JPH03196757A - Telephone set adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make facsimile communication compatible with telephone communication by giving a command of transferring a replied call to a facsimile equipment when a discrimination means discriminates a call to be a call of facsimile communication purpose and calling a connection telephone set when discriminated not. CONSTITUTION:A telephone set adaptor 20 monitors a call from a master set 30. When a call from the master set 30 comes, a command is given to a counter master set interface 6 and the call is replied by forming a DC loop to a line or the like. Whether or not the replied call is a call for facsimile communication is checked. When the call is an incoming call for facsimile communication, a line address connecting to a facsimile equipment 50 stored and registered in a storage section 4 is read and the transfer request of the call to the detected line address is generated and sent to the master set 30 via the interface 6. Then the reply of acceptance from the master set 30 is adapted, upon the receipt of a call transfer request from the adaptor 20, the master set 30 holds the called line. Then a transfer request/acceptance request is sent and a called signal is sent to the line commanded by the transfer request.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a telephone adapter that is connected to a telephone connection line of a telephone system in which telephones and facsimile machines coexist.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, key telephone systems as small-scale private branch exchange systems of this type mainly provide voice-related services.
There have been few systems that take communication systems such as facsimile machines (hereinafter referred to as rFAXJ) into consideration.

In recent years, with the spread of FAX, it has become desirable to accommodate FAX in the key telephone system, and systems that are compatible to some extent have also appeared.

However, in most of these conventional key telephone systems, extension lines are connected to each other by an interface having a unique protocol. For this reason,
In response to storing faxes in this system,
The key telephone system houses an extension line with a protocol similar to a conventional general-purpose outside line interface,
Two approaches have been mainly adopted: one is to connect a fax to this, and the other is to prepare a general-purpose outside line interface as a subphone for a dedicated telephone in the key telephone system, and connect a fax to this.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, when a connected FAX receives a call, if the FAX is in automatic answer mode, if the calling party makes a call for the purpose of talking, automatically entered facsimile communication mode and executed the first protocol. For this reason, there was a drawback that it became impossible to make telephone calls, which was the initial purpose.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems, and has the following configuration as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems.

That is, a call detection means for detecting a call from a connected telephone from a connected line, a response means for responding to the detection of a call by the call detection means, and a determination as to whether or not the call answered by the response means is a call for the purpose of facsimile communication. and a determining means for determining that the call is for the purpose of facsimile communication, and when the determining means determines that the call is for the purpose of facsimile communication, it instructs to transfer the answered call to the facsimile machine, and when it determines that the call is not for the purpose of facsimile communication, it rings the connected telephone, and after answering, it connects the connected line. and a connection means for connecting to an answering telephone.

Furthermore, if there is no response after a predetermined period of time has passed after the start of a call to the telephone terminal, the connection means automatically returns a predetermined message to the calling party, and then sends a subsequent message from the calling party. Equipped with a means to record the answering machine.

Furthermore, the connecting means instructs to transfer the answered call to another telephone if the connected telephone does not answer.

[Operation] In the above configuration, if the called party is for facsimile communication, facsimile reception can be performed, and if the call is not for facsimile communication, reception can be performed by a telephone. In this way, it is possible to take any desired communication form, whether it is for telephone calls or facsimile communications.

Furthermore, even if the person wishing to make a call is absent, the message can be recorded without the need for troublesome operations such as making a call again, and the message can be reliably communicated.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a telephone adapter inserted between a telephone and a network control main device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a control unit stored in the built-in ROM 1a, which controls the entire adapter according to the control procedure shown in FIG. 3 is an input device for inputting various instructions such as specifying the FAX connection line address, 4 is a storage unit for storing various data such as the FAX connection line address, 5 is a power supply, and 6 is a main unit. A main device interface that controls the interface with the main device that controls the entire key telephone system of the embodiment, 7 a telephone interface that controls the interface with the connected telephone, 8 a main device interface 6 and a telephone interface 7. This is a conversion unit that performs mutual conversion.

FIG. 2 shows a system configuration diagram of the key telephone system of this embodiment to which the telephone adapter having the above configuration is connected.

In FIG. 2, 2o is the telephone adapter shown in FIG. 1, 30 is the main device that controls the entire system and controls the communication path between the connected external line and the stored extension line, and 40 is a telephone exclusively for the general public, 5o is a fax machine, and 60 is a dedicated telephone set unique to the key telephone system.

The main device 30 of this embodiment holds the address of each storage extension, the type of terminal connected to the address, and the like.

Next, FIG. 3 and FIG. This will be explained below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the communication path control of the main device 20 when the main device 30 receives a call from an outside line, and FIG.
0 shows control when there is a call from the main device 30.

In step S1, the main device 30 monitors whether there is a call from the housed extension line or the connected external line. If there is a call, the process advances to step S2 to check whether the call is to the telephone 40 to which the telephone adapter 20 is connected. telephone adapter 20
If the call is not to (telephone 4o), step S3
, the process proceeds to step S4, calls the telephone 60 or FAX 50 connected to the corresponding storage extension, and executes known call path control. If there is a response, the process advances to step s7.

On the other hand, if the call is to the telephone adapter 2o connection line, the process advances to step S5, where a called signal is sent to the line and the call is made. Then, in step s6, it is checked whether there is a response, and the process returns to step S5 to continue calling until there is a response. Here, if there is a response to the call and, for example, a DC loop is formed in the calling line, the process proceeds from step s6 to step S7 and step S8, where a call transfer request including a transfer destination address is detected, but the call is not completed. Watch for the line to be released. Here, when the call ends and the DC loop of either the called line or the connected line is released, the process proceeds from step S8 to step S9, where the other line is restored and the process ends.

Control of the telephone adapter 20 corresponding to the above processing will be explained.

In FIG. 4, the telephone adapter 20 monitors calls from the main device 30, as shown in step S30. Main device 30
When there is a call, the process advances to step S31, and the main device interface 6 is instructed to form a DC loop on the line, etc., in response. Then, in the following step S32, it is checked whether the answered call is for facsimile communication or not. This is done, for example, in the case of facsimile communication, by determining whether or not the purpose of facsimile communication is by detecting a carrier signal sent in a pre-procedure. If the answered call is not for facsimile communication and no carrier signal or the like is detected, the process advances to step S33, where a called signal is sent to the connected telephone 40 and the call is made. and,
It is checked in step S34 whether there is a response. If there is no response, the process returns to step S33 and continues calling until the telephone interface 7 detects a response.

If the user responds to this call by, for example, taking the handset of the telephone 40 off-hook, the process proceeds from step S34 to step S35, in which the conversion section 8 is controlled to connect the line from the main device 30 to the main device interface 6. , the converter 8, and the telephone interface 7 to connect to the telephone 40 to enable communication. Then, in step S36, it is monitored to see if any of the lines is released, and when any of the lines is released and the call ends, the other lines are restored, the conversion unit 8, etc. are restored, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S32 that the incoming call is for the purpose of facsimile communication, the process advances to step S40, and the input device 3
FAX 5 is specified and registered in the storage unit 4.
0 connection line address, generates a call transfer request to the detected line address, and sends it to the main device interface 6.
is sent to the main device 30 via. This is, for example, the main device 3
It will be sent using the control line with 0. Then, in step S41, a permission response from the main device 30 is awaited.

When the main device 30 receives the call transfer request from the telephone adapter 20, it resteps from step S7 to step S1 in FIG.
0 and first puts the called line on hold. Then, in step Sll, a transfer request permission request is sent, and in step S12
A called signal (ringing signal) is sent to the line specified in the transfer request.
Send and call. In this case, since the FAX 50 connection line has been designated, a call will be made to the FAX 50. Then, in step S13, it is checked whether there is a response or not, and if there is no response, the process returns to step S12 to continue calling.

Here, if there is a response from the calling line connection terminal, the process advances from step S13 to step S14, where a communication path is formed between the called line and the calling line (FAX 50 connection line in the above example), and mutual communication is possible. shall be.

Thereafter, in step S15, the line is monitored for release,
When the lines are released, each line is restored in step S16, and the process ends.

On the other hand, the telephone adapter 20 that has received the permission response in step Sll proceeds from step S41 to step S37, sets each configuration to the initial state, and ends the process.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to respond to a called call by telephone or by facsimile. By connecting this adapter between all telephones and the main device 30, all telephone calls can be answered by telephone, and facsimile communication requests can be received by the facsimile machine 50.

In addition, in the above explanation, an example was described in which the call is transferred to the FAX 50 only when the calling party requests facsimile communication at the beginning of the call, but it is also possible to switch to the FAX 50 after the call has been made using the telephone 40. It can be done.

In this case, for example, by inputting a FAX transfer request from the input device 3 during a call, the telephone adapter 20 may be controlled to execute the processing from step S40 in FIG. 4.

As described above, according to this embodiment, if the called party is for facsimile communication, the call can be transferred to FAX, and if the called party is for telephone conversation, the call can be answered by telephone.

<Second Example> In the above description, step S33 and step S
Although the example in which the call is continued until the connected telephone answers in 44 has been described, if the receiver is absent, the caller will be forced to wait forever, and the purpose of the call will not be achieved.

Therefore, in order to deal with such cases, the telephone system is equipped with at least one answering machine, and if the connected telephone does not answer for a predetermined period of time, the called line is transferred to this answering machine, and the answering machine is recorded. It may be configured to do this.

