JPH0730663A - Voice mail equipment and card telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To report the arrival of a message to a normal telephone set from the voice mail equipment. CONSTITUTION:When telephone sets 9a and 8b are off-hooked and a PBX 2 detects the closed circuit of telephone sets 9a and 9b and reports a number corresponding to that line through a communication control equipment 3 to a microprocessor 8, the microprocessor 8 retrieves the mail box of a hard disk device 4 registered with that number and when the message is stored, the voice message of message arrival is synthesized on a voice synthesizing board 5 and transmitted through the communication control equipment 3, PBX 2 and lines 1a and 1b to the telephone sets 9a and 9b.

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 for storing a message in a mail box for each destination and a card telephone using a prepaid card called a telephone card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a mail service for delivering a message or a document to a receiving station or a recipient by electronic means has begun to spread in Japan. Among them, a voice mail device for transmitting a voice message is most used. . This voice mail device stores voice message messages for each destination in a storage means in the voice mail device called a mailbox, and the other party accesses his or her mailbox to send a message message addressed to himself. It is configured to pull out. In this way, since the message is stored on the host side (voice mail device), each telephone does not need to have an answering machine function. There is also known a mailbox device that automatically accumulates message messages in a mailbox when the destination is busy.

Conventionally, a voice mail device of this type is constructed so that a dedicated telephone is provided with a message arrival lamp and the lamp is turned on to notify the destination of the arrival of a message. In addition, in this type of conventional voice mail device, when accumulating a message from the caller side, a fixed response message such as "Please have a message" is transmitted in advance, and the caller side follows this response message. It is configured to accumulate outgoing message messages.

In recent years, card telephones that can use telephone cards as public telephones have rapidly become widespread.

The telephone card is one of the prepaid cards in which the value (frequency) is stored in advance. When the user sets the telephone card in a public telephone (card telephone) and uses it, it is possible to make a call without inserting cash. . Also,
As this type of telephone card, one in which one destination telephone number is registered is also known, and a public telephone reads this destination telephone number and automatically dials it.
User dialing can be omitted.

[0006]

However, in the above voice mail device, the method of providing the message arrival lamp on the telephone requires a dedicated telephone. In addition, with the method of sending a standard response message, even if a message message that can be answered immediately depending on the other party, it is necessary to listen to this message and call again. There is a problem that communication is not possible.

Further, in the above-mentioned telephone card, since the destination to be automatically transmitted is only one destination registered in advance, the user also inputs the telephone number digit by digit to the destination not registered. There is a problem that it must be.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and a first object thereof is to provide a voice mail device capable of notifying an ordinary telephone of the arrival of a message.

A second object is to provide a voice mail device which allows a user to communicate efficiently.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a card telephone which can easily make automatic calls to a plurality of destinations.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above first object, a voice mail apparatus according to the first invention is a voice mail apparatus for accumulating a message for each destination and an off hook detection for detecting an off hook of a telephone. Means, a determining means for determining whether or not a message message addressed to the telephone set whose off-hook detection means has detected off-hook is stored in the mailbox, and the determining means determines that the message message is stored. And a notification means for notifying the telephone related to off-hook detection by voice.

In order to achieve the first object, the voice mail apparatus according to the second invention generates a mail box for accumulating a message message for each destination and a ring tone signal having a tone color different from a normal ring tone. The ring tone signal generating means and the telephone set as the destination of the message stored in the mailbox transmit a ring tone signal having a tone color different from the normal ring tone generated by the ring tone signal generating means. And transmission means.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, a voice mail device according to the third invention comprises a mailbox for accumulating message messages for each destination, and a telephone of the destination as soon as the message is stored in the mailbox. The first notification means for notifying the arrival of the message message to the user and the line to the destination telephone at the time of the notification by the first notification means, the arrival of the message message as soon as the line becomes available. And a second notifying means for notifying.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, the voice mail device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention includes a registration means for pre-registering a response message for each sender of a message message, and the transmission of the message message when the message message arrives. Determination means for determining whether or not a response message to the caller is registered in the registration means, and when the determination means determines that the response message is registered, the response message is sent to the sender. And a transmission means for transmitting.

In order to achieve the third object, a card telephone according to the fifth invention is one of a telephone card in which a plurality of telephone numbers are recorded and a plurality of telephone numbers recorded in the telephone card. And a transmitting means for selectively reading out the telephone number designated by the specifying means from the telephone card and transmitting the telephone number.

[0016]

In the first aspect of the present invention, when a telephone is off-hook, a message to that telephone is stored and this is notified by voice, so that the ordinary telephone is notified of the arrival of the message. be able to.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the ring tone signal having a tone color different from the normal ring tone is transmitted to the destination telephone of the message stored in the mailbox, the message arrives at the ordinary telephone. Can be notified.

In the third invention, if the line to the destination telephone is in use at the time when the message is stored in the mailbox, the arrival of the message is notified as soon as the destination line becomes available. The arrival of the message can be notified to the telephone.

In the fourth invention, a reply message is registered in advance for each sender of the message message, and when the reply message to the sender of the received message message is registered, this reply message is automatically sent. Because it transmits
The user can perform efficient communication.

In the card telephone of the fifth aspect of the invention, when one of the plurality of telephone numbers recorded in the telephone card is designated, the telephone number is selectively read out and automatically transmitted, so that a plurality of destinations can be called. You can easily make an automatic call.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a voice mail device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the voice mail device of FIG.

In FIG. 1, a private branch exchange (PBX) 2 and telephones (TEL) 9a and 9b are provided with a line (extension) 1 respectively.
When the telephones 9a, 9b are connected via a and 1b and the telephones 9a, 9b are off-hook, a closed circuit is formed in each of the lines 1a, 1b. Therefore, the private branch exchange 2 detects each of the telephones 9a, 9b. Off-hook can be detected. The PBX 2 has a communication control unit (CCU) 3
The communication control device 3 is connected to a microprocessor (MPU) 8 for controlling the voice mail device, for example, as shown in FIG.

The microprocessor 8 includes a hard disk device (HD) 4, a voice synthesis board 5, a random access memory (RAM) 6 and a read only memory (ROM) 7 via a data bus, an address bus, a control line and the like. It is connected. The hard disk device 4 is provided with a mailbox for accumulating message messages, and the voice synthesizing board 5 converts the message messages into voice signals and transmits them to the telephones 9a and 9b. RAM6
Is used as a work area of the microprocessor 8 and stores addresses and destinations of message messages accumulated in the hard disk device 4. The ROM 7 stores in advance a program such as that shown in FIG. 2 which the microprocessor 8 executes.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation when the telephones 9a and 9b connected to this voice mail device are taken off-hook. The PBX 2 detects a closed circuit with the telephones 9a and 9b (step S1), and the number corresponding to the line is given to the microprocessor 8 via the communication control unit 3.
To the microprocessor 8 (step S2), the microprocessor 8
Searches for a mailbox in the hard disk device 4 registered with that number (step S3), and if a message message is stored, causes the voice synthesizing board 5 to synthesize a voice message of message arrival, and communicates. Transmission to the off-hook telephones 9a and 9b via the control device 3, the PBX 2, and the lines 1a and 1b (steps S4 → S)
5). If the message indicated by the above line-corresponding number is not stored in the mailbox in the hard disk device 4, the process is terminated as it is (step S4).

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, when the off-hook of the telephone 9a, 9b is detected and the corresponding message message is stored, the voice message of message arrival is transmitted to the telephone 9a, 9b. Therefore, it is possible to notify the ordinary telephone of the arrival of the message. The voice message of this message arrival may be stored in advance in the hard disk device 4, the RAM 6, the ROM 7 as digital data, or may be stored in a voice recording / reproducing device such as a cassette tape device.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 3, the communication control device 3 is directly connected to the line 1, and the communication control device 3 is connected to the microprocessor 8. The microprocessor 8 includes a hard disk device (HD) 4 and a RAM
6, a ROM 7, a DTMF analysis board 10 for analyzing a DTMF signal (tone signal) from a telephone, a signal generator 11 for generating signals of two frequencies as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a fixed period or A clock (CLOCK) 12 for notifying the arrival of a message at a predetermined time is connected.

FIG. 4 shows the frequency and tone generation pattern of a normal ring tone, and FIG. 5 shows the frequency and tone pattern of a message arrival notification tone. As an example, a normal ring tone has a constant frequency and a pattern of 3 (pronunciation): 1 (pause) as shown in FIG. On the other hand, as the ringtone for message arrival notification, as shown in FIG. 5, one having a relatively low frequency and one having a relatively high frequency is used, and the ringtone of each frequency is alternated. Is pronounced. Therefore, due to the difference in the frequency (tone) and the pattern, it is possible for the telephone side to recognize the incoming call or the message arrival notice.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation at the time of message accumulation. First, when the DTMF signal indicating the message accumulation command and the destination number is analyzed (step S11), the hard disk device 4 is addressed from the table on the RAM 7. The entry in the destination mailbox is obtained, and the message message from the sender is stored (step S1).
2). Then, when a DTMF signal indicating the end of the accumulation (for example, a tone signal of "#") is received during the accumulation, the accumulation is terminated (step S13), and the signal generator 11 of FIG.
A ring tone signal for message arrival notification as shown in (1) is generated to ring the destination telephone of the message (step S14).

Next, it is judged whether or not the other party's telephone goes off-hook and responds (step S15). If it responds, this processing is terminated, and if it does not respond, the clock 12 is entered.
To wait for, for example, 15 minutes (step S16).
When this time elapses, the process returns to step S14,
This is repeated until the destination telephone answers.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, a message arrival is notified by ringing a special message arrival notification ringtone, which is different from the normal ringtone, at a constant cycle, so that it is possible to notify a normal telephone. The arrival of the message can be notified. The message arrival notification signal shown in FIG. 5 is an example, and it is sufficient if it can be distinguished from the incoming signal shown in FIG.
The time is not limited to 5 minutes, and may be set to ring at a predetermined time set in advance.

[Third Embodiment] A third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In the second embodiment,
For example, since the message arrival is notified every 15 minutes or at a predetermined time set in advance, there is a problem that the notification is delayed by one cycle when the destination is busy and the accumulation is completed. Therefore, in the third embodiment, when the destination is busy and the storage in the mailbox is completed, the arrival of the message is notified without delay.

In FIG. 7, a telephone (not shown) and a PBX 2 are connected to the lines 1a and 1b.
It has a function of monitoring a and 1b. Also for PBX2,
A microprocessor 8 is connected via the communication control device 3, and the microprocessor 8 is connected to the hard disk device (HD) 4 via a data bus, an address bus, a control line and the like.
The RAM 6, the ROM 7, and the DTMF analysis board 10 are connected to each other.

In this configuration, when the destination is busy, it is configured to notify that the message message is stored in the mailbox in the hard disk device 4 as soon as the line becomes available. FIG. 4 shows the message message. Shows the operation when the accumulation of is completed. First, as in the case of the second embodiment, a process of ringing the telephone of the destination of the message message with a special ringing tone at a constant period or at a predetermined time is started (step S21), and then the destination line is transmitted. 1a,
It is determined whether 1b is busy (step S2).
2).

When the lines 1a and 1b are determined to be busy, the PBX 2 is made to monitor the lines 1a and 1b (steps S23 to S24), and when the lines are free, the telephone of the destination of the message is sent. To a special ring tone (step S25). Note that step S
If it is determined in step 22 that it is not busy, a process of ringing a special ringing tone at a constant cycle or the like is performed as in the second embodiment.

Therefore, in the third embodiment, when the message message is automatically stored in the mailbox in the hard disk device 4, the line of the other party is monitored if the line is still busy when the storage is completed, and the line becomes free. And a special ring tone sounds, so you can be notified of the arrival of messages without delay. As a method of notifying the arrival of the message, instead of ringing with a special ring tone, the message may be notified by voice as in the first embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment] Next, referring to FIGS.
The fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In Figure 9, PBX
External line 1 is connected to 2 and extension line 1
telephones (TEL) 9a and 9b via a and 1b, respectively
Are connected. Further, the microprocessor 8 is connected to the PBX 2 via the communication control device 3, and the microprocessor 8 has a file system as shown in FIG. 10 constructed via a data bus, an address bus, a control line and the like. Hard disk device (HD) 4, RAM 6 and R
The OM 7 and the DTMF analysis board 10 are connected.

As shown in FIG. 10, the file system on the hard disk device 4 (boil mail system VS)
In each of the recipients A to D, a mailbox 4A to
4D is provided, and message messages from the other party (sender) are stored in the mailboxes 4A to 4D. Further, the mailboxes 4A to 4D are provided with areas for accumulating the reply message of the recipient for each sender. For example, the mailbox 4A has senders a and b.
Areas 4a, 4b, and 4c are provided for accumulating reply messages for the caller and other callers, respectively.

Next, the operation of registering a response message will be described with reference to FIG. A call from the registrant arrives (step S31), and then a DTMF signal indicating that the response message is registered by the registrant's dial operation of the telephones (TEL) 9a, 9b is received (step S32), and then When a DTMF signal indicating the number of the other party (sender) is received (step S33), the response message sent next is shown in FIG. 10, and areas 4a, 4b, 4c are provided for each sender. (Step S34).

Explaining a concrete example, for example, when "0, 1" is preset as the response message registration code, when the registrant dials "0, 1, #", "0, The DTMF signal corresponding to "1, #" is transmitted and recognized by the DTMF analysis board 10 of the voice mail device (step S32), and the microprocessor 8 uses the DTMF signal transmitted next as the sender identification code. recognize. For example, when the registrant dials "1, 1, 1, 1, #" as the caller number, a DTMF signal corresponding to each code is transmitted from the telephone and is recognized by the DTMF analysis board 10 in the same manner (step S33). .

