JPH04237247A - Automatic answering telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the automatic answering telephone set easily generating a reply message with a BGM without mixing by the user of the automatic answering telephone set. CONSTITUTION:The automatic answering telephone set is provided with a melody transmission means 8 sending a melody to a line from an automatic reply to reply message transmission and message recording start and with a level adjustment means 9 decreasing the transmission level of the melody when the reply message and the melody are simultaneously sent.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine having functions such as allowing a user of the device to record a response message and to mix and record a melody with the response message.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of answering machine, the recording and reproducing means for recording and reproducing a response message is provided with an external input terminal in addition to a microphone for recording, and an external input terminal such as a cassette deck is provided. The device was configured so that a response message and a melody (including general music) as BGM (background music) could be mixed and recorded by connecting the device to a terminal.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with the above-mentioned conventional answering machine, there is a problem in that it is difficult to adjust the volume level with the response message and it takes a lot of effort to record a melody as BGM for the response message. there were. Additionally, many answering machines currently use easy-to-operate voice synthesis ICs as a means of recording and playing back response messages, but these voice synthesis ICs degrade the sound quality during playback, so they are not suitable for playing melodies. The problem is that even if you go to great lengths to record a response message with background music, the sound quality during playback is often so poor that it cannot be used.

[0004] The present invention solves these conventional problems, and aims to provide the user of the device with an excellent answering machine that can easily create a response message with BGM. It is.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a melody sending means for sending a melody to a line until recording of a message from an automatic response is started;
When a response message and a melody are being sent out at the same time, level adjustment means is provided to lower the sending level of the melody.

[0006]

[Operation] Therefore, according to the present invention, after automatically answering a call from the caller, a line melody is sent out, and after a certain period of time, the melody sending level is lowered and a response message is sent out at the same time, and the response message ends. After that, raise the melody level again and send out the melody for a certain period of time,
Stop sending the melody and record the message.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the structure of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a control means constituted by a microcomputer, 2 is a line connection terminal for connecting the device of this embodiment and the line, 3 is an incoming signal detection means, 4 is a call end detection means, and 5 is a telephone line. 6 is a response sending means for sending a response message, 7 is a message recording means for recording the caller's message, and 8 is a line melody for sending out a line melody from the automatic answer until the message recording starts. 8 to this melody
A melody sending means is capable of selecting the number of a song, 9 is a level adjusting means for lowering the melody sending level, and 10 is a song selection means for selecting a song for the melody sending means by time and day of the week. A and a are relays and their switching contacts for closing the line, and B and b are relays and their switching contacts for switching the melody output level. Note that the response sending means 6 or the melody sending means 8 is
The device is composed of a recording/playback means using a recording tape or the like, but the response message and music recorded on this recording/playback means may be pre-recorded, or may be recorded by the user of the device himself/herself. It may be.

The operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In a steady state, switching contacts a and b of relays A and B are in the state shown in FIG. 1. If a call is received from the line in this state, the incoming signal detection means 3 detects the call, and an output indicating the call state is input to the control means 1. In step 11, when the control means 1 detects an input indicating the calling state of the incoming signal detection means 3,
In step 12, the A relay is turned on to close the line, and in step 13, if the output of the music selection means 10 indicates nighttime, a nighttime melody is selected, and if it indicates any of Sunday to Saturday, each melody is selected. A melody for the day of the week is selected, the melody sending means 8 is driven, and the melody is sent to the line via the switching contact b, the speech circuit 5, the switching contact a, and the line terminal 2.

[0009] Thereafter, the control means 1 controls the
After seconds have elapsed (step 14), in step 15, relay B is turned on (switched to the left side in the figure) and the melody transmission path is changed to level adjustment means 9, communication means 5, switching contact a,
Switch to the line connection terminal 2, lower the melody transmission level, and in step 16, the response transmission level 6.
to send a response message to the call circuit 5, switching contact a
, and is sent to the line via the line connection terminal 2. This response message includes words such as ``When the melody stops ringing, please contact me...'' instead of the conventional phrase ``When the melody stops, please contact me...''. Then, the control means 1
When the response sending means 6 detects an output indicating the end of the response message (step 17), the B relay is turned off in step 18, the melody sending route is returned to its original state, and the melody sending level is raised again. Further, the control means 1 stops the melody sending means 8 and drives the business recording means 7 when 4 seconds have passed after the end of sending the response (step 19).
The caller's requirements are sent to the line connection terminal 2, switching contact a, and the call circuit 5.
The other party's business is recorded via (step 20).

During this business recording state, the control means 1 monitors the output of the end of conversation detection means 4, and when the end of conversation detection means 4 detects an output indicating the end of the conversation (step 21), the control means 1 monitors the output of the end of conversation detection means 4. 7 and turn off the A relay. As a result, the recording of the business is completed (step 22), the line is released (step 23), and the state returns to the state of detecting the presence or absence of a call (step 11).

As explained above, according to this embodiment,
When a response message is being sent, the melody transmission level can be lowered to make it easier for the other party to hear the response message. In addition, at other times, that is, from the automatic response until the response message is sent, and after the response message is sent until the recording of the message starts, the melody level is relatively high. , can fully function as BGM. Further, conventionally, an electronic sound has been used as a signal to signal the start of recording of the business, but in this embodiment, such an electronic sound is not used, and the stop of the melody can signal the start of recording the business. Therefore, it can be a more pleasant signal than conventional electronic sounds. Furthermore, even if the user of the device records himself/herself on the recording/playback means constituting the response sending means 6 or the melody sending means 8, the response message as words and the melody, such as music, are recorded separately. There is no need for the user to mix the two. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the level of both volumes during mixing.

0012

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention transmits a melody to the line from the automatic response to the start of recording the message, and when the response message and melody are simultaneously transmitted, the melody is You can lower the output level to make it easier to hear response messages. Furthermore, after sending the response message, instead of the electronic sound that signals the start of recording the message, the stop of the melody signals the start of recording the message, which is more pleasant than the conventional electronic sound. Furthermore, when the user of the device records a response message, the response message can be recorded with BGM without having to mix the melody of music, etc., and there is no need for difficult volume level adjustment between the response message and the melody. It has the effect of becoming.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Flowchart diagram showing the main operations of the control means used in the device

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Control means 2 Line connection terminal 3 Incoming signal detection means 4 End of call detection means 5　Telephone circuit 6 Response sending means 7 Message recording means 8 Melody sending means 9 Level adjustment means 10 Song selection means

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A means for automatically answering a call from a caller and sending a prerecorded response message, a means for recording the caller's business after sending the response message, and a means for recording the business from the automatic response. This telephone answering machine is provided with a melody sending means for sending a melody to a line until the start of the communication, and a level adjusting means for lowering the melody sending level when a response message and the melody are being sent at the same time. 2. The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising a piece selection means for selecting a piece of melody to be sent by said melody sending means by time or day of the week.