JPH02218256A - Automatic answering telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To connect an automatic answering telephone set to a master set applying control without requiring a special interface circuit by providing a control signal interface means to give/receive a control signal sent/received for a multi-function telephone set into the automatic answering telephone set. CONSTITUTION:A control signal interface means 18 in an automatic answering telephone set 22 is a means applying transmission/reception of a control signal 17 with a master set 16. A control means 21 is a means applying reply as a control signal 17 to the master set 16 via a control signal interface means 17 based on the incoming notice received as the control signal 17 via a control signal interface means 18 from the master set 16. Thus, the function of the automatic answering telephone set is realized without losing the function as a multi-function telephone set and without requiring a single telephone set interface circuit.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding an answering machine that is realized as a part of a multi-function telephone, the present invention provides an answering machine that maintains the functions of the multi-function telephone without impairing its functions and without requiring a separate telephone interface circuit. In an answering machine connected to a main device that terminates a central office line and controls multi-function telephone functions, a control signal interface means for exchanging control signals with the main device; a message storage means for storing a response message to a caller or a message from a caller; and a message incoming notification received from the main device as the control signal via the control signal interface means. A response operation is performed as the control signal via the control signal interface means, and a response message to the caller stored in the message storage means is sent from the main device as a call signal via the central office line. and control means for storing in the message storage means a message from the calling party that is sent to the calling party and then sent as the call signal via the central office line and the main device. do.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an answering machine implemented as part of a multifunction telephone.

[Conventional technology]

An answering machine automatically answers when the caller is absent, sends out a prerecorded response message using a cassette tape or IC memory, and records the voice (business) from the caller.

Conventional answering machines have an interface for a standalone telephone, and by connecting them to a central office line, they function as normal telephones when you are at home, and when you are not home, by switching the switch, they function as an answering machine. demonstrate.

By the way, recently, many key telephone devices that do not have a standard line interface for stand-alone telephones and home PBXs (private branch exchanges) to which multi-function telephones can be connected have been developed. There is a growing demand for multifunctional telephones connected to the PBX to also have an answering machine function.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional example for realizing this.

As shown in the figure, the answering machine 5 is connected to the main unit of the button telephone device or the
It is connected to the BX (hereinafter simply referred to as the main device) 3.

In such a configuration, 1 5 input from central line 1
The incoming ringer at Hz or 20Hz is detected in the trunk package 2 and then sent to the main device 3. Then, a control signal is inputted from the main device 3 to the individual telephone interface circuit 4, whereby the individual telephone interface circuit 4 outputs it again as an incoming ringer 6.

In the answering machine 5, when the speaker is at home, the incoming ringer 6 of 16 Hz or 20 Hz is detected by the incoming ringer detector 10, and the control unit 11 blinks the LED 14 and sounds the ringer with a not-shown phone ringer. sound. As a result, the speaker can make a telephone call via the telephone communication circuit 7 from the handset 8 or the speaker 9.

On the other hand, when the speaker is absent and the answering machine function is activated, the incoming ringer 6 is detected by the incoming ringer detector 10, and the controller 11 detects the incoming ringer 6.
will be notified of the incoming call. Then, after several seconds have elapsed, the control section 11 automatically transmits an off-footer signal or a speaker button press signal from the individual telephone interface circuit 4 to the main device 3, and performs a response operation.

After the response operation, the control unit 11 sends the message prerecorded in the voice memory 12 to the calling party from the telephone communication circuit 7 to the standalone telephone interface circuit 4, the main device 3, and the trunk package 2 to the central office line 1. , waits for a message from the caller.

After the control unit 11 records the message from the caller in the voice memory 12 for a certain period of time via the telephone call circuit 7,
The on-footer signal or speaker button press signal is sent to the main device 3.
and performs the disconnection process.

Note that the key matrix 13 is an input section for inputting a telephone number, etc., and the LED 14 is an indicator lamp indicating that a call is being received or a call is in progress.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above conventional example, in order to provide an answering machine function to a key telephone device or a multi-function telephone connected to a PBX, a separate telephone interface circuit 4 is added to the main device 3 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, although not specifically shown, a new answering machine must be connected in parallel to the central office line 1. This is because conventional answering machines only have a single-telephone interface, and therefore the other party to connect must also have a single-telephone interface.

Therefore, installing an answering machine necessitates an increase in cost, and if a separate telephone interface circuit 4 as shown in FIG. The problem is that it disappears.

An object of the present invention is to realize the functions of an answering machine without impairing the functions of a multi-function telephone and without requiring a separate telephone interface circuit.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention.

The present invention is based on an answering machine 22 connected to a main device 16 that terminates a central office line 15 and controls multifunction telephone functions. Here, the main device 16 is, for example, the main device of a button telephone device that does not have a line interface for a standalone telephone as standard, or a private branch exchange (P
BX).

In the answering machine 22, the control signal interface means 18 is a means for transmitting and receiving a control signal 17 to and from the main device 16. The means is, for example, a modem that sends and receives only the control signal 17 superimposed on the call signal 20. Further, although not shown in FIG. 1, a means for transmitting and receiving control signals via a control line separate from the call signal 20 may be used.

