JPH02268058A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the utility of a facsimile equipment by switching a line receiving an incoming call signal based on the result of a ringing detection means with an equipment provided with a built-in automatic answering function or an externally mounted automatic answering function. CONSTITUTION:Ringing of a line L1 is detected by a detection circuit 6 and a signal LS1 is generated. A control section 10 switches a switch with a signal S3 when a signal LS2 is reset (no communication with an automatic answering telephone set 12) to connect the line L1 to the telephone set 12. number of ring ing signals NR is started to be counted and when an off-hook signal FS from a current detection circuit 13 is received before a prescribed number L, the presence of a signal TS of a tone detection circuit 8 and a signal DS of a DTMF signal detection circuit 9 is checked, in the absence of CNG, DTMF signals, the control section 10 discriminates the opposite party to be a telephone set and the reply by the automatic answering telephone set is finished when the signal FS is reset. The ringing signal is detected to check the automatic answering telephone function and facsimile communication function and when the automatic answering telephone function is not busy, the function is con nected, then the function is utilized effectively by plural number of lines.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and particularly to a facsimile machine that accommodates a plurality of lines.

(Prior Art) As facsimile machines become more widespread, they are required to have more diverse functions. As one example, facsimile machines equipped with an answering machine function have appeared.

That is, conventionally, facsimile machines have an automatic reception function that allows them to automatically receive facsimiles even when they are not in the office by setting the absentee mode. However, when the other party is on the phone, if the operator is not present, he or she will not be able to respond to the caller and will not be able to accept the other party's business. Therefore, we added an answering function to the facsimile machine, recorded the other party's transmission on magnetic tape, etc., and when the operator played it back,
Recorded messages are output as audio.

Such conventional facsimile machines generally accommodate one line, and one line is shared by the facsimile machine and the telephone. This telephone has an answering machine function.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a conventional facsimile machine, there is only one line connected to the facsimile machine, and one line can be selected for both the telephone and the facsimile machine. I suddenly switched to using the answering machine function on my phone. However, in recent years, in order to make effective use of facsimile machines, facsimile machines that accommodate multiple lines have appeared, and if you try to apply the conventional answering function to a facsimile machine that accommodates multiple lines, it will be necessary to An answering machine function had to be added, which caused problems in that the size of the facsimile machine became larger and the price of the facsimile machine became higher.

(Purpose of the Invention) Therefore, the present invention, when ringing is detected from a plurality of lines accommodated, selectively connects the answering function to the ringing line, thereby eliminating the need to provide an answering function for each line. The purpose of this invention is to reduce the size and cost of facsimile machines, and to improve the convenience and usability of facsimile machines, by making the answering function available for the telephone line.

(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention detects an incoming call signal from each line in a facsimile machine that accommodates multiple lines and has a built-in answering function or can be connected to a device equipped with an answering function. and a switching means that selectively switches and connects a plurality of lines to a device equipped with a built-in answering function or an external answering function, and detects an incoming call signal based on the detection result of the ringing detection means. This system is characterized in that the line containing the ``answering function'' is connected to a device equipped with a built-in answering machine function or an external answering machine function.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained based on examples.

FIG. 1.2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to a facsimile machine accommodating two lines.

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of the main parts of the facsimile device 1. The facsimile device 1 includes a relay 2.3.4.5, a ringing detection circuit (ringing detection means) 6.7, a tone detection circuit 8, a DTMF signal detection circuit 9, control section 10,
It includes a facsimile unit 11, an answering machine 12, a current detection circuit 13, and the like.

A line L1 is connected to the relay 2, and the relay 2 is operated by a switching signal S from the control section 10 to switch the line L1 between the ringing detection circuit 6, the answering machine 12 side, and the facsimile unit section 11 side. Switch and connect selectively. A line L2 is connected to the relay 3, and the relay 3 receives a switching signal S! from the control unit 10. It is activated and the line L! Ringing detection circuit 7 and answering machine 1
2 side and the facsimile unit section 11 side by switching. That is, the facsimile machine l is connected to a line.

It accommodates two lines, L! and L2, and relays 2 and 3 connect each line, L! is used by switching between the answering machine 12 side and the facsimile unit section 11 side. A line LI is connected to the relay 4 via the relay 2, and a line L2 is connected via the relay 3, and the relay 4 is activated by a switching signal S3 from the control unit 10 to switch the telephone answering machine 12 to the line. , and line L2. That is, the relay 4 works together with the relays 2 and 3 to switch and connect the telephone answering machine 12 between the line and the line, thereby acting as a switching means. A line is connected to the relay 5 via the relay 2, and a line is also connected via the relay 3. The relay 5 is actuated by a switching signal S4 from the control section 10, and switches the facsimile unit section 11 between the line Lt side and the line Lt side.

The ringing detection circuit 6 is connected to the line L1 via the relay 2, detects a ringing signal (incoming call signal) from the line L+, and outputs a ring signal LS to the control unit 10. The ringing detection circuit 7 connects to the line L2 via the relay 3.
It detects a ringing signal from the line L2 and outputs a ring signal L S z to the control unit 10 .

Tone detection circuit 8 is connected to line L2 via relay 4 and relay 2 or relay 3,
A CNG signal (calling tone) indicating a non-voice terminal sent from the line or line Lt is detected and a tone detection signal TS is output to the control unit 10.

The DTMF signal detection circuit 9 is connected to the line L1 or the line Lt via the relay 4 and the relay 2 or the relay 3, and detects the DTMF signal sent from the line L1 or the line Lt.
Detects the MF signal and sends the DTMF detection signal DS to the control unit lO
Output to.

The control unit io is a CPU (Central Process).
ssing Unit), ROM (Read 0nl
y Memory), RAM (Random Ac
cess Memory) and counters, etc.
The basic program for the facsimile device 1 and the line switching processing program of the present invention are stored in the OM. A work area is formed in the RAM in the control unit 10, and a counter counts the waiting time and the like when performing the line switching process of the present invention.

The facsimile unit section 11 is a general term for other units of the facsimile apparatus 1, and includes a modem, a communication control unit, an encoding/decoding unit, a scanner unit, a plotter unit, and the like.

The facsimile unit section 11 modulates and demodulates transmitted and received signals using a modem, and exchanges facsimile control signals with the other party's facsimile device using a communication control unit to execute facsimile control procedures. Furthermore, the facsimile unit section 11 encodes and decodes image data with an encoding/decoding unit, and reads a transmission document with a scanner unit.

Furthermore, the facsimile unit section 11 records the received original onto recording paper using a block unit.

The answering machine 12 is a telephone device equipped with a so-called answering machine function, and may be built into the facsimile machine 1 or may be externally attached via a modular jack. The answering machine 212 has a built-in voice recording/playback device, and when an incoming call is received, it automatically goes off-hook, sends out a prerecorded voice message, and also records a voice message from the other party. In the case of this embodiment, the voice recording/playback device of the answering machine 12 includes one part of the voice message.
The following voice message is recorded, allowing you to send a facsimile to the other party.

"When sending by facsimile, first DTMF
After sending the signal "2", please send a facsimile.'' The current detection circuit 13 is connected to the answering machine 12.

and the current between the line L2 and the answering machine 12.
detects the off-hook signal F and sends an off-hook signal F to the control unit 10.
Output S.

Next, the action will be explained.

In the present invention, when there is ringing from multiple lines,
Its distinctive feature is that it controls the connection of the line by determining the line usage status due to the answering machine function and facsimile communication. This line switching process will be explained below based on the flowchart of FIG. 2. Furthermore, Figure 2 shows the line switching process when there is ringing on line L8, and even when there is ringing on line L8, the switching direction of the line and relay changes depending on the type of line. Just,
You can respond in the same way.

In the initial state of facsimile device 1, relay 2 connects line L1 to ringing detection circuit 6 and answering machine 12, and relay 3 connects line L2 to ringing detection circuit 7 and answering machine 12. ing.

Now, there is ringing from the line L+, and when the ringing detection circuit 6 detects the ringing and outputs the ring signal LS to the control unit 10 (step S+), the control unit 10
First, it is checked whether the ring signal LS is input from the ringing detection circuit 7 (whether the ring signal LS is on or not) (step S2). When the ring signal LSt is not on, it is checked whether the off-footer signal FS from the current detection circuit 13 is on or not, that is, there is no ringing on the line L3 at present, but the line L2 is connected to the answering machine 12 and there is no answering machine. Check whether communication is in progress with the device 12 (step S, ), off footer signal FS
is not on, that is, when line L2 is not connected to answering machine 12, control unit 10 outputs switching signal S to connect relay 4 to line L1 (
Step s4), therefore, the line with ringing can be connected to the answering machine 12 with priority;
The answering machine 12 can be used effectively.

When the control unit 10 connects the line to the answering machine 12, it starts counting the number of ringings Nll, and determines whether or not the answering machine 12 automatically receives a call and goes off-hook before counting the predetermined number L, i.e. , current detection circuit 1
3, it is checked whether the off-hook signal FS is input (steps SS, S&+S,). Ringing number N,
If the off-hook signal FS is input before the predetermined number of times, it is determined that the answering function of the telephone answering machine 12 has been activated or that the operator has responded using the telephone answering machine 12, and the tone detection circuit 8 Whether or not the tone detection signal TS is input, that is, whether the other party is a facsimile machine, and whether or not the DTMF detection signal DS is input from the DTMF signal detection circuit 9, that is, the telephone answering machine 12 A voice message for performing the facsimile transmission is sent from the other party, and it is checked whether or not a predetermined DTMF signal has been transmitted from the other party in response to the voice message (steps Sl and S9).

If a CNG signal is also transmitted from the other party, but no DTMF signal is also transmitted, it is determined that the other party is a telephone, and it is checked whether the on-hook signal FS has been turned off (step S1°). When the off-footer signal FS is turned off, it is determined that the answering machine 12 has completed answering, and this flow ends (step S1°).

On the other hand, when the ring signal LS is on in step S2,
When the off-hook signal FS is on in step S, it starts counting the number of ringings N and I from the line L1, and before counting the predetermined number of times L, the ringing signal LSI signal from the ringing detection circuit 7 and the current detection circuit 13 Check whether the off-footer signal FS signal from is turned off (steps S+z, S13. S14.
515). If the ring signal Lsz and the off-hook signal FS turn off before the ringing number NK is counted a predetermined number of times L, it is assumed that the line Lx has been disconnected or that the line L! is connected to the facsimile unit 11, and the answering machine 1
It is determined that the line 2 is not in use due to the line 12, and the process moves to step S, where the line vAL1 is sent to the answering machine 12.
Connect to. If the ring signal LS2 and the off-footer signal FS are not turned off before the number of ringings N from the line reaches the predetermined number (step S+s)
, whether or not facsimile communication is in progress, that is, line L
t to check whether facsimile communication is being performed by the facsimile unit section 11 (step Sl&). If facsimile communication is in progress, it is determined that the answering machine 12 is not in use via line L2, and the process proceeds to step S4. Transfer line L1 to answering machine 12
Connect to. When facsimile communication is not in progress, it is determined that the answering machine 12 is being used via the line L8, and a switching signal Sl is output to the relay 2, which connects the line to the facsimile unit 11 and sends a switching signal to the relay 5. S4 is output to connect the facsimile unit section 11 to the line L1 side (step S1.). Thereafter, the facsimile unit 11 performs normal facsimile communication processing through the line L1 (step S+s).

Further, when the line is connected to the answering machine 12 side and the answering machine 12 goes off-hook in step S4, the tone detection signal TS or the DTMF detection signal DS
When detected (step S8S), it is checked whether facsimile communication is in progress (step S1). When facsimile communication is not in progress, a switching signal S1 is output to relay 2, a switching signal S4 is output to relay 5, and the line L1 is connected to the facsimile unit section 11.Step S+f
f) Execute normal facsimile communication processing with the other party connected via line (step 5ee).

As described above, according to the present invention, when ringing is detected from each line in a facsimile machine connected to a plurality of lines, the answering function and facsimile communication function of each line are checked, and the answering function is idle. Since it can sometimes be connected to the answering machine function, the answering machine function can be used effectively on multiple lines. Therefore, the usability and convenience of the facsimile device can be improved.

Further, in the above embodiment, since the answering machine 12 is connected preferentially to the facsimile communication function,
The answering function can be used more effectively, and the usability and convenience of the facsimile machine 1 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the tone detection circuit 8 can check whether the other party is a facsimile machine or not, and the answering machine 12 outputs the operation procedure when you wish to make a facsimile communication to the other party as a voice message. Since the DTMF signal detection circuit 9 can detect whether or not the answering machine 12 has been used, the answering machine 12 can efficiently switch between the answering function and the facsimile communication function, thereby improving the usability and convenience of the facsimile machine 1. performance can be further improved.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which two lines are accommodated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be similarly applied to a facsimile machine that accommodates two or more lines.

(Effects) According to the present invention, the answering function can be performed on multiple lines without providing an answering function for each line, and the facsimile machine can be made smaller and cheaper. The convenience and usability of the device can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1.2 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram thereof, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of its line switching processing. ■...Facsimile machine, 2.3.4...Relay (switching means), 5...
... Relay 6.7 ... Ringing detection circuit (ringing detection means), 8 ... Tone detection circuit, 9 ... DTMF signal detection circuit, 10 ...・
・Control unit, 11...Facsimile unit unit, 12...
...Answering machine, 13...Current detection circuit, L+, Lt...Line, TS...Tone detection signal, DS...DTMF detection signal , FS...off footer signal. Agent: Patent Attorney Arigunbu

Claims (1)

[Claims] A facsimile machine that accommodates multiple lines and has a built-in answering function or can be connected to a device equipped with an answering function,
A ringing detection means for detecting an incoming call signal from each line, and a switching means for selectively switching and connecting a plurality of lines to a device having a built-in answering machine function or an external answering machine function, the ringing detection means A facsimile device that connects a line containing an incoming call signal to a device equipped with a built-in answering machine function or an external answering machine function based on the detection result of the facsimile machine.