Telephone systems, telephone control devices and recording devices

Abstract

To provide a telephone system that even when channel connection operation is performed by the side of a telephone set connected to a telephone controller, records and holds call voice between the telephone set and its opposite side.SOLUTION: A telephone system comprises a sound recorder that on the basis of a control instruction of a telephone controller for performing control management of a call between a telephone set and an opposite side, records call voice between the telephone set and its opposite side. The sound recorder temporarily stores call voice from its call start to its call end as a recorded data file and, in the case of receiving from the telephone controller a disconnection message based on channel disconnection operation on the telephone set side, notifies the telephone controller of identification information associated with the temporarily stored recorded data file and the telephone set by which the call has been made. The telephone controller controls the telephone set associated with the identification information to perform control so that notification of whether or not the recorded data file is to be practically stored is performed and, when notification of practical storage is received, transmits the notification to the sound recorder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a telephone system capable of automatically recording telephone conversations, and also to a telephone control device and a recording device that constitute the telephone system. [Background technology]

[0002] It has been a common practice to record a call so that the voice can be played back and checked later. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Publication 2015-23424A) discloses that in a telephone system called a business phone, which is made up of a main unit as a telephone control device and one or more telephones, the voice of the call is recorded under the control of the main unit.

[0003] In the telephone system of Patent Document 1, a recording device (recording server) is provided which operates as a terminal in relation to the main unit and is managed by the main unit for telephone calls in the same manner as a telephone set, and the recording device is configured to record telephone call voices under the control of the main unit.

[0004] That is, in the telephone system of Patent Document 1, after a call path is created between the telephone and the other party, when the user of the telephone presses the call recording start button, the main unit also connects a call path between the telephone and the other party and the recording device, enabling a so-called three-way call, and the call audio between the telephone and the other party is also supplied to the recording device, and recording of the call audio is started by the recording device.

[0005] When the user of the telephone presses the call recording end button, the main unit sends the recording end instruction received from the telephone to the recording device, causing the recording device to end recording of the call voice. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-23424 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In recent years, the storage capacity of information storage devices such as HDDs and SDDs has become large, making it possible to record all telephone conversations regardless of the caller or the importance of the contents of the conversation. In consideration of this, it is possible to configure the system so that all telephone conversations are automatically recorded without the user's input of a recording command. With this type of automatic recording, it is possible to avoid situations where the contents of a call become important midway through the call and you realize that you should have recorded the call.

[0008] However, since recording and saving all telephone conversations is wasteful, it is desirable to configure the telephone system so that the user can set whether or not to save automatically recorded telephone conversations.

[0009] For example, in the telephone system of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, if the main unit (telephone control device) is configured to automatically generate a speech path between the main unit and a recording device when a speech path between a telephone and the other party is generated, the recording device can start automatic recording of the telephone call voice. And, if the telephone controlled by the main unit has not yet performed a call disconnection operation, even if the speech path between the other party and the telephone is disconnected due to the other party performing a disconnection operation, the speech path between the other party and the recording device and the speech path between the telephone and the recording device can be maintained, and the telephone user can be asked through this maintained speech path whether or not to save the automatically recorded speech voice, and a selection setting from the user can be accepted, so that only the necessary speech voice can be saved.

[0010] However, when configured in this manner, when a call is disconnected from a telephone managed by the main unit, the main unit will disconnect the call paths, including the call path between the recording device and the other party and the call path between the recording device and the telephone, and will not be able to accept the user's request to set whether or not to save the call.

[0011] In a telephone system, it may be configured to always save when the user does not select whether to save or not, but since there is a problem in that a wasteful call voice that is not requested to be saved may be recorded and saved, it is generally configured not to save automatic recordings at all times. Therefore, when a call is disconnected from the telephone managed by the main unit, there is a problem in that the call voice can no longer be saved.

[0012] To avoid this, always have the other party carry out the disconnection operation before carrying out the disconnection operation from the telephone managed by the main unit, and then carry out the disconnection operation from the telephone after completing the setting of whether or not to keep (save) the recording data of the call voice.

[0013] However, considering the telephone etiquette that "the caller hangs up first," asking the other party to hang up first is considered bad manners, and things often do not go as the user of the telephone managed by the main unit expects. Furthermore, after the other party hangs up, the user of the telephone managed by the main unit may mistakenly hang up before processing to save the call audio, in which case, as mentioned above, the call audio can no longer be saved.

