JPH0273744A - Electronic mail system with voice - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an e-mail system, and more particularly to an e-mail system with audio to which voice messages are added.

[Conventional technology]

With the spread of word processors, it has become common to create one document using a word processor. Furthermore, there is also a demand for inputting a voice message along with a document, and for outputting the voice message along with displaying the document on a display device.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-297930 discloses a word processing system that allows a user to record audio messages relating to various portions of text and graphics in a word processing document to be processed. The system includes the display of the text associated with the voice message on a display device, as well as a means by which the word processing operator (user) can reproduce it, and a visual indication of the presence of one or more voice messages. Means for outputting a suitable audible sound is provided.

This visual display is positioned near or next to the part to which the voice message pertains.

This allows you to listen to voice messages as well as refer to the document display, making it possible to use the device in a variety of ways.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Recently, created documents have also been transferred by e-mail, and documents with various characteristics are transferred.

When forwarding a document with a voice message attached to it by e-mail, there is a demand for attaching the voice message in accordance with the nature of the document. For example, a reference method for a voice message that you want the person viewing the document (recipient) to hear, or for an email (including voice messages) where you want to restrict the voice message to a specific person, although there are no restrictions on the document itself. , there are demands to ensure safety (security), etc.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic mail system with voice that allows the addition of voice messages in various usage forms.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention creates text/image data and voice messages, and also adds output control information for the voice messages.

[Effect]

By adding voice message output control information,
The voice message can be output in accordance with this output control information, and the voice message reference method and safety (
Security) can be ensured.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic mail system with voice. In FIG. 2, 11 is a host computer, 12
13.15 is a mailbox with audio, and 13.15 is a workstation WS, which has voice message input/output devices such as a microphone, voice/data exchange device, and speaker. 14 and 16 are memo files with audio for each workstation WS. Here, WSi2 is the mail creator side, and WSi2 is the mail reader (user).

FIG. 1 is a processing flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention, showing the procedure when creating an e-mail. First, the user selects whether to create an email or view an email (400).

If e-mail creation is selected, the process advances to step 401. Mail references are explained in FIG.

In step 401, select whether to create a new email or update the email.

If new creation is selected, a voice confirmation method is set in step 430. Here, the creator decides whether to automatically (force) the viewer to hear the audio message (431) or not (
432). This step 430.431,4
32 will be explained with reference to FIG. 20 in Figure 3
is the creator's voice confirmation screen at step 430. When automatic (forced) is selected on the voice confirmation screen 20, the email manual screen 21-1 is displayed (431). Enter data such as text and images on this email input screen. When it becomes necessary to input a voice message, the screen switches to a voice message input screen 21-2.

This switching can be done at any time, and the voice message can be input from the voice message input screen 21-2. Here, input a voice message by referring to the scale of the voice message input box on this screen, and at the same time add information such as the number of repetitions, volume, and time interval as voice message attributes, which is one of the output control information for the voice message. do. The time interval is, for example, if you want the number of repetitions to be 2, and you want the first voice message to be heard immediately after the email is displayed, and the second voice message to be heard 10 seconds later, the first time interval is 0 seconds. , the second time is 10 seconds, and is hereinafter referred to as a time interval. Also, if you enter a number in the repetition number input field, items from 1 to that number will be created in the number of repetitions field. So, starting from the first time,
Enter the volume and time interval for the number of times. Volume for this screen.

If no time interval is entered, the default value will be set.

Further, when inputting a voice message, a cursor indicating the voice message amount (time, number of characters) is moved in the voice message input box over time, for example. This makes it possible to visually indicate to the creator the amount of voice messages or the interval between messages (silence time). When the voice message input is completed, the screen returns to the mail input screen 21-1.

If you select selectable with 20 on the voice confirmation screen, the email/voice message - finger input screen 22-1 will be displayed (432
). When creating a voice message using this screen,
Voice messages can be input while inputting data such as text or images.

If you need to input a voice message while inputting data such as text or images, click the F speaker mark.
-Display Subic (F) and enter the voice message,
Display B-subic (B) upon completion. The interval between F-subic (F) and B-subic (B) can be set arbitrarily by the creator. When B-Subic (B) is displayed, a voice message function setting field is displayed on the same screen or on a separate screen in a multi-window, and is used to set the number of repetitions and volume for the voice message of (3). After setting the voice message function, continue inputting data such as text/images or voice messages again.

After creating the e-mail with voice, enter the e-mail name and creator TDNα using the e-mail registration screen with voice (Figure 4) (433). It is checked whether there is any identical mail (434). Email name and creator IDNα
If they are the same, it will be considered the same email and a warning will sound (43
5). If the e-mail name is to be changed, the process returns to step 433 and the e-mail name is re-entered (changed). If you do not intend to change the email name, the process will continue and this email will be overwritten on the existing email. As a result, the existing e-mail will be deleted.Firstly, the date of storage, memo paper for the referrer (this paper is for the referrer to write down comments, etc. when referring to the e-mail with audio). (in principle, one sheet is prepared for each referrer), password for referrer (with level), and whether or not to save to audio memo file 14 (437.438
). The password levels here are, for example, those with level 1 can see both text/image data and voice messages, those with level 2 can only see text data, and those with level 3 can only see voice messages. This is also one of the output control information. If there is no input from the creator for these, initial values prepared in advance are set (439). However, in actual operation, the e-mail name,
After entering the creator IDNα and other necessary information, press the execution key or something similar. If there is an identical email, this screen will be displayed with a warning sound after checking the email name and creator IDNα, and if there is no identical email. If so, storage processing is executed (450). In some cases, steps 433 to 44o may be performed by default.

Next, email updating will be explained with reference to FIG.

When e-mail update is selected in step 401, the menu (mail name-list) screen in the host mailbox shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, and the first creator selects a necessary item number from the menu (410). At the same time, on this screen, the user selects whether to update the voice-added mail in the voice-added memo file 14 or the host mailbox 12 (411). If updating email in host mailbox 12, use creator ID
When Nα is input (412), the WS automatically searches for the voice-enabled mail in the host mailbox 12, and it becomes possible to update it (413). This prevents anyone other than the creator from unnecessarily updating the mail stored in the host mailbox 12. When updating the email in the audio memo file 14, the creator IDNa is not input.

After updating the voice-enabled email, the email name and creator IDNα are changed as necessary (414). If you change the email name or creator IDNn, when creating a new email (434
~436) Similarly, it is checked whether the same mail exists among the existing mails (415). Here you can change the storage date, memo paper, password for reference person, and if it is necessary to save the memo file with audio. (
418, 419). Initialization (blankization) of memo paper is also possible, as shown in FIG. 4 as an initialization designation page.

Newly created or updated mail with audio is stored in the host mailbox 12. FIG. 6 shows the processing flow when storing in the host mailbox 12. At the time of storage, the host mailbox menu (mail name - list) is checked (701). Item number 1 creation date and last update date are automatically entered. For example, the date of creation and the date of last update are input using the DATE function of the WS.

The storage date, email name, voice confirmation method, creator, Nα from the creator, reference password for each phase Nα, number of sheets of memo paper, and whether or not to store the memo file with voice 14 have already been set (if creating a new one, 433 to 439, and 411 to 418 in the case of update), and this is the confirmation here. Regarding creators, a table is created in a one-to-one correspondence with creator IDNα. After checking, if you wish to change the menu field (702), you can press the change key to change it (702).
703), and then a check is made for the same mail based on the mail name and creator IDNα (704).The processing when there is the same mail is as described above (705, 706).

If there is input in the notes column, enter it from this screen (7
o7.708). After completing the above processing, press the execution key and store the email with audio in the host mailbox (7
09).

Next, mail reference will be explained with reference to FIG. When you instruct the email reference in step 400 of FIG. 4, the WS
automatically searches the host mailbox (5OO),
Referrer (user) WSi2 menu (email name -
(501), and the referrer (user) selects an appropriate email from there (502). At this time, it is necessary to enter a password. If passwords are set for each level, the reference content differs depending on the password (503, 504). Step 5゜If the email voice confirmation method selected in 5 is automatic (forced) (510
), the viewer can refuse to confirm the voice message before the email is displayed on the screen (510), and after stopping the voice using the voice message stop function (511), refers to the email with voice. Even if you do not refuse voice message confirmation,
If the referrer requests to change the voice message (512)
, voice message attributes (number of times, volume) can be changed (5
13). When viewing mail with voice, you can freely stop and restart the voice message using the stop and release function and the repeat function (514).

If the audio confirmation method for the email selected in step 505 is referrer selection, the email with audio will be displayed immediately (5
20). The viewer can pick the F subic as necessary, but at this time, the voice message attributes (number of times, volume) can be changed freely.

Similarly to step 514, it is also possible to pause and repeat the voice message. After viewing email with audio.

Add comments as necessary to the memo paper attached by the creator (530, 531), and also add a user (referrer) Nα to let the creator know who has referred to it and the person who should refer to it has already It is informed whether it has been referred to (532). When the referrer requests to save the e-mail (533), the e-mail is saved (stored) in the memo file 16 with audio (536). When it is desired to register a mail with its own creator IDNQ (534), the creator IDNα is changed (535), and then stored in the host mailbox (709 in FIG. 6).

What is stored at this time is not the referrer, but the creator IDNα voice mail of one creator.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention creates text/image data and a voice message, and also adds output control information for the voice message. Therefore, the voice message can be outputted in accordance with this output control information, and the voice message can be referenced. It is possible to take measures such as methods and ensuring safety (security).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a processing flow diagram explaining one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is an input screen for the creator (report for e-mail with audio). Figure 4 is a diagram showing the mail registration screen with audio, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the host mailbox menu (mail name - list) screen, Figures 6 and 7 are
FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. 11...Host, 12...Host mailbox (audio bone), 13...WS (creator), 14...Memo file with audio (creator), 15...WS (referencer) )・Memo file with audio (referencer) (1 chome” right-) (Sanshu)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A voice e-mail system characterized in that a voice message and output control information for the voice message are added to a text, image, etc. mail.