JPH08163232A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To report the time when a message is recorded. CONSTITUTION: This system is provided with a voice storage means 5 for storing a voice, a voice input means 4 for storing the voice inputted from a telephone line 1 into the voice storage means 5, and a voice output means 6 for reproducing the voice stored in the voice storage means 5 and outputting it to the telephone line 1 or a speaker 3, and is constituted of an LED display means 9 for showing the recording of the voice, a measuring means 7 for measuring the passage of time, and a LED control means 8 for changing the flickering period of an LED 10 in response to the lapse of time. Thus, the recording time can be reported to a user by the flickering period of the LED 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an answering machine has been known as a device for automatically answering a calling bell from a telephone line and recording a message of a talker.

Conventionally, as a means for notifying that a message has been recorded, there is an answering machine which displays by blinking an LED. In an answering machine with this function, L
It was possible to confirm the presence or absence of a message that had not been heard by blinking the ED, and the time when the message was recorded could be known only by playing the message.

[0004]

However, in an answering machine which displays the fact that the above message has been recorded by blinking an LED, even if the time has elapsed after the message was recorded, the message was recorded at any time. There was a problem that it was necessary to reproduce the message to know whether or not the message was sent.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. In response to the passage of time after the message is recorded, the blinking period of the display device including the LED is changed to shorten the message recording time. The purpose is to provide an answering machine that can be known.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a display means for indicating that a voice is input,
A measuring means for measuring the lapse of time after the voice is input and a display control means for changing the blinking cycle of the display device or the warning sound generation cycle in response to the lapse of time are provided.

[0007]

With the above structure, the present invention visually confirms when a recorded message was recorded by changing the blinking cycle of the display device or the warning sound generation cycle without any operation. Is what you can do.

[0008]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 is a telephone line. Reference numeral 1a is a line interface unit for connecting to the telephone line 1, and is provided with a line transformer and a 2-wire to 4-wire conversion circuit. 2 is a microphone and 3 is a speaker. Reference numeral 4 is a voice input means for inputting and amplifying the voice from the telephone line 1 and the microphone 2 and writing it in the voice storing means described later. Reference numeral 5 is a voice storage means for storing the voice data inputted through the voice input means 4, 6 is a voice data stored in the voice storage means 5, which is reproduced and reproduced, and reproduced voice is reproduced to the telephone line 1 or the speaker 3. It is a voice output means for outputting.

Reference numeral 7 is a measuring means for measuring the passage of time after the voice data such as the message is stored in the voice storage means 5, and 7a is a RAM (fixed memory) for storing the time when the voice is stored. , 7b are timers for measuring the time from the time when the voice is stored. Reference numeral 8 is an LED control means that refers to the timer 7b and changes the LED cycle when the timer 7b expires, and 9 is an LED display means that performs a display operation according to a control signal from the LED control means 8. Reference numeral 9a is an LED switch for switching ON / OFF of the LED, and 10 is an LED.

The operation contents of the answering machine having the above-mentioned structure will be described below with reference to FIG. 2 or FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the answering machine in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows LED 1 when 24 hours (1 day) have elapsed after a message was recorded.
This is the blinking cycle of the LED 10 in which the blinking cycle of 0 changes.

The voice input from the telephone line 1 or the microphone 2 is transferred to the voice storage means 5 via the voice input means 4.
Is stored. For example, when there is an incoming call and a message is sent from the caller, the voice is recorded by the voice input means 4 and the voice storage means 5. Further, the recorded time, that is, the recorded time is stored in the RAM 7a.

First, in step 201, it is judged whether or not a message is recorded in the voice storage means 5,
If No, the determination is repeated until Yes, and if the message is recorded in the voice storage means 5 (Yes), the recording time is stored in the RAM 7a [step 20].
2].

Next, after the initial value of the timer 7b is set to the time stored in the RAM 7a [step 203], LE is set.
The D control means 8 sets the LED blinking cycle of the first day shown in FIG. 3A [step 204], and based on this cycle, turns on / off the LED switch 9a to blink the LED 10 [step 205]. .

