JPH0154919B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for receiving extension connection information in a private automatic branch exchange.

In conventional private automatic branch exchanges, the operator responds to an extension connection request from the central office line, listens to extension connection information (for example, extension number, workplace name, name, etc.), and provides it to the switch's control device. , which controlled connections between central office lines and extension lines.

That is, when the central office line trunk is activated by an incoming call from the central office line, an incoming call is displayed on the reception desk corresponding to the central office line.

The operator presses the response button for the station line,
It responds to the central office line via the central office trunk, talks to the person requesting an extension connection (call), and listens to the requested extension number, etc.

Next, when the extension number is set on the numeric buttons and the activation button is pressed, the central office trunk number and extension number are sent to the control device.

The controller controls the switch network;
Connect between the extension telephone and the central office trunk.

The operator controls the transmission of a calling signal to the extension telephone, and when the extension subscriber answers, the operator releases the central line intervention state after informing the extension subscriber of the name of the call requester.

Thereafter, the central office line side and the extension line side are directly connected through the switch network, and a conversation is established.

In this way, conventional private automatic branch exchanges
It required the intervention of a handler when making calls on an extension line.

Therefore, if the number of handlers is reduced in an attempt to save labor in handler work, the response delay time will increase, the service for incoming central line calls will deteriorate, and the reception of incoming central line calls when the handler is absent, such as at night, will increase. The problem is that it is impossible.

On the other hand, there are systems (so-called dial-in), such as office group telephones (so-called Centrex), where the call requester on the central office line can directly dial an extension number to receive an extension call.
For various reasons, it is difficult to introduce and disseminate it to all private automatic branch exchanges, and
Even if introduced, for example, it would be necessary to have a certain amount of handlers available for call requesters who do not know their extension numbers.

The purpose of the present invention is to automatically receive extension connection information in response to an extension connection request from a central office subscriber,
An object of the present invention is to provide an extension connection information reception method that enables extension connection control.

The feature of the present invention is that the voice reception means responds to reception of the central office line with a voice signal, the voice reception means receives and recognizes the extension connection information from the voice signal of the person requesting the extension connection, and based on the result, , an extension connection information reception method that connects the office line and the extension.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an extension connection information receiving method according to the present invention.

Here, 1 is the office line, 2A is the office line trunk (COT), 3 is the switch network (NW),
4 is an extension telephone (EXT), 5 is a control device (CONT), 6 is a switch network control link, 7 is a trunk control link, 8 is a trunk scanning link, 9A is an operator trunk (OPT) ,
10A is a reception trunk (RPT), 11 is an audio response unit (ARU) related to voice reception means, and 12 is
The voice recognition unit (PRU), 13 the voice recording device (RCD), 14 the reception desk (ATT), 15 the
a voice response device control link; 16 is a voice recognition device control link; 17 is a voice recording device control link;
18 is a reception desk control link; 19 is a recording/playback link; 20 is a operator link (PL) related to the central office line incoming call reception/concentration means; 21 is an operator link control link;
Reference numeral 22 indicates a direct line side lead-in communication path, and numeral 23 indicates an extension line side lead-in communication path.

First, when there is an incoming call on the central office line 1, the corresponding central office line trunk 2A is activated and sends an incoming call indication signal to the trunk scanning link 8.

The control device 5 reads this, identifies the trunk number of the central office line trunk 2A, and connects the central office trunk 2A via the trunk control link 7.
and sends a response display signal to the central office line 1.

The control device 5 also controls the operator link control link 2.
1 to control the operator link 20, and set the office line side lead-in communication path 22 and the extension-side lead-in communication path 23 between the vacant reception trunk 10A and the relevant office line trunk 2A.

The reception trunk 10A includes a voice response device 11, a voice recognition device 12, and a voice recording device 13, respectively.
is connected, the voice response device 11 sends a predetermined voice signal to the office line side or the extension line side through the reception trunk 10A, and the voice recognition device 12 receives the voice signal from the office line side through the reception trunk 10A. However, the audio recording device 13 is capable of picking up and recording both of these audio signals.

