JP2756974B2 - Control system for facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control system for a facsimile apparatus that shares the same telephone line with a telephone.

[Related Art] In recent years, facsimile machines have become widespread even in small offices and general homes, and in places where these facsimile machines are installed, one telephone line is often shared by a telephone and a facsimile machine. .

The telephone line shared with the facsimile apparatus is usually connected to the telephone side, and when a ringing tone is output from the telephone and the receiver is picked up, when the other party is a facsimile apparatus, the telephone line is connected to the facsimile apparatus. I'm trying to switch.

Further, when receiving image information from the other party after talking on the telephone, the two sides are switched to a facsimile machine after a meeting with the transmitting side operator for image information transmission.

However, when the telephone line is switched from the telephone side to the facsimile apparatus side, if the switching operation key is attached to the facsimile apparatus, every time the switching is performed, the operator moves from the telephone installation location to the facsimile installation location. It is extremely inconvenient to use, especially when the distance between the telephone and the facsimile machine is large.

Therefore, a facsimile apparatus in which switching of a telephone line from a telephone to a facsimile apparatus can be operated from the telephone has been put to practical use.

In this facsimile apparatus, for example, when the dial 2 is operated and input during a telephone call using a telephone, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus, and the receiving operation of the facsimile apparatus is started.

Therefore, since the start of the receiving operation of the facsimile apparatus can be remotely controlled from the telephone, the usability is greatly improved.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, such a conventional apparatus has the following disadvantages.

That is, if the dial 2 is erroneously operated and input during a call, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus and the reception operation of the facsimile apparatus is started, so that the telephone call cannot be performed thereafter.

In this case, if the operator knows the operation for switching the telephone line to the telephone again, for example, re-operation of the dial 2, the telephone line can be switched again to the telephone, and after the temporary interruption. Can resume the call, but the operator who does not know the operation cannot resume the call until the facsimile apparatus interrupts the receiving operation because the pre-facsimile transmission procedure is not established and the telephone line is switched to the telephone side. The inconvenience was caused.

Therefore, the present invention solves such a problem of the conventional apparatus, and provides a control method of a facsimile apparatus capable of automatically returning the telephone line to the telephone when the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus by mistake. It is intended to be.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention relates to a control system for a facsimile apparatus which shares the same telephone line with a telephone, comprising a signal detecting means for detecting a switching command signal output from the telephone, so that the telephone goes off-hook. When the signal detection means performs a detection operation while the telephone is in operation, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus side to start the facsimile communication operation, and after the facsimile communication operation is started, a predetermined response signal is received from the partner apparatus within a predetermined time. If not, the facsimile communication operation is interrupted and the telephone line is switched to the telephone.

[Operation] Therefore, when the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus side due to the malfunction of the operator, if the operator keeps the telephone off-hook as it is, the telephone line is automatically switched to the telephone side and the call is resumed. be able to.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a facsimile apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the facsimile machine FAX shares the telephone line TL and the telephone line LN.
It is performed by the facsimile machine FAX, and the command operation can be performed by the telephone TL.

FIG. 2 shows an example of line switching of the facsimile machine FAX.

In the figure, two lines L1 and L2 of the telephone line LN are:
The two input terminals of the diode bridge 1 are connected to each other, and between the two output terminals of the diode 1,
A phototransistor 2t of the photocoupler 2 for turning on / off DC holding of the telephone line LN, and a primary side of a transformer 3 for connecting the telephone line LN and a modem (not shown) of the facsimile apparatus FAX in a state where DC is cut off. The windings are connected in series.

The light emitting diode 2d of the photocoupler 2 is driven and controlled by a signal S1 output from the control unit 4, and the secondary winding of the transformer 3 is controlled by a modem. Also, a diode 5 reversely connected in parallel to the phototransistor 2t.
Is for protecting the phototransistor 2t when a current is applied in the reverse direction.

The lines L1 and L2 are connected to two normally closed contacts 6bb and 6ab of the relay 6 having two switching contacts.
The line L2 has light emitting diodes 7d, 8d of photocouplers 7, 8 for detecting the hook state of the telephone TL and the dial pulse output from the telephone TL, which are connected in parallel in the forward and reverse directions, respectively. The output signals S2 and S3 of the phototransistors 7t and 8t are applied to the control unit 4 in a pulled-up state. Note that resistors 9, 10
Is for limiting the current applied to the light emitting diodes 7d and 8d.

