JPH033546A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To start the next remote reproduction from an optional position where a message is recorded by setting the reproduced tape position as the succeeding remote reproduction start position. CONSTITUTION:A running length of a magnetic tape 14 is detected and a detection signal S2 representing the present position is always fed to a remote reproduction control circuit 15. Upon the receipt of a signal S1 instructing the reproduction start position, the remote reproduction control circuit 5 stores the supplied detection signal S2 as a start position data for remote reproduction and start the succeeding remote reproduction on from the position on the magnetic tape 14 corresponding to the data S2. Thus, the start position of remote reproduction leading the reproduction output to a telephone line is set to an optional position in an area where the message is recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an answering machine, and particularly to an answering machine that transmits a message recorded on a magnetic tape when a predetermined command signal is input from an external telephone. It is suitable for use in an answering machine equipped with a remote playback function that plays back and outputs data to a telephone line.

[Summary of the invention]

When a predetermined command signal is given while performing remote playback to play back a business message and output it to the telephone line, the tape position being played at that time is set as the next remote playback start position. This is an answering machine that allows you to start the next remote playback from any position where the message is recorded.

[Conventional technology]

In an answering machine that records incoming calls while the caller is away, a magnetic tape (cassette tape) is used as a medium for recording message messages input by the caller. At the beginning of this magnetic tape, there is provided an area for recording a response message to be sent to a caller, and an area for recording a message message to be sent to a specific person, such as a mother to her child. A business message recording area is provided after these recording areas, and business messages input from the caller are sequentially recorded in the business message recording area. In addition, with such answering machines, the above-mentioned message can be played back and listened to by inputting a predetermined pin code from an external telephone.
It has been equipped with a remote playback function that allows you to play.

Furthermore, when remote playback is performed, a function is provided to set the next remote playback start position at the remote playback end position by manually inputting a predetermined command signal.

Therefore, if this function is used, the next time the remote playback is performed, there is no need to wait for the message that has already been asked, and the playback time can be shortened.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, if the remote playback start position is fixed to the previous remote playback end position in this way, it may be inconvenient to use. For example, when multiple people share an answering machine, if one person performs remote playback and the next remote playback start position is set to the playback end position, the next remote playback start position will be In view of the above-mentioned problem, the present invention, which causes the inconvenience that messages addressed to other people are not played back, has been developed by setting the start position of remote playback, which outputs the playback output to the telephone line, within the area where the message is recorded. The purpose is to allow it to be set at any position.

[Means to solve the problem]

The answering machine of the present invention includes a tape recording/reproducing device 15 whose recording medium is a magnetic tape 14 provided with a message recording area 25 for recording a message TCM input manually from a caller; A chip position detection device 27 that detects the running length of the magnetic tape 14 and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the tape length from the leading edge position of the magnetic tape to the current position, and a playback output of the magnetic tape recording/reproducing device 15. 4 to the telephone line 2, and when a predetermined command signal is given through the telephone line 2 during the remote reproduction operation, the tape length detection signal is held as remote reproduction start position data. death,
A remote playback control circuit 5 is provided to set the next remote playback start position.

[Effect]

The running length of the magnetic tape 14 is detected, and a detection signal S2 indicating its current position is constantly supplied to the remote playback control circuit 5. The remote playback control circuit 5 holds the detection signal S2, which was supplied when the signal S1 instructing the remote playback start position was input, as remote playback start position data, and stores the detection signal S2 on the magnetic tape 14 corresponding to this data S2. Start the next remote playback from the position.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of main parts of an answering machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

A telephone line 2 is connected to the input/output terminals 1a and 1b, and when a call is received while the machine is operating in the absentee mode, a ringing signal is input to these terminals 1a and 1b. This signal is led out through the input/output device 3 to a system controller 5 having a microcomputer configuration.

The system controller 5 is provided to control the operation of the entire device, and detects an incoming call when a bell sound signal converted into a digital signal is given a predetermined number of times. When an incoming call is detected, the system controller 5 outputs a closing signal to the input/output device 3 to close the device circuit and the telephone line 2, and causes the semiconductor memory 6 and the signal conversion circuit 7 to operate for regeneration. As a result, the response message OGM written in the semiconductor memory 6 is read out, is applied to the input/output device 3 through the signal conversion circuit 7, the switch 8, the equalizer amplifier 10, and the buffer amplifier 11, and is sent to the telephone line 2.
transmitted to the calling party via.

When the reproduction of the response message OGM is completed, a beep tone is subsequently emitted, which is conveyed to the caller as an alarm sound, and the operating state of the device is switched to the business message recording state. Therefore, after the beep tone ends, the message TCM from the caller is sent to the input/output device 3.
The signal is applied to the recording/reproducing head 13 of the tape recording/reproducing apparatus 15 through the switching device 8, equalizer amplifier 10, buffer amplifier 11, and record equalizer 12, and is recorded on the cassette tape 14. In this case, the bias oscillator 16 is operated to apply a bias current to the recording/reproducing head 13. Further, when current is applied from the bias oscillator 16 to the erasing head 17, the contents recorded on the cassette tape 14 are erased.

Message messages and business messages recorded on the cassette tape 14 can be played back by directly operating the main body of the device, and can also be played back remotely by inputting a predetermined password through the telephone line 2.

This reproduced audio signal is applied to an equalizer amplifier 10 through a switch 8, and is applied to a speaker 21 through a volumetric volume 18 and a power amplifier 20. Further, during remote playback, the audio signal output from the equalizer amplifier 10 is applied to the input/output device 3 through the buffer amplifier 11, and is led out to the telephone line via the input/output terminals 1a and lb. Note that in this case, the power amplifier 20 is subjected to muting control, so that no sound is produced from the speaker 21.

The audio signal derived from the buffer amplifier 11 to the input/output device 3 is also given to the signal detection circuit 22 . The signal detection circuit 22 is a circuit that detects a polarity inversion signal (CPC) sent from the central office at the end of a call, silence, intermittent tone, etc., and detects the end of recording a message from the caller. or detect the final recording position of a message.

As shown in the recording format explanatory diagram of FIG. 2, the cassette tape 14 is provided with an area 23 for recording the response message OGM from point a to point b at the beginning, and an area 23 for recording the response message OGM from point b to point 0. Areas 24 for recording messages PM are provided, and each message input via the microphone 19 or external telephone is recorded in these areas 23,24. An area 25 for recording message messages ICM is provided from point 0 to tape end 14a, and message messages ICM are recorded in the order in which they are input by the calling party.

A pulse signal is generated in accordance with the running of the cassette tape 14, and the pulse signal is counted by the reel counter 27.
4, that is, the length from the tape track point 1a is detected. This count value is derived from the reel counter 27 to the system controller 5 as the current position detection signal S2 of the cassette tape 14. Note that the leading positions of each message recording area 23, 24, and 25 are points a, b, and 0.
The points are fixed, and since point a is the top of the tape, the count value Na of the number counter 27 is O. Also, the count value N b % N c of point b and point 0 is, for example, Nb=4
5 and Nc=87.

On the other hand, the count value Nd at the recording end position d point of the first message ICMI and the count value Nd of the recording end position d of the first message ICMI
The count value Ne at the recording end position e of M2 changes depending on the length of the manually input message. Figure 2 shows a case where there are two recorded message messages ICM, and the count value Ne at the recording end position e point of the second message [0M2 is the final position information of the message message record]. It is held in the data memory 5a. The data memory 5a also holds information on the presence or absence of business messages, information on the presence or absence of message messages, and the like.

Then, the lighting display of the business message display lamp 31 and the message display lamp 32 provided on the main body of the apparatus is performed based on the information held in the data memory 5a. In addition, information on the presence or absence of business messages is used to switch the sensitivity of incoming call detection. Note that an indicator lamp 33 is provided to indicate the power source.

In addition, there are various operation buttons and function buttons (not shown) such as recording and playback.
An operating section 36 having buttons is provided, and when these buttons are operated, a corresponding command signal is given to the system controller 5.

When listening to the message ICM recorded in the message recording area 25 via an external telephone, the answering machine of the embodiment sets the next playback start position, that is, a memory point, to an arbitrary number in the message recording area 25. It can be set in the following position.

That is, for example, when the playback head 13 is remotely playing back point P in FIG. is decoded by the tone decoder 4 into a signal corresponding to the number of the button pressed and provided to the system controller 5.