FIG. 5 shows a system configuration diagram of a key telephone system according to a second embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner.

In FIG. 5, the same components as those in FIG. 2 described above are given the same numbers, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

In FIG. 5, compared to FIG. 2, an answering machine 65 is added.

This answering machine 65 may be a general answering machine.

The telephone adapter 25 may have the configuration shown in FIG.

The second embodiment has a configuration in which a timer circuit 9 is added compared to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 described above.

Since the other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, the same numbers are given and detailed explanations are omitted.

In the second embodiment, the control of the telephone adapter 20 when receiving a call is the control shown in FIG. 7 from step S33 onward in the control flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 7, the same step numbers are assigned to the same controls as in FIG. 4.

The control of the second embodiment will be explained below with reference to FIG.

In the telephone adapter 25 of the second embodiment, when it is determined in step S32 of FIG. 4 that the communication is not for facsimile purpose, the process proceeds to step S51 shown in FIG.

First, in step S51, the timer circuit 9 is reset and started to start timer counting. Then, in the following step S52, the connected telephone 4 is connected as in step S33 in FIG.
Outputs a ring tone from 0. Then, in step S53, it is checked whether there is a response from the connected telephone. If there is no response, the process advances to step S54, where the time counted by the timer circuit 9 is read, and it is checked in step S55 whether or not a predetermined calling time has elapsed. If the elapsed time has not elapsed, the process returns to step S52 and continues calling.

If the connected telephone 40 answers in this state, the process advances from step S53 to step S56, where the timer count of the timer circuit 9 is stopped and reset, and the output of the ring tone is stopped. Then, control proceeds to step 335 and subsequent steps similar to those in FIG.

On the other hand, if there is no response even after the calling continues for a predetermined period of time, the timer count value of the timer circuit 9 exceeds the predetermined value, and the time is over as determined in step S55. At this time, the process proceeds from step S55 to step S60, where the timer count of the timer circuit 9 is stopped and reset, and the output of the ring tone is stopped. Then, in step S61, the FAX 50
In the same way, the connection line address of the answering machine 65 is input in advance from the input device 3 and registered in the storage unit 4, and a call transfer request to the read line address is generated to interface with the main device. 6 to the main device 30. Then, the process proceeds to the same process as step S41 and subsequent steps in FIG.

Upon receiving this transfer request, the main device 30 performs step S in FIG.
6. After the processing in step S7 is executed, the processing in steps 810 and subsequent steps is performed, and the called line to telephone 40 is transferred to answering machine 65. As a result, for example, the answering machine 65
It is possible to notify the caller line that an answering machine will be recorded, and to leave necessary messages in the system.

Note that the telephone adapter 25 that transferred this incoming call to the answering machine 65 stores this fact in the storage unit 4 and displays it on the display device 2 (thereby, when the operator of the telephone 40 returns, In this case, you can know that the message on your own telephone line is recorded in the answering machine 65.In this case, you can directly operate the answering machine 65 from the telephone 40 and transfer the recorded contents to the main device 30 and the adapter. By configuring the message to be output from the handset of the own telephone via 25 so that it can be confirmed, the message addressed to the user can be immediately confirmed and a prompt response is possible.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even if the operator of the connected telephone 40 is not present, the requirements can be recorded in the telephone system, making it possible to respond quickly.

<Third Embodiment> The above description has been made regarding an example in which a telephone system is provided with at least one answering machine, and the answering machine and the called line are controlled to be connected when the connected telephone does not respond for a predetermined period of time. However, the present invention is not limited to the above example (the answering machine function may be included in the telephone adapter. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to save the trouble of forwarding an incoming call again. At the same time, the time the caller has to wait can also be reduced.

In this case, the system configuration shown in FIG. 2 described above may be used (the detailed configuration of the telephone adapter is, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 8).

In FIG. 8, the same components as in FIGS. 1 and 6 are given the same reference numerals, and only the components specific to this embodiment will be explained.

In FIG. 8, the converter 14 includes the main device 30 and the telephone 4.
In addition to the function of receiving and passing audio data between lines of 0, it is also possible to record and play back audio signals on the lines and to send audio information to the lines.

That is, when a call arrives, a microphone 12 is used to input a message informing the calling party that an answering machine will be recorded from now on;
The caller is provided with a recording/reproducing section 13 for recording and reproducing a message from a caller as well as a message from a caller, and a reproducing section 10 for outputting data recorded by the recording/reproducing section 13 from a speaker 11.

Note that the playback section 10 can also output audio signals and the like on the line from the speaker 11.

