JPH0324114B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a digital telephone connected to a digital communication network. The present invention relates to a digital telephone that can provide an information channel used in the home to other household devices in a versatile and economical manner.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART Traditionally, voice communication has been the main type of communication carried out via communication networks, but in recent years, the types of information to be communicated have increased, and there has been a demand for diversification of communication forms. In order to meet these demands, the digitalization of communication networks and home devices is progressing, and services such as switching communication between telephones and non-telephone devices, and simultaneous communication between telephones and non-telephone devices are being considered. Digital telephones have been developed that house non-telephone equipment and control connections to digital communication networks in order to provide services.

Figure 9 shows how an information channel for a digital telephone connected to a digital communication network is divided and a portion of it is provided to other home devices other than the digital telephone, thereby realizing simultaneous communication between the telephone and non-telephone devices. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit of a conventional digital telephone that enables

In the figure, 1 is the digital telephone described here, 2 is an interface line between the user and the network provided by a digital subscriber line termination unit (DSU) not shown, and 3 is the interface line 2 between the user and the network. 4, a signal control circuit that processes and transmits call control signals to and from the communication network via the signal channel; 5 is a first signal path connecting the network interface circuit 3 and the signal control circuit 4; 6 is a codec circuit for digitally encoding and decoding analog audio information; 7 is a codec circuit connecting the network interface circuit 3 and the codec circuit 6; Digital information path connecting
1 is a communication circuit that handles analog voice information, 9 is an analog information path connecting the codec circuit 6 and the communication circuit 8, 10 is a handset connected to the communication circuit 8 and performs electrical/acoustic conversion, and 11 is another device in the house other than the telephone set. A non-telephone interface circuit connects devices and provides a signal channel/information channel for communication to other household devices other than the telephone; 12 is an information path connecting the network interface circuit 3 and the non-telephone interface circuit 11; 13 is a digital dividing information path necessary for providing other home equipment with a part of the information channel obtained by dividing the digital telephone information channel in the network interface circuit 3. A second signal path connects the telephone interface circuit 11, 14 is a non-telephone home device connected to the digital telephone 1, 15 is a dial switch, and 16 transmits information channel division and digital division information to the signal control circuit 4. A function key 17 is a control line through which the signal control circuit 4 instructs the network interface circuit 3 to divide the information channel and to activate the divided information path 12.

In FIG. 9, the codec circuit 6 normally uses the .mu.-1aw PCM codec (8kHz sample, 8bit output), which is common in digital telephone networks, as a coding rule for interconnection with analog telephones. Therefore, the transmission capacity of the digital information path 7 is 64 kb/s. Furthermore, in order to ensure the same call quality as the current method, the information channel is generally divided into bitsteal mode, which allocates 56 kb/s for voice communication and 8 kb/s for non-telephone communication. It is true. Further, the signal control circuit 4 is generally constructed of a microprocessor architecture suitable for controlling call status with a communication network.

Next, the operation during simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication, which is a characteristic usage form of the digital telephone 1 shown in FIG. 9, will be explained.

In FIG. 9, after the digital telephone 1 enters the talking state by making or receiving a call, when the user presses the function key 16, the signal control circuit 4 divides the information channel and divides the division information via the control line 17. The network interface circuit 3 is instructed to activate the line 12. By performing the above operations among the communicating parties, a transparent digital split information path via the split information path 12 is established between the non-telephone home devices 14 connected to the digital telephone, and simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication is established. becomes possible.

As explained above, conventional digital telephones of this type merely play the role of providing a digital information path to the digital communication network for connected non-telephone home equipment, and they do not have the ability to provide advanced However, these systems do not have functions that contribute to the realization of a system that can simultaneously or selectively provide various voice communication and multimedia communication services.

Examples of the various advanced voice communication and multimedia communication services mentioned above include services that use a storage system that temporarily stores voice communications, such as those seen in answering machines and voice mail communications, and frequency division multiplexing. TASI (Time Assignment
services that use voice/non-telephone multiplexing technology in the form of analog information such as Speech Interpolation), services that use non-telephone equipment with built-in MODEN that connects to analog telephone networks such as existing data premises equipment and telephone faxes; ADPCM (adaptive differential PCM) and APC-AB (adaptive predictive PCM) that can compress information
Voice communication services using high-efficiency CODECs such as code-adaptive bit allocation, combined voice and non-telephone communication services that facilitate multiplexing with high-speed non-telephone equipment by using high-efficiency CODECs, etc. However, when providing these services, it is necessary to equip the terminal side according to each communication form, and a dedicated terminal must be prepared for each. Therefore, as a dedicated terminal, a digital telephone is not a general-purpose The drawback was that it was expensive compared to other products.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention addresses the problem of making it possible to provide various advanced voice communication and multimedia communication services in a general-purpose digital telephone.

The invention therefore aims to provide a digital telephone that makes the above possible.

[Means and actions for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a communication circuit that handles analog audio frequency signals, and a codec that transmits and receives analog audio frequency signals between the communication circuit and digitally encodes and decodes the audio frequency signals. a signal control circuit that manages call control, a signal control circuit that terminates a signal/information path from a digital communication network, and a signal exchange between the signal control circuit and the codec circuit; a network interface circuit that exchanges information and divides a part of the digital information path formed between the codec circuit and the codec circuit and provides it to others as a digital divided information path according to instructions from the signal control circuit; In the digital telephone set, a first switching means is provided on the analog information path between the speech circuit and the codec circuit to separate the speech circuit side from the codec circuit side and guide the speech circuit side, and to separate the codec circuit side from the speech circuit side. A second switching means is provided on the digital information path between the codec circuit and the network interface circuit to separate the codec circuit side from the network interface circuit side and guide it to the other side. and a fourth switching means that separates the network interface circuit side from the codec circuit side and guides it to the other side, and each switch from the third switching means and the fourth switching means. a first selection means for selecting one information path from between a subsequent output information path and a digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit; and output information after switching from the fourth switching means. a second selection means for selecting one information path from a digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit; and the first to fourth switching means and the first to fourth switching means.
Alternatively, the first activation means such as a function key that activates the second selection means and the signal control circuit can be accessed from another household device that can access each of the first to fourth switching means and the first Alternatively, the present invention is characterized by comprising a second activation means for activating the second selection means.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 2 to 13 and 15 and 17 are the same as in FIG. 9.

In addition, 18 is a first switching means for switching the analog information path 9 from the codec circuit 8 to the codec circuit 6 between the codec circuit 6 and the analog interface circuit 29; A second switching means 20 switches the analog information path 9 leading from the codec circuit 6 to the network interface circuit 3 between the communication circuit 8 and the analog interface circuit 29; circuit 3
a third switching means 21 for switching between the codec circuit 6 and the selection means 22; 4 switching means 22 selects one of the three information paths, digital information paths 23, 24 and digital divided information path 12, which are respectively switched by the third switching means 20 and the fourth switching means 21. 25 is a function key for requesting the signal control circuit 4 to control the switching of the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22; 26 is a function key for the signal control circuit 4 to activate the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22; 29 is an analog control line for connecting the analog information paths 27 and 28 switched by the switching means 18 and 19 to home equipment (not shown).
This is an interface circuit.

The switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 can be easily realized using general-purpose logic ICs such as analog switches, transfer gates, or selectors.

Next, the circuit operation will be explained, and there are two methods of operation. The first method is function key 25
In this method, the user requests the signal control circuit 4 to perform a combined operation of the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 by pressing the function key 25 after or before communication. The signal control circuit 4 switches the switching means 1 via the control line 26 based on the user's request.
8 to 21 and the selection means 22 to connect an analog information path via the analog interface circuit 29 and a digital information path/signal path via the non-telephone interface circuit 11 to household equipment (not shown). Connect.

The second operating method is operated by controlling the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 from the home equipment (not shown) connected to the digital telephone 30 according to the present invention via the non-telephone interface circuit 11. It's a method.

That is, by defining a command corresponding to the function key 25 as a signal between the digital telephone 30 and the home device described above, commands corresponding to the use mode of the digital telephone 30 can be sent from the home device to the digital telephone 30. For example, the command is transferred to the signal control circuit 4 via the non-telephone interface circuit 11 and the signal channel 13, and the signal control circuit 4 realizes the operation in the same manner as in the first method.

According to the first method, regardless of the second method, the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22
By combining the operations of , it is possible to connect to home equipment (not shown) connected to an analog information path via the analog interface circuit 29 or to a digital information path or signal path via the non-telephone interface circuit 11. The household equipment shown will be connected to digital telephone 30 in the desired usage mode.

Hereinafter, depending on the open/closed states of the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection state of the selection means 22, there will be exemplified the usage modes (forms of usage) of the information channel in the digital telephone 30.

Telephone mode (0) All of the switching means 18, 19, 20, 21 are closed (in their normal positions without switching), and the selection means 22 is inactive, ie, not functioning.

At this time, the handset 10→talk circuit 8→switching means 18, 19→codec circuit 6→switching means 2
0, 21 → network interface circuit 3 is formed, and a form of use as a normal telephone (64 kb/s) is obtained.

Bit steal mode (1) All of the switching means 18, 19, 20, and 21 are closed, and the selection means 22 is set to the digital divided information path 1.
2 is selected and connected to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, handset 10 → 8 → 18, 19 →
6 → 20, 21 → network interface circuit 3, in addition to the form of use as a voice telephone (56 kb/s), the digital home equipment shown in the figure → non-telephone interface circuit 11 → 22 → 12 → network interface Digital non-telephone leading to circuit 3 (8kb/s)
This is a usage format in which communication is performed simultaneously.

64k switching mode (2) Switching means 18 and 19 are closed and 20 is don't care
When 21 is open (in the switched position), the selection means 22 selects the digital information path 24 and connects it to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, non-telephone interface circuit 11→
22 → 24 → 21 → network interface circuit 3 is formed, and the entire 64 kb/s information channel is provided to the digital home equipment connected via the non-telephone interface circuit 11. For example, voice/non-telephone switching communication, sending and receiving digital voice mail, etc. correspond to this.

4KHz switching mode (3-1) Switching means 18 is don't care, 19 is open, 20
and 21 are both closed, and the selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, analog home equipment (not shown) → analog interface circuit 29 → 28 → 19 → 9
→ 6 → 20 → 21 → 7 → Network interface circuit 3 is formed, and a 4KHz analog information path is provided as an information channel connected to the network. Examples of this include accommodating non-telephone devices with built-in modems and recording answering machines.

4KHz switching mode (3-2) Switching means 18 is open, 19 is don't care, 2
0 and 21 are both closed, and the selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, analog home equipment (not shown) → 2
A circuit from 9 to 27 to 18 to speech circuit 8 is formed, and a 4KHz analog information path connected to speech circuit 8 is provided. For example, local use such as inputting an answering machine message from the telephone call circuit 8 and playing an answering machine recording corresponds to this.

4KHz switching mode (3-3) Switching means 18 and 19 are both open, 20 and 21 are both closed, and selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, call circuit 8→18→27→29→
(Analog home equipment not shown) →29→28→
A circuit from 19→9→6→20→21→7→network interface circuit 3 is formed to provide both 4KHz channels. For example, it can be used for simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication using analog processing such as frequency division multiplexing and TASI.

64K reverse switching mode (4) Switching means 18 and 19 are both closed, 20 is open, 21 is don't care, and selection means 22 selects digital information path 23 to switch to non-telephone interface circuit 11. is connected to.

At this time, communication circuit 8→18→19→9→6
→ 20 → 23 → 22 → non-telephone interface circuit 11 → (digital in-home equipment not shown) A circuit is formed to provide a codec circuit digital interface.
For example, it can be used for compressing digital audio, inputting and playing voice mail, etc.

64K switching/4KHz switching combined mode (5) Switching means 18 is open, 19 and 20 are both don't
care, 21 is open, and the selection means 22 selects the digital information path 24 and connects it to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, the mode becomes a combination mode of the above-mentioned mode (3-2) and mode 2. For example, high efficiency CODEC
It can be used for low bit rate voice communication and multiplexing with high speed non-telephony.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the non-telephone interface circuit 11 uses the selection means 2 in order to slightly compare the number of physical wires for the connected home equipment.
An example is given in which the digital information path selected in step 2 and the digital signal path 13 are time-division multiplexed.
Of course, separate interfaces are also possible.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the invention. In the same figure, 2 to 10 and 12,
13, 15, and 17 are the same as in Figure 9,
18-21 and 23-29 are the same as in the case of FIG.

In addition, the reference numeral 31 is provided in place of the selection means 22 in FIG.
It is provided in place of the non-telephone interface circuit 11 in FIG. This is a non-telephone interface circuit that time-division multiplexes the

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the following usage mode (6) is possible.

64K switching/64K reverse switching combined mode (6) Switching means 18 and 19 are both closed, and 20 and 2
1 are both open, and the selection means 31 selects the digital information path 24 to connect the non-telephone interface circuit 3.
It is connected to 2.

At this time, call circuit 8 → 18 → 19 → 6 → 2
0 → 23 → 32 → (digital home equipment not shown) → 32 → 33 → 31 → 24 → 21 → 7 → Network interface circuit 3 is formed, and the above-mentioned mode (4) and mode (2) are formed. It is possible to obtain a form that simultaneously realizes the following. For example, it can be used for communications such as digital audio compression, where digital signals are processed and then transferred directly to a network.

Furthermore, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. Usage is also possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, by simply adding a small amount of hardware and software to a conventional digital telephone as shown in FIG.
As shown in Figures 8 to 8, various household devices can be connected to this digital telephone for advanced voice communications and multimedia communications.

FIG. 3 shows that the analog information path 28 provided by the switching means 19 is connected to a data premises equipment or telephone
Connect existing non-telephone devices 40 with built-in modems, such as fax machines, and connect them to NCU (Network
This example shows an example of providing switching communication services between telephones and non-telephones as well as providing a control unit (control unit) function. M indicates modem.

Figure 4 shows a digital interface with a storage device ME such as memory or floppy disk.
A device (for example, a personal computer 41, etc.) having a
An example of application to a voice mail communication service is shown in which the voice mail is sent as a voice mail using the digital information path 24, and the voice mail is automatically received through the digital information path 24 and reproduced using the digital information path 23.

FIG. 5 shows a device (for example, an existing answering machine 42) having an analog-based storage device such as a cassette tape on analog information paths 27 and 28.
This example shows how to connect an answering machine to provide so-called answering services such as answering machine recording and answering service.

FIG. 6 shows analog voice information from analog information path 27 and non-telephone information from modem signal-based non-telephone equipment 44 being multiplexed by frequency division multiplexer 43 using analog information paths 27 and 28. An example of application to a voice/non-telephone simultaneous communication service that is transmitted and received via analog information 28 is shown.

FIG. 7 shows analog voice information from the analog information path 27 being digitally encoded (for example, 32 kb/s in ADPCM) by a high efficiency codec 45.
APC-AB (16 kb/s), and non-telephone information from the non-telephone equipment 44 is multiplexed into the remaining 32 kb/s or 48 kb/s of the 64 kb/s by the multiplexing device 46. An example of realizing a simultaneous communication service with non-telephone information is shown.

FIG. 8 shows that the digital audio information from the digital information path 23 is processed and compressed by the compression device 47 through digital signal processing, and is processed and compressed into high-speed non-telephone information from the non-telephone equipment 44, as in the case of FIG. An example is shown in which simultaneous communication services are realized by multiplexing in the multiplexing device 46.

Furthermore, as a combination of the above examples shown in Figures 3 to 8, for example, high-efficiency encoding, processing,
Various services can be developed, such as compression, storage, and communication.

[Embodiments of the invention]

As explained above, according to the present invention, the telephone can be widely adapted to the usage forms of various information channels without sacrificing the economic efficiency and versatility of the telephone as a popular terminal. This has the advantage that the system configuration of the in-house equipment can be realized economically and easily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention;
3 to 8 are block diagrams showing application examples of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a conventional digital telephone. Code explanation, 1... Conventional digital telephone, 2
...User/network interface line, 3...Network interface circuit, 4...Signal control circuit, 5...
...digital signal line between 3 and 4, 6...codec circuit, 7...digital information path between 3 and 6, 8
...Speech circuit, 9...Analog information path between 6 and 8, 10...Handset, 11...Non-telephone interface circuit, 12...Digital split information path between 3 and 11, 13...4, Digital signal path between 11, 14...non-telephone home equipment, 15...dial switch, 16...simultaneous communication function key, 17...
...Control line from 4 to 3, 18...First switching means, 19...Second switching means, 20...Third switching means, 21...Fourth switching means, 22...Selecting means , 23...Digital information path switched by 20, 24...Digital information path switched by 21, 25...18-22 activation request function keys, 26...18-22 control lines, 27...
...18, an analog information path switched by 2
8...analog information path switched by 19, 29...analog interface circuit, 3
0...Digital telephone as an embodiment of the present invention, selection means in place of 31...22, 32...1
Non-telephone interface circuit replacing 1, 33...
digital information path selected by 31, 34
. . . Digital telephone as another embodiment of the present invention, 40 . . . Non-telephone equipment with built-in modem, 41 . . . Personal computer, 42 . . . . High efficiency codec, 46 . . . Multiplexing device, 47 . . . Compression device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A communication circuit that handles analog audio frequency signals;
A codec circuit that transmits and receives analog audio frequency signals to and from the communication circuit and digitally encodes and decodes the audio frequency signals, a signal control circuit that manages call control, and a signal/information path from the digital communication network. In addition to transmitting and receiving signals with the signal control circuit and transmitting and receiving digitized audio information with the codec circuit, according to instructions from the signal control circuit, A digital telephone has a network interface circuit that divides a part of the digital information path formed by the digital information path and provides it to others as a digital divided information path. A first switching means that separates the circuit side from the codec circuit side and guides it to the other side, and a second switching means that separates the codec circuit side from the speech circuit side and guides it to the other side are provided, and the codec circuit and the network are connected to each other. A third switching means is provided on the digital information path between the interface circuit and the codec circuit to separate the codec circuit side from the network interface circuit side and guide the digital information to the other side, and to separate the network interface circuit side from the codec circuit side. and a fourth switching means for guiding the third switching means and the fourth switching means to the other.
a first information path for selecting one information path from between each switched output information path from the switching means and the digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit;
and a second selection means for selecting one information path from the output information path after switching from the fourth switching means and the digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit. a first activation such as a function key that activates each of the first to fourth switching means and the first or second selection means via the signal control circuit; and a second activation means for activating each of the first to fourth switching means and the first or second selection means upon access from another household device that can access the signal control circuit and the signal control circuit. A digital telephone characterized by: