JPS5965283A - Automatic time correcting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to perfectly prevent artifial errors with respect to time correction, by receiving the supply of time data through a telephone. CONSTITUTION:The transmission and reception part 1 of a facsimile is connected to a network control part through a change-over part 2 in a usual state. A clock signal generating part 4 for printing receiving time provided to the end part of a recording picture performs the frequency dividing of the clock outputted from a quartz oscillator mounted therein and a clock signal 5 is issued at every one min. The clock signal 5 is inputted to a time data memory part 6 and the date, the hr and the min of the present point of time are determined in reference to the date stored in ROM mounted in the memory part 6 to be written in RAM mounted therein. The time data 7 stored in this time data memory part 6 is supplied to a time data display part 8 according to necessity to be utilized as printing data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic time adjustment device for a wired communication device that has a built-in clock and communicates using a telephone line.

For example, facsimile machines often have a built-in clock because it is necessary to record the reception time or to confirm the time before commencing communication when the time has been agreed between the sender and the receiver in advance for polling. The built-in clock outputs current time data (year, month, day, hour,
(1)
Adjustment parts are required, making the equipment expensive. Also (2
) The number of parts placed on the operation panel increases, making panel operation complicated. Furthermore, (3) time data can be changed freely,
This also occurs when changes are made intentionally. Therefore, the reliability of the displayed time data may actually deteriorate.

For this reason, in the facsimile described above, a mark sheet is often used to adjust time data. That is, the time data at the time at which the adjustment is scheduled to be performed is displayed as a mark on the mark sheet, and this sheet is read by the reading system at that time. The time data of the built-in clock in the facsimile is corrected by setting the time thus read as the current time.

However, when this method is used, (1) it is difficult for the reading system to accurately read the mark sheet at the scheduled time;

In other words, it is necessary to avoid starting the reading operation of the mark sheet a little before the scheduled time and to ensure that the marked part where the time data is written is accurately read at the scheduled time.
This is generally not possible. For this reason, in conventional devices of this type, a certain amount of error usually occurs during the time data adjustment stage.

Furthermore, (2) Even with a highly accurate clock using a crystal oscillator, for example, errors accumulate over time and the clock display becomes inaccurate. In this case, the time will be adjusted using the mark sheet. However, this adjustment is not only complicated, but also causes errors as described above, making it difficult to accurately set the time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic time adjustment device that can continuously maintain accurate time data without the need for initial setting or correction of time.

The automatic time setting device of the present invention uses a telephone line to obtain reference time data as needed or periodically, and uses this data to correct the time data output from the clock built into the device, thereby ensuring accurate time adjustment. It is possible to maintain time data and achieve the above-mentioned purpose.

The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples below.

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile machine equipped with an automatic time setting device. A facsimile transmitting/receiving unit 1 is a central part of a facsimile that transmits and receives both signals, reads a document, and creates a recorded image. The transmitting/receiving section 1 is connected to the network control section 3 via the switching section 2 in a normal state. This facsimile has a clock signal generator 4 for time data, which is used when printing the reception time on the edge of the recorded image.
It is equipped with The clock signal generator 4 divides the frequency of the clock output from the built-in crystal oscillator and generates a clock signal 5 every minute. Clock signal 5 is input to time data storage section 6 . The time data storage unit 6 has a built-in ROM (read-only memory), and determines the current time data, that is, year, month, day, hour, and minute, by referring to the date data stored therein. built-in RAM (random/
access memory). The time data 7 thus stored in the time data storage section 6 is supplied to the time data display section 8 as required, and is used as print data for displaying the time described above.

When this facsimile machine is installed at a customer, the installation worker operates a manual switch 9A provided in the automatic dial control section 9 to temporarily turn on the contact point. As a result, an automatic dialing instruction signal 11 is output from the automatic dialing control section 9. When the automatic dialing section 12 receives the automatic dialing instruction signal 11, it sends a switching signal 13 to the switching section 2 while the transmitting/receiving section 1 is not performing a transmitting/receiving operation, and connects the contact from the transmitting/receiving section 1 to the decoder 14. Switch. At the same time, a selection signal 15 is sent to the network control unit 3, and a call is made to the service center at a predetermined time.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the time service center. The time service center is managed and operated by, for example, a company that manufactures, sells, or provides services for facsimile machines, and is located at one or several locations within the country. This time service center is equipped with a reference clock 16.

The reference clock outputs reference time data 17 that accurately displays the year, month, day, hour, and minute. The reference time data 17 is supplied to an encoder 18 and encoded to create encoded reference time data 19.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the encoded reference time data. The code reference time data 19 has a start signal 191 placed at its head, and signals 192 to 195 each representing the year, month, day, hour, and minute in binary numbers are placed in this order. The encoded reference time data 19 having such a configuration is repeatedly output at a cycle of, for example, one second.

When a call is made from the facsimile to the time service center, encoded reference time data 19 is sent to the line 22 through the network control unit 21 on the service center side. On the facsimile side, a decoder 14 decodes this and creates reference time data 23. The reference time data 23 is supplied to the time data storage section 6, and the time data 7 is changed to the year, month, day, hour, and minute indicated by the reference time data 23, and its initial setting is performed. This ensures that the facsimile is set to the correct time data prior to beginning its use. When a sufficient period of time has elapsed for the setting of the time gator 7, the switching signal 13 is cut off, and the contact of the switching device 2 is switched to the transmitter/receiver section 1 side. At the same time, the call between this facsimile and the time service center ends.

Even if the facsimile time data is set correctly in this way, the data will gradually become incorrect as time passes. The automatic dial control unit 9 has a built-in timer for time measurement, and executes a time data correction process once every few months. This process is similar to the setting of time data by operating the manual switch 9 described above. This ensures that the fax machine always has accurate time data7.
can be maintained. The operator of the Moron Fashikmiri can correct the time data 7 at any time by operating the manual switch 9A.

In the embodiments described above, the time data is set or corrected based on the information sent from the time service center, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, if a decoder 14 capable of decoding voice and other information is provided, time data can be set or corrected based on a time signal service provided by a telephone office or the like.

As explained above, according to the present invention, time data is supplied using a telephone, so that human error in setting and correcting the time is avoided, as is the case when setting the time using a mark sheet. can be completely prevented. Furthermore, since accurate time data can be obtained at any time, a clock for use in facsimile can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a facsimile equipped with an automatic time adjustment device, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the time service center, and Figure 3 is the encoded reference time output from the time service center. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of data. 4...Clock signal generation section 6...Time data storage section 12...Automatic dialing section 14...Decoder Application Person Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Umeo Yamauchi

Claims (1)

[Claims] A wired communication device that performs communication using a telephone line includes an automatic dialing unit that dials a telephone number of a telephone that outputs reference time data that is a reference for that point in time, a decoder that deciphers the reference time data, and a built-in decoder that deciphers the reference time data. 1. An automatic time adjustment device comprising: time data correction means for correcting time data output from a clock using the reference time data.