GB2082419A

GB2082419A - A vocal ringer system

Info

Publication number: GB2082419A
Application number: GB8024729A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Standard Telephone and Cables PLC
Current assignee: STC PLC
Priority date: 1980-07-29
Filing date: 1980-07-29
Publication date: 1982-03-03
Also published as: DE3114737C2; GB2082419B; DE3114737A1

Abstract

In a telephone subscriber's instrument, a store (5) is provided for a verbal announcement, such as the name or job title of the person to whom the instrument is allocated, or that instrument's extension number. When an incoming call arrives, the "burrs" from the ringer (4) are interspersed with the announcement from the store (5), under control of a sequencer (3). The generator of the announcements can use speech synthesis techniques. In an extension of this principle, the store contains a number of possible announcements, one of which is selected in response to a code signal from the caller. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A vocal ringer system This invention relates to telephone subscriber's instruments.

In large offices and other establishments in which there are a number of telephone extensions, a problem arises in respect of an incoming call, in that it may be difficult to tell which telephone is ringing. A similar problem arises when one telephone extension is shared by several different persons. Hence an object of the invention is to enable a telephone set to emit a distinctive call which unambiguously alerts the wanted person.

According to the invention there is provided a telephone subscriber's instrument, which includes a speech source and an electroacoustic transducer, control means for the speech source whereby when a call is directed to the line to which the instrument is connected a spokenannouncement is generated, and connections from the speech source and the control means to the transducer such that when a call is directed to the line the transducer emits a ringing signal accompanied by or interspersed with one or more spoken announcements appropriate to the wanted line.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 show in highly simplified form two embodiments of the invention.

Electronic circuitry is provided within a telephone which synthesizes speech, for instance it can be programmed to speak the name of the person to whom the instrument is allocated, or his title, e.g. Sales Manager. The sounds emitted from a small loud-speaker in the telephone set can thus consist of a combination of the usual ringer sound and the verbal announcement, for instance two "burrs" on the loud-speaker or on the bell or sounder, followed by the name spoken, then two more "burrs" followed by the spoken name, and so on until the handset is lifted.

Alternatively a number could be spoken between the "burr-burrs". Experience would teach the best relationship between the ringing repetitions and the identifying words, so that the procedure would not be too distracting in the office. Perhaps three or four "burrburrs" between each identifying statement would be sufficient.

Fig. 1 shows in its simplest form such an arrangement, the line 1 being connected to the handset 2 and a sequencer 3 which controls the ringer 4 and the name store 5.

Both of these are connected to a loudspeaker 6, and the sequencer 3 determines the sequence in which the ringer output and the name store output are applied to the speaker 6. Note that in this case the speaker 6 handles both the ringer output and the name store output. This assumes that the instrument uses a tone ringer. If a conventional bell is used, this is unaltered and the sequencer controls the production of the speech output in the "inter-burr" periods.

Preferably the speech generation uses speech synthesis techniques, as these can be readily incorporated into the telephone set body using integrated circuit techniques. If, say, one second is found to be adequate time to speak a person's name (or job title) then a bubble store would be adequate. Larger statements could be made by using digital synthesis techniques, or even by using a short tape loop.

A refinement would be for the spoken announcements to occur at varying intervals, e.g. two "burr-burrs"; John Smith; three "burr-burrs; John Smith; six "burr-burrs"; John Smith; and then "burr-burrs" only.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a somewhat more complex arrangement in which one telephone set has a store 10 in which a number of names or other spoken announcements is stored. The caller has the facility to send a further signal to indicate which spoken announcement he would like, e.g. by sending an extra digit from his instrument. This extra digit or other signal is received and decoded by a decoder 11, which enables the appropriate one of the sections of the store 10. The sequencer, ringer and loudspeaker perform the same functions as in Fig. 1.

In both the arrangements described above, the synthesized speed announcement could if desired be the lines extension number.

