JPH11298886A - Visitor responding system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To receive and display a video signal of a video interphone utilizing the proposed visitor responding system by using an external portable terminal. SOLUTION: This visitor reply system has an interphone slave set 1 provided with a TV camera, a communication device 4 connected to the interphone slave set 1 and a portable terminal connected to the communication device 4 via a public network. The communication device 4 is provided with an image buffer means that stores a video signal received from the interphone slave set 1 upon the receipt of a start signal sent from the interphone slave set 1, and a transmission means that converts the image information stored in the image buffer into a prescribed transmission signal and sends the converted signal to the public network. Furthermore, the portable terminal is provided with a video display means that converts the transmission signal received from the communication device 4 via the public network into an image signal and display it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a TV intercom system using a mobile communication device, and more particularly to receiving and displaying a video signal of a TV intercom using an external mobile communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a TV intercom apparatus as a device for notifying that a visitor has been received. This conventional TV
The intercom system will install an intercom slave unit with a TV camera on the door of the entrance, etc., install an intercom master unit with a TV monitor indoors, and if there is a visitor, when the visitor operates the call button of the intercom slave unit In addition, an image of a customer is displayed on a television monitor of the intercom master unit, and a call can be made between the intercom slave unit and the intercom master unit.

[0003]

However, in the conventional TV intercom apparatus, when the user goes out and is away, even if there is a visitor, he cannot respond.

[0004] Therefore, even if a courier tries to deliver a luggage when going out, for example, the courier is brought back in the absence.

[0005] Further, if no one responds even if the call button is operated, it is easy to recognize that the user is away.
There was a possibility of being nested.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a visitor response system using a portable device capable of confirming and responding to a visitor's image even in the case of absence is available. To provide.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a communication device provided with an image pickup means, a communication device connected to the communication device, and a portable device connected to the communication device via a public network. The communication device has an image buffer means for storing a video signal received from the communication device when receiving an activation signal transmitted from the communication device, and converts image information stored in the image buffer into a predetermined transmission signal. The portable device includes a video display unit that converts a transmission signal received from the communication device via the public network into an image signal and displays the image signal.

[0008] The present invention also relates to a second aspect provided with a monitor screen.
And a switching device connected to each of the communication device and the communication device, and selectively switching the connection with the communication device between the second communication device and the communication device. Also, the connection between the communication device and the communication device is branched and connected between the communication device and the second communication device having the monitor screen.
It has a switching device for switching off.

The portable device has a switching device control means, converts the switching control signal of the switching device into a predetermined transmission signal and transmits it to the communication device from the portable device, and the communication device converts the transmission signal to the switching control signal. And switches the connection to the communication device between the communication device and the second communication device based on the switching control signal.

The portable device has a camera control means, converts the control signal of the camera of the communication device into a predetermined transmission signal and transmits it from the portable device to the communication device, and the communication device converts the transmission signal to the predetermined camera. The signal is converted into a control signal and transmitted to the communication device, and the communication device controls the direction of the camera based on the camera control signal.

[0011] The portable device comprises a simple portable telephone device.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the first embodiment.

1 is a TV intercom slave unit (communication device) installed at an entrance, a door, etc., 2 is a TV intercom master device (second communication device) installed indoors, 3 is a TV
The switching device 4 installed between the intercom slave device 1 and the TV intercom master device 2
A communication device connected to the V intercom slave unit 1, 5 is a public network composed of a communication line, an exchange, and the like.
It is a portable device including an HS terminal.

FIG. 2 shows the functional blocks of the TV intercom slave 1, the TV interphone master 2, the switching device 3, and the communication device 4 and the connection status.

The TV intercom slave unit 1 includes a camera 11 for taking an image of a visitor, a microphone 12 for inputting a visitor's voice, a speaker for outputting audio signals output from the TV intercom master unit 2 and the communication device 4. 13, a button 14 operated by the customer.

The TV intercom master unit 2 has a display unit 21 composed of a liquid crystal monitor or a CRT for reproducing and displaying a video signal picked up by the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave unit 1.
A camera control switch 22 for controlling the direction of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1, a receiver 23 for talking to a customer, a hook switch 24 for detecting on-hook and off-hook of the receiver, and a button 14 of the TV interphone slave 1. The control unit 25 controls the operation of the display unit 21 and the buzzer 26 by a signal, and the buzzer 26 sounds by a control signal from the control unit 25.

