WO2004107341A1

WO2004107341A1 - Apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2004107341A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/001288
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sun-Won Hwang
Original assignee: Sun-Won Hwang
Priority date: 2003-05-31
Filing date: 2004-05-31
Publication date: 2004-12-09
Also published as: KR20040103183A; KR100606399B1

Abstract

This invention is about an automatic recording/playing device and the method, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same, which is linked to the independent telephone line and is put somewhere in the user’s room, receives and stores appropriate voice data which are sent by the main computer at the information provider’s head office through the telephone line, plays back the stored voice data at the set time by the user and when the user comes near/into the area of motion sensor(infrared sensor) which is attached to the invention, or when the light sensor works which is also attached to the invention at the time the user turns off the light to sleep at night. All these operations take place automatically. So the user need do any action to work the invention and t listen to the recorded voice data, making the user a foreign language more effectively and steadily. The invention includes DTMF receiver and line controller unit (which receives DTMF signals through the telephone line, changes them into digital signals, and sends them to the voice recorder as the control of the main control unit), sensor unit (which senses the movement of the user and the change of the light), memory unit (which tells the time and place of the stored voice data recorder in the voice recorder), voice recorder unit (which plays back the recorded voice data through the speaker or sends out the recorded voice data through the spare output unit to the other devices) , input key unit (which receives and sends the user’s orders to the main control unit in order to play back, delete, scan the recorded voice data or to adjust the current time, the playing back time, or the operation time of the sensors), and the main control unit ( which receives the DTMF signals sent from the DTMF receiver and line control unit, makes the on/off hook switch of the telephone unit hooked off to make the appropriate signals received and recorded automatically, stops the recording work when the arranged time passes or when the arranged DTMF stop signals are received or when the voice data receiving work doesn’t occur for over a certain period of time.)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same

r Technical field 1

This invention is about the automatic recording/playing device, which receives and stores voice data coming through telephone line, plays back and lets the user listen to the stored voice data at the time when the user have set and when the user comes near the sensor which is attached to the invention and when the user turns the light off to sleep at night causing the light sensor to work. All these procedures this invention does without the user's any action, making the user learn a foreign language more effectively and easily.

[ Background Art ]

Many people are learning foreign languages by using MP3, personal computers, portable recorders and players, or by attending some private language schools or institutes. Recently telephones are also used as a means of learning foreign languages. For example, a learner may make a call to a language institute to converse and practice some foreign language, or a language institute may make a call to the learners and make them speak and practice foreign languages.

However, these language learning methods have some problems. In the telephone learning method, they have to make a call at a fixed or arranged time mostly once a day. They cannot practice the conversation repeatedly afterwards, since the conversation cannot be recorded in the normal telephone.

Above all, the learners' resolution to learn foreign languages becomes weaker and weaker as time goes by. As a result, many people don't practice willingly and quit learning and practicing foreign languages after a week or a month or so.

[ Disclosure of Invention ]

The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems mentioned above. This invention, which is linked to the independent telephone line and is put somewhere in the user's room, receives and stores appropriate voice data which are sent by the main computer at the sender's head office through the telephone line, plays back the stored voice data at the set time by the user and when the user comes near/into the area of motion sensoHmfrared sensor) which is attached to the invention, or when the light sensor works which is also attached to the invention at the time the user turns off the light to sleep at night. All these operations take place automatically. So the user need not do any action to work the invention and to listen to the recorded voice data.

This invention includes DTMF receiver and line controller unit (which receives DTMF signals through the telephone line, changes them into digital signals, and sends them to the voice recorder as the control of the main control unit), sensor unit ( which senses the movement of the user and the change of the light), memory unit ( which tells the time and place of the stored voice data recorded in the voice recorder), voice recorder unit ( which plays back the recorded voice data through the speaker or sends out the recorded voice data through the spare output unit to the other devices ), input key unit ( which receives and sends the user's orders to the main control unit in order to play back, delete, scan the recorded voice data or to adjust the current time, the automatic playing back time, or the operation time of the sensors), and the main control unit ( which receives and selects the DTMF signals sent from the DTMF receiver and line control unit, makes the on/off hook switch of the telephone unit hooked off to make the appropriate signals received and recorded automatically, stops the recording work when the arranged time passes or when the arranged DTMF stop signals are received or when the voice data receiving work doesn't occur for over a certain period of time). In order to achieve the purposes mentioned above, this invention has some phases of work as follows.

- Calling phase

The main computer at the head office makes a call to the user's telephone( It is the telephone unit part of the invention.) at an arranged time to send voice data.

- Identifying phase

The invention identifies the calling by checking the password sent from the head office server. Identifying the server's password, the invention lets the voice data received and recorded. - Playing back phase

It works and plays back the recorded voice data automatically in one of the occasions such as when the time the user have set comes ( It is mostly morning call time), when the user approaches the invention and the motion sensor detects the user's movement, or when the user turns the light off and causes the light sensor to operate.

The user can scan, choose, and play back the recorded voice data anytime if he wants. The effects of this invention are as follows.

1. By setting the operation time and with the help of the two sensors, the user can learn and practice a foreign language everyday regularly without touching or turning on the invention.

2. Since new voice data can be sent through the telephone line, the user can get and practice updated new voice data everyday.

3. According to personal language ability level, appropriate language voice data can be sent selectively through the personal telephone line.

4. Users can link the invention by calling to it from the other telephones away from the place it is installed and listen to the recorded voice data.

5. News, religious sayings and songs, other information can be sent to the invention and be used helpfully if necessary.

[ Brief Description of Drawings ]

Drawing 1 is the block diagram of this invention.

10 '■ DTMF receiver and line control unit

20 •' real time clock unit

30 : display unit 40 ' sensor unit

50 '• memory unit

60 : input key unit

70 : voice recorder unit

80 : spare output unit 90 •' main control unit

100 '• an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same

110 : telephone unit

[ Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention 3

Referring to drawing 1, the invention, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same, can be explained as follows. DTMF receiver and line control unit(lθ) receives DTMF signals, converts them into digital signals, and sends them to the main control unit (90) in case the voice data are carrying an right password, namely they are from the head 100 office server.

Real time clock unit(20) keeps the real time(current time) and sends the time information to main control unit(90). Display unit( including LCD) (30) displays current time, recording or playing back situation, and all the working state of the invention. 105 Sensor unit(40) detects the movements of the user in the near area and the change of the light ( especially when turning off the light to sleep at night), then sends the information to the main control unit. Memory unit(50) keeps the time/place information of every voice data recorded in the voice recorder unit(70). 110 Input key unit (60) receives and sends the user's orders to the main control unit in order to play back, delete, scan the recorded voice data or to adjust the current time, the playing back time, or the operation time of the sensors.

Voice recorder unit(70) records and sends out the voice data through 115 the speaker or spare output unit(80) as the control of main control unit(90).

Unless the user scans and selects voice data from the voice recorder unit(70), the latest recorded voice data are adjusted to be played out automatically.

The voice recorder unit(70) can be made of tape recording method which records analog voice data or digital recording method which records 120 digital voice data converted from analog voice data. Both methods can be used at the same time. Main control unit(90) controls the other units to work properly.

The recorded voice data can be sent out or copied into/by other devices through spare output unit(80). In copying the voice data, the user can 125 use USB or IRRR 1394 which is installed to the invention. So the voice data can be downloaded to/from the other devices- personal computers, MP3, other voice recorders, etc.

Detecting the movement of the user and the change of the light, sensor unit(40) reports the information to the main control unit(90). Then the 130 main control unit plays back the voice data recorded in the voice recorder unit.

The playing back period of time and the times of playing back are set by the user.

The sensor unit(40) consists of CDS or PIR( Pyroelectric Infrared). 135 The operation time and the interval time of the sensor unit (40) are to be adjusted. If the user sets the PIR ( movement sensor) operation time as 16:00 - 24:00, and interval time as 2 hours, the movement sensor operates only between 4 and 12 PM, and every two hours. The operation time of CDS can 140 also be fixed, so that it does not work during the sleeping time not to disturb the user.

The method of this invention can also be applied to the internet telephone system which will be in use in the near future.

People concerned about this area may change or modify this invention 145 in various ways, so this invention must be covered and protected by the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/ recording using the same characterized by consisting of the units as follows.

DTMF receiver and line control unit which receives DTMF signals through telephone line, converts them into digital signals, and sends them to the voice recorder as the control of main control unit in case the voice data are carrying right passwords, namely they are from the head office server.

Sensor unit which detects the movement of the user and the change of the light, and reports the information to main control unit. Memory unit which keeps the time/place information of the voice data recorded in the voice recorder unit.

Voice recorder unit which records and sends out the voice data through the speaker or spare output unit as the control of main control unit.

Input key unit which receives and sends the user's orders to the main control unit in order to play back, delete, scan the recorded voice data or to adjust the current time, the playing back time, or the operation time of the sensors.

Main control unit which receives and selects the DTMF signals sent from the DTMF receiver and line control unit, makes the on/off hook switch of the telephone unit hooked off to make the appropriate signals received and recorded automatically, stops the recording work when the arranged time passes or when the arranged DTMF stop signals are received or when the voice data receiving work doesn't occur for over a certain period of time.

Real time clock unit which keeps the real time(current time) and sends the time information to main control unit.

Display unit( including LCD) which displays current time, recording or playing back situation, and all the working state of the invention.

Spare output unit through which recorded voice data can be sent out or copied into/by other devices. Telephone unit which has its own telephone number and the function of the ordinary telephone.

2. In clause 1, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same characterized by having voice recorder unit using either or both of the tape recording method which records analog voice data or the digital recording method which records digital voice data ( compressed or MP3 mode ) converted from analog voice data.

3. In clause 1, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for

- δ - playing/recording using the same characterized by having output spare unit through which recorded voice data can be copied into /from the other devices by wire or wireless/radio methods.

4. In clause 1, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same characterized by having DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency ) receiver unit, memory unit, and real time clock unit which consist of MT8870 IC, 24C16 or 24LC256 IC, and DS1302 IC, respectively.

5. An apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/ recording using the same characterized by having some operation phases as follows.

Calling phase •' the head office data serverGnformation provider) makes a call to user's telephone ( the telephone unit of the invention ) in order to send voice data.

Identifying phase : the invention identifies the calling by checking the password sent from the head office server. Identifying the server's password, the invention makes the voice data received and recorded. Playing back phase : the invention works and plays back the recorded voice data automatically in one of the occasions such as on the time the user have set ( It is mostly morning call time), when the user comes near the detection area of the motion sensor and the motion sensor detects the user's movement, or when the user turns off the light of the room where the invention is installed and causes the light sensor to operate.

6. In clause 5, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same characterized by having motion and light sensors ( PIR and CDS ) which operate when detecting the movement of the user or the change of the light only during the operation time set by the user, and send the information to the main control unit to play back the voice data (usually the latest data) recorded in the voice recorder unit as many times as and as long as the user have set.

7. In clause 5, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same characterized by having another operation phases as follows. Calling phase : a user makes a call to his telephone - the telephone unit of the invention - away from his home where the invention is placed. Identifying phase : the user is asked to input password to identify the caller. Playing back phase : when the password is correct, the recorded voice data are to be played back and the user is to listen to the voice data through the 75 telephone away from his home.

8. In clause 5, an apparatus for recorder having sensor and method for playing/recording using the same characterized by making it possible to use internet telephone system which sends digital data based on the ethernet or to use both of the internet telephone system and the normal analog telephone 80 system in order to attain the same effects mentioned above.