JPH11196185A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide communication equipment which can transmit a message to be transmitted to a beeper even if a transmitter does not input a code corresponding to information to be transmitted by means of a dial key. SOLUTION: Voice inputted from a microphone 21 or external communication equipment 29 through a telephone line 27 is recognized by a speech recognition device 22. Then, a DTMF signal based on the speech recognition result is outputted from a modem 23. Thus, the transmitter can transmit the DTMF signal corresponding to information by inputting voice information to be transmitted, namely by speaking.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device, and more particularly to a communication device such as a telephone and a facsimile device having a voice recognition device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pager for receiving a message transmitted from a telephone or the like via a telephone line or the like has been widely used. To send a message to this pager from a telephone or the like, the sender inputs a code corresponding to the information to be transmitted with a dial key, and the telephone sends a pager signal (for example, a DTMF signal) corresponding to the code. This is done by sending.

[0003]

However, for example, if the sender does not remember the code he / she wants to send, the user must enter it while looking at the code table each time, and the operation is complicated. If there is no table, there is a problem that messages cannot be sent. The purpose of the present invention is
It was made to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device capable of transmitting a message to be transmitted to a pager without inputting a code corresponding to information to be transmitted by a sender with a dial key.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a communication device includes a voice input unit, a voice recognition unit for recognizing input voice, and a voice recognition unit. It is characterized by comprising a pager signal converting means for converting the recognized result into a pager signal, and a pager signal output means for outputting the converted pager signal. .

According to such a configuration, the voice input to the communication device is recognized by the voice recognition means, and the result of the voice recognition is converted into a signal for the pager by the signal conversion means for the pager. The transmitted pager signal is output by the pager signal output means, so that the sender does not need to input a code corresponding to the information to be transmitted with a dial key, but only inputs the information to be transmitted by voice. That is, just by speaking, a pager signal corresponding to the information can be transmitted.

[0006] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1.
In the invention described in (1), the voice input means receives a voice from a microphone. In the voice input means, if the voice from the microphone is input, for example, the voice can be input simply by the sender speaking into the microphone, and the voice can be input reliably and easily. .

[0007] The invention according to claim 3 provides the invention according to claim 1.
In the invention described in (1), the voice input means receives a voice from a communication line. If the voice input means inputs voice from a communication line, voice input from an external communication device via the communication line can be transmitted as a pager signal.

[0008] The invention described in claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3.
In the invention described in the above, further comprising an answering machine recording function having a voice input means recording means and a designation transmitting means, when the answering machine recording function is operating, the voice input to the voice input means via a communication line, While being recorded by the recording means, the voice is recognized by the voice recognition means, the result is converted to a pager signal, and the pager signal output by the pager signal output means is the designated transmission means Is output to an output destination specified in advance.
At the time of the operation of the answering machine recording function, the sound input from the other party for the answering machine recording is recorded on the recording means,
If it is set so that voice recognition is performed by voice recognition means, and further converted to a pager signal, and the pager signal is output to a predetermined output destination, for example, to its own pager The information on the answering machine can be checked with a pager on the go.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a facsimile apparatus as one embodiment of a communication apparatus according to the present invention. A facsimile apparatus 1 as a communication apparatus described in the present embodiment is a facsimile apparatus with a telephone function that can transmit and receive images by a facsimile communication method using a telephone line as a communication path and can communicate voice as a telephone.

This facsimile machine 1 has an exterior
The lower case 2 includes an operation panel 3 attached to a front side of the upper surface of the lower case 2 and an upper cover 4 attached to a rear side of the upper surface of the lower case 2. On the left side of the lower case 2, a handset 5 for using the facsimile machine 1 as a telephone is attached. On the right side of the lower case 2, a monitor speaker 12 for outputting transmitted / received sound as monitor sound is attached. On the front side of the lower case 2, a document discharge port 6 for discharging a document after reading the transmission image or the copy image is formed. A key input device 7 having a large number of operation keys is provided on the upper surface of the operation panel 3.
And a liquid crystal display 8 for displaying arbitrary characters and the like in a dot matrix system. A paper feed case 9 for storing unused recording paper is provided on the upper rear side of the upper cover 4. On the front side of the paper feed case 9, a recording image on which a received image or a copied image has been recorded is provided. A recording paper discharge port 10 from which paper is discharged is formed. On the front side of the upper surface of the upper cover 4, a document receiving section 11 for setting a document for reading a transmission image or a copy image is formed.

