JP2000349930A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal equipment that reduces communication charges. SOLUTION: A RAM 13 stores a communication charge table T1 where a communication charge depends on a time zone. Furthermore, a delay time (e.g., 4 hours) is set to the RAM 13 to delay a start time of transmission from a present time on the basis of depression of a delay time key 16e. As a result, when a save key 16f is depressed and the most a inexpensive communication charge from the current time until the delayed time is cheaper than the communication charge of the current time, the transmission is awaited by an MPU 11, until a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication charge comes. Thus, in the case that it is not required to immediately transmit image data, the communication charge can be reduced by having only to depress the save key 16f.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal device such as a facsimile device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a service provided by each communication carrier, there is a service in which different communication charges are set according to time zones. In order to use this service, communication terminal devices provided with a function of automatically selecting a communication carrier that sets the lowest communication fee are provided by various companies.

[0003]

However, this function is a function for automatically selecting a communication carrier for which the cheapest communication charge is set at the current time. For this reason, for example, in a facsimile apparatus, when performing facsimile transmission, it is necessary to specify a time in a late-night time zone at which the cheapest communication fee is obtained. In addition, when using a plurality of telecommunications carriers, the time zone when the cheapest communication fee is different for each telecommunications carrier. It has not been easy to select a telecommunications carrier that sets a communication fee.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal device capable of reducing a communication fee.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a storage unit for storing a communication fee for each time zone, an image storage unit for storing image data, Control means for transmitting image data in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within a predetermined time from the current time based on the communication fee for each time zone stored in the storage means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal device according to the first aspect, there is provided a transmission setting means for setting whether or not image data is transmitted immediately, and the control means includes a transmission setting means. Is set, the image data is transmitted in the time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within a predetermined time from the current time based on the communication fee for each time zone stored in the storage means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal device according to the first or second aspect, a time setting means for setting a predetermined time is provided. In the embodiments of the invention described below, the “storage means” described in claims or means for solving the problem is a RAM 13.
Similarly, the "image storage means" corresponds to the image memory 18, and the "control means" also includes the MPU 11, the ROM 12
Similarly, the "transmission setting means" corresponds to the saving key 16f, and the "time setting means" also corresponds to the delay time key 16e.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a facsimile device 1 as a communication terminal device includes an MPU 1
1, ROM 12, RAM 13, reading unit 14, recording unit 1
5, an operation unit 16, a display unit 17, an image memory 18, a codec 19, a modem 20, and an NCU 21. The units 11 to 21 are connected to each other via a bus 22.

The MPU 11 controls each unit constituting the facsimile machine 1. The ROM 12 stores a program for controlling the facsimile machine 1. RAM 13
Temporarily stores various information on the facsimile machine 1.

[0010] As shown in FIG.
Communication charge table T1 with different communication charges according to time zone
Is stored. The communication charge table T1 includes items of “time zone” and “charge / minute”. here,
The "time zone" is an item indicating the fee structure of the communication carrier in a time zone. “Charge / min” is an item indicating a charge per unit time (minute) in the time zone of the communication carrier.

The reading section 14 reads image data on a document and outputs black and white binary image data. The recording unit 15 is composed of an electrophotographic printer, and records received image data and image data of a document read by the reading unit 14 on recording paper in a copy operation.

The operation unit 16 is a numeric keypad (including * and # keys) 16 for inputting data of the communication charge table T1 stored in the RAM 13, a telephone number, a FAX number, and the like.
a, abbreviated number registration, abbreviated key 16b for inputting a telephone number, a facsimile number, etc. from the abbreviated number, a start key 16c for starting an original reading operation, a "communication (FAX)" operation or a "copy" operation There are provided various operation keys such as a communication / copy key 16d for setting a delay time, a delay time key 16e for setting a delay time, and a saving key 16f for saving a communication fee.

A display unit 17 such as an LCD displays various information such as an operation state of the facsimile machine 1. The image memory 18 temporarily stores received image data and image data read by the reading unit 14. The codec 19 transmits the image data read by the reading unit 14 to M
Encoding is performed by the H, MR, MMR method or the like. The codec 19 decodes the received image data.

The modem 20 conforms to ITU-T Recommendation T.30. 30 based on a facsimile transmission control procedure according to V.30. 1
7, V. 27ter, V.A. Modulation and demodulation of transmission / reception data according to 29 or the like. The NCU 21 has a function of controlling connection with the telephone line L and detecting transmission and reception of a dial signal corresponding to a fax number of the other party.

Next, the operation for setting the delay time will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This operation is executed under the control of the MPU 11 based on a program stored in the ROM 12.

In step S1, delay time key 1
It is waited that 6e is pressed. In step S2, a message for inputting the delay time (for example, input the delay time) is displayed on the display unit 17.

In step S3, input of a delay time from the ten keys 16a of the operation unit 16 is awaited.
In step S4, the delay time is stored in the RAM 13.

Next, the operation of the facsimile machine 1 at the time of transmission will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. This operation is executed under the control of the MPU 11 based on a program stored in the ROM 12.

An original is set on an original mounting table (not shown) by a user, and a facsimile number of a transmission destination (destination) is set.
When input from the numeric keypad 16a or the shortcut key 16b of the operation unit 16, in step S11 shown in FIG.
It is waited for the start key 16c to be pressed.

In step S12, the reading section 14 reads an image on the document. In step S13, the read image data is
It is encoded according to the R method or the like, and is temporarily stored in the image memory 18.

In step S14, the saving key 16
It is determined whether or not f is pressed. That is, before the start key 16c is pressed (step S
1) It is determined whether the saving key 16f has been pressed. If the saving key 16f has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, the saving key 16f
If is not pressed, step S22 shown in FIG.
Move to

In step S15, the cheapest communication fee is selected from each time zone corresponding to a delay time (for example, 4 hours) from the current time. Specifically, RAM
Based on the communication charge table T1 stored in T.13, the cheapest communication charge is selected from the respective time zones corresponding to the time obtained by adding the delay time (for example, 4 hours) to the current time.

In step S16, it is determined whether or not the cheapest communication charge within the delay time from the current time is lower than the communication charge at the current time. If the cheapest communication charge within the delay time from the current time is lower than the communication charge at the current time, step S2 shown in FIG.
Move to 1. On the other hand, if the cheapest communication fee within the delay time from the current time is not lower than the communication fee at the current time, the process proceeds to step S22 shown in FIG.

In step S21 shown in FIG. 5, the process waits until a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee is reached. In step S22, a call is made to the destination (the other party).

In step S23, the image data is transmitted. As described above, according to the present embodiment,
The following operations and effects can be obtained.

(1) The RAM 13 stores a communication charge table T1 in which the communication charge varies depending on the time zone. Further, a delay time (for example, 4 hours) for delaying the transmission start time from the current time is set in the RAM 13 based on the pressing of the delay time key 16e. If the saving key 16f is depressed and the lowest communication fee from the current time to within the delay time is lower than the current time communication fee, the lowest communication fee is set. Transmission waits until the corresponding time zone. For this reason, when it is not necessary to immediately transmit the image data, the communication charge can be reduced only by pressing the saving key 16f. In addition, there is no need for the user to specify a complicated time as in the related art.

(2) On the other hand, if the saving key 16f is not pressed, the image data is immediately transmitted as before. For this reason, the original function of the facsimile machine 1 is not impaired. Therefore, by setting the saving key 16f, the image data can be transmitted immediately or at a low communication fee.

(3) The predetermined time is arbitrarily set based on the pressing of the delay time key 16e. Therefore, transmission of image data is started in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within the delay time from the current time. Therefore, the time when the transmission of the image data is started is not unnecessarily delayed.

(4) If the cheapest communication charge within the delay time from the current time is not lower than the communication charge at the current time, a call is made to immediately transmit image data. For this reason, if the communication fee does not become low even when the delay time is taken into account, the image data is transmitted immediately as conventionally. Therefore, even when the saving key 16f is pressed, the time at which the transmission of the image data starts is not unnecessarily delayed.

(5) The delay time can be set by pressing the delay time key 16e. Therefore, the delay time can be flexibly set according to the destination of the image data. Therefore, especially when transmitting overseas, the delay time can be set in consideration of the time difference from the transmission destination.

The above embodiment can be embodied with the following modifications. The saving key 16f may be omitted so that the image data is always transmitted in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within a predetermined time from the current time. With this configuration, the communication fee can be reduced.

When a contract is made with a plurality of communication carriers, the communication fee corresponding to the time zone of each communication carrier may be stored, and the lowest communication fee may be selected. good.

The communication charge may be calculated based on the amount of image data stored in the image memory 18. -In addition, the communication fee may be calculated based on the coding capability of the destination and the communication speed with the destination.

An original is read by a scanner or the like, and the read image data is stored in the image memory 1 of the facsimile apparatus 1