JP3106043B2 - Answering machine - 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 capable of switching a plurality of response messages.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART will be described with reference to FIG. 3 as a normal telephone answering machine which is conventional. In FIG. 3 , reference numeral 1 denotes a telephone line for connection to a caller's telephone, 2 denotes an incoming call detection circuit for detecting an incoming signal coming from the telephone line 1, and 3 denotes a DC loop by closing the telephone line 1. A line capturing circuit 4 is a tone detecting circuit for detecting a tone signal coming from the telephone line 1, and 5 is a call circuit for forming a communication path with the caller telephone, and processes a voice signal coming from the telephone line 1. It is composed of an audio processing unit 5a and a recording / reproducing control unit 5b for controlling recording of the audio signal processed by the audio processing unit 5a on a magnetic tape (not shown).

Reference numeral 6 denotes a handset used for making a call with the caller's telephone. Reference numeral 7 denotes a voice storage circuit for storing a response message and transmitting the response message to the communication circuit 5, and a ROM 7a for storing the response message. And a RAM 7b for storing an arbitrary response message, and a ROM 7
a, and necessary data from the RAM 7b, and sends out the data. The memory control unit 7c detects the end of the reading and sending of the necessary data.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a central control circuit, which stores a ROM 8a for storing program data, a predetermined number of rings to determine the timing of connecting the telephone line 1 based on the number of rings of the incoming signal, and a predetermined number such as a telephone number used for dialing. , A program data stored in the ROM 8a, predetermined data stored in the RAM 8b, a call detection signal from the call detection circuit 2, a tone detection signal from the tone detection circuit 4, and a voice storage circuit 7. And a signal control section 8c for controlling the line capturing circuit 3, the telephone call circuit 5, and the voice storage circuit 7 based on the transmission end detection signal from the CPU.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a display circuit for displaying based on a control signal from the central control circuit 8; 10 a numeric keypad for inputting a telephone number used for dialing; an answering machine button for setting and canceling an answering machine mode; An operation input circuit including a play button for playing and stopping a message message recorded on the tape, an erasing head 11 for erasing a magnetic tape (not shown) based on a control signal from the recording / reproducing control unit 5b, and a recording head 12 The recording / reproducing head performs recording and reproduction of a magnetic tape (not shown) based on a control signal from the re-control unit 5b.

In the answering machine configured as described above, when the answering machine button of the operation input circuit 10 is operated to enter the answering machine mode, an incoming call is detected when an incoming signal from the caller telephone arrives via the telephone line 1. The incoming call detection signal detected by the circuit 2 is sent to the signal control unit 8c constituting the central control circuit 8. The signal control unit 8c operates the program stored in the ROM 8a based on the incoming detection signal, and after the number of ringing of the incoming signal reaches the set number of ringing stored in the RAM 8b according to the program,
The line control circuit 3 is controlled to close the telephone line 1 to form a DC loop.

A voice processing unit 5a constituting the speech circuit 5 and a memory control unit 7c constituting the voice storage circuit 7 are controlled to read a response message stored in the ROM 7a or the RAM 7b. And performs a predetermined signal processing to transmit the signal to the telephone line 1. Then, the signal control unit 8c is based on the transmission end detection signal from the memory control unit 7c.
a, and a recording / reproducing control unit 5b is controlled, and after the message processing unit 5a performs a predetermined signal processing on the message arriving from the calling side telephone via the telephone line 1, the erasing head 11 and the recording / reproducing unit 5b are processed. The data was recorded on a magnetic tape (not shown) by the head 12.

[0008] Then, the call on the caller side telephone is terminated,
When a tone signal arrives from the telephone line 1, it is detected by the tone detection circuit 4, and the tone detection signal is sent to the central control circuit 8.
Is sent to the signal control unit 8c. Signal control unit 8c
Controls the line capturing circuit 3 based on the tone detection signal, releases the telephone line 1, ends the call with the caller's telephone, and releases the answering machine mode by operating the answering machine button of the operation input circuit 10. The message message recorded on the magnetic tape (not shown) is reproduced by operating the reproduction button or operating the reproduction button.

As answering machines capable of switching a plurality of response messages, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1-144754 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-83355 disclose a plurality of response messages and a plurality of times in advance. And specify the response message at each set time,
One that controls a response message specified by a set time corresponding to the current time to be sent to a caller;
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3753 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-56141, there is a method in which a plurality of response messages, a password and the like are set in advance, and response messages are externally switched based on a remote operation from another telephone. Was.

[0010]

Normally, an answering machine sets an answering machine mode when the called party is out of the office and sends a response message indicating that the answering machine is not answering the incoming call from the caller. , Requesting and recording a message from the sender. For this reason, recently, there has been a problem that a burglar or the like uses an answering machine to confirm an absence and then steals, and it has been necessary to make it difficult to understand the absence of an incoming call from an external telephone. Therefore, there is a method for making it difficult to understand the absence by switching and using a plurality of response messages for an incoming call from an external telephone.

However, if the former method in the above-mentioned conventional device is used as a method for switching a plurality of response messages, it is necessary to set the set time in detail, and therefore it is necessary to increase the capacity of the memory for storing the set time. There is a problem that it is difficult to switch the response message for a continuous incoming call when the set time is set finely.

Further, when the latter method in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus is used, it is necessary for the called party to make a call to the answering machine while away from home and to switch the response message by remote control. There is a problem that it is troublesome, and there is a problem that it is difficult to switch a response message to a continuous incoming call.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an answering machine capable of appropriately selecting and transmitting a plurality of response messages even for a continuous incoming call.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention automatically captures a telephone line upon receiving a call.
Answering machine that sends a response message
Storage means for storing a plurality of response messages, and a telephone line
Detecting means for detecting the level of the signal arriving after capturing the image
And the signal level detected by the detection means.
The first response message sent after seizing the telephone line.
Select from a plurality of response messages stored in the storage means
And selecting means for selecting.

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the telephone line is automatically connected.
When a call is captured, the
The detection means detects the signal level and the
Selection means based on the signal level
The first outgoing response message is stored in the storage means
Caller by selecting from multiple response messages
Call based on the distance between the telephone and the answering machine
Toggles the first response message sent after a line is seized
Can be obtained.

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

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

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a a is the telephone answering machine configured first embodiment of the present invention, FIG 2 is <br/> a flow chart showing the control operation of the telephone answering machine in the first embodiment. Note that, in FIG. 1, portions common to FIG. 3 are denoted by common reference numerals.

[0023]

[0024]

[0025]

[0026]

[0027]

[0028]

[0029]

[0030]

[0031]

[0032]

[0033]

[0034]

[0035]

[0036]

[0037]

[0038] In <First Embodiment> FIG. 1, 31 is a speech circuit to form a call path between the calling party telephone, a voice processing unit 31a for processing the audio signal transmitted from the telephone line 1, the voice Processing unit 31a
A recording / reproducing control unit 31b for controlling the recording of the audio signal processed by the audio tape on a magnetic tape (not shown), and an audio level detecting unit 31c for detecting the level of the audio signal from the telephone line 1 processed by the audio processing unit 31a. It is constituted by.

A voice storage circuit 32 stores a response message and sends the response message to the communication circuit 31. The voice storage circuit 32 has a plurality of storage areas (RA _{1 to} RA _X ). ROM 31a stored
And a RAM 31b for storing an arbitrary response message;
Read and send necessary data from the ROM 31a and the RAM 31b, read necessary data,
And a memory control unit 31c that detects the end of the transmission.

In the answering machine configured as described above, when the answering machine button of the operation input circuit 10 is operated to set the answering machine mode, an incoming call is detected when an incoming signal from the calling side telephone arrives via the telephone line 1. The incoming call detection signal detected by the circuit 2 is sent to the signal control unit 8c constituting the central control circuit 8. The signal control unit 8c operates the program stored in the ROM 8a based on the incoming detection signal, and after the number of ringing of the incoming signal reaches the set number of ringing stored in the RAM 8b according to the program,
The line control circuit 3 is controlled to close the telephone line 1 to form a DC loop.

When a voice signal from the caller's telephone arrives via the telephone line 1, the voice signal is transmitted via the line capturing circuit 3 to the voice processing unit 3
1a, where predetermined signal processing is performed and output to the audio level detection unit 31c. At this time, the loudness (level) of the sound output to the sound level detecting unit 31c is inversely proportional to the distance between the caller-side telephone and the answering machine. That is, the sound is low when the caller's telephone and the answering machine are at a distance from each other, and conversely, the sound is high when the caller's telephone and the answering machine are at a position close to each other.

The audio level detector 31c detects the audio level based on the audio output from the audio processor 31a, and sends an audio level detection signal to the signal controller 8c. The signal control unit 8c stores a plurality of storage areas in the ROM 32a and the RAM 3 based on the audio level detection signal.
One storage area is selected from 2b. When this one storage area is selected, the storage area to be selected differs depending on whether the audio level is high or low. Then, it controls a voice processing unit 31a constituting the speech circuit 31 and a memory control unit 32c constituting the voice storage circuit 32, reads out the response message stored in the selected storage area, and performs predetermined processing by the voice processing unit 31a. Perform signal processing of
Place a call to telephone line 1.

Then, the signal control section 8c is connected to the memory control section 3
A voice processing unit 31a and a recording / reproducing control unit 31b, which constitute the communication circuit 31, are controlled based on a transmission end detection signal from the transmission side 2c. A predetermined signal processing is performed by the erasing head 11 and the recording / reproducing head 1.
2 is recorded on a magnetic tape (not shown).

