JPH0690290A - Message recording system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily preserve messages for a long time and retrieve and reproduce preserved messages by constituting a system of an audio mail device, a message retrieving and reproducing device, and a cartridge storage file used by both of them. CONSTITUTION:An audio mail device 1 is used at the time of recording, and the voice sent from an analog line (1f) is accumulated as data in a fixed storage file 1b under the control or a voice storage control part 1c. A cartridge storage file 2 is inserted to a cartridge holder part 1a, and data in the fixed storage file 1b is automatically or manually copied. When the cartridge storage file 2 is detached, voice data in the fixed storage file 1b is erased. A message retrieving and reproducing device has a function of services of retrieval, reproducing, erasing, retrieval maintenance information output, etc., of messages registered in the cartridge storage file 2 when this file 2 is inserted to a cartridge holder part 3a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice mail device and an information communication system utilizing the voice mail device.
In particular, it is effective for a mechanism (called a call recording system, a recording system or a message management system) for simultaneously recording the contents of a call in the telephone reception work such as finance, mail order, secretary agency, and complaint handling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Voice mail devices according to the prior art include those using dedicated hardware and those using a general-purpose computer. As a device using dedicated hardware, there is a voice mail device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-15762. However, regarding the form of the audio data storage unit, there is no consideration regarding the long-term storage of the data storage unit by the detachable method and the reproduction method thereof.

Further, as one using a general-purpose computer,
JP-A-2-16858 discloses "Integrated voice data workstation" and the like, but does not consider accumulation of voice data.

[0004]

In the conventional voice mail device, a logical recording area called a mailbox is defined,
Record the voice or message you want to store.
Individual users operate and manage their own mailboxes, and record, play, and delete messages.

The message is usually stored as voice data in a large-capacity storage medium (for example, a fixed magnetic disk) fixed in the device.

[0006] However, there are two major problems in systematic message management such as using the voice mail device as a call automatic recording device.

First of all, the storage capacity of the storage medium is limited, and when it reaches the maximum, it cannot be used unless all or part of the data is erased. Secondly, the mailbox is designed for individual management, so it is difficult to systematically manage playback and deletion. Is the point.
That is, there is room for improvement in the long-term storage of messages and the deletion / recording / playback method.

An object of the present invention is to provide a recording system in which the storage capacity of a storage medium is expanded.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a voice mail device which receives voice information and stores the voice information, and searches and outputs the voice information that has been stored. In the recording system having a message search / playback device for performing the above-mentioned voice mail device, the voice mail device is provided with a line connection part to which voice information is input, and for receiving the voice information, for searching the voice information and the voice information. The message retrieval / reproduction device has a voice accumulation control unit that outputs information and a cartridge holder unit that holds a removable storage medium in which the voice information and the search information are recorded. An operation unit that accepts the sound information, a cartridge holder unit that holds a removable storage medium that stores the sound information, and searches the sound information on the storage medium according to the search instruction. In which it was decided to have a main control unit for outputting.

[0010]

In the recording system having the voice mail device for receiving the voice information and storing the voice information, and the message search / playback device for searching and outputting the stored voice information, the line connecting unit is a voice Information is entered. The voice accumulation control unit receives the voice information and outputs the voice information and search information for searching the voice information. The cartridge holder portion holds a removable storage medium in which the voice information and the search information are recorded. In the message search / playback device, the operation unit receives a search instruction. The cartridge holder part holds a removable storage medium in which the above-mentioned voice information is stored. The main control unit searches and outputs the audio information on the storage medium according to the search instruction.

[0011]

In this embodiment, in order to achieve long-term storage of a message, the message can be stored in a removable storage medium, and the storage medium can be removed from the voice mail device and stored separately. In addition, the audio data is stored by arranging it in parallel with the fixed storage medium.

Further, the present invention provides a function of easily searching for a message registered in a storage medium which is being saved and reproducing it.

Therefore, not only the voice data but also various search data are registered in the storage medium.

By removing this removable storage medium from the voice mail device, it is possible to store it for a long time. The data registered in the removable storage medium is not only voice data but also the search data necessary for the message search / playback device described later, which is also registered at the same time. It is possible to search and play the message.

In the message search / playback device, a desired message can be heard by a data input operation or the like using the search data as a key.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. The message management system has a voice mail device (1), a cartridge storage file (2), and a message retrieval / playback device.

The voice mail device (1) includes a voice accumulation control unit (1c), an analog line (1f), and a line connection unit (1).
d), a fixed storage file portion (1b), a cartridge storage file (2), and a cartridge holder portion (1a)
Have and.

The voice mail device (1) is used for recording, and under the control of the voice accumulation control unit (1c),
The fixed storage file unit (1) stores the voice (message) sent via the analog line (1f) and line connection unit (1d).
It is stored as data in b). At that time, the mailbox for storing the message is managed by assigning a number.

By inserting the cartridge storage file (2) into the cartridge holder portion (1a),
It is assumed that the data in the fixed storage file portion is copied to the cartridge storage file portion automatically or manually.

