Very Telephone

Abstract

To easily perform a remote check reproducing operation when using an emergency telephone.SOLUTION: When a check is started, in an emergency telephone, a hook member is mechanically moved from a position to turn off a switch to a position to turn on the switch, and the emergency telephone is connected to an attendant board via an emergency telephone line. A voice signal obtained by suppressing or removing a component of environmental sound from a voice signal, which is collected and obtained by a transmitter in a state where a voice is outputted from a receiver of the emergency telephone, is recorded. After the recorded voice signal is reproduced by the emergency telephone, the hook member is mechanically moved from the position to turn on the switch to the position to turn off the switch, and the emergency telephone and the emergency telephone line are disconnected. The emergency telephone comprises: a voice guide duct guiding the voice outputted from the receiver during the check to the transmitter; and a voice guide box, which is connected to the voice guide duct and disposed between the voice guide duct and the transmitter, for causing the transmitter to collect the voice from the voice guide duct and environmental sound introduced from the outside during the check.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an emergency telephone. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Emergency telephones are installed on roads such as expressways to contact road managers in the event of an emergency such as an accident. Road managers who have installed emergency telephones regularly inspect the emergency telephones so that they can always accept emergency calls via the emergency telephones.

[0003] As one of the technologies related to the inspection of emergency telephones, a telephone under test is known that, when a call is received from a testing device while the handset is on-hook, i.e., when the user is not using the telephone under test, puts the handset into a pseudo-off-hook state and connects the line to the testing device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By putting the handset into a pseudo-off-hook state, this type of telephone under test enables the worker performing the inspection to test the telephone remotely without taking the handset off-hook. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-192069 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the above-mentioned telephones under test, the actual state of the handset during the test is on-hook. Therefore, when a user picks up the handset, an operator must pick up the handset for each telephone to check whether the handset goes from on-hook to off-hook. Furthermore, when the handset is off-hook, an operator must check whether the sound emitted (output) from the handset of the handset is normal by listening to the sound emitted from the handset for each telephone.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that enables easy remote inspection of an emergency telephone by reproducing the operation that occurs when the telephone is in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment, an emergency telephone is connected to a reception console via an emergency telephone line, and includes a receiving unit that receives a start signal that instructs the start of an inspection transmitted via a telephone line other than the emergency telephone line, a solenoid that mechanically moves a hook member that switches on and off a switch that connects the emergency telephone to the emergency telephone line between a position that turns the switch off and a position that turns the switch on, and a first control unit that, when the start signal is received, activates the solenoid and mechanically moves the hook member from the position that turns the switch off to the position that turns the switch on, connecting the emergency telephone to the reception console via the emergency telephone line, and This emergency telephone includes a recording unit that records a voice signal in which environmental sound components are suppressed or removed from the voice signal obtained by the transmitter picking up sound while sound is output from the receiver, and plays back the recorded voice signal on the emergency telephone, and a second control unit that stops the solenoid, mechanically moves the hook member from the position that turns the switch on to the position that turns it off, and disconnects the emergency telephone from the emergency telephone line, and further includes a sound guide tube that guides the voice output from the receiver to the transmitter during inspection, and a sound guide box that is connected to the sound guide tube and is positioned between the sound guide tube and the transmitter, and that allows the transmitter to pick up the voice from the sound guide tube and environmental sound introduced from the outside during the inspection. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the above aspect, inspection can be easily performed remotely by reproducing the operation when using an emergency telephone. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an emergency telephone system. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of an emergency telephone system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of an emergency telephone according to an embodiment. [Figure 4]1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for switching on and off a hook switch of an emergency telephone according to an embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for inspecting an emergency telephone in an emergency telephone system according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the external configuration of an emergency telephone according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a transmitter section in a handset of an emergency telephone. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of a sound emission box in an emergency telephone according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of an emergency phone according to an embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an emergency telephone system and an inspection method for an emergency telephone according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following description, detailed descriptions of well-known configurations and operations of conventional emergency telephone systems and emergency telephones will be omitted.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of an emergency telephone system, illustrating an emergency telephone system 1 including a plurality of emergency telephones 2 installed on a highway network.

[0012] A plurality of emergency telephones 2 in the emergency telephone system 1 are installed, for example, in an area of ​​a highway network under the jurisdiction of a control center 3. The plurality of emergency telephones 2 are grouped into a plurality of blocks 4 so that the number of emergency telephones 2 included in one block 4 is equal to or less than a predetermined maximum number (for example, 9). The plurality of emergency telephones 2 included in one block 4 are connected to a line supervisor (L-SV) 6 by a single emergency telephone line 5. The line supervisor 6 is a device that performs monitoring of the emergency telephone line 5, and is installed, for example, in a communication machine room 7 located near a road, a service area, a parking area, a toll gate, or the like. The emergency telephone line 5 is connected to a reception desk 301 of the control center 3 via the line supervisor 6 and a private (automatic) branch eXchange (PBX) not shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of emergency telephones 2 included in one block 4 are connected to an emergency telephone line 5 in such a manner that two or more emergency telephones 2 cannot be connected to the reception console 301 at the same time.

[0013] The emergency telephone 2 included in the emergency telephone system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes, for example, a telephone body and a handset including a receiver and a transmitter. A hook member for switching a hook switch on and off is attached to the telephone body so as to be movable relative to the housing of the telephone body. The hook member is configured to turn the hook switch off when the handset is hung on a handset receiving section extending outside the telephone body, and to turn the hook switch on when the handset is picked up from the handset receiving section. When the hook switch is turned off, the connection to the reception console 301 via the emergency telephone line 5 is released (hereinafter referred to as the "on-hook state"). When the hook switch is turned on, the connection to the reception console 301 via the emergency telephone line 5 is released (hereinafter referred to as the "off-hook state"). When a staff member in the control center 3 picks up the handset 302 connected to the reception console 301, a call between the user of the emergency telephone 2 and the staff member in the control center 3 becomes possible.

