JPH0236651A - Acoustic coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain talking while an acoustic coupler is loaded by switching the transmission/reception of an acoustic signal and talking via a handset alternately while the acoustic coupler is loaded as it is. CONSTITUTION:With switches 17, 18 thrown as shown in figure, an transmission output circuit 14 and a transmission input circuit 16 are disconnected to allow general talking only. Thus, the talking is available while the acoustic coupler 2 is loaded as it is to a handset 1. Moreover, the user voice picked up by a transmission microphone 12 is given to a speech recognition circuit 13 independently of the switch 17 and various kinds of control information sets are used for a transmission control section 4 by analyzing the user voice input by means of the speech recognition circuit 13. That is, the switches 17, 18 are controlled automatically to change over the talking state and the transmission state depending on the voice command of the user (controlling the switches 17, 18). Thus, talking is attained while the acoustic coupler is loaded as it is to the handset of the telephone set.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an acoustic coupler, and in detail,
The present invention relates to an acoustic coupler configured to allow a telephone conversation to be made while the acoustic coupler is attached to a handset of a telephone.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, acoustic couplers have been used to communicate with portable terminals, data terminals, etc. via telephone lines.

This acoustic coupler is an acoustic coupling device for interconnecting a terminal such as a personal computer and a host computer to a telephone line via a telephone handset, and converts electrical signals from the terminal into acoustic signals. The signal is sent to the handset of the telephone and supplied to the host computer via the telephone line, and the acoustic signal sent as an acoustic signal from the host computer and output from the handset of the telephone is converted into an electrical signal and supplied to the terminal. It is something to do.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, in the above-mentioned acoustic coupler, in order to prevent ambient noise from being mixed into the acoustic signal obtained by converting the electrical signal, the telephone handset is connected with a rubber boot, etc. The mouthpiece and earpiece are covered to isolate them from the outside. Therefore, when transmitting (communication) using an acoustic coupler and attempting to interrupt the transmission and have a conversation, it is necessary to remove the acoustic coupler from the handset.

This kind of handling is not so inconvenient when using the acoustic coupler on a desk, but
Particularly when using an acoustic coupler at a public telephone while on the go, if you interrupt the transmission and try to make a call, you may have trouble finding a place to put the acoustic coupler after removing it from the handset, and you may have to make a call while holding the acoustic coupler in one hand. There is a problem that it is inconvenient because it occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an acoustic coupler that allows a user to make a call while the acoustic coupler is attached to a handset of a telephone while avoiding mixing of ambient noise during communication using the acoustic coupler. With the goal.

<Means for Solving the Problems> Therefore, the present invention provides an acoustic coupler that converts an electric signal into an acoustic signal and sends it to a telephone handset, and converts an acoustic signal from a telephone receiver into an electric signal. A call switching means is provided which alternately switches between a state in which a call via the handset is permitted and a state in which the acoustic signal is transmitted and received by the acoustic coupler when the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of the telephone set.

<Function> According to the acoustic coupler having such a configuration, when the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of a telephone, it is possible to control the transmission and reception status of acoustic signals converted from electrical signals, which is the original purpose of the acoustic coupler, and the general communication in the telephone. The call switching means alternately switches between a state in which a call is permitted and a state where a call is permitted, so when the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of a telephone and you want to interrupt the transmission and make a call while the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of the telephone, the call switching means If the device is switched to a state in which calls are permitted, it is possible to make calls while wearing the acoustic coupler.

<Example> The present invention will be explained in detail below.

In a first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an acoustic coupler 2 according to the present invention is attached to a handset l of a general telephone.

The acoustic coupler 2 includes an acoustic signal transmitting/receiving section 3 attached to the handset 1 and a transmission control section 4 for controlling the transmission/reception of acoustic signals in the acoustic signal transmitting/receiving section 3.

Cylindrical recesses 7 and 8 are formed in the main body of the acoustic signal transmitting and receiving unit 30 to match the positional relationship between the handset 5 and the transmitter 6 in the handset 1, and the bottoms of these recesses 7 and 8 By installing a transmission microphone 9 and a transmission speaker 10, respectively, it is possible to prevent ambient noise from being picked up by the transmission microphone 9 and from mixing the output of the transmission speaker IO with ambient noise.

The transmission microphone 9 picks up an acoustic signal (acoustic signal converted from an electrical signal) transmitted via a telephone line and output from the handset 5 of the handset 1, and the transmission speaker 10 picks up an acoustic signal (acoustic signal converted from an electrical signal). This is for sending the converted electrical signal to the transmitter 7 and transmitting it to a predetermined other party.

Further, the main body of the acoustic signal transmitting/receiving section 3 includes the transmission microphone 9.
A receiving speaker 11 and a transmitting microphone 12 are provided so as to be front and back to the transmission speaker IO.

Acoustic signals picked up by the transmission microphone 9 and the transmission microphone 12 and the transmission speaker 10 and the reception speaker 1
The drive signals for each drive signal are input and output by the control unit 4, respectively. The transmission control unit 4 includes a voice recognition circuit 13. Transmission output circuit 14. A voice synthesis circuit 15 and a transmission input circuit 16 are provided, as well as switches 17 and 18 and amplifiers 19 and 20 for switching between speech and transmission. The transmission output circuit 14 and the transmission input circuit 16 are interfaces for input/output with a transmission device (not shown).

The state shown in FIG. 1 is a state in which talking via a general telephone line is permitted, and the user brings his ear close to the receiving speaker 11 of the acoustic coupler 2 and brings the transmitting microphone 12 close to his mouth. Do it like this. Then, when a voice is emitted to the transmitting microphone 12, the voice is picked up by the transmitting microphone 12, and the signal is input to the voice recognition circuit 13 via the amplifier 19 of the transmission control section 4, while the switch 1
It is output to the transmission speaker 10 via 7. Therefore, if you speak into the transmitting microphone 12, it will be heard by the transmitting speaker 1.
0 and sent to the transmitter 6, and the transmitter 6 does not pick up the real voice, but instead picks up the voice from the transmitting microphone 12 and the transmitting speaker 10.
The audio will be picked up indirectly through the .

Further, the voice of the other party is output from the receiver 5, but this voice of the other party is picked up by the transmission microphone 9 and input to the transmission control section 4. Then, the audio signal picked up by the transmission microphone 9 is sent to the transmission control section 4 through a switch 18 and an amplifier 20.
Since the voice is output to the receiver speaker 11 via the receiver 5, the user does not directly hear the voice output from the receiver 5, but listens to the voice picked up by the transmission microphone 9 and output from the receiver speaker 11.

Thus, in the state of the switches 17 and 18 shown in FIG. 1, the transmission output circuit 14 and the transmission input circuit 16 are disconnected, and only general telephone calls are permitted. By operating the switches 17 and 18, it is possible to make a call with the acoustic coupler 2 attached to the handset l.

Further, the user's voice picked up by the transmitting microphone 12 is input to the voice recognition circuit 13 regardless of the switch 17, and the voice recognition circuit H13 analyzes the user's voice input. Various types of control information can be provided in the transmission control unit 4. For example, switches 17 and 18 are automatically controlled to switch between a telephone conversation state (the state shown in FIG. 1) and a transmission state according to a user's voice instruction (switch 17). .18).

Furthermore, since the signal from the voice synthesis circuit 15 is inputted to the receiver speaker 11 regardless of the switch 18, information such as the transmission status can be transmitted to the user via the receiver speaker 11. .

On the other hand, by setting the switches 17 and 18 to the opposite state to that shown in FIG.
If the signal from the transmission microphone 9 is supplied to the transmission input circuit 16, the transmission microphone 9 picks up the signal sent as an acoustic signal via the telephone line and converts it into an electrical signal. By doing so, it is possible to obtain data, etc. from a remote location via a telephone line, and also transmit data, etc. to a remote location by sounding the transmission speaker 10 in response to electrical signals such as data sent from this side. It is something that can be done. Note that in such a transmission state, the signal from the transmitting microphone 12 is not output to the transmitting speaker 10, and the signal from the transmitting microphone 9 is not output to the transmitting speaker 10.
Since the signal is not output to the receiver speaker 11, there is no possibility that audio will be mixed in during transmission, and no annoying electrical sounds will be heard during reception.

In this way, in the above embodiment, the acoustic coupler 2 is attached to the handset 1 and calls are allowed, and the original purpose of the acoustic coupler 2 is transmission (transmission and reception of acoustic signals) via a telephone line. ), for example, it is easy to attach the acoustic coupler 2 to the handset 1 and interrupt the transmission to make a call. Just say "stop transmission" to the voice recognition circuit 13, which will analyze this and switch 17.
18 can be automatically controlled to make it possible to make a call.

