JPS61212956A - Digital telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer multi-media communication service and speech communication by providing a switch means between a talking circuit and a CODEC circuit and between the CODEC circuit and a network interface. CONSTITUTION:The user requests the combinating operation of switch means 18-21 and a selection means 22 to a signal control circuit 4 through the depression of a function key 25 ahead the communication or after transfer during talking. The signal control circuit 4 controls the switching means 18-21 and the signal means 22 based on the request by the user via a control line 26 and connects the digital information line and signal line to the subscriber's equipment via a non-telephone interface circuit 11 and the analog information path to the subscriber's equipment via an analog interface circuit 29.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a digital telephone connected to a digital communication network. The present invention relates to a digital telephone that can provide information channels used in the home to other household devices in a versatile and economical manner.

[Conventional technology]

In the past, voice communication was the main type of communication performed via communication networks, but in recent years, the types of information to be communicated have increased, and there has been a demand for diversification of communication forms. In order to meet these demands, the digitalization of communication networks and home equipment is progressing.
Services such as switching communication between telephone and non-telephone equipment, simultaneous communication between telephone and non-telephone equipment, etc. are considered, and in order to provide such services, non-telephone equipment is accommodated and connection control to the digital communication network is performed. Digital telephones are being developed.

Figure 9 shows a system in which an information channel for a digital telephone connected to a digital communication network is divided and a part of it is provided to other household devices other than digital telephones, allowing simultaneous m-communications between telephones and non-telephone devices. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit of a conventional digital telephone that can be realized.

In the figure, 1 is the digital telephone described here, 2
is a digital subscriber line termination unit (DSU) not shown.
) User-network interface line provided by 3.
terminates the user-network interface line 2 and assembles and assembles signal channels and information channels from the digital communication network.
4 is a signal control circuit for exchanging and processing call control signals with the communication network via a signal channel; 5 is a first signal control circuit for connecting the network interface circuit 3 and the signal control circuit 4; A signal path, 6 is a codec circuit that digitally encodes and decodes analog voice information, 7 is a digital information path that connects the network interface circuit 3 and the codec circuit 6, 8 is a communication circuit that handles analog voice information, and 9 is a codec. An analog information path connects the circuit 6 and the communication circuit 8, 10 is a handset connected to the communication circuit 8 and performs electrical/acoustic conversion, and 11 is a signal channel/information for connecting other home equipment other than the telephone for communication. A non-telephone interface circuit 12 is an information path that connects the network interface circuit 3 and the non-telephone interface circuit 11, and the network interface circuit 3 divides the information channel for digital telephones. 13 is a second signal path connecting the signal control circuit 4 and the non-telephone interface circuit 11;
is a non-telephone premises equipment connected to digital telephone 1, 1
5 is a dial switch; 16 is a function key that requests the signal control circuit 4 to divide the information channel and activate the digital division information path 12; and 17 is a function key that the signal control circuit 4 uses to request the network interface circuit 3 to divide the information channel This is a control line that instructs division and activation of the division information path 12.

In FIG. 9, the codec circuit 6 uses the μm1aw PCM codec (3k llz
Samples, 8-bit output) are usually used. Therefore, the transmission capacity of the digital information path 7 is 64k.
b/s. In addition, as a method of dividing information channels,
56 for voice communication to ensure call quality equivalent to current
kb/s, and a bit-stealing mode that allocates 8 kb/s for non-telephone communications. Further, the signal control circuit 4 is generally configured with a microprocessor architecture suitable for controlling call status with a communication network.

Next, the operation during simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication, which is a characteristic usage of the digital telephone 1 shown in FIG. 9, will be explained.

In FIG. 9, after the digital telephone 1 enters the talking state by making or receiving a call, when the user presses the function key 16, the signal control circuit 4 divides the information channel and divides the divided information path 12 via the control line 17. Instructs the network interface circuit 3 to activate. By performing the above operations among the communicating parties, a transparent digital divided information path via the divided information path 12 is set up between the non-telephone home devices 14 connected to the digital telephone, and simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication is established. becomes possible.