The message storage means 19 is a means for storing a response message to a caller (not shown) or a message from the caller.

The control means 21 performs a response operation as a control signal 17 via the control signal interface means 17 to the main device 16 based on the incoming notification received as a control signal 17 from the main device 16 via the control signal interface means I8. It is a means. In addition to the above operations, the control means 21 also sends a response message to the caller stored in the message storage means 19 as a call signal 20 from the main device 16 to the central office line.
5 to the calling party. Furthermore, after that, central line 15
It also performs control to store messages from the caller sent as call signals 20 via the main device 16 in the message storage means 19. In addition to this, the caller also controls various functions such as display on an LCD (not shown) or the like.

[For production]

In the present invention, the answering machine 22 includes a control iMU signal interface means 18 for transmitting and receiving control signals 17 that the main device 16 transmits and receives for the multifunction telephone. Since the control means 21 controls the answering machine function based on this, the answering machine 22 can be connected to the main device 16 that controls the functions of the multifunction telephone without requiring a special interface circuit. .

〔Example〕 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

The central office line 23 is terminated at a key telephone device main unit or PBX (hereinafter simply referred to as main unit) 25 via a trunk package 24 for detecting an incoming ringer from a calling party.

A multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 for connecting a multifunction telephone or the like is connected to the main device 25.

An answering machine 27 according to the present invention is connected to the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26.

Next, FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. A speech signal 31 input to and output from the main device 25 is transmitted on two metallic wires, L1 and L2.

On the other hand, a control signal 29 input/output to/from the main device 25 is input to the modem 28 . This signal is, for example, an incoming call notification to the answering machine 27 in FIG. 2, or a response notification from the answering machine 27 to the main device 25. The modem 28 superimposes the control signal 29 outputted from the main device 25 to the answering machine 27 in FIG. 32 as a control signal 29 to the main device 25.

Further, a current supply circuit 30 is connected to the metallic wires L1 and L2.
Electric current is supplied from the terminal to enable communication.

Next, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the answering machine 27 of FIG. 2.

Multifunction telephone interface circuit 2 in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3
The call signal 31 input/output via the transformer 33
The signal is input to and output from the communication circuit 34 via the communication circuit 34.

A call signal 3 received by the call circuit 34 from the main device 25 in FIG. 2 via the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26
1 is amplified by the receiving amplifier 36, and then emitted from the handset 38 or the speakerphone 39 during a normal call, and is stored in the audio memory 42 when the answering machine function is in operation.

Further, during a normal call, the call signal 31 input from the transmitter 37 is amplified by the transmitter amplifier 35 and then sent to the call circuit 34.
, via the transformer 33, are output to the metallic wires L1 and L2, and are connected to the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 in FIG.
from there to the main device 25. Further, while the answering machine function is in operation, a response message is output from the voice memory 42 as a call signal 31 in the same manner as described above when a call arrives.

On the other hand, the multifunction telephone ink face circuit 2 of FIG.
The control signal 32 superimposed on the call signal 31 from 6 is as follows.
The signal is received by the modem 40 and input to the control section 41. Conversely, the control signal outputted from the control section 41 is outputted from the modem 40 as the control signal 32 to the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 shown in FIG. 3 through the metallic lines L1 and L2.

On the other hand, the busy tone detection unit (hereinafter referred to as BT detection unit) 43 detects the communication circuit 34 and the reception amplifier 36 as the communication signal 31.
This is a circuit that detects whether or not a sound indicating a busy state is inputted from the terminal, and when a busy state is detected, it notifies the control unit 41 to that effect.

The key matrix section 44 is an input section for a telephone number handle button, abbreviation button, an on/off switch for an answering machine function, etc. when used as a normal multi-function telephone.

The LED 45 is an indicator lamp that indicates whether a call is being received or a call is in progress.

The LCD 46 is a display unit that displays the telephone number, call time, etc.

Regarding the operation of the embodiment of the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 above, the fifth
This will be explained below using the operation flowchart shown in the figure.

First, the trunk package 24 shown in FIG. 2 constantly monitors whether or not there is an incoming call via the central office line 23 (see FIG.
1 repetition (see Figure 5 below), 16Hz or 20H
When the incoming ringer of z is detected (S2), first, the main device 2
5. Notify of incoming call.

As a result, the main device 25 sends a control signal 29 indicating an incoming call to the modem 28 in the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 shown in FIG. Then, the modem 28 in FIG. 3 superimposes a control signal 32 indicating an incoming call on the metallic lines L1 and L2, and notifies the answering machine 27 in FIG. 2 or 4 of the incoming call.

As a result, in the answering machine 27 of FIG. 4, the control signal 32 indicating the incoming call is first detected by the modem 40 and notified to the control unit 41 (above, S3).

When the control unit 41 receives the notification of the incoming call, it first blinks the LED 45 to notify the incoming call, and also performs the following operations (not particularly shown).
A ringtone is sounded by a bell (S4).

Next, the control unit 41 scans the key matrix unit 44 and determines whether the current mode is the answering mode (S5).

If the answering machine is not in the answering machine mode, a normal telephone answering operation is performed (S6). Since this is not related to the present invention, it will not be specifically explained.

On the other hand, in the case of the answering mode, the controller 41 first counts several seconds, for example, 6 seconds (S7), and when 6 seconds have elapsed, sends an off-footer signal or a speaker button press signal to the main device 25 shown in FIG.

That is, the control unit 41 in FIG. 4 outputs the above signal to the modem 40, which causes the modem 40 to superimpose the control signal 32 on the metallic lines L1 and L2.

This control signal 32 is detected by the modem 28 in the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 of FIG.
The data is sent to the main device 25 in FIG. 2 as a (above, S8).

The main device 25 that has received the off-hook signal or the speaker button press signal closes the communication path in the trunk package 24, completes the response operation, and communicates with the caller using the answering machine 27 in FIG. 2 or 4. and enters into a conversation state (S9).

The main device 25 transmits the completion of the response operation to the answering machine 27 as a control signal 32 from the multifunction telephone interface circuit 26, and this signal is received by the modem 40 in FIG. 4 and transmitted to the control section 41. As a result, the control section 41
turns on the LED 45 to set the call state, and also stops the ring tone (SIO).

Subsequently, the control section 41 controls the voice memory 42, whereby the response message stored in the memory is outputted from the transmitting amplifier 35 and the telephone circuit 34 as a telephone call signal 31, and the response message stored in the voice memory 42 is outputted as a telephone call signal 31. Functional telephone interface circuit 26
, main device 25 and trunk package 24 to central office line 23
(Sll) to the calling party.

After sending the response message (S12), the control unit 4
1 enables the audio memory 42 to record, thereby
A message from a caller input as a call signal 31 via the central office line 23, trunk box 24, main device 25, and multifunction telephone interface circuit 26 shown in FIG. 2 is sent to the call circuit 32 shown in FIG. It is recorded into the audio memory 42 via the amplifier 36 (S13).

Subsequently, the control unit 41 enters a state of monitoring whether a busy tone is detected from the BT detection unit 43 (S14).

If the caller leaves a message, the busy tone is not detected, and in this case, the voice memory 42 is used for a certain period of time, for example, 16 seconds.
514-319), the recording stops after 16 seconds (520), and waits for the caller to disconnect (S21).

On the other hand, if the caller disconnects without leaving a message, the main device 25 in FIG. 2 will output a busy tone, so the BT detector 43 in FIG. is detected and notified to the control unit 41. As a result, the control section 41
outputs an on-footer signal or a speaker button press signal to the main device 25. This operation is performed via the control signal 32 in exactly the same way as in the case of FIG.
S14→515).

At the same time, turn off the LED 45 indicating that the call is in progress.
．． 6) Also, since the busy sound mentioned above has already been recorded in the voice memory 42 of FIG. 4, it is deleted to prevent unnecessary sounds from being recorded and wasting the memory. 31
7).

With this operation, the main device 25 in FIG. 2 assumes that the answering machine 27 has disconnected, and the trunk package 24
The communication path is opened and the call is terminated (318). Note that this operation is similarly performed when the calling party performs a disconnection operation in the above-mentioned FIG. 5 321.

After the above operations, the trunk package 24 shown in FIG. 2 returns to the incoming call waiting state (S18-3l).

In the embodiment shown above, the answering machine 27 in FIG. 2 or 4 sends and receives control signals 32 to and from the main device 25 in FIG. 2 using the modem 40 in the same way as a normal multifunction telephone. I can do it. Therefore, it is possible to provide the function of an answering machine while maintaining the functions of a multi-function telephone.

In the above embodiment, the control signal 32 exchanged between the main device 25 and the answering machine 27 in FIG. 2 is transmitted superimposed on the call signal 31, but is transmitted via a dedicated control line. In this case, modem 4 in FIG.
0 is a dedicated interface circuit.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, by replacing the currently used multi-function telephone without newly installing a separate telephone interface circuit, it can be used as an answering machine as is, and an answering machine can be realized at low cost. Can be done.

In addition, it is possible to have many functions that stand-alone telephones do not have, such as a line selection button, pick amplifier, waiting list, and one-touch dialing, making it possible to utilize the convenient functions of a multifunctional telephone.

21...control means, 22...Answering machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a multi-function telephone interface circuit, and FIG. 4 is an answering machine according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example. 15... Office line, 16... Main device, 17... Control signal, 18... Control signal interface means, 19... Message storage means, 20... Call signal,

Claims (1)

[Claims] A control signal for transmitting and receiving a control signal (17) to and from the main device (16) in an answering machine connected to a main device (16) that terminates a central office line (15) and controls multi-function telephone functions. interface means (18); message storage means (19) for storing a response message to or from a calling party; and control signals from said main device (16) via said interface means (18). Based on the incoming notification received as the control signal (17),
performing a response operation as the control signal (17) to the main device (16) via the control signal interface means (17), and a response to the caller stored in the message storage means (19); Send message to call signal (
20) from the main device (16) to the central office line (15)
Messages from the calling party are sent to the calling party via the central office line (15) and the main device (16) as the call signal (20). Control means (21) stored in means (19)
An answering machine characterized by having the following.