WO2005107226A1

WO2005107226A1 - Telephone system, control method thereof, and information communication device

Info

Publication number: WO2005107226A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/007959
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yukihide Sako
Original assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2004-04-30
Filing date: 2005-04-27
Publication date: 2005-11-10
Also published as: JP2005318424A

Abstract

In a telephone system, if, in a state that slave units (220,240,250) can communicate with a master unit (100), while slave units (210,230) cannot communicate with the master unit (100), a sixth slave unit (260) is added, then common programming information is updated in the master unit (100), and thereafter the common programming information is updated in the slave units (220,240,250,260). Thereafter, when the slave units (210,230) become able to communicate with the master unit (100) and/or slave units (220,240,250,260), they receive the common programming information. That is, the slave units (210,230) receive the common programming information, which has been updated after the previous updating of common programming information stored in them, and then have their common programming information updated by use of the received one.

Description

Specification

Telephone system, control method thereof, and information communication device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a telephone system, and more particularly, to a telephone system including a master unit and a slave unit, capable of reliably transmitting setting changes in the master unit to the slave unit, a control method thereof, and information communication. It concerns equipment.

Background art

[0002] In a telephone system that has been conventionally proposed, various information is commonly set by a master unit and a slave unit, and the commonly set information (hereinafter, referred to as "common setting information"). For example, in the case where a slave unit is added to the system, is changed by adding identification information of the added slave unit or the like. Various techniques are disclosed for such a mode of updating the common setting information in the telephone system in each device (master device and slave device).

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 6-120881 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique in which calendar information is handled as common setting information. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, in a cordless telephone device, calendar information generated in a master unit is transmitted to a slave unit, and the slave unit receives the calendar information based on the received calendar information. A technique is disclosed in which generated calendar information is modified.

[0004] Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-9465 (Patent Document 2), in a cordless telephone system including a plurality of slave units, information registered in the first slave unit is stored in the second and subsequent slave units. Discloses a technique to be registered by communication between slave units.

[0005] Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-27406 (Patent Document 3) discloses that in a communication device including a master unit and a plurality of slave units, the master unit transmits information to be transmitted to a certain slave unit. If it is not possible to transmit data to a certain child device when trying to transmit to the child device, the information is transmitted to another child device, and the other child device transmits the above information. A technique for transmitting the information to a certain child device has been disclosed.

[0006] Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-175384 (Patent Document 4) discloses that a master unit and a slave unit In the data processing device, a technology is disclosed in which data (including data corresponding to the above-mentioned common setting information) is automatically transmitted to the parent device.

Patent Document 1: JP-A-6-120881

Patent document 2: JP-A-8-9465

Patent Document 3: JP-A-11-27406

Patent Document 4: JP-A-11-175384

Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] However, in the conventional telephone system, when updating the common setting information including a plurality of devices including a master device and a slave device, a device serving as a transmitting side of the common setting information and a receiving device are used to update the common setting information. Equipment was fixed. For this reason, if the receiving device cannot communicate with the transmitting device, the receiving device will transmit even if it can communicate with devices other than the transmitting device in the telephone system. If communication was not possible with the device on the side, the latest common setting information could not be received.

[0008] In order to avoid such inconveniences, in order to ensure that each device receives the latest common setting information quickly and reliably (for example, the latest common setting Based on the operation for requesting the transmission of information), it is possible to configure to receive the latest common setting information. However, this may cause inconvenience if the user needs to perform the operation.

[0009] The present invention has been conceived in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to update common setting information in a telephone system when the common setting information is updated. It is an object of the present invention to enable the common setting information to be updated promptly and without any special operation in a powerful device that cannot communicate with other devices in the telephone system.

Means for solving the problem

[0010] The telephone system according to the present invention is a telephone system including a plurality of devices having a telephone function.

[0011] Each device has common setting information including information for identifying the device in the telephone system. And a common setting information storage unit for storing the same. Further, the common setting information includes update information that is information for specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated. In addition, each device further includes an information transmitting unit, a determining unit, and an information updating unit. When transmitting information to other devices in the telephone system, the information transmitting unit attaches and transmits the common setting information. The receiving unit receives the common setting information. When the receiving unit receives the common setting information, the determining unit compares the common setting information received by the receiving unit with the update information included in the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit. Determine which was later updated. When the determining unit determines that the common setting information received by the receiving unit has been updated later, the information updating unit receives the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit by the receiving unit. Update to the common setting information.

[0012] Further, in the telephone system according to the present invention, when the determining unit determines that the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit is updated later, the information transmitting unit sets the common setting information to the common setting information. It is preferable to transmit the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit to the other device that has received the information.

[0013] Further, in the telephone system according to the present invention, the information transmitting unit, when calling another device in the telephone system, identifies information for identifying the calling device and identifying the called device. It is preferable to transmit the information by attaching the common setting information to the information.

[0014] In the telephone system according to the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of devices include a master device and a slave device, and the master device includes an information updating unit that updates common setting information.

[0015] Further, in the telephone system according to the present invention, the information updating unit adds the common setting information so as to add information for identifying the new slave when the new slave is added to the telephone system. It is preferable to update the information.

A control method for a telephone system according to the present invention is a control method for a telephone system including a plurality of devices having a telephone function.

[0017] The above control method includes a step of storing, in the telephone system, common setting information including information for identifying a device and update information. The update information is information for specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated.

[0018] In the above control method, each device receives the common setting information; Comparing the received common setting information and the stored common setting information with the included update information to determine which one has been updated later, and the common setting received by each device. And updating the stored common setting information to the received common setting information when it is determined that the information has been updated later.

An information communication device according to the present invention is an information communication device that constitutes a telephone system and can communicate with other devices that constitute the telephone system.

[0020] The information communication device described above includes a common setting information storage unit that stores common setting information including information for identifying the device in the telephone system. Note that the common setting information includes update information that is information for specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated.

[0021] Further, the above-described information communication device further includes an information transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a determining unit, and an information updating unit. When transmitting information to another device in the telephone system, the information transmitting unit attaches and transmits the common setting information. The receiving unit receives the common setting information. When the receiving unit receives the common setting information, the determining unit compares the update information included in the common setting information received by the receiving unit with the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit. To determine which is later updated. When the determining unit determines that the common setting information received by the receiving unit has been updated later, the information updating unit receives the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit by the receiving unit. Update to the common setting information.

The invention's effect

[0022] According to the present invention, in each device of the telephone system, the common setting information from which the other party is transmitted is compared with the common setting information stored by itself, and the transmitted common setting information is stored. If the common setting information is updated later than the common setting information, the common setting information is updated. Thus, when the common setting information is updated by a certain device in the telephone system, the common setting information is transmitted with being attached to other information. There is no limitation on the device of the transmission partner, and no special operation for requesting transmission of the common setting information is required in the certain device. In the present invention, since the common setting information includes the update information, Based on the information, it is possible to determine which of the plurality of common setting information has been updated later.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in the telephone system, when the common setting information is updated, the device that cannot communicate with another device at the time when the common setting information is updated is promptly changed. In addition, the common setting information that requires no special operation will be updated.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a system configuration of a digital cordless telephone set which is one embodiment of a telephone system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a master unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a view schematically showing a configuration of a slave unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a telephone system including one master unit and five slave units in the telephone set of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state where a sixth slave unit is added to the telephone system shown in FIG.

[Fig. 5] In the telephone system shown in Fig. 4, the slave unit temporarily in a state where it cannot communicate with the master unit and Z or the slave unit is now in a state where it can communicate with the master unit and Z or the slave unit. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process executed when the mobile device of the telephone set of FIG. 1 receives common setting information. Explanation of symbols

[0025] 100 base unit, 101A, 101B telephone circuit, 102A, 102B RF control unit, 103A, 103B, 213 system information storage area, 104A, 104B line jack, 105, 215 Common setting information comparison 'update unit, 107, 217 RF transmitter unit, 108, 218 antenna, 110 additional function unit, 111 telephone function unit, 112 facsimile function unit, 113 answering machine function unit, 210-260 slave unit, 214 control unit, 219 own system ID storage unit.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a digital cordless telephone set (an embodiment of the telephone system of the present invention) Hereinafter, simply referred to as a telephone set) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Description of System Configuration]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a system configuration of a telephone set according to the present embodiment.

[0028] The telephone set according to the present embodiment includes a base unit 100 connected to a public line (Linel, Line2), a base unit 100 that wirelessly communicates with the base unit 100, and connects to the public line via base unit 100. Sub-units 210 to 260 are included. The master unit 100 and the slave units 210 to 260 can talk via INTERCOM. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a telephone set according to the present invention has a power set including one base unit 100 and six handset units 210 to 260. The numbers of parent devices and child devices included in the list are not limited to these.

FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a configuration of parent device 100, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a configuration of child device 210. The slave units 220 to 260 have the same configuration as the slave unit 210, except for specially designated parts.

Referring to FIG. 2A, master device 100 is connected to an external PSTN (Public Switched Telephone).

It has line jacks 104A and 104B connected to two lines (Linel and Line2) of the network, telephone lines 101A and 101B, and RF (Radio Frequency) control units 102A and 102B, respectively. Master device 100 further includes system information storage areas 103A and 103B, a common setting information comparing / updating unit 105, an RF transmitting unit 107, an antenna 108, and a caro function unit 110.

[0031] System information storage areas 103A and 103B are connected to RF control units 102A and 102B, respectively. The system information storage areas 103A and 103B store common setting information of each device constituting the telephone set according to the present embodiment, including the System ID assigned to the telephone set. In the common setting information, each System ID of the slaves 210 to 260 is associated with a number (HS1, HS2, HS3, ...;) set for each slave.

[0032] RF control units 102A and 102B execute control operations for performing INTERCOM communication with slave units 210 to 260, respectively. When performing INTERCOM communication with the RF control units 102A and 102B, information is transmitted and received between the slave units 210 to 260 via the RF transmission unit 107 and the antenna 108. Between RF control unit 102A and RF control unit 102B Have a master-slave relationship, and the RF control unit 102A is on the master side. The common setting information includes information (update time INDEX) for specifying the time at which the common setting information was updated.

[0033] The additional function unit 110 includes a facsimile function unit 112 and an answering machine function unit 113 in addition to a telephone function unit 111 having a speakerphone and a receiver. The facsimile function unit 112 has a function of printing out facsimile data received via the PSTN line and a function of transmitting facsimile data to the PSTN line via the telephone circuit 101A or 101B. The answering machine function unit 113 has a recording medium (not shown), and has a function of writing and storing voice information or data received by the PSTN line when the user is absent.

[0034] The answering machine function unit 113 has a function of reading, reproducing, and outputting the stored voice information or data when a predetermined operation is performed. The telephone function unit 111 has a function for making a call with an external device via the PSTN line or a call with the slave units 210 to 260. The additional functions provided in the base unit of the telephone system according to the present invention are not limited to these.

[0035] The common setting information comparison / update unit 105, when the RF control unit 102A or the RF control unit 102B receives the common setting information transmitted from another device, updates the common setting information update time INDEX. The update time INDEX of the common setting information stored in the system information storage areas 103A and 103B, or the update time INDEX of the common setting information stored in the system information storage area 103A and the common time stored in the system information storage area 103B The setting information update time INDEX is compared, and if necessary, the common setting information is updated based on the comparison result. The details of the comparison and judgment in this case will be described later.

Referring to FIG. 2B, child device 210 includes control unit 214. The control unit 214 includes a microcomputer, and controls the operation of the child device 210 as a whole. In addition, slave unit 210 includes an RF control unit 212 that performs a control operation for performing INTERCOM communication with RF control units 102A and 102B of base unit 100, a common setting information comparison / update unit 215, and a system ID of the own unit. Own system ID storage unit 219, system information storage area 213, and RF transmission unit 2 17 and an antenna 218. The system information storage area 213 stores common setting information as in the system information storage areas 103A and 103B. The slave units 220 to 260 are also provided with similar system information storage areas, and the same common setting information is stored in each of the system information storage areas. Further, each of the slave units 220 to 260 has its own System ID storage unit for storing its own System ID, similar to the own System ID storage unit 219.

[Process when a slave unit is added to the system]

Next, processing when a slave unit is added in the telephone set according to the present embodiment will be described. First, FIG. 3 schematically shows a telephone system including one master unit 100 and five slave units 210 to 250 as a system configuration before a slave unit is added.

In FIG. 3, the range in which communication with master device 100 is possible, that is, the physical range in which RF communication can be performed with master device 100 is indicated by a dashed-dotted line.

FIG. 3 shows the contents of the common setting information stored in the system information storage area for each of the parent device 100 and the child devices 210 to 250. In each common setting information, the update INDEX is set to “000000”, the system ID of the base unit 100 is set to “XXXXXX”, and the system ID of the slave unit 210 (the slave unit corresponding to the number “: HS 1”) is set to “ AAAAAA ", the System ID of Remote Unit 2 20 (the Remote Unit corresponding to the number" HS2 ") is set to" BBBBBB ", and the System ID of Remote Unit 230 (the Remote Unit corresponding to the number" HS3 ") The system ID of the slave unit 240 (the slave unit corresponding to the number “HS 4”) is set to “DDDDDD”, and the System ID of the slave unit 250 (the slave unit corresponding to the number “HS 5J”) Is "EEEEEE"! /

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows the contents stored in the own device System ID storage unit for each of the child devices 210 to 250.

Here, in the telephone system, slave unit 210 is located outside the master unit communicable range, and slave units 220, 240, and 250 are powered on and communicable in the master unit communicable range, Then, it is assumed that the power of the slave unit 230 is turned off. That is, it is assumed that the slaves 220, 240, and 250 can communicate with the master 100, but the slaves 210 and 230 cannot communicate with the master 100.

[0042] In this state, as shown in FIG. Is added.

[0043] When the user performs an operation for adding the sub-unit 260 to the telephone system when the sub-unit 260 is added, based on the operation, the sub-unit 260 moves as indicated by an arrow D1. Then, it communicates with master device 100. In the communication at this time, first, information requesting that the mobile device be added to the telephone system is transmitted from the child device 260 to the parent device 100. In response to this, the base unit 100 sets the common setting information to the base unit number for the base unit 260 (in this embodiment, “HS6” in order to add the base unit 260 to the telephone system. ) Is newly defined, and further updated so as to add a System ID for the slave unit 260 (described as “FFFFF F” in the present embodiment) to the defined slave unit number. In such an update, master device 100 updates the value of update time INDEX by one. Thus, for example, if the previous update time INDEX is “000000”, the value of the update time INDEX is updated to “000001”.

After updating such common setting information, master device 100 transmits the updated common setting information to child devices 210 to 260 as indicated by arrow D2. In the state shown in FIG. 4, similarly to the state shown in FIG. 3, child device 210 and child device 230 are temporarily in a state where communication with master device 100 is not possible. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 4, master device 100 can transmit the updated common setting information to slave devices 220, 240, 250, and 260 as arrow D2. As a result, in the slave units 220, 240, 250, and 260, the common setting information is updated to the one with the update time INDEX "000001", that is, the information including the information of the slave unit 260. , The common setting information remains as the updated INDEX “000000”.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, slave unit 210 moves within the master unit communicable range, and slave unit 230 is turned on within the master unit communicable range, thereby causing slave unit 210 to turn on. When 210 and 230 become communicable with master unit 100 and Z or slave unit 220, 240, 250 and 260, respectively, slave unit 210 and 230 become master unit 100 and slave unit, respectively. When communicating with the 220, 240, 250, 260, the common setting information is transmitted and received, so that the updated common setting information is received later than the information stored in the own device, and then stored in the own device. Update the common setting information that was updated later.

[0046] In communication between master unit 100 and slave units 210 to 260, or a slave unit among slave units 210 to 260 In communication between the users, the common setting information is transmitted, for example, at the time of calling. Specifically, at the time of a call, common setting information is transmitted from the calling terminal together with the calling system ID and the called system ID.

[0047] In the slave units 210 to 260, when the common setting information is received, which of the received common setting information and the common setting information stored so far is updated is compared. Then, as a result of the comparison, when it is determined that the received common setting information is updated later, the common setting information stored so far is updated to the received common setting information. The processing when the common setting information is received in the slave units 210 to 260 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process (common setting information receiving process) executed when the common setting information is received. Note that the common setting information receiving process is also executed in the case indicated by the arrow D2 in FIG.

First, in the slave units 210 to 260, it is determined in step S1 (hereinafter, “step” is omitted) whether or not the common setting information is received. If it is determined that the common setting information has been received, the process proceeds to S2.

[0049] In S2, the received update time INDEX of the common setting information is compared with the update time INDEX of the common setting information already stored in the system information storage area.

Next, in S3, it is determined whether or not the value of the update time INDEX (a value such as “000000”) is different as a result of the comparison of S2. If it is determined that they are different, the process proceeds to S4, and if it is determined that they are the same, the process returns to S1 and waits for the next reception of the common setting information.

In S4, whether the received update time INDEX of the common setting information is newer than the update time INDEX of the common setting information already stored in the system information storage area! It is determined whether it is larger, and if so, the process proceeds to S5. Conversely, if it is determined that the update time INDEX of the common setting information already stored in the system information storage area is newer than the update time INDEX of the received common setting information, the process proceeds to S6.

[0052] That is, in S4, for example, the child device (after the power is turned on) from the child device 220 shown in FIG. When the common setting information is transmitted to the slave unit 230, the update time INDEX of the common setting information received by the slave unit 230 is “000001”, which is already stored in the system information storage area of the slave unit 230. Since the value of the update time INDEX of the common setting information is “000000”, in such a case, the process proceeds to S5. Conversely, when the common setting information is transmitted from the slave unit 230 to the slave unit 220, the update time INDEX of the common setting information received by the slave unit 220 is “000000”, and the system information of the slave unit 220 has already been transmitted. The update time INDEX of the common setting information stored in the storage area is “000001”. In such a case, the process proceeds to S6.

Then, in S5, the common setting information in the system information storage area is updated to the received common setting information, and the process returns to S1.

On the other hand, in S6, after the common setting information stored in the system information storage area of the own device is transmitted to the other party who has transmitted the common setting information this time, the process returns to S1.

In the present embodiment described above, the update information, which is information specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated, is updated by the update time INDEX included in the common setting information. Although the update time INDEX indicates the number of updates in the above-described embodiment, information specifying the update time (updated date and time) of the common setting information or specific information may be used. The update time itself may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, master device 100 includes master-side RF control section 102A and slave-side RF control section 102B. Then, communication at the time of adding slave unit 260 (communication indicated by arrow D1 in FIG. 4) is performed between slave unit 260 and either RF control unit 102A or RF control unit 102B. As a result, the system information storage area connected to the RF control unit communicating with the slave unit 260, that is, one of the system information storage areas 103A and 103B, first updates the common setting information. You. Then, in such a case, one of the RF control units described above transmits the updated common setting information to the RF control unit on the other side. In response to this, the RF control unit on the side that has received the common setting information is connected to the RF control unit and updates the received information with the common setting information in the system information storage area. Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which a slave unit is added as an update of the common setting information. However, the update of the common setting information in the telephone system to which the present invention is applied is as described above. It is not limited to what is. Other items that update the common setting information in the telephone system include changes in the assignment of slave unit numbers (HS1 etc.) and display contents corresponding to the slave unit numbers (the slave unit number and the person who has the slave unit). It is possible to change the content that is registered when the name is registered and displayed when a handset is selected at the time of calling), the language selection, and the line selection method. Changing the line selection method means that, when the base unit 100 is connected to multiple lines such as LINE1 and LINE2, a method of automatically selecting a line to be vacant when making a call, Means that the line selection method is changed between the method that specifies (LINE1 or LINE2 and whether or not).

Industrial applicability

[0058] According to the present invention, in each device of the telephone system, the common setting information from which the other party is also transmitted is compared with the common setting information stored by itself, and the former common setting information is compared with the latter common setting information. If the information is updated later than the information, the common setting information is updated. As a result, when the common setting information is updated in the telephone system, it is necessary to perform an early and special operation on a device that cannot communicate with another device when the common setting information is updated. The common setting information is updated without being performed.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A telephone system including a plurality of devices having a telephone function,

Each of the devices (100, 210 to 260) includes a common setting information storage unit (103A, 103B, 213) for storing common setting information including information for identifying the device in the telephone system,

The common setting information includes update information that is information for specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated,

Each of the devices is

An information transmitting unit (107, 108, 217, 218) for transmitting the information together with the common setting information when transmitting information to another device in the telephone system;

A receiving unit (107, 108, 217, 218) for receiving the common setting information;

When the receiving unit receives the common setting information, the common setting information received by the receiving unit is compared with the update information included in the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit. A determination unit (105, 215) that determines which is later updated,

If the determination unit determines that the common setting information received by the receiving unit is updated later, the receiving unit receives the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit. A telephone information system further comprising an information updating unit (105, 215) for updating the common setting information.

[2] The information transmitting unit, when the determining unit determines that the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit is later updated, the receiving unit receives the common setting information. 2. The telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit is transmitted to a device of the other party.

[3] The information transmitting unit, when calling another device in the telephone system, adds the common setting information to information for identifying a calling device and information for identifying a called device. The telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the telephone system is attached and transmitted.

[4] The plurality of devices also have a master unit (100) and a slave unit (210-260),

The master device according to claim 1, wherein the master device includes an information update unit that updates the common setting information. Telephone system.

[5] The information updating unit updates the common setting information such that when a new slave unit is added to the telephone system, information for identifying the new slave unit is added. Phone system according to.

[6] A method for controlling a telephone system including a plurality of devices having a telephone function,

Each of the devices is connected to the telephone system! And storing common setting information including information for identifying the device.

The common setting information further includes update information that is information for specifying the time or the number of times the common setting information has been updated,

Each of the devices receiving the common setting information;

Each of the devices stores the received common setting information and compares the included update information in the common setting information to determine which one has been updated later. Steps and

When each of the devices determines that the received common setting information has been updated later, updating the stored common setting information to the received common setting information. A method for controlling a telephone system.

[7] An information communication device (100, 210 to 260) which constitutes a telephone system and can communicate with other devices constituting the telephone system,

A common setting information storage unit (103A, 103B, 213) for storing common setting information including information for identifying the device in the telephone system;

When the receiving unit receives the common setting information, the receiving unit updates the common setting information received by the receiving unit and the update information included in the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit. The comparison determines which was later updated. A decision unit (105, 215) to refuse,

If the determining unit determines that the common setting information received by the receiving unit is updated later, the receiving unit stores the common setting information stored in the common setting information storage unit in the receiving unit. An information communication device, further comprising: an information updating unit (105, 215) for updating the received common setting information.