JP4332802B2 - Telephone equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a telephone device, and more particularly to a telephone device suitable for use by a user of a hearing aid.

Hearing aids are roughly classified into the following three types: a to c.
a. A type in which the body of the hearing aid is hooked on the back side of the ear and the earphone attached to the body is put into the ear (hook type)
b. A card-type main unit is placed in the chest pocket, and an earphone connected to the main unit with a cable is inserted into the ear (card type)
c. A type in which the body of the hearing aid is downsized and the hearing aid itself is placed in the ear (interpolation type)

When a user of such a hearing aid uses a telephone, there are the following problems.
In the case of the hook type, the microphone of the hearing aid (hereinafter referred to as a microphone) is located above the ear when the hearing aid is worn. For this reason, when the receiver is brought into close contact with the ear, leakage of the received sound is reduced and the received sound does not enter the microphone of the hearing aid. For this reason, it is inconvenient when using the telephone, such as intentionally leaking the telephone a little away from the ear and maximizing the reception volume of the telephone.
In the case of the card type, since the microphone of the hearing aid is provided in the main body in the breast pocket, the earphone of the hearing aid is removed (the hearing aid is not used), and the reception volume of the telephone is maximized.
In the case of the interpolation type, howling occurs when the ear is brought into close contact with the handset. Therefore, it is necessary to use the handset slightly away from the ear and increase the volume of the telephone.
In other words, any type of hearing aid has a problem that the content of the call can be heard by the surrounding people or the surrounding people can be disturbed by noise by increasing the volume of the incoming call.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, as shown in FIG. 8, a hearing aid 43 having a microphone sound hole on the back surface and a sound groove tube 41 and an earplug 42 connected to the side surface is received by a telephone handset 44. A device that is fixed to the portion 45 with a rubber band 46 has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-56696

  However, the hearing aid described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is inconvenient because it requires an operation to be fixed to the handset when the telephone is used. There is also a problem in that people around you are aware that you are using a hearing aid.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the need for a detaching operation with respect to the handset and to use the hearing aid when the hearing aid user uses the telephone. This makes it possible to use the telephone without noticing and to output the received voice only from the hearing aid.

The present invention includes a first reception path for supplying a reception voice signal to the handset, the short-range wireless communication means for performing a hearing aid wireless communication with external, first supplying the received voice signal to said short-range wireless communication means 2 and the first reception path is disconnected on the basis of establishment of a wireless link between the near field communication means and the hearing aid, and the second reception path is connected. The telephone device is characterized by comprising control means for controlling to be in a state .

(Function)
According to the present invention, the first reception path supplies the received voice signal to the receiver, supplies the received voice signal to the hearing aid by the second receiver path and the short-range wireless communication means. Further , based on the establishment of the wireless link between the short-range wireless communication means and the hearing aid, control is performed so that the first reception path is disconnected and the second reception path is connected .

According to the present invention, since the received voice signal is supplied from the telephone device to the hearing aid by the short-range wireless communication means , when the user of the hearing aid uses the telephone device, the operation of attaching / detaching to the handset becomes unnecessary, and the hearing aid You can use your phone without noticing that you are using it. Further, since the first reception path is disconnected and the second reception path is connected based on the establishment of the wireless link between the short-range wireless communication means and the hearing aid , the received voice is it can be switched automatically receiving path as Ru only output from the hearing aid.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a telephone device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The telephone device includes a telephone device main body (hereinafter referred to as a main body) 1 and a handset 2. The main unit 1 is connected to the control unit (CPU) 5 for controlling the entire telephone device and the like, the telephone line 4, and the external line interface unit 6 for closing and opening the telephone line, the main unit 1 and the handset. 2, a call control unit 7 that performs call control, a hook switch 8, a ROM that stores programs used when the control unit 5 performs various operations, and a work area when the control unit 5 performs various operations. RAM, a storage unit 9 including an EEPROM for storing various data, a key input unit 10 including numeric keys, function keys, and the like, a power supply unit 12 for supplying operating power to each unit of the main body 1, A microphone unit 15 and a speaker unit 16 are provided for use during a hands-free call (on-hook call). Here, the microphone unit 15 includes a microphone that converts voice into a voice signal (electrical signal corresponding to the voice) and an amplifier that amplifies the voice signal, and the speaker unit 16 receives a received voice signal supplied from the call control unit 7. And a speaker for converting the output of the amplifier into sound.