Note that the switches 17 and 18 may be configured to be operated by a user.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a second embodiment of the present invention, and the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 enables telephone calls with the acoustic coupler 2 attached by electrical operation. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the transmission microphone 9
The configuration is such that a telephone conversation can be made by mechanically operating the transmission speaker 10. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the same elements as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

Here, the state shown in FIG. 2 is a state in which the acoustic coupler 2 is attached to the handset 1 of the telephone, and the acoustic signal is transmitted and received by the acoustic coupler 2, and the transmission microphone 9 and the transmission speaker 10 are connected to the handset, respectively. It is disposed in close contact with the receiver 5 and transmitter 6 of 1.

In this embodiment, the transmission microphone 9 and the transmission speaker 10 are respectively fixed to swing pieces 21.22, and the swing pieces 21.22 are arranged in a fan-shaped space 23.24 provided in the acoustic coupler 2. is provided to be swingable around shafts 25 and 26, and is elastically biased in a direction toward the handset 1 by a spring (not shown). The fan-shaped spaces 23 and 24 communicate independently with the space where the handset 1 is attached and with the outside space, but as shown in FIG. When the handset 1 is in close contact with the handset 1, the handset 5 and the transmitter 6 of the handset 1 are isolated from the outside by the rocking pieces 21 and 22.

That is, when the acoustic coupler 2 is attached to the handset 1, the swinging pieces 21 and 22 are brought into close contact with the handset 1 by elastic biasing force, and the transmitter 6, the handset 5, and the transmission speaker 1 are brought into close contact with each other.
A closed space is formed between the transmission microphone 0 and the transmission microphone 9, respectively.

This makes it possible to avoid ambient noise such as voices being picked up by the transmission microphone 9 and mixing of ambient noise with the acoustic output from the transmission speaker 10 during transmission and reception (communication) of acoustic signals.

On the other hand, when it is desired to make a telephone call in the acoustic signal transmission/reception state as shown in FIG.
Call levers 27 and 28, which are integrally provided on opposite sides of 26 and extend to the outside, are swung in a direction toward the handset 1. Then, the swinging pieces 21.22 swing in the direction away from the handset 1 within the fan-shaped space 23.24,
The receiver 5 and the transmitter 6 are exposed to the outside through the fan-shaped spaces 23 and 24 and the open spaces 29 and 30 that communicate with the fan-shaped spaces 23 and 24 and are open to the outside.

Specifically, by gripping the central frame portion 2a of the acoustic coupler 2 and the call lever 27.28 together, the call lever 27.28, which serves as a call switching means, swings and becomes ready for a call. In this state, by bringing your ear close to the open space 29, you can hear the audio output from the handset 5, and if you bring your mouth close to the open space 30 and speaking, the sound is sent to the handset 6 and you can make a call. can be done.

Therefore, even when the acoustic coupler 2 is attached to the handset 1 of the telephone, the user can make a call by grasping the call levers 27 and 28. Also, when the acoustic coupler 2 transmits and receives acoustic signals, the call lever 27.
By leaving 28 free, the elastic biasing force of the spring brings the rocking pieces 21, 22 into close contact with the handset 1, allowing for good signal transmission and reception.

In addition, if a switch is provided to detect the call or transmission status by the position of the call lever 27.28, the lever 27.2
It is possible to perform control such that transmission is automatically stopped by squeezing 8, and control is also possible to automatically start transmission by releasing call levers 27 and 28 after calling and confirming the other party.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, transmission and reception of acoustic signals by the acoustic coupler and communication via the handset can be alternately switched while the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of the telephone. Therefore, even if you want to make a call after wearing the acoustic coupler, there is no need to remove the acoustic coupler from the handset, and especially in environments such as public telephones, the acoustic coupler can easily transmit and make calls. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a system schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an acoustic coupler showing a second embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 is a call-permitting state of the acoustic coupler shown in Fig. 2. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an acoustic coupler. 1...Telephone receiver 2...Acoustic coupler 5...Telephone receiver 6...Telephone transmitter 9...
Transmission microphone 10...Transmission speaker 11...
Receiving speaker 12...Sending microphone 17.18...
・Switches 21, 22... Rocking piece 27.28...
・Call levers 29, 30...open space

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an acoustic coupler that converts an electric signal into an acoustic signal and sends it to the handset of a telephone, and converts an acoustic signal from the handset of the telephone into an electric signal, the acoustic coupler is attached to the handset of the telephone. An acoustic coupler, characterized in that it is provided with a call switching means that alternately switches between a state in which calls are allowed through the handset and a state in which acoustic signals are transmitted and received by the acoustic coupler.