The microprocessor 8 prepares for registering the signal sent next as a response message in the hard disk device 4 (for example, a headset of the hard disk device 4). Then, the response message actually sent thereafter is registered in the areas 4a, 4b and 4c for the sender "1111", and the sender identification code "11" is registered.
11 ”and the addresses of the areas 4a, 4b, and 4c relating to registration are associated and registered in the RAM 6.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the operation up to the sending of the response message when the message from the sender is registered in the mailboxes 4A to 4D. When a call from the caller arrives (step S41), then a message is registered by dialing the caller's telephone, and a DTMF signal indicating the mailbox number of the destination (destination) is received ( Step S4
2) The destination mailbox is searched (step S43).

Next, when the caller number is received (step S44), it is searched by the caller identification code registered in the RAM 6 whether or not the response message to the caller is registered in the hard disk device 4 (step S45). ), If it is registered, the response message is transmitted, and if it is not registered, a typical response message such as "please message" is transmitted (step S46).

Explaining a concrete example, for example, when "0, 0" is preset as the message message registration code, when the caller dials "0, 0, #", the microprocessor 8 It recognizes the DTMF signal sent to the computer as a mailbox instruction code. And
When the caller dials, for example, "2, 2, #", the microprocessor 8 recognizes the mailbox number "22" and sends a guidance such as "Please caller number" to the caller. , The sender is, for example, “0, 0,
When dialing "1, #", the microprocessor 8
Recognizing the caller number "001", this caller number "00"
If "1" is registered in the RAM 6, the response message is read from the hard disk device 4 and transmitted.

Therefore, according to the fourth embodiment, since a different reply message is sent out for each sender, in the case of a message message that can be answered immediately depending on the other party, this reply message is registered in advance as a reply message. By doing so, the user can perform efficient communication. In the fourth embodiment,
The caller is identified by the DTMF signal, but ISDN
Then, since the calling terminal number is notified from the network, this number can be used, and instead of registering the response message in the hard disk device 4, it is stored in the voice recording / reproducing device such as the RAM 6 or the cassette tape device. May be.

[Fifth Embodiment] Next, referring to FIGS.
An embodiment of the card telephone system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a telephone of the card telephone system, FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a public telephone of the card telephone system, FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation of the telephone of FIG. 13, and FIG. 16 is an operation of the public telephone of FIG. It is a flowchart showing.

In FIG. 13, a network control unit (NCU) 22 is connected to the telephone line 21, and the network control unit 22 is controlled by a microprocessor (MPU) 23.
Close 1 and make an automatic call. Microprocessor 23
Includes a ROM 24, a RAM 25, and an operation panel 26.
A card writer 27 for registering the telephone number of the other party in the telephone card and a receiver 28 are connected.

In the ROM 24, the microprocessor 23
A program to be executed by is stored in advance, and the RAM 25 is used as a work area of the microprocessor 23. The RAM 25 is used to store the destination number, the abbreviated number, and the one-touch dial number, in particular, and this data is stored by operating the operation panel 26. The operation panel 26 has dial keys required for a telephone, keys for storing the correspondent number and abbreviated numbers and one-touch dial numbers, and a card registration button for registering the destination telephone number on the telephone card. Have.

Next, the configuration of the public telephone will be described with reference to FIG. Network control unit (NCU) 3 for telephone line 31
2, the network controller 32 controls the microprocessor (MPU) 33 to close the telephone line 31 and automatically make a call. The microprocessor 33 has a ROM 3
4, a RAM 35, an operation panel 36, a card reader 37 for reading the destination number registered in the telephone card and rewriting the frequency, and a receiver 38 are connected. The ROM 34 stores a program executed by the microprocessor 33 as shown in FIG.
M25 is used as a work area of the microprocessor 33. Further, the operation panel 36 has dial keys and the like required as a public telephone.

Next, with reference to FIG. 15, the operation for registering the destination number in the telephone card will be described. A destination number, an abbreviated number, and a one-touch dial number are stored in advance in the RAM 25 shown in FIG. 13, and a telephone card is set in the card writer 27 in this state.
When the card registration button on the operation panel 26 is pressed, the microprocessor 23 reads out the destination number, the abbreviated number and the one-touch dial number in the RAM 25 until the end of the registration data, and all of the registration data is passed through the card writer 27. And write on the card (steps S51 to S5
3).

