JP2824916B2 - Message storage device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a message storage device used for a centrally managed intercom of a building having a large number of offices and dwellings and an apartment house.

(Prior Art) In recent years, intercoms of a centralized management system have been widely used in apartment houses and the like due to safety issues and the like.

A conventional centralized management intercom will be described below.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional centralized management intercom.

1 is a calling intercom, 2 is a called intercom,
Reference numeral 3 denotes an intercom line connection unit for selectively connecting the calling intercom 1 and the called intercom 2; 4, a control signal detecting unit for detecting a control signal input from the calling intercom 1; It is a line connection control unit that controls the intercom line connection unit 3 according to the output.

The operation of the intercom configured as described above will be described below.

First, when the number of the party to be talked out of the called intercom 2 is input from the calling intercom 1 through the control key, this is detected by the control signal detection unit 4 and transmitted to the line connection control unit 5. The line connection control unit 5 issues an instruction to the intercom line connection unit 3, and the line connection between the calling intercom 1 and the called intercom 2 selected by the interphone caller is performed. At the same time, a call is made to the selected called intercom 2.

Then, if the selected called intercom 2 goes off-hook in response to a call, the calling intercom 1 and the called intercom 2 are connected via the intercom line connection unit 3 to enable intercommunication.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-described conventional configuration, when the called party selected by the calling intercom is absent or unable to answer, the calling party is determined to have the called party. Despite having visited the building that seemed to be possible, I couldn't even convey the matter. Especially when the called party is absent,
The called party does not even know that the caller has visited, and later,
The callee could not even reach the caller. Also, when the caller wants to convey a message in a hurry, the callee must return to the building or wait until the callee can answer in order to convey the message. There was a problem that.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described problems, the present invention allows a calling party to convey a message to a called party even when the called party selected by the calling intercom is absent or unable to answer. An object of the present invention is to provide a message storage device capable of outputting a message stored by a called intercom to a calling intercom and transmitting the message to a caller.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is directed to a storage unit that is connected to at least one calling intercom and a plurality of called intercoms and stores video information and audio information. And a line connection unit for making each connection, and when the called intercom to be called by the calling intercom is selected, the video information and the audio information input from the calling intercom are transmitted to the called intercom. And, when there is a playback request from any of the called intercoms, retrieves the video information and audio information associated with the called intercom that requested the playback from the storage means. It is provided with a control means for sending to the called intercom which has requested the reproduction.

The control means stores the message from any of the called intercoms in association with the called intercom, and when the called intercom is selected by the calling intercom, the stored video information and audio data are stored. Outputs information to the calling intercom.

(Operation) According to the present invention, the calling party can store a message for a target called party by using the calling intercom, and then the called party can use the called intercom. To receive the message. Further, if the called party stores the message using the called intercom, the message to the calling party can be left by the calling intercom.

Example An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a message storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,
The same components as those in the conventional configuration described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 17 denotes a calling-side message input / output unit, which includes a calling-side intercom 1, a video input unit 11a including a CCD (charge-coupled device), a camera tube, and the like.
(Cathode ray tube), a liquid crystal display panel, and the like. Reference numeral 18 denotes a called-side message input / output unit, which includes a called-side intercom 2 and a video input unit 11.
A video input unit 11b similar to a and a video display unit 12b similar to the video display unit 12a are provided. Reference numeral 3 denotes an intercom line connection unit for selectively connecting a plurality of intercom lines, 4 denotes a control signal detection unit for detecting a control signal input from the intercom, 5
Is a line connection control unit that controls the intercom line connection unit,
Reference numeral 6 denotes an encoding unit including a video signal encoding unit 6a for converting an analog video signal into a digital video code and an audio signal encoding unit 6b for converting an analog audio signal into a digital audio code. A decoding unit comprising a video signal decoding unit 7a for converting a signal into a signal and an audio signal decoding unit 7b for converting a digital audio code into an analog audio signal; 8, a storage memory unit for storing digital audio codes; Unit, 10 is a message management unit, 13 is an audio / video signal separation / synthesis unit that separates and synthesizes audio and video signals, and 14 is audio / video signal encoding switching that switches the input signal of the encoding unit 6 A switch 15 is an audio / video signal decoding switch for switching an input signal of the decoding unit 7, and 16 is a switch for storing a message in the storage Time Mezzeji adding unit that adds to the message the time when the, 19a, 19b is a first image memory and the second image memory, respectively.