[0014] In this type of emergency telephone system 1, multiple emergency telephones 2 are distributed over a range of several kilometers, so it is very inefficient for an inspector to visit the installation location of each emergency telephone 2. For this reason, in the emergency telephone system 1 according to this embodiment, each emergency telephone 2 is inspected by operating it remotely (specifically, from the control center 3) as described below.

[0015] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an emergency telephone system according to an embodiment. Although only one block 4 of the emergency telephone 2 is shown in the emergency telephone system 1 of Fig. 2, the number of blocks 4 of the emergency telephone 2 may be two or more.

[0016] The emergency telephone system 1 according to this embodiment includes a reception console 301, a handset 302, a business telephone 303, a test control device 304, and a first private branch exchange (PBX) 305, all of which are installed in a control center 3 such as a traffic control room. The emergency telephone system 1 also includes a second private branch exchange (PBX) 8, a line monitoring device (L-SV) 6, and a line control device 9, all of which are installed in a communication equipment room 7 or the like. The emergency telephone system 1 further includes a block 4 including a plurality of emergency telephones 2. The emergency telephone system 1 may also include other devices not shown in FIG. 2, such as transmission devices (optical transmission equipment) that transmit information and transmit and receive data, such as trunk transmission devices and local transmission devices.

[0017] A reception console 301 installed in the control center 3 receives calls from all emergency telephones 2 included in the emergency telephone system 1. The emergency telephones 2 are connected to the reception console 301 via an emergency telephone line 5, a line monitoring device 6, a second automatic switching equipment 8, a first automatic switching equipment 305, and a test control device 304. The test control device 304 is a device that controls remote operation tests (inspections) of the emergency telephones 2 included in the emergency telephone system 1, and can be realized, for example, by a computer and a program that causes the computer to execute the control processing described below.

[0018] The reception console 301 outputs a voice signal (received signal) from the emergency telephone 2 to the receiver of the handset 302 , and outputs a voice signal (transmitted signal) picked up by the transmitter of the handset 302 to the emergency telephone 2 .

[0019] The service telephone 303 communicates with other telephones via a service telephone line other than the emergency telephone line 5. The service telephone 303 can also transmit a signal to one or more emergency telephones 2 connected to the line control device 9 by the service telephone line 10 to instruct the start of inspection via the test control device 304, the first automatic switching facility 305, the second automatic switching facility 8, and the line control device 9. The line control device 9 is a device that controls calling of the emergency telephones 2 connected by the service telephone line 10 and connection with the service telephone 303 based on a control signal from the service telephone 303 or the test control device 304. For example, a spare emergency telephone line can be used as the service telephone line 10 that connects the line control device 9 and the emergency telephone 2. A plurality of emergency telephones 2 included in one block 4 are connected to the line control device 9 by a single service telephone line 10.

[0020] When inspecting (operation test) the emergency telephone 2 in the emergency telephone system 1 of this embodiment, first, a process is performed to switch the emergency telephone 2 selected as the object of inspection from an on-hook state to an off-hook state. This process is performed, for example, by an attendant at the control center 3 operating the service telephone 303. The attendant at the control center 3 operates the service telephone 303 to call the line control device 9 and transmits a signal to identify the emergency telephone 2 selected as the object of inspection through the service telephone line 10. When the emergency telephone 2 selected as the object of inspection receives a signal from the service telephone 303, it mechanically moves the hook member on which the handset is hung from the on-hook state position to the off-hook state position. That is, the emergency telephone 2 automatically reproduces substantially the same off-hook state as when the user of the emergency telephone 2 picks up the handset based on a remote operation, and connects to the reception console 301 via the emergency telephone line 5. When the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are connected via the emergency telephone line 5, the connection between the service telephone 303 and the emergency telephone 2 via the service telephone line 10 is released.

[0021] In the emergency telephone system 1 of the present embodiment, when the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are connected via the emergency telephone line 5 by the above-mentioned remote operation, a test sound is output from a receiver provided in the handset of the emergency telephone 2. The test sound includes, for example, a sound signal collected by the handset 302 of the control center 3, or a sound signal output by the reception console 301 or the test control device 304. The test sound also includes, for example, an acoustic signal of a predetermined frequency output by an oscillator provided in the emergency telephone 2. During the period when the test sound is output from the receiver of the handset to the external space of the emergency telephone 2, the emergency telephone 2 records the audio signal collected by the transmitter of the handset using a recording unit (recorder) provided in the emergency telephone 2. When the output of the test sound and the recording by the recording unit are completed, the emergency telephone 2 plays back the recorded audio data and outputs it to the emergency telephone line 5 as a played back audio. The reproduced voice output to the emergency telephone line 5 is transmitted to the reception console 301 and handset 302 via the line monitoring device 6 , the second automatic switching equipment 8 , the first automatic switching equipment 305 , and the test control device 304 .

[0022] Based on the voice reproduced from the emergency telephone 2, the staff at the reception console 301 or the control center 3 judges whether there is an abnormality in the operation of the emergency telephone 2 selected for inspection and whether there is an abnormality in the call path between the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301, including the emergency telephone line 5. After the judgment, when the handset 302 of the control center 3 is put on-hook to disconnect the emergency telephone 2 from the reception console 301, the emergency telephone 2 mechanically moves the hook member from the off-hook position to the on-hook position to turn off the hook switch.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a circuit configuration of an emergency telephone 2 according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 shows an example of a circuit configuration of a first-stage emergency telephone 2 among a plurality of emergency telephones 2 included in one block connected to a track monitoring device 6 by a single emergency telephone line 5.

