JPH02244945A - Cordless telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a base set to execute a substitutive response or the like even when a hand set can not be used by providing the hand set with a means for transmitting a response signal to the base set and providing the base set with a selection means for connecting an automatic answering means to a telephone circuit when a response single is not received within the prescribed time. CONSTITUTION:A response signal generating circuit 9 in the hand set outputs a bell tone from a bell speaker 11 and generates a response signal. When a user confirms the bell sound and depresses a confirmation button 9a, the response signal is sent to the base set. A control circuit part 3 in the base set generates a bell signal based upon the output of an incoming detecting circuit 35 and outputs the bell signal to the hand set. When the response signal from the hand set is not returned, circuit changing over switching 37, 38 are automatically controlled, an our message previously stored in a memory 31 is outputted to the telephone circuit and then a caller's message is stored in an opposite party message memory 32. Consequently, when the hand set can not be used, the automatic answering function such as a substitutive response can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a cordless telephone, and particularly to a low-power or weak-power cordless telephone that can be used by connecting to a general public telephone line.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, this type of telephone has been divided into a base unit (hereinafter referred to as a base set) that is connected to a telephone line, and a handset unit that corresponds to a handset (hereinafter referred to as a handset).
Cordless telephones that connect the two using radio waves have been put into practical use, and are classified into weak type and low power type depending on the strength of the radio waves used. The former is mainly suitable for use within the same room, and the latter is suitable for use within the same building.

In addition, when a call arrives when the user is not present, a telephone that outputs a message and automatically records the message from the caller (other party) is called an answering machine. It has been put into practical use.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, in the conventional example, the following a.

It solves unique problems that conventional wired telephones such as B and C do not have.

a. Check whether the handset is within communication range with the base set (alarm function) is performed manually only on the handset, so please check the handset and the base set in advance.
If the handset is located outside the communication range, even if an incoming call occurs from an outside line, a ring signal cannot be transmitted to the handset.

b. Since the handset operates with a built-in battery, if it is left in standby mode for a long time, the battery will run out and it will not be able to respond to the bell signal generated by the base set.

C. If the handset is equipped with a power switch for battery saving, it will not be possible to respond to the bell signal generated by the base set if it is notified with the power off.

The present invention was made to address such problems, and even if the handset becomes unusable against the user's will, the base set can respond on behalf of the user and record the caller's message. The purpose is to obtain a cordless telephone.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a base set with a so-called answering machine function when the handset is unavailable against the user's will.
The cordless telephone is constructed as shown in (1) and (2) below.

(1) A cordless telephone equipped with the following components a and b.

a. A handset that is coupled to the base set by radio waves and has a response signal transmitting means for receiving a predetermined signal from the base set and transmitting a response signal to the base set when a confirmation operation is performed.

b1 A normal telephone call means, an answering machine means, a means for transmitting the predetermined signal when a call arrives, and a means for transmitting the predetermined signal when the predetermined number 411 is sent, and the answering machine when the response signal is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting the predetermined 411 number. and selection means for connecting the telephone means to a telephone line.

(2) The cordless telephone set forth in (1) above, wherein the predetermined number 13 is a bell signal and/or a control signal or a carrier signal.

[Operation] According to the configurations (1) and (2) above, when the handset is disabled against the user's will, the base set functions as an answering machine.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a base set portion of a cordless telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a handset portion of the same telephone, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the same telephone.

Regarding the A4 handset In FIG. 2, 1 is a rubber antenna for receiving radio waves radiated from the antenna 21 of the 5 base set, and the received frequency components received from the antenna are separated by a duplexer 2 and then sent to a filter circuit 3. to go into. The circuit 3 consists of a bandpass filter, and after removing noise components, only the desired signal frequency component enters the demodulation circuit 4. The demodulation circuit 4 demodulates the audio signal based on the first local oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit 5 via a detection circuit. The demodulated signal includes a bell signal in addition to the voice component, and after separating the voice component and the bell signal in the bell signal separation circuit 6, only the voice component is amplified to a predetermined level by the voice amplifier 7. Then, the signal is output from the receiving speaker 8. On the other hand, the bell signal is input to the response signal generation circuit 9. The circuit 9 generates a low-frequency signal for driving a bell, outputs a bell sound from a bell speaker 11 via a bell signal amplifier 10, and also notifies the base set that a bell signal has been received. Generates a response signal. When the user confirms the bell sound and presses the confirmation button 9a, a response signal is output to the control signal synthesis circuit 14 and transmitted to the base set via the modulation circuit 15 and the like.

On the other hand, the audio signal input from the transmitting microphone 12 is amplified to a predetermined level by the microphone amplifier 13, and then
After being combined with necessary control signal components in the combining circuit 14, it enters the modulation circuit 15. The modulation circuit 15 modulates the signal component to a desired frequency using a second local oscillation signal generated by the oscillation circuit 5. The modulated signal is passed through the filter circuit 1
6 removes unnecessary frequency components, and then the signal is radiated from the antenna 1 via the duplexer 2. Further, the keyboard circuit 17 is used when entering a telephone number etc. from the handset and generates a dial command corresponding to the input of a number key switch (not shown), and the ID code generation circuit 18 is used to prevent interference and erroneous charges. An ID code is repeatedly generated at regular intervals to prevent this.

b. Regarding the base set The receiving section and transmitting section 21, 22, 23, 24, 27°28.29 in the base set shown in Fig. 1 are the same as the circuit explained for the handset section except for the difference in frequency. be.

The human input signal from the handset is separated by a control signal separation circuit 25 into a voice signal, a response signal, a dial command, and other control signals. Of these, the voice signal component is sent to the telephone line via the network control section 34. On the other hand, the voice input from the telephone line is sent to the control signal synthesis circuit 26 via the network control section 34, and is converted into a bell signal generated by the control circuit section 33.

After being combined with a handset control signal such as an ID code,
It is modulated by the modulation circuit 27 and radiated from the rod antenna 21.

The control circuit section 33 generates a bell signal based on the output of the incoming call detection circuit 35 in response to an incoming call from the telephone line, and outputs it to the handset. If the handset is ready for communication, a response signal is sent back to the ring signal. By detecting this signal, the control circuit section 33 generates control signals for controlling each section in the normal call mode, and also controls the network control section 34 based on off-hook and on-hook signals from the handset. Outputs a signal and turns on/off 5 lines. At the same time, it generates an ID code, monitors the communication status between the base set and handset, and controls on/off of transmission on the used channel.

Here, the most characteristic point of this embodiment is that when a response signal is not returned from the handset (when the handset cannot be used), the circuit changeover switches 37 and 38 are automatically controlled and the message is sent to the user. The message of the party previously stored in the memory 31 is read out via the memory control unit 30 and output to the telephone line, and then the message of the other party (caller) input from the telephone line is stored in the message memory 32 of the other party. It is something.

As described above, in response to an incoming call that occurs when the handset is unavailable, the circuit is automatically switched, the message from the caller is output, and the message from the other party is subsequently recorded. After recovery, the message from the other party can be checked. Note that the keyboard circuit 36 is
This is to give an input instruction to the control circuit section 33 when recording a message in the message memory 31 in advance. The received message is recorded in the message memory 31.

Next, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of a CPU (not shown) in the control circuit section 33 of this embodiment.

The operation of the embodiment will be explained below using the same flowchart.

The control circuit 33 constantly monitors the presence or absence of an incoming call from the handset in judgment steps so and st, and if there is a call from the handset, it records the message, reproduces it, makes an outgoing call, etc. in accordance with the instructions. control. When an incoming call occurs, a bell signal is generated in processing step S2 and sent to the handset. If the No. A handset is available and the user confirms the bell sound and presses the confirmation button, a response signal is sent back to the base set, and judgment step S3. It branches to perform normal communication control. (Telephone call control shall be performed by known means.) On the other hand, if the handset is unusable due to the above-mentioned problem with the conventional device, etc., there is no response signal and the process proceeds to judgment step S4. The counter is incremented and steps 52 to S4 are repeated a predetermined number of times until the transmission of the bell signal a preset number of times is completed. If no response signal is returned even after transmitting the bell signal a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the handset is in an unusable state, and the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the circuit changeover switches 37 and 38 are used to switch the connection to the memory ff1s (answering machine 7j 1 talk means).

A proxy response is automatically made using a message signal stored in the message memory 31 in advance. In step S7, a recording start instruction signal is output to the memory control unit 30 to start recording the message from the other party. Next, in judgment step S8, it is constantly monitored whether the line from the other party has been turned off, and in judgment step SI
In step O, the elapsed state of a preset recording time is counted by a counter, and after the set time has elapsed, the line is turned off in processing step SIQ. After the line is turned off due to any of the above reasons, message recording is stopped in processing step Sll, and the circuit changeover switch 37, 38 is turned off in processing step S12.
After restoring, return to SO.

In this embodiment, a bell signal is sent to the handset in response to an incoming call, and when there is no response within a predetermined time, the handset becomes unusable against the user's will. As a result, the so-called answering machine means such as answering on behalf of the other party and recording messages from the other party can be changed using the changeover switch 37.
．． 38 and a control circuit section 33 to connect to the telephone line.

Note that the message memories 31 and 32 used in this example
may be any device that can record and reproduce audio signals as either an analog signal or a digital signal, such as a RAM, @stape, magnetic disk, optical memory, etc., and is not specified. The message memory 31 may be used exclusively for reproduction using recorded messages.

Further, in this embodiment, a response signal is sent back in response to a bell signal, but for example, it is also possible to use a control signal instead of a bell signal, or to use a control signal in combination with a bell signal. Alternatively, a response signal may be sent back in response to the presence or absence of a carrier signal received by the handset. In addition, the display is not limited to the bell sound, but also the chime,
Any appropriate means such as blinking light may be used.

Note that the handset referred to in the present invention is not limited to the handset itself, but also refers to a device that is connected to a base set by radio waves and includes a handset, such as a device in which the handset and its cradle are connected with a cord.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a cordless telephone, when the handset cannot be used against the user's will, it performs a so-called answering machine function by responding on behalf of the user, recording messages from the other party, etc. The above-mentioned problems of the conventional device can be addressed to some extent.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a base set portion of a cordless telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a handset portion of a cordless telephone according to the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows the operation of the same embodiment. It is a flowchart. 9.--Response signal generation circuit 9a--Confirmation button 30--Memory control unit 31--Messaging memory 32--Messaging memory 33--
--Control circuit section 35-----Incoming call detection circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A cordless telephone characterized by comprising the following components a and b. a. A handset that is coupled to the base set by radio waves and has a response signal transmitting means for receiving a predetermined signal from the base set and transmitting a response signal to the base set when a confirmation operation is performed. b. a normal telephone call means, an answering machine means, a means for transmitting the predetermined signal when a call arrives, and a means for transmitting the answering machine when the response signal is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting the predetermined signal; and selection means for connecting the telephone means to a telephone line. (2) The cordless telephone set according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal is a bell signal and/or a control signal or a carrier signal.