1. A telephone subscriber's instrument, which includes a speech source and an electro acoustic transducer, control means for the speech source whereby when a call is directed to the line to which the instrument is connected a spoken announcement is generated, and connections from the speech source and the control means to the transducer such that when a call is directed to the line the transducer emits a ringing signal accompanied by or interspersed with one or more spoken announcements appropriate to the wanted line.

2. An instrument as claimed in claim 1, and in which the speech source uses speech synthesizing techniques, and is implemented using integrated circuit technology.

3. An instrument as claimed in claim 2, and in which intelligence used for said speech synthesis is stored in a magnetic bubble store.

4. An instrument as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the stored information includes information appropriate to a number of different spoken announcements, each identified by a different code signal in which the instrument contains a decoder associated with the storage means, and in which the decoder responds to a received one of said code

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A vocal ringer system This invention relates to telephone subscriber's instruments. In large offices and other establishments in which there are a number of telephone extensions, a problem arises in respect of an incoming call, in that it may be difficult to tell which telephone is ringing. A similar problem arises when one telephone extension is shared by several different persons. Hence an object of the invention is to enable a telephone set to emit a distinctive call which unambiguously alerts the wanted person. According to the invention there is provided a telephone subscriber's instrument, which includes a speech source and an electroacoustic transducer, control means for the speech source whereby when a call is directed to the line to which the instrument is connected a spokenannouncement is generated, and connections from the speech source and the control means to the transducer such that when a call is directed to the line the transducer emits a ringing signal accompanied by or interspersed with one or more spoken announcements appropriate to the wanted line. Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 show in highly simplified form two embodiments of the invention. Electronic circuitry is provided within a telephone which synthesizes speech, for instance it can be programmed to speak the name of the person to whom the instrument is allocated, or his title, e.g. Sales Manager. The sounds emitted from a small loud-speaker in the telephone set can thus consist of a combination of the usual ringer sound and the verbal announcement, for instance two "burrs" on the loud-speaker or on the bell or sounder, followed by the name spoken, then two more "burrs" followed by the spoken name, and so on until the handset is lifted. Alternatively a number could be spoken between the "burr-burrs". Experience would teach the best relationship between the ringing repetitions and the identifying words, so that the procedure would not be too distracting in the office. Perhaps three or four "burrburrs" between each identifying statement would be sufficient. Fig. 1 shows in its simplest form such an arrangement, the line 1 being connected to the handset 2 and a sequencer 3 which controls the ringer 4 and the name store 5. Both of these are connected to a loudspeaker 6, and the sequencer 3 determines the sequence in which the ringer output and the name store output are applied to the speaker 6. Note that in this case the speaker 6 handles both the ringer output and the name store output. This assumes that the instrument uses a tone ringer. If a conventional bell is used, this is unaltered and the sequencer controls the production of the speech output in the "inter-burr" periods. Preferably the speech generation uses speech synthesis techniques, as these can be readily incorporated into the telephone set body using integrated circuit techniques. If, say, one second is found to be adequate time to speak a person's name (or job title) then a bubble store would be adequate. Larger statements could be made by using digital synthesis techniques, or even by using a short tape loop. A refinement would be for the spoken announcements to occur at varying intervals, e.g. two "burr-burrs"; John Smith; three "burr-burrs; John Smith; six "burr-burrs"; John Smith; and then "burr-burrs" only. Fig. 2 shows schematically a somewhat more complex arrangement in which one telephone set has a store 10 in which a number of names or other spoken announcements is stored. The caller has the facility to send a further signal to indicate which spoken announcement he would like, e.g. by sending an extra digit from his instrument. This extra digit or other signal is received and decoded by a decoder 11, which enables the appropriate one of the sections of the store 10. The sequencer, ringer and loudspeaker perform the same functions as in Fig. 1. In both the arrangements described above, the synthesized speed announcement could if desired be the lines extension number. CLAIMS

4. An instrument as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the stored information includes information appropriate to a number of different spoken announcements, each identified by a different code signal in which the instrument contains a decoder associated with the storage means, and in which the decoder responds to a received one of said code signals to select the verbal announcement to be emitted.

5. A telephone subscriber's instrument, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing.