JP2012156702A - Frequency composition signal detector, frequency composition signal detection program, server and call center system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent erroneous detection of frequency composition signals such as DTMF signals.SOLUTION: A frequency composition signal detector of the invention includes: signal determination means for transmitting signal components of a plurality of frequency bands from inputted signals and determining the presence or absence of signals of the respective frequency bands; frequency composition signal detection means for receiving determination results of the presence or absence of signals from the signal determination means, detecting frequency composition signals by a prescribed detection condition, and outputting the detection output to the outside; and state control means for controlling the internal state of the frequency composition signal detector by an ON state, an OFF state, and an OFF reservation state of suppressing the detection output of the frequency composition signals by the frequency composition signal detection means and performing the same processing as that in the ON state for the other processing.

Description

  The present invention relates to a frequency synthesized signal detection device, a frequency synthesized signal detection program, a server, and a call center system. For example, a frequency synthesized signal detection device, a frequency synthesized signal detection program, a server, and a call center that detect a DTMF signal used in telephone service or the like. It can be applied to the system.

  In recent years, with the expansion of high-speed IP networks, there are VoIP technologies such as an IP-based flexible and highly scalable call center system and automatic voice response device (IVR: Interactive Voice Response).

  Conventionally, telephone line termination processing and FAX transmission / reception processing have been realized by dedicated hardware. However, these functions can be realized by software by improving the performance of general-purpose servers. Cost and capacity can be increased.

  FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of a VoIP server used in the above-described call center system, IVR, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the VoIP server includes a signaling 50, a voice processing / fax transmission / reception unit 30, and an API 40 on the OS 60. As one of the modules of the voice processing / fax transmission / reception unit 30, DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) signal detector 10 is present.

  The DTMF signal is a composite signal in which a low group 1 frequency and a high group 1 frequency are superimposed. For example, in a VoIP system such as a call center system or IVR, when a DTMF signal is transmitted from an operator terminal or a user terminal, the VoIP server detects the DTMF signal and provides a function (application) corresponding to the DTMF signal. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the conventional DTMF signal detector 10. In FIG. 3, the DTMF signal detector 10 includes a filter processing unit 11-1 to 11-4 that transmits each frequency component of the low group 4 frequency and a filter processing unit 12-that transmits each frequency component of the high group 4 frequency. 1-12-4.

  The signal input to the DTMF signal detector 10 is given to the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4 and 12-1 to 12-4, and one of the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4, and Any one of the filter processing units 12-1 to 12-4 is transmitted.

  The low group 1 frequency component that has passed through any of the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4 and the high group 1 frequency component that has passed through any of the filter processing units 12-1 to 12-4 have their respective levels. It is given to the determination processing units 21-1 to 21-4 and 22-1 to 22-4, and the presence / absence of a signal of each frequency component is determined from the signal level.

  From the determination result of any of the level determination processing units 21-1 to 21-4 and the determination result of any of the level determination processing units 22-1 to 22-4, the timer processing unit 3 The period during which the high group 1 frequency signal exists is counted, and the detection output of the DTMF signal is performed.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the timer processing unit 3 has a signal duration in which a low group 1 frequency and a high group 1 frequency exist for Ts or more and a minimum pause (signal digit) until the next signal. The detection output (for example, event output) of the DTMF signal is performed on the condition that the time for detecting the interval is equal to or greater than Tm.

  Then, the application located at the upper level receives the detection output (event) of the DTMF signal from the DTMF signal detector 10 and operates the application corresponding to the received event.

JP 2000-188611 A JP 2002-94589 A JP-A-8-274868

  However, when the conventional DTMF signal detector 10 is ON / OFF controlled by the host application 20 while the DTMF signal is being input, there may be a problem that the DTMF signal may be detected repeatedly.

  An example in which this problem may occur will be described with reference to FIG. In the conventional DTMF signal detector 10, the internal state becomes the ON / OFF state in accordance with the ON / OFF control from the host application.

  When a DTMF signal is input to the DTMF signal detector 10, the timer processing unit 3 detects a DTMF signal of one unit (for example, one digit) under the above-described conditions. At this time, when the signal duration time is equal to or longer than Ts, the timer processing unit 3 can recognize the input signal and detect the DTMF signal. At this time, some applications 20 detect the DTMF signal, and once turn from ON to OFF, and after a predetermined time elapses (for example, several tens of milliseconds), rise to ON again.

  For example, when such an application 20 is used, as shown in FIG. 5, when the higher-level application 20 is turned ON / OFF, the DTMF signal detector 10 is also turned ON / OFF (FIG. 5A, (See FIG. 5D).

  When the DTMF signal detector 10 is changed from the OFF state to the ON state, the DTMF signal detector 10 is initialized, so that the signal duration time is further counted. Therefore, when the signal duration time Ts has elapsed, the DTMF signal may be detected in duplicate (see FIG. 5C).

  Therefore, a frequency composite signal detection device capable of avoiding duplicate detection of DTMF signals and preventing erroneous detection of DTMF signals even when ON / OFF control is performed from a higher-order application during detection of DTMF signals, There is a need for a combined signal detection program, server, and call center system.

  In order to solve such a problem, the frequency synthesized signal detecting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is a frequency synthesized signal detecting apparatus for detecting a frequency synthesized signal obtained by synthesizing signals of a plurality of frequency bands. A signal determining means for transmitting signal components of a plurality of frequency bands from the signal and determining the presence / absence of a signal in each frequency band; and (2) receiving a signal presence / absence determination result from the signal determining means, and performing frequency synthesis according to a predetermined detection condition. A frequency synthesized signal detecting means for detecting a signal and outputting the detected output to the outside; (3) an internal state of the frequency synthesized signal detecting device is an ON state, an OFF state, and a frequency synthesized by the frequency synthesized signal detecting means. Signal control output is suppressed, and other processing is provided with state control means for controlling in the OFF reservation state in which the same processing as the ON state is performed.

  The frequency synthesized signal detection program of the second aspect of the present invention is a frequency synthesized signal detecting program for detecting a frequency synthesized signal obtained by synthesizing signals of a plurality of frequency bands, and (1) a plurality of frequencies from an input signal. A signal determination means for transmitting the signal component of the band and determining the presence / absence of a signal in each frequency band; (2) receiving a signal presence / absence determination result from the signal determination means, detecting a frequency composite signal according to a predetermined detection condition; Frequency synthesis signal detection means for outputting detection output to the outside, (3) The internal state of the frequency synthesis signal detection device is set to ON state, OFF state, and frequency synthesis signal detection output by the frequency synthesis signal detection means is suppressed. The other processes are characterized by functioning as state control means for controlling in the OFF reservation state in which the same processing as the ON state is performed.

  The server of the third aspect of the present invention includes (1) signal transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving signals to / from the network, (2) signal processing means for performing signal processing based on the received signals, and (3) signal processing. Application processing means for performing a predetermined voice application in response to the result of signal processing by the means, wherein the signal processing means detects a frequency synthesized signal in which signals of a plurality of frequency bands are synthesized from the received signal. It has 1 the frequency synthetic signal detection apparatus of this invention, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  A call center system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of operator terminals, a plurality of user terminals via a network, and / or a server that connects to each of the operator terminals and provides an application relating to a call center service. In the call center system, the server is a server according to a third aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, even when ON / OFF control is performed from an upper application in the middle of detection of a DTMF signal, it is possible to avoid detection of duplicate DTMF signals and prevent erroneous detection of DTMF signals.

It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the DTMF signal detector of embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of a VoIP server. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the conventional DTMF signal detector. It is explanatory drawing explaining the detection of a DTMF signal. It is explanatory drawing explaining the subject when using the conventional DTMF signal detector. It is a state transition diagram which shows the state transition which the state control part of embodiment controls. It is a time chart explaining the DTMF signal detection method of an embodiment (the 1). It is a time chart explaining the DTMF signal detection method of an embodiment (the 2).