Next, in step 206, the timer 7b
Refer to to determine whether the value of the timer 7b has expired 24 hours (1 day), and if it has not expired (No)
Moving to step 205, the LED 10 is blinked in the LED blinking cycle T1 on the first day, and if it has expired, step 207
Then, the LED control means 8 sets the LED blinking cycle T2 on the second day shown in FIG. 3B, and based on this cycle,
LE by turning on / off the LED switch 9a
Blink D10 [step 208].

Next, at step 209, it is judged by referring to the timer 7b whether or not the value of the timer 7b has expired for 48 hours (2 days), and if it has not expired (No), the routine proceeds to step 208. LED at LED blinking cycle T2 on the 2nd day
10 is made to blink, and if it has expired, the routine proceeds to step 210, where the LED control means 8 sets the LED blinking cycle T3 on and after the third day shown in FIG. 3C, and based on this cycle,
LE by turning on / off the LED switch 9a
Flashes D10 [step 211].

Next, at step 212, it is judged whether or not the message is reproduced by the voice output means 6 and outputted to the telephone line 1 or the speaker 3, and if it is not outputted (No), the process returns to step 211 for 3 days. The LED 10 is blinked at the LED blinking cycle T3 of the eye, and if it is output (Yes), the LED control means 8 terminates the blinking of the LED 10 [step 213].

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the blinking cycle of the LED 10 is made faster with the passage of time after the message is recorded. Therefore, the approximate elapsed time can be known only by looking at the blinking cycle of the LED 10. In addition to being able to do so, it is possible to prompt the user to hear the message by notifying the passage of time.

In the present embodiment, the blinking cycle of the LED 10 is set to increase with the passage of time. However, this may be set to be slower, or the lighting time may be lengthened even if the cycle is the same. Good.

Although the blinking cycle is changed according to the passage of days, it may be changed according to the passage of unit time. Further, the display device is not limited to the LED, but may be an LCD, a lamp, or the like.

Further, in the present embodiment, the blinking cycle of the visible display means such as the LED is changed, but this is such that the audible display means such as a buzzer intermittently issues an alarm and changes the generation cycle thereof. May be.

[0023]

As described above, the present invention has the voice storing means for storing the voice inputted from the telephone line, and the voice stored in the voice storing means can be outputted to the telephone line or the speaker. In the answering machine, the display means for indicating that the voice is input, the measuring means for measuring the passage of time after the voice is input, and the blinking cycle of the display device or By providing the display control means for changing the generation cycle of the warning sound, it is possible to know the approximate time elapsed since the message was recorded just by looking at the display cycle of the display means and to notify the elapsed time. By doing so, the user can be prompted to listen to the message quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the answering machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an L of an answering machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Timing diagram showing blinking cycle of ED

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Telephone Line 1a Line Interface 2 Microphone 3 Speaker 4 Voice Input Means 5 Voice Storage Means 6 Voice Output Means 7 Measuring Means 7a RAM 7b Timer 8 LED Control Means 9 LED Display Means 9a LED Switch 10 LED T1 Day 1 LED Blinking Cycle T2 LED blinking cycle on the 2nd day T3 LED blinking cycle after 3rd day

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A voice storage means for storing a voice input from a telephone line, a display means for indicating that the voice is stored in the voice storage means, and a lapse of time after the voice is stored. An answering machine apparatus comprising: a measuring unit and a display control unit that changes a display method of the display unit in response to the passage of time. 2. The answering machine apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display device includes an LED, and the display control means changes a blinking cycle of the LED. 3. An answering machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display device comprises an audible display means, and the display control means changes a cycle of generation of a warning sound of the audible display means. 4. A voice storage means for storing voice, a voice input means for storing voice input from a telephone line in the voice storage means, and a voice line for reproducing the voice stored in the voice storage means or a telephone line or A voice output means for outputting to a speaker, a display means for indicating that a voice is input, a measuring means for measuring a lapse of time after the voice is input, and a display of the display means in response to the lapse of time. An answering machine apparatus, comprising: a display control means for changing the method.