[0024] The emergency telephone 2 includes a first PB receiving unit (PB_REC1) 201 connected to the line control device 9 by the business telephone line 10, a first microcomputer (microcomputer 1) 202, a solenoid 203, a hook switch 204, and a speech network 205. The first PB receiving unit 201 receives the ID number of the emergency telephone 2 transmitted by the business telephone line 10 via the line control device 9, and transfers it to the first microcomputer 202. The ID number transmitted by the business telephone line 10 is a number that identifies the emergency telephone 2 selected as the object of inspection, and is also transmitted to other emergency telephones 2 downstream of the emergency telephone 2 illustrated in FIG. 3. The first microcomputer 202 is an example of a first control unit that compares the ID number transferred from the first PB receiving unit 201 with the ID number (own number 206) assigned to the emergency telephone 2 including the first microcomputer 202, and activates the solenoid 203 if the two match. The solenoid 203 is attached to a hook member that switches the hook switch 204 on and off so that when the solenoid 203 is activated, the hook member moves in a direction that turns the hook switch 204 on. The hook member has a portion for hanging a handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2, for example, and is attached to the main body of the emergency telephone 2 so that when the handset 207 is hung, the hook switch 204 moves to a position where it is turned off, and when the handset 207 is picked up, the hook switch 204 moves to a position where it is turned on. When the hook switch 204 is turned on, the speech network 205 and the track monitoring device 6 are connected via the emergency telephone line 5. Speech network 205 outputs an audio signal (received signal) transmitted from handset 302 or the like of control center 3 via track monitoring device 6 or the like to receiver 208 of handset 207, and outputs an audio signal (outgoing signal) picked up by transmitter 209 of handset 207 to handset 302 or the like of control center 3 via track monitoring device 6 or the like. Transmitter 209 of handset 207 outputs, as an outgoing signal, an audio signal obtained by suppressing or removing environmental sound components from an audio signal obtained by picking up sound with a microphone, as described later with reference to Fig. 7 etc. In the following description, the audio signal output by transmitter 209 from which environmental sound components have been suppressed or removed is also referred to as a "outgoing signal".

[0025] The emergency telephone 2 also includes a second PB receiving unit (PB_REC2) 210, a second microcontroller (microcontroller 2) 211, a first selector (SE1) 212 and a second selector (SE2) 213, a first amplifier (PGAMP1) 214 and a second amplifier (PGAMP2) 215, a recorder 216, first to fourth switches 217 to 220, an oscillator (OSC) 221, and a second PB transmitting unit (PB_OSC2) 222.

[0026] When the solenoid 203 is activated and the hook switch 204 is turned on, the speech network 205 notifies the second microcomputer 211 via the second PB receiving unit 210 that the emergency telephone 2 is connected to the reception console 301 by the emergency telephone line 5. The second microcomputer 211 stops the output of the activation signal from the first microcomputer 202 to the solenoid 203, and outputs an activation signal from the second microcomputer 211 to the solenoid 203. Furthermore, when the inspection of the emergency telephone 2 is completed, the second microcomputer 211 stops the output of the activation signal to the solenoid 203 and disconnects the emergency telephone 2 from the emergency telephone line 5. The second microcomputer 211 is an example of a second control unit that stops the solenoid 203 and disconnects the emergency telephone 2 from the emergency telephone line 5.

[0027] The first switch 217 and the second switch 218 switch the transmission path of the voice signal output to the handset (receiver) 208 of the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2. When the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are connected by the user picking up the handset 207, the first switch 217 and the second switch 218 connect the speech network 205 and the handset 208 so that the voice signal (received signal) received by the speech network 205 is output to the handset 208 as it is. On the other hand, during inspection (i.e., when the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are connected by activating the solenoid 203), the first switch 217 and the second switch 218 connect the speech network 205 and the handset 208 so that the voice signal received by the speech network 205 is output to the handset 208 via the first selector 212 and the first amplifier 214. The first selector 212 switches between a voice signal from the speech network 205 input via the first switch 217 and an acoustic signal output by the oscillator 221. The oscillator 221 outputs an acoustic signal of a predetermined frequency (e.g., 400 Hz). The first amplifier 214 amplifies the voice signal or acoustic signal output from the first selector 212.

[0028] The third switch 219 and the fourth switch 220 switch the transmission path of the transmission signal output by the transmitter (microphone) 209 of the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2. When the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are connected as a result of the user picking up the handset 207, the third switch 219 and the fourth switch 220 connect the transmitter 209 and the speech network 205 so that the transmission signal output by the transmitter 209 is input directly to the speech network 205. On the other hand, during inspection, the third switch 219 and the fourth switch 220 connect the transmitter 209 and the speech network 205 so that the transmission signal output by the transmitter 209 is input to the speech network 205 via the recorder 216, the second amplifier 215, and the second selector 213. The recorder 216 records the transmission signal output by the transmitter 209 and plays back the recorded transmission signal. The second amplifier 215 amplifies the line loss of the transmission signal reproduced by the recorder 216 based on the line loss setting 223. The second selector 213 switches between the transmission signal input via the second amplifier 215 and the PB signal output by the second PB transmission unit 222. The PB signal output by the second PB transmission unit 222 is a signal that notifies the reception console 301 of the end of reproduction (end of test) when, for example, reproduction of the transmission signal recorded by the recorder 216 is completed.

[0029] The emergency telephone 2 also includes a human presence sensor 224 and a first PB transmission unit (PB_OSC1) 225. The human presence sensor 224 is a sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person in front of the emergency telephone 2, and is connected to the first microcomputer 202. When the human presence sensor 224 detects the presence of a person in front of the emergency telephone 2 during inspection, the first microcomputer 202 notifies the second microcomputer 211 of the detection result, stops the activation of the solenoid 203 by the second microcomputer 211, and turns off the hook switch 204. When the hook switch 204 is off and the human presence sensor 224 detects the presence of a person in front of the emergency telephone 2, the first microcomputer 202 causes the first PB transmission unit 225 to output a PB signal. The PB signal output by the first PB transmission unit 225 is transmitted to other emergency telephones 2 connected to the same emergency telephone line 5 via the business telephone line 10. The PB signal output by the first PB transmission unit 225 is a signal forcibly terminating the inspection of an emergency telephone 2 under inspection when the emergency telephone 2 under inspection is in the same block 4 connected to the same emergency telephone line 5. In other words, when the emergency telephone 2 under inspection receives a PB signal from another emergency telephone 2 by the first PB receiving unit 201, it stops activation of the solenoid 203 by the first microcomputer 202 or the second microcomputer 211 and turns off the hook switch 204.

[0030] As described above, when the hook switch 204 of the emergency telephone 2 in the emergency telephone system 1 of this embodiment is turned on, it becomes connected to the reception console 301 of the control center 3 via the emergency telephone line 5. The hook switch 204 of the emergency telephone 2 is turned on and off by changing the position of the hook member that is movably attached to the housing of the telephone body, as described above.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of switching on and off a hook switch of an emergency telephone according to one embodiment. Fig. 4 shows only the hook switch 204, hook member 250, handset 207, and a mechanism for moving the hook member 250 in the emergency telephone 2 in a schematic manner. The forward direction and the backward direction shown in Fig. 4 are respectively the directions toward and away from the user of the telephone body (not shown) as seen by a user facing the emergency telephone 2. Moreover, the upward direction and the downward direction shown in Fig. 4 are respectively the vertically upward and vertically downward in the space in which the emergency telephone 2 is installed.

[0032] The hook member 250 is attached to the telephone body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending horizontally (more specifically, in the left-right direction as seen by a user facing the emergency telephone 2) relative to the housing (not shown) of the telephone body. That is, the hook member 250 illustrated in Fig. 4 can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise around the axis 251 as a fulcrum.

[0033] Hook member 250 has a first arm portion 252 extending in a rearward direction from shaft 251, a second arm portion 253 extending downward from shaft 251, and a third arm portion 254 extending in a frontward direction from shaft 251. First arm portion 252 and second arm portion 253 are located inside the housing of the telephone main body. Third arm portion 254 has a handset receiving portion 255 extending outside the housing.

[0034] 4 is attached to first arm portion 252. Spring 256 is such that when handset 207 is hung on third arm portion 254, the load that third arm portion 254 receives from handset 207 causes second arm portion 253 to move away from hook switch 204, turning hook switch 204 off, and when handset 207 is picked up, second arm portion 253 comes into contact with hook switch 204, turning hook switch 204 on.

[0035] 4 in a state in which handset 207 is hung on third arm portion 254. Solenoid 203 includes, for example, coil 261, magnetic member 262, and mounting member 263 for mounting magnetic member 262 to first arm portion 252. Solenoid 203 is mounted, for example, below first arm portion 252 in an orientation such that a magnetic field is generated that moves magnetic member 262 downward when a current is applied to coil 261 in a predetermined direction.

[0036] In the emergency telephone 2 according to this embodiment, when not being inspected, no current is applied to the coil 261 of the solenoid 203. Therefore, when the emergency telephone 2 is not being inspected and the handset 207 is hung on the third arm portion 254, the hook member 250 is held in a position (a rotation position shown by a solid line in FIG. 4) where the second arm portion 253 is separated from the hook switch 204 and the hook switch 204 is turned off.

[0037] On the other hand, in the emergency telephone 2 according to this embodiment, during inspection, the solenoid 203 is activated by applying a current to the coil 261 of the solenoid 203. At this time, a current of a magnitude capable of rotating the hook member 250 to a rotation position where the second arm portion 253 abuts against the hook switch 204 and turns on the hook switch 204 is applied to the coil 261 while the handset 207 is hung on the third arm portion 254. This allows the worker to rotate the hook member 250 and turn on the hook switch 204 without picking up the handset 207. Therefore, in the emergency telephone 2 according to this embodiment, inspection as to whether the handset 207 is connected to the reception console 301 when it is picked up can be performed by remotely inputting a signal to activate the solenoid 203.

[0038] Furthermore, the emergency telephone 2 according to this embodiment has the recorder 216 as described above, and during inspection, the voice output from the receiver 208 of the handset 207 is picked up by the transmitter 209, and the voice signal (transmitting signal) output by the transmitter 209 can be recorded and played back. Therefore, in the emergency telephone system 1 according to this embodiment, the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2 and the emergency telephone line 5 connecting the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 can also be inspected by remote operation. Hereinafter, an example of a method for inspecting the emergency telephone 2 in the emergency telephone system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0039] Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining an inspection method of an emergency telephone in an emergency telephone system according to an embodiment. The inspection work of the emergency telephone 2 illustrated in Fig. 5 is carried out, for example, when all the emergency telephones 2 in one block including the multiple emergency telephones 2 to be inspected are not connected to the reception console 301 (standby state).

[0040] When inspecting the emergency telephone 2 in the emergency telephone system 1 of this embodiment, first, an extension call is made from the service telephone 303 of the control center 3 to the line control device 9 (step S1). An inspector such as a staff member of the control center 3 picks up the handset of the service telephone 303 and confirms that a dial tone (DT) can be heard, and then, for example, operates the push button of the handset to dial the extension number (call number) of the line control device 9. When the extension number is dialed, an extension call signal (for example, a 16 Hz call signal) is transmitted from the service telephone 303 to the line control device 9 via the first automatic switching equipment 305 and the second automatic switching equipment 8, and a ring tone (RBT) is output from the receiver of the handset.

[0041] When the line control device 9 detects several ring signals from the service telephone 303, it returns a response to the service telephone 303 (step S2) and connects the service telephone 303 to the line control device 9. At this time, the line control device 9 releases the insulation from the service telephone line 10 connected to the emergency telephone 2, and extends the service telephone line to the emergency telephone 2 side.

[0042] After the service telephone 303 and the line control device 9 are connected, the ID number is transmitted from the service telephone 303 to the line control device 9 via the first automatic switching equipment 305 and the second automatic switching equipment 8, etc., and the ID number is transferred from the line control device 9 to the multiple emergency telephones 2 through the service telephone line 10 (step S3). The ID number is a number that identifies the emergency telephone 2 selected for inspection, and is entered (dialed) by, for example, an attendant operating the push button on the handset after confirming that the handset ringing has stopped. After transferring the ID number to the emergency telephone 2, the line control device 9 releases the connection to the service telephone line 10 when a predetermined period (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed (step S4).

[0043] Each of the emergency telephones 2 determines whether the ID number transmitted over the business telephone line 10 matches its own ID number (own number) (step S5). When the emergency telephone 2 receives the ID number at the first PB receiving unit 201, it transfers the ID number to the first microcomputer 202 and determines whether the received ID number matches the own number 206. If they do not match (step S5; NO), the emergency telephone 2 continues in standby mode without executing any processing related to the inspection.

[0044] If the ID numbers match (step S5; YES), the emergency telephone 2 activates the solenoid 203 by the first microcomputer 202 (step S6). When the solenoid 203 is activated, the hook member 250 rotates mechanically, and the second arm portion 253 of the hook member 250 turns on the hook switch 204. The emergency telephone 2 whose hook switch 204 has been turned on calls the reception console 301 via the track monitoring device 6, the second automatic switching equipment 8, the first automatic switching equipment 305, the test control device 304, etc. (step S7). After that, in the emergency telephone 2 whose hook switch 204 has been turned on (the emergency telephone to be inspected), power is supplied to the second microcomputer 211, and the second microcomputer 211 is activated. After startup, the second microcomputer 211 causes the first microcomputer 202 to stop applying current to the coil 261 of the solenoid 203, and starts applying current to the coil 261 of the solenoid 203 by itself, and maintains the hook switch 204 in the on state by the hook member 250.

[0045] When the reception console 301 responds to a call from the emergency telephone 2 and accepts a test start operation (step S8), it transmits a signal to the test control device 304 to instruct the test start (step S9). The signal to instruct the test start includes, for example, information for identifying the emergency telephone 2 selected as the object of inspection. The test start operation is, for example, an operation on a button switch provided on the reception console 301 or the handset 302 connected to the reception console 301. When the test control device 304 accepts the signal to instruct the test start from the reception console 301, it transmits a PB signal to the emergency telephone 2 to be inspected via the first automatic switching equipment 305, the second automatic switching equipment 8, the line monitoring device 6, the emergency telephone line 5, etc. (step S10).

[0046] When the emergency telephone 2 selected as the subject of inspection receives the PB signal from the test control device 304, it performs recording processing by the recorder 216 (step S11). The emergency telephone 2 transfers the PB signal received by the speech network 205 to the second microcomputer 211 via the second PB receiving unit 210, and confirms the PB number in the second microcomputer 211. Thereafter, the emergency telephone 2 switches the third switch 219 to the recorder 216 side, switches the fourth switch 220 to the second selector 213 side, and starts processing to record the voice signal (transmitted speech signal) output by the transmitter 209 of the handset 207 by the recorder 216.

[0047] At this time, the emergency telephone 2, for example, first records the voice signal from the reception console 301 for a predetermined first period (for example, 5 seconds), and then records the voice signal (for example, a 400 Hz sound signal) output by the oscillator 221 for a predetermined second period (for example, 3 seconds). When the emergency telephone 2 starts the recording process, first, the first switch 217 is switched to the first selector 212 side and the second switch 218 is switched to the first amplifier 214 side, and the test voice signal (received signal) transmitted from the reception console 301 through the emergency telephone line 5 is amplified by the first amplifier 214 and output (emit) as a voice (received sound) from the receiver 208 of the handset 207. The test voice signal transmitted from the reception console 301 is, for example, a voice signal such as a predetermined word or sentence spoken by a staff member of the control center 3 to the handset 302 connected to the reception console 301. That is, the reception console 301 transmits a signal to the test control device 304 to instruct the start of the test, and then outputs a test voice signal (test voice) to the emergency telephone 2 (step S12). During the first period, the emergency telephone 2 converts the test voice signal transmitted from the reception console 301 from two wires to four wires in the speech network 205, amplifies the converted voice signal by the first amplifier 214, and outputs it from the handset 208. Then, when the first period has elapsed, the emergency telephone 2 switches the first selector 212, amplifies the voice signal generated by the oscillator 221 by the first amplifier 214, and outputs it from the handset 208. Then, when the second period has elapsed, the emergency telephone 2 ends the transmission of the voice signal by the oscillator 221, and ends the recording by the recorder 216.

[0048] When the recording process is completed, the emergency telephone 2 performs a reproducing process of reproducing the voice signal (speech signal) recorded by the recorder 216 and transmitting it to the reception console 301 (step S13). In the reproducing process, the emergency telephone 2 amplifies the voice signal (speech signal) reproduced by the recorder 216 by the second amplifier 215, converts it from four wires to two wires in the speech network 205, and outputs it to the emergency telephone line 5. The second amplifier 215 amplifies the line loss based on the line loss setting 223. The voice signal (reproduced voice) output to the emergency telephone line 5 is transmitted to the reception console 301 via the line monitoring device 6, the second automatic switching equipment 8, the first automatic switching equipment 305, the test control device 304, etc. (step S14). The voice signal transmitted to the reception console 301 may be stored in the test control device 304, for example.

[0049] When the playback process is completed, the emergency telephone 2 switches the second selector 213, and outputs the PB signal output by the second PB transmission unit 222 to the emergency telephone line 5 (step S15). After that, the emergency telephone 2 switches the third switch 219 and the fourth switch 220 to the path side that does not pass through the recorder 216 and the second selector 213.

[0050] The reception console 301, which has received the PB signal following the reproduced voice, releases the connection with the emergency telephone 2 currently being inspected via the emergency telephone line 5 (step S16). At this time, a lockout signal is transmitted to the emergency telephone 2 currently being inspected via the emergency telephone line 5 or the like (step S17). In the emergency telephone 2 which has received the lockout signal, for example, the power supply of the second microcomputer 211 is turned off and the solenoid 203 is stopped (step S18). When the solenoid 203 is stopped, the hook member 250 which had the hook switch 204 turned on rotates in a direction in which the second arm portion 253 is separated from the hook switch 204 (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4) due to the load from the handset 207 hung on the third arm portion 254. As a result, the hook switch 204 of the emergency telephone 2 is turned off (i.e., the connection with the emergency telephone line 5 is released) and the emergency telephone 2 is placed in a standby state.