(A) Embodiment Hereinafter, embodiments of a frequency synthesized signal detection apparatus, a frequency synthesized signal detection program, a server, and a call center system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In this embodiment, for example, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a DTMF signal detector mounted on a VoIP server used in a call center system, IVR, or the like is illustrated.

(A-1) Configuration of Embodiment The system configuration of the VoIP server according to this embodiment is the same as the system configuration of the conventional VoIP server.

  The hardware configuration of the VoIP server includes, for example, a CPU, a storage unit such as a ROM, a RAM, and an EEPROM, and is connected to a network (for example, an IP network). As shown in FIG. 2, the software configuration of the VoIP server operates a signaling 50, a voice processing / fax transmission / reception unit 30, an API 40, and an application 20 on the OS 60. The voice processing / fax transmission / reception unit 30 includes a DTMF signal detector 10 that detects a DTMF signal received via the network 70. In this embodiment, it is described as “DTMF signal detector 1”.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the DTMF signal detector 1 of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the DTMF signal detector 1 includes filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4, filter processing units 12-1 to 12-4, level determination processing units 21-1 to 21-4, and a level determination processing unit 22. -1 to 22-4, a timer processing unit 3, and a state control unit 4 at least.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that the DTMF signal detector 1 detects a DTMF signal by software processing. However, for example, the DTMF signal may be detected by hardware such as an electronic circuit. Moreover, although the case where the DTMF signal detector 1 is mounted as one module of the voice processing / FAX transmission / reception unit 30 is illustrated, it may be configured as one function of the application 20.

  The filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4 transmit each frequency component of the low group 4 frequencies. Moreover, the filter processing units 12-1 to 12-4 transmit the frequency components of the high group 4 frequencies.

  The level determination processing units 21-1 to 21-4 determine whether or not there is a signal with a low group frequency based on the level of the signal that has passed through the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4. The level determination processing units 22-1 to 22-4 determine the presence / absence of a signal having a high group frequency based on the level of the signal that has passed through the filter processing units 12-1 to 12-4.

  The timer processing unit 3 determines whether or not the low group 1 frequency signal is detected by the level determination processing units 21-1 to 21-4 and the high group 1 frequency signal from the level determination processing units 22-1 to 2-4. Based on the determination result, the DTMF signal is detected and output.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the timer processing unit 3 includes a signal duration counter unit 31, a minimum pause monitoring unit 32, a minimum pause counter unit 33, and an output unit 34 as functions thereof.

  When a signal of a low group 1 frequency and a high group 1 frequency is input, the signal duration counter unit 31 measures (counts) the duration of the signal. The signal duration counter unit 31 can recognize the input DTMF signal when the signal duration has passed Ts. Here, the recognition of the input DTMF signal is the detection of the DTMF signal.

  The minimum pause monitoring unit 32 monitors a period until the minimum pause Tm elapses after the signal duration counter unit 31 detects the DTMF signal. The minimum pose monitoring unit 32 notifies the state control unit 4 described later that the minimum pose is being monitored.

  The minimum pause counter unit 33 measures (counts) the minimum pause time from the DTMF signal input this time to the next DTMF signal input in order to detect the inter-digit of the input signal. When the minimum pause time is Tm or more, the minimum pause counter unit 33 can detect that the current DTMF signal of one digit is detected, for example.

  The output unit 34 provides a detection signal (for example, an event) of the DTMF signal to a higher-level application. Here, the detection of the DTMF signal is performed under the condition that the signal duration is Ts or more and the minimum pause is Tm or more, as in the prior art.

  The state control unit 4 sets the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1 to an ON state or an OFF state by an ON / OFF control signal from a host application.

  Furthermore, the state control unit 4 of this embodiment has an OFF reservation state, and controls the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1 in any of three types of states: an ON state, an OFF state, and an OFF reservation state. is there.

  The OFF reserved state is a state that is transitioned when an OFF control signal is received from the application 2 during monitoring of the minimum pause, and the detection output of the DTMF signal from the timer processing unit 3 is masked while maintaining the ON state. It is a state to do. By setting such an OFF reservation state, the detection process of the DTMF signal can be continuously performed from the input signal.

  Here, if the state control unit 4 can stop the detection output of the DTMF signal from the timer processing unit 3, various methods for stopping the output can be used. For example, in this embodiment, the state control unit 4 stops the operation of the output unit 34 of the timer processing unit 3. Thereby, operation | movement of functional parts other than the output part 34 of the timer process part 3 can be operated similarly to the time of ON state.

(A-2) Operation of Embodiment Next, the processing operation of the DTMF signal detection method in the DTMF signal detector 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a state transition diagram showing the state transition controlled by the state control unit 4. 7 and 8 are time charts for explaining the DTMF signal detection method.

  FIG. 7A shows the state of the ON / OFF control signal from the host application 20. As shown in FIG. 7A, initially, the OFF control is performed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7D, the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1 is OFF.

  When the ON control signal is given from the host application 20, the state control unit 4 turns on the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1 (S104 in FIG. 6).

  Then, when the input signal is given to the DTMF signal detector 1, the signal passes through the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4 and 12-1 to 12-4, and the level determination processing unit 21- 1-21-4 and 22-1 to 22-4 determine the presence / absence of a signal based on the output levels from the filter processing units 11-1 to 11-4 and 12-1 to 12-4.

  In the timer processing unit 3, when a low group 1 frequency signal and a high group 1 frequency signal are input, the signal duration counter unit 31 starts counting the signal duration, and when the signal duration exceeds Ts. , The DTMF signal is detected.

  The minimum pose monitoring unit 32 monitors the minimum pose until the minimum pose is completed after detecting the DTMF signal.

  At this time, the minimum pose monitoring unit 32 notifies the state control unit 4 that the minimum pose is being monitored, and the state control unit 4 is given an OFF control signal from the host application 20 during the minimum pose monitoring. Then, the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1 is changed to the OFF reservation state (S101 in FIG. 2).

  Here, the OFF reservation state is a state in which the detection output (for example, event) of the DTMF signal is masked, and the other states are the same as the ON state. As shown in FIG. 6, when the state control unit 4 receives an OFF control signal during minimum pose monitoring, the state control unit 4 makes a transition to the OFF reservation state. When the state control unit 4 receives an OFF control signal at times other than during minimum pose monitoring, the state control unit 4 enters the OFF state. Transition is made (S101 and S102 in FIG. 6).

  That is, in the OFF reservation state, the DTMF signal detector 1 can monitor the minimum pause and maintain the DTMF signal detection process, but does not perform the detection output of the DTMF signal.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, when the ON control signal is received from the host application 20 in the OFF reservation state and during the minimum pause monitoring, the state control unit 4 turns on the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1. The state is changed (S103 in FIG. 6). As a result, it is possible to continue monitoring the minimum pause including the period when the OFF control from the host application 20 is received.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, after the detection of the DTMF signal, when the OFF control signal is input from the host application 20 during the minimum pause monitoring, the state control unit 4 turns off the internal state of the DTMF signal detector 1. Transition to the reservation state.

  Thereafter, when the minimum pause monitoring is completed in the OFF reservation state, the state control unit 4 changes the internal state of the DTMF receiver to the OFF state (S105 in FIG. 6). In the OFF reservation state, the DTMF signal detector 1 performs the same processing as the ON state except for masking the detection output, so the state control unit 4 makes a transition from the OFF reservation state to the OFF state. Thereby, power consumption can be prevented from increasing.

(A-3) Effect of Embodiment As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the OFF / ON control is performed immediately after the detection of the DTMF signal, it is possible to prevent duplicate detection. Furthermore, erroneous detection can be prevented even when the minimum pause time is insufficient.

  Moreover, when the OFF control is performed immediately after the detection of the DTMF signal and the OFF reservation state is entered, when the minimum pause monitoring is completed, the state control unit transitions the internal state of the DTMF receiver to the OFF state. There is no increase.

(B) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the timing during monitoring of the minimum pause is set to the OFF reservation state, but it may be realized at a timing different from this.

  In the above-described embodiment, the DTMF signal detector functioning as a module of the voice processing / FAX transmission / reception unit of software processing has been described. That is, although the case where the DTMF signal detector also functions as software processing has been described, the processing of the above-described embodiment may be performed by a hardware configuration.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the DTMF signal is a digital signal that passes through, for example, an IP network and the DTMF signal detector detects the DTMF signal that is a digital signal. However, the DTMF signal is an analog signal. It may be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the DTMF signal is detected is exemplified, but the present invention can also be applied to the case where a frequency synthesized signal synthesized by superimposing a plurality of frequency signals is detected.

  In addition to a call center system and IVR, a server equipped with the DTMF signal detector of the above-described embodiment can be used for a FAX server, a call recording device, a conference system, a unified message system, a Voice Mail server, and the like. Furthermore, the call center system exemplified in the above-described embodiment may be used in a remote system. It can also be used in nurse call systems, hospital systems, etc. used in hospitals.

1 ... DTMF signal detector,
11-1 to 11-4 and 12-1 to 12-4... Filter processing unit,
21-1 to 21-4 and 22-1 to 22-4 ... level determination processing unit, 3 ... timer processing unit,
31 ... Signal duration counter unit, 32 ... Minimum pause monitoring unit,
33: Minimum pause counter unit, 34 ... Output unit, 4 ... State control unit.

Claims (5)

In a frequency synthesized signal detection device for detecting a frequency synthesized signal in which signals of a plurality of frequency bands are synthesized,
A signal determination means for transmitting the signal components of the plurality of frequency bands from the input signal and determining the presence / absence of the signal of each frequency band;
A frequency synthesized signal detecting means for receiving a signal presence / absence judgment result from the signal judging means, detecting the frequency synthesized signal under a predetermined detection condition, and outputting the detected output to the outside;
The internal state of the frequency composite signal detection device is turned on, off, and the frequency composite signal detection means detects the output of the frequency composite signal, and the other processing is the same as the ON state. A frequency composite signal detection device comprising: state control means for controlling the OFF reservation state.   The state control means controls the OFF reservation state when an OFF control signal is input from a higher-level processing unit during minimum pause monitoring after the frequency composite signal detection means detects the frequency composite signal. The frequency synthesized signal detecting apparatus according to claim 1. In a frequency synthesized signal detection program for detecting a frequency synthesized signal in which signals of a plurality of frequency bands are synthesized,
Computer
A signal determination means for transmitting the signal components of the plurality of frequency bands from the input signal and determining the presence / absence of the signal of each frequency band;
A frequency synthesized signal detecting means for receiving a signal presence / absence judgment result from the signal judging means, detecting the frequency synthesized signal under a predetermined detection condition, and outputting the detection output to the outside;
The internal state of the frequency composite signal detection device is turned on, off, and the frequency composite signal detection means detects the output of the frequency composite signal, and the other processing is the same as the ON state. A frequency synthesized signal detection program which functions as a state control means for controlling with an OFF reservation state. Signal transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the network;
Signal processing means for performing signal processing based on the received signal;
Application processing means for receiving a result of signal processing by the signal processing means and performing a predetermined voice application,
3. The server according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit includes a frequency synthesized signal detection device according to claim 1, which detects a frequency synthesized signal obtained by synthesizing signals of a plurality of frequency bands from the received signal. Multiple operator terminals;
In a call center system comprising a plurality of user terminals and / or a server for providing an application relating to a call center service by connecting to a plurality of user terminals and each of the operator terminals described above,
The call center system according to claim 4, wherein the server is a server according to claim 4.

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