The operation of the message storage device configured as described above will be described below with reference to a block diagram (FIG. 1) and a flowchart (FIGS. 2 to 8).

First, the message storing operation from the called message input / output unit 18 will be described (FIG. 2).

In the initial state, the audio signal / video signal encoding switch 14 is not connected to either the video signal encoding unit 6a (G) or the audio signal encoding unit 6b (F). In this state, the called intercom 2 is off-hook and a message accumulation request control signal is input (step 1). The control signal detection unit 4 detects the control signal and sends the detection signal to the line connection control unit 5 and the management control unit 9 (Step 2). The line connection control unit 5 connects the line (B or B ') of the called message input / output unit 18 which has issued the message storage request in the interphone line connection unit 3 to the encoding unit 6 (C) (step 3). ). Management control unit 9
Interprets the message accumulation request control signal and sends the detection signal to the message management unit 10 and the audio signal / video signal encoding switch 14. As a result, the interphone line connection unit 3 (E) and (G) are connected (step 4). In the meantime, the video of the operator automatically starts recording (step 5). That is, the video signal fetched from the video input unit 11b into the first video memory 19a is converted into a digital video code by the video signal encoding unit 6a (step 6). After that, the converted video code is sent to the storage memory unit 8 by the time message adding unit 16 adding the time message at that time to the beginning. The message management unit 10 instructs the storage memory unit 8 to store the digital video code at the address corresponding to the called message input / output unit 18. The storage memory unit 8 stores and stores the digital video code according to the instruction (step 7).

After the transmission of the video signal, the audio signal / video signal encoding switch 14 automatically switches to the audio signal encoding section 6b side (F).
(Step 8), and the management controller 9 informs the called message input / output unit 18 that the voice message can be accepted (step 9). Thereafter, recording of a voice message from the called intercom 2 is started (step 10). The voice message emitted from the called intercom 2 is converted into a digital voice code by the voice signal coding unit 6b and sent to the storage memory unit 8 (step 11). The storage memory unit 8 stores and stores a digital audio code following the digital video code (step 12). When the recording of the voice message is completed, a recording end control signal is input from the called intercom 2 or on-hook (steps 13 and 17). The management control unit 9 sends an end signal of the message storage operation to the message management unit 10 and the audio signal / video signal encoding changeover switch 14,
(E) becomes an initial state in which neither (F) nor (G) is connected, and the audio signal encoding unit 6b ends the conversion of the analog audio signal into the digital audio code (step S1).
14). The message management unit 10 ends the accumulation operation in the accumulation memory unit 8 (step 15). The line connection control unit 5 releases the line connection of the intercom line connection unit 3 (step 16).

Thus, the message storing operation from the called message input / output unit 18 ends.

Next, the message reproduction operation of the called message input / output unit 18 will be described (FIG. 3).

In the initial state, the audio signal / video signal decoding switching switch 15 is not connected to either the video signal encoding unit 7a (J) or the audio signal decoding unit 7b (I). In this state, the called intercom 2 is hooked off and a voice message reproduction request control signal is input (step 21). The control signal detection unit 4 detects the control signal and sends the detection signal to the line connection control unit 5 and the management control unit 9 (step 22). The line connection control unit 5 connects the line (B or B ') of the called message input / output unit 18 which has issued the message reproduction request in the interphone line connection unit 3 to the decoding unit 7 (D) (step). twenty three). The management control unit 9 interprets the message reproduction request control signal, and sends the detection signal to the message routing unit 10 and the audio signal / video signal decoding changeover switch 15, and as a result, the accumulation memory unit 8
The sides (H) and (J) are connected (step 24). The message management unit 10 instructs the storage memory unit 8 to reproduce the digital code stored at the address corresponding to the called message input / output unit 18. According to the instruction, the storage memory unit 8 first sends the digital video code to the video signal decoding unit 7a (step 25), converts the digital video code into an analog video signal (step 26), and stores the digital video code in the second video memory 19b. Displayed on the display unit 12b (Step 2
7). When the transmission of the digital video code is completed, the audio signal / video signal decoding switch 15 automatically switches (I)
Side (step 28). Thereafter, the storage memory unit 8 sends out the digital audio code stored following the digital video code to the audio signal decoding unit 7b (step 29). The digital voice code is converted into an analog voice code (step 30) and sent to the called intercom 2 as a voice message (step 31).

The called intercom 2 goes on-hook when the reproduction of the voice message ends (step 32). The management control unit 9 sends an end signal of the message reproduction operation to the message management unit 10 and the audio / video / video signal decoding changeover switch 15, and (H) shows an initial state which is not connected to either (J) or (I). Then, the audio signal decoding unit 7b ends the conversion of the digital audio code into the analog audio signal.
The message management unit 10 instructs the storage memory unit 8 to end the reproduction operation. The line connection control unit 5 releases the line connection of the intercom line connection unit 3 (step 33).

Thus, the operation of reproducing the voice message from the called-side message input / output unit 18 ends.

Next, the state registration operation of the called message input / output unit 18 will be described (FIG. 4).

Off-hook the called intercom 2 (step 4
1) When a message is selected from the calling side message input / output unit 17, a message reproduction request state for reproducing a previously input message, or a line for line connection with the calling side message input / output unit 17. A registration control signal indicating the connection request state or which state is input from the called intercom 2 (steps 42 and 46). The control signal detector 4 detects the control signal and sends it to the management controller 9.
Upon receiving the control signal, the management control section 9 stores the state in the address corresponding to the called message input / output unit 18 in the storage memory section 8 (step 43). The end of the state registration is notified by an audible sound (for example, a beep) or a video message on the video display unit 12b (step 4).
Four). After confirming this, the called intercom 2 is off-hook (step 45).

Thus, the state registration operation of the called message input / output unit 18 ends.

Next, the calling from the calling side message input / output unit 17 will be described (FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8).
Figure).

In the initial state, the audio signal / video signal encoding switch 14 is not connected to either the video signal encoding unit 6a (G) or the audio signal encoding unit 6b (F). The audio signal / video signal decoding switch 15 is not connected to either the video signal decoding unit 7a (J) or the audio signal decoding unit 7b (I). In this state, the calling intercom 1 is off-hook (step 51), and one of the called message input / output units 18 is selected.
A control signal requesting connection is input (step 52). The control signal detection unit 4 detects the control signal, and the line connection control unit 4 detects the control signal and sends it to the line connection control unit 5 and the management control unit 9. The management control unit 9 searches the state of the called message input / output unit 18 selected from the calling message input / output unit 17 (steps 53 and 54).

As a result, when the called-side message input / output unit 18 is in the message reproduction request state, first, the line connection control unit 5
Connects the line (A) of the calling-side message input / output unit 17 that has issued the message storage request at the interphone line connection unit 3 to the encoding unit 6 (C) (step 10).
1). The management control unit 9 interprets the message accumulation request signal and sends the detection signal to the message management unit 10 and the audio signal / video signal encoding switch 14. As a result, the interphone line connection unit 3 (E) and (G) are connected (step 102). The message management unit 10 instructs the storage memory unit 8 to store the digital voice code at the address corresponding to the called message input / output unit 18. After that, the image of the caller fetched from the video input unit 11a into the first video memory 19a is automatically stored in the storage memory unit 8 by the same processing as the video message storage operation in the called message input / output unit 18. Is recorded.

Thereafter, the line connection control unit 5 connects the line (A) of the calling message input / output unit 17 to the decoding unit 7 (D) in the intercom line connection unit 3 (step 11).
1). The management control unit 9 transmits the voice message reproduction request control signal and the address corresponding to the called message input / output unit 18 to the message management unit 10. Thereafter, the same processing as that of the voice message playback operation from the called message input / output unit 18 is performed, a video is displayed on the video display unit 12a of the calling message input / output unit 17, and a voice message is generated by the calling intercom 1. Played (step
112).

When the calling message input / output unit 17 receives the voice message accumulation request control signal after the voice message reproduction is completed (step 57), the control signal detection unit 4 detects the control signal and communicates with the line connection control unit 5. It is sent to the management control unit 9. The line connection control unit 5 includes the intercom line connection unit 3
In step (1), the line (A) of the calling-side message input / output unit 17 is connected to the encoding unit 6 (C) (step 12).
1). According to the voice message storage request control signal, the management control unit 9 informs the message management unit 10 that the voice message storage request control signal has been received from the calling message input / output unit 17, and the called message input / output unit 18
Is instructed to accumulate and store the digital voice code at the address corresponding to. after that,
The message is stored in the storage memory unit 8 by the same processing as the voice message storing operation in the called message input / output unit 18 (step 122).

After the end of the voice message reproduction (step 57), if the calling intercom 1 goes on-hook, the line connection control unit 5
Releases the line connection of the intercom line connection unit 3 (steps 59 and 60). The management control unit 9 instructs the message management unit 10 to end the operation. The message management unit 10
It instructs the storage memory unit 8 to end the reproduction operation.

When the registered state of the called intercom 2 is the line connection request state, the same operation as in the conventional example is performed.
Voice communication is possible (steps 61, 62, 63, 6).
Four). The video signal taken into the first video memory 19a from the video input unit 11a of the calling-side message input / output unit 17 is added to the audio signal by the audio / video signal separation / combination unit 13 and transmitted. On the other hand, in the called-side message input / output unit 18, the video signal transmitted from the calling-side message input / output unit 17 via the interphone line connection unit 3 is separated by the audio signal / video signal separation / combination unit 13. The image is taken into the second image memory 19b and displayed on the image display unit 12.

Thus, the calling operation from the calling intercom 1 ends.

In addition, by removing the video display unit 12a of the calling message input / output unit 17 and the video input unit 11b of the called message input / output unit 18 from the message storage device of this embodiment, the voice message and the caller's It is also possible to configure a storage device for recording video messages (ninth embodiment).
Figure).

(Effects of the Invention) The present invention is provided with storage means connected to at least one calling intercom and a plurality of called intercoms for storing video information and audio information, and receiving calls called by the calling interphone. When the side intercom is selected,
The video information and the audio information input from the calling intercom are stored in the storage means in association with the called intercom, and a reproduction request is issued when a reproduction request is received from any of the called interphones. By adopting a configuration in which the video information and the audio information associated with the called intercom are retrieved from the storage means and sent to the called intercom that has requested reproduction, the caller can use the calling intercom to Once the message for the intended called party has been stored, the called party can then receive the message using the called intercom, and the called party selected by the calling intercom will be Even if absent or unable to answer, the caller can convey a message to the called party. Also, when the calling party calls the called intercom, the message stored in the called intercom is output to the calling intercom, so that the called party is absent from the calling party. This makes it possible to inform the caller of a certain message or any other message desired to be transmitted to the caller, so that the message can be transmitted more rationally, which is very effective in practice.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a message storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 8 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the message storage device of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a message storage device in another embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a conventional centralized management intercom. 1 ... Calling intercom, 2 ... Calling intercom, 3 ... Interphone line connection unit, 4 ... Control signal detection unit, 5 ... Line connection control unit, 6 ... Encoding unit, 6a ...
Video signal encoding section, 6b ... audio signal encoding section, 7 ... encoding section, 7a ... video signal decoding section, 7b ... audio signal decoding section, 8 ... storage memory section, 9 ... Management control unit, 10 ...
Message management unit, 11a, 11b ... Video input unit, 12a, 12b ...
... video display unit, 13 ... audio / video signal separation / combination unit,
14 ... Audio / video signal coding switch, 15
…… Audio / video signal decoding switch, 16…
... time message adding unit, 17 ... calling side message input / output unit, 18 ... called side message input / output unit,
19a ... first video memory, 19b ... second video memory.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A storage means for storing video information and audio information, at least one of a calling intercom capable of outputting video information and audio information, and a plurality of calling interphones for responding to calls from the calling interphone. A line connection unit connected to the called intercom and the storage means for making a connection between the calling interphone and the called interphone, and when the called interphone is selected from the calling interphone. Controlling the line connection unit to connect the calling intercom and the storage means, and associates the video information and the audio information from the calling interphone with the selected called intercom and stores the information in the storage means. In addition to the storage, when a reproduction request is received from any of the called intercoms, the line connection unit is controlled to make a call to the called intercom. Control means for connecting to the storage means, extracting video information and audio information associated with the called intercom from the storage means, and transmitting the video information and audio information to the called interphone which has requested reproduction. Message storage device. 2. The control means, when receiving a message storage request from one of the called intercoms, controls the line connection unit to connect the called intercom to the storage means and to receive a call. The video information and the audio information from the side intercom are stored in the storage means in association with the selected called intercom, and when the called interphone is selected from the calling interphone, the information is stored in the storage means. 3. The message storage device according to claim 1, wherein control is performed to output video information and audio information from the called intercom to the calling intercom.