JPH10173765A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability of telephone system by providing a timer for outputting current time at an automatic answering telephone system and a means for storing time range data more than one and response messages, corresponding to these time range data and switching a speaking style corresponding to the output time zone of timer. SOLUTION: A control circuit 7 is composed of a microprocessor and controls respective parts, based on a program stored in a ROM 8. A RAM 9 stores data required for operating the control circuit 7. These data include response messages and data showing whether the message of caller is recorded or not, corresponding to the time range shown by days of the week, start time and end time. These data are previously inputted from an input means 10 by a user. The control circuit 7 possesses the information showing the current day of the week and the current time from a timer 14 and compares the current time with the contents stored in the RAM 9. When the current time is included in the range of RAM 9, an automatic answering mode is set and when there is call incoming, the message is transmitted to the caller.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine capable of storing one or more response messages.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a response message (OGM) is set to one.
There is a problem that since only one person is remembered, a flexible response to the other party cannot be taken when the user is absent. In order to solve this, an answering machine storing a plurality of response messages has been considered. For example, JP-A-5-83355 and JP-A-5-74056 store a plurality of input response messages and a switching time of the response messages, and transmit a response message corresponding to the current time.

[0003]

However, during a time period in which a response message is not stored, the answering machine mode must be canceled and the call answering mode must be set since the answering machine is not normally in the absence mode. In this regard, in the above configuration, the switch between the answering machine mode and the call mode is performed by operating the switch, and the switch needs to be operated a plurality of times every day according to the switching time of the response message. The number of times the switch is operated may increase in the case of a telephone device storing a plurality of response messages.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, an answering machine of the present invention has been made in view of the above points. A timer for outputting a current time, one or more time range data, and a response message corresponding to the time range data are provided. Storage means, which has an answering machine mode and a call mode, and sets the answering machine mode when the storage means has time range data including the current time outputted by the timer, and sets the current time. A control circuit for selecting a response message corresponding to the included time range data and setting the communication mode when the time range data including the current time outputted by the timer is not present in the storage means;

A timer for outputting the current time, 1
Storage means for storing the above time range data, a response message corresponding to the time range data, and recording enable / disable data corresponding to the time range data as to whether or not to record the caller's message; A response message corresponding to the time range data containing the current time included in the answering machine mode if the time range data including the current time outputted by the timer is present in the storage means. A control circuit is provided for selecting the recording permission / prohibition data and setting the call mode when there is no time range data including the current time outputted by the timer in the storage means.

[0006] The time range data includes data representing a time and data representing a day of the week.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of the embodiment.
(1) is an incoming call detection circuit, which detects an incoming call on a telephone line.

[0008] (2) is a line connection circuit for closing and opening a telephone line. (3) is a dial transmission circuit which is connected to a telephone line and transmits a dial signal.
(4) is a hybrid circuit which is connected to a telephone line and performs 2-wire to 4-wire conversion. (5) and (6) are a speaker and a microphone of the handset, which are connected to the hybrid circuit (4).

(7) is a control circuit composed of a microprocessor, which controls each section based on a program stored in the ROM (8). (9) is a RAM for storing data necessary for the operation of the control circuit (7). As shown in the table of FIG. 2, this data includes a response message and data on whether or not a caller's message has been recorded, corresponding to a time range indicated by a day of the week and a start time-end time. . These data are previously input by the user through the input means (10).

Reference numeral 11 denotes a speaker, which converts a recorded voice signal of the caller's business into voice. (12) is a bell, which outputs a ringing tone upon receiving a call. (13) is a liquid crystal display device for displaying telephone numbers and the like. (14) is a timer that outputs the current time. At the current time,
For example, the current day of the week (Tuesday) and the current time (15:34
Minutes) are included.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control circuit (7). The control circuit (7) obtains information on the current day of the week and the current time from the timer (14), and the current time is stored in the RAM (9) as a day of the week and a time range indicated by a start time and an end time. It is checked whether it is within (S1).

If the current time is within the time range stored in the RAM (9), the control circuit (7) sets the answering machine mode (S2). When there is an incoming call (Y in S3),
A response message corresponding to the current time is transmitted to the calling party (S4). The recording permission / inhibition data corresponding to the current time is checked, and if recording is enabled, recording processing such as transmission of a recording message to the caller is performed (S6).

In step S1, the current time is stored in the RAM
If the time is not within the time range stored in (9), the control circuit (7) switches to the call mode so that the caller can directly talk with the caller.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to perform an operation for canceling the answering machine state because the telephone is automatically set to the call mode during the time when the response message is not inputted. This improves operability and prevents operation errors. Also,
Since the time setting of the response message is set to the day of the week and the time, it is suitable for life with a cycle of one week. If a switch for manually setting the answering machine mode is additionally provided, an unexpected answering machine can be handled.

The present invention also includes a setting as to whether or not to record a message in the answering machine mode. Normally, the contents of a response message when answering a message and a message when no message is recorded are different. In this regard, the present invention associates the response message with the recording presence / absence data over time, and is convenient for use.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing stored contents of a RAM of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 incoming call detection circuit 3 dial transmission circuit 7 control circuit 8 ROM 9 RAM 10 input means 14 timer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Hirano 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A timer for outputting a current time, storage means for storing one or more time range data and a response message corresponding to the time range data, an answering machine mode and a call mode, wherein the timer outputs If there is time range data including the current time in the storage means, the answering machine is set to the answering machine mode, and a response message corresponding to the time range data including the current time is selected. An answering machine having a control circuit for setting the communication mode when the time range data including the time is not present in the storage means. 2. A timer for outputting a current time, one or more time range data, a response message corresponding to the time range data, and a time range data indicating whether or not to record a caller's message. Storage means for storing the recording permission / prohibition data obtained, having an answering machine mode and a call mode, and setting the answering machine mode when the time range data including the current time outputted by the timer is present in the storage means, and Select the response message corresponding to the time range data including the current time and the recording enable / disable data, and set the call mode when the time range data including the current time output by the timer is not present in the storage unit. Answering machine, characterized by comprising a control circuit for controlling the answering machine. 3. The answering machine according to claim 1, wherein the time range data includes data representing a time and data representing a day of the week.