JPH0541731A - Telephone terminal with optical read function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To diversify the telephone number input method and to use a telephone terminal as a data input means by adding an optical read function of OCR characters or the like to the telephone terminal besides the key input function. CONSTITUTION:A telephone circuit part 12 includes a control part 9 which controls lines, circuits of a communication system, and the whole of the terminal, and transmission/reception parts 13 and 14 are interface circuits for transmission and reception of an audio signal and a code signal. In a telephone number register part 15, pairs of telephone numbers and abbreviated codes or discrimination information like names are managed in a table. A key input part 3 or an optical read part 6 is used to register and set each data by read of OCR data or bar code data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone terminal with an optical reading function capable of optically reading and inputting OCR characters and bar codes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, various telephone terminals having a service function of displaying a telephone number, a time, a call time, a message, etc., equipped with a display, have appeared. Also, a function of registering a telephone number and performing automatic dialing or speed dialing is becoming popular. However, most of the inputs such as telephone numbers are made by using keys, and only some of them are designed to automatically dial by entering a telephone number using a card. Although it has a fax function, it is designed to read pre-made paper and send it.

[0003]

In a conventional telephone terminal having a telephone number registration function, the telephone number is generally registered by key input, but the key input method is easy to input. On the other hand, when the number of telephone numbers to be registered is large, there is a problem in that key input operation takes time, becomes complicated, and an input error easily occurs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means for efficiently inputting data such as a telephone number in a telephone terminal.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an OCR character or a bar code can be obtained by providing an optical reading section using a sensor such as CCD in a telephone receiver (handset) of a telephone terminal and using the telephone receiver as a hand scanner. It makes it readable.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a receiver, 2 is a main unit, 3 is a key input unit, 4 is a display unit, 5 is a code, 6 is an optical reading unit, and 7
Is a data discrimination unit, 8 is a storage unit, 9 is a control unit, 10 is an interface unit, and 11 is a data sheet.

The function and operation of each part are as follows. The control unit 9 performs the original control of the telephone and the data reading control, takes a data reading control state according to an instruction from the key input unit 3, and controls the operation of each related unit.

The user holds the handset 1 and directs the optical reading unit 6 provided at one end thereof toward the data sheet 11 to scan the OCR character string. Optical reading unit 6 is OC
When the reflected light from the R character string is converted into an electric signal and input to the data discriminating unit 7, the data discriminating unit 7 recognizes the pattern of each OCR character, codes it, and sends it to the control unit 9.
The control unit 9 displays it on the display unit 4 and the storage unit 8
To memorize.

The data stored in the storage unit 8 is stored in the control unit 9
Can be displayed on the display unit 4 under the scroll control and can be taken out from the interface unit 10 to the outside.

Although the OCR data is read in the configuration shown in the figure, this is an example, and a bar code, a mark and the like can be read in the same manner.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in a telephone terminal, the telephone number in the form of OCR data or bar code data can be easily read and input to the telephone terminal by using the handset provided with the optical reading section as a hand scanner. The input process can be speeded up compared to the key input method. Moreover, a large amount of data can be input without imposing a heavy burden on the user.

The reading result of the OCR data or the bar code data is displayed on the display unit to confirm the input, and the error can be corrected by the key input unit to prevent the input error.

Any data in the form of OCR data or bar code data can be read and input. When reading a telephone number, the entered telephone number is registered in a table in the storage section, and is displayed on the display section according to instructions from the key input section, or is read in conjunction with the speed dial function and used for automatic dialing. It will be done. The table data can be output to the printer via the interface unit.

Further, it can be used as a reading device or a bar code reader regardless of the telephone function. In that case, the storage unit functions as a data buffer, and the input data is sent to the processing device such as a personal computer through the interface unit.

[0015]

1 is a circuit diagram of a telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 1 is a receiver, 2 is a main unit, 3 is a key input unit, 4 is a display unit, 6 is an optical reading unit, 7 is a data discriminating unit, 9 is a control unit, 10 is an interface unit, and 12 is a telephone circuit. Reference numerals 13 and 14 are transmission / reception units, 15 is a telephone number registration unit, and 16 is a printer. The elements 1 to 10 are the same as those in the configuration of FIG.

The telephone circuit section 12 includes a circuit for line control and communication, and a control section 9 for controlling the entire terminal. The transmitter / receiver 13 and the transmitter / receiver 14 are interface circuits for transmitting and receiving a voice signal and a code signal.

The telephone number registration unit 15 manages a set of telephone numbers and abbreviated codes or identification information such as names in a table. Each data is registered and set by a key operation from the key input unit 3 or by reading OCR data or bar code data using the optical reading unit 6. In addition, the data keyed in can be transmitted using the FAX function.

