JPH02274143A - Automatic answering telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the immediate transmission of a holding melody with the operation of a holding key by making the set in standby at the recording start position of the holding melody in the presence mode setting and making the set in standby at the recording start position of a reply message in the setting of the visit mode. CONSTITUTION:A control circuit 2 detects to which mode a keyboard 3 is set in the standby state and when a presence key 3e of the keyboard 3 is operated, the control circuit 2 drives a reply tape T so that the content of a tape counter 7 represents the recording start point A. When a visit key 3f is operated, a reply message recorder/reproducer 4 is driven and the tape is moved so that a message head B or C selected in advance in the reply messages 1, 2 opposes to a magnetic head and the set is in standby. Thus, immediately after the talking holding key is operated, the holding melody is given to the opposite party.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (b) Industrial application field The present invention relates to an answering machine.

(B) Conventional technology Generally speaking, when a telephone call is put on hold, a melody is played to the other party. IC is used.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention When a melody IC is used, the melody is fixed and the user cannot change the melody arbitrarily.

Furthermore, although answering machines have a built-in recording and playback device, they are only used for recording messages, and hold melodies are recorded using a separate melody I.
The structure is such that the number of parts is increased, and the cost increases as the number of parts increases.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a recording and reproducing device for a hold melody and a response message, a recording and reproducing device for a caller's message, and an answering machine. The apparatus comprises a mode setting means for setting the device to a home mode or an out-of-home mode, a means for detecting off-hook of the device, a means for putting a call on hold, and a control means for controlling each part,
When set to home mode, the device waits at the recording start position of the hold melody, while when set to out-of-home mode, the system waits at the recording start position of the response message, and starts recording the hold melody when the handset is off-hook. The present invention is characterized in that the control means controls the response message recording and reproducing device so that the response message recording and reproducing device waits at the specified location.

(e) Function The present invention is configured as described above, so that it is possible to change the hold melody to the user's favorite melody, and when the call hold key is operated, the call is immediately heard on the other party's side. You can play a held melody.

(f) Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

(1) is a line connection circuit that connects the telephone line (L) and the answering machine, and is composed of a switch circuit and a control circuit (2).
The line will be opened and closed under the control of The control circuit (2) is composed of a microprocessor that performs predetermined control according to a built-in program, and controls each part based on key signals from a keyboard (3) equipped with various keys as shown in Figure 2. Let's do it. (・1) is a response message recording/playback device whose operation is controlled by a control circuit (2), and as shown in FIG. 2) is configured to be recordable and reproducible, and the message reproduced via the line connection circuit (1) is sent to the speech line (1,). (5) is a microphone for inputting a response message, and (6) is a recording signal input terminal for inputting a hold melody. (7
) is a tape counter that detects the tape position of the response tape (T), and is configured to count pulses from a pulse generating means provided on the reel shaft of the recording/reproducing device (4). Up and down.

The output of the tape counter (7) is supplied to the control circuit (2) and indicates the tape position.

(8) is connected to the line connection circuit (1) and is connected to the control circuit (2).
), the recorded content is amplified by the amplifier (9) and transmitted to the speaker by operating the playback key (3g) on the keyboard (3). You can listen to it at (10). In addition, the content recorded on the response tape (T) and the speaker (10
) and can be listened to.

It is possible to monitor the hold melody and response message that are played. (11) is a dial signal generation circuit that generates a sita pulse or tone dial signal corresponding to the operated number by operating the number keys (3a) of the keyboard (3), and the generated dial signal is sent to the line connection circuit (1).
) to the telephone line (L).

(12) is a speech network circuit connected to the line connection circuit (1), which transmits the communication signals of the handset (13) and the telephone line (L) Jiff.
(14) is a circuit that detects on-hook and off-hook states of the handset (13), and supplies a detection signal to the control circuit (2). (15) is an incoming call detection circuit connected to the line connection circuit (1), which supplies an incoming call detection signal to the control circuit (2) upon detection of an incoming bell signal. (16) is a buzzer circuit driven by four call detection, which notifies the incoming call. Next, the operation of the present invention having such a configuration will be explained based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5.

First, on the response tape (T), as shown in Figure 3, there is a hold melody and a response message! message (1), response message (2)
) has been recorded in advance, and the control circuit (2) stores the tape position ffi of the recording start position rAj rB""C" by reading the value of the tape counter (7).

Therefore, in the standby state, the control circuit (2) controls the keyboard (3) by steps (Sl) (318) (S35).
It detects which mode is set.

When the home key (3e) of the keyboard (3) is operated now, the control circuit (2) detects that the home mode has been set in step (Sl), proceeds to step (S2), and starts the tape counter (7). By reading the value of , it is determined whether the read value matches rAJ of the recording start point of the pending melody, and if they match, the process advances to step (S4). However, if they do not match, the response message recording and playback device (4
), and the response tape (T) is driven so that the value of the tape counter (7) becomes "A" which is the recording start point. When the recording start point "rA" is reached, the process then proceeds to step (S4) to check the output of the incoming call detection circuit (15) to determine whether or not there is an incoming call.If no incoming call is detected, the process proceeds to step (512). ), and by checking the output of the detection circuit (14), it is determined whether or not the hand cell l-(13) is off-hook. 512) is in a standby state where the process is repeated.

Then, when an incoming call is received from an outside line and the incoming call is detected by the incoming call detection circuit (15), the incoming call is detected by detecting the bell signal.
The control circuit (2) detects the incoming call in step (S).
Proceed to step 5) and drive the buzzer circuit (16) to notify the incoming call. After driving the buzzer circuit (16), the control circuit (2) then proceeds to step (S6) and controls the handset (13).
If off-hook cannot be detected, the process further advances to step (S7), and by checking the output of the incoming call detection circuit (15), it is determined whether or not the incoming call is continuing, and the incoming call is detected. If the call is continuing, the process advances to step (S5) to notify the incoming call, but if the caller goes on-hook because there is no response, the incoming call is not continuing, so the process advances from step (S7) to step (S4).
) and enters the standby state.

On the other hand, if the person who notices the incoming call picks up the handset (13) and goes off-hook, the detection circuit (1=1)
The control circuit (2) detects off-hook in the output at step (S6), proceeds to step (S8), and connects the line under the control of the line connection circuit (1). This makes it possible to talk to the caller using the handset (13). During the call, the control circuit (2) repeats the processing of steps (S9) and (510), and when the hold key (3C) of the keyboard (3) is operated during the call and the hold state is set, the control circuit (2) repeats the processing of steps (S9) and (510). The control circuit (2) that detects that the hold key has been operated in step (5100) shown in the figure executes step (5101).
Then, the response message recording/reproducing device (4) is controlled to reproduce the response tape (T). Step (S3
), the response tape (T) has the beginning part of the hold melody facing the magnetic head, and the hold melody is directly played back and connected to the line (L) via the line connection circuit (1).
A hold melody is played to the caller. When the hold key (3c) is operated again and the hold state is released, the control circuit (2) which detected the hold release in step (Sl(12)) proceeds to step (5103) and starts recording the response tape (T). Perform rewind and rewind to position "A", which is the recording start point of the hold melody.During a call, press the hold key (
Each time 3c) is operated, the above-described hold melody playback operation is repeated. When the call ends and the handset (13) goes on-hook, the control circuit (2) that detected the on-hook state in step (S10) proceeds to step (Sll), controls the line connection circuit (1), and disconnects the line. Step (
Return to SL).

On the other hand, in the standby state of steps (S4) and (S12),
When the handset (13) is picked up and goes off-hook in an attempt to make a dial call, the control circuit (2) detecting off-hook in step (512) performs step (51).
Proceed to 3) to connect the line, then use the keyboard (3)
Step (515)
) drives the dial signal generation circuit (11) to generate a dial signal and perform a dial call. If the other party responds to this dial call, the call status is established and the call can be made. During the call, the control circuit (2) performs a hold process in step (S16), and presses the hold key (3c).
When is operated, the held melody can be played to the other party in the same way as described above. When the call is finished and the handset (13) is put on the hook, the process proceeds from step (517) to step (Sll'), where the line is disconnected and the process ends.

Next time you go out or use the keyboard (3)
) operation when the going out key (3f) is operated and the going out mode is set will be explained.

The control circuit (2) detects in step (318) that the outing mode has been set, and proceeds to step (519).
6. Drive the response message recording/playback device (1), and record the tape so that "B" and "C" at the beginning of the preselected response messages (1) and (2) face the magnetic head. Move the iY machine. Next, the control circuit (
2) is step (S20) (521) in the standby state.
), it is detected whether there is an incoming call or whether the handset (13) is off-hook.When the handset (13) goes off-hook to make a dial call while the out-of-home mode is set, step (5
The control circuit (2) that detects off-hook in step 21) proceeds to step (513) and performs steps (513) to (517).
By performing the processing described above, it is possible to make a dial call and make a telephone call in the same manner as described above.

On the other hand, in the standby state, when an incoming call is detected in step (520), the control circuit (2) advances to step (522) and drives the buzzer circuit (16) to notify the incoming call.

During the incoming call notification, in step (S23) the handset (13
) has been off-hook and whether the bell signal has been received a predetermined number of times in step (S24), and if the handset (13) is not off-hook during incoming call notification, step (524) is followed by step ( After proceeding to step S25) and establishing a line connection under the control of the same line connection circuit (1), proceeding to step (S26), the response message recording/playback device (4) is controlled, and the selected response message (
Play 1) or (2) and send it to the line (■7) to inform the caller that you are away. Upon completion of leaving the response message, the control circuit (2) proceeds to step (S27), sets the caller's message recording and reproducing device (8) to the recording mode, and starts recording the caller's message. When the message recording is finished, the process proceeds from step (S29) to step' (Sll), disconnects the same line, and returns to the standby state. Thus, while the user is out, the message from the caller is recorded by repeating the above operations.

Next, there is an incoming call while the mode is set to going out, and the incoming call is notified in step (S22) during a period l4.
Ji-ko, I will explain the operation when I just got home and took the handset (13) off-hook.

If you go off-hook during incoming call notification, step (S23)
), the control circuit (2) proceeds to step (S31), connects the line and sets it to a callable state, and proceeds to step (532) to drive the +76 answer message recording/playback device (4). Then, move the response tape <T) on which the 13 parts of the response message (1) or (2) are facing to the magnetic throat, and make the first molecule AJ of the hold melody face it. During the call, the process of steps (S33) (534) is performed, and when the call is placed on hold, the hold melody is played back and played to the other party in the same way as described above. Therefore, when the hold key (3c) is operated, the hold melody is immediately played.

I received a call while I was in out-of-home mode to use the out-of-home service, and while recording the message in step <327),
When the monitor mode is set by operating the monitor key (3d) on the keyboard (3) and you are checking the recorded contents of a message on the speaker (li), you want to make a call and take the handset (13) off-hook. Step (5
The control circuit (2) that has detected off-hook in step 28) proceeds to step (530), stops recording the message, and then proceeds to step (S32') to enter the call state and set the call state to hold state in the same manner as described above. Then you can play the held melody. The content recorded during the outing mode can be recorded by setting the caller's message recording and playback device (8) to a mode that controls it by operating the rewind key (31), playback key (3g), etc. on the keyboard (3). , the process proceeds from step (S35) to step (S36), where processing according to the mode is performed and can be heard through the speaker (10).

In the above embodiment, separate recording and playback devices were provided for the response message and the caller's message, but one recording and playback device is provided and the response message and message are recorded on one tape. It is also applicable to an answering machine that records both messages from the caller.

(g) Effects of the Invention As described above, the answering machine of the present invention allows the user to arbitrarily record on tape the hold melody that is played to the other party when a call is put on hold, and is also set to home mode. When the handset is set to go-out mode, it waits at the recording start position of the response message, and when the handset is off-hook,
By stopping at the recording start position of the hold melody,
The operation of the hold key immediately starts sending out the held melody, which has a great practical effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the answering machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the keyboard in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the recording state of the response tape, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the operating state of FIG. 1. (2)...control circuit, (3) keyboard, (・1)・
. . . Message recording and reproducing device for response, (8) . . . Caller's message recording and reproducing device, (13) . . . Handset, (14) . . . Detection circuit. Figure 1

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A recording and reproducing device for a hold melody and a response message, a recording and reproducing device for a caller's message, a mode setting means for setting an answering machine to a home mode or an out-of-home mode, a means for putting a call on hold, and each part. The control means controls the recording/playback device so that when the at-home mode is set, the recording/playback device waits at the recording start position of the hold melody, and when the out-of-home mode is set, the recording/playback device waits at the recording start position of the response message. An answering machine characterized by controlling. (2) Clause 1, characterized in that the handset is equipped with off-hook detection means, and the control means controls the recording and playback device to wait at a recording start position of the held melody upon detection of off-hook when the handset is set to going out mode. Answering machine as described.