JPH0213052A - Communicating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To call an opponent station without executing an image dialing operation by providing an image reading means to read the identification number of the opponent station written or printed in a readable character onto a printing medium in a business card size. CONSTITUTION:To a telephone set 1, an image reading part 2 composed of a CCD line sensor and the carrying system of the printing medium, a memory 3 for storing read image data and a character recognizing part 4 to recognize a subscriber number from the image data read into the memory 3. An operator inserts the business card into the prescribed loading position of the image reader 2, and a telephone number 27 printed on the back of the business card is read. Telephone number data recognized by the character recognizing part 4 are inputted to a dial signal generating part 5, a control part 8 outputs it through an NCU 6 to a telephone line 9, and the opponent station is called.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a communication device, and particularly to a communication device that performs automatic call control.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in communication devices such as facsimile machines and telephones that use telephone lines, there have been dialing methods using speed dial operations, and memory of the telephone number of the other party in response to multiple one-touch keys. A dialing method that calls the corresponding partner station depending on the operation, or it memorizes the identification number (subscriber number) of the previous partner station and makes a call using this number in response to a specific key operation. Various dialing methods, such as a redial method, are known to simplify operations when making a call.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above-mentioned various dialing systems have a problem in that automatic dialing can only be performed to pre-registered identification numbers. In other words, the operator must enter an identification number that corresponds to a specific speed dial operation or one-touch key in advance, and even if the redial method is used, the operator must input the identification number that corresponds to a specific speed dial operation or one-touch key. Dial input was required.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image reading means for reading the identification number of the partner station written or printed in readable characters on a business card-sized print medium; A character recognition means that recognizes the characters of the identification number read by the image reading unit and converts it into a character code, and a character recognition means that sends the other station using the identification number data of the other station expressed by the character code output from the character recognition means. A configuration was adopted that included communication control means to establish a call line connection.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, using an identification number written or printed on a business card or a print medium of an equivalent size,
You can make a call to the other party's station without dialing.

[Example] The present invention will be described in detail below based on an example shown in one drawing.

The first IN shows the structure of a telephone as an example of a communication device employing the present invention.

Telephone l in FIG. 1 has NCU (, I
f11 control unit) 6. The NCU 6 has functions such as detecting a call signal, holding a DC loop, and holding one line. The NCU 6 includes a well-known telephone communication section 7 consisting of a speech network, an amplifier, a handset, etc., and a dial signal generation section that generates dial signals corresponding to the telephone line 9, such as tone signals or pulse signals for calling the other party. 5 is connected.

The communication circuit shown above is controlled by a control section 8 consisting of a microprocessor or the like. A control program for the control unit 8 is stored in the ROM 8a.

The configuration shown so far is common to conventional telephones, but in this embodiment, characters are read as image data from a printed body of a predetermined size, and from this image data an identification number (in the example below, a subscriber (telephone number), and inputs the recognized identification number data to the dial signal generator 5, allowing a call to be made to that station.

For this reason, the telephone 1 includes an image reading unit 2 consisting of a CCD line sensor and a print medium conveyance system, a memory 3 for storing the read image data, and a memory 3 for storing the image data read in the memory 3. A character recognition unit 4 is provided to recognize the subscriber number. The memory 3 is also used as a work area for the control unit 8, and
It is configured using AM, etc. Further, the character recognition section 4 is constituted by software of the control section 8 or a processing device using a peripheral CPU different from the control section 8.

Any type of print medium may be used to be read by the image reading unit 2, but here, a business card is shown as an example of a commonly used print medium for telephone numbers.

FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) show the structure of a business card read by the image reading section 2. FIG. FIG. 2 (A) shows the front of the business card, and as shown in the figure, the name of the owner 20, the organization and department to which the owner belongs 21, the name of the invention 22, the address 23, the contact telephone number 24, the mail order (facsimile), etc. The phone number 25, etc. is printed in kanji and numbers in a format similar to well-known business cards.

On the other hand, FIG. 2(B) shows the back side of the same business card. On the back side of the business card, the owner's name 20' is printed in Chinese characters as shown, as well as a telephone number 27. In addition, in order to facilitate the process of reading and recognizing the telephone number 27, a business card having a structure of 0 or more has black line marks 26 as shown above and below or on the left and right of the telephone number 27. Needless to say, it can be easily constructed using known printing techniques.

Next, it is assumed that the procedure shown in FIG. 1 is stored in the ROM 8a, which shows the control procedure of the control unit 8 when using the device shown in FIG. .

Here, an example will be shown in which call processing is automatically performed in response to the handset going off-hook.

When the handset of the telephone section 7 is taken off-hook in step S1 of FIG. 3, the processes from step S2 onwards are started.

In step S2, the operator inserts the business card shown in FIG.
Insert the card into the designated loading position and read the phone number 27 printed on the back of the business card. At this time, the mark 26 in FIG. 2(B) is used to cut out the position of the telephone number to be read.

The image data of the telephone number read in step S2 is stored in the memory 3 in step S3.

Subsequently, in step S4, the character recognition unit 4 performs a known character recognition process to recognize the telephone number 27. Specifically, from the image pattern of the telephone number 27, corresponding telephone number data (expressed by a character code, etc.) is acquired.

Next, in step S5, the telephone number data recognized by the character recognition section 4 is input to the dial signal generation section 5, and in step S6, the control section 8 outputs it to the telephone line 9 via the NCU 6 to call the other party's station.

In step S7, establishment of the call is confirmed by detecting polarity reversal of the line via the NCU 6. If the call is established and the call is unsuccessful 1. For example, if the other party is busy, the process ends, but once the call is established, step S
8, a known communication operation by the communication section 7 is performed.
The call is terminated by on-hook as in the conventional case.

According to the above configuration, unlike conventional automatic dialing systems, the business card is automatically dialed after the off-footer without having to input a telephone number in advance or in response to a predetermined speed dial operation or one-touch key operation. Simply insert the business card into the device to make a call to the owner of the business card. In the conventional method, input errors may occur when inputting a telephone number in advance, and it may not be possible to reliably call the desired station. However, according to this embodiment, input operations are not necessary, so input errors may occur. The probability of making a wrong call can also be reduced.

In addition, business cards with telephone numbers printed on them can be configured at a very low cost using known printing technology, so there is no need to impose a large burden on the customer, and this method has the advantage of being very easy to replicate. .

Additionally, since the device recognizes the same characters as human-readable characters, there is no need for special printing or recording methods, and the user can visually recognize machine-readable phone numbers at the same time. There are also advantages.

Although the configuration of a telephone has been described above, it goes without saying that the same configuration can be applied to facsimile machines and various data terminals that use a similar calling method. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the same technique can be implemented regardless of the line system, such as analog line or digital line.

In the above, a business card was shown as a print medium that records a telephone number, but even various legal forms, application forms, and other printed materials can be used as long as the image reading unit is configured to read the print medium. In that case, the telephone number does not necessarily have to be printed on it, but a frame surrounding the telephone number, etc., as shown by the reference numeral 27' in FIG. 2(B), may be used. Keep this frame 27'
You may also write your phone number by hand inside.

In addition, a dialing method has been proposed in which a barcode representing the identification number of the partner station, such as a telephone number, is printed on a single business card, and the barcode is read to automatically call the partner station. In addition to written expressions, such eight-
A code reading method may also be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, the present invention includes an image reading means for reading the identification number of the partner station written or printed in readable characters on a printing medium of the size of a business card; A character recognition means that recognizes the received identification number and converts it into a character code, and a call is made to the other station using the identification number data of the other station expressed by the character code output from the character recognition means and a line connection is established. Since the configuration is equipped with a communication control means to establish the connection, there is no need for troublesome dialing operations, and an identification number written or printed on a business card or equivalent size print medium can be used to prevent incorrect line connections. Because the kota is printed,
The operator can recognize the number just by looking at it, and it has the advantage of transmitting information in the same way as regular print media.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a telephone adopting the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams showing the structure of a business card as an example of print media used in the telephone shown in FIG. ,
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a communication control procedure of the control section of FIG. 1. l...Telephone 2...Image reading unit 3...Memory 4...Character recognition unit 5...Dial signal generation unit 6...NCU 7...Telephone unit 8...Control unit 6 ...Business card 9...Telephone line 7...Telephone number

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) Image reading means for reading the identification number of the partner station written or printed in readable characters on a business card-sized print medium, and character recognition for character-coding the identification number read by the image reading unit. and a communication control means for calling the other station and establishing a line connection using the identification number data of the other station expressed by the character code output from the character recognition means. Characteristic communication device. 2) When a predetermined operation input is performed, image reading of the identification number of the partner station, character recognition, and call processing of the partner station using the recognized identification number are automatically executed. A communication device according to claim 1.