JPH01132261A - Telephone terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically receive a sound signal and a video signal when absent by adding an automatic answering function, and storing the sound signal and the video signal from the other party in a received message storing part. CONSTITUTION:When a call signal arrives from a telephone line 5, a response message transmitting part 19 is driven, and a response message, stored previously in a voice storage memory IC, is sent to the telephone line. Next, the sound signal and the video signal sent from a calling side through the telephone line 5 are stored in a cassette tape by the received message storing part 20. After an operator comes home, when the operator operates a received message reproducing part 21 and starts the reproduction of the received message, stored in the cassette tape during the absence, a sound signal.video signal selector switch 7 is switched to (B) side by a sound.video switch signal, added to the head of the video signal, and the video signal is reproduced on a video display part 2 through a video signal demodulating part 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone terminal device, such as a video telephone, which transmits and receives video and audio through a telephone line.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been video telephones, for example, which transmit and receive audio and video through telephone lines, and in recent years this type of device has been attracting attention as the amount of information has increased.

A video telephone, which is an example of a conventional telephone terminal device, will be described below.

The configuration of a conventional video telephone is as shown in FIG. 6, for example.

In the figure, 1 is a video input section composed of a CCD (charge-coupled device), an image pickup tube, etc., 2 is a video display section composed of a CRT (cathode ray tube), a liquid crystal display panel, etc., 3 is the main body of the device, and 4 is a video This is an image sending button that is operated to send the image captured by the input unit 1 to the other party via the telephone line. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration. In the figure, 5 is a telephone line, 6 is a line interface section, and 7 is a voice side (A) indicating the flow of signals coming from the telephone line.
and an audio signal/video signal changeover switch 8 that switches to the video side (B), when the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7 is connected to the audio side, the signal sent from the other party via the telephone line is This is a video signal discriminator that detects whether or not there is a video signal, and when there is a video signal, it sends a signal indicating this to the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7. 9 is an audio output section such as a speaker, 10 is an audio input section such as a microphone, 11 is a video signal modulation section that modulates the video signal taken in by the video input section 1 into a signal that can be transmitted over a telephone line, and 12 is an audio input section such as a microphone. A video signal demodulation section 13 and 14 demodulates a modulated video signal sent through a telephone line, and 13 and 14 are a first video memory and a second video memory, respectively.

Next, the operation of the video telephone configured as described above will be explained. In addition, in the following explanation, telephone line 5
It is assumed that a plurality of video telephones having the configuration shown in FIG. 7 are connected via the terminal.

First, in the initial state, the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7 is connected to the audio m (A>).When a call is made or received in this state, the calling party and the called party are connected via the telephone line. After the connection is made, normal voice communication is performed between the voice output section 9 and the voice input section 1O.

Also, if you want to send a video to the other party, press the video send button 4 to activate the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7, changing the signal flow from the audio side (A) to the video side (III (B)). The video information taken into the first video memory 13 by the video input section 1 is modulated into a signal that can be transmitted over a telephone line by the video signal modulation section 11.Then, the modulated video signal is converted into an audio signal at the beginning. A signal for video switching is added and transmitted from the line interface section 6 to the other party via the telephone line 5.

Then, the audio/video switching signal is detected by the video signal discriminator 8 of the telephone terminal device of the other party, and the audio/video signal switching switch 7 is operated to change the flow of the signal from the audio side (A) to the video side ( B) Switches to video signal demodulation section 1
2, the video signal is demodulated, stored in the second video memory 14, and displayed on the video display section 2.

After the video transmission ends, the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7 automatically returns to the audio side (A).

On the other hand, when the other party transmits a video, the same process as described above is performed, and the received video is displayed on the video display unit 2 on the user's side.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, even if an incoming call occurs while the caller is absent, it is impossible to receive or receive messages from the other party, that is, it is impossible to automatically receive messages. It had some problems.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adds an answering machine function, stores the audio signal and video signal from the other party in the received message storage section, and stores the stored information in the video. It is configured to allow output from the display section and audio output section.

Effect: With this configuration, if you receive a call while you are away, the audio and video signals sent from the other party are memorized and saved in the storage medium, and when you return home, you can reproduce the information and retrieve the audio and video signals that were sent. Obtainable.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are external perspective views of a video telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a video manual unit, which is composed of a CCD camera (an imaging camera or the like may also be used). ). Reference numeral 2 denotes a video display section, which includes a CRT unit. Reference numeral 3 designates the main body of the apparatus, 4 a picture sending button, and 15 a cassette tape deck for storing received audio and video signals on a cassette tape 16.

Further, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a video telephone in one embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 3, reference numeral 17 is an answering machine function switch that selectively switches between the videophone section and the answering machine section, and when it is on, it is connected to the (D) side, and when it is off, it is connected to the (C) side.
connected to the side. 18 is an incoming call detection unit that detects a calling signal arriving from the telephone line 5; 19 is a response message sending unit that includes a voice synthesis IC and a voice storage memory IC;
0 and 21 are a received message storage section and a received message playback section using the cassette tape deck 15.

Further, the video signal modulation section 11 is connected to the received message storage section 20, so that the video data stored in the first video memory 13 and the second video memory 14 can be stored on a cassette tape. Also, in the figure, the broken line 22
The area surrounded by 23 indicates the audio communication section, the area surrounded by 23 indicates the video communication section, and the area surrounded by 24 indicates the answering machine section.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the same numbers are given to the same parts as in the conventional example described above, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

The operation of the video telephone configured as described above will be explained below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

When you are at home, turn off the answering function switch 17, that is, (C
) side, it is possible to transmit and receive audio and images as in the conventional example. In addition, when the user is absent, the answering function switch 17 is set to ON, that is, to the (D) side. When a calling signal arrives from the telephone line 5 in this state (step
The process moves from a) to (step b), and the call signal is detected by the incoming call detection unit 18, and the telephone line is automatically closed. Then, the response message sending unit 19 is driven and the call signal is stored in the voice storage memory IC in advance. The stored response message is sent to the telephone line (step, C). Then, when the sending of the response message is completed, proceed from (step, d) to (step).

Moving to e), the received message storage unit 20 stores the audio signal sent from the calling party via the telephone line 5 and the video signal modulated into a signal that can be transmitted over the telephone line on the cassette tape 16. do. When a disconnection of the line on the calling side is detected, the process goes from step f) to step g) and returns to the standby state.

In this way, an incoming call while the user is away is automatically answered, and the audio and video signals from the other party are stored.

Next, after returning home, the operator operates the received message playback section 21 to start playing back the received message stored on the cassette tape 16 while he was away (step).

A), among the reproduced signals, the audio message is reproduced from the speaker 9, which is the audio output section (step, c), and the video signal is the audio/video switching signal added to the beginning of the video signal, which is output by the video signal discriminator. 8 is detected, the operation shifts from (step, mouth) to (step, go), the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7 is switched to the (B) side, and the video signal is sent to the second video memory via the video signal demodulator 12. 14 and reproduced on the video display section 2 (step).

to). Then, when the output of the video signal is finished, step
The transition from d) to (step, s), the audio signal/video signal changeover switch 7 is switched to the (A) side, and (
step, mouth). When the end of the received message is detected in step (2), the process moves to step (e).

Further, during video and audio communication with the other party as a videophone call, the screen sent from the other party and displayed on the CRT unit is stored in the second video memory 14 in the display state. Since the video data is stored, the operator can operate the cassette tape deck 15 as necessary to store the video data in the second video memory 14 on the cassette tape, thereby saving only the necessary video. .

In this embodiment, the video to be transmitted is a still image. However, it is possible to similarly provide an automatic reception function to a video telephone or the like capable of transmitting audio and moving images simultaneously.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a received message storage unit that automatically closes the telephone line in response to an incoming call and stores the audio and video signals sent from the caller. By configuring the information to be outputtable from the video output section and the audio output section, it becomes possible to automatically receive audio and video signals when the user is absent. In addition, by modulating the video displayed on the video display section and storing it in the received message storage section, only the necessary received video can be stored in the storage medium.
It is practically effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are perspective views of a video telephone that is a telephone terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration thereof, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are the same embodiments. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a video telephone, which is a conventional telephone terminal device, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing its circuit configuration. 1...Video input section 2...Video display section 3...Device main body 4...Picture sending button 5...Telephone line 6...Line interface section F...Audio signal/video signal switching Switch 8...
Video signal discrimination section 9...Audio output section 10...Audio input section 11...Video signal modulation section 12...Video signal demodulation section 13...First video memory 14...Second Video memory 15...Cassette tape deck 16...Cassette tape 17...Answering function switch 18...Incoming call detection section 19...Response message sending section 20...Received message storage section 21...Reception Message playback section 22...Voice communication section 23...Video communication section 24...Answering machine department Name of agent Patent attorney Toshio Nakao 1 person Figure 1 Figure 2/-Ichiei 4 elephant input @ (CCD camera) 2-Indication made by blow 4 (CP unit) 3-pieces 11 x 4--One feed I claw button 7.5-One force to the tape deck 16--Kow-t totefe. Figure 4 Figure 5 Procedures available l''1 Authorized (spontaneous) September 2, 1988 1 Indication of the case Patent application No. 291098 of 1981 2 Name of the invention Telephone terminal device 3 Person making the amendment Related Patent Application Person Location 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Name Name
(582) Representative of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tanii, Akio 4 Agents
571 Address 100 Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture
Address 6 5 Scope of claims of the specification to be amended 6 Contents of the amendment (1) The scope of claims of the specification will be amended as shown in the attached sheet. (2) Correct Figure 3 of the drawing as shown in the attached sheet. (3) Correct Figure 7 of the drawing as shown in the attached sheet. 2. Claims: An audio communication unit including an audio input unit and an audio output unit, a video communication unit including a video input unit and a video display unit, and a response message sending unit that sends a response message to a telephone line. and an answering machine section including a received message storage and playback section capable of storing and reproducing audio and video signals arriving on the telephone line; and a playback signal from the received message storage and playback section on the audio output section and U display. A telephone terminal device having a connection means for connecting to a telephone terminal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An audio communication section including an audio input section and an audio output section, a video communication section including a video input section and a video display section, a response message sending section for sending a response message to the telephone line, and a telephone line. an answering machine unit including a received message storage/playback unit capable of storing and playing back audio and video signals; and connection means for connecting a playback signal from the received message storage/playback unit to the audio output unit and video output unit. A telephone terminal device having