  The handset 2 includes a microphone unit 21 including a microphone that converts voice into a voice signal and an amplifier that amplifies the voice signal, an amplifier that amplifies a received voice signal supplied from the call control unit 7 through the switch 26, and an output thereof as a voice. And a short-distance wireless communication for transmitting a received voice signal supplied from the call control unit 7 through the switch 27 to the hearing aid 3 by a short-distance wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). Unit 23, battery 24 that supplies operating power to short-range wireless communication unit 23 when power switch 28 is turned on, and call control unit 7, microphone unit 21, speaker unit according to the control of control unit 5, respectively. 22, switches 25, 26, 27 for connecting / disconnecting the audio signal transmission path (sending path, receiving path) with the short-range wireless communication unit 23; And a power switch 28 which is opened and closed under the control of the controller 5 (on / off).

  The hearing aid 3 performs short-distance wireless communication between the microphone unit 31 including a microphone that converts surrounding sounds into a sound signal and an amplifier that amplifies the sound signal, and the short-range wireless communication unit 23 of the handset. A short-range wireless communication unit 32 that receives a voice signal transmitted from the short-range wireless communication unit 23; a voice signal that is input from the microphone unit 31 through the switch 34; and a signal that is input from the short-range wireless communication unit 32 through the switch 35. An earphone 33 that converts an audio signal into sound, a switch 34 that intermittently connects an audio signal transmission path between the microphone unit 31 and the earphone 33, and an audio signal transmission path between the short-range wireless communication unit 32 and the earphone 33 And an intermittent switch 35.

  Here, the hearing aid 3 may be any of the aforementioned hook type, card type, and interpolation type. When the hearing aid 3 is operated in the microphone mode by operating a button (not shown), the switches 34 and 35 close the switch 34 and open the switch 35 and turn off the power of the short-range wireless communication unit 32. When operating in the telephone mode, the switch 34 is opened and the switch 35 is closed, and the short-range wireless communication unit 32 is turned on.

The operation of the telephone device having the above configuration will be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control unit 5 when it is off-hook at the time of incoming or outgoing.
When the user picks up the handset 2, the hook switch 8 is closed, so that the control unit 5 detects off-hook, and the process shown in FIG. 2 starts. When detecting the off-hook, the control unit 5 closes the switch 28 to turn on the power of the short-range wireless communication unit 23 (step S1), and then closes the switches 25 and 26, so that the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21 Are connected via the transmission path, and the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22 are connected via the reception path (step S2).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the short-range wireless communication unit 23 has established a link (step S3). At this time, if the user who picks up the handset 2 has the hearing aid 3, turns on the power switch, and operates in the telephone mode, the short-range wireless communication unit 23 in the handset 2 and the short-range wireless in the hearing aid 3 A link is established with the communication unit 32 by a predetermined procedure (YES in step S3).

  When the link of the short-range wireless communication unit 23 is established, the control unit 5 closes the switch 27 to connect the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the short-range wireless communication unit 23 (step S4). Next, by opening the switch 26, the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22 is disconnected (step S5), and a call state is established.

  Therefore, when the user who uses the hearing aid 3 in the telephone mode picks up the handset 2 and puts the receiving unit of the handset 2 in close contact with the ear, the received voice signal from the connection partner passes from the call control unit 3 through the switch 27. The signal is sent to the short-range wireless communication unit 23 and transmitted from here to the short-range wireless communication unit 32 of the hearing aid 3 by radio. In the hearing aid 3, the short-range wireless communication unit 32 receives the received voice signal and outputs the received voice signal to the earphone 33 through the switch 35. The earphone 33 converts the received voice signal into the received voice. The user of the hearing aid 3 can listen to the received voice output from the earphone 33. At this time, since the switch 26 is open, the received voice is not output from the speaker 22. For this reason, the received voice that can be heard by the user using the hearing aid 3 is not the two places of the speaker and the earphone as in the prior art, but only the one that is output from the earphone 33. it can. The voice uttered by the user of the hearing aid 3 is converted into a voice signal by the microphone unit 21 and transmitted to the telephone line 4 through the switch 25, the call control unit 7, and the external line interface unit 6.

  In the above description, the switches 34 and 34 of the hearing aid 3 are opened and closed based on the operation mode (microphone mode / phone mode) set by the user. However, the short-range wireless communication unit 32 and the short-range wireless communication When the establishment of a link with the unit 23 is detected, the telephone 34 may be automatically set by opening the switch 34 and closing the switch 35.

In FIG. 2, the short-range wireless communication unit 23 is operated to be turned on when being off-hooked, but the short-range wireless communication unit 23 may be configured to be turned on when an incoming call is received. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation in that case.
When an incoming call from the telephone line 4 is notified to the control unit 5 through the external line interface unit 6, the control unit 5 closes the switch 28 and turns on the power of the short-range wireless communication unit 23 (step S11). It is determined whether or not the communication unit 23 has established a link (step S12).

  Here, if the user who is using the hearing aid 3 in the telephone mode at the time of an incoming call is near the handset 2, a predetermined procedure is performed between the short-range wireless communication unit 23 of the handset 2 and the short-range wireless communication unit 32 of the hearing aid 3. Is established (YES in step S12), otherwise the link is not established. When the link is established within a predetermined time, the short range wireless communication mode is set (step S14), and when the link is not established, the telephone mode is set (step S13). The mode setting information is stored in the storage unit 9.

  Next, based on the open / closed state of the hook switch 8, it is determined whether or not it is off-hooked (step S15). If it is off-hook, it is determined whether or not the short-range wireless communication mode is set (step S16). If the short-range wireless communication mode is set (YES in step S16), the switch 25 and the switch 27 are determined. Is closed, the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21 are connected by the transmission path, and the call control unit 7 and the short-range wireless communication unit 23 are connected by the reception path (step S18). If the short-range wireless communication mode is not set (set to the telephone mode) (NO in step S16), the switches 25 and 26 are closed to transmit between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21. In addition to the connection through the speech path, the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22 are connected through the reception path (step S19). In either mode, the call state is established.

  Therefore, when there is a user who is using the hearing aid 3 in the telephone mode near the handset 2 when the telephone apparatus receives an incoming call, and the user picks up the handset 2, the case described with reference to FIG. Similarly to the above, the received voice is output only from the earphone 33. If a person who is not a user of the hearing aid 3 picks up the handset 2 when an incoming call arrives at the telephone device, the received voice is output from the speaker 25 only.

  If no off-hook is detected in step S15, it is determined whether or not there is no incoming call (step S17). If there is no incoming call, the switch 28 is opened to turn off the short-range wireless communication unit 23. (Step S20), the end of call processing is performed.

  3 is configured to turn on the short-range wireless communication unit 23 when an incoming call is detected. However, when the user presses the outside line button of the key input unit 10, the short-range wireless communication unit 23 is configured. It can also be configured to turn on the power.

  The telephone device according to the present embodiment can cancel a call using short-range wireless communication by a predetermined operation when the user of the hearing aid 3 is performing a call using short-range wireless communication using the handset 2. It is configured as follows. Further, as the predetermined operation, either the operation of the speaker button in the key input unit 10 or the operation of the speaker button and the subsequent on-hook operation can be set by the setting operation from the key input unit 10. Hereinafter, these two cases will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4A is a flowchart of the former. In this case, when the speaker button is pressed, the control unit 5 opens the switch 25 and the switch 27 so that the transmission path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21 and the call control unit 7 and the short-range wireless communication. The reception path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 15 and the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 16 are connected while disconnecting the reception path with the unit 23 (step S21). . As a result, the received voice is not output from the earphone 33 of the hearing aid 3, and the received voice is output from the speaker unit 16 of the main body 1 instead.

  FIG. 4B is a flowchart of the latter. In this case, when the speaker button is pressed and is on-hooked (YES in step S31), the control unit 5 opens the switch 25 and the switch 27, whereby the transmission path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21 is established. In addition, the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the short-range wireless communication unit 23 is disconnected, the transmission path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 15, and between the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 16. Are connected (step S32). As a result, the received voice is not output from the earphone 33 of the hearing aid 3, and the received voice is output from the speaker unit 16 of the main body 1 instead.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a telephone device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the same or corresponding components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. The feature of this embodiment compared with the first embodiment is that the reception voice signal is transmitted between the handset 2 and the hearing aid 3 by electromagnetic induction, and whether the reception voice is output from the speaker unit 22 of the handset 2. Alternatively, the user sets in advance whether to output from the earphone 33 of the hearing aid 3 or selects at the time of off-hook, and the other points are the same as in the first embodiment. The explanation is centered.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the handset 2 of the telephone device according to the present embodiment is supplied with an amplifier 29 for amplifying the received voice signal and its output instead of the short-range wireless communication unit 23 in the handset 2 of FIG. A magnetic coil 30 is provided. Further, the hearing aid 3 according to the present embodiment is provided with a magnetic coil 36 and an amplifier 37 that amplifies the output instead of the short-range wireless communication unit 32 in the hearing aid 3 of FIG.

  The operation of the telephone apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, FIG. 6 shows that the received voice is set to the handset 2 based on whether or not the user has previously set the operation mode in which the received voice signal is transmitted from the magnetic coil 30 to the hearing aid 3 by the setting operation from the key input unit 11. 7 is a process for selecting whether to output from the speaker unit 22 or from the earphone 33 of the hearing aid 3. FIG. 7 shows the received voice assigned to the key input unit 11 when the user goes off-hook. Based on whether or not a predetermined switch key for operating in an operation mode in which a signal is transmitted from the magnetic coil 30 to the hearing aid 3 is pressed, the received voice is output from the speaker unit 22 of the handset 2 or the earphone 33 of the hearing aid 3. This is a process for selecting whether to output from. Hereinafter, it demonstrates in order.

  When the user picks up the handset 2, the hook switch 8 is closed and the control unit 5 detects it, and the process shown in FIG. 6 starts. When detecting the off-hook, the control unit 5 refers to the stored content of the storage unit 9 and determines whether or not the setting to turn on the magnetic coil 30 is made (step S41). Here, when the user wants to turn on the magnetic coil 30 and transmit the received voice signal from the call control unit 7 to the hearing aid 3, the user performs a setting operation using the key input unit 10 in advance. Since the setting operation information is stored in the storage unit 9 by the control unit 5, the presence or absence of the setting can be determined by referring to the stored content.

  If the control unit 5 determines that the setting to turn on the magnetic coil 30 is made (YES in step S41), the control unit 5 closes the switch 25 to thereby transmit a transmission path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21. (Step S42). Next, supply of operating power to the amplifier 29 is started by closing the power switch 28 (step S43). Further, by closing the switch 27, the call control unit 7 and the magnetic coil 30 are connected by an incoming path ( Step S44).

  At this time, when the earpiece of the user handset 2 of the hearing aid 3 is brought into close contact with the ear, the received voice signal from the connection partner is sent from the call controller 3 to the amplifier 29 through the switch 27, where it is amplified, It is sent from the magnetic coil 30 to the magnetic coil section 36 of the hearing aid 3 by electromagnetic induction. In the hearing aid 3, the magnetic coil unit 36 reproduces the received voice signal, amplifies it with the amplifier 37, outputs it to the earphone 33 through the switch 35, and the earphone 33 converts the received voice signal into the received voice. The user of the hearing aid 3 can listen to the received voice output from the earphone 33. At this time, as in the first embodiment, since the received voice that can be heard by the user of the hearing aid 3 is only output from the earphone 33, it can be easily heard without any sense of incongruity. The voice uttered by the user using the hearing aid 3 is converted into a voice signal by the microphone unit 21 and transmitted to the telephone line 4.

  When it is determined that the setting to turn on the magnetic coil 30 has not been made (NO in step S41), the control unit 5 closes the switches 25 and 26 so that the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21 are connected via the transmission path. In addition to the connection, the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22 are connected by the reception path (step S45). At this time, when the user brings the receiving unit of the handset 2 into close contact with the ear, the received voice signal from the connection partner is sent from the call control unit 3 to the speaker unit 22 through the switch 26, and the received voice is output. The voice uttered by the user is converted into a voice signal by the microphone unit 21 and sent to the telephone line 4.

  The process shown in FIG. 7 is also started when the control unit 5 detects an off-hook as in the process shown in FIG. When detecting the off-hook, the control unit 5 closes the switches 25 and 26 to connect the transmission path between the call control unit 7 and the microphone unit 21, and between the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22. The reception path is connected (step S51). Next, the control unit 5 determines whether or not the user has turned on a switching key for turning on or off the magnetic coil assigned to the key input unit 10 (step S52).

  If it is determined that the power switch 28 is on (YES in step S52), the power switch 28 is closed to start supplying power for operation to the amplifier 29 (step S53), and the switch 25 is further opened to open the call control unit. 7 disconnects the reception path between the speaker unit 22 and the speaker unit 22 and closes the switch 27 to connect the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the magnetic coil 30 (step S54). As a result, the received voice is output from the speaker unit 22 of the handset 2. In this state, when an operation of a switching key for turning off the magnetic coil 30 is performed (YES in step S55), the switch 26 is closed, so that the reception path is established between the call control unit 7 and the speaker unit 22. And the switch 27 is opened to disconnect the reception path between the call control unit 7 and the magnetic coil 30 (step S56), and the process proceeds to step S52.

  If it is determined in step S52 that the switch key is not operated so as to turn on the magnetic coil 30, it is determined whether or not it is on-hooked (step S57). If it is not on-hook, the process returns to step S52. If it is on-hook, the switch 25 and 26 are opened to disconnect the transmission / reception path between the call control unit 7, the microphone unit 21, and the speaker unit 22. End the call.

  If it is determined in step S55 that the button for turning off the magnetic coil is not operated, it is determined whether or not it is on-hooked (step S59). If it is not on-hook, the process returns to step S55, and if it is on-hook, the switches 25 and 26 are opened to disconnect the transmission / reception path between the call control unit 7, the microphone unit 21, and the speaker unit 22. End the call.

  Note that the process shown in FIG. 4 is also applicable to the telephone device according to the present embodiment. In the first and second embodiments, the handset 2 includes a battery. However, power may be supplied from the main body 1 to the handset 2.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the telephone apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows a process when the telephone apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention is off-hooked. 6 is a flowchart of an operation when the short-range wireless communication unit is configured to be turned on when an incoming call is detected in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process which cancels | releases the telephone call using the near field communication part by predetermined | prescribed operation in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the telephone apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of a process when the telephone apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is off-hooked. It is a flowchart which shows another example of a process when the telephone apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is off-hooked. It is a figure which shows the state which fixed the conventional hearing aid for telephones to the handset.

Explanation of symbols

  2 ... handset, 3 ... hearing aid, 5 ... control unit, 7 ... call control unit, 22 ... speaker unit, 23 ... short-range wireless communication unit, 26, 27 ... Switch, 30 ... magnetic coil.

Claims (1)

A first listening path for supplying a received voice signal to the receiver;
A short-range wireless communication means for performing a hearing aid wireless communication with external,
A second reception path for supplying the reception voice signal to the short-range wireless communication means;
Based on establishment of a wireless link between the short-range wireless communication means and the hearing aid, control is performed so that the first reception path is disconnected and the second reception path is connected. A telephone device comprising:

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