The system controller 5 analyzes the input signal, and if it is determined that it is a signal for setting the remote playback start position, the count value of the current position detection signal S2 derived from the reel counter 27 is stored in the data memory 5a. Incorporate into. As a result, the count value Np of point P is written into the data memory 5a, and point P is set as the next remote playback start position. Therefore, the next time remote playback is started, playback will start from point P.

Since the answering machine of the embodiment sets the remote playback start position in this way, the message recording area 25
The remote reproduction start position can be set at any position between the beginning position C of the business message and the final recording position e of the business message.

Next, the operation during remote playback will be explained.

When a command signal for executing remote playback is given, the system controller 5 first rewinds the cassette tape 14 to point a. In addition, at this time, the reel counter 27
Resets the count value to O. This cancels the counting errors accumulated up to that point and improves the accuracy of detecting the tape running length.

After the cassette tape 14 is rewound to three tape top points, it is fast-forwarded in the forward direction. When the cassette tape 14 is running, the position detection signal S2 is constantly supplied to the system controller 5, and the current position is compared with the count values of points a to Ne stored in the memory 5a. As a result, the cassette tape 14 is fast-forwarded to the set playback start position, for example, point P, and playback is started from point P.

Since the remote playback start position can be set at an arbitrary position in this way, various uses are possible.

For example, if you are using it alone, you can set a memory point at the end position of remote playback, and the next time you use remote playback, you can save time and save time by having to listen to the message twice. You can save on phone charges.

In addition, by setting a memory point in the part of the message that is considered important, that message can be played first the next time the remote playback is performed, eliminating the inconvenience of forgetting the message. It can be prevented.

Also, for example, if one answering machine is shared by multiple people, you can make a promise to set a memory point there when a message addressed to another person is played during remote playback. good.

For example, if two people, A and B, share an answering machine, and A is playing a message remotely and a message addressed to B is played, set the remote playback start position there. This prevents the inconvenience that the business message addressed to B will not be reproduced the next time B performs remote reproduction.

In addition, by pressing the designated button on the button and inputting the remote command signal for "rewind",
You can also rewind and play the video before that point. Also, P
It is possible to set a new remote playback start position before or after the point, and when a new remote playback start position is set, the count value held in the data memory 5a is updated to the count value of the newly set position. Ru.

If the playback start position is not set, the start position C of the business message recording area 25 becomes the remote playback start position. Also, in home mode, you can use the message IC
When reproducing M, it is always reproduced from point C.

Note that within a predetermined range from point C, the beginning position of the business message recording area, for example, 1 of the count number of the reel counter 27.
If a command signal for setting the playback position is given within about 8.6 seconds corresponding to 0 points, the remote playback start position is set to the 0 point. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of not being able to set the remote playback start position at the beginning of the first input business message ICMI due to a counting error of the reel counter 27.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, when a predetermined signal specifying a position to start remote playback is given during remote playback in which a business message is played back and transmitted to a telephone line, the tape is played back at that time. Since the position is detected and set as the next remote playback start position, the remote playback start position can be set at any position in the area where the business message is recorded. Therefore, it is possible not only to avoid wasteful playback of message messages that have already been remotely played back again during the next remote playback, but also to avoid unnecessary messages such as necessary message messages or important message messages. Messages can be specifically designated for remote playback, and usability for users who operate the recorder/player over a line can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a recording format of a magnetic tape. In addition, in the reference numbers used in the drawings, 5-・--・--・--・・System controller 14--・-・---------・・-・--・-Cassette tape 15- ...---1------Tape recording/reproducing device 23--------1---Response message recording area 24 .----1 −−−・−・
−・−Message recording area 25−・−・−・−・・
・−1−−−−・・Message message recording area 27−・
−・−・−・−・・−・・−・−Reel counter S,
−−・・−・−１−−−−−−−−−−・Position setting command signal S2−・・−−−−１・−・・−・−・−・
- Current position detection signal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A magnetic tape recording/reproducing device that records a business message input from a caller; A tape position detecting device outputs a detected signal, and remote playback is performed by leading the playback output of the magnetic tape recording/reproducing device to a telephone line, and a predetermined command signal is given through the telephone line during the remote playback operation. and a remote playback control circuit that holds the detection signal of the tape length as remote playback start position data and sets it as the next remote playback start position.