Then, the facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment
Has a voice input means, a voice recognition means, a pager signal conversion means and a pager signal output means for outputting an input voice as a pager signal, and an answering machine recording function having a recording means. And designated transmission means. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system for realizing each of these means and functions.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control system includes a CPU 20, a microphone (hereinafter abbreviated as a microphone) 21, a voice recognition device 22, a modem 23, a network control unit (hereinafter, referred to as an NCU) 24, a RAM 25, and an RO.
M26 is connected, and these units are configured to be controlled by the CPU 20. The microphone 21 is provided in the handset 5 and inputs a voice of a speaker who speaks toward the handset 5. The voice recognition device 22 (corresponding to the voice recognition means) recognizes voice input from the microphone 21 or the like. The modem 23 modulates / demodulates a signal to be transmitted / received, and outputs, for example, a DTMF signal as a pager signal corresponding to a code described later. NCU24
Performs transmission and reception with another facsimile apparatus, an external communication device 28 such as a telephone, and a pager 29 via a telephone line 27. The RAM 25 is a memory for temporarily storing various data at the time of operation execution. For example, a voice storage area for recording external voice input from a telephone line when the answering machine recording function is operated, A code storage area for storing a code to be transmitted, a destination information storage area for storing telephone number information of a destination specified in advance, and the like are allocated. The ROM 26 stores a control program executed by the CPU 20 and various data, such as an answering machine recording program, a pager signal conversion program, a pager signal output program, and a designated transmission program. Is stored.

With such a control system, the facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment converts the sound input from the microphone 21 or the external communication device 28 via the telephone line 27 into a pager signal and outputs the signal. Thus, a message can be transmitted to the pager 29. First, using the facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a voice is input from the microphone 21 and the pager 29 is input.
Will be described.

In order to transmit a message to the pager 29, a predetermined key provided on the key input device 7 is operated to switch to the pager transmission mode. By performing this mode switching, the processing shown in FIG. 3 is started. In FIG. 3, first, a person who transmits a message is connected to the microphone 2 of the handset 5.
1 (corresponding to the voice input means), it is determined whether or not information desired to be transmitted to the pager 29 has been spoken, that is, whether or not voice input has been performed (S1). (S1: YES), the voice is input to the voice recognition device 22, and voice recognition processing is performed (S2). The recognized result is converted into a code corresponding to the sound by a pager signal conversion program (corresponding to the above-described pager signal conversion means) in the ROM 26 and stored in the code storage area in the RAM 25 (S3). .

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the number of the pager 29 as the transmission destination has been designated (S4). If the number has been designated (S4: YES), the pager 29 is further provided on the key input device 7. It is determined whether the transmission key has been operated (S5). Then, when the transmission key is operated (S5:
YES), the pager signal output program (corresponding to the pager signal output means) in the ROM 26 is also operated to connect the telephone line 27 to the pager 29 based on the number specified in S4. , The modem 23 has a DTM corresponding to the code converted in S3.
The F signal is output, and the DTMF signal output from the modem 23 is transmitted from the telephone line 27 to the transmitting pager 29 via the NCU 24 (S6).

According to such a configuration, the sender does not need to input the code corresponding to the information to be transmitted with the dial keys as in the prior art, but only inputs the information to be transmitted by voice, that is, speaks. With only this, it can be output to the telephone line 27 as a DTMF signal and transmitted to the pager 29. Therefore, neither a code table nor a code input with a dial key is required, and anyone can easily transmit a pager message. Further, since it is not necessary to input a code using a dial key, a message can be transmitted reliably without error when inputting the code.

When voice is input from the microphone 21 in this manner, the voice can be input simply by the sender speaking into the microphone 21, and the voice can be input reliably and easily. The desired message can be reliably transmitted to the pager 29. Next, a case where a voice is input from the external communication device 28 via the telephone line 27 and a message is transmitted to the pager 29 will be described. In this case, in the above process, the voice is input via the microphone 21, whereas the voice is input from the external communication device 28 via the telephone line 27, but the voice is input to the voice recognition device 22. The processing after the input is almost the same as the above.

That is, first, the external communication device 28 and the NC
When U24 is connected via the telephone line 27, voice from the external communication device 28 is input from the telephone line 27 via the NCU24. The input voice is transmitted to the voice recognition device 2
2 is converted into a code corresponding to the voice signal by a pager signal conversion program in the ROM 26. The converted code is stored in a code storage area in the RAM 25. Next, when the number of the destination pager 29 is input by key input or voice, and the line with the external communication device 28 is disconnected, the pager signal output program in the ROM 26 is activated and input. The telephone line 27 is connected to the pager 29 based on the number, and the modem 23 outputs a DTMF signal corresponding to the code stored in the code storage area in the RAM 25. The DTMF signal output from the modem 23 is transmitted to the NCU 24 again.
Is transmitted from the telephone line 27 to the transmitting pager 29 via the telephone line 27. As described above, when voice is input from the external communication device 28 via the telephone line 27, the user responds to the voice by calling the facsimile device 1 from outside and talking information to be transmitted to the pager 29. The pager signal can be transmitted to the pager 29.

Further, by the processing as shown in FIG.
The information by voice recorded by an answering machine from another person can be transmitted to the own pager 30 as a pager signal. In this case, the mode shown in FIG. 4 is started when the external communication device 28 and the NCU 24 of the present device are connected via the telephone line 27 in advance, in a mode in which the contents recorded by answering machine are transferred. . That is, the telephone number information of the own pager 30 is previously stored in the transmission destination information storage area in the RAM 25,
When the answering machine recording program in the inside is activated and a voice is input from the external communication device 28 via the telephone line 27 (S1).
0: YES), the input voice is stored in the voice storage area in the RAM 25 (answering machine recording), and the voice is recognized by the voice recognition device 22 (S11), and the recognized result is stored as a code in the code storage area in the RAM 25. (S12). Next, it is determined whether or not the line with the external communication device 28 has been disconnected (S13). If the line has been disconnected (S13: YES), the pager signal output program in the ROM 26 operates, and R
The telephone line 27 is connected based on the telephone number information of the own pager 30 stored in the RAM 25 by a designated transmission program (corresponding to the designated transmission means) in the OM 26, and the modem 23 A DTMF signal corresponding to the code stored in the storage area is output, and the output DTMF signal is output to the NCU2 again.
The message is transmitted from the telephone line 27 to the own pager 30 via the telephone line 4 (S14). Note that S11 in the above processing
Function as the recording means.

As described above, if the voice recording from the external communication device 28 input from the telephone line 27 is transmitted to the own pager 30 during the operation of the answering machine recording function, for example, Can be viewed as a message of the pager 30 on the go. In addition,
In this case, the telephone number information previously stored in the transmission destination information storage area in the RAM 25 is not limited to the own pager 30, but the telephone number information of the specific pager 29 may be appropriately stored and used for various purposes. Can be.

In the above embodiment, the communication apparatus of the present invention is the facsimile apparatus 1. However, the communication apparatus of the present invention may be a telephone having no facsimile communication system, or a telephone not connected to the telephone line 27. It may be. That is, in the control system block diagram shown in FIG.
4 may be provided with a speaker so that the sound input from the microphone 21 is output from the speaker as a pager signal and picked up by a handset of another telephone. With such a configuration, for example, a pager signal can be transmitted by carrying the portable device and putting a speaker on the handset of another telephone when in use.

[0021]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the sender merely speaks the information to be transmitted,
Since a pager signal corresponding to the information can be transmitted, no code table or code input by a dial key is required, and anyone can easily transmit a pager message. Further, since it is not necessary to input a code using a dial key, a message can be transmitted reliably without error when inputting the code.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the voice can be input simply by the sender speaking into the microphone, the voice can be input reliably and easily, and the message to be transmitted can be securely stored in the pocket. Can be sent to the bell. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the sound input from the external communication device via the communication line can be transmitted as a pager signal. If input by voice, a pager signal corresponding to the voice can be transmitted to the pager.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, for example, information by voice input from another person can be transmitted to its own pager as a pager signal. Therefore, information recorded by voice mail from another person on the answering machine can be viewed as a pager message on the go.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a facsimile apparatus as one embodiment of a communication apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for outputting an input voice as a pager signal;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system for realizing a voice input unit, a voice recognition unit, a pager signal conversion unit, a pager signal output unit, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing for inputting voice from a microphone and transmitting a message to a pager.

FIG. 4 shows voice-recorded information recorded by another person.
It is a flowchart which shows the process for making an own pager transmit as a signal for pagers.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Facsimile machine 20 CPU 21 Microphone 22 Voice recognition device 23 Modem 24 NCU 25 RAM 26 ROM 27 Telephone line 28 External communication device 29 Pager 30 Own pager

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A speech input means, a speech recognition means for recognizing inputted speech, a pager signal conversion means for converting a speech recognition result into a pager signal, A communication device comprising: a pager signal output unit for outputting a pager signal. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the voice input unit receives a voice from a microphone. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein said voice input means receives voice from a communication line. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an answering machine recording function having a recording unit and a designation transmitting unit, wherein when the answering machine recording function is operated, a voice input to the voice input unit via a communication line is transmitted by the recording unit. While being recorded, the voice is recognized by the voice recognition unit, the result is converted into a pager signal, and the pager signal output by the pager signal output unit is:
The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the communication device is output to an output destination specified in advance by the specification transmission unit.