The control at the time of receiving a call in this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, as in FIG. 7, the control up to the determination of the purpose of facsimile communication is the same as in FIG. 4, so step S3 in FIG.
2 shows only the process when the called party is not for the purpose of facsimile communication. Processes similar to those in FIGS. 4 and 7 are given the same step numbers.

In the third embodiment, based on an instruction from the input device 3, a response message for when you are away is recorded in the recording/playback section 13 in advance (for example, an instruction is sent from the input device 2 to register a response message for when you are away from home). When the control unit 1 receives this instruction input, it starts the microphone 12 and the recording/reproducing unit 13. When the input preparation is completed, the operator is notified of this by displaying it on the display device 2, etc.

The operator inputs a predetermined message while pressing the recording button or the like on the recording/playback section 13 or the microphone 12, and
3. Store the desired message in 3.

Note that the recording and reproducing section 13 may be constructed of a tape recorder or the like, or may be one that converts audio information into a digital signal and stores and reproduces it. In addition, this response message can be stored in the ROM in advance.
It may be configured such that the information is stored in a memory, etc., and outputted from a speech synthesis circuit. In this case, there is no need to register a response message.

In the third embodiment in which the response message is stored in this manner, if the call is not for facsimile communication at the time of receiving a call, steps 351 to S55 similar to those in FIG. 7 are performed.

If there is no response from the connected telephone 40, the process of step S60 similar to that in FIG. 7 is executed from step S55. Then, the process moves to step S70.

Hereinafter, the processing from step S70 onwards will be explained in detail.

The control section 1 instructs the conversion section 14 to put the called line from the main device 30 and the recording/reproducing section 13 into a conversation state, so that the message from the recording/reproducing section 13 can be sent to the called line. Then, in step S71, the recording/playback section 13 is activated. Read out the response message when you are away mentioned above,
It is sent as voice information to the called line and sent to the calling party. In the following step S72, the message sent from the caller who heard the response message is recorded. When the recording of the message from the calling party is completed, step S73
Proceed to restore the called line, etc.

With the above control, a message from the caller can be recorded in the telephone adapter.

Therefore, in step S74, a message is displayed on the display device 2 to the effect that there was a call while the user was away and that recording was performed while the user was away. Then, in step S75, a request to reproduce the recorded content from the input device 3 or the like is monitored, and if a reproduction request is received, the process proceeds to step S76. In step S76, the recording and reproducing section 13 and the reproducing section 10 are energized, and the above-mentioned message from the caller recorded in the recording and reproducing section 13 is read out and confirmed via the reproducing section 10 and the speaker 11. can.

Note that the message may be output from the handset of the connected telephone 40 without providing the reproduction section 10 and the speaker 11. In this case, the telephone interface 7 and the recording/reproducing section 13 may be placed in a conversation state.

In addition, although the above explanation shows the case where the answering machine is recorded only once, if it is within the recordable area of the recording/playback section 13, multiple calls can be answered, each message can be recorded,
Of course, it can be played back.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, a message can be quickly recorded and the waiting time of the caller can be reduced. You can also easily check the recorded content.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve both facsimile communication and voice response using a telephone.

Furthermore, even if the called party is absent at the time of voice response, the message can be reliably conveyed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a telephone adapter according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram of a telephone device system configuration in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control of the main device in this embodiment. , FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control of the telephone adapter in the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the telephone device system in the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the telephone adapter in the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing partial control of the telephone adapter of the second embodiment; FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the telephone adapter of the third embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the third embodiment of the telephone adapter according to the present invention. 2 is a flowchart showing part of the control of the telephone adapter of FIG. Main device interface, 7.14... Conversion unit, 8.
...Telephone interface, 9...Timer, 10.
... playback section, 11 ... speaker, 12 ... microphone,
13...Recording/playback unit, 20.25...Telephone adapter, 30...Main device, 40...Telephone, 50...
FAX, 60...dedicated telephone, 65...answering machine.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A telephone adapter connected to a telephone connection line of a telephone equipment system in which telephones and facsimile machines coexist, comprising a call detection means for detecting a call from the connection line to the connected telephone, and a call of the call detection means. a response means for responding to the detection; a determination means for determining whether or not a call answered by the response means is a call for the purpose of facsimile communication; When it determines that the call is not for facsimile communication, it calls the connected telephone, and after answering,
A telephone adapter comprising a connection means for connecting a connection line and an answering telephone. (2) In the telephone adapter according to claim 1, furthermore, if the connection means does not receive a response even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the start of a call to the telephone terminal, the connecting means automatically returns a predetermined message to the calling party. , a telephone adapter characterized in that it is equipped with an answering machine for recording a message subsequently sent from the calling party. (3) The telephone adapter according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means instructs another telephone to transfer the answered call when there is no response from the connected telephone.