JP2584295B2 - Telephone equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a telephone device.

(B) Conventional technology At present, a cordless telephone capable of wirelessly connecting a handset equipped with a microphone and a speaker for transmission and reception to a telephone line via a base unit (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-21149, research and practical application report) (See Vol. 35, No. 2)).

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In this kind of cordless telephone, the drive power supply for the master unit and the drive power supply for the slave unit are provided independently of each other. In particular, in the slave unit, in order to make use of the cordless feature, Primary or secondary batteries are employed.

If a battery is used as a power source for the slave unit, the battery may become unusable during a telephone call due to consumption of the battery.

Therefore, the call time per call is limited to, for example, 15 minutes, and when the time limit is exceeded, a predetermined time (for example,
A configuration that emits an alarm sound and forcibly ends the call after that is considered.

However, even when the time limit is reached, there may be a case where it is desired to continue the call for several minutes. In this case, if the call is forcibly terminated as described above, a problem arises in that the call must be made again for only a few minutes.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its structural features are that counting is started from the start of a call and a timeout command is output after a first predetermined time has elapsed. Timer means, means for emitting a notification sound in response to a command from the means for a predetermined time, and when a specific key input is made when the notification sound is generated, the call time is extended for a second predetermined time; Means for terminating the call in response to the end of the notification sound when no input is made.

(E) Operation In such a device, even when the predetermined call time limit is reached, the call can be extended by inputting a specific key.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a cordless telephone according to the present invention. FIG. 1 (1) shows a base unit, which incorporates a transmission / reception unit and the like described later. (2) is a telephone cord for connecting the base unit (1) and the telephone line L, (3) is an AC cord for obtaining a drive voltage for the transmission / reception unit from a commercial power supply or the like, and (4) is a slave unit described later This is an antenna for transmitting and receiving data to and from the antenna.

Further, (5) is a slave unit, which incorporates a transmitting / receiving unit described later, a battery serving as a power supply for driving the unit, and the like. (6)
(7) is a speaker and a microphone mounted on the upper and lower parts of the surface of the slave unit (5), and (8) is a keyboard arranged in the center part of the surface of the slave unit (5). It consists of a numeric keypad (9), a call key (10) and an end key (11) for input. (12) is an antenna for transmitting and receiving to and from the master unit (1).

FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of the master unit (1), (21) is a program memory storing a control program and an identification code for identifying the slave unit, and (22) is a control circuit composed of, for example, a microcomputer. The circuit controls each unit described below based on the control program.

(23) a transmission unit for transmitting a signal to the slave unit (5), (24)
Is a receiving unit for receiving a signal transmitted from the slave unit (5), and both the units are connected to the antenna (4).
Reference numeral (25) denotes a frequency synthesizer unit composed of a PLL, which sequentially generates frequencies for several tens of channels, supplies the frequency to the transmission unit (23) as a carrier wave, and receives the local oscillation frequency as a reception unit (24). A predetermined frequency signal is supplied to (26) is a modem circuit, which is a control circuit (2
2) In order to insert the identification code and the used channel code supplied from 2) into the transmission signal, both codes are converted into predetermined frequency signals and supplied to the transmission unit (23), and the slave unit (5)
A frequency signal corresponding to the transmitted identification code and the used channel code is received via the receiving unit (24), and the signal is demodulated into a code signal.
To supply. (27) is an interface circuit for connecting the transmitting section (23) and the receiving section (24) to the telephone line L, and this circuit is a hybrid transformer circuit. It consists of a line connection relay, an incoming call detection circuit and the like. (28) is a timer circuit, which starts counting each time a counting time is input from the control circuit (22), and sends a timeout command to the control circuit (22) when the counting time is finished. .
2, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration of the slave unit (5). In FIG. 3, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are given the same numbers, and the same functional parts as those in FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral (29) designates a dial signal generating circuit, which responds to an operation of the ten-key (9) by a control circuit (2).
2) 'sends a dial number corresponding to the dial number to the master unit (1) via the transmitting unit (23)' and the antenna (12) when the dial number is transmitted. (30) is a buzzer, (31)
Is a buzzer sounding circuit which sounds the buzzer (30) under the control of the control circuit (22) '. Each circuit in the slave unit (5) is driven by a battery (not shown).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the base unit (1) in a call state based on the control program in the program memory (21). The operation of the base unit (1) during the call based on the chart will be described below. explain.

When the master unit (1) enters the talking state, first, in step S1, the forced end flag EF and the response counter RC are reset. As will be apparent from the following description, when the flag EF is set, the call is forcibly ended even if the caller inputs a call key and requests to continue the call. In the counter RC, the number of times of input of the call key during one call is set. Further, the flag EF and the counter RC are provided in the control circuit (22).

In the following S2 step, for example, 15
The time limit of minutes is input to the timer circuit (28). As a result, the timer circuit (28) starts counting. When the 15-minute counting is completed, the timer circuit (28)
Outputs a timeout command to the control circuit (22).

Next, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the timeout command has been output from the timer circuit (28), and if it has been output, the process proceeds to step S7 described below. If not, it is determined in step S4 whether a call termination command has been input.
Such an end command is output from the slave unit (5) when the end key (11) of the slave unit (5) is input, as described later.
This is input to the control circuit (22) via the antenna (4) of the master unit (1), the receiving unit (24), and the modem circuit (26).

In step S4, when the end command is detected, the end of the call is terminated. If no end command is detected, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, it is determined whether or not the other party's phone is in a call termination state. Specifically, the interface circuit (27) detects the end of the other party and makes the above determination based on the detection result. Since the circuit for detecting the end of the call is well known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the above S5 step, when the end of the other party is detected, in the following S6 step, the transmitting unit (23) and the antenna (4)
To send a call end command to the slave unit (5), and the call ends.

On the other hand, if no end call is detected in step S5, the process returns to step S3.

As described above, when the timeout command is detected in step S3, the process proceeds to step S7, and it is determined whether the forced end flag EF is in the set state. If it is determined in the determination that the state is the set state, the process proceeds to step S6. If the reset state is determined, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, a timeout command indicating that the counting operation of the timer circuit (28) has been completed is output to the slave unit (5) via the transmission unit (23) and the antenna (4).

In the subsequent steps S9 and S10, either the call continuation command or the end command transmitted from the slave unit (5) is transmitted by the antenna (4), the receiving unit (24) and the modem circuit (2).
6) Wait to be entered via. The call continuation command is a command output in response to the input of the call key (10) of the child device (5).

When the above end command is input to the control circuit (22),
The control circuit (22) ends the call. When the call continuation command is input, the control circuit (22) performs the processing in S11.
Proceed to step.

In step S11, the response counter RC is incremented (+1), and in the subsequent step S12, a time limit of, for example, 3 minutes is input to the timer circuit (28) as the second counting time, and counting is started again.

After that, in step S13, the content of the counter RC is "2".
It is determined whether or not this is the case, and if it is determined to be "2" or more, the forced end flag EF is set in the subsequent S14 step, and the process returns to the S3 step. If it is not determined that the value is “2” or more, the process directly returns from step S13 to step S3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the slave unit (5) in a call state based on the control program in the program memory (21) ', and the operation of the slave unit (5) during the call based on such a chart. Will be described.

First, in steps S101 and S102, it is determined whether or not a timeout command or a termination command transmitted from the master unit (1) has been input via the antenna (12), the receiving unit (24) 'and the modem circuit (26)'. If it is determined that a timeout command has been input, the process proceeds to step S105. If it is determined that the end call command has been input, the call is ended. If it is determined that neither of the above commands has been input, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, it is determined whether or not the end key (11) has been input. When the key (11) has been input, in the subsequent step S103, the master is transmitted via the transmitting unit (23) 'and the antenna (12). A call end command is sent to the device (1) to end the call. On the other hand, if it is determined that the end key (11) has not been input, the process returns from step S103 to step S101.

As described above, if it is determined in step S101 that a timeout command has been input, the process proceeds to step S105.

In the step S105, a time limit of, for example, 10 seconds is input to the timer circuit (28) 'as the counting time.

Thereafter, in step S106, a sound start signal is supplied to the buzzer sounding circuit (31) to start sounding of the buzzer (30).

In the subsequent steps S107 and S108, the call key (10) is respectively provided.
And the input of the timeout command from the timer circuit (28) '. When the input of the call key (10) is detected in step S107, a sound end signal is supplied to the buzzer sounding circuit (31) in step S109, and the buzzer (30)
Is stopped, and then in step S110, the transmitting unit (23) '
Then, a call continuation command is output to the base unit (1) via the antenna (12), and the process returns to step S101. If a timeout command is detected in step S108, S111
In step S109, the buzzer (30) stops ringing as in step S109, and then the process proceeds to step S104. Further, when neither of the above commands is detected, the steps S107 and S108 are cyclically performed until either one of the commands is detected.

Although omitted in the above flow chart, the voice input from the telephone line L to the master unit (1) is transmitted to the slave unit (5) via the interface circuit (27), the transmission unit (23) and the antenna (4). The signal is transmitted and output from the speaker (6) via the antenna (12) on the side of the slave unit (5) and the receiving unit (24) '. The sound input from the microphone (7) of the slave unit (5) is transmitted to the master unit (1) via the transmission unit (23) 'and the antenna (12), and is also transmitted to the master unit (1). The signal is output on the telephone line L via the antenna (4), the receiving unit (24), and the interface circuit (27).

Therefore, in the device of the present embodiment, when a call is made,
Steps S1 and S2 are sequentially processed, and the time limit of 15 minutes is set in the timer circuit (28) of the master unit (1). Therefore, within the time limit, the other party's telephone is in the end state, or unless the end key (11) of the slave unit (5) is input, the master unit (1) and the slave unit (5) are not closed. The control circuits (22) and (22) 'circulate a loop consisting of steps S3 to S5 and a loop consisting of steps S101 to S103, respectively. When the other party's telephone is in a call end state within the time limit (15 minutes), the base unit (1) detects such a state in step S5, exits the loop consisting of steps S3 to S5, and exits from step S6. The steps are processed and the call ends. On the other hand, the slave unit (5) also detects the end command transmitted in the step S6 in the step S102, thereby exiting the loop consisting of the steps S101 to S103 and entering the end state.

When the end key (11) is input within the time limit, the slave unit (5) detects the input in step S103, exits the loop consisting of steps S101 to S103, and processes step S104. The call ends. On the other hand, since the parent device (1) also detects the end command transmitted in the process of step S104 in step S4, it exits the loop including steps S3 to S5 and enters the end state.

When the end state does not occur even when the time limit is reached, a timeout command is output from the timer circuit (28) of the master unit (1). Detection is performed in step S3, and the process proceeds to step S7.

At this time, since the flag EF is in the reset state, the master unit (1) processes the subsequent S8 step, and repeats the S9 and S10 steps, while continuing the command or the ending command from the slave unit (5). Will be waited for. On the other hand, the slave unit (5) detects the time-out command transmitted in the above-mentioned step S8 in the step S101. Therefore, the slave unit (5) processes the steps S105 and S106 and counts and buzzers the timer circuit (28) '(30). Then, while repeating steps S107 and S108, the system waits for the input of the talk key (10) or the input of the timeout command from the timer circuit (28) '.

In such a standby state, the timeout command is output from the timer circuit (28) '. That is, the buzzer (3
When 10 seconds have elapsed since the start of the ringing of (0), the child device (5) detects the command in step S108. Accordingly, the process proceeds from such a step to the step S111, and this step and the following step S104 are sequentially processed, and a call end state is set. On the other hand, the master unit (1) also detects the end command transmitted in the process of step S104 in step S10, so that the master unit (1) enters the end state similarly to the slave unit (5).

In the standby state, when the call key (10) of the slave unit (5) is input, the slave unit (5) detects this input in step S107. Therefore, the slave unit (5) is in S109, S1
The 10 steps are sequentially processed to stop the sound of the buzzer (30), send a continuation command, and return to the step S101.

On the other hand, since the parent machine (1) detects the continuation command transmitted in the processing of the above S110 step in S9 step, thereafter, it sequentially processes the S11 step and subsequent steps, and returns the processing to the S3 step. Specifically, in step S11, the content of the counter RC is incremented, and in step S12, the second time limit (3) is supplied to the timer circuit (28).
Minute) is set, and it is determined in step S13 whether or not the content of the counter RC is "2" or more. Since the content of the pre-processing counter RC is reset to "0", the process in step S13 is performed. After the processing, the processing returns to step S3.

Thereafter, the master unit (1) performs the loop processing of steps S3 to S5 again, and the slave unit (5) also performs the loop processing of the loop including steps S101 to S103 again. Therefore, in such a circulation process, when the end state of the telephone of the other party or the input of the end key (11) of the slave unit (5) is detected,
In the same manner as described above, both the parent device (1) and the child device (5) enter the call termination state.

Further, after the second time limit (3 minutes) has elapsed, the timeout command is output again from the timer circuit (28) of the master unit (1), so that the master unit (1) has previously output the above command. The process is recommended from the S3 step to the S7 step in the same manner as at the time, and the process from the S7 step is performed. Accordingly, the slave unit (5) also advances the processing from step S101 to step S105, and sequentially performs steps S105 and S106 again.
07, repeats step S108.

At this time, if the call key (10) has not been input even after the time limit (10 seconds) set in step S105 has elapsed, both the parent device (1) and the child device (5) end as described above. Talking state. When the call key (10) is input within the above-mentioned time, the handset (5) is set in S109 and S1 in the same manner as in the previous input.
Process 10 steps and return to step S101. On the other hand, the master unit (1) also receives the continuation command from the slave unit (5), so that the process from step S11 onward is performed again and the process returns to step S3. The content of the counter RC is "2". Therefore, the process is
Since the process proceeds from step S13 to step S14, and then returns to step S3, the flag EF is set.

Therefore, both the parent device (1) and the child device (5) repeat the loop consisting of steps S3 to S5 and the loop consisting of steps S101 to S103. During such processing, the end state of the telephone of the other party and the input of the end command are not detected in the base unit (1), the second time limit (3 minutes) elapses, and the timer circuit (28) restarts. When the timeout command is output, the master unit (1) proceeds to step S7. Anyway,
At this point, since the flag EF is in the set state, the process proceeds from step S7 to step S6. As a result, both the parent device (1) and the child device (5) enter the call termination state.

As described above, in the apparatus of the present embodiment, when the first time limit (15 minutes) elapses after the start of the call, the buzzer (30) sounds to notify that the above time has elapsed. Also, during such notification, the talk time can be extended by the second time limit (3 minutes) by inputting the talk key (10) of the slave unit (5), and can be extended up to two times.

In this embodiment, the extension is limited to two times.
The present invention is not limited to this, and the first and second time limits and the sounding time of the buzzer (30) are not limited to the present embodiment, and can be set arbitrarily. You may. Further, in this embodiment, the timer circuit (28) in the master unit (1) counts the call time, but the timer circuit (28) 'in the slave unit (5) performs counting. May be.

Further, in this embodiment, the program memory, the timer circuit, and the like are provided separately from the control circuit, but these may be integrated. Furthermore, although the notification sound for informing that the talk time has been exceeded is output from the buzzer (30), the notification sound may be output from the speaker (6).

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, in a telephone device using a battery as a drive source, even when a call time is limited to make effective use of the battery, a call is allowed for a predetermined time beyond the above time limit. Since the battery can be extended, both suppression of battery waste and user convenience can be achieved. In addition, since the key operation for extension is accepted during the period when the notification sound is sounding, the call time is not inadvertently extended even if the key operation is performed by mistake when the notification sound is not sounding. Even if a certain time has not elapsed since the sound was emitted, the notification sound is stopped if a key operation is performed, so that the call can be smoothly performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an external view, FIGS. 2 and 3 are block circuit diagrams, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts for explaining the operation. (1)... Master unit, (5)... Slave unit, (10)... Call key (specific key), (22) (22) ′... Control circuit, (28)
(28) ': Timer circuit, (30): Buzzer.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Timer means for starting counting from the start of a call and outputting a timeout command after a first predetermined time has elapsed, means for emitting an alarm sound for a fixed time in response to a command from said means, When a specific key input is made while a sound is being generated, the generation of the notification sound is terminated and the talk time is extended for a second predetermined time, and if the key input is not performed, the notification sound ends. Means for answering and terminating the call.