JPH04348649A - Television intercom - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the inexpensive television intercom in which the system expansion is easy. CONSTITUTION:When a visitor depresses a call button 24 of a slave set 13 of a television intercom, a call switch signal is inputted to a control circuit 34 via a MODEM circuit 41, a transmission line 12 and a MODEM circuit 31. The control circuit 34 rings a call chime (not shown) in a master set 11 and rings a cordless telephone set 53 with an intercom connection terminal via an intercom voice interface circuit 51 or the like. When a handset 18 of the master set 11 of the television intercom is lifted up, a video image of the visitor is displayed on a CRT monitor 15 and the master set and the slave set 13 are brought into the talking state. On the other hand, when the handset of the cordless telephone set 53 with the intercom connection terminal or any of the slave sets 55, 56 is hooked off, the telephone set and the slave set 13 of the television intercom are brought into the talking state.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video door phone having the function of monitoring images of visitors.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, so-called video door intercoms have become popular in ordinary households due to security concerns. As is well known, in this video door intercom, a door intercom slave unit with a built-in television camera is installed at the front door, and the visitor's image can be checked on the TV monitor of the base unit installed indoors. The configuration and operation of a conventional video door intercom will be described below.

FIG. 3 shows the appearance of an example of a conventional video door phone. This video door phone has a main unit (
11), and the slave unit (12) connected to it via the transmission path (12)
13). The base unit (11) includes a CRT monitor (15) for showing visitors, and a monitor A button (16) for operating this CRT monitor (15).
, a monitor B button (17), a handset (18), etc. are provided.

On the other hand, the slave unit (13) includes a television camera (21) for photographing the visitor, a speaker (22) for outputting the voice response from the base unit (11), and a speaker (22) for outputting the voice response from the base unit (11). A microphone (23) for capturing audio, a call button (24) for announcing a visitor, etc. are provided.

FIG. 4 shows the circuit configuration of the video door intercom shown in FIG. 3. The base unit (11) is provided with a modulation/demodulation circuit (31), a power supply circuit (32), and a video interface (33), all of which are connected to the transmission line (12). The video interface (33) and the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) each have a CRT monitor (15).
and a handset (18) are connected, both of which are connected to a control circuit (
34). This control circuit (34) includes an operation switch circuit (3) for switches such as the monitor A button (16) and the monitor B button (17).
5) is connected. The power supply circuit (32) is connected to an AC power supply (not shown) via an AC adapter (36).

On the other hand, the handset (13) has a modem circuit (41).
) and a power supply circuit (42), both of which are connected to the transmission line (
12). The modulation/demodulation circuit (41) includes a speaker (22), a microphone (23), and a call button (2).
4), and is also connected to a camera signal processing circuit (43) of a television camera (21). An imaging circuit (44) is connected to this camera signal processing circuit (43),
An image input through a photographing lens (45) is converted into an imaging signal and input.

[0007] The operation of the conventional video door intercom configured as described above will be explained. Visitors can use the handset (1) placed at the entrance.
3) When you press the call button (24), the call button (24) is pressed.
) on signal (hereinafter referred to as the call switch signal) is
The signal is transmitted to the control circuit (34) of the base unit (11) via the modulation/demodulation circuit (41), the transmission line (12), and the modulation/demodulation circuit (31).

Upon receiving this, the control circuit (34) transmits the power from the power supply circuit (32) to the slave unit (12) via the transmission line (12).
13) is supplied to the power supply circuit (42). The power supply circuit (42) that receives this generates a constant voltage necessary for the circuits in the handset (13) and supplies it to each circuit, thereby operating the television camera (21) and the audio system.

The image of the visitor passes through the lens (45) of the television camera (21) and is projected onto a solid-state image pickup device (not shown) in the image pickup circuit (44), and is further converted into a video signal and converted into a camera signal. It is input to a processing circuit (43). The video signal processed by the camera signal processing circuit (43) into a form suitable for display on the CRT monitor (15) is sent to the modulation/demodulation circuit (41).
) and sent out to the transmission path (12).

The video signal sent to the transmission line (12) is
It is extracted by the video interface (33) of the parent device (11) and displayed as an image on the CRT monitor (15). On the other hand, the visitor's audio signal collected by the microphone (23) of the handset (13) is input to the modulation/demodulation circuit (41), subjected to predetermined modulation, and sent out onto the transmission path (12). This audio signal is demodulated by the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) in the base unit (11) and output as audio from the speaker of the handset (18).

[0011] Furthermore, the sound collected by the microphone of the handset (18) is transmitted by the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) to a carrier frequency different from the carrier frequency used when transmitting the audio signal from the handset (13) to the base unit (11). It is modulated into a frequency signal and transmitted through the transmission path (1
2) to the slave unit (13). This audio signal is demodulated by the modulation/demodulation circuit (41) of the handset (13),
It is output from the speaker (22).

0012

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional video door intercom, one handset is connected to one base unit.
About 2 devices were connected. In this case, the base unit is normally installed in a place such as the living room that is easily accessible to all family members, but if the family member is not near the base unit and is, for example, in a bedroom on the second floor, In such a case, the user would have to go all the way down to the main unit in the living room on the first floor, and would not be able to respond immediately to the visitor. Such inconvenience can be solved by purchasing a plurality of base units and expansion adapters necessary to connect them, and placing the base units in each room. However, such expansion adapters and base units are generally expensive, and there is a problem in that it costs a lot of money to construct the above-mentioned system.

[0013]Therefore, there is a problem that the above problems must be solved.

[0014] The present invention was made in order to solve the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide a video door intercom which is easy to expand the system and is inexpensive.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The video door intercom according to the present invention includes (i) a television camera that takes a video of a visitor, a microphone that takes in the visitor's voice, and a speaker that outputs an audio response to the visitor. (ii)
A base unit that is connected to this slave unit via a predetermined transmission path and is equipped with a TV monitor that outputs images from the slave unit's TV camera, and a handset that exchanges audio with the slave unit's microphone and speaker. and (iii) a door intercom audio interface circuit that connects other systems and the base unit and performs audio exchanges between them.

[0016]

[Operation] The video door phone according to the present invention has a door phone audio interface circuit with the same input/output specifications as a general audio-only door phone, so the system can be expanded by connecting to a home telephone, etc. equipped with a door phone connection terminal. becomes.

[0017]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples below. Here, the same parts as in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 1 shows a video door phone according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main unit of this device (11)
is provided with a doorphone voice interface circuit (51) and connected to the modulation/demodulation circuit (31). This doorphone audio interface circuit (51) has the same input/output specifications at the interface terminal (52) as the input/output specifications of a general audio-only doorphone slave unit, and the doorphone is connected via this interface terminal (52). It can be directly connected to a cordless telephone (53) with a terminal. Further, the telephone line interface circuit (51) is configured to exchange voice signals with the handset (13) and input a call switch signal via the modulation/demodulation circuit (31). The other configurations are the same as the conventional example (FIG. 3).

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the video door intercom shown in FIG. 1 and a cordless telephone (53) with a door intercom connection terminal are connected. As shown in this figure,
Cordless telephone base unit with door phone connection terminal (53)
is connected to the base unit (11) of the video door phone. This cordless telephone (53) with a door phone connection terminal is equipped with a transmitting/receiving antenna (54), and is used for transmitting and receiving calls between multiple slave units (55), (56), etc. provided in each room. It is designed to do this.

The operation of the video door intercom and the cordless telephone with a door intercom connection terminal constructed as above will be explained.

[0021] First, a visitor uses the handset (1) placed at the entrance.
3) When you press the call button (24), the call button (24) is pressed.
) on signal (hereinafter referred to as the call switch signal) is
The signal is transmitted to the control circuit (34) of the base unit (11) via the modulation/demodulation circuit (41), the transmission line (12), and the modulation/demodulation circuit (31).

[0022] The control circuit (34) that receives this command controls the main unit (
11) as well as ringing a calling chime (not shown),
The ring tone of the cordless telephone with a door phone connection terminal (53) and handsets (55) and (56) is sounded via the door phone audio interface circuit (51) and the interface terminal (52). At the same time, the control circuit (34) supplies power from the power supply circuit (32) to the power supply circuit (42) of the slave device (13) via the transmission path (12).

The power supply circuit (42), which receives power according to the instructions from the control circuit (34), generates a constant voltage necessary for the circuits in the handset (13) and supplies it to each circuit, thereby controlling the television camera ( 21) and the audio system are activated.

[0024] When you pick up the handset (18) of the video door intercom base unit (11), the image of the visitor will be captured by the TV camera (
21) and is projected onto a solid-state image sensor (not shown) in an imaging circuit (44), and is further converted into a video signal and input to a camera signal processing circuit (43). CRT monitor (15) with camera signal processing circuit (43)
) The video signal processed into a form suitable for display on the main unit (11) is sent to the transmission line (12) through the modulation/demodulation circuit (41), and is further extracted by the video interface (33) of the base unit (11). It is displayed as an image on the CRT monitor (15). In addition, the visitor's voice signal collected by the microphone (23) of the handset (13) is input to the modulation/demodulation circuit (41), subjected to predetermined modulation, and sent out onto the transmission path (12). This audio signal is sent to the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) in the base unit (11).
The signal is demodulated and output as audio from the speaker of the handset (18).

[0025] Also, the voice collected by the microphone of the handset (18) is transmitted by the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) to a carrier frequency different from the carrier frequency used when transmitting the voice signal from the handset (13) to the base unit (11). It is modulated into a frequency signal and transmitted through the transmission path (1
2) to the slave unit (13). This audio signal is demodulated by the modulation/demodulation circuit (41) of the handset (13),
It is output from the speaker (22).

On the other hand, in response to the ringing sound, the user picks up the handset of the base unit (53) of the cordless telephone with a door intercom connection terminal, or picks up the handset (53) of the cordless telephone with a door intercom connection terminal, or selects the handset (55) or
When the response button 6) is pressed, the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) is connected to the doorphone voice interface circuit (51). As a result, a call is enabled between the base unit (53), handset (55), or handset (56) of the cordless telephone with a door intercom connection terminal from which the handset was picked up and the video door intercom handset (13). .

It is also possible to make a call from the main unit (11) of the video door intercom to a cordless telephone with a door intercom connection terminal (53), a handset (55), or a handset (56). In this case, the control circuit (34) detects this by picking up the handset (18) of the video doorphone base unit (11), and connects the doorphone audio interface circuit (51) and interface terminal (52). A cordless telephone with a door phone connection terminal (53), a handset (55), or a handset (56) is made to ring via the cordless telephone (53). The following operations are similar. That is, in response to the ringing sound, pick up the handset of the cordless telephone with door intercom connection terminal (53), or use the handset (55) or
When the response button (6) is pressed, the modulation/demodulation circuit (31) is connected to the doorphone audio interface circuit (51), and the cordless telephone with doorphone connection terminal (5) that responded is connected to the doorphone audio interface circuit (51).
3) or the handset (55) or handset (56) becomes available for communication.

[0028] In this embodiment, the cordless telephone (53) with a door intercom connection terminal was used as an example of the device to be connected via the telephone line interface circuit (51), but the invention is not limited to this. It may be a corded telephone.

[0029]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
By providing a doorphone audio interface circuit with the same input/output specifications as a general audio-only doorphone, it can be connected to a general home telephone etc. equipped with a doorphone connection terminal. Therefore, there is no need to purchase a new video door phone expansion adapter or other video door phone base unit.
It is possible to construct a system that responds to video door phones from each room by using existing telephones with door phone connection terminals. That is, there is an effect that the system of the video door intercom can be easily and inexpensively upgraded.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video door intercom in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing an example of connection between this video door phone and a general cordless telephone with a door phone connection terminal.

FIG. 3 is an external view showing an example of a conventional video door intercom.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional video door intercom.

[Explanation of symbols]

(11) Base unit (12) Transmission line (13) Handset (34) Control circuit (51) Door phone audio interface circuit (53)
Cordless telephone with door phone connection terminal (base unit) (55), (56) Cordless telephone with door phone connection terminal (slave unit)

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A handset equipped with a television camera that captures images of visitors, a microphone that captures the voices of the visitors, and a speaker that outputs audio responses to the visitors; a base unit that is connected to the base unit via a network, and includes a TV monitor that outputs images from the TV camera of the slave unit, a handset that exchanges audio with the microphone and speaker of the slave unit; A video door intercom characterized by comprising a door intercom audio interface circuit that connects to a base unit and performs audio exchanges therebetween.