In addition, if this is explained in detail, the voice response device 11,
The audio signals related to the audio recognition device 12 are each:
The voice response device 11
Since the output voice signal of the hybrid circuit must not be input to the voice recognition device 12, the voice recognition device 12 is connected to the transmitting side of the hybrid circuit, and the voice response device 11 is connected to the receiving side, or the two are switched and connected by switch control. I'll do what I do.

When the communication path between the office line trunk 2A and the reception trunk 10A of the operator link 20 is set, the control device 5 controls the voice response device 11 via the voice response device control link 15, and sends a reception message (for example, ``This is ABC Corporation. Please provide your name and the extension number or name of the person you wish to speak with.'').

This reception message voice signal is transmitted to the reception trunk 10A, the operator link 20, and the office line side lead-in communication path 2.
2. Listened to by the extension connection requester through the central office line trunk 2A and central office line 1.

After listening to this acceptance message, the extension connection requester speaks his or her own name and desired extension connection information (extension number, person's name, workplace name, etc.).

This audio signal is sent to the reception trunk 10 in the opposite direction through the same communication path as the reception message audio signal.
Received at A.

During this time, the voice recognition device 12 is controlled by the control device 5 via the voice recognition device control link 16 and is prepared to receive the extension connection information, so it immediately performs an operation to receive and recognize this.

The voice recognition device 12 compares and collates the input voice signal of the extension connection information with the pattern storage information based on the storage information in which the extension connection information related to each extension number is patterned, and selects the pattern storage information with the highest correlation. Voice recognition device control link 1
6 to the control device 5.

If unrecognizable, unrecognizable information is sent.

As a result, the control device 5 controls the voice response device 11 again, and sends a message requesting retransmission of the extension connection information (for example, "Excuse me, please try again.
Please include the extension number or name of the person you would like to talk to. ”) to send out an audio signal,
Retry recognition of extension connection information.

Note that this retry does not necessarily have to be performed, and can be performed a predetermined number of times as long as it does not cause significant displeasure to the person requesting the extension connection.

As a result of the retry, if the recognition is successful, the voice recognition device 12 sends the extension number to the control device 5, and if the recognition is not possible, the voice recognition device 12 sends unrecognizable information to the control device 5.

The control device 5 controls the audio recording device 13 via the audio recording device control link 17,
From the time of sending the first reception message voice signal,
The voice signals of the voice response device 11 and the person requesting an extension connection are recorded.

As will be described later, this is to prepare for extension connection intervention by the reception desk 14 in the case of an extension subscriber response, in the case of sending a voice signal for an incoming call on the central office line, or in the case of the voice recognition device 12 being unable to recognize the extension connection information. .

When the desired extension number is obtained, the control device 5
The switch network 3 is controlled via the switch network control link 6, and the extension telephone 4 is
After connecting the central office line trunk 2A to the central office line trunk 2A, the central office line trunk 2A is controlled via the trunk control link 7 to send out a calling signal.

When the extension telephone 4 is taken off-hook in response to a response from the extension subscriber, this is detected by the control device 5 or the office line trunk 2A itself, and the ringing signal is stopped.

The control device 5 controls the voice recording device 13, and records and reproduces the recorded voice signal of the extension connection requester in response to the reception message related to the extension connection as an incoming message voice signal of the central office line, the reception trunk 10A, and the operator link 20. , Extension side drop-in call path 2
3. Office line trunk 2A, switch network 3
to the extension telephone 4.

When the transmission of the incoming message voice signal on the central office line is completed, the control device 5 restores the operator link 20 and the reception trunk 10A, and also sets up a communication path between the central office line side and the extension side of the central office line trunk 2A.

Thereby, the extension connection requester on the central office line side can talk to the desired extension subscriber.

In the above description, the extension subscriber's response causes the subscriber to hear the incoming message on the central office line, but this is not always necessary.

That is, in response to a response from the extension subscriber, the office line trunk 2A may be controlled so as to immediately connect the extension telephone 4 to the office line side without transmitting the office line incoming message voice signal.

In this case, it is desirable to use a ringing signal (for example, 1 second transmission, 1 second pause) that is different from that for general extension calls (for example, 1 second transmission, 2 second pause).

This is so that when responding, it is possible to take a response attitude to those outside the company (for example, responding with the name of the company rather than the name of the workplace within the company).

Furthermore, even if the calling signal is sent for longer than the specified time,
If the extension subscriber does not respond, the control device 5
detects this, stops the ringing signal, controls the voice response device 11, and sends an extension unanswered message (for example, ``I'm currently out of the office. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please call back later.'')
After transmitting the voice signal to the central office line side, the central office line trunk 2A is forced to be restored, or the central office line trunk 2A is forced to recover, or the central office line trunk 2A is forced to recover, or the central office line side waits for restoration.

Or, from reception trunk 10A to operator trunk 9, regardless of the extension non-response message audio signal being sent.
At the same time as changing the connection to A, the extension non-response information may be sent to the reception desk 14 to have the operator respond.

In addition, when the extension is busy, or when all the extensions in the same group are busy, a busy tone is sent to the central office line by a known method, or the voice response device 11 is controlled to send an extension busy message (for example, " After sending out the voice signal "All extension lines are currently occupied, please try again later."), either force the central office line trunk 2A to restore or wait for restoration from the central office line side. .

At this time, similarly to when the extension is unanswered, the extension busy information may be used to prompt the operator to respond. Alternatively, a camp-on connection may be established by transmitting a camp-on audio signal (for example, "We are currently busy, but we will connect you as soon as there is space, so please wait.").

In either case of no response or full talk,
The recording and reproducing signal of the transmitted and received voice signal related to the incoming call may be sent from the recording and reproducing device 13 to the reception desk 14, or the operator may be made to respond immediately without sending it.

The case where speech recognition is performed smoothly has been described above, but as mentioned above, when unrecognized information is sent from the speech recognition device 12 to the control device 5 at the first time or after a predetermined number of retries, Or, a case will be described in which failure information is sent due to a failure of the voice recognition device 12.

In this case, the control device 5 causes the voice response device 11 to send a voice signal of a waiting message (for example, "Please wait a moment") to the central office line side, and then controls the operator link 20 to connect the central office line trunk 2A. In addition to changing the connection to the operator trunk 9A, the operator request display is displayed on the reception desk 14 via the reception desk control link 18, and voice recording is performed so that the recorded voice signal related to the incoming call can be played back. Device 13
control.

As a result, the operator must first
After listening to the recorded voice signal related to the incoming call from the central office line from 9 and identifying the extension connection information, or immediately after listening to it, immediately pass it through the operator trunk 9A and the central office trunk 2A to the central office line 1 side. After listening to the extension connection information by responding to and talking to the user, the user performs a connection operation to the desired extension telephone 4.

In addition, if the voice recognition device 12 is to be suspended for a certain period of time due to a failure, etc., that information is sent to the control device 5, and the control device 5 handles incoming calls from the central office line in the same way as normal operator intervention connection. The information is displayed to the operator via the operator's trunk 9A, and the operator is prompted to perform a connection operation.

This connection operation and exchange connection operation are the same as normal ones, so the explanation will be omitted.

As mentioned above, depending on the extension subscriber response,
When the extension line and the office line side are immediately connected without transmitting the incoming message voice signal from the central office line, the recording of the voice signal of the voice response device 11 and the person requesting the extension connection is performed as follows.
When the voice recognition device 12 does not retry, it starts when the first acceptance message audio signal is sent, and when it tries again, it starts from at least when the final retransmission request message audio signal is sent. It is possible to prepare for operator intervention connections such as

Furthermore, operator intervention due to inability to recognize speech may not necessarily be necessary depending on the circumstances.

That is, the voice response device 11 sends a voice signal of a termination message (for example, "We are very sorry, but we are unable to automatically recognize your voice. Please call us again.") or a signal tone (for example, It is also possible to forcefully restore the central office line trunk 2A by transmitting a medium tone) using a known method, or to wait for restoration from the central office line side.

This method is particularly useful when the main number for automatic recognition of extension connection information is disseminated only between business offices within the same company, and this method is therefore implemented on a limited basis within the same company. be. If the failure rate of speech recognition is extremely low, there will be no major practical problems even if it is generally implemented.

In cases where voice recognition is not possible, the extension is unanswered, or the extension is busy, a specific extension can be used as another method to avoid operator intervention.

That is, after sending a message voice signal to that effect from the voice response device 11 to the central office line side and the specified extension side, or only to the central office line side, the central office line trunk 2A and the specified extension telephone are connected and the extension subscription is performed. You can also have someone answer or make a call.

As a result of the call with the extension connection requester on the central office line side, the extension subscriber uses the callback function or transfer function of the private branch exchange as necessary to make arrangements with the desired extension subscriber or transfer the call. can do.

Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the extension connection information receiving method according to the present invention.

Here, 2B is a central office line trunk, 9B is a service trunk, 10B is a reception trunk, 24 is a call signal trunk, and other symbols are equivalent to those in FIG.

This embodiment is based on operator link 2 of the embodiment shown in FIG.
0 is not provided, a part of the switch network 3 is used, and the function of a central office line reception/concentration means can be added to this. The signal is sent from the signal trunk 24, and in response to a response from the extension subscriber, the control device 5 controls the switch network 3 to change the connection to the central office line trunk 2B.

The rest is exactly the same as that described for the embodiment of FIG. 1, so the explanation will be omitted.

In each of the embodiments described above, the voice response device 11 is used to send out various messages to the central office line side or extension line side, but it is also possible to use a talkie device provided for each message.

Note that the voice response device 11 or voice recognition device 12 connects its voice signal sending circuit or voice signal receiving circuit to reception trunks 10A and 10B, respectively.
It is possible to make memory, processing circuits, etc. common and use them multiplexedly.

In addition, the control of the voice reception means and related parts is
It is not necessarily necessary to share the control circuit with the exchange control circuit as described above, but it is also possible to decentralize the functions as appropriate and use a dedicated control device for this part.

This can be advantageous in terms of economy and other aspects, such as when the method of the present invention is an optional function.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention,
Since the number of people handling private branch exchanges can be significantly reduced or eliminated altogether, significant effects can be achieved in the rationalization of companies that require private branch exchanges and in the utilization of human resources.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an extension connection information receiving method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of another embodiment. 1... Office line, 2A, 2B... Office line trunk, 3
...Switch network, 4...Extension telephone,
5... Control device, 6... Switch network control link, 7... Trunk control link, 8... Trunk scanning link, 9A, 9B... Operator trunk, 10A, 10B... Reception trunk, 11...
Voice response device, 12...Voice recognition device, 13...
Voice recording device, 14... Reception desk, 15... Voice response device control link, 16... Voice recognition device control link, 17... Voice recording device control link, 18...
... Reception desk control link, 19... Recording playback link,
20... Operator link, 21... Operator link control link, 22... Office line side lead-in communication path, 23... Extension side lead-in communication path, 24... Call signal trunk.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In response to incoming calls on the central office line, a communication path of the central office line trunk is connected to the reception trunk via the central office line reception concentrating means, and the corresponding voice reception means A reception message voice signal is sent to the extension connection requester on the central office line side, and extension connection information based on the voice signal of the extension connection requestor is received and recognized by the voice reception means, and the voice reception means sends a reception message voice signal to the extension connection requester. If the recognition of the extension connection information voice signal of the extension connection requester on the line side is unsuccessful, the voice receiving means sends a message voice signal requesting retransmission of the extension connection information to the station line side and retries a predetermined number of times. If the recognition is successful within the specified number of times, a specified extension connection is made based on the result, and if it is unsuccessful, the central office line trunk is connected from the reception trunk to the operator trunk and the central office line is transferred to the operator. An extension connection information reception method characterized by allowing an incoming call to be answered. 2. In response to incoming calls from the central office line, the communication path of the central office line trunk is connected to the reception trunk via the central office line reception concentrator, and the extension connection on the central office line side is connected from the audio reception means provided correspondingly. Sends an acceptance message voice signal to the requester, receives and recognizes extension connection information from the voice signal of the extension connection requester by the voice reception means, and requests extension connection on the central office line side by the voice reception means. If the recognition of the extension connection information voice signal of the person is unsuccessful, the voice receiving means sends a message voice signal requesting retransmission of the extension connection information to the station line side and retries a predetermined number of times, within the predetermined number of times. If the recognition is successful, a predetermined extension connection is established based on the result; if the recognition is unsuccessful, the voice receiving means sends a message voice signal to the central office line to terminate the extension connection, and then the station A method of accepting extension connection information that either forces the line trunk to recover or waits for recovery from the central office line side. 3. In response to incoming calls from the central office line, the communication path of the central office line trunk is drawn in, connected to the reception trunk via the central office line incoming call reception concentrator means, and the extension connection on the central office line side is connected from the corresponding voice reception means. Sends an acceptance message voice signal to the requester, receives and recognizes extension connection information from the voice signal of the extension connection requester by the voice reception means, and requests extension connection on the central office line side by the voice reception means. If the recognition of the extension connection information voice signal of the person is unsuccessful, the voice receiving means sends a message voice signal requesting retransmission of the extension connection information to the station line side and retries a predetermined number of times, within the predetermined number of times. If the recognition is successful, a predetermined extension connection is made based on the result, and if it is unsuccessful, the central office line trunk is connected to another specific extension telephone and the extension subscriber is made to respond. Reception method. 4. In response to an incoming call on the central office line, the voice reception means sends a reception message audio signal to the extension connection requester on the relevant central office line side, and in response, the extension connection is established by the audio signal sent from the extension connection requester. The information is automatically received and identified by the voice reception means, and connection control is performed between the extension connection requester and the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information, and if the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information does not respond or An extension connection information reception method characterized in that when a call is busy or when extension connection information based on a voice signal from the office line cannot be received and identified normally, the operator is prompted to respond to the incoming call from the office line. 5. In response to an incoming call on the central office line, the voice reception means sends a reception message audio signal to the extension connection requester on the relevant central office line side, and in response, the extension connection is established by the audio signal sent from the extension connection requester. The information is automatically received and identified by the voice reception means, and connection control is performed between the extension connection requester and the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information, and if the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information does not respond or If the line is busy, or if the extension connection information from the voice signal from the central office line cannot be properly received and identified, a message is sent to the central office line stating that the extension cannot be connected, and then the central office line is forcibly restored. Alternatively, an extension connection information reception method is characterized by having to wait for recovery from the central office line side. 6. In response to an incoming call on the central office line, the voice reception means sends a reception message audio signal to the extension connection requester on the relevant central office line side, and in response, the extension connection is established by the audio signal sent from the extension connection requester side. In the extension connection information reception method in a private automatic branch exchange, which automatically receives and identifies information by a voice reception means and enables connection control between the extension connection requester and the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information, If the extension subscriber related to the extension connection information of the person requesting extension connection on the side does not respond or is busy, or if the extension connection information by voice signal from the central office line cannot be received and identified normally, the central office line shall be disconnected. An extension connection information reception method characterized by connecting to a specific extension telephone for operational management and having the extension subscriber respond.