and user's senses at the time of recording in a communication equipment such as the facsimile equipment having a recording and reproducing function. SOLUTION: This equipment is provided with a switch 15 which inputs a voice message, that is inputted from a microphone 10 and stored in a memory 4, to a modem 5, the modem 5 detects the record level of the inputted voice message, and the voice message can be reproduced at an appropriate output level all the time by adjusting the output level of the voice message on the basis of these detection results.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to communication equipment,
In particular, the present invention relates to a telephone, a facsimile apparatus, and other communication devices having a voice message recording / playback function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, telephones and facsimile machines generally have a function of recording voice messages. Among facsimile apparatuses, those capable of recording voice messages such as answering messages of answering machines and voice guidance of facsimile information BOX are increasing.

In a device having a recording function from a microphone as described above, when a normal message is recorded, the recorded message is played back on its own device to have the user confirm the recording state.

[0004]

However, since the judgment as to whether the recording state is appropriate varies depending on the user's feeling, the surrounding environment, and the like, it cannot be said that the reliability is high.

[0005] Therefore, if the recording level is too low, it becomes difficult for the other party to hear the message. Conversely, if the recording level is too high, distortion occurs, which makes it difficult to hear the message, and the output level to the line falls below the standard value. Failures, such as the possibility of exceeding, occur.

Further, when inputting a plurality of voice messages, it is difficult to input each voice message at the same level due to the influence of the volume of the speaker's voice, the usage environment of the microphone, and the like. Another problem is that the recording levels are different. In this case, since the reproduced volume differs for each message, it becomes difficult for the other party to hear the message. In addition, even if the content of the recorded message is accurate, if the recording level is not appropriate, the recording side of the message needs to re-record the message, thereby imposing an extra burden on the user.

Therefore, the present invention comprises means for detecting the recording state of a voice message using a modem, and converts the recorded voice data to an optimum output level based on the detection result and outputs the converted output level to a line. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which improves the quality of reproduced sound of a voice message, ensures that the voice message is notified to the other party, and reduces a burden when the user records the voice message. I do.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a facsimile apparatus with a voice recording / reproducing function, comprising: a voice recording / reproducing means for inputting and storing a voice message, reproducing the stored voice message, and a modem for modulating / demodulating and transmitting image information. Input means for inputting the recorded voice message to the modem, the modem having detection means for detecting a recording level of the input voice message, based on a detection result of the detection means, A level adjusting means for adjusting the level of the voice message to a predetermined value is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the level adjusting means is an amplifier for selecting a gain from a plurality of settings. It is.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect, the level adjusting means arbitrarily sets an output level using PWM control and externally changes the output level. The feature is that it is possible.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the level of the voice message is determined based on a detection result of the detection means. Is provided with a warning means for issuing a warning when the distance is outside a predetermined range set in advance.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus capable of recording and reproducing voice messages according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the facsimile apparatus includes a scanner 1, a plotter 2, an encoding / decoding unit 3, a memory 4, a modem 5, a network control unit 6, an operation display unit 7, a system control unit 8, a voice recording / reproducing circuit 9. , A microphone 10 and a system bus 11.

The scanner 1 is a scanner device for reading a document image, and the plotter 2 is a plotter device for printing out an image on recording paper.

The encoding / decoding unit 3 converts the image information to be transmitted into encoded data by performing data compression by a predetermined encoding method. Also, the received image information is decoded to restore the original image information.

The memory 4 is a memory for storing images at the time of transmission and reception as necessary, and is also used for storing audio data encoded by the audio recording / reproducing circuit 9.

The modem 5 transmits and receives image information and a procedure signal for transmission control. The network controller 6 is connected to a telephone line and performs predetermined line control when making and receiving calls. is there.

The operation display section 7 allows the operator to perform various operations and displays the operation state of the apparatus, and the like, and the system control section 8 is a microcomputer for controlling the above sections.

The sound recording / reproducing circuit 9 is provided with a microphone 1 for recording.
The audio signal input from 0 is quantized by A / D conversion,
The quantized audio data is encoded and stored in the memory 4. Although various types of encoding methods have been realized, the present invention does not depend on the encoding method, and any encoding method is used. Also, at the time of reproduction, the encoded audio data is read out from the memory 4, and after decoding, the D /
A conversion is performed to convert to an audio signal.

The microphone 10 is a microphone for inputting an audio signal, and the system bus 11 is a signal line through which the above-mentioned units exchange various control signals and data with each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, a dedicated memory (memory for voice data) 12 for storing voice data may be provided in the voice recording / reproducing circuit 9 to store encoded voice data.

Although the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 use a semiconductor memory for recording and reproducing voices, the configuration shown in FIG. 3 may be such that the tape recorder 13 is used for recording and reproducing.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a voice output section of a facsimile apparatus having a function of recording and reproducing a normal voice message.

When recording a voice message, the voice signal input from the microphone 10 is transmitted to A
The data is quantized by the / D converter, and the quantized audio data is encoded and stored in the memory 4.

At the time of reproduction, the encoded audio data is read from the memory 4, decoded, D / A converted, converted into an audio signal, amplified by the amplifier unit 14, and output to the line.

In order to confirm the recording state, the encoded audio data is read from the memory 4, decoded, D / A-converted and converted into an audio signal. Output from the speaker 16.

When outputting a voice message to a line,
The switch 15 normally set on the modem side is switched to the audio circuit side, and the output from the audio recording / reproducing circuit 9 is amplified by the amplifier section 14 and then transmitted to the line via the network control device 6.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the present invention as a first embodiment. In the configuration of the present invention, the switch 15a for switching the modem output and the audio circuit output of the transmission path to the switch 15a
In addition to the (transmitting side), a switch 15b (receiving side) is provided for switching the input to the modem on the receiving path between the signal received from the line and the output from the audio circuit.

By using this switch 15 to set the path shown by the thick line in FIG. 5, it becomes possible to directly input the audio signal output from the audio circuit to the modem 5.

The modem 5 has a function of detecting the level of a signal such as a dial tone signal in addition to a function of transmitting and receiving data for communication. The output level of the voice message can be detected.

The level detection of the voice message is to detect a peak value in the voice message. This peak may be detected by detecting a peak value P within the recording period, extracting P1 to Pn which are the largest among these peak values, and using an average value of these values as recording level data.

Here, the path is switched using the switch 15 and the output of the audio circuit is input to the modem 5. However, the signal is routed from the 2-wire to 4-wire conversion circuit in the network controller 6 to the reception path. The signal may be detected by the modem 5. In that case, it can be realized by the configuration shown in FIG.

Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment in which the gain of the amplifier section 14 can be changed in the configuration example of the apparatus of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of the amplifier section 14. FIG.
Then, using two switches (SW1, SW2),
This is an example in which three levels can be set.
By using an analog switch as the switch, the change of the gain can be easily controlled from the system control unit 8.

The operation during recording / playback will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, a recording operation is started (A1), and the user inputs a voice message using a microphone (A1).
2). Next, playback processing is performed to confirm the recorded content of the voice message (A3), and the recorded message is output to the speaker 16. At this time, the switch 15 is switched so that the voice circuit output is input to the modem 5, and at the same time, the recording level of the voice message is detected by the modem 5 (A4). The detected recording level data is added to the message data and recorded on the memory, and the process ends (A5).

When outputting a message, first, the recording level data of the message recorded during recording is read (B
2). After changing the gain setting of the amplifier unit 14 based on this value (B3), the voice message is reproduced (B3).
4).

The gain setting of the amplifier unit 14 is adjusted so that the level output to the line becomes the maximum value which does not exceed the standard value when the maximum level portion in the message is output.

Next, another example of the configuration of the device of the first embodiment, in which the gain of the amplifier section 14 can be changed, will be described as a third embodiment. Except for the method of changing the gain of the amplifier section 14, the configuration and operation of the device of the second embodiment are the same.

FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of the amplifier section 14 in the device of the third embodiment. In FIG. 8, after amplification by the amplifier unit 14, PWM control is performed using a switch (SW), and L
Output through PF.

FIG. 9 shows the operation of changing the gain by PWM. When the SW is turned ON / OFF with a signal (2) having a sufficiently high frequency with respect to the audio signal (1) input to the SW, the output from the SW has a waveform as shown in (3). This signal can be converted into a signal as shown in (4) by passing through the LPF. In the PWM control, the level of the output signal can be changed only by changing the duty ratio of (2). In other words, the signal output can be arbitrarily changed only by controlling one signal for turning on / off the SW in FIG. 8 from the system control unit 8, so that the output level can be changed with a simple configuration. it can.