[0014] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a telephone system capable of solving the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is as follows: A telephone system comprising at least one telephone, a telephone control device that controls and manages a call between the telephone and a caller, and a recording device that records the call voice between the telephone and the caller under the control of the telephone control device, When the recording device receives a notification based on a disconnection operation on the telephone device from the telephone control device, the recording device temporarily stores the call voice from the start to the end of the call between the telephone device and the other party as a recording data file, and notifies the telephone control device of the identification information associated with the temporarily stored recording data file and the telephone device that made the call; The telephone control device controls the telephone set linked to the identification information to notify the telephone set whether or not to effectively save the temporarily stored recording data file, and when the telephone set receives a notification from the telephone set that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved, the telephone control device notifies the recording device that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved. The present invention provides a telephone system comprising:

[0016] According to the invention of claim 1 having the above configuration, even if the user of the telephone disconnects the call, the telephone control device sends a notification based on the call disconnection operation on the telephone to the recording device. When the recording device receives this notification, it temporarily saves the call voice from the start to the end of the call between the telephone and the other party as a recording data file, and notifies the telephone control device of the identification information linked to the temporarily saved recording data file and the telephone that made the call.

[0017] Then, when the telephone control device receives the identification information, it controls the telephone device linked to the identification information to notify whether or not to effectively save the temporarily stored recording data file. If the user of the telephone device receives this notification and effectively saves the temporarily stored recording data file, the user instructs the telephone device to do so. Upon receiving this instruction, the telephone device sends a notification to the telephone control unit that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved. Upon receiving this instruction, the telephone control unit notifies the recording device that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved. Upon receiving this notification, the recording device executes the effective saving of the temporarily stored call voice. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to this invention, even if a user of a telephone controlled by a telephone control device disconnects a call, it is possible to retroactively save a recorded voice of the call. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an embodiment of a telephone system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a main unit as an example of a telephone control device constituting an embodiment of a telephone system according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a recording device constituting an embodiment of a telephone system according to the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a call processing sequence in an embodiment of the telephone system according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a call processing sequence in an embodiment of the telephone system according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a call processing sequence in an embodiment of the telephone system according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a call processing sequence in an embodiment of the telephone system according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a call processing sequence in an embodiment of the telephone system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] An embodiment of a telephone system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a telephone system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The telephone system in the example of Fig. 1 comprises a main unit 1 as an example of a telephone control device, a plurality of telephones 21, 22,...,2n (n is an integer of 1 or more), and a recording device 3.

[0021] The main unit 1, the multiple telephones 21-2n, and the recording device 3 are connected via a LAN (Local Area Network) 4. In this example, the recording device 3 is configured to be managed by the main unit 1 through calls, and to operate as one terminal, just like the extension telephone 2. The telephones 21-2n have the same configuration, and there may be only one unit instead of multiple units. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the telephones 21-2n, they will be referred to as telephone (hereinafter, extension telephone) 2.

[0022] The main unit 1 is also connected to a communication network 5, and is configured to control and manage calls between the other telephone (external telephone) 6 and the extension telephone 2. The communication network 5 includes an IP (Internet Protocol) network, as well as a public telephone network (PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)) and a mobile phone network. The main unit 1 may be configured as a SIP (Session 1 Initiation 1 Protocol) server.

[0023] [Configuration example of main unit 1] The main unit 1 has a configuration as shown in Fig. 2. That is, the main unit 1 is configured by connecting an external line interface 12, an internal line interface 13, a call control unit 14, a communication management unit 15, a call voice recording control unit 16, a telephone control unit 17, and a monitoring timer unit 18 via a system bus 10 to a control unit 11 configured by a computer.

[0024] The external line interface 12 is connected to the communication network 5 , and the internal line interface 13 is connected to the LAN 4 .

[0025] The call control unit 14 performs call control for outgoing and incoming calls to outside telephones 2 through the communication network 5, and for outgoing and incoming calls between extension telephones 2 through the LAN 4. Since the main unit 1 of the telephone system of this embodiment is configured to automatically record the voice of a call, the call control unit 14 performs call control to generate, in the case of an outside call, not only a speech path between the extension telephone 2 and the other telephone 6, but also a speech path between the extension telephone 2 and the recording device 3, and between the other telephone 6 and the recording device 3. Also, in the case of an internal call between extension telephones 2, not only a speech path between the extension telephones 2, but also a speech path between each extension telephone and the recording device 3 is generated.

[0026] This enables a so-called three-way call, and the recording device 3 can record the call audio.

[0027] The communication management unit 15 manages each of the external calls and internal calls generated by the call control unit 14 through call control, and also manages information about the terminals currently in a call (the calling terminal, the receiving terminal, and the recording device 3).

[0028] The call voice recording control unit 16 generates a control signal for controlling the recording operation of the recording device 3 and supplies it to the recording device 3. As will be described later, the control signal from the call voice recording control unit 16 causes the recording device 3 to execute operations such as starting, ending, pausing, temporarily saving, and effectively saving the recording of the call voice. Note that, here, effectively saving means a process operation of canceling a paused state and officially saving a recording data file, or a process operation of officially saving a recording data file that has been temporarily saved.

[0029] In this embodiment, the recording data file of the call voice that is automatically recorded at the end of the call is stored in advance for each extension telephone 2. (1) Be sure to save it. (2) Select whether to save or not. The setting information of the storage mode is associated with each extension telephone 2 and is stored and managed in the telephone call voice recording control unit 16. The telephone call voice recording control unit 16 controls recording and storage of the telephone call voice for each extension telephone 2 based on the setting information of the storage mode stored and managed.

[0030] The telephone control unit 17 has the function of generating control signals for controlling the turning on, blinking, turning off, etc. of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) built into the keys of the extension telephone 2 as described below, and transmitting the control signals to the necessary extension telephones 2.

[0031] The monitoring timer unit 18 is for measuring the timeout time for waiting for a response from the extension telephone 2 when the user of the extension telephone 2 is prompted to select whether to save or not by blinking an LED built into the key, as described later, at the end of a call on the extension telephone 2 in which the save mode is set to "(2) Select save / not save." In this example, the timeout time of this monitoring timer can be set to a value between 10 and 30 seconds.

[0032] In addition, the functional processing of the call control unit 14, communication management unit 15, call voice recording control unit 16, and telephone control unit 17 in the main unit 1 shown in Figure 2 can be configured as software functions executed by a program by the computer constituting the control unit 11.

[0033] [Example of configuration of extension telephone 2] As shown by the reference numeral 2n in FIG. 1, the internal telephone 2 comprises a handset HS, a numeric keypad 201 for inputting telephone numbers etc., a number of function keys 202 to which various functions are assigned, keys 203 for recording the voice of a call, and a display 204 consisting of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like.

[0034] In this example, the call voice recording related keys 203 are composed of keys such as a retroactive call recording key, which will be described later, and box keys corresponding to extension numbers. The retroactive call recording key is used to instruct the storage of call voice, and the box key is used to instruct the playback of the stored call recording.

[0035] The function keys 202 and the call voice recording related keys 203 are each equipped with an LED inside, and are configured so that the blinking, lighting, and extinguishing of the LED can be controlled by a control signal from the main unit 1.

[0036] [Example of configuration of recording device 3] In this embodiment, the recording device 3 has a configuration as shown in Fig. 3. That is, the recording device 3 is configured by connecting a LAN interface 32, a call voice recording start control unit 33, a call voice saving control unit 34, a recording data file generating and holding unit 35, and a call voice file storage unit 36 ​​via a system bus 30 to a control unit 31 configured by a computer.

[0037] The LAN interface 32 is connected to the LAN 4 .

[0038] The recorded data file generating and storing unit 35 has a function of decomposing the call voice information received through the LAN interface 32, in this example, the call voice packets, acquiring the voice signal, generating the recorded data from the voice signal, and generating a recorded data file. Although not shown, the recorded data file generating and storing unit 35 has a buffer memory for each extension telephone 2. Each buffer memory of the recorded data file generating and storing unit 35 stores the call voice of the corresponding extension telephone 2 from the start of the call to the end of the call as one recorded data file.

