JPH1065796A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic answering telephone system easily confirming an opposite party recording a message. SOLUTION: The automatic answering telephone system capable of confirming the opposite party recording the message is obtained by providing a bell detection part 2 connected to a telephone line 1 and detecting a bell signal from the telephone line 1, a telephone line closing part 3 closing the telephone line 1 by the detection of the bell signal by the part 2, a response message sending part 6 sending a response message to a caller, a business recording part 9 recording a business from the caller, a remote signal detection part 4 detecting a remote signal, a caller recognizing part 5 recognizing the caller and a control part 7 controlling the whole of them.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an answering machine having a caller identification function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an answering machine is connected to a telephone line, automatically responds to a bell signal from the telephone line when answering, and accumulates a message from a caller. The person can hear the accumulated business when returning home. Further, the conventional answering machine has a DTMF receiver for receiving a push-button dial signal (DTMF signal), and has a function of performing a remote operation such as reproduction of a message using a touch-tone telephone or the like. Was. Further, in the case of a conventional answering machine having a caller recognition function, data such as the telephone number, name, and time of the caller can be obtained when a bell signal is input.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional answering machine, even if a message can be heard at the time of remote control, if the name is not recorded in the message, it is not known who the message is. There was a problem that. Also, even if one wants to know only the other party's name, all the messages must be played. Further, in the case of an answering machine having a caller recognition function, the caller information can be obtained when a bell signal is input, but the remote operator cannot obtain the caller information during remote operation. He also had points.

[0004] In this answering machine, there is a demand for being able to easily confirm who the other party of the recorded message is.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an answering machine capable of easily confirming who is the destination of a recorded message.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To solve this problem, an answering machine according to the present invention is connected to a telephone line and detects a bell signal from the telephone line. A telephone line closing unit for closing the telephone line upon detection, a response message transmitting unit for transmitting a response message to the caller, a message recording unit for recording a message from the caller, and a remote signal It comprises a remote signal detecting unit for detecting, a caller recognizing unit for recognizing the caller and obtaining caller information, and a control unit for controlling the whole.

As a result, an answering machine capable of easily confirming who is the other party of the recorded message is obtained.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to a bell detecting section connected to a telephone line for detecting a bell signal from the telephone line, and detecting the bell signal in the bell detecting section to detect the bell signal. A telephone line closing unit for closing, a response message sending unit for sending a response message to the caller,
A message recording unit for recording a message from the caller, a remote signal detection unit for detecting a remote signal, and a caller recognition unit for recognizing the caller and obtaining caller information. And a function of transmitting the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit by voice from the response message sending unit via the control unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a voice synthesizing unit for synthesizing the caller information obtained by the caller recognizing unit and outputting it to a response message sending unit is provided. This has an effect that a voice signal is synthesized based on the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a caller registration unit for registering caller information is provided. It has an effect that a voice signal is generated based on the information and the caller information obtained by recognition.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the information of the caller registered in the caller registration unit and the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit are stored. A voice synthesizing unit for synthesizing voice and outputting it to a response message sending unit, wherein a voice signal is synthesized based on registered caller information and caller information obtained by recognition. It has the effect of

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the caller registration section registers the telephone number of the caller and the name of the caller. There is an effect that the name of the caller is generated as a voice signal even when the name of the caller is not included in the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an answering machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG.
1 is a telephone line, 2 is a bell detecting unit for detecting a bell signal from the telephone line 1, 3 is a telephone line closing unit for closing and opening the telephone line 1, and 4 is a remote signal such as a DTMF signal. 5 is a caller recognizing unit for recognizing a caller and obtaining caller information, 6 is a response message transmitting unit in which a response message is stored and output, and 7 is a control for controlling the entire apparatus. And 8 an end-of-call detection unit for detecting that the caller has finished talking, 9 a message recording unit for recording the voice from the caller, and 10 a speech synthesizer based on information from the control unit 7. It is a voice synthesis unit. As shown in FIG.
Controls the telephone line connection unit 3, the remote signal detection unit 4, the response message transmission unit 6, the message recording unit 9, and the voice synthesis unit 10, and outputs the bell detection unit 2, the remote signal detection unit 4, and the caller. Signals from the recognition unit 5 and the end-of-call detection unit 8 are input.

The operation of the answering machine having the above configuration will be described. The operation of the answering machine includes a normal operation and an operation at the time of remote control.

First, the normal operation will be described. When a bell signal arrives via the telephone line 1, the bell detection unit 2 detects the bell signal and notifies the control unit 7. At the same time, the caller information multiplexed with the bell signal and sent is recognized by the caller recognizing unit 5, and the recognized caller information is sent to the control unit 7 and processed by the control unit 7. Is memorized. The caller information includes, for example, a caller's telephone number, name, and time. The control unit 7 that has received the notification of the bell signal detection in the bell detection unit 2 sets the telephone line closing unit 3 in the closed state and closes the telephone line 1. When the telephone line 1 is closed and the telephone becomes communicable, the control unit 7 causes the response message from the response message transmitting unit 6 to be transmitted to the caller through the telephone line 1. This response message is a message recorded in advance or a message generated by voice synthesis in the voice synthesis unit 10. Next, the message recording unit 9
Is set to a recording state by the control unit 7, and records a message sent by the caller through the telephone line 1. When the caller finishes sending the message and goes on-hook, the end-of-call detection unit 8 detects the caller's on-hook and notifies the control unit 7 of the detection result. Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 7 causes the telephone line closing unit 3 to open the telephone line 1 and waits for a bell signal. Incidentally, the caller information recognized by the caller recognition unit 5 is stored in the control unit 7 even after the above-described series of operations is completed.

Next, the operation at the time of remote control will be described. As in the normal operation, when a bell signal arrives via the telephone line 1, the bell detection unit 2 detects the bell signal and notifies the control unit 7. At the same time, the caller information multiplexed with the bell signal and sent is recognized by the caller recognition unit 5, and the recognized caller information is sent to the control unit 7,
The data is processed and stored by the control unit 7. The control unit 7 that has received the notification of the bell signal detection in the bell detection unit 2 sets the telephone line closing unit 3 in the closed state and closes the telephone line 1. When the telephone line 1 is closed and the telephone becomes communicable, the control unit 7 causes the response message from the response message transmitting unit 6 to be transmitted to the caller through the telephone line 1.

Here, the caller transmits a remote signal for changing the apparatus to the remote operation mode using, for example, a push button dial signal (DTMF signal). When detecting the remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection result. Upon receiving the notification of the remote signal detection for changing to the remote operation mode, the control unit 7 sets the device to the remote operation mode. That is, the control unit 7 controls each unit so as to enter the remote operation mode. The remote signal for changing to the remote control mode usually includes a security code so that only a specific caller can be remotely controlled.

Here, the caller transmits a remote signal for outputting the other party (recording party) whose task is being recorded by the DTMF signal. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 stores caller information (caller information of a recording partner) from the caller recognition unit 5 stored in advance.
Is read out, and the speech synthesizer 10 is controlled in accordance with the contents. The voice synthesizer 10 synthesizes voice according to the caller information from the controller 7. For example, the caller information stored in the control unit 7 is the telephone number of the recording party, and the telephone number is "12".
In the case of "-3456", "Ichi, Knee, San, Shi, Go, Roku" is pronounced, and if the caller information is the name of the recording party, a voice is generated according to the characters of the caller name. The voice generated by the voice synthesizer 10 is transmitted to the telephone line 1 through the response message transmitter 6. At this time, the caller information of all the callers stored in the control unit 7 is transmitted as the recording party caller information (hereinafter also referred to as “recording party information”).

By the above operation, the remote operator (for example, the owner of the answering machine) can hear the caller information of all the parties who are recording the business by voice. Here, the number of recordings and the recording number of the recording partner may be simultaneously generated. For example, if the other party's name is Yamada and the number of recordings is 2,
It may be generated as "Year, 2nd, 1st, 2nd".

Next, a description will be given of an operation when listening to the recording partner information during reproduction of the message recording. The caller sends a remote signal to play the message recording by the DTMF signal. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection of the remote signal. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 reproduces the recorded contents from the message recording unit 9 in order, and transmits the recorded contents to the telephone line 1. When the caller wants to listen to the recording partner information, a predetermined remote signal (for example, a DTMF signal “#”) is transmitted during reproduction of the recorded content. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detector 4 notifies the controller 7 of the remote signal detection. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 stops the recording / reproduction from the message recording unit 9 and, at the same time, the caller from the caller recognition unit 5 of the recording partner being reproduced from the recording content stored in advance. The information is read, and the speech synthesizer 10 is controlled according to the content. The voice synthesizer 10 synthesizes voice according to the recording partner information. The method of speech synthesis is the same as described above. Voice synthesis unit 1
The voice generated by 0 is transmitted to the telephone line 1 through the response message transmitting unit 6.

By the above operation, the caller can listen to the recording partner information during reproduction of the recorded contents by voice.

When the caller completes the desired remote operation and goes on-hook, the end-of-call detection unit 8 detects the caller's on-hook and notifies the control unit 7 of the fact. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 opens the telephone line 1 by the telephone line closing unit 3,
Wait for the bell signal.

In this embodiment, the normal operation and the remote operation have been described. However, the operator may directly operate the answering machine to hear the recording partner information when returning home. In this case, the operator performs an operation of listening to the recording partner information with a push button (not shown) or the like.
Then, similarly to the above, the control section 7 reads out the caller information from the caller recognition section 5 stored in advance, and controls the speech synthesis section 10 according to the contents. Voice synthesizer 10 synthesizes voice according to the caller information. This sound is generated using a speaker (not shown) or the like.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the caller information obtained by caller recognition section 5 is temporarily stored in control section 7, and there is a request from the caller to transmit recording party information. In this case, the voice signal of the recording partner information synthesized by the voice synthesizing unit 10 is transmitted to the telephone line 1 via the response message transmitting unit 6, so that the caller (that is, the operator) transmits the voice signal to the answering machine. You can hear not only the recorded message but also the recording partner information by voice.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an answering machine according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 2, for a telephone line 1, a bell detecting unit 2, a telephone line closing unit 3, a remote signal detecting unit 4, a caller recognizing unit 5, a response message transmitting unit 6, a control unit 7, and an end call detecting unit 8, The case recording unit 9 and the speech synthesizing unit 10 are the same as those in FIG. Reference numeral 11 denotes a caller registration unit for registering caller information in advance, and 12 denotes an information input unit such as a keyboard.

The operation of the answering machine having the above configuration will be described. First, a person who installs an answering machine (called person) inputs information of a specific party using the information input unit 12. The input contents are, for example, the telephone number and name of the other party. Here, as the name to be registered, information (for example, a Roman character corresponding to the English reading) corresponding to the reading of the name (in English, the pronunciation that is actually pronounced) is also input. This input content is transmitted to the caller registration unit 11 through the control unit 7.
Registered in. In this state, the called party sets the answering machine to the answering machine mode and waits for a bell signal.

The operation of the answering machine includes a normal operation and a remote operation. The normal operation is the same as the operation in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. Will be described.

When a bell signal arrives via the telephone line 1, the bell detection unit 2 detects the bell signal and notifies the control unit 7. At the same time, the caller information multiplexed with the bell signal and sent is recognized by the caller recognizing unit 5, and the recognized caller information is sent to the control unit 7 and processed by the control unit 7. Is memorized. The control unit 7 that has received the notification of the bell signal detection in the bell detection unit 2 sets the telephone line closing unit 3 in the closed state and closes the telephone line 1. When the telephone line 1 is closed and the telephone becomes communicable, the control unit 7 causes the response message from the response message transmitting unit 6 to be transmitted to the caller through the telephone line 1.

Here, the caller transmits a remote signal for changing the apparatus to the remote operation mode using, for example, a push button dial signal (DTMF signal). When detecting the remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection result. Upon receiving the notification of the remote signal detection for changing to the remote operation mode, the control unit 7 sets the device to the remote operation mode.

Here, the calling party transmits a remote signal for outputting a party (recording party) whose task is recorded by the DTMF signal. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 stores caller information (caller information of a recording partner) from the caller recognition unit 5 stored in advance.
Is read. The control unit 7 compares the caller information with the contents registered in the caller registration unit 11 and reads the name corresponding to the registered contents having the same telephone number.
Send to 0. The voice synthesizer 10 synthesizes voice according to the reading of the transmitted name. The voice generated by the voice synthesizer 10 is transmitted to the telephone line 1 through the response message transmitter 6. At this time, the caller information of all the callers stored in the control section 7 as the recording party information is transmitted.

Here, the contents of the caller information stored in the control unit 7 are compared with the contents registered in the caller registration unit 11, and if there is no match, the first embodiment As in the case of (1), the voice of the recording party telephone number or the name of the recording party is synthesized by the voice synthesis unit 10 using the caller information stored in the control unit 7.

With the above operation, the remote operator can hear the caller information of all the parties who are recording the business by voice. Here, similarly to the first embodiment, the number of recordings and the recording number of the recording partner may be simultaneously generated using the contents of the caller registration unit 11. Further, the content obtained by the caller recognition unit 5 and the content (for example, name and time) of the caller registration unit 11 may be simultaneously generated.

Next, a description will be given of an operation when listening to the recording partner information during the reproduction of the message recording. The caller sends a remote signal to play the message recording by the DTMF signal. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detection unit 4 notifies the control unit 7 of the detection of the remote signal. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 reproduces the recorded contents from the message recording unit 9 in order, and transmits the recorded contents to the telephone line 1. When the caller wants to listen to the recording partner information, a predetermined remote signal (for example, a DTMF signal “#”) is transmitted during reproduction of the recorded content. Upon detecting this remote signal, the remote signal detector 4 notifies the controller 7 of the remote signal detection. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 stops the recording / reproduction from the message recording unit 9 and, at the same time, the caller from the caller recognition unit 5 of the recording partner being reproduced from the recorded content stored in advance. Read information. The control unit 7 compares the read caller information with the content registered in the caller registration unit 11 and reads the name corresponding to the registered content whose telephone number matches that of the speech synthesis unit 10.
To send to. The voice synthesizer 10 synthesizes voice according to the reading of the name sent from the controller 7. The voice generated by the voice synthesizer 10 is transmitted to the response message transmitter 6.
Through the telephone line 1.

Here, the contents of the caller information stored in the control unit 7 are compared with the contents registered in the caller registration unit 11, and if there is no match, the first embodiment As in the case of (1), the voice of the recording party telephone number or the name of the recording party is synthesized by the voice synthesis unit 10 using the caller information stored in the control unit 7.

With the above operation, the caller can hear the recording partner information during the reproduction of the recorded content by voice.

When the caller completes the desired remote operation and goes on-hook, the end-of-call detecting unit 8 detects the caller's on-hook and notifies the control unit 7 of the fact. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 7 opens the telephone line 1 by the telephone line closing unit 3,
Wait for the bell signal.

In this embodiment, the operation at the time of remote control has been described. However, the operator may directly operate the answering machine to hear the recording partner information when returning home. In this case, the operator performs an operation of listening to the recording partner information with a push button (not shown) or the like. Then, similarly to the above, the control unit 7 reads out the caller information from the caller recognition unit 5 stored in advance, compares the content with the content registered in the caller registration unit 11, The reading of the name corresponding to the registered content having the matching telephone number is transmitted to the speech synthesis unit 10. The voice synthesizing unit 10 synthesizes voice according to the reading of the name sent from the control unit 7. This sound is generated using a speaker (not shown) or the like.

Further, in the present embodiment, the name reading is input using a keyboard or the like as the information input unit 12, but a voice is directly input using a microphone or the like, and the voice is output as a voice sample. The information may be registered in the caller registration unit 11 and output by voice synthesis by the voice synthesis unit 10 at the time of output.

Further, if the answering machine has a voice recognition function (for example, a function of automatically dialing the telephone number of the name by pronouncing the name), the registered contents (the telephone number) of the function , Voice sample) can be used as the registered contents of the caller registration unit 11.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the caller information obtained by caller recognition section 5 is temporarily stored in control section 7, and there is a request from the caller to transmit recording partner information. Then, the caller information stored in advance is read, the contents are compared with the contents registered in the caller registration unit 11, and the name corresponding to the registered contents having the same telephone number is read. Is transmitted to the voice synthesizing unit 10, the voice is synthesized according to the reading of the name, and the synthesized voice signal is transmitted to the telephone line 1 through the response message transmitting unit 6.
The caller (that is, the operator) can hear not only the message recorded on the answering machine but also the recording partner information by voice. Moreover, since the contents of the caller recognizing unit 5 and the contents of the caller registering unit 11 are compared to determine whether or not they match, it is possible to accurately obtain the recording partner information. .

[0041]

As described above, according to the answering machine of the present invention, when a caller requests transmission of recording partner information, recording based on the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit. Since the voice signal of the partner information can be sent to the telephone line via the response message sending part, the caller can hear not only the message recorded on the answering machine but also the recorded partner information by voice. This has the advantageous effect of being able to perform.

[0042] Further, since a voice synthesizing unit for voice-synthesizing the caller information obtained by the caller recognizing unit and outputting the voice-synthesizing information to the response message transmitting unit is provided, the transmission request of the recording partner information from the caller is provided. When there is, since the voice signal of the recording partner information synthesized by the voice synthesis unit based on the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit can be transmitted to the telephone line via the response message transmission unit, An advantageous effect is obtained in that the caller can clearly hear not only the information recorded on the answering machine but also the recording partner information by voice.

Further, by providing a caller registration unit for registering information of the caller, the contents of the caller recognition unit and the contents of the caller registration unit are compared to determine whether they match. Can be determined, so that the caller can obtain the recording partner information accurately, which has an advantageous effect.

Further, there is provided a voice synthesizing section for voice-synthesizing the information of the caller registered in the caller registration section and the caller information obtained by the caller recognition section and outputting it to the response message sending section. As a result, accurate voice recording information can be synthesized and transmitted to the telephone line, so that the caller can obtain the voice recording information with accurate and clear voice. Can be

Further, since the caller registration unit has registered the telephone number of the caller and the name of the caller, the caller information included in the caller information obtained by the caller recognition unit is included. Since the name of the caller can be generated as a voice signal even when there is no such name, an advantageous effect that accurate information can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an answering machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Telephone line 2 Bell detecting part 3 Telephone line closing part 4 Remote signal detecting part 5 Caller recognizing part 6 Response message sending part 7 Control part 8 End call detecting part 9 Message recording part 10 Voice synthesizing part 11 Caller Registration unit 12 Information input unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] A bell detecting unit connected to a telephone line for detecting a bell signal from the telephone line; a telephone line closing unit for closing the telephone line by detecting the bell signal in the bell detecting unit; A response message transmitting unit for transmitting a response message to a caller, a message recording unit for recording a message from the caller, a remote signal detector for detecting a remote signal, and a caller recognizing the caller. An answering machine having a caller recognition unit for obtaining information and a control unit for controlling the whole. 2. The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising a voice synthesizing unit for voice-synthesizing the caller information obtained by said caller recognizing unit and outputting the synthesized voice information to said response message transmitting unit. 3. The answering machine according to claim 1, further comprising a caller registration unit for registering caller information. 4. A voice synthesizer for voice-synthesizing caller information registered in the caller registration unit and caller information obtained in the caller recognition unit and outputting the resultant to the response message sending unit. The answering machine according to claim 3, comprising a unit. 5. The answering machine according to claim 3, wherein said caller registration unit registers a telephone number of the caller and a name of the caller.