Picturephone, with automatic answer function

Abstract

The invention makes efficient use of the function of a video telephone to store incoming calls. A caller image is stored in a display storage portion during a call, and the display of the image with an image display portion is continued after the communication. When the user sees the display portion, the user can confirm with one glance from who a video telephone communication was received while the user was out. It is also possible to store caller images while successively increasing the number of partitions into which the screen of the image display portion is partitioned whenever an image is recorded, and successively increasing the empty display space.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a videophone capable of communicating with a calling party through image signals and audio signals, and having an automatic answering function capable of automatically responding to incoming calls. Background technique

[0002] Generally speaking, a telephone with an automatic answering function is widely used among telephones for audio communication. The auto answer feature allows the telephone to automatically respond to incoming calls and to record messages left by the caller on tape or similar device. Where Caller ID (i.e. caller's phone number) can be received, the caller's phone number can be stored together with the message left by the caller, even if the caller does not respond to the auto answer function In the case that the call has been terminated, only the calling number can be stored. At a later time, the user of the phone can use the phone with the auto answer function to reproduce (play back) the record...

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