JPH10271225A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication equipment which resolves a trouble due to incorporation of the homecoming time by incorporating information substituted for the homecoming time in a message. SOLUTION: This equipment is constituted so that it automatically responds to incoming to send a voice message or a display message to a caller, and the equipment is provided with absence time setting means (an absence predeterminate time setting key 1, ten keys, and a control means), an absence time memory 4 where the absence predeterminate time set by absence time setting means is stored, time passage processing means (a time passage measuring means 3 and a control means 2) which reduces the absence predeterminate time stored in the absence time memory 4 in accordance with time passage, a voice conversion means 6 which converts the absence predeterminate time reduced by the time passage processing means into a voice. The control means 2 starts the voice conversion means 6 at the time of sending of a voice message from a response message generation means 5 and incorporates the voice of the absence predeterminate time in the voice message to send it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication apparatus which automatically responds to an incoming call and gives a message to a caller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There has been conventionally known an answering machine which automatically responds to an incoming call and gives a message to a caller to inform the caller of the message and record the message. ing. Specifically, this type of answering machine
When there is an incoming call, it automatically goes off-hook and connects to the line.
In order to record the voice of the caller who responded to this message automatically, saying, "I'm currently away, so if you have a request, please speak after a beep." The recording tape is automatically started, and the recording tape is stopped when the line is disconnected.

[0003] There are many callers who hang up without announcing a request for this type of answering machine, and such callers often call the other party while they are away. They tend to hang up every time. For this reason, it is conceivable to include the expected return time in the absence message, such as "I'm away right now. Please speak after the beep. Today's scheduled return time is ○ h ○ min." . However, since the scheduled return time is different each time, it is necessary to re-record the message each time the user is away.

In view of the above, a configuration is adopted in which a number representing the time of returning home can be input using a numeric keypad or the like, and this number is stored in a memory, and means for synthesizing and outputting a voice corresponding to the number is provided. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-29457) has been proposed in which a part of "return to o hour o minute" is automatically created.
Reference: IPC H04M 3/50).

[0005]

However, when inputting the scheduled return time to the telephone, the user grasps the current time and the time spent for business (scheduled absence time), and sets the scheduled absence time at the current time. It is very troublesome because it is necessary to add and calculate the return time. Also, since there is a time difference for calls from overseas, the caller must determine the next time to call by taking the time difference into account when returning home. It can be annoying.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication apparatus which incorporates information in place of a return time in a message, thereby eliminating a problem caused by incorporating the return time.

[0007]

A communication device according to the present invention comprises:
In order to solve the above problem, in a communication device which automatically responds to an incoming call and sends a voice message or a display message to a caller, an absence time setting means for setting an estimated absence time, A time memory for storing the scheduled absentee time set by the absent time setting unit, a converting unit for converting the scheduled absentee time stored in the time memory into a voice or a display, and transmitting the voice message or the display message. Control means for activating the conversion means and incorporating a voice or display of the scheduled absence time in the voice message or the display message.

[0008] According to the above arrangement, the voice or display of the scheduled absence time is incorporated in the voice message or the display message. In other words, instead of “go home at ○ hour ○ minute”,
A voice or display saying "Return home after ○ hour ○ minute" is incorporated. Therefore, the user does not need to know the current time, and only has to consider the time spent for business (scheduled absence time) and register. In addition, even when a call is made from abroad, the caller can know the timing of calling again regardless of the time difference, so that the caller is not bothered.

A communication apparatus according to the present invention is a communication apparatus which automatically responds to an incoming call and sends a voice message or a display message to a caller. A time memory for storing the scheduled absence time set by the absence time setting means; a time lapse processing means for decreasing the scheduled absence time stored in the time memory with the lapse of time; Conversion means for converting the scheduled absence time reduced by the processing means into voice or display, and activating the conversion means when sending the voice message or display message,
Control means for incorporating voice of the scheduled absence time into the voice message or display message and transmitting the voice message.

In the above configuration, for example, if two hours are set as “I will return home after ○ hours”,
Immediately after the set, "I will go home two hours later."
30 minutes later, "1
I will go home after 30 hours. Message. As described above, the scheduled absence time of the message is changed in accordance with the passage of time, so that the caller can be notified of the accurate scheduled return time.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The communication device of the present invention is used as a telephone device, a telephone device with a facsimile function, a mobile phone device, a PHS, an electronic organizer device with a communication function, a personal computer with a communication function, or the like. 1 will be described as an example.

The scheduled absence time setting key 1 is provided, for example, as a touch key on the upper surface of a telephone device or a display (not shown). When the user presses the scheduled absent time setting key 1, the control unit 2 shifts the telephone device to a scheduled absent time setting mode.
In this mode, the user can input a scheduled absence time by operating a numeric keypad (not shown) provided on the telephone device. For example, to set 2 hours and 30 minutes as the scheduled absence time, the user may press “0230” on the numeric keypad.

The time elapse measuring means 3 starts time measurement in response to a measurement start signal from the control means 2. Then, for example, every time the elapsed time of 5 minutes is measured, a 5-minute elapsed signal is given to the control means 2, the elapsed time is cleared, the elapsed time of 5 minutes is measured again, and The provision of a 5-minute elapsed signal is repeated. Of course, this is an example of time measurement, and the present invention is not limited to this. The time measurement by the time elapse measuring means 3 is terminated, for example, when the answering machine mode is released by operating the answering machine key.

The absentee time memory 4 stores the expected absentee time input using the numeric keypad. This scheduled absence time is subtracted and updated as time passes. That is, when the control unit 2 receives the 5-minute elapsed signal from the time elapsed measuring unit 3, the control unit 2 reads the scheduled absence time from the absence time memory 4. Then, 5 minutes is subtracted from the scheduled absence time, and the subtracted scheduled absence time is stored in the absence time memory 4 again.

The response message generating means 5 includes, for example,
Some response messages, such as "I'm away right now,""If you have any requirements, please speak after a beep," and "I'll be back." It is remembered as. Then, the control means 2 instructs the response message generating means 5 which of the above-mentioned or to be transmitted in which order. For example, if the scheduled absence time has not been set, the user selects and the control is performed so that a response message is transmitted in the order of →. On the other hand, if the scheduled absence time is set, for example,
And are controlled so that a response message is transmitted in the order of →→ (absence time voice described later) →.

The voice converting means 6 has a voice synthesizing function,
When the scheduled absence time is received from the control means 2, it is converted into sound and output. For example, if the data “0115” is received as the scheduled absence time,
Outputs the sound "Ichikanjugogofun".

The task recording means 7 comprises, for example, a tape recorder. The business message recording means 7 includes the control means 2
Thus, the start of recording, the stop of recording, and the reproduction process are controlled.

The call detection means 8 detects the presence or absence of a call signal input via the line connection terminal 9 and, when detecting this call signal, gives a call detection signal to the control means 2. The control means, when receiving the call detection signal, turns on the line connection switch 10 (line connection).

Next, the operation in the absence mode in which the scheduled absence time is set will be described. In this mode, when the time elapses, the absence time memory 4 is stored in accordance with the elapsed time.
Is decremented. Then, when there is an incoming call, the control means 2 receives the call detection signal from the call detection means 8, turns on the line connection switch 10, and
The response message generation means 5 is controlled to make the above-mentioned voice response of "I am out of the office now." Then, the scheduled absence time stored in the absence time memory 4 is read out, and this is converted into voice. The voice conversion means 6 outputs the voice of the scheduled absence time, for example, the voice of "1 hour and 15 minutes". Then, the response message generating means 5 is again controlled to continuously perform the above-described voice response of "return to the back" and the voice response of "if there is a requirement, please speak after a beep".
The message recording means 7 is started.

As described above, when the scheduled absence time is set and the absence mode is set, the voice of the scheduled absence time is incorporated in the voice message. That is, instead of "go home at xx hours", a voice saying "go home after xx hours." Therefore, the user does not need to know the current time, and only has to consider the time spent for business (scheduled absence time) and register. In addition, even when a call is made from abroad, the caller can know the timing of calling again regardless of the time difference, so that the caller is not bothered.

Further, for example, if two hours are set as "I will return home after ○ hours", and immediately after the setting, a message such as "I will return home two hours later" is given, and 30 minutes after that. Later, a message such as "I will return home after 1 hour 30" will be sent. As described above, the scheduled absence time of the message is changed in accordance with the passage of time, so that the caller can be notified of the accurate scheduled return time.

In this embodiment, the scheduled return time is reduced every five minutes.
The timing is not limited to the above minutes, and the timing of insertion into the response message “Go home after ○ hours” is of course not limited to the example described above. Also, the case where the response message is a voice message has been described as an example, but a display message may be transmitted instead of the voice message. This display message is suitable when the communication device has a relatively large display screen like an electronic organizer device with a communication function or a personal computer with a communication function. It should be noted that the display message may be generated as text data or image data.

[0023] In addition, although the other party is told to record the message after the response message, the other party is informed of the expected absence time, so it is not always necessary to tell the other party the statement. For example, "Now,
I am away. ○ As you return after time ○ minutes, please call at that time. "Or give the timing when the other party calls again, or"I'm away right now. I will return after ○ hours ○ minutes, so at that time I will call from here. Please give the timing that the other party waits for the call from here. Also,
If the answering machine mode is not canceled even after the scheduled absence time, it is not preferable to send a message "Return in 0 minutes". Therefore, in such a case, the control means 2 determines whether or not the remaining time in the absence time memory 4 has reached 0 minutes (or whether or not the remaining time has exceeded 5 minutes, etc.), and has reached 0 minutes ( Or, when 5 minutes have passed, etc.), the response message generating means 5 is used to send a message such as "I'm out of the office now. I'm planning to return home soon." May be sent.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user only needs to consider the time spent on business (scheduled absence time) without having to know the current time. In addition, even when a call is made from abroad, the caller can know the timing of calling again regardless of the time difference, so that the caller is not bothered. In addition, if the scheduled absence time is reduced as time elapses, the caller can be notified of the correct scheduled return time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a telephone device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Expected absence time setting key 2 Control means 3 Time elapsed measurement means 4 Absence time memory 5 Response message generation means 6 Voice conversion means 7 Message recording means 8 Call detection means 9 Line connection terminal 10 Line connection switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An absent time setting means for setting an expected absent time in a communication apparatus which automatically responds to an incoming call and sends a voice message or a display message to a caller, and said absent time setting means. A time memory for storing the scheduled absentee time set in step 2, a converting means for converting the absent scheduled time stored in the time memory into a voice or a display, and activating the converting means when the voice message or the display message is transmitted. And a control unit for incorporating voice or display of the estimated absence time into the voice message or the display message. 2. An absent time setting means for setting an expected absent time in a communication apparatus which automatically responds to an incoming call and sends a voice message or a display message to a caller, and said absent time setting means. A time memory for storing the scheduled absence time set in the above, a time lapse processing means for reducing the scheduled absence time stored in the time memory in accordance with the lapse of time, and the time lapse processing means Conversion means for converting the expected absence time into voice or display; control means for activating the conversion means upon transmission of the voice message or display message, and incorporating and transmitting the voice of the expected absence time in the voice message or display message; A communication device comprising: