JP2990119B2 - Answering machine and answering method thereof - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine, and more particularly to an incoming call answering function in an answering machine mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional answering machine, when a so-called toll saver function is enabled in an answering machine mode, for example, when the number of messages recorded in an answering machine is zero, a ringing tone is made to sound five times. On the other hand, if there is a recorded message, the line is closed twice, the line is closed, and the transmission of a response message is started.
The caller can know the presence or absence of a recorded business by the number of ringing tones. Also, if the caller hangs up when the ringing tone sounds three times, the caller can know that the number of recorded messages is zero without charge.

As an example of switching the operation at the time of receiving a call according to the telephone number of a caller in this type of answering machine, there are Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-357744 and 62-180.
In Japanese Patent No. 647, when the telephone number of the caller matches a number registered in advance in the answering machine, the telephone bell rings, the telephone number of the caller is displayed on the answering machine, A technique is described in which a call is switched to an answering machine in the case of a mismatch.

[0004]

A first problem with the conventional answering machine is that even if the caller does not need to know whether or not there is a recorded message, the number of ringing tones set in advance is determined. The only thing that must be waited. The reason is that since the caller cannot be identified, the toll saver operation is performed for all incoming calls.

[0005] A second problem is that when the toll saver function is disabled and the line is closed with a single ringing tone, for example, the presence or absence of a recorded message can be determined without incurring a call charge. That is not possible. The reason is that there is no way to know whether or not there is a recorded message before the answering machine receives the call.

A third problem is that, when the toll saver function is activated and the number of recorded messages is zero, if the time to hang up the telephone is delayed, an incoming call is received by an answering machine and a call charge is required. There is something that can happen. The reason is that, when the number of recorded messages is 0, the number of calls before receiving a call is fixed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an answering machine which can perform a toll saver function only when an incoming call is made from a specific caller, and a method for answering the incoming call.

[0008]

An answering machine according to the present invention detects a telephone number of a caller at the time of an incoming call, compares the detected phone number with a pre-registered phone number, and if the two coincide with each other, the answering machine. The number of ringing tones before the telephone automatically answers is changed depending on the presence or absence of a recorded message.

Further, the answering machine of the present invention stores an operation unit for inputting telephone number data and ringing number data indicating the number of ringing tone transmissions, and stores telephone number data input from the operating unit. A telephone number storage unit, a call number storage unit for storing call number data input from the operation unit, a call number detection unit for detecting a telephone number of a caller transmitted from a caller, and the call number data A ring tone detection unit that detects a predetermined number of ring tones based on a telephone, an answering machine control unit that controls the operation of an answering machine, and a main control unit that controls each unit. A telephone number that matches the telephone number detected by the calling number detection unit exists in the telephone numbers stored in the telephone number storage unit, and is recorded on the answering machine by referring to the answering machine control unit. When it is recognized that there is no message, the line is closed after the ringing tone detecting section detects the predetermined number of ringing tones, and a response message is sent to the answering machine control section. The telephone number that matches the telephone number detected by the calling number detection unit is stored in the telephone number storage unit even if there is a message recorded on the answering machine or no message exists. If it recognizes that it is not among the stored phone numbers,
Immediately, the line is closed, the answering machine control unit sends a response message, and continues to record the message.

[0010] In addition, the method of answering the incoming call in the answering machine determines whether or not there is a recorded message at the time of receiving a call to the answering machine, and if there is no recorded message, detects the telephone number of the caller. It is determined whether or not the telephone number matches the telephone number registered in advance. Closes the line and sends a response message.If there is a recorded message or if the telephone number of the caller is different from the registered number, the line is closed immediately and the response message is sent to the calling side. Send out. Furthermore, according to the present invention in which the number of ringing tones can be arbitrarily set by an operation input, the telephone number of the caller is detected when receiving a call to the answering machine,
The detected phone number is compared with a pre-registered phone number, and the number of ring tones before the answering machine answers only the call from a specific caller is set in advance according to the presence or absence of the business. By doing so, the caller can be notified of the presence or absence of the recorded matter. Further, in the case of a call from a person other than a specific caller, the answering machine can be made to answer without making the caller wait.

[0011]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, an answering machine of the present invention has an operation unit for inputting telephone number data and ringing number data indicating the number of ringing tones by dial buttons or the like to enable the toll saver function. 2, a telephone number storage unit 3 for storing telephone number data input from the operation unit 2, a call number storage unit 4 for storing call number data input from the operation unit 2, and a calling side via a telephone line 9. A calling number detecting unit 5 for detecting a telephone number of a caller transmitted from a telephone, a ringing sound detecting unit 6 for detecting a predetermined number of ringing tones based on ringing number data, and an answering machine for sending a response message and recording a message. An answering machine control unit 7 for controlling the operation of the telephone and a main control unit 1 for controlling each of the above-described units through an internal bus 8 are provided.