Then, the call on the caller side telephone is terminated,
When a tone signal arrives from the telephone line 1, it is detected by the tone detection circuit 4, and the tone detection signal is sent to the central control circuit 8.
Is sent to the signal control unit 8c. Signal control unit 8c
Controls the line capture circuit 3 based on the tone detection signal, releases the telephone line 1, and terminates the call with the caller telephone.

Thereafter, when an incoming signal from the caller's telephone arrives via the telephone line 1 in the answering machine mode, the above operation is repeated, and a storage area is selected based on the sound level detected by the sound level detecting section 31c. Then, the response message stored in the selected storage area is read out, subjected to predetermined signal processing, and then transmitted to the telephone line 1. That is, in the answering machine mode, different response messages can be sent based on the distance relationship between the caller's telephone and the answering machine.

By operating the answering machine button of the operation input circuit 10 to release the answering machine mode, or by operating the reproducing button, the message message recorded on the magnetic tape (not shown) can be reproduced.

[0047] be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 2 for controlling operation of the answering machine mode as described above.

By starting the answering machine mode by operating the answering machine button of the operation input circuit 10, this flowchart is started. In step F1, it is determined whether or not the answering machine button has been pressed again. If it is determined that the button has been released and the flowchart ends, and if it is determined that the button has not been pressed, step F
Move to 2.

In step F2, it is determined that the incoming signal from the caller's telephone has been detected. If it is determined that the incoming signal has been detected, the process proceeds to step F3. If it is determined that the incoming signal has not been detected, the process proceeds to step F1. The above operation is repeated until it is determined that an incoming signal from the caller's telephone has been detected. In step F3, it is determined whether or not the phone has sounded a predetermined number of times due to the arrival of the incoming signal. If it is determined that the phone has sounded the predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to step F4. If it is determined that the phone has not sounded the predetermined number of times, it is determined that the phone has sounded the predetermined number of times. This operation is repeated until the operation is completed.

In step F4, the telephone line 1 is captured, and a call can be made with the caller's telephone. The flow then goes to step F5. In step F5, the level of the voice transmitted from the other party's telephone is detected, and the detected voice is detected. The value of the level is set as a variable L. In step F6, a response message corresponding to the variable L set in step F5 is selected, and the process proceeds to step F7. In step F7, the response message selected in step F6 is transmitted to the caller-side telephone.

In step F8, it is determined whether the transmission of the response message transmitted in step F7 has been completed. If it is determined that the transmission has been completed, the process proceeds to step F9. If it is determined that the transmission has not been completed, the process proceeds to step F7. This operation is repeated until it is determined that the transmission of the response message has been completed.

In step F9, the message from the caller's telephone is recorded on a magnetic tape.
Then, in step F10, it is determined whether a tone signal has been detected from the telephone line 1. If it is determined that the tone signal has been detected,
The process proceeds to step 11, and if it is determined that no tone signal has been detected, the process proceeds to step F9 to repeat this operation until it is determined that a tone signal has been detected. Step F
At 11, the telephone line 1 is released, the call with the caller's telephone is terminated, and the routine goes to step F1.

Therefore, according to the control operation as described above, the value of the variable L differs according to the voice level from the caller telephone which is transmitted after the incoming call in the answering machine mode. Select
Since the call is transmitted, a different response message can be transmitted based on the distance relationship between the other party's telephone and the answering machine.

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060]

[0061]

[0062]

[0063]

[0064]

[0065]

[0066]

[0067]

[0068]

[0069]

As described above , according to the present invention, the telephone
When a line is automatically seized, the incoming
The level of the incoming signal is detected and the detected signal level is detected.
The first response message sent after a telephone line is seized based on the
Message from multiple response messages.
Based on the distance between the caller's telephone and the answering machine.
Response message to be sent first after seizing the telephone line
Can be switched for continuous incoming calls
Even multiple response messages based on line distance
You can make an outgoing call by selecting it as appropriate.
It is possible to make the absence of the incoming call difficult to understand.

[0070]

[0071]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of an answering machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the answering machine in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional answering machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 telephone line 2 incoming call detection circuit 3 line capture circuit 4 tone detection circuit 7 voice storage circuit 8 central control circuit 10 operation input circuit 31 communication circuit 31a voice processing unit 31b recording / reproduction control unit 31c level detection unit 32 voice storage circuit 32a ROM 32b RAM 32c memory control unit

Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04B ^7/ 24-7/26 H04M 1/64-1/658 H04M 3/42-3/58 H04M 11/00-11 / 10 H04Q 7/00-7/38

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Automatically capture telephone line when receiving a call
And an answering machine for transmitting a response message to a telephone, and a storage means for storing a plurality of response messages, and a detection means for detecting a level of a signal arriving after the telephone line is seized.
Output means and an electric power based on the signal level detected by the detection means.
The first response message sent after the call is seized
Select from a plurality of response messages stored in the storage means
Answering machine provided with a selecting means.