JPH10243087A - Automatic answering telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To send a reply while automatically selecting any one of plural automatic answering messages by previously storing passwords for recognizing respective individuals, automatic answering response messages peculiar for respective individuals and absence flags showing the absence/presence of respective individuals, specifying a callee from the inputted password and sending the message corresponding to the callee. SOLUTION: An RAM 3 is provided with a password managing part for managing the password personally set by every individual, an absent state managing part for managing whether every individual is present or absence currently, a telephone number managing part related to every individual himself, and an automatic answering message managing part. At the time of call incoming, the received telephone number is collated with the telephone number managing part, afterwards, it is checked by the absent state managing part whether the manager of coincident telephone number is present or not and when such a manager is present, by inputting the personal password, calling operation is started. It is not necessary to specify the callee by inputting the specified password to the call originating side in advance and plural automatic answering messages can be automatically sent out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone, and more particularly to an answering machine for transmitting a predetermined message to a called party when not present.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional answering machine transmits a message prepared in advance to a calling side when no answer is made in a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined time when answering is set. The caller's message can be stored by the receiver. The receiver can listen to the stored message after returning home, and can communicate the intention of the caller to the receiver.

When a single telephone is used by a plurality of users, it has been possible to provide a message storage unit for each individual user and leave a message for each individual.

In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-85898, a password is determined in advance with a specific sender, and the sender inputs the password when entering a requirement message. When the requirement message is reproduced, the personal identification number is input and the message is reproduced only when the password matches. This protects the privacy of the message for a particular recipient.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, it is not possible to register an individual's absence message, and to select only whether or not the user is in the absence mode as a whole.

For example, when a family of three people A, B, and C use one telephone, and all three people A, B, and C are out, the answering mode may be set. If only B is at home and B and C are out, if the answering mode is set, even if a call arrives for A, the answering mode will be the answer. Conversely, if the answering mode is canceled, A will respond to calls to B and C, and after all A listens to the message, and
Alternatively, the message may be transmitted to C, and the message storage function of the answering machine may not be used, and privacy may be violated. Also, B
Is not at home, and if it is desired to leave a message by talking directly to A, there is a problem that it is not possible to cope with the situation, even for urgent business.

[0007] Further, if the call waiting service is subscribed, B is busy, and if a call to C is received on the way, B can take a call to C, and privacy may be violated. There was sex.

In the conventional technique of protecting the privacy of the sender by inputting a specific password, the sender must always memorize the specific password. The operation becomes complicated, and privacy cannot be protected if the password is forgotten.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a password for recognizing each individual in advance, an absence response message unique to each individual, and an absence flag indicating whether each individual is away or at home. Means for storing a telephone directory for each individual; means for recognizing a recipient by means of an inputted password; means for obtaining a telephone number of a calling party at the time of receiving a telephone call; A means for comparing the number with the telephone directory of each individual and recognizing the individual as a receiver for the incoming call, and a unique receiver for the incoming call when the receiver for the incoming call is not available. Means for sending an answering response message of the present invention.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a password for recognizing each individual in advance, an answering message unique to each individual, an answering flag indicating whether each individual is away or at home, a telephone call for each individual Means for storing a number book, means for recognizing a recipient based on an input password, means for obtaining a telephone number of a third party when a call is received from a third party during a call in a call waiting service, A means for comparing the telephone number of a third party with the telephone directory of each individual, and recognizing the corresponding individual as a recipient of an incoming call from the third party. If the receiver of the message is "absent", the above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a means for sending an absence response message unique to the receiver to a third party.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the receiver is at home, the above-mentioned problem is solved by providing means for answering the reception by inputting the password of the receiver and making a call. .

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when there is no corresponding receiver, a normal call notification is performed,
Means for solving the above-mentioned problem are provided by providing a means for making a call for reception without inputting a password.

According to claim 5 of the present invention, means for detecting whether or not a specific tone is transmitted during transmission of the answering message, and normal call notification when transmission of the specific tone is detected. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a means for making a call other than the receiver for the reception.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention. CPU1 and CP for controlling each control unit
ROM for storing U1 control programs and various data
2. RAM 3 used as a temporary buffer in controlling various data and CPU 1, display controller 4 controlling display in accordance with instructions from CPU 1, LCD displaying various data based on control of display controller 4.
5, an input tablet 6 composed of a panel and a pen for inputting, a coordinate input controller 7 for passing input from the tablet 6 to the CPU 1, a handset 8 having a microphone, a speaker, etc., a public telephone line 9, and a ring from the public telephone line 9. A telephone communication control unit (NCU) 10 for detecting a tone and controlling line connection, a telephone communication control unit 10 and a public telephone line 9
And a line connection unit 11 for connecting

Details of the RAM 3 will be described below. A password management unit 31 that manages a password set by each individual to protect privacy, an absence status management unit 32 that manages whether each individual is currently at home or away,
A telephone number management unit 33 that manages telephone numbers related to oneself, that is, telephone numbers that are likely to be addressed to oneself, and an answering machine that manages an answering machine message that each individual sends to the caller when he or she is away. A message management unit 34 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the password management unit 31 stores a password for each individual (here, each family). Password is 0 to enter on phone
It is composed of about 5 numbers of 9 to 9. The password is used to identify the operator when taking a call. To register a password, each individual enters a password and a name.