The printer 16 is externally connected to the main body device 2 and reads out and prints the data of the telephone number registration section 15 through the interface section 10. A cordless connection can be made between the handset 1 and the main unit 2. In that case, the transmitting / receiving sections 13 and 14 have a modem and a high frequency section.

3A and 3B are overall external views of a telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows the upper surface of the telephone terminal, and FIG. Reference numeral 17 is a reading opening of the optical reading unit, 18 is a scan button for enabling the reading, 19 is a shortening button, 20 is a function key, and 2
1 is a one-touch dial, 22 is a speed button, 23 is a hold button, 24 is a tone button, 25 is a pause button,
26 is a redial button, 27 is a speaker ON / OFF
Button, 28 is a speaker, 29 is a scale provided on the periphery of the reading port 17 for easy positioning, and 3
0 is a power cord, 31 is a connector part for an optional key mat to enable the input of kana / English characters and kanji,
32 is a connector portion for a telephone line (external line or internal line),
Reference numeral 33 is a connector section for an external interface for connecting a printer or the like.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the handset and the option key mat in the telephone terminal of FIG. (A) is an external appearance of the handset, 34 is a hold button, and 35 is a charging unit to which a charging adapter is coupled (in this example, the handset has a cordless structure). (B) is an appearance of the option key mat, 36 is an option key mat, and 37 is a connector for connecting to the main body device.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the OCR reading process in the embodiment shown in FIGS. The operation is performed as follows. First, by picking up the handset 1,
The control unit 9 is interrupted and the optical reading unit 6 is activated. When reading the telephone number from the OCR data sheet, the scan button 18
push. As a result, the data discriminating unit 7 starts the OCR discriminating operation.

Next, the receiver 1 is operated to scan the OCR data. When the scan button 18 is ON, the data discriminating unit 7 sequentially cuts out data from the image signal output from the optical reading unit 6 with a 36 × 36 dot matrix, and compares the data with a dot pattern of standard characters prepared in advance. .. A standard pattern that matches the dot pattern of the input data is determined, and the code data of the character is transmitted to the main body device 2. This operation is performed every time a character is discriminated during the scanning period of the OCR data. If the determination fails, an alarm sound is generated to notify the operator to rescan.

On the side of the main unit, when the read data is received, it is displayed on the display unit 4, and in the case of immediate dialing, the data is sent to an automatic dialing mechanism (not shown) in the telephone circuit unit 12 to perform dialing. The other terminal is called and the line is connected when there is a response. The input data is registered in the telephone number registration unit 15 according to the instruction. It is also possible to register without dialing.

Although the embodiment described above is for a telephone terminal having only a telephone function, it is similarly applied to a terminal having a telephone function, such as a facsimile, a workstation, etc., which can be detached and scanned. can do. The read data can be applied not only to OCR characters but also to barcodes, marks, etc., and may be switched and selected within the same device.

[0025]

According to the present invention, a telephone number input method is diversified by adding an optical reading function for OCR characters and the like to the telephone terminal in addition to the key input function, and any function depending on the situation. Since it can be used, the operability is remarkably improved. Further, in addition to inputting a telephone number, it can be used as an arbitrary data inputting means, so that the function can be improved by linking with a personal computer or a facsimile.

Further, compared with the conventional telephone terminal, there is almost no increase in the size and weight of the device due to the addition of the optical reading function, and there is an advantage that it can be constructed compactly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram of a telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall external view of a telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a receiver and an option key mat of a telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an OCR reading process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Handset 2 Main unit 3 Key input section 4 Display section 5 Code 6 Optical reading section 7 Data discrimination section 8 Storage section 9 Control section 10 Interface section

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An optical reading unit provided at one end of a handset, a data discriminating unit for discriminating data from an output signal of the optical reading unit, a display unit for displaying the discriminated data, and storing the discriminated data. A telephone terminal with an optical reading function, which is equipped with a storage unit for storing the information. 2. The telephone terminal with an optical reading function according to claim 1, further comprising an interface section for outputting the data stored in the storage section to the outside. 3. The telephone terminal with an optical reading function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data discriminating section has a function of discriminating an OCR character. 4. The telephone terminal with an optical reading function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data discriminating section has a function of discriminating the bar code data. 5. The device according to claim 1, having a function of enabling data input into the storage unit, a function of transmitting the data by FAX, and a function of displaying the FAX-transmitted data on the display unit. A telephone terminal with an optical reading function.