JP3319469B2 - Answering machine with secret answering function, corresponding telephone, and telephone system thereof - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone answering machine having a secret answering function which can be used preferably only for calling a desired party and a telephone corresponding to the secret answering function. , And a telephone system comprising a combination thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An answering machine has conventionally been developed, but the use of the answering machine standby mode in this answering machine is not limited to the case where the answering machine is used in an actual absence. , May be used to reject calls from useless parties. That is, conventionally, if the telephone is set to the answering machine standby mode at home, a predetermined voice message can be transmitted to the calling side after receiving a telephone call. It is possible to confirm who the caller is by listening from the loudspeaker provided in the telephone. And if the caller is the person you want to talk to,
He picked up the handset and started talking to the other party.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional answering machine, since only a predetermined answering message is sent to the calling side after receiving an incoming call, the caller who has made a telephone call from the outside cannot receive the message. It is not at all possible to determine whether the calling answering machine user is really answering. Therefore, the calling party has a drawback that it is not possible to transmit an urgent matter to the called party even though the called party is actually at home. On the other hand, even if the user of the answering machine of the called party can determine that the calling party is the one who wants to talk, the other party may put the handset on when the other party hears the answering message. In such a case, a call cannot be made, which is inconvenient.

[0004] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and in the case where a telephone is used to return an answering message from an answering machine while being at home, a specific caller cannot be used. The caller can be informed that he / she is at home, and the specific caller can accurately determine that the called party is at home. Its purpose is to be able to do so.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an answering machine having a secret answering function according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and an answering machine having the answering function. And a telephone provided with a secret response function according to claims 8 to 10 in which both of the telephones are combined.

First, a telephone system having a secret answering function according to the present invention according to claim 8 is a telephone answering machine having a secret answering function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 6 is a system in which the telephone corresponding to the secret response function described in claim 6 is combined, and the configuration of the present invention described in each claim is as follows. In other words, the answering machine having a secret answering function according to claim 1 has means for ringing a calling bell and receiving an incoming call in response to a call from the calling side, and An answering machine having an answering machine replying an answering message to an answering machine, wherein the answering machine responds to the calling party when the answering machine responds.
And a secret response signal generating means for returning a secret response signal. Claims 2 and 3
Has a configuration in which a tone signal of a specific frequency or a push tone signal is applied as an example of the secret response signal.

[0007] On the other hand, the telephone set corresponding to the secret answering function according to the sixth aspect of the present invention provides an answering message from the incoming telephone set.
Secret response signal detection determining means for detecting and determining a secret response signal returned together with the secret response signal, and when the secret response signal detection determining means detects and determines the secret response signal, it is determined that the called telephone is in a secret response state. And a notifying unit for notifying.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone system having a secret answering function according to the present invention, comprising: a telephone answering machine having a secret answering function according to the fourth or fifth aspect; The system is a combination of a telephone with a secret response function, and the configuration of the present invention described in each claim is as follows. That is, the answering machine having the secret answering function according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to any one of the first to third aspects, transmits a secret answering signal to the calling side.
When a predetermined signal for canceling the secret response is received from the calling telephone, a ringing bell having an unusual sound pattern is sounded and output as a secret canceling request bell.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an answering machine having a secret answering function according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the answering machine transmits the secret answering signal to the calling side and then initiates the call. When a predetermined signal for canceling the secret response is received from the side telephone, the volume of the ringing bell is increased, and the ringing sound is output as the secret canceling request bell.

[0010] On the other hand, a telephone having a secret response function according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the telephone set according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a secret response release switch, and when the switch is operated, the other party who has returned a secret response signal. A secret response cancel signal generating means for outputting a secret response cancel signal for enabling communication with the telephone is further provided.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone system having a secret answering function according to the present invention, wherein the answering machine having the secret answering function comprises a secret answering signal. The type of the push tone signal is configured to be changeable,
The telephone corresponding to the secret response function has a configuration in which it is possible to determine that the other telephone is in the secret response state only when the same push tone signal as the type of the preset push tone signal is received as the secret response signal. is there.

[0012]

According to the telephone system having the secret response function according to the present invention, the telephone system has the above-mentioned structure.
The following functions are provided. First, in the answering machine having a secret answering function according to the present invention, after an incoming call for a call from the calling side, the answering machine responding means operates and a predetermined answering message is sent to the calling side. , A predetermined secret response signal can be sent to the caller at the same time. Therefore, the calling party who knows the meaning of the secret response signal in advance can determine that the other party is at home when confirming the secret response signal, and the absence message from which only the absence message is sent. It can be clearly distinguished from the standby state.

On the other hand, in the telephone corresponding to the secret answering function according to the present invention, when a secret answering signal is returned from the answering machine of the called side that made the telephone call, This is detected and determined by the secret response signal detection and determination means, whereby the notification means is activated. Therefore, by confirming the notification means, the answering machine on the called side is in a secret answering state, that is, in a state where the answering machine responding means is functioning even though the called side is at home. It is possible to reliably and appropriately determine that there is something. In addition, the secret response signal is defined in claims 2 and 3.
, It is possible to determine that the called party is at home by listening to the signal tone even if the calling party is a normal telephone, if it is a tone signal or a push tone signal of the specific frequency described in .

The telephone system having the secret answering function according to the present invention has the following effects. First, in the telephone having the secret answering function according to the present invention, when the secret answering signal is returned from the answering machine of the called side, the secret answering release switch is operated to operate the called side. A secret response release signal for releasing the secret response state of the telephone can be output. Therefore, the answering machine of the called side can confirm that the calling party is the party desiring the call by receiving the secret answer release signal, so that the secret answering state is released and the call can be made thereafter. it can.

On the other hand, in the answering machine having the secret answering function according to the present invention, after transmitting the secret answering signal to the calling side, the secret answering is performed from the calling side telephone. When a predetermined signal for canceling is received, a ringing bell having a sound pattern different from a normal one rings. Therefore, the ringing of the ringing bell makes it possible to accurately determine that the calling party has requested the release of the secret response. A call can be started.

In the answering machine having a secret answering function according to the present invention, when a signal for canceling the secret answering state is received from the calling side, the volume of the calling bell is reduced. Even if the ringing is performed, the ringing bell rings at a high volume regardless of the volume adjustment of the ringing bell. Therefore, it can be accurately determined from the ringing tone that the calling party has requested that the secret response be released, and the call can be started with the desired party by picking up the handset thereafter.

Furthermore, in the telephone system having the secret response function according to the present invention, the type of the push tone signal as the secret response signal transmitted from the answering machine can be arbitrarily changed. When a tone signal is sent to the calling phone,
If the type of the push tone signal is not set in the telephone beforehand, the push tone signal cannot be determined.
Therefore, only a specific person who has been notified of the type of the push tone signal in advance can determine the push tone signal as the secret response signal.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment (Structure Corresponding to Claims 1 to 5)] FIG.
1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an answering machine D1 having a secret response function according to the present invention. The answering machine D1 shown in the figure has an incoming call detection circuit 1 on a line connected to a telephone line L, like a general telephone.
It includes a hook switch 2, a dial pulse generation circuit 3, a communication circuit 4, a loudspeaker 13, etc., but also includes a push tone signal detection circuit 5, a push tone signal generation circuit 6, an answering machine response means 7, etc. are doing.
Each of these circuits is connected to control means 9 constituted by a CPU or the like which is controlled in accordance with the operation of the key operation section 8.

The key operation unit 8 includes a ten-key pad and other general operation keys.
An answering machine setting switch 8a for setting the answering machine D1 to the answering machine standby mode, and a secret answer setting switch 8b for using the so-called answering machine are also provided. The answering machine answering means 7 is provided with an audio memory 7a such as a recording tape or an audio IC memory.
The voice memory 7a has a function of generating a desired answering message and a function of recording a message message responding thereto in the voice memory 7a.

The control means 9 rings the call bell 10 when the incoming call detection circuit 1 detects a call signal from the telephone exchange in the secret response standby mode set by the key operation of the key operation section 8. Let me
The hook switch 2 is operated to control the automatic incoming call. The control means 9 controls the answering machine response means 7 to operate after the automatic incoming call. Before sending the answering message from the answering machine response means 7, the push tone signal generation circuit 6 sends a predetermined push tone signal. The signal (DTMF) is controlled to be transmitted to the calling side as a secret response signal. However, the push tone signal may be transmitted subsequently to the absence message. The push tone signal generating circuit 6 corresponds to an example of a secret response signal generating means according to the present invention. The specific type of the push tone signal is arbitrarily set in advance by, for example, operating a numeric keypad of the key operation unit 8, and is stored in the RAM of the system memory 11.
, And the type of push tone signal can be changed.

Further, after the predetermined push tone signal is transmitted, the control means 9 transmits a predetermined push tone signal from the calling side, and when this is detected by the push tone signal detecting circuit 5, Signal generation circuit 1
An operation signal is transmitted to the ring 2 and the ringing bell 10 is controlled to output a ringing ring tone having a sound pattern different from a general ringing ring tone as a secret release request bell. The ringing bell sound as the secret cancellation request bell is set so as to always ring at a constant high volume regardless of the volume adjustment of the normal ringing bell sound. If the answering machine D1 picks up the handset after the secret release request bell rings, the operation of the answering machine answering means 7 is stopped, and a normal telephone conversation with the calling side can be performed.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a telephone having not only the same function as the answering machine D1 but also the configuration and functions corresponding to claims 6 and 7 described later. In the telephone shown in the figure,
In addition to being equipped with a tape recorder 7 corresponding to an example of the answering machine answering means 7 of the answering machine D1, an answering machine setting switch 8a set when going out and a secret answering setting switch 8b for setting when answering are provided. I have.

Second Embodiment (Structure Corresponding to Claims 6 and 7) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware structure of a telephone D2 compatible with a secret response function according to the present invention. The telephone D2 shown in the figure has an incoming call detection circuit 21, a hook switch 22, a dial pulse generation circuit 23, a telephone call circuit 24, and a telephone line L, like the answering machine D1 shown in FIG. A push tone signal detection circuit 25, a push tone signal generation circuit 26, and the like are provided. Each of these circuits is connected to control means 29 constituted by a CPU or the like which is controlled in accordance with the operation of the key operation section 28.
In addition to the system memory 30 composed of M, a light emitting element 31 and the like as an example of a notification unit are also connected.

Among the above circuits, the push tone signal detecting circuit 25 corresponds to an example of the secret answer signal detecting and judging means according to claim 6, and is transmitted from the answering machine D1 of the called party. When a predetermined push tone signal as an incoming secret response signal is detected, the detection signal is transmitted to the control means 29 so that the light emitting element 31 blinks. The push tone signal that can be detected by the push tone signal detection circuit 25 is configured to be limited to the type previously set in the RAM of the system memory 30 by operating the ten keys of the key operation unit 28 in advance. .

The key operation unit 28 includes a secret response cancel switch 28a. This switch 28a
Can operate the push tone signal generating circuit 26 by the operation to transmit a predetermined push tone signal as a secret answer cancel signal to the answering machine D1 of the other party. The push-tone signal generation circuit 26 corresponds to an example of a secret-response cancellation signal generation unit according to a seventh aspect.

[System Combining Each of the Telephones (Corresponding to Claims 8 to 10)] Next, use of a telephone system combining the answering machine D1 shown in FIG. 1 and the telephone D2 shown in FIG. An example and operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, when the user of the answering machine D1 operates the secret answering setting switch 8b while at home and sets a secret answering standby mode and a call is made from the other answering machine D2, the answering machine D1 is activated. Makes an automatic call after ringing the ringing bell. It is possible to reduce the volume of such a normal ringing tone.

Next, after the above-mentioned automatic incoming call, the answering machine answering means 7 of the answering machine D1 starts to operate. Prior to this, a predetermined push tone signal is transmitted from the push tone signal generating circuit 6 of FIG. It is sent to the calling telephone D2 as a response signal. Then, following the secret response signal, the answering machine 7 responds to the answering message previously recorded in the voice memory 7a by, for example, "I am just away. Please give me a message if you are a customer. "

On the other hand, in the telephone D2 on the calling side, since the push tone signal as the secret response signal is detected by the push tone signal detection circuit 25 in FIG. 3, the light emitting element 31 blinks. The caller can accurately know that the other party is not at home but at home. In this case, the push tone signal detection circuit 25 determines the type of the push tone signal from the owner of the answering machine D1 in advance, and determines the type of the push tone signal in the RAM of the telephone D2. , It is possible to inform only a specific caller that the response is a secret response. Also, since the push tone signal as the tonal signal can be judged by hearing, those who have been notified in advance that the push tone signal sound is a secret response signal, even if it is a normal telephone, It is possible to determine that the called party is at home. However, in cases other than the above, only a short push tone signal is heard,
It is generally difficult to determine that this is a secret response signal, and the notification of the blinking operation of the light emitting element 31 makes the determination reliable.

Next, by the blinking of the light emitting element 31,
When it is determined that the answering machine D1 on the called side is at home, the secret answer release switch 28a of the telephone D2 may be operated. When such a switch operation is performed, a predetermined push tone signal as a secret answer cancel signal is sent from the push tone signal generating circuit 26 of FIG. 3 to the answering machine D1 on the called side.
Then, the push tone signal is detected by the push tone signal detecting circuit 5 of the answering machine D1 shown in FIG. 1, whereby the ringing bell 10 sounds with a sound pattern different from a normal ringing tone. The bell sound is a predetermined loud sound regardless of the volume adjustment. Therefore, the owner of the answering machine D1 that has heard the ringing tone may then pick up the handset and talk with the caller. When the handset is picked up, the operation of the answering machine response unit 7 is stopped, so that there is no trouble in the call. When the answering machine D1 does not pick up the handset of the answering machine D1, the answering machine 7 continues to perform a predetermined operation in the same manner as in the normal answering machine standby mode. Whether a message is sent to the response means 7 or
Alternatively, the line is disconnected.

Steps 100 to 100 in the flowchart of FIG.
Reference numeral 112 denotes a series of operation procedures on the answering machine D1 side when executing the secret response. Steps 200 to 213 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 show a series of operation procedures of the calling telephone D2.

[Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, the push tone signal (DTMF) is used as the secret response signal transmitted from the answering machine D1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this. A tone signal of a frequency or another signal may be used. For example, a low frequency tone may be superimposed on the absence message.

When a tonal signal is used as the secret response signal, the secret response signal can be recorded in advance together with the answering message sent from the answering machine response means. Therefore, in the present invention, two types of patterns are prepared: an answering message transmitted in a general answering machine standby mode, and an answering message recorded together with a secret response signal, and these two patterns are switched. You may use them properly. Further, in the present invention, the notifying means according to claim 6 is not limited to the light emitting element described above, but may be a means for displaying the effect on a liquid crystal display or notifying by a sound output. In addition, in the present invention, it is practically preferable to configure a telephone having both functions of the answering machine D1 and the telephone D2 as in the telephone shown in FIG. 2, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this. .

[0033]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the telephone system having the secret answering function according to the present invention as set forth in claims 8 to 10, it is possible to switch from the answering machine to the answering machine standby mode while at home. Even when a similar voicemail message is sent, the secret response signal can be transmitted to inform the calling party that the called party is at home in an inconspicuous state. in order to be able to appropriately determine that the called party is a home state, the calling party can take appropriate action in response to the standing-absence status of the called side, it is convenient.

In particular, according to the telephone system having the secret response function according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, when the calling side determines that the called side is at home, it outputs a secret response release signal. The callee can be prompted to call the telephone call, and the callee determines the call from the caller by a different ringing tone or a loud ringing tone when receiving the secret answer release signal. After that, a desired call can be made, which is more convenient.