[0051] After the inspection of one of multiple emergency telephones 2 is completed using the above procedure, the above process can be repeated while changing the ID number of the emergency telephone 2 to be inspected, thereby allowing inspection of multiple emergency telephones 2 within the area under the jurisdiction to be performed sequentially by remote operation.

[0052] 5, if the human sensor 224 in the emergency telephone 2 being inspected detects a person, the emergency telephone 2 may stop the inspection. For example, if the first microcomputer 202 determines that a person has been detected based on the output of the human sensor 224, the first microcomputer 202 outputs a signal to the second microcomputer 211 to instruct the solenoid 203 to be stopped. When the second microcomputer 211 stops the solenoid 203, the hook switch 204 is turned off, and the connection between the emergency telephone 2 and the emergency telephone line 5 is released. If the connection is released during inspection, when the person (user) who detected the connection later picks up the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2 and the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 are reconnected, the staff member at the control center 3 can confirm that the cause of the connection release is not due to an abnormality in the emergency telephone 2. In addition, if the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 do not reconnect after a specified period of time has elapsed after the connection has been disconnected during inspection, it is possible to check for any abnormalities in the emergency telephone 2, for example, by conducting an inspection of the emergency telephone 2 again.

[0053] 5, when the hook switch 204 of an emergency telephone 2 included in one block 4 other than the emergency telephone 2 being inspected is turned on, the emergency telephone 2 being inspected may stop the solenoid 203 and stop the inspection. Here, the emergency telephone 2 other than the emergency telephone 2 being inspected includes, for example, an emergency telephone 2 in which the handset 207 of an emergency telephone 2 not being inspected is picked up and the hook switch 204 is turned on. In this way, it is possible to give priority to notifying the control center 3 that an emergency has occurred, and to deal with the emergency early.

[0054] In this way, in the emergency telephone system 1 according to the present embodiment, the emergency telephone 2 to which information indicating that the telephone 2 has been selected for inspection has been input via a telephone line (service telephone line 10) other than the emergency telephone line 5 mechanically moves the hook member 250 for switching the hook switch 204 on and off, thereby switching the hook switch 204 from off to on. Therefore, inspection of whether the operation of the hook member 250 in the emergency telephone 2 is normal or not can be performed by remote operation without an operator picking up the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2 to inspect it. Also, in the emergency telephone system 1 according to the present embodiment, a test voice signal transmitted from the reception console 301 to the emergency telephone 2 is output from the handset 208 of the emergency telephone 2 while being picked up by the transmitter 209, the voice signal (transmission signal) output from the transmitter 209 is recorded, and the recorded voice signal is reproduced and transmitted to the reception console 301. Therefore, inspection of whether the transmission path from the reception console 301 to the emergency telephone 2, including the emergency telephone line 5, is normal or not can be performed by remote operation. Furthermore, the emergency telephone 2 picks up the voice signal output by its own oscillator 221 with the transmitter 209 while outputting it from the receiver 208 of the emergency telephone 2 as another test voice signal, records the voice signal (transmitting signal) output from the transmitter 209, reproduces the recorded voice signal, and transmits it to the reception console 301. Therefore, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the transmission path based on the voice signal (reproduced voice) transmitted from the emergency telephone 2 to the reception console 301, it is possible to estimate where the abnormality is, for example, in the path from the reception console 301 to the emergency telephone 2, the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2, and the path from the emergency telephone 2 to the reception console 301. Therefore, in the emergency telephone system 1 according to this embodiment, inspection work on the transmission path between the emergency telephone 2 and the reception console 301 including the emergency telephone line 5, and the operation of the emergency telephone 2 can be performed by remote operation, and inspection work on multiple emergency telephones 2 scattered over a wide area can be efficiently performed.

[0055] As described above, the emergency telephone 2 according to this embodiment outputs (emits sound) the voice signal amplified by the first amplifier 214 from the receiver 208 of the handset 207 in the recording process during inspection (step S11), and outputs the voice signal amplified by the second amplifier 215 to the emergency telephone line 5 in the playback process during inspection (step S13). Furthermore, in the recording process during inspection, a voice signal of a predetermined frequency output by the oscillator 221 of the emergency telephone 2 is recorded, which is separate from the voice signal transmitted from the reception console 301 via the emergency telephone line 5. This makes it possible to appropriately inspect the voice quality of emergency telephones 2 where the ambient noise level is indefinite, such as emergency telephones 2 installed on a highway network. In particular, in the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment, a sound-guiding member is provided for converting the voice signal (transmitting signal) output by the transmitter 209 into a voice signal that more appropriately reflects the test receiving sound output (emitted) by the receiver 208, as described below with reference to Figures 6 to 9, thereby making it possible to more appropriately check the voice quality of the emergency telephone 2 where the ambient noise level is unstable.

[0056] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the external configuration of an emergency telephone according to an embodiment. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a transmitter section in a handset of the emergency telephone. Fig. 8 is a perspective view for explaining an example of the configuration of a sound emission box in the emergency telephone according to an embodiment. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the emergency telephone according to an embodiment.

[0057] Fig. 6 shows a schematic front view and a left side view for explaining a configuration example of a sound guide member attached to housing 2100 of emergency phone 2 according to this embodiment. Note that handset 207 and conductive wires such as a curled cord connecting handset 207 to a circuit in housing 2100 are omitted in Fig. 6. Also, hook member 250 for hanging handset 207 is omitted in the front view of housing 2100 in Fig. 6.

[0058] The housing 2100 contains one or more electronic components including the circuit described above with reference to FIG. 3. On the front side of the housing 2100, there are provided, along with a plate showing the ID number and usage method of the emergency phone 2, button switches 2101-2104 for selecting the purpose of use of the emergency phone 2, a button 2105 for adjusting the volume of the received call, a human sensor 224, and the like. In addition, the hook member 250 described above with reference to FIG. 4 has a first arm portion 252 and a second arm portion 253 extending into the housing 2100 and a third arm portion 254 extending out of the housing 2100, with a shaft 251 inserted through an opening provided on the left side surface of the housing 2100 as a boundary. For example, when a user of the emergency phone 2 picks up the handset 207 (not shown in FIG. 6) from the hook member 250 and presses any of the button switches 2101-2104, the emergency phone 2 is displayed on the reception console 301 of the control center 3.

[0059] 6, a sound guide tube 2400, a first sound guide box 2200 connected to one end of the sound guide tube 2400, and a second sound guide box 2300 connected to the other end of the sound guide tube 2400 are attached to the left side of the housing 2100. The sound guide tube 2400 is a tubular member that guides the received sound output (emitted) by the receiver 208 of the handset 207 to the transmitter 209. For example, a drain hose made of a highly weather-resistant resin material can be used for the sound guide tube 2400. The sound guide tube 2400 is attached to the housing 2100 by a metal fitting 2500.

[0060] The first sound guide box 2200 is a box-shaped member that prevents the diffusion of the received sound output by the receiver 208 and guides the received sound to the sound guide tube 2400, and is attached to the housing 2100 so as to face the receiver 208 during inspection (see FIG. 9). The first sound guide box 2200 includes a box section 2210 and a metal fitting 2250. The box section 2210 has an opening 2220 on the bottom surface that takes in the received sound output by the receiver 208 during inspection, and the receiver 208 and the received sound output by the receiver 208 during inspection are taken into the first sound guide box 2200 (inside the box section 2210) through the opening 2220. A net 2230 is stretched over the opening 2220 to prevent, for example, the intrusion of foreign objects. Metal fitting 2250 has a first mounting portion for mounting one end of sound guide tube 2400, a second mounting portion for mounting box portion 2210, and a third mounting portion for mounting metal fitting 2250 itself to housing 2100.

[0061] The second sound guide box 2300 is a box-shaped member that further guides the received sound guided by the sound guide tube 2400 to the transmitter 209, and is attached to the housing 2100 so as to face the transmitter 209 during inspection (see FIG. 9). The second sound guide box 2300 includes a box portion 2310 and a metal fitting 2350. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the second sound guide box 2300 in the emergency phone 2 of this embodiment takes in environmental sound through an opening 2321 formed in a side surface 2312 of the box portion 2310, and releases the received sound from the sound guide tube 2400 and the taken-in environmental sound from an opening 2320 formed in a bottom surface 2311 of the box portion 2310 toward the transmitter 209. The number of openings 2321 formed in the side surface 2312 of the box portion 2310 and the dimensions of each opening 2321 are not particularly limited. Metal fitting 2350 has a first mounting portion for mounting the other end of sound guide tube 2400, a second mounting portion for mounting box portion 2310, and a third mounting portion for mounting metal fitting 2350 itself to housing 2100. Fig. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the first mounting portion of metal fitting 2350, in which opening 2351 that communicates with sound guide tube 2400 and is smaller than the outer shape of sound guide tube 2400 is formed in metal fitting 2350, but the first mounting portion of metal fitting 2350 is not limited to this.

[0062] When the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment is inspected, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the hook member 250 is mechanically moved (rotated) by remote control to turn on the hook switch 204 in the housing 2100. At this time, the handset 207, while hanging on the third arm portion 254 of the hook member 250, picks up the test received sound output (emitted) from the receiver 208 with the transmitter 209. However, the handset 207 is shaped to be used with the receiver 208 located near the user's ear and the transmitter 209 located near the user's mouth. That is, the handset 207 is not shaped to allow the transmitter 209 to pick up most of the received sound output from the receiver 208. Therefore, in order to more appropriately inspect the voice quality of the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment, it is preferable to guide the test received voice output from the receiver 208 to the transmitter 209 via the above-mentioned first sound guide box 2200, sound guide tube 2400, and second sound guide box 2300.

[0063] In particular, the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment is often installed near a road where vehicles are traveling outdoors, and the voice picked up by the transmitter 209 when using the emergency telephone 2 to make a call often includes environmental sounds such as the sound of the vehicle running. For this reason, the transmitter 209 in the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2 is usually configured to output, as a call signal, a voice signal obtained by suppressing or removing the components of the environmental sound from the voice signal obtained by collecting the sound with a microphone. In the part of the transmitter 209 in such a handset 207, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a first opening 207A used to pick up the user's speech sound, which may include environmental sounds, and a second opening 207B used to pick up the environmental sounds are formed. The first opening 207A is formed on a surface that faces the direction of the user's mouth when the user uses the handset 207 to make a call, and the second opening 207B is formed so as to be able to pick up environmental sounds from a surface different from the surface on which the first opening 207A is formed. For example, the transmitter 209 suppresses or removes components corresponding to an audio signal obtained by collecting sound (mainly environmental sound) that reaches the transmitter 209 through the second opening 207B from an audio signal obtained by collecting sound (including received sound and environmental sound) that reaches the transmitter 209 through the first opening 207A.

[0064] In this way, the transmitter 209 in the handset 207 of the emergency telephone 2 is configured to suppress or remove the environmental sound from the user's speech sound that includes the environmental sound, and to output a transmission signal that makes the user's speech sound easier to hear. For this reason, for example, if the second sound guide box 2300 is configured so that only the received sound guided by the sound guide tube 2400 is picked up by the transmitter 209 (more specifically, the opening 2321 is not formed in the side surface 2312 of the box part 2310), the sound that reaches the transmitter 209 through the first opening 207A (see FIG. 7) of the handset 207 is a received sound that does not include the environmental sound, or has a very small component of the environmental sound. In this case, the transmitter 209 performs a process on the audio signal obtained by collecting sound (mainly environmental sound) that reaches the transmitter 209 through the second opening 207B to suppress or remove components corresponding to the audio signal obtained by collecting sound (mainly environmental sound) that reaches the transmitter 209 through the first opening 207A (test received sound that does not include environmental sound or has very little environmental sound components), and as a result, an appropriate transmitted signal corresponding to the received sound may not be output.

[0065] In contrast, as described above with reference to Figs. 6 to 9, the second sound guide box 2300 in the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment takes in the environmental sound into the second sound guide box 2300 which faces and contacts the part of the transmitter 209 of the handset 207, and the transmitter 209 picks up a sound including the received sound from the sound guide tube 2400 and the taken-in environmental sound. More specifically, the transmitter 209 picks up the test received sound and environmental sound which reach the transmitter 209 through the first opening 207A illustrated in Fig. 7, and the environmental sound which reaches the transmitter 209 through the second opening 207B. Therefore, the transmitter 209 can suppress or remove the environmental sound component from the audio signal including the received sound and the environmental sound obtained by the sound pickup, and output an audio signal (transmitting signal) corresponding to the received sound. That is, by providing an opening 2321 for taking in environmental sounds on the side surface 2312 of the box portion 2310 of the second sound-guiding box 2300, when inspecting the emergency telephone 2 remotely, the received sound output by the handset 208 can be picked up by the transmitter 209 in a state similar to when a user or worker of the emergency telephone 2 actually uses the handset 207 to make a call. Therefore, according to the emergency telephone 2 of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the transmitter 209 from suppressing or removing excessive (unnecessary) noise components in the test received sound output by the handset 208, and the inspection of the voice quality of the emergency telephone 2 can be more appropriately performed.

[0066] The functions, configurations, and operations of the emergency telephone 2 described in the above-mentioned embodiment are merely examples. The functions, configurations, and operations of the emergency telephone 2 according to the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be appropriately changed within the scope of the present invention. For example, the configuration (combination of shapes, materials, etc.) of the sound guide member that guides the sound output from the handset 208 to the transmitter 209 during inspection is not limited to the configuration described above with reference to Figs. 6 to 9, and can be appropriately changed. In addition, for example, the circuit configuration of the emergency telephone 2 is not limited to the circuit configuration exemplified in Fig. 3, and can be appropriately changed. Furthermore, the emergency telephone 2 may be one in which the hook switch 204 is switched on and off by the translational movement of the hook member 250, or the hook member 250 may be moved by using a power source other than the solenoid 203. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1 Emergency telephone system 2 Emergency phone 3. Control Center 4 Blocks 5 Emergency telephone line 6 Track monitoring device 7. Telecommunications Equipment Room 8. Second automatic change device 9 Line Control Device 10 Business telephone lines 201 First PB Receiver 202 The first microcomputer 203 Solenoid 204 Hook Switch 205 Speech Network 206 Aircraft Number 207 Handset 207A, 207B opening 208 Telephone Receiver 209 Telephone 210 Second PB receiver 211 The second microcomputer 212 First Selector 213 Second selector 214 First Amplifier 215 Second Amplifier 216 Recorder 217 First Switch 218 Second Switch 219 The Third Switch 220 The Fourth Switch 221 Oscillator 222 Second PB Transmission Department 223 Line Loss Settings 224 Human Sensor 225 First PB Transmission Section 250 Hook member 251 Axis 252 First Arm 253 Second Arm 254 Third Arm 255 Receiving part 256 Spring 261 Coil 262 Magnetic Materials 263 Mounting parts 2100 Case 2101~2104 Button switch 2105 Adjustment button 2200 First Sound Conducting Box 2210 Hakobe 2220 Opening 2250 Metal fittings 2300 Second Transducer Box 2310 Hakobe 2311 Bottom 2312 Side 2320, 2321 Opening 2350 Metal fittings 2400 Sound guide tube 2500 Hardware

Claims

1. An emergency telephone connected to a reception console via an emergency telephone line, a receiving unit for receiving a start signal for instructing the start of inspection transmitted via a telephone line different from the emergency telephone line; a solenoid that mechanically moves a hook member for switching on and off a switch for connecting the emergency telephone to the emergency telephone line between a position for turning the switch off and a position for turning the switch on; a first control unit that, when receiving the start signal, activates the solenoid, mechanically moves the hook member from the position where the switch is turned off to the position where the switch is turned on, and connects the emergency telephone to the receiving console via the emergency telephone line; a recording unit that records a voice signal obtained by suppressing or removing environmental sound components from a voice signal obtained by a transmitter picking up a voice while a voice is output from a receiver of the emergency telephone connected to the emergency telephone line, and reproduces the recorded voice signal on the emergency telephone; a second control unit that stops the solenoid, mechanically moves the hook member from the position that turns the switch on to the position that turns the switch off, and disconnects the emergency telephone from the emergency telephone line; Including, a sound guide tube for guiding the voice output from the receiver during inspection to the transmitter; a sound guide box connected to the sound guide tube and disposed between the sound guide tube and the transmitter, for allowing the transmitter to pick up the voice from the sound guide tube and environmental sounds introduced from the outside during the inspection; An emergency telephone further comprising:

2. the hook member has an arm portion on which a handset including the receiver portion and the transmitter portion is hung, the sound guide box is disposed so that a first surface of the sound guide box faces a part of the transmitter of the handset in a state where the handset is hung on the arm section and is in contact with the part of the transmitter when the hook member is mechanically moved from the position where the switch is turned off to the position where the switch is turned on, an opening for introducing the environmental sound from the outside is formed on a second surface of the sound guide box, the second surface being different from the first surface; An opening is formed on the first surface of the sound guide box to guide the voice and the environmental sound to the microphone.

2. The emergency telephone according to claim 1.

3. a sound guide member connected to the sound guide tube and disposed between the sound guide tube and the receiver, for preventing the sound output from the receiver during the inspection from diffusing and for guiding the sound to the sound guide tube; 3. The emergency telephone according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. The telephone further includes an amplifier for amplifying the audio signal to be output from the receiver.

4. The emergency telephone according to claim 1, wherein the first and second terminals are connected to each other.

Images