JPH06164757A - Facsimile equipment with voice reply function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To start facsimile communication immediately by closing a telephone number when a ring signal is detected for the transmission of a reply message and connecting the telephone line to a facsimile communication means when a facsimile communication start signal is detected from the telephone line. CONSTITUTION:When a ring signal is inputted from a telephone line 1 while an OGM (reply message) is recorded, a ring detection circuit 3 detects it and outputs it to a control means 10. The means 10 controls an interface circuit 2 to close a telephone line 1. The means 10 starts a timer 11 and controls an OGM transmission circuit 4 to send the OGM to the line 1. When a signal of 1100Hz is inputted for 0.5sec or over to a CNG signal detection circuit 9, the means 10 receives the detection signal to compare the count of the timer 11 with the count at OGM recording and when the signal continues for 3.5sec, the means 10 discriminates that the caller is the facsimile equipment to throw a changeover circuit 8 to the position of the facsimile communication circuit 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine with a voice response function which responds to a calling side by voice before facsimile communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile machine having a voice response function has been used. When a ring signal is input from the telephone line, the telephone line is automatically closed, a response message (hereinafter referred to as OGM) is first sent, and then the operation is switched to receive facsimile information. Alternatively, if the signal input from the telephone line after transmitting the OGM is voice (hereinafter referred to as ICM), the operation is switched to recording it, and the signal input from the telephone line is the facsimile communication start signal (hereinafter, (Called CNG signal)
Alternatively, if there is no sound, the operation is switched to the facsimile operation.

A conventional facsimile apparatus with a voice response function as described above will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus with a voice response function. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the same operation.

In FIG. 5, 1 is a telephone line, 2 is an interface circuit, 3 is a ring signal detection circuit, and 4 is OGM.
Sending circuit, 5 ICM recording circuit, 6 facsimile communication circuit, 7 voice signal detecting circuit, 8 switching circuit, 9 CN
The G signal detection circuit 10 is a control means, and is composed of a microcomputer. Reference numeral 11 is a timer provided in the control means 10.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus with a voice response function configured as described above will be described below.

First, when a ring signal is input from the telephone line 1, the ring signal detection circuit 3 detects it (step 1) and outputs it to the control means 10. The control means 10 controls the interface circuit 2 to close the telephone line 1 (step 2).

Next, the control means 10 controls the OGM sending circuit 4 to send the OGM to the telephone line 1 (step 3). When the control means 10 detects the end of the OGM transmission (step 4), it controls the ICM recording circuit 5 to record the signal input from the telephone line 1 (step 5) and activates the timer 11 (step 6). ). Here, when the medium on which the OGM is recorded is a tape, a beep sound is recorded at the recording end position of the OGM and the OGM is ended when the beep sound is detected. Alternatively, when the medium is an IC, a method is known in which an address at the end of OGM recording is detected and the OGM is ended at the position of this address, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The control means 10 detects the signal input from the telephone line simultaneously with the recording of the ICM by the voice signal detection circuit 7 and the CN.
If the signal input from the telephone line 1 is a voice signal (step 7), the IC signal recording operation is continued (step 8), and the signal input from the telephone line 1 is the CNG signal. In that case (step 9), the control means 10 switches the switching circuit 8 to the facsimile communication circuit 6 (step 10).

If neither of the above signals is detected, it is judged whether the count of the timer 11 has expired (step 11),
If it has not expired, the process returns to step 7, and if it has expired, the control means 10 switches the switching circuit 8 to the facsimile communication circuit 6 (step 10).

[0011]

However, in the above configuration, when a CNG signal is input from the calling side during OGM transmission, the OGM sneak signal is erroneously detected as a CNG signal, and therefore the OGM is being transmitted. Has a problem that it cannot detect a CNG signal and cannot perform facsimile communication during OGM transmission.

In particular, in a facsimile machine, if the time from when the calling side closes the telephone line to when the receiving side receives the signal is longer than a certain time, the calling side is determined by the standard to open the telephone line. However, there is a problem that facsimile communication cannot be performed when the OGM is long.

The present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and provides a facsimile apparatus with a voice response function capable of detecting a CNG signal input during OGM transmission and immediately starting facsimile communication. It is provided.

[0014]

To achieve this object, a facsimile apparatus with a voice response function of the present invention comprises interface means for closing a telephone line in response to a signal output from a ring signal detecting means, Response message sending means for sending a response message after the interface means has closed the telephone line, communication start signal detecting means for detecting a facsimile communication start signal input from the telephone line, facsimile communication means for performing facsimile communication, and response message When the communication start signal detecting means detects the facsimile communication start signal while the sending means is sending the response message, the switching circuit connects the telephone line to the facsimile communication means.

[0015]

With this configuration, when the ring signal detecting means detects the ring signal input from the telephone or the line, the interface means closes the telephone line, the response message sending means sends the response message, and the facsimile communication is made from the telephone line. When the start signal is input, the communication start signal detecting means detects it, and the switching circuit connects the telephone line to the facsimile communication means.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a facsimile apparatus with a voice response function according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a flowchart showing the recording operation, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the response operation, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the waveform of the CNG signal.

In FIG. 1, 12 is an OGM recording instruction switch for instructing OGM recording, 13 is a microphone, and 14 is C.
A switching circuit for switching the NG signal detection circuit 9 to the interface circuit 2 or the microphone 13 side, and 15 is a notification means. The same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus with a voice response function configured as described above will be described below.

First, the CNG signal will be described. Figure 4
As shown in, the CNG signal is 1100 Hz ± 0.5 seconds.
The 38 Hz signal is repeated every 3.5 seconds. Normally, this signal continues for a certain period of time until facsimile communication is started between the calling side and the receiving side, or until the calling side opens the telephone line.

Next, the OGM recording operation will be described. O
When the recording of the OGM is instructed by the GM recording instruction switch 12 (step 1), the control means 10 switches the switching circuit 14 to the microphone 13 side, connects the microphone 13 and the CNG signal detection circuit 9 (step 2), and turns on the timer 11. At the same time as starting up (step 3), the OGM sending circuit 4 is set to the recording state (step 4).

The OGM input from the microphone 13 is the OGM.
Input to the sending circuit 4 and the CNG signal detection circuit 9,
The signal detection circuit 9 monitors whether the input OGM contains a CNG signal component. CNG signal detection circuit 9 is 1
It is composed of a bandpass filter of 100 Hz ± 38 Hz and a timer circuit. When a signal of 1100 Hz ± 38 Hz is detected, the timer circuit is activated and 1100 Hz ±
It is detected whether the 38 Hz signal continues for 0.5 seconds. 0.5
When the second continues (step 5), the CNG signal detection circuit 9
Outputs a CNG signal detection signal to the control means 10.

That is, 1100 Hz ± during OGM recording
A signal having a frequency of 38 Hz is used as the CNG signal detection circuit 9
When the signal is detected, the time t1 at which the timer 11 completes counting is stored (step 6), and it is determined whether this signal is the first signal after the recording of the OGM is started (step 7). Since the above-mentioned signal is the first signal, the procedure returns to step 5, and then, during OGM recording, 1100 is again performed.
When a signal having a frequency of Hz ± 38 Hz is input to the CNG signal detection circuit 9, the count value of the timer 11 at this time is stored as t2 (step 6), and it is determined whether t2-t1 is 3.5 seconds. (Step 8).

When t2-t1 is not 3.5 seconds, the OGM recording is further continued, and when the signal is next input to the CNG signal detection circuit 9, the count value of the timer 11 at this time is stored as t3. (Step 6). And t3
-It is judged whether t1 is 3.5 seconds and t3-t2 is 3.5 seconds (step 8). If neither is 3.5 seconds, the OGM recording is further continued, and the signal is C
Each time it is input to the NG signal detection circuit 9, it is determined whether the calculation result of the count value tn of the timer 11 at that time and the count value (t1 to tn-1) of the timer 11 until then is 3.5 seconds ( Step 8).

OG without being judged as 3.5 seconds even once
After the recording of M is completed, the user sets the OGM recording instruction switch 1
When 2 is pressed again (step 9), the control means 10 turns O
The recording state of the GM transmission circuit 4 is stopped, and the switching circuit 14 is controlled to switch the CNG signal detection circuit 9 to the interface circuit 2 side (step 12).

In step 8, the timer 11 is activated during the OGM recording.
When the calculation result of the count value tn of the timer 11 and the count value of the timer 11 till then becomes 3.5 seconds, the control means 10 stops the recording operation of the OGM sending circuit 4 (step 1
0), outputting a signal to the notification means 15 to notify by visual signal or audible signal that OGM recording was invalid (step 11), and connect the CNG signal detection circuit 9 to the interface circuit 2 side. The switching circuit 14 is controlled (step 12).

When the user presses the OGM recording instruction switch 12 again to record the OGM by the invalidity notification, the OGM recording operation is started in the same manner as described above.

Next, when a ring signal is input from the telephone line 1 while the OGM is recorded, the ring signal detection circuit 3 detects this (step 13) and outputs it to the control means 10. The control means 10 controls the interface circuit 2 to close the telephone line 1 (step 14).

Next, the control means 10 starts the timer 11 (step 15) and controls the OGM sending circuit 4 to send the OGM to the telephone line 1 (step 1).
6). At the same time, the telephone line 1 is connected to the CNG signal detection circuit 9.
The signal input from is monitored (step 17). C
NG signal detection circuit 9 has 1100 Hz ± 3 for 0.5 seconds or more.
When an 8 Hz signal is input, the CNG signal detection circuit 9 detects this and outputs a CNG signal detection signal to the control means 10.

When this signal is input to the control means 10,
The count value ta1 of the timer 11 is compared with the count value (t1 to tn) of the timer 11 stored at the time of OGM recording (step 18). If ta1 and any of the count values from t1 to tn match, the process returns to step 17, and if they do not match, ta1 is stored (step 1
9). After that, it is monitored whether a signal of 1100 Hz ± 38 Hz is further input (step 20), and when input, the count value ta2 of the timer 11 at that time is compared with t1 to tn (step 21).

If ta2 and any of the count values from t1 to tn match, the process returns to step 20, and if they do not match, ta2 is stored (step 22), and ta2 is stored.
It is determined whether -ta1 is 3.5 seconds (step 23). 3.
If it is not 5 seconds, return to step 20 and 1100 Hz ±
Every time a 38 Hz signal is detected, the operations of steps 21 to 23 are performed. In step 23, it is determined whether the difference between the count value tan of the timer 11 when the n-th signal is detected and each of the count values ta1 to tan-1 up to then is 3.5 seconds.

If it is 3.5 seconds, the control means 10 determines that the calling side is a facsimile machine, and switches the switching circuit 8 to the facsimile communication circuit 6 side so that the facsimile communication circuit 6 can communicate with the telephone line 1. (Step 24).

11 in step 17 or step 20
When the transmission of OGM ends without detecting the signal of 00Hz ± 38Hz (steps 25 and 26), the same operation as the conventional example is performed. First, the ICM recording circuit 5 is operated and the signal input from the telephone line 1 is inputted. If it is a voice, the voice signal is continuously recorded as it is, and C is sent after the OGM is transmitted.
When an NG signal is input, or when no sound continues for a certain period of time, facsimile communication is started.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the interface means for closing the telephone line in response to the signal output from the ring signal detecting means, and the response for sending the response message after the interface means closed the telephone line. Message sending means, communication start signal detecting means for detecting a facsimile communication start signal input from a telephone line, facsimile communication means for performing facsimile communication, and communication start signal when the response message sending means sends a response message. When the detection means detects the facsimile communication start signal, the switching circuit connecting the facsimile communication means to the telephone line detects the CNG signal during OGM transmission.
It is possible to prevent a signal similar to the facsimile communication start signal from entering the OGM, and reliably perform C even during OGM transmission.
It is possible to switch to facsimile communication by detecting an NG signal.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus with a voice response function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the recording operation.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the response operation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a waveform of the CNG signal.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus with a voice response function.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the same operation.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 telephone line 2 interface circuit 3 ring signal detection circuit 4 OGM transmission circuit 5 ICM recording circuit 6 facsimile communication circuit 7 voice signal detection circuit 8, 14 switching circuit 9 CNG signal detection circuit 10 control means 11 timer 12 OGM Recording instruction switch 13 Microphone 15 Notification means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A ring signal detecting means for detecting a ring signal input from a telephone line, an interface means for closing a telephone line in response to a signal output from the ring signal detecting means, and the interface means. Response message sending means for sending a response message after closing the telephone line, communication start signal detecting means for detecting a facsimile communication start signal input from the telephone line, facsimile communication means for performing facsimile communication, and the response message When the communication start signal detecting means detects the facsimile communication start signal during the sending operation of the response message by the sending means, the response message sent by the response message sending means includes a switching circuit for connecting the facsimile communication means to a telephone line. Of a signal similar to the facsimile communication start signal Facsimile apparatus with the audio response function which is characterized in that a means for preventing Rukoto. 2. A response message recording instruction switch for instructing the response message sending means to record a response message,
2. The facsimile apparatus with a voice response function according to claim 1, further comprising a microphone connected to the response message transmitting means for converting voice into an electric signal. 3. As a means for preventing a signal similar to the facsimile communication start signal from entering, a signal component similar to the facsimile communication start signal is added to the signal output from the microphone during the recording operation of the response message sending means. 3. The facsimile apparatus with a voice response function according to claim 2, further comprising detection means for detecting whether or not it is included, and alarm means for issuing an alarm when the detection means detects a similar signal. 4. As a means for preventing a signal similar to the facsimile communication start signal from entering, a signal component similar to the facsimile communication start signal is added to the signal output from the microphone during the recording operation of the response message sending means. 3. The facsimile apparatus with a voice response function according to claim 2, further comprising a detecting means for detecting whether or not it is included, and a means for stopping the recording operation when the detecting means detects a similar signal. 5. A response message recording instruction switch for instructing recording of a response message, a timer for starting operation in response to an instruction from the response message recording instruction switch, a microphone for converting voice into an electric signal, and an electric signal. Response message sending means for recording the response message converted into, detection means for detecting whether or not the signal output from the microphone includes a specific signal, and the timer at that time when the detection means detects the specific signal The control means for storing the measured value of, and determining whether there is a difference with the measured value of the timer stored up to that time is a specific time, and outputting a signal if the specific time is output from the control means. Display means for issuing an alarm in response to a signal, a ring signal detecting means for detecting a ring signal input from a telephone line, and the ring signal detecting means. Interface means for closing the telephone line in response to the signal output from the means, facsimile communication means for performing facsimile communication, and the timer means starting operation after the interface means closes the telephone line, and response message sending means Sends a response message, and when the detection means detects a specific signal during the sending of the response message, the control means compares the timed value of the timer at that time with the timed value of the timer stored in the control means, and the two match. In the case that the response message is continuously sent to the response message sending means, and if they do not match, a switching circuit for connecting the facsimile communication means to a telephone line is provided by a signal output from the control means. A unique facsimile machine with voice response function.