Next, the detected level is compared with a value in a preset range, and if it is smaller than the set value,
Alternatively, a device that issues a warning to the user when it is large will be described as a fourth embodiment.

The structure is the same as that of the first to third embodiments. The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, a recording operation is started (C1), and the user inputs a voice message using a microphone (C1).
2). Next, reproduction processing is performed to confirm the recorded content of the voice message (C3), and the recorded message is output to the speaker 16. At this time, the switch 15 is switched so that the voice circuit output is input to the modem 5, and at the same time, the recording level of the voice message is detected by the modem 5 (C4). It is determined whether the detected recording level data falls within a preset range (C5). If it is out of the preset range, a warning sound is emitted or a lamp is displayed to warn the user (C6), notify that re-input is necessary, and return to the recording process again.

If the detection result falls within the set range, it is determined that the input has been made at a normal level, and the recording level data in the message is added to the voice message data and recorded on the memory (C7). )finish.

At the time of outputting a voice message, the maximum value of the message recorded at the time of recording or the recording level data is read out in the same manner as described above. After changing the gain setting of the amplifier section 14 based on this value, the voice message is reproduced.

[0047]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the recorded voice message is input to the modem, the level of the voice message is detected by the modem, and the output level is adjusted, so that the detection accuracy is kept constant. And it does not vary depending on the user's feeling or surrounding environment, so it is more reliable than the user checking the recording state,
The level can be accurately detected and the output level can be kept constant.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the gain of the amplifier is switched to output the audio signal based on the level detected for each audio message, the output level of the audio message can be made uniform. Yes, making it easier for the other party to listen. Further, even when a plurality of messages are recorded, since the audio signal is output by switching the gain of the amplifier unit for each message, there is no variation in volume between the messages. Further, even if there is a variation in the recording level, it is corrected by the gain adjustment in the amplifier section, so that recording failure can be suppressed and the burden on the user when inputting a voice message can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the second aspect, the PWM adjustment for the gain of the amplifier section is performed.
Since control is used, a gain adjustment circuit can be realized with a simple configuration. Also, the gain adjustment stage can be set more finely.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the recording level is lower or higher than a preset range, a warning is issued to the user to urge the user to input again. To improve the quality of voice messages.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a voice output unit of the facsimile apparatus having a voice message recording / reproducing function.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a voice output unit of the facsimile apparatus having a voice message recording / playback function according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration of an amplifier unit according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a recording / playback operation process according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an amplifier section of the facsimile apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a graph for explaining a PWM operation of the amplifier unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation process of the facsimile apparatus of one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Scanner 2 Plotter 3 Encoding / decoding part 4 Memory 5 Modem 6 Network controller 7 Operation display part 8 System control part 9 Voice recording / reproduction circuit 10 Microphone 11 System bus 12 Memory for voice data 13 Tape recorder 14 Amplifier section 15 Switch 16 speaker

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C062 AA02 AB17 AB26 AB38 AB46 AC58 AE11 AF15 BA00 5D108 CA07 CA11 5J100 JA01 KA05 LA00 LA10 LA11 QA01 SA00 SA01 SA04 5K039 AA02 AA08 BB00 CC01 EE01 EE06 HH07 5K101 NN01 NN01

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus with a voice recording / reproducing function, comprising: a voice recording / reproducing means for inputting and storing a voice message and reproducing the stored voice message; and a modem for modulating / demodulating and transmitting image information. Input means for inputting a recorded voice message to the modem, the modem having detecting means for detecting a recording level of the input voice message, and the voice based on a detection result of the detecting means. A facsimile apparatus with a voice recording / reproducing function, comprising a level adjusting means for adjusting a message level to a predetermined value. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said level adjusting means is an amplifier for selecting a gain from a plurality of settings. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said level adjusting means can arbitrarily set an output level using PWM control and can change the output level from outside. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a level of said voice message is out of a predetermined range based on a detection result of said detection means. A facsimile machine comprising warning means for issuing a warning.