According to the telephone system having the secret answering function according to the present invention, the type of the push tone signal transmitted from the answering machine of the called side is specified in advance. Only the person who answered the call can determine the push tone signal as the secret response signal, so that all telephone calls from those who do not wish to make a call can be rejected by answering it with the answering machine, which is bothersome and useless. It is possible to eliminate the necessity of making a telephone call to a remote party.

According to the answering machine having the secret answering function according to the present invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the telephone corresponding to the secret answering function according to the present invention according to claim 6 or 7, the secret answering function is provided. It contributes to the construction of a telephone system with functions, and its practical value is enormous. In particular, according to the second or third aspect of the present invention, since the answering machine having the secret answering function according to the present invention can recognize the secret answer signal as a tone signal by hearing, the tone signal is previously set to the secret answer signal. If the calling party is informed of the fact, the secret response signal of the ordinary telephone can be determined, which is more practical.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an answering machine having a secret response function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a telephone having both functions of an answering machine having a secret response function according to the present invention and a telephone having a secret response function according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a telephone which supports a secret response function according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of an outline of a telephone system having a secret response function according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure of an answering machine having a secret response function according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure of the telephone corresponding to the secret response function according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 4 communication circuit 5 push tone signal detection circuit 6 push tone signal generation circuit (secret response signal generation means) 7 answering machine response means 7a voice memory 8 key operation section 8a answering machine setting switch 8b secret response setting switch 9 control means 10 ringing bell Reference Signs List 12 sound signal generation circuit 24 speech circuit 25 push tone signal detection circuit (secret response signal detection determination means) 26 push tone signal generation circuit (secret response release signal generation means) 28 key operation unit 28a secret response release switch 29 control means 31 light emission Element (notification means) D1 Answering machine with secret answering function D2 Telephone with secret answering function

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 1/00 H04M 1/24-1/62 H04M 1/66-1/82

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for ringing a calling bell to make an incoming call in response to a call from the calling side; and answering machine response means for returning an answering message to the calling side when an incoming call is received. An answering machine, wherein when the answering machine responds, the calling party
An answering machine having a secret response function, comprising: a secret response signal generating means for returning a secret response signal together with an answering message . 2. An answering machine according to claim 1, wherein said secret response signal is a tone signal of a specific frequency and has a secret response function. 3. An answering machine according to claim 1, wherein said secret response signal is a push tone signal. 4. An answering machine having a secret answering function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the answering telephone transmits a secret answering signal to the calling side, and then transmits the secret answering signal to the calling side. When a predetermined signal for canceling the secret response is received from the user, a ringing bell having a sound pattern different from the normal one is output as a secret cancel request bell, and a secret response function is provided. Answering machine. 5. An answering machine having a secret response function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after transmitting a secret response signal to the calling side, the calling telephone side Receiving a predetermined signal for canceling the secret answer from the telephone, increasing the volume of the ringing bell and outputting a ringing sound as a secret cancel request bell, wherein the answering machine having the secret answering function is provided. Phone. 6. An incoming message and an answering message
Secret response signal detection determining means for detecting and determining the secret response signal that is returned to the telephone; and when the secret response signal detection determining means detects and determines the secret response signal, it is determined that the called telephone is in a secret response state. A telephone having a secret response function, comprising: a notifying unit for notifying. 7. A telephone corresponding to the secret answering function according to claim 6, further comprising a secret answering release switch, wherein when this switch is operated, it is possible to make a call with the other party telephone which has returned the secret answering signal. A secret response canceling signal generating means for outputting the secret answer canceling signal. 8. A secret answering function in which the answering machine having the secret answering function according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is combined with the telephone corresponding to the secret answering function according to claim 6. Phone system. 9. A telephone system having a secret answering function in which the answering machine having the secret answering function according to claim 4 or 5 is combined with the telephone set corresponding to the secret answering function according to claim 7. 10. An answering machine having a secret answering function according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a type of a push tone signal as a secret answering signal is changeable, and a telephone corresponding to the secret answering function is provided in advance. Secret answering function characterized in that it is possible to determine that the other party's telephone is in a secret answering state only when a push tone signal of the same type as the set push tone signal is received as a secret answering signal. Phone system with.