The relay 6 is for switching and connecting the telephone line LN to either the telephone TL or the facsimile machine FAX. The relay 6 is switched and controlled by a signal S4 output from the control unit 4, and is connected to one normally open contact 6aa. Is a light emitting diode 11d of the photocoupler 11 for detecting a hook state of the telephone TL and a dial pulse output from the telephone TL.
A DC voltage to be applied to the telephone set TL is applied via the telephone, and the other normally open contact 6ba is grounded. In addition,
Output signal S of phototransistor 11t of photocoupler 11
5 is added to the control unit 4 in a pulled-up state.

The common contacts 6ac and 6bc of the relay 6 are connected to the telephone TL and to the primary winding of the transformer 12. The capacitor 13 inserted between the common contact 6ac and the primary winding of the transformer 12 is a telephone line.
This is to cut off the direct current applied to LN.

The secondary output of the transformer 12 may be a push button signal assigned to a switching signal output from the telephone TL, for example, a dial 2 push button signal, and a 1300 Hz ringing signal from a facsimile communication network. The signal is added to a tone detection circuit 14 for detecting a tone signal, and a detection signal S5 of the tone detection circuit 14 is output to the control unit 4.

The control unit 4 performs a control process of the illustrated line switching unit and other elements of the facsimile machine FAX, and a facsimile transmission control procedure process. The control unit 4
The illustration of the other elements controlled by is omitted.

With the above configuration, the control unit 4 switches and connects the relay 6 to the state shown in the figure, and always connects the telephone line LN to the telephone TL so that a telephone conversation using the telephone TL can be performed.

When the operator is having a conversation with the other party using the telephone TL, the control unit 4 first, as shown in FIG.
It is monitored that the dial 2 set to the switching signal from the TL is operated and input (NO loop of the judgment 101).

When the telephone TL is of the push dial type, the input determination of the switching signal is performed when the detection of the push button signal of the dial 2 is notified by the signal S6 output from the tone detection circuit 14. When the telephone TL is a dial pulse type, it is determined based on the output signals S2, 3 of the photocouplers 7, 8 that the intermittent of the DC circuit of the telephone line LN is repeated the number of times corresponding to the dial 2. Perform in.

That is, in the judgment of this judgment 101, the tone detection circuit 1
4 output signal S6 or photocoupler 7, 8 output signal
One of S2 and S3 detects that the dial 2 has been operated and input.

When the result of the judgment 101 is YES, it is checked whether or not the telephone TL is off-hook based on the output signals S2 and S3 of the photocouplers 7 and 8 (decision 102).

Phone TL is off-hook and the result of decision 102 is YES
, The signal S4 is turned on and the relay 6 is switched, whereby the telephone TL is disconnected from the telephone line LN and connected to the internal DC power supply, and the signal S1 is turned on and the photocoupler 2 is turned on. As a result, the DC circuit of the telephone line LN is closed, and the line connection is maintained (process 103).

Further, by this, the internal DC power supply is grounded via the normally open contact 6aa of the relay 6, the common contact 6ac, the telephone TL, the common contact 6bc of the relay 6, and the normally open contact 6ba, and the DC circuit is closed. The photo coupler 11 turns on.

In this way, the telephone renewal LN is transferred to the facsimile
When the connection is switched, the response process at the time of reception according to the facsimile transmission control procedure is started (process 104), and a timer in which a predetermined time T1 (for example, 5 seconds) for switching confirmation is set is started ( Process 105).

And before this timer overflows,
The telephone TL detects on-hook, a response of a predetermined response signal from the other party's facsimile machine, and monitors whether a switching signal (dial 2) has been operated and input from the telephone TL (NO in determinations 106, 107, 108, and 109). loop).

Here, the on-hook detection of the determination 106 is performed when the output signal S5 of the photocoupler 11 is turned off. The detection of the operation input of the switching signal from the telephone TL in the judgment 108 is performed based on the output signal S5 of the photocoupler 11 or the detection signal S6 of the tone detection circuit 14, as in the above judgment 101.

When the telephone TL is on-hook and the result of the determination 106 is YES, and when the response signal is detected and the result of the determination 107 is YES, the operator has started the facsimile receiving operation. A manual reception process (process 110) is performed.

Further, the switching signal is operated and input, and the result of judgment 108 is YES.
And when the timer overflows, the operator has interrupted the facsimile reception operation. At that point, the facsimile transmission pre-procedure is interrupted (process 111), the signal S4 is turned off and the relay 6 is restored. As a result, the telephone line LN is connected to the telephone TL, and the signal S1 is turned off to release the DC circuit of the telephone line LN by the primary winding of the transformer 3 (process 11).
2).

Therefore, when the operator erroneously inputs the line switching operation dial 2 while talking with the other party using the telephone TL, the control unit 4 switches the telephone line LN from the telephone TL to the facsimile apparatus FAX, and The receiving operation of the device FAX is started.

At this time, the operator cannot temporarily hear the other party's voice from the receiver. If the receiver is not returned for more than 5 seconds, the control unit 4 interrupts the facsimile reception operation and returns the telephone line LN from the facsimile apparatus FAX to the telephone TL, so that the telephone conversation with the other party can be resumed.

Further, when the dial 2 malfunctions during the telephone call, the telephone TL can resume the telephone call by operating the dial 2 again.

On the other hand, when the operator is in a call with the other party, he or she discusses image transmission by the facsimile apparatus, and when both parties start transmission and reception of the facsimile apparatus, the operator returns the receiver after inputting the dial 2 operation.

Thereby, the control unit 4 starts the facsimile receiving operation.

If a response signal from the other party is received during a period from the time when the operator operates the dial 2 and inputs the dial 2, the facsimile reception operation is started at that time.

Thus, in this embodiment, when the dial 2 for line switching is erroneously operated during a call, the dial 2
Again, or hang up the handset for more than 5 seconds.
If the call is not returned to the TL, the line returns from the facsimile machine FAX to the telephone TL, so that the interrupted call can be resumed.

Therefore, if the operator who does not know the line switching operation operates the dial 2 erroneously, the call can be resumed without returning the handset.

Note that, in the above description, description of portions not directly related to the present invention is omitted. Further, when the telephone line LN is preferentially connected to the facsimile machine FAX, when an automatic call is received and the other party desires a telephone call with the telephone TL, the telephone line LN can be switched to the telephone TL as in the related art. In this case, the operation input of the dial 2 is detected by the signal S
It can be done by 5, S6.

By the way, in the above-described embodiment, the operation key for line switching is assigned to the dial 2, but the assignment of the operation key is not limited to this.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the time T1 until the line switching operation is performed and the facsimile reception operation is interrupted is set to 5 seconds, but the set value of the time T1 is not limited to this.

Note that, in the above-described embodiment, the case where a line switch is instructed from the telephone at the time of an incoming call has been described.
The same applies to a case where a line switch is instructed from the telephone at the time of calling.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a control method of a facsimile apparatus sharing the same telephone line with a telephone, a signal detecting means for detecting a switching command signal output from the telephone is provided, and the telephone is off-hook. When the signal detecting means performs the detecting operation, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus side to start the facsimile communication operation, and after the facsimile communication operation is started, a predetermined response signal is not received from the partner apparatus within a predetermined time. When
Since the facsimile communication operation is interrupted and the telephone line is switched to the telephone, when the telephone line is switched to the facsimile device side due to an erroneous operation of the operator during a call, if the operator holds the telephone off-hook as it is, Since the telephone line is automatically returned to the telephone side, the operator's call can be resumed without the operator having to know the line switching operation from the facsimile apparatus side to the telephone side, and the operator's operation burden can be reduced. At the same time, there is an effect that an operator who is unfamiliar with the operation can talk with confidence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a facsimile apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a line switching unit,
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing at the time of line switching. 4 Control unit, 7, 8, 11 Photocoupler, 14 Tone detection circuit.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04M 11/00-11/10 H04N 1/32-1/36

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A control method for a facsimile apparatus which shares the same telephone line with a telephone, comprising: signal detection means for detecting a switching command signal output from the telephone, wherein the signal detection means is provided when the telephone is off-hook. When the detection operation is performed, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus side to start the facsimile communication operation. After the facsimile communication operation is started, if a predetermined response signal is not received from the partner apparatus within a predetermined time, the facsimile communication operation is performed. A facsimile apparatus control method wherein the telephone line is switched to a telephone line by interrupting the telephone line. 2. A control method for a facsimile apparatus which shares the same telephone line with a telephone, comprising: signal detection means for detecting a switching command signal output from the telephone, wherein the signal detection means is provided when the telephone is off-hook. When the detection operation is performed, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile apparatus side to start the facsimile communication operation, and after the facsimile communication operation is started, a predetermined response signal is not received from the partner apparatus within a predetermined time, and the telephone is turned on. A facsimile apparatus control method characterized by interrupting a facsimile communication operation and switching a telephone line to a telephone when there is no call.