JPH01155753A - Automatic answering telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To access the object memory content instantly at random by providing a means reproducing a message recorded in link with date/time information to be retrieved and outputting it as voice information. CONSTITUTION:A processor circuit 9 controlling the entire operation of a terminal equipment closes a line switch circuit 2 opening and closing the subscriber line loop via an I/O interface 12 and an internal bus 13, decodes the transfer guidance of a guidance 103 of the memory circuit 10 after automatic reception to the incoming call, sends the result to the caller to urge the caller the message delivery from the caller. The message uses the 1st means stored in the 1st message memory 101. The date/time information read from a clock circuit 1 separately is stored in a date/time memory 102 through the operation of a D/A circuit 6 as the 2nd means and a link L is provided between the date/time information to be stored and the message information to be stored. Thus, the readout of the message is attained from the date/time information later.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to answering machine functionality.

[Conventional technology]

When the called party is absent, the answering machine converts the caller's current date and time information into voice information, adds the caller's message, automatically stores it, files it, and saves it. . That is, the date and time information is converted into audio information, which is combined with the recorded message and stored. This memory is recorded sequentially according to the time input. When the called party later reads out the incoming call files, he or she will listen to the incoming call files in the order in which they were stored, first by playing the date and time information converted into audio information, then by playing the message.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

This method has the following drawbacks.

■Date and time audio information mixed during storage may interfere with listening to the message.

■When a desired message is stored later in time, the user must listen to other unnecessary information until the desired goal is reached, since the message is played back in order.

[Means for solving problems]

A record of the caller's voice message and a record of date and time information that is linked to this voice message and shows the date and time of incoming call separately for each message are provided, and the date and time falls within the date and time or date and time range specified by the called party. Information is searched, a recorded message linked to the searched date and time information is reproduced and output as voice information, and the specified voice information is not erased.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an answering machine having an answering machine function according to the present invention. In FIG. D circuit, 6 is the path to D/8, 7 is the handset, 8 is the hook switch, 9 is the processor circuit, l
O is a memory circuit, 12 is a 110 interface, 13
21 is an internal bus, 21 is a bell, 22 is a dial circuit, 23 is a telephone call circuit, 24 is an addition circuit, 101 is a message memory, 10
2 is a date and time memory, 103 is guidance, 104 is a program, and [, is a link. Bell 21, dial circuit 2
2. The telephone call circuit 23 and the addition circuit 24 are used during normal telephone operation.

i) The clock circuit l updates and holds the latest date and time information.

If the terminal picker does not pick up the handset 7 within a certain period of time after the ringing detection circuit 3 detects the ringing signal of the bell 21 due to an incoming call, the hook switch 8 will be activated. If left unchecked, the call will go to answering machine. The processor circuit 9 that controls the operation of the entire terminal device first closes the line switch circuit 2 that closes and opens the subscriber line loop via the I10 interface 12 and internal bus 13, automatically answers the incoming call, and then sends a memo. The intermediary guidance of the guidance 103 of one circuit 10 is decoded into an analog voice and sent to the calling side to prompt the sending side to deliver a message. The message takes the first means of being stored in the first message memory 101. Separately, a second circuit operates the D/A circuit 6 to read the current date and time information from the clock circuit l and stores it in the date and time memory 102 as date and time information.
A link L is established between the stored date and time information and the stored message information.

By doing so, it is possible to read out the message from the date and time information later.

ii) Next, a method of reading out a message will be explained.

At this time, the terminal is in an empty state, that is, the line switch circuit 2 is open and the answering machine is in a reproducing state. The user picks up the handset 7 and uses the dial keypad 4 to instruct terminal operation, for example, enters the date and time he or she wishes to call, such as 19.
Dialing is performed in a fixed sequence such as (#19#lO*17##) from the date and time of day 1 to 17:00. This meaning is interpreted by the processor circuit 9, and first, 1. Only those corresponding to the above range are restored in chronological order. Next, the storage location of the message information pointed to by the restored date and time information is searched by link L. After this, the D/A circuit 6 is operated,
The found message information is converted into analog voice signals one after another and reproduced from the receiver of the handset 7.

Then, the general message information is erased after the call information is reproduced, but the necessary message information is stopped from being erased by operating the dial keypad 4, and an instruction is given to continue storing it.

In this way, leaving a message while the user is away, random access playback of the message, and memory continuity are realized.

Note that the operations of the processor circuit 9 are stored in the memory circuit 10 and described in a program 104.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the time information at the time of message recording is automatically acquired, linked to the message information and filed separately,
By adopting a mechanism that uses time information as a key for access during message playback, (1) unnecessary information is not added to recorded message information.

■If you specify the date and time, the desired memo contents will be immediately and randomly accessed.

A highly convenient and comfortable answering machine with these features can be realized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuit of the present invention. 1 is a clock circuit, 2 is a line switch circuit, 3 is a call detection circuit, 4 is a dial keypad, 5 is an Al1) circuit, 6 is a D/A circuit, 7 is a handset, 8 is a hook switch,
9 is a processor circuit, 10 is a memory circuit, 21 is a bell,
22 is a dial circuit, 23 is a telephone call circuit, 24 is an addition circuit, 101 is a message memory, 102 is a date and time memory, 103 is a guidance, 104 is a program, and L is a link. Patent applicant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Kugobe Tamamushi (2 others)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a first means for recording a caller's voice message; a second means for recording date and time information that is linked to the voice message and indicates the date and time of incoming call separately for each message; A means for searching the date and time information corresponding to a specified date and time or a range of dates and times, and a means for reproducing the recorded message linked to the searched date and time information and outputting it as audio information. An answering machine characterized by: (2) The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for preventing specified audio information from being erased from among the reproduced audio information.