The absence status management unit 32, as shown in FIG.
The flag indicates whether each individual is at home or away from home (absence). In the example of FIG. 3, data of “absent” and “at home” are stored, but may be simply stored as binary data of 0 and 1. Usually, the status of absence / at-home of each individual is displayed on the screen of the telephone, and the absence / at-home status can be changed by a toggle by a specific key operation. For example, a method of displaying a key corresponding to each individual on the tablet 6 and changing the key by operating the key can be considered.

The telephone number management unit 33, as shown in FIG.
The telephone numbers associated with each individual are stored. This is data used to determine to whom the incoming call is. A telephone number is stored in association with each individual. When registering, changing, or deleting this telephone number, you must enter each individual's password. In the following description, each individual will be referred to as a manager of the stored telephone number.

As shown in FIG. 5, the answering machine management unit 34 stores a message as voice data when the telephone according to the present invention transmits a message to a caller. As the message, in the present embodiment,
The first message when everyone is away, the second message when each individual is away, the second message that is set for each individual, the third message that is a ringing message, call waiting service, etc. A fourth message, which is used when the user is busy, and a fifth message, which is an explanation of an operation for connecting to a person other than the intended person, are stored.

Regarding the registration and change of the answering machine message, the second message set for each individual is registration,
You will need to enter your password to change it. Since the first, third, fourth, and fifth messages are used in common, anyone can register and change them.

Next, the processing flow of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. If there is an incoming call (step S
1), the telephone number of the calling side is received (step S2).
For the reception of the telephone number, a service that can receive the telephone number transmitted from the exchange, which is a conventional technique (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-85898), is used.

It is searched whether the telephone number received in step S2 is a telephone number stored and managed by the telephone number management unit 33 (step S3). This corresponds to each telephone number data of the telephone number management unit 33 shown in FIG.
This is a process for collating the telephone number obtained in the above, and a process for determining to whom the received telephone is.

In step S4, if there is no matching telephone number in the absence status management unit 32, the absence status management unit 32 checks the resident person (step S1).
5). If there is at least one resident, step S
At 16, a call is made. This state is the same as a normal telephone call, and anyone can answer the call (step S17). In step S15, if no one is at home, the first message is read from the answering machine message management unit 34, and the message is transmitted to the calling side (step S18). As shown in FIG. 5, the first message is a message for notifying that all the members are away. After transmitting this message, it is desirable to record the message of the calling party like a general answering machine. The process of recording the message is omitted here.

If there is a matching telephone number in step S4, the absence status managing unit 32 checks whether the manager of the matching telephone number is at home (step S5). For example, in step S4, when a call is made to the family A, a flag of the absence state management unit 32 is checked whether the family A is at home.

When the corresponding telephone number manager is out of the office, the answering machine message manager 34 transmits a second message, which is a message of each corresponding individual (step S10). The answering machine message management unit 34 can store not only the message but also the telephone number of the transfer destination. The telephone number of the transfer destination is stored in the column of the family C in FIG. 5 instead of the message. In this case, step S1
At 0, the call is transferred to the destination telephone number.

Further, the fifth message of the answering machine message management unit 34 is transmitted (step S11). The fifth message is a message for explaining an operation in a case where it is desired to connect the telephone to another resident when the target individual is out of the office. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a message that “when number X is pressed, a user other than the person can be connected” is transmitted. Here, when a specific operation, for example, an operation of inputting "99", is performed, a tone signal due to the operation is detected in step S12, and in step S13, a normal calling state is set, and anyone can answer the telephone. (Step S14). When a tone signal is not detected, a message is recorded in the same manner as a normal answering machine.

If the corresponding manager is at home in step S5, a calling operation is performed in step S6. This call is different from a normal call operation, and when a call is received, it is necessary to input a personal password (step S7). When the password is input, the input password is stored in the password management unit 31. Verify the password that is If the input password is the password of the corresponding administrator, the telephone is connected and a call can be made (step S9).
If the password is different, the answering machine message manager 3
The third message stored in No. 4 is transmitted, and the process returns to the calling state again (step S8).