As explained above, conventional digital telephones of this type merely play the role of providing a digital information path to the digital communication network for connected non-telephone home equipment, and they do not have the ability to provide advanced information as described below. However, it does not have a function that contributes to the realization of a system that can simultaneously or selectively provide various voice communication and multimedia communication services.

Examples of the various advanced voice communication and multimedia communication services mentioned above include: 1) Services that use a storage system that temporarily stores and then performs voice communications, such as those seen in answering machines and voice mail communications.

■ TASI (Time Assignment), which multiplexes non-telephone information into frequency division multiplexing and voice silent sections.
A service that uses voice/non-telephone multiplexing technology in the form of analog information such as 5peechInterpolation).

■A service using non-telephone equipment with a built-in MOI (MOI) of 8M that connects to analog telephone networks such as existing data home equipment and telephone/fax machines.

■ADPCM (adaptive differential type P) that can compress audio information
CM) Yahe pc-he〇(adaptive pre
dictive code-adaptive bi
High efficiency C0D such as
Voice communication service using EC.

■Combined voice/non-telephone communication services made possible by the use of high-efficiency C0DEC, which facilitates multiplexing with high-speed non-telephone equipment.

However, when providing these services, it is necessary to equip the terminal side according to each communication form.
A dedicated terminal must be prepared for each, and therefore, digital telephones serving as dedicated terminals have the drawback of being more expensive than general-purpose ones.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Therefore, the present invention provides a general-purpose digital telephone that
The problem to be solved is to enable the provision of a variety of advanced voice communication and multimedia communication services.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a digital telephone that makes the above possible.

[Means and operations for solving the problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides: 1. A communication circuit that handles analog audio frequency signals, and a communication circuit that transmits and receives analog audio frequency signals between the communication circuit. A copier circuit that performs digital encoding and decoding of audio frequency signals, a signal control circuit that manages call control, and a signal control circuit that terminates the signal/information path from the digital communication network and transmits and receives signals. In addition to transmitting and receiving digitized audio information to and from the codec circuit, a part of the digital information path formed between the codec circuit and the codec circuit is divided and digitalized according to instructions from the signal control circuit. In a digital telephone having a network interface circuit provided to another as a divided information path, on the analog information path between the communication circuit and the codec circuit, a first circuit is provided on the analog information path between the communication circuit and the codec circuit to separate the communication circuit side from the codec circuit side and guide the communication circuit to the other side. and a second switching means that separates the codec circuit side from the communication circuit side and guides it to the other side, and the codec circuit side is connected to the digital information path between the codec circuit and the network interface circuit. a third switching means for separating the network interface circuit side from the codec circuit side and guiding it to the other side; and a fourth switching means for separating the network interface circuit side from the codec circuit side and guiding it to the other side; a first selecting means for selecting one information path from between each switched output information path from the means and the fourth switching means and a digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit; a second selection means for selecting one information path from the output information path after switching from the switching means and the digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit; and a first activation means such as a function key for activating each of the first to fourth switching means and the first or second selection means and the signal control circuit are accessible through the signal control circuit. The present invention is characterized by comprising a second activation means that activates each of the first to fourth switching means and the first or second selection means upon the access from another household device.

〔Example〕

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 2 to 13 and 15.17 are the same as in FIG.

In addition, 18 is a first switching means for switching the analog information path 9 leading from the telephone call circuit 8 to the codec circuit 6 between the codec circuit 6 and the analog interface circuit 29, and 19 is a first switching means leading from the codec circuit 6 to the call circuit 8. second switching means for switching the analog information path 9 between the speech circuit 8 and the analog interface circuit 29;
0 is a third switching means 21 for switching the digital information path 7 from the codec circuit 6 to the network interface circuit 3 between the wire interface circuit 3 and the selection means 22;
The digital information path 7 from the network interface circuit 3 to the codec circuit 6 is connected to the codec circuit 6 and the selection means 22.
A fourth switching means 22 is for switching between the three information paths 23, 24 and the digital divided information path 12, which are respectively switched by the third switching means 20 and the fourth switching means 21. selection means for selecting one of them; 25 is the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 2;
2 is a function key for requesting the signal control circuit 4 to perform switching control; 26 is a control line for the signal control circuit 4 to activate the switching means 18 to 211 and the selection means 22; 29 is a control line for the switching means 18;
．． Analog information path 27.28 switched by 19
This is an analog interface circuit for connecting to home equipment (not shown).

The switching means 18 to 211 and the selection means 22 can be easily realized using a general-purpose logic IC such as an analog switch, a transfer gate, or a selector.

Next, the circuit operation will be explained, and there are two methods of operation. The first method is to use the function key 25, in which the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 2 are activated by pressing the function key 25 after the user is communicating or prior to communication.
The signal control circuit 4 is requested to perform the two combination operations. The signal control circuit 4 controls the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 via the control line 26 based on the user's request, and controls the analog information path via the analog interface circuit 29 and the non-telephone interface circuit 11. The digital information path/signal path is connected to in-house equipment (not shown).

A second method of operation is based on the digital telephone 30 according to the present invention.
This method is operated by controlling the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 from the side of the home equipment (not shown) connected to the non-telephone interface circuit 11 through the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

That is, by defining a command corresponding to the function key 25 as a signal between the digital telephone 30 and the home equipment described above, the command corresponding to the use mode of the digital telephone 30 can be sent from the home equipment to the digital telephone 30. For example, the command is transferred to the signal control circuit 4 via the non-telephone interface circuit 11 and the signal channel 13, and the signal control circuit 4 realizes the operation in the same manner as in the first method.

According to the first method, irrespective of the second method, the combination of the operations of the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection means 22 causes The illustrated home equipment connected to the digital information path and the signal path via the non-telephone interface circuit 11 is
It will be connected to the digital telephone 30 in the desired usage mode.

Hereinafter, depending on the opening/closing state of the switching means 18 to 21 and the selection state of the selection means 22, the usage modes (forms of usage) of the information channel in the digital telephone 30 will be exemplified.

All of the switching means 1B, 19, 20, and 21 are closed (in their normal positions without switching), and the selection means 22 is inactive, that is, not functioning.

At this time, the handset 10 - call circuit 8 → switching means 18
．． A circuit from 19-codec circuit 6-switching means 20.21 to network interface circuit 3 is formed, and the system can be used as a normal telephone (64 kb/s).

Bit Steal Mode (1) All of the switching means 18, 1.9, and 20.21 are closed, and the selection means 22 selects the digital division information path 12 and connects it to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, handset 10-8-18, 19-6 → 20
, 21→Network interface circuit 3, the voice telephone (5
6kb/s), as well as the digital home equipment shown in the figure → non-telephone interface 1 ζ Ace circuit 11 → 22 → 12 → network interface circuit 3
This is a usage mode in which digital non-telephone (8 kb/s) communication up to

64kgJ voice mode (2) Switching means 18 and 19 are closed and 20 is don't car
e (either open or closed) and 21 is open (in the switched position), the selection means 22 selects the digital information path 24 and is connected to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, the non-telephone interface circuit 11-22-2
4 → 21 → network interface circuit 3 is formed, and the usage mode is such that all of the 64 kb/s information channel is provided to the digital home equipment connected via the non-telephone interface circuit 11. For example, voice/non-telephone switching communication, sending and receiving digital voice mail, etc. correspond to this.

4Kllz screaming mode (1-1) Switching means 18 is don't care, 19 is open,
20 and 21 are both closed, and the selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, analog home equipment (not shown) → analog interface circuit 29 → 28 → 19 → 9 → 6-20-2
1→7-W4 interface circuit 3 is formed, and a 4 KHz analog information path is provided as an information channel connected to the network. Examples of this include accommodating non-telephone devices with built-in modems and recording answering machines.

4KHz switching mode (3-2) The switching means 18 is open, 19 is don't care, 20 and 21 are both closed, and the selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, analog home equipment (not shown) → 29-27
-18- A circuit leading to the telephone call circuit 8 is formed, and the usage form is such that a 4 KHz analog information path connected to the telephone call circuit 8 is provided. For example, local use such as inputting an answering machine message from the telephone call circuit 8 and playing an answering machine recording corresponds to this.

4KHz switching mode (3-3) Switching means 18 and 19 are both open, 20 and 21 are both closed, and selection means 22 is in an inactive state.

At this time, the communication circuit 8-18 → 27-29- (analog home equipment not shown) → 29-28 → 19 → 9 → 6 →
A circuit from 20 to 21 to 7 to network interface circuit 3 is formed to provide both 4Kllz channels. For example, it can be used for simultaneous voice and non-telephone communication using analog processing such as frequency division multiplexing and TASI.

64 is the reverse switching mode (4), the switching means 18 and 19 are both closed, 20 is open, and 21
is a "don't care" state, and the selection means 22 is in the state of selecting the digital information path 23 and connecting it to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, communication circuit 8→18→19→9→6→20→
A circuit is formed from 23 to 22 to non-telephone interface circuit 11 to (digital household equipment not shown), and the mode is set to provide a codec circuit digital interface.

For example, it can be used for compressing digital audio, inputting and playing voice mail, etc.

643 switching 4KHzt Single person mode (5) The switching means 18 is open, 19 and 20 are both don/tcare, 21 is open, and the selection means 22 is the digital information path 2
4 is selected and connected to the non-telephone interface circuit 11.

At this time, the mode becomes a combination mode of the above-mentioned mode (3-2) and mode 2. For example, it can be used for low bit rate voice communication using high efficiency CODEC and multiplexing with high speed non-telephone.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the non-telephone interface circuit 11 selects the digital information path and digital signal path selected by the selection means 22 in order to reduce the number of physical fiber pairs for connected home equipment. 13 is time-division multiplexed, but of course it is also possible to use individual interfaces.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the invention. In the same figure, 2 to 10 and 12°13.15.1
7 is the same as in Figure 9, 18~21.23~2
9 is the same as in FIG.

In addition, 31 is provided in place of the selection means 22 in FIG. It is provided in place of the non-telephone ink face circuit 11 in the figure, and includes a digital information path 23 and a selection means 3 that are switched by a switching means 20.
This is a non-telephone interface circuit that time-division multiplexes the digital information path 33 and the digital signal path 13 selected by 1.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the following usage modes (
6) becomes possible.

Combined mode of switching to 64 and reverse switching to 64 (6) Switching means 1
8.19 are both closed, 20 and 21 are both open,
The selection means 31 selects the digital information path 24 and connects it to the non-telephone interface circuit 32.

At this time, the communication circuit 8 → 18 → 19 → 6 → 2O-23
-32- (Digital home equipment not shown) → 32 → 3
3→31→24→21→7→Network interface circuit 3,
A circuit is formed leading to mode (4) and mode (2) described above.
It is possible to obtain a form that simultaneously realizes the following. For example, it can be used for communication in which digital signals are processed, such as digital audio compression, and then transferred directly to the wire after processing.

Furthermore, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. Usage is also possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, by simply adding a small amount of hardware and software to a conventional digital telephone as shown in FIG. As shown in Figures 8 to 8, various home appliances can be connected to this digital telephone for advanced voice communications and multimedia communications.

