JPH0463047A - Recorder for telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively use the memory capacity of a storage means by stopping recording when detecting a signal of level less than prescribed level, and starting the recording by returning a recording start address by a time required for the detection of the signal. CONSTITUTION:When a silent state following a voice signal of level over a preset level is generated during the recording, and even when the voice signal over the prescribed level and the silent state are detected, a control circuit 11 designates and stores the memory address of a RAM 15, however, when the silent state is detected, storage on the RAM 15 is stopped, and also, the recording start address is returned from a storage stopping address B to the memory address A of a silent state starting point, then, the next voice signal is stored.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a recording device for a telephone, and in particular to an improvement in a recording device suitable for being installed in an answering machine equipped with a built-in semiconductor memory device capable of recording telephone messages. Regarding.

[Prior Art] In recent years, so-called answering machines that are configured to be able to record messages, etc. from the other party to a semiconductor memory when a call is received have become popular.

This answering machine's recording device converts the other party's voice into a digital signal and converts it into a readable/writable semiconductor memory (RA).
The data stored in the RAM are sequentially stored in the RAM, and later the stored contents in the RAM are read out and D/A converted into an analogue signal for reproduction.

However, during a human conversation, there is almost always a silent period, and if this silent period also consumes the storage area in the RAM, it is not desirable from the standpoint of effective use of the storage capacity.

Therefore, some conventional telephone recording devices employ a configuration as shown in FIG.

That is, the delay circuit 3 and the no-signal detection circuit 5 are connected to the A/D conversion circuit 1, the delay circuit 3 is connected to the RAM 7, and the RAM 7 is controlled by the no-signal detection circuit 5. The digital audio signal A/D converted from the analog audio signal is delayed by the detection processing time of the no-signal detection circuit 5 in the delay circuit 3 and sequentially stored in the RAM 7.
When a voiceless state is detected, the storage operation in the RAM 7 is stopped.

Therefore, if the delay time of the delay circuit 3 is appropriately selected, even if it takes some time for the no-signal detection circuit 5 to detect the no-speech state, the audio signal will be delayed by that amount and the RA
Since the audio signal is stored in M7, the audio signal is accurately stored, and the storage capacity in the RAM is not wasted for the silent period.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the recording device having such a configuration, the digital audio signal to be stored is Since the configuration is such that the delay circuit 3 delays the delay circuit 3, an extra delay circuit 3 is required, and there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of circuit simplification and cost reduction.

The present invention has been made under these circumstances, and provides a recording device for a telephone that allows effective use of storage capacity, simplifies the circuit configuration, and reduces costs by omitting the delay circuit. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve such problems, the present invention, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. A/D conversion means 101 for A/D converting a signal into a digital information signal;
A storage control means 102 that sequentially controls the storage of the digital information signal in the storage means 100, and a level detection means 1 that detects whether the information signal level is below a predetermined level.
03 and, in addition to these, a storage address changing means 104.

This memory address changing means 104 has a level detecting means 1
03 is below a predetermined level, the storage control means 102 continues until an information signal of a predetermined level or higher is input.
The storage control means 1 waits for the storage control operation.
The storage control means 102 is controlled so as to return the storage start address in 02 to the information signal level below the predetermined level as much as possible.

[Function] In the present invention equipped with such a means, an information signal input to the telephone is A/D converted into a digital information signal by the A/D conversion means 101 and added to the storage control means 102. The data are sequentially stored in the memory addresses of the storage means 100 designated by the control means 102.

On the other hand, if the information signal is input to the level detecting means 103 and the information signal level is below the predetermined level, the storage address changing means 104 performs the storage control operation of the storage control means 102 until the information signal of the predetermined level or higher is input. is put on standby, while controlling the storage control means 102 to return the future storage start address in the storage control means 102 by the period of the information signal below the predetermined level to the maximum extent possible, so that the memory control means 102 is controlled to return the future storage start address in the storage control means 102 by the period of the information signal below the predetermined level, Then, the storage control means 102 specifies the returned storage start address and sequentially stores the information signals in the storage means 100.

[Implementation example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a recording device for a telephone according to the present invention.

In the figure, an A/D conversion circuit 9 is a known A/D conversion means for sampling and A/D converting an analog voice signal such as a message from the other party transmitted over a central office line to a digital voice signal. and is connected to the control circuit 11.

The control circuit 11 includes the CPUI 1a and the CPUI1a.
An interface (Ilo) between the ROM 11b storing the operating program and the A/D conversion circuit 9 and other circuits.
It is a main part of a so-called microcomputer having an internal memory, and is a part of a control device that controls the entire telephone (not shown) in which the recording device of the present invention is installed.

A key input circuit 13, a RAM 15, and a D/A conversion circuit 17 are connected to the control circuit 11.

The key input circuit 13 has an operation key circuit necessary for starting the operation of the recording device of the present invention, reading and playing back the contents stored in the RAM 15, which will be described later, and other operations of the telephone under the control of the control circuit 11. It is.

The RAMI 5 is a conventionally known semiconductor storage means configured to sequentially store and store digital audio signals at storable addresses and read them under the control of the control circuit 11, but is not limited to a semiconductor configuration.

The D/A conversion circuit 17 is an output circuit that D/A converts the digital audio signal from the control circuit 11 into an analog audio signal, amplifies it, and drives the speaker 19.

When the control circuit 11 receives an instruction to record a message from the other party after receiving a call, the control circuit 11 stores the digital audio signal from the A/D conversion circuit 9 by specifying storage addresses in the RAM 15 in order, and also stores it from the RAM 15 during playback. It has a function of reading the content and outputting it to the D/A conversion circuit 17, and also has the following control function when controlling storage of digital audio signals in the RAM 15.

That is, the control circuit 11 monitors the input of the digital audio signal from the A/D conversion circuit 9, and when the audio signal is input, stores the digital audio signal in the RAM 15, and when the call ends, the control circuit 11 stores the digital audio signal in the RAM 5. Terminates the storage control operation.

Furthermore, the control circuit 11 controls A before the end of the call.
The audio signal level from the /D conversion circuit 9 is compared with a predetermined setting level to detect whether it is continuously below the setting level for a certain period of time, for example, in a no-speech state, and when a no-speech state is detected, to RAMI 5 While stopping the storage control of RA
It has a function to return the memory start address of M15 to the memory address at the start of the silent state and store the next audio signal of a set level or higher from the returned memory start address A, that is, a level detection function and a memory address change function. are doing.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when a no-speech state occurs following an audio signal at a set level or higher during recording, the control circuit 11 controls the memory address of RAM15 even when an audio signal at a set level or higher and a no-speech state occur. However, when a no-speech state is detected, the storage to RAMI 5 is stopped, and the storage start address is returned from the storage stop address B to the storage address A at the start of the no-speech state, and the next audio signal is stored. to remember.

The configuration of the present invention will become clearer by explanation based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 4.

Note that this flowchart is part of the operating program of the telephone.

When the program starts, a digital audio signal input monitoring process is performed in step 400, and the presence or absence of an audio signal input is determined in step 401.
If O, step 400 until an audio signal is input.
and 401 are repeated.

When an audio signal is input and step 401 becomes YES, storage processing to the RAM 15 is started in step 402, and in subsequent step 403 it is determined whether the call is in progress, that is, whether the call has ended, and if YES, step 402 is started. 404
In step 405, the audio signal input monitoring process is performed.
It is determined whether there is a period of continuous silence for a certain period of time.

If step 405 is No, return to step 403, and continue to step 403 until the call ends unless there is no voice.
~405 are repeated.

If step 405 is YES, step 406
The storage in the AM 15 is stopped, and in the subsequent step 407, the storage start address of the RAM 15 is returned to the calculation, and the process returns to step 400. If there is an audio input, the audio signal is stored from the returned start address in step 402. Ru.

If step 403 becomes NO, step 408
Storage processing to MI 5 is stopped and terminated.

As described above, in the present invention, the storage area of the RAM 15 is allocated and stored even during a period of audio signals exceeding a set level and during a silent period during a call, or when a silent state is detected, storage is stopped and the storage is stopped. Since the storage start address is returned by the time required for the detection and storage is started, even if it takes some time to detect the no-voice state, no storage capacity is allocated to the no-voice state in the RAM 15.

Moreover, in answering machines that use the RAM 15 as a storage means, the control circuit that controls the RAM 15 etc. is generally configured to operate according to a program, so it is possible to easily record without using a delay circuit by simply changing the program. , the circuit configuration is simplified.

By the way, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the process of stopping the storage process in the RAM 15 and changing the storage start address when a voiceless state is detected. For example, when a low-level audio signal state in which the contents of a message are difficult to understand even when played back is detected continuously for a certain period of time, the storage process to the RAM 15 is stopped and the storage start address is changed. The setting level can be set arbitrarily from the key input circuit 13.

Further, in the present invention, the number of addresses to be returned to when detecting a no-voice state is not limited to the time required to detect a no-voice state, but is arbitrary, and may be as long as the time required for detecting the no-voice state.

The present invention is not limited to the recording of audio information signals in telephones as described above, but can also be applied to the recording of image information signals in videophones and the like. A configuration is also possible in which the still image signal is skipped and recorded depending on the detection signal.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention allocates and records the storage area of the storage means during a period of information signals of a predetermined level or higher and during a signal period of a predetermined level or lower during a call, and records signals of a predetermined level or lower. When a signal is detected, the recording is stopped and the recording start address is moved back by the time required for the detection so that the recording can be started, so even if it takes some time to detect a signal below a predetermined level, the memory in the storage means can be saved. Capacity is not allocated to signals below a predetermined level, and the information signal to be recorded does not need to be added to the storage means via a delay circuit.

Therefore, it is possible to record information signals while making effective use of the storage capacity in the storage means, and it is also possible to omit delay circuits, and there is no need to significantly change the actual circuit configuration. This also simplifies the process, making it easy to reduce costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording device for a telephone according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the operation of the recording device according to the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the present invention in detail; FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing a conventional recording device. 1.9...A/D conversion circuit (A/D conversion circuit), 3...Delay circuit, 5...
・・・・・・・・・・・・No signal detection circuit, 7.15・
...Storage means (RAM), 11...
...... Memory control means, level detection means memory address changing means (control circuit), 3... Key input circuit, 7.
・・・・・・・・・・・・D/A conversion circuit, 9...
・・・・・・・・・・・・Speaker, 00・・・・・・
・・・・・・Storage means, 01・・・・・・・・・・・・
A/D conversion means, 02... Memory control means, 03... Level detection means, 04... ...Memory address changing means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A storage means for storing a digital information signal, an A/D conversion means for A/D converting an information signal input to the telephone into the digital information signal, and a storage means for sequentially storing the digital information signal into the storage means. storage control means for storing the information; level detection means for detecting whether the level of the information signal input to the telephone is below a predetermined level; and when the level detection means detects that the level of the information signal is below the predetermined level, The storage control operation of the storage control means is made to wait until the above-mentioned information signal is input, and the storage control means is configured to return the storage start address in the storage control means by as much as the period of the information signal below the predetermined level. A recording device for a telephone, comprising: memory address changing means for controlling a control means;