Next, the operation of the public telephone will be described with reference to FIG. In Figure 16, the telephone card is the card reader 3
The processing when set to 7 is shown. First, the data written in the telephone card is read through the card reader 37. Then, it is determined whether or not the dial number is a registered card by, for example, the presence or absence of dial number data (step S61). If there is no dial number data, a call is made according to the dial operation as in the conventional example. (Steps S64, S65).

On the other hand, when the dial number data is stored in the telephone card, it is determined whether or not the first key to be input first is a predetermined key such as the "#" key (step S62), In the case of YES, the ten-key to be input next is identified (step S63), the other party's number corresponding to this ten-key is read from the telephone card, and the other party's number is transmitted (step S64). If the key is not the predetermined key in step S62, a call is made according to the dial operation as in the conventional example (steps S64 and S65).

Therefore, according to the fifth embodiment, the destination number, the abbreviated number, and the one-touch dial number registered in advance in the telephone personally used by the user are registered in the telephone card, and the public telephone side is set up. One of a plurality of destination numbers registered in a telephone card is selected by one operation of the ten-key pad to automatically make a call, so that a card telephone system that can automatically make a call to a plurality of destinations is realized. be able to.

In the above embodiment, whether or not the card is a registration card is determined by the presence or absence of dial number data, but other ID information may be registered in another area of the telephone card. The search start key for dial data from the telephone card is "*" instead of "#" key.
You may use a key. In addition, it is needless to say that the dial data can be registered and read out by dialing two or more digits of dial number data by inputting a plurality of search start keys, ten keys, and an end key.

[0055]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a telephone is off-hook, when a message message addressed to the telephone is stored, the fact is notified by voice. You can be notified.

In the second aspect of the invention, since the ring tone signal having a tone color different from the normal ring tone is transmitted to the destination telephone of the message stored in the mailbox, the message arrives at the ordinary telephone. Can be notified.

In the third invention, if the line to the destination telephone is in use at the time when the message is stored in the mailbox, the arrival of the message is notified as soon as the line of the destination becomes available. The arrival of the message can be notified to the telephone.

In the fourth invention, a reply message is registered in advance for each sender of the message message, and when the reply message to the sender of the received message message is registered, this reply message is automatically sent. Because it transmits
The user can perform efficient communication.

In the card telephone according to the fifth aspect of the invention, when one of a plurality of telephone numbers recorded in the telephone card is designated, the telephone number is selectively read out and automatically transmitted. You can easily make an automatic call.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a voice mail device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the voice mail device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a voice mail device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a normal ring tone in the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a ringing tone (message arrival notification tone) different from a normal incoming call in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a voice mail device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a voice mail device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a mailbox according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a response message registration process in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a response message transmission process in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a telephone of the card telephone system.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a public telephone of the card telephone system.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the telephone of FIG.

16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the public telephone shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a. 1b Line 2 Switch (PBX) 4 Hard disk device (HD) 4A-4B Mailbox 5 Voice synthesis board 8 Microprocessor (MPU) 9a, 9b Telephone 10 DTMF analysis board 11 Signal generator 22, 32 Network controller (NCU) 23 , 24 Microprocessor (MPU) 25 RAM 27 Card writer 37 Card reader

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A mailbox for accumulating a message for each destination, an off-hook detecting means for detecting an off-hook of a telephone, and a message for a telephone in which the off-hook is detected by the off-hook detecting means is stored in the mailbox. A determination means for determining whether or not the message is stored, and a notification means for notifying the telephone related to off-hook detection by voice when the determination message determines that the message is stored. A voice mail device characterized by 2. A mail box for accumulating a message message for each destination, a ring tone signal generating means for generating a ring tone signal having a tone color different from a normal ring tone, and a message message stored in the mailbox. A voice mail device comprising: a transmission means for transmitting a ring tone signal having a tone color different from the normal ring tone generated by the ring tone signal generation means to the telephone set. 3. A mailbox for accumulating a message message for each destination, first notification means for notifying the destination telephone of arrival of the message message as soon as the message message is stored in the mailbox, When the line to the destination telephone is in use at the time of the notification by the first notifying unit, the second notifying unit notifies the arrival of the message message as soon as the line becomes available. Voicemail device. 4. Registering means for registering a reply message in advance for each sender of a message message, and determining whether or not a reply message to the sender of the message message is registered in the registering means when the message message is received. A voice mail device comprising: a determining unit; and a transmitting unit that transmits the response message to the sender when the determining unit determines that the response message is registered. 5. A telephone card in which a plurality of telephone numbers are recorded, designation means for designating one of the plurality of telephone numbers recorded in the telephone card, and a telephone number designated by the designation means. And a calling means for selectively reading and calling from the telephone card.