The communication device 4 receives an image signal of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1 via the switching device 3 and accumulates the image signal. The image buffer 41 includes a video signal, an audio signal, a camera control signal, and a video buffer control signal. And the like to a predetermined transmission signal, a signal conversion unit 42 and a TV
A control unit 43 that inputs an activation signal of the button 14 of the intercom slave unit 1 to control the operations of the image buffer 41 and the transmission / reception unit 44, stores the telephone number of the portable device 6 of the communication destination, and stores the signal conversion unit 42 It comprises a transmitting / receiving unit 44 for transmitting a signal from the control unit 43 as a wireless signal and receiving a signal from the portable device 6 via a public network, and an antenna 45.

The switching device 3 includes a switching relay 31 for switching the output destination of the video signal of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1 between the display unit 21 of the TV intercom master 2 and the image buffer 41 of the communication device 4. A switching relay 32 for switching an input destination of a camera control signal for controlling the direction of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1 between the camera control switch 22 of the TV intercom master 2 and the signal converter 42 of the communication device 4; A switching relay 33 for switching the connection destination of the microphone 12 and the speaker 13 of the TV intercom slave 1 between the receiver 23 of the TV intercom master 2 and the signal converter 42 of the communication device 4; Switching between the control unit 25 of the TV intercom master unit 2 and the control unit 43 of the communication device 4 to switch the input destination of the start signal And 34, the above-mentioned switching relay 31,3
The switching operation of 2, 33, and 34 is configured by a switching switch 35 that performs a switching operation in response to an operation of a respondent or a switching control signal from the signal conversion unit 42 of the communication device 4.

FIG. 3 shows functional blocks of the portable device 6.

The portable device 6 receives a video signal or the like from the communication device 4 via the public network 5 and transmits a control signal or the like, and transmits a transmission signal received by the transceiver 61 to a video signal. A signal conversion unit 62 that converts the control signal into an audio signal, and converts a camera control signal, a video buffer control signal, and the like from the control unit 63 into a predetermined transmission signal; a transmission / reception unit 61; 62, a control switch 64 for controlling the direction of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave unit 1 and controlling the image buffer 41 of the communication device 4, and a video signal received from the signal conversion unit 62. And a receiver 66 connected to the signal converter 62 for inputting or outputting an audio signal.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

First, the operation in the case where the TV intercom master unit 2 makes a response when the user is at home will be described.

When the user is at home, the switching relays 31, 32, 33, and 34 of the switching device 7 are switched so as to be connected to the respective units of the TV intercom slave unit 1 and the TV intercom master unit 2.

Therefore, when the visitor operates the button 14 of the TV intercom slave 1, a press signal is input to the control unit 25 of the TV intercom master 2 via the switching relay 34 of the switching device 3.

The control unit 25 of the TV intercom master unit 2 activates the display unit 21 to display the image of the camera 1 of the TV intercom slave unit 1, that is, the image of the visitor.

At the same time, the buzzer 26 is sounded.

The responder looks at the image of the visitor displayed on the display unit 21 and picks up the receiver 23 when responding. When the hook switch 24 detects that the handset has been picked up, the hook switch 24 enables communication with the TV intercom slave unit, and thereafter, the responder and the visitor receive the handset 23 and the microphone 1
2. Talk using the speaker 13.

Next, the operation when a respondent goes out to leave home will be described.

The responder sets the changeover switch 3 of the changeover device 3
By operating the switch 5, the switching relays 31, 32, 33, and 34 are respectively switched to the communication device 4 side. The respondent carries the portable device 6 and goes out.

When a visitor presses the button 14 of the TV intercom slave 1, a press signal is input to the control unit 43 of the communication device 4 via the switching relay 34.

The control unit 43 controls the image buffer 41
Control is performed so as to record an image of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1 input via the switching device 3. And
The control unit 43 controls the transmitting / receiving unit 44 to transmit a call signal including the telephone number of the portable device 6. Transceiver 4
4, the mobile device 6 is controlled based on the control from the control unit 43.
Is transmitted to the public network 5.

The public network 5 relays the call signal and sends the call signal to the portable device 6.

Note that the communication device 4 may store the telephone numbers of a plurality of communication destination portable devices, and select an arbitrary portable device.

When the portable device 6 receives the call signal,
Rings a bell (not shown). Responder responds with control switch 6
When a response operation is performed at 4, the portable device 6 and the communication device 4 enter a communication state.

Next, the responder operates the control switch 6 of the portable device 6.
4 to input a command for receiving a video signal. The command to receive the video is converted into a predetermined transmission signal by the signal conversion unit 62 and transmitted to the communication device 4 via the public network 5.

The communication device 4 transmits the transmission signal to the antenna 4
When the signal is received by the transmission / reception unit 44 via the
At 2, the signal is converted into an image buffer control signal and input to the control unit 43.

The control unit 43 controls the video stored in the image buffer 41, that is, whether the visitor is the TV intercom slave unit 1 or not.
Is controlled so that the image of the visitor when the button 14 is operated is reproduced and transmitted.

The video signal of the visitor recorded in the image buffer 41 is compressed and converted into a predetermined transmission signal by the signal conversion section 42 and transmitted from the transmission / reception section 44 via the antenna 45.

The video converted into the transmission signal is received by the transmission / reception unit 61 of the portable device 6, restored to a video signal by the signal conversion unit 62, and displayed on the display unit 65.

The responder activates the receiver 66 when responding by viewing the displayed image of the visitor, and the public network 5,
TV intercom slave 1 via communication device 4 and switch 3
Talks with the visitor via the microphone 12 and the speaker 13 of FIG.

The direction of the camera 11 of the TV intercom slave 1 can be controlled by operating the control switch 64 of the portable device 6.

That is, the orientation control signal of the camera 11 is converted into a predetermined transmission signal by the signal conversion section 62 of the portable device, transmitted, and received by the communication device 4 via the public network 5. The communication device 4 converts the received transmission signal into a predetermined control signal and sends it to the TV intercom slave 1 via the switching device 3.

Further, the communication device 4 can be called from the portable device 6 and the changeover switch 35 of the changeover device 3 can be operated by remote control. That is, by using the control switch 64 of the mobile device 6, the call signal of the communication device 4 is transmitted to the transmitting / receiving
Send from. The communication device 4 that has received the call signal via the public network 5 automatically responds to the call signal, and the portable device 6 and the communication device 4 enter a communication state.

The responder uses the control switch 64 of the portable device 6 to switch the switching device 3 to the communication device side or the TV.
Input a control command to switch to the intercom side.

The control command is converted into a predetermined transmission signal by the signal conversion unit 62 of the portable device 6, transmitted as a radio signal from the transmission / reception unit 61, and received by the transmission / reception unit 44 of the communication device 4 via the public network 5. You.

Then, the received transmission signal is transmitted to the signal conversion unit 4.
At 2, the signal is converted into a changeover switch control signal and sent to the changeover device 3, and the changeover device 3 controls the changeover of each of the changeover relays 31, 32, 33, and 34 according to the changeover switch control signal.

Further, a storage unit is provided in the communication device 4 to store voice, image, visitor date and time as a visitor record, and the visitor record is transmitted from the communication device 4 to the portable device 6 by operating the portable device 6. It is also possible to display.

The signal conversion unit 42 of the communication device 4 is provided with a function of modulating the frequency of the voice signal. When the responder of the portable device 6 is a female, for example, when talking with a visitor, the voice is transmitted to the male voice range. It is also possible to convert the audio signal into the audio signal and transmit it to the TV intercom slave unit 1.

In this case, if the voice of the visitor is male, the voice of the responder of the portable device can be automatically converted to the voice of male.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment in which a plurality of TV intercom slave units 1 are installed.

In this embodiment, a function is added in place of the switching device 3 of the above-described first embodiment to form a second switching device 7,
The other components having the same reference numerals are the same, and the description is omitted.

The second switching device 7 has switching relays 71, 72, 73, 7 in addition to the configuration of the switching device 3 of the first embodiment.
Handset switching relays 76, 77, 7 for selectively switching the connection between the TV receiver 4 and the TV intercom handset units 1A and 1B.
8 and 79, and a handset changeover switch 80 connected to the buttons 14A and 14B of the TV intercom handset 1A and 1B.

Then, the second switching device 7 sets any of the T
When the button 14A or 14B of the V intercom slave unit is operated, the start signal is received by the slave unit switch 80, and the start signal from which TV interphone slave unit is specified, and the slave unit switching relay 76, At 77, 78, 79, each switch 3 is set to the specified TV intercom slave unit.
A switching operation is performed to connect 1, 32, 33, and 34.

The subsequent operation is the same as in the case described above.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment.

The difference from the first embodiment is that, in the first embodiment, the connection between the TV intercom slave unit 1 and the TV intercom master unit 2 and the communication device 4 is selectively switched by the switching device 3. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the connection of the TV intercom slave unit 1 is branched to the communication device 4 by the second TV intercom master device 20, and the connection between the branch point and the communication device 4 is performed. The third switching device 8 is interposed, and the third switching device 8 allows the TV intercom slave unit 1 and the communication device 4
Connection on or off.

In this embodiment, the TV intercom slave unit 1, the second TV intercom master unit 20 and the third switching device 8 are always connected.

When the responder does not use the portable device 6, the third switching device 8 switches the connection with the TV intercom slave unit 1 by the switching switch 85 to the switching relays 81, 82, 83,
84 is turned off, and the image of the camera 11 when the visitor operates the button 14 of the TV intercom slave 1 is displayed only on the second TV intercom master 2.

When the responder uses the portable device 6 to respond to the TV intercom slave 1, the switch 85 of the third switching device 8 is operated in advance to switch the switching relay 81,
82, 83, and 84 are connected to each other to connect the TV intercom slave unit 1
And the communication device 4 is turned on.

Thereafter, the TV intercom slave 1 and the communication device 4 are connected, and the TV interphone slave 1 and the portable device 6 communicate with each other via the communication device 4 to transmit / receive video and talk, as in the first embodiment. Becomes possible.

When a security system is installed, a setting signal of an out-of-office security set may be transmitted to a changeover switch to automatically connect a TV intercom slave to a communication device.

Further, a go-out button is provided on the TV intercom master unit, and when this go-out button is pressed, a press signal is transmitted to the changeover switch of the switching device, and the TV intercom slave unit is automatically connected to the communication device. You may do so.

[0064]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a TV intercom system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram showing configurations and connection states of a TV intercom slave, a TV intercom master, a switching device, and a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram showing configurations and connection states of a TV intercom slave, a TV intercom master, a switching device, and a communication device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration block diagram showing configurations and connection states of a TV intercom slave, a TV intercom master, a switching device, and a communication device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... TV intercom slave unit 11 ... Camera 12 ... Microphone 13 ... Speaker 14 ... Button 2, 20 ... TV intercom master unit 21 ... Display unit 22 ... Camera control Switcher 23 ・ ・ ・ Receiver set 24 ・ ・ ・ Hook switch 25 ・ ・ ・ Control unit 26 ・ ・ ・ Buzzer 3 ・ ・ ・ Switching device 31 ・ ・ ・ Switching relay 32 ・ ・ ・ Switching relay 33 ・ ・ ・ Switching relay 34 ・ ・-Switching relay 4-Communication device 41-Image buffer 42-Signal conversion unit 43-Control unit 44-Transmission / reception unit 5-Public network 6-Portable device 61- Transmitter / receiver 62 ... Signal converter 63 ... Controller 64 ... Control switch 65 ... Display 66 ... Handset 7 ... Second switching device 76 ... Slave device switching relay 77 ···Child Switching relay 78 ... handset switching relay 79 ... handset switching relay 80 ... handset switch 8 ... third switching device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A TV intercom system comprising: a communication device provided with an imaging unit; a communication device connected to the communication device; and a portable device connected to the communication device via a public network. The communication device, upon receiving an activation signal transmitted from the telephone device, an image buffer means for storing a video signal received from the telephone device, and converting the image information stored in the image buffer into a predetermined transmission signal A transmitting device for transmitting to a public network, wherein the portable device includes a video display device for converting a transmission signal received from the communication device via the public network into an image signal and displaying the image signal. Person response system. 2. A second communication device having a monitor screen,
Connected to the communication device and each of the communication devices,
2. The visitor response system according to claim 1, further comprising a switching device for selectively switching a connection with the communication device between the second communication device and the communication device. 3. The communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a monitor screen.
2. The visitor response system according to claim 1, further comprising a switching device that is branched and connected to said communication device and switches on / off of a connection between said communication device and said communication device. 4. The portable device has switching device control means,
The portable device converts the switching control signal of the switching device into a predetermined transmission signal and transmits the same to the communication device, and the communication device converts the transmission signal to a switching control signal and transmits the switching signal to the switching device. 3. The customer according to claim 2, wherein the switching device selectively switches connection with the communication device between the communication device and the second communication device based on the switching control signal. Person response system. 5. The portable device has camera control means, converts the control signal of the camera of the communication device into a predetermined transmission signal from the portable device to the communication device, and transmits the signal. 2. The visitor according to claim 1, wherein the transmission signal is converted into a predetermined camera control signal and transmitted to the communication device, and the communication device controls the direction of the camera based on the camera control signal. Response system. 6. The visitor response system according to claim 1, wherein said portable device is constituted by a simplified portable telephone device.