[0039] The call voice file storage unit 36 ​​has storage areas (called boxes) B1, B2, ..., Bn for storing call voice recording data files corresponding to the extension telephones 21, 22, ..., 2n, respectively, and stores the recording data file designated for effective storage in the box of the designated extension telephone 2. The buffer memory of the above-mentioned recording data file generating and storing unit 35 temporarily stores the recording data file before effective storage in correspondence with the box of each extension telephone 2.

[0040] When a call path is generated between the extension telephone 2 and the other telephone 6, or when a call path is generated between the extension telephones 2, the call voice recording start control unit 33 generates a call path between the recording device 3 and the other telephone 6, and between the recording device 3 and the extension telephone 2, in response to a call setting message sent from the main unit 1. At this time, the call setting message sent from the main unit 1 to the recording device 3 includes an instruction to record the call (an instruction to start recording the call), the box number (box number) corresponding to the extension telephone 2 for which the call path is generated, and the setting information of the above-mentioned storage mode (setting information of either (1) or (2) above).

[0041] The telephone call voice recording control unit 16 of the main unit 1 holds correspondence information between the extension number of the extension telephone 2 and the box number of the telephone call voice file storage unit 36, and from this correspondence information, identifies the box number corresponding to the extension telephone 2 that generated the call path and includes it in the call setting message sent to the recording device 3.

[0042] Incidentally, the recording device 3 may be configured to hold corresponding information between the extension number and the box number, so that the call setting message from the main unit 1 may include the extension number instead of the box number.

[0043] Upon receiving the box number included in this call setup message, the telephone call voice recording start control unit 33 sends a recording start instruction to the recording data file generating and storing unit 35. Upon receiving this recording start instruction, the recording data file generating and storing unit 35 converts the telephone call voice received through the generated speech path into recording data, accumulates the recording data in the buffer memory of the specified box number, and starts recording the recording data of the telephone call voice.

[0044] The call voice storage control unit 34 controls the effective storage of the recording data file stored in the buffer memory of the recording data file generation and storage unit 35 after the call is ended, in accordance with the storage mode setting information included in the call setup message.

[0045] When the setting information for the storage mode is the setting information (1) above, upon receiving a call path disconnection message from the main unit, the call voice storage control unit 34 stops recording of the sound recording data in the buffer memory of the sound recording data file generation and storage unit 35, and transfers and stores the sound recording data stored in the buffer memory as a sound recording data file in the box of the corresponding box number in the call voice file storage unit 36.

[0046] The saved recording data file also stores the extension number of the internal telephone on which the call was made, the other party's telephone number, etc. (if the name corresponding to the telephone number is known from the telephone directory, that name may be included), and the duration of the call (the date and time the call started and the duration or end time).

[0047] Then, when the storage of the recorded data file of the call voice is completed, the call voice storage control unit 34 notifies the main unit 1 of the box number where the call voice is stored, the number of files stored in the box, and the number of unplayed files. When there are unplayed files, the main unit 1 lights up the LED of the box key of the corresponding extension telephone 2 to notify the fact.

[0048] Furthermore, when the setting information of the storage mode is the setting information of (2) above, the call voice storage control unit 34 performs different call voice storage control processing depending on whether the call disconnection operation is performed on the extension telephone 2 side or on the outside telephone side of the other telephone 6. The control processing based on the call disconnection operation in the case of the setting information of (2) above will be described in detail below together with the operations from the start to the end of the call.

[0049] In addition, as described below, the telephone call voice storage control unit 34 stores a guidance message inquiring of the internal user of the internal telephone 2 as to whether or not to save a recording data file of the telephone call voice, and also has a function of sending the guidance message in response to a sending request from the main unit 1.

[0050] In addition, the functional processing of the call voice recording start control unit 33, the call voice storage control unit 34, and the recording data file generation and retention unit 35 in the recording device 3 shown in Figure 3 can be configured as software functions executed by a program by the computer constituting the control unit 31.

[0051] <Sequence example for "Save mode (2) Select whether to save or not save."> <<Example of a sequence when a call is disconnected on extension telephone 2>> An example of a sequence in which a call is disconnected on the extension telephone 2 side will be described with reference to the sequence diagrams of FIGS.

[0052] 4, when the main unit 1 receives an outgoing call from the other telephone 6, it sends an incoming call notification to the extension telephone 2 of the called party. In response, the extension telephone 2 rings in response to a control signal from the main unit 1 contained in the incoming call notification, and blinks the LED of the line button to indicate the incoming call.

[0053] In response to this incoming call display, when the user of the extension telephone 2 (hereinafter referred to as the extension user) performs an off-hook operation, such as by picking up the handset HS, the extension telephone 2 returns an incoming call response to the main unit 1. The main unit 1 sends this incoming call response to the other telephone 6, and as a result, the main unit 1 generates a speech path 1 between the main unit 1 and the extension telephone 2, and a speech path 2 between the main unit 1 and the other telephone 6 (see the dotted lines in FIG. 4).

[0054] Next, the main unit 1 sends a call setup message for call recording to the recording unit 3. This call setup message for call recording includes, as parameters, the service type: call recording, the box number corresponding to the extension telephone 2 that generated the call path 1, and the setting information for the save mode, either "(1) Always save" or "(2) Select whether to save or not save."

[0055] When the recording device 3 returns a response to this call setup message to the main unit 1, the main unit 1 creates a speech path 3 between the main unit 1 and the recording device 3, establishing a so-called three-way call state. The recording device 3 then starts recording the call voice sent through the created speech paths 1, 2 and 3. In the recording device 3, the above processing is performed by the call voice recording start control unit 33. The processing of the recording device 3 in the following sequence processing is performed by the call voice storage control unit 34.

[0056] When the extension user goes on-hook on the extension telephone 2 to end the call while the speech paths 1, 2, and 3 have been created and the recording device 3 is recording the call voice, the extension telephone 2 notifies the main unit 1 of the on-hook. Upon receiving this on-hook notification, the main unit 1 sends a disconnect message to the other telephone 6 and disconnects the speech paths 1 and 2. The main unit 1 then further sends a release request message DISC (disconnect), which is a notification based on the disconnect operation of the extension telephone 2, to the recording device 3, requesting the disconnection of the speech path 3.

[0057] Upon receiving this release request message DISC (disconnect) from the main unit 1, the recording device 3 executes the following process as a function of the call voice storage control unit 34. That is, upon receiving the release request message from the main unit 1, the recording device 3 controls the recording data file generation and storage unit 35 to generate a recording data file including recording data of the call voice from the start of the call to the end of the call and temporarily store it. Then, the recording device 3 sends to the main unit 1 a release message REL (release) in response to the release request message, and in this case, sends to the main unit 1 a retroactive recording ID notification including the ID (Identification) of the temporarily stored recording data file in the release message REL.

[0058] In this embodiment, the ID included in this retroactive recording ID notification includes the extension number of the extension telephone 2 that was in use up until that point, information on the call duration, and a serial number that is sequentially assigned to the recording data file.

[0059] When the main unit 1 receives the release message REL including the retroactive recording ID notification from the recording device 3, it sends a disconnection message to the recording device 3 and disconnects the communication path 3 between the main unit 1 and the recording device 3. After disconnecting the communication path 3, the main unit 1 sends a release completion message RELCOMP to the recording device 3.

[0060] Next, as shown in Fig. 5, which is a continuation of the sequence in Fig. 4, the main unit 1 sends a retroactive call recording notification including control information for controlling the LED of the retroactive call recording key to blink to the extension telephone 2, and starts the monitoring timer. As described above, the timer time monitored by the monitoring timer is a time set between 10 seconds and 30 seconds as described above.

[0061] In the extension telephone 2, this retroactive call recording notification causes the LED of the retroactive call recording key to flash. This flashing of the LED of the retroactive call recording key notifies the user that a temporarily saved recording data file of the retroactive call recording exists, and prompts the user to respond as to whether or not to save the recording data.

[0062] If a user is notified by the flashing LED of the retroactive call recording key and presses the retroactive call recording key before the monitoring timer times out, the internal telephone 2 will send key information to the main unit 1 indicating that the retroactive call recording key has been pressed.

[0063] When the main unit 1 receives key information from the extension telephone 2 indicating that the retroactive call recording key has been pressed, it stops the monitoring timer and sends a retroactive call recording save notification to the recording device 3. This retroactive call recording save notification from the main unit 1 includes the retroactive recording ID included in the retroactive recording ID notification included in the release message from the recording device 3, and instruction information to save.