Next, processing when the call waiting service is used will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The basic steps are the same. When there is an incoming call during a call (step F21), the telephone number of the calling side is received (step F22). It is checked whether the received telephone number matches the telephone number stored in the telephone number management unit 33 (step F23).

If there is no matching telephone number (step F24), it is not possible to determine to whom the call is directed, so that a new call is received by a hooking operation as in a normal call waiting service. (Step F36).

If there is a matching telephone number, it is checked whether or not the corresponding manager is at home based on the data in the absence status management unit 32 (step F25). If it is an answering machine, a second message, which is an answering machine message of each individual, of the answering machine message management unit 34 is transmitted to the calling side (step F32). Thereafter, in step F33, a fifth message, which is a message of an operation for connecting with another person, is transmitted (step F33). When a tone corresponding to the specific operation is detected in step F34, step F35 is performed.
As a result, the user can answer the telephone by hooking in the same manner as a normal call waiting service. If no tone is detected in step F34, normal processing such as recording a message is performed.

If the corresponding manager is at home in step F25, hooking is detected for a certain period of time (step F27). The fourth message of the message management unit 34 is transmitted (step F31). If a hooking operation has been performed, a password is input (step F28). If the password matches the password of the corresponding administrator, the telephone is connected in step F30 in the same manner as a normal call waiting service. If the passwords do not match, the third message stored in the answering machine message management unit 34 is sent out, and the calling state is returned again (step F29). With the above processing, even in the call waiting service,
The same processing can be realized.

[0032]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the telephone number of the calling party is automatically obtained at the time of an incoming call, the receiver is specified based on the telephone number, and the receiver is absent. In this case, an answering machine message is sent according to the recipient, so there is no need for the calling party to enter a specific password in advance to identify the recipient, and a plurality of answering machines are automatically selected for calling. Side can send a message.

According to the invention of claim 2 of the present invention, when a call waiting service is subscribed, a telephone number is automatically acquired for a call from a third party during a call, and based on the telephone number, Identify the recipient and, if the recipient is absent, send an answering machine message according to the recipient, so there is no need to identify the recipient by inputting a specific password in advance on the calling side, It is possible to automatically select a plurality of answering machines and send the messages to the calling side.

According to the invention of claim 3 of the present invention, when it is determined that the person to be called is at home, a unique password of the person to be called is input, and after the recognition, the call can be made. Therefore, there is no danger of privacy infringement because other people do not answer the call.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a person to be received cannot be identified, a telephone call can be made without entering a password so that anyone can answer the telephone. You can distinguish between the case and the case without.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when a specific message is transmitted when a person who is to be received is absent and a unique message is transmitted, a normal call is made, and anyone can call the telephone. Therefore, it is possible to cope with a case where a person to be received is absent and a connection to another person is desired.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 shows a password management unit 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an absence state management unit 32 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the specific example of.

FIG. 4 shows a telephone number management unit 33 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the specific example of.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of an answering machine management unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing flow in one embodiment of the present invention when using the call waiting service.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Display controller 5 LCD 6 Tablet 7 Coordinate input controller 8 Handset 9 Public telephone line 10 Telephone / communication control unit 11 Line connection unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A means for storing in advance a password recognizing each individual, an answering message unique to each individual, an answering flag indicating whether each individual is away or at home, and a telephone number book for each individual. A means for recognizing the recipient by the input password, a means for acquiring the telephone number of the calling party at the time of the incoming call, and a collation of the acquired telephone number of the calling party with the telephone directory of each individual, Means for recognizing the individual as a receiver for the incoming call, and means for sending an answering response message unique to the relevant receiver when the receiver for the incoming call is out of phone when receiving a telephone call. An answering machine that features. 2. A means for storing in advance a password for recognizing each individual, an answering message unique to each individual, an answering flag indicating whether each individual is away or at home, and a telephone number book for each individual. Means for recognizing the recipient by the entered password, means for obtaining a telephone number of a third party when a call is received from a third party during a call in the call waiting service, and a phone number of the obtained third party; A means for checking the telephone number book of each individual and recognizing the corresponding individual as a receiver for an incoming call from the third party, and when receiving an incoming call, when the receiver for the incoming call from the third party is not available Means for sending an answering message specific to the recipient to a third party. 3. The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for answering the reception and making a call by inputting the password of the recipient when the recipient is at home. Phone. 4. If there is no corresponding recipient,
3. The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for making a normal call notification and making a call in response to reception without inputting a password. 5. A means for detecting whether or not a specific tone is transmitted during the transmission of the answering message, and, when the transmission of the specific tone is detected, a normal call notification is performed, and a non-recipient receives a call. The answering machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for answering and talking.