When the cartridge storage file is removed or inserted, the audio data of the fixed storage file is erased.

Note that activation of message recording to the voice mail device, designation of a mailbox number, confirmation of content reproduction, designation of transfer of a message to another box, etc. are sent via an analog line and a line connection. It is done by a combination of touchtone signals. Alternatively, it is designated by the control data sent via the external data input / output unit (1e) and the data line (1g). The analog line is usually connected to a private branch exchange.

The message retrieval / reproduction device (3) includes a cartridge holder portion (3a), a display operation portion (3c), a printing portion (3f), an audio output portion (3g), a speaker (3i), and an earphone. (3h) and the main control unit (3
b), analog line (3j), line connection part (3c)
And external data input / output unit (3d) and data line (3k)
The message retrieval / reproduction device (3) having the above-mentioned, with the cartridge storage file (2) inserted in the cartridge holder portion (3a), retrieves / reproduces / deletes / retrieves maintenance information of the message registered therein. It has service functions such as. The display operation unit (3c) displays information necessary for retrieval, specifies a mailbox number, retrieves messages by recording time, operates / displays information such as reproduction / deletion, and designates output to the printing unit (3f). . The message which has received the reproduction designation is converted from data into an audio signal by the audio output unit (3g) and is output to the speaker (3i) or the earphone (3h).

These are controlled by the processing of the main control section (3b). Also, connect the analog line (3j) to a private branch exchange, etc., and specify the search from the touch-tone telephone,
Make the retrieved message audible. Therefore, in the line connection unit (3c), data conversion of the touch-tone signal and
Performs voice signal conversion of data. External data input / output unit (3
In d), instead of the display / operation unit, it is possible to control search / playback by another host computer or personal computer via the data line (3k). As the cartridge storage file (2), a rewritable non-volatile file such as a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, a cartridge magnetic disk, a bubble memory and a semiconductor memory element is used.

In the present invention, the remaining capacity of the cartridge may be judged from the recording time, and when it becomes small, it may be automatically judged that the replacement time has come.

Further, a plurality of cartridge holders may be provided, and when one is full and the cartridge holder is being replaced, the other one may be used.

The present invention uses a cartridge storage file similar to a cassette tape to record a recorded sound for a long period of time.
Can be saved. Further, since the search information is also stored as data, the content can be easily listened to by the dedicated message search / playback device. This is a new function that conventional voice mail devices do not have, and has the effect of broadening the range of applications.

[0027]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a recording system in which the storage capacity of the storage medium is expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of a message management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Voice mail device, 1a ... Cartridge holder part, 1
b ... Fixed storage file section, 1c ... Voice storage control section, 1d
... line connection section, 1e ... external data input / output section, 1f ... analog line, 1g ... data line, 2 ... cartridge storage file, 3 ... message search / playback device, 3a ... cartridge holder section, 3b ... main control section, 3c ... Line connection part, 3d
... external data input / output section, 3e ... display operation section, 3f ... printing section, 3g ... audio output section, 3h ... earphone, 3i
... speaker, 3j ... analog line, 3k ... data line.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording system comprising: a voice mail device for receiving voice information and storing the voice information; and a message search / playback device for searching and outputting the stored voice information. The mail device includes a line connection unit to which voice information is input, a voice accumulation control unit that receives the voice information and outputs the voice information and search information for searching the voice information, and the voice information. And a cartridge holder unit that holds a removable storage medium in which the search information is recorded. The message search / playback device includes an operation unit that receives a search instruction and a removable storage unit that stores the voice information. A recording system characterized by having a cartridge holder section for holding a possible storage medium and a main control section for searching and outputting audio information on the storage medium according to the search instruction. Temu. 2. A voice mail device for receiving voice information and storing the voice information, comprising: a line connection unit to which the voice information is input; the voice information; and receiving the voice information and the voice information. A voice having a voice accumulation control unit that outputs search information for performing a search, and a cartridge holder unit that holds a removable storage medium in which the voice information and the search information are recorded. Mail device. 3. A message retrieval / reproduction device for retrieving and outputting accumulated voice information, comprising an operation unit for accepting a retrieval instruction, and a cartridge holder for holding a removable storage medium in which the voice information is accumulated. And a main control unit for searching and outputting voice information on a storage medium according to the search instruction. 4. A recording system comprising a voice mail device which receives voice information and stores the voice information, and a message search / play device which retrieves and outputs the stored voice information. The mail device includes a line connection unit to which voice information is input, a voice accumulation control unit that receives the voice information and outputs the voice information and search information for searching the voice information, and the voice information. And a cartridge holder unit that holds a removable storage medium in which the voice information and the search information are recorded. Holds an operation unit for receiving a search instruction, a line connection unit for receiving a search instruction, an external data input / output unit for receiving a search instruction, and a removable storage medium storing the voice information. Recording system comprising: the over cartridge holder portion in accordance with the one of the search instruction, retrieves the audio information on the storage medium, and a main control unit for outputting.