[0064] Upon receiving this retroactive call recording storage notification, the recording device 3 effectively stores the temporarily stored recording data file in a box in the call voice file storage unit 36 ​​that corresponds to the extension telephone 2 that was in the call, based on the retroactive recording ID included in the retroactive recording storage notification. Then, the recording device 3 sends a storage completion notification to the main unit 1. This storage completion notification includes the box number corresponding to the extension telephone 2, the number of stored recording data files of the call voice, and the number of unplayed recording data files of the call voice.

[0065] When the main unit 1 receives this storage completion notification, it sends a retroactive call recording end notification to the extension telephone 2. This retroactive call recording end notification includes a control signal for turning off the blinking LED of the retroactive call recording key and a control signal for turning on the LED of the box key.

[0066] Upon receiving this notification, the extension telephone 2 turns off the flashing LED of the retroactive call recording key and turns on the LED of the box key. The extension user knows that the retroactive call recording is complete when the LED of the retroactive call recording key turns off, and knows that there is a recording data file of unplayed call voice when the LED of the box key turns on.

[0067] Although detailed explanation is omitted, when the box key is pressed, the internal telephone 2 sends a request to the main unit 1 to play the recorded data file of the call voice including its own extension number, and can obtain and play the recorded data file of the call voice stored in the box of the recording device 3.

[0068] The above explanation is for the case where the internal line user presses the retroactive call recording key before the monitoring timer times out, but in this embodiment, if the internal line user does not press the retroactive call recording key and the monitoring timer times out, this is treated as an indication of the intention to "not save retroactive call recordings." An example sequence for when the monitoring timer times out is shown in FIG. 6. The example sequence in FIG. 6 is a sequence following the sequence in FIG. 4. Note that the system may be configured to notify the main unit 1 of "not saving retroactive call recordings" by operating a specific operation key before the monitoring timer times out.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 6, after the monitoring timer starts, if the user who has been notified by the flashing LED of the retroactive call recording key does not operate the retroactive call recording key and the monitoring timer times out, the main unit 1 sends a retroactive call recording end notification to the extension telephone 2. This retroactive call recording end notification includes a control signal for turning off the flashing LED of the retroactive call recording key. Upon receiving this retroactive call recording end notification, the extension telephone 2 turns off the flashing LED of the retroactive call recording key.

[0070] After that, the main unit 1 sends a retroactive recording non-save notification to the recording device 3. This retroactive call recording non-save notification from the main unit 1 includes the retroactive recording ID included in the retroactive recording ID notification included in the release message from the recording device 3, and instruction information to not save.

[0071] Upon receiving this retroactive call recording non-save notification, the recording device 3 erases the temporarily saved recording data file.

[0072] When the recording device 3 sends the release message REL including the recording ID back to the main device 1 in response to the release request message DISC from the main device 1, if the main device 1 sends a release completion message RELCOP but does not send any instruction signal thereafter, in this embodiment, the recording device 3 effectively saves the temporarily saved recording data file in the call voice file storage unit 36. This is to prevent the internal line user from losing the recording data file of the call voice unintentionally.

[0073] <<Example of a sequence when the call is disconnected on the other party's telephone 6 side>> An example of a sequence in which a call is disconnected on the other party's telephone 6 side will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and its sequel, FIG. 8.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7, the sequence in which communication paths 1, 2, and 3 are generated based on an outgoing call (call) from the other telephone set 6, and the recording device 3 enters a state in which the recording voice is being recorded, is the same as that shown in FIG. 4.

[0075] In this state, when the call is disconnected at the other telephone 6, in this embodiment, the main unit 1 disconnects the speech path 2 but maintains the speech path 1 between the main unit 1 and the extension telephone 2 and the speech path 3 between the main unit 1 and the recording device 3. The main unit 1 then sends a pause request to the recording device 3 to temporarily halt the recording of the call voice (pause state).

[0076] In response to the pause request from the main unit 1, the recording device 3 returns a pause response to the main unit 1, and places the call voice recording operation that has been performed from the start of recording into a temporary stop state (pause state) in the recording data file generating and storing unit 35. Then, the recording device 3 sends a pause notification to the main unit 1 to notify it that the call voice recording operation has been placed into a pause state.

[0077] When the main unit 1 receives this pause notification from the recording device 3, it sends a guidance sending request to the recording device 3 to request that the recording device 3 send a guidance message inquiring whether or not to save the call voice to the extension user of the extension telephone 2, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0078] Upon receiving this guidance sending request, the recording device 3 returns a guidance sending response to the main unit 1, and sends the above-mentioned guidance message to the extension telephone 2 via the speech path 3 and speech path 1 maintained via the main unit 1, causing the receiver of the handset HS to play a guidance message inquiring whether or not to save the call voice.

[0079] When the extension user hears this guidance message through the receiver of the handset HS and wants to save the recorded data file of the call voice, he or she presses the retroactive call recording key. In response, the extension telephone 2 sends the key information of the pressed retroactive call recording key to the main unit 1.

[0080] When the main unit 1 receives key information from the extension telephone 2 indicating that the retroactive call recording key has been pressed, it sends a retroactive call recording storage notification to the recording device 3. This retroactive call recording storage notification from the main unit 1 includes the box number corresponding to the extension telephone 2 and instruction information to store the recording.

[0081] Upon receiving this retroactive call recording storage notification, the recording device 3 releases the pause state, stops recording, and stores the recorded data file in the box corresponding to the extension telephone 2 that was in the middle of the call in the call voice file storage unit 36, thereby effectively storing the file. Then, the recording device 3 sends a storage completion notification to the main unit 1. This storage completion notification includes the box number corresponding to the extension telephone 2, the number of stored recording data files of the call voice, and the number of unplayed recording data files of the call voice.

[0082] When the main unit 1 receives this storage completion notification, it sends a retroactive call recording end notification to the extension telephone 2. This retroactive call recording end notification includes a control instruction signal for turning on the LED of the box key.

[0083] Upon receiving this notification, the extension telephone 2 turns on the LED of the box key. The extension user can detect from the LED of the box key that there is a recording data file of unplayed voice communication.

[0084] When the extension user puts the extension telephone 2 on-hook, the extension telephone 2 notifies the main unit 1 of the on-hook. Upon receiving the on-hook notification, the main unit 1 sends a disconnect message to the extension telephone 2 and disconnects the speech path 1.

[0085] Thereafter, the main unit 1 sends a release request message DISC to the recording unit 3 to request disconnection of the speech path 3. Upon receiving this release request message DISC from the main unit 1, the recording unit 3 sends to the main unit 1 a release message REL in response to the release request message DISC.

[0086] When the main unit 1 receives the release message REL from the recording device 3, it sends a disconnection message to the recording device 3 and disconnects the speech path 3. After disconnecting the speech path 3, the main unit 1 sends a release completion message RELCOMP to the recording device 3.

[0087] If the extension user who has heard the guidance message does not want to save the recorded data file of the call voice, he or she presses a key other than the retroactive call recording key to which a non-save instruction is associated. The extension telephone 2 sends the key information of the non-save instruction key to the main unit 1.

[0088] When the main unit 1 receives the key information of this non-save instruction key, it sends a notification to the recording device 3 that the retroactive call recording data will not be saved. When the recording device 3 receives the notification from the main unit 1 that the retroactive call recording data will not be saved, it releases the pause (pause state) and erases the recording data held in the buffer memory.

[0089] Then, the main unit 1 sends a release request message DISC to the recording unit 3, and executes a sequence for disconnecting the speech paths 2 and 3.

[0090] In the sequence examples of Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 described above, there is a case where a disconnection operation is performed on the extension telephone 2 side before a guidance message is sent to the extension telephone 2 based on a disconnection operation on the other telephone 6 side. In that case, in this embodiment, the sequence after the extension user performs an on-hook operation described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6 is executed, and the process of retroactive call recording by the extension user is executed.

[0091] Therefore, even if the extension user performs a disconnection operation following a disconnection operation on the other telephone set 6 side, the extension user can retroactively save the recorded data file of the call voice.

[0092] In the sequence examples described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, 7, and 8, the call is made from the other telephone 6, but the call may be made from the extension telephone 2.

[0093] [Effects of the embodiment] As described above, in the telephone system of the above embodiment, even if the call is disconnected on the internal telephone, the recorded data from the start to the end of the call can be retroactively saved.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, even if a call is disconnected on the extension telephone following a call disconnection operation on the other telephone, the recorded data from the start to the end of the call audio can be saved retroactively.

[0095] [Other embodiments or modifications] In the above-described embodiment, the main unit as a telephone control device and the recording device are shown as devices each having an independent housing, but the board substrate constituting the main unit and the board substrate constituting the recording device may also be incorporated into a single housing.

[0096] Moreover, although the LAN 4 has been described as being configured as a wired LAN, it may be a wireless LAN, or may be connected by a modular cable instead of a wired LAN. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1...main unit, 2, 21, 22..., 2n...telephone, 3...recording device, 4...LAN, 5...communication network, 6...remote telephone

Claims

1. A telephone system comprising at least one telephone, a telephone control device that controls and manages a call between the telephone and a caller, and a recording device that records a call between the telephone and the caller under the control of the telephone control device, When the recording device receives a notification based on a disconnection operation on the telephone device from the telephone control device, the recording device temporarily stores the call voice from the start to the end of the call between the telephone device and the other party as a recording data file, and notifies the telephone control device of the identification information associated with the temporarily stored recording data file and the telephone device that made the call; The telephone control device controls the telephone set linked to the identification information to notify the telephone set whether or not to effectively save the temporarily stored recording data file, and when the telephone set receives a notification from the telephone set that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved, the telephone control device notifies the recording device that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved.

1. A telephone system comprising:

2. When the telephone control device generates a communication path between the telephone and the other party, the telephone control device also generates a communication path between the telephone control device and the recording device, so that the recording device records the voice of the call, the notification based on the call disconnection operation on the telephone side, which the recording device receives from the telephone control device, is a release request message; The identification information is included in a response message to the release request message and is notified from the recording device to the telephone control device.

2. The telephone system of claim 1.

3. When the telephone control device receives a disconnection message due to a disconnection operation by the other party of the call before the telephone device side performs a disconnection operation of the call path, the telephone control device disconnects the call path between the other party and the telephone control device, but maintains the call paths between the telephone control device and the telephone device and the recording device, and temporarily suspends the recording operation of the recording device; The telephone control device, which receives an instruction to save the paused voice of the call from the telephone before the telephone side performs a call path disconnection operation, executes the saving of the paused voice of the call in the recording device; When the telephone control device detects a call path disconnection operation on the telephone side before receiving an instruction to save the paused call voice from the telephone, the telephone control device transmits the notification based on the call path disconnection operation on the telephone side to the recording device.

3. The telephone system of claim 2.

4. The telephone control device and the recording device are integrated into one device.

2. The telephone system of claim 1.

5. A telephone control device for a telephone system including at least one telephone, a telephone control device for controlling and managing a call between the telephone and a caller, and a recording device for recording a call voice between the telephone and the caller under the control of the telephone control device, the recording device temporarily storing the call voice from the start to the end of the call between the telephone and the caller as a recording data file when the recording device receives a notification based on a call disconnection operation on the telephone from the telephone control device, and notifying the telephone control device of the temporarily stored recording data file and identification information associated with the telephone that made the call and the recording data file, When the identification information is received from the recording device, the telephone linked to the identification information is controlled to notify whether or not the temporarily stored recording data file is to be effectively stored, and when a notification is received from the telephone that the temporarily stored recording data file is to be effectively stored, the recording device is notified that the temporarily stored recording data file is to be effectively stored.

13. A telephone control device comprising:

6. A recording device in a telephone system including at least one telephone, a telephone control device that controls and manages a call between the telephone and a caller, and a recording device that records a call between the telephone and the caller under the control of the telephone control device, A call voice from the start of a call on the telephone to the end of the call is temporarily stored as a recording data file, and when a notification based on a call disconnection operation on the telephone side is received from the telephone control device, the temporarily stored recording data file and identification information linked to the telephone device that made the call are added and notified to the telephone control device; The telephone control device controls the telephone set linked to the identification information to notify whether or not to effectively save the temporarily stored recording data file, and when the telephone set receives a notification from the telephone set that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved, the telephone control device transmits a notification to the recording device that the temporarily stored recording data file will be effectively saved.

1. A recording device comprising:

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