FIG. 3 shows that an existing non-telephone device 40 with a built-in modem, such as a data home device or a telephone FAX, is connected to the analog information path 28 provided by the switching means 19, and an NC 1j (Network Control U
nit) function and realizes switching communication services between telephones and non-telephones. M indicates modem.

Figure 4 shows a device (equipment) that has a storage device ME such as a memory or a Fronby disk in its digital interface.
For example, by connecting a computer (such as a personal computer 41), inputting and storing digital voice through the digital information path 23, and then transmitting it as a voice mail using the digital information path 24, or automatically receiving voice mail through the digital information path 24. An example of application to a voice mail communication service in which the digital information path 23 is used for reproduction is shown.

FIG. 5 shows a device having an analog-based storage device such as a cassette tape (for example, an existing answering machine 42) connected to analog information paths 27 and 28 to realize a so-called answering service such as answering machine recording and answering service. An example is shown.

FIG. 6 shows analog voice information from analog information path 27 and non-telephone information from modem signal-based non-telephone equipment 44 being multiplexed by frequency division multiplexer 43 using analog information paths 27 and 28. An example of application to a voice/non-telephone simultaneous communication service that is transmitted and received via analog information 28 is shown.

FIG. 7 shows analog voice information from the analog information path 27 being digitally encoded by a high-efficiency codec 45 (for example, 32 kb/s for 8DI"CM, APC-8B
Then 16kb/s > shi, remaining 32k of 64kb/s
This figure shows a method for realizing a simultaneous communication service of voice and high-speed non-telephone information, such as multiplexing the non-telephone information from the non-telephone equipment 44 at 48 kb/s or 48 kb/s by the multiplexing device 46.

FIG. 8 shows that the digital voice information from the digital information path 23 is processed and compressed by the compression device 47 by digital signal processing, and the non-telephone equipment 4 is processed and compressed as in the case of FIG.
4 shows an example of multiplexing high-speed non-telephone information from 4 and multiplexing device 46 to realize a simultaneous communication service.

Furthermore, by combining the above examples shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, various services can be developed, such as high-efficiency encoding, processing and compression, storage storage, and communication.

[Embodiments of the invention]

As explained above, according to the present invention, the telephone as a popular terminal can be widely adapted to various forms of use of information channels without sacrificing its economic efficiency and versatility. This has the advantage that the system configuration of the in-house equipment can be realized economically and easily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
Each figure is a block diagram showing an application example of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a conventional digital telephone. Code explanation

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A telephone communication circuit that handles analog audio frequency signals, and a codec circuit that transmits and receives analog audio frequency signals between the telephone communication circuit and digitally encodes and decodes the audio frequency signals; Exchange of signals between a signal control circuit that manages call control and the signal control circuit that terminates the signal/information path from the digital communication network, and exchange of digitized voice information with the codec circuit. and a network interface circuit which divides a part of the digital information path formed between the codec circuit and provides it to others as a digital divided information path according to instructions from the signal control circuit. , on the analog information path between the speech circuit and the codec circuit, a first switching means for separating the speech circuit side from the codec circuit side and guiding it to the other, and a first switching means for separating the codec circuit side from the speech circuit side. and third switching means for separating the codec circuit side from the network interface circuit side and guiding the digital information to the other side on the digital information path between the codec circuit and the network interface circuit. and a fourth switching means for separating the network interface circuit side from the codec circuit side and guiding it to another, and output information paths after each switching from the third switching means and the fourth switching means. and a digital divided information path provided from the network interface circuit, a first selection means for selecting one information path from among the digital divided information path provided from the fourth switching means, and the output information path after switching from the fourth switching means and the network interface circuit. a second selection means for selecting one information path from the digital divided information paths provided by the digital division information path; The first to fourth switching means and the first to fourth selection means are activated by access from another household device that can access the signal control circuit and the first activation means such as a function key that activates the first or second selection means. 1. A digital telephone set, comprising a second activation means for activating each of the switching means and the first or second selection means.