The main control unit 1 refers to the answering machine control unit 7 when a telephone number that matches the telephone number detected by the calling number detection unit 5 exists in the telephone numbers stored in the telephone number storage unit 3. Number of messages recorded on answering machine is 1
When it is recognized that there is no case, the telephone line 9 is closed after the ringing tone detecting unit 6 detects the ringing tone a predetermined number of times, and the answering machine control unit 7 sends a response message. Even if there is a message recorded on the answering machine or if there is no message, the calling number detector 5
If it is recognized that there is no telephone number that matches the telephone number detected in the telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit 3, the telephone line 9 is immediately closed and the answering machine control unit 7 The response message is transmitted, and the message recording is continued.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the operator of the answering machine operates a specific button (not shown) on the operation unit 2 to store a telephone number for enabling the toll saver function in the telephone number storage unit 3 and record the telephone number. The number of ringing sounds to be sounded when the number of completed calls is 0 is predetermined to be, for example, seven, and stored in the ringing number storage unit 4 in advance.

When a call is received to an answering machine connected to the telephone line 9 subscribed to the calling telephone number notification service, the main control unit 1 extracts the number of messages recorded in the answering machine control unit 7 and determines it. (Step 1: S1). If the number of tasks is 0, the outgoing telephone number notified from the telephone line 9 is detected by the outgoing telephone number detector 5 (S2), and the telephone number and the toll saver function registered in advance in the telephone number storage 3 are used. Collation with the telephone number data to be validated is performed (S3).

As a result, if there is a coincident telephone number, the detection of a ringing tone from the telephone line 9 is started by the ringing tone detecting section 6 (S4), and the number of times stored in the number-of-rings storing section 4 is stored. After the detection is performed until the number of times reaches (S5) (S5), the telephone line 9 is closed (S6), and the answering machine control unit 7 sends a response message to the caller (S7). Recording of the message is started (S8). If the number of messages is not zero in S1, or if there is no matching telephone number in S3, the telephone line 9 is immediately closed (S6), and the answering machine control unit 7 sends a response message ( S
7) Then, the message recording is started (S8). It is possible to arbitrarily set the number of times the ringing tone is transmitted by an operation input from the operation unit 2.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the first effect is that the telephone number of the caller provided by the calling telephone number service is used, and only when the call is from a specific caller. That is, it is possible to determine whether or not a message exists in an answering machine based on the number of ring tones. The reason is that the phone number that activates the toll saver function is stored in advance, the phone number of the caller is detected when a call is received, and the toll saver function is only activated when both phone numbers match. Because it works.

The second effect is that the answering machine can immediately call the calling party without waiting for the predetermined number of ring tones, not for the purpose of knowing whether or not the answering machine has a message. Be able to respond. The reason is that the phone number that activates the toll saver function is stored in advance, the phone number of the caller is detected when a call is received, and if both phone numbers do not match, the answering machine will be immediately Is to respond.

A third effect is that it is possible to surely save a call charge when there is no recorded business. The reason is that the number of ring tones to be sounded when the toll saver function is activated and there is no
This is because the person who handles the answering machine can be arbitrarily determined, so that the number of transmissions can be set to be relatively large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an answering machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an incoming call response method in the answering machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 2 Operation part 3 Telephone number storage part 4 Number of rings storage part 5 Outgoing number detection part 6 Ring tone detection part 7 Answering machine telephone control part 8 Internal bus 9 Telephone line

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04M 1/64-1/65

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A telephone number of a caller is detected at the time of an incoming call, and the detected telephone number is compared with a pre-registered telephone number. Answering machine, characterized in that the answering machine is changed depending on the presence or absence of a recorded matter. 2. An operation unit for inputting telephone number data and ringing number data indicating the number of ringing tone transmissions; a telephone number storage unit for storing telephone number data input from the operation unit; A calling number storage unit that stores the calling number data input from the unit, a calling number detecting unit that detects the telephone number of the caller sent from the calling side, and a predetermined number of ringing tones based on the calling number data. A ringing tone detecting unit for detecting, an answering machine control unit for controlling the operation of an answering machine, and a main control unit for controlling the respective units, wherein the main control unit is detected by the calling number detecting unit when receiving a call. A telephone number corresponding to the telephone number exists in the telephone numbers stored in the telephone number storage unit, and there is no message recorded in the answering machine by referring to the answering machine control unit. Recognition If it is recognized, the ringing tone detecting unit detects the ringing tone of the predetermined number of times, then closes the line, causes the answering machine control unit to send a response message, and is recorded on the answering machine. Even if there is a business or no business, no telephone number matching the telephone number detected by the calling number detection unit exists in the telephone numbers stored in the telephone number storage unit. If it is recognized, the line is immediately closed, the answering machine control unit sends a response message, and continues to record the message. 3. A method for answering an incoming call in an answering machine, wherein the presence or absence of a recorded message is determined when receiving a call to the answering machine, and if there is no recorded message, the telephone number of the calling party is detected. It is determined whether or not the telephone number matches the telephone number registered in advance. Close,
An incoming call response method in an answering machine, wherein a response message is transmitted. 4. If there is a recorded message or the telephone number of the caller is different from a previously registered number, the line is immediately closed and a response message is sent to the calling side. Item 3. The incoming call response method in the answering machine of Item 3. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the number of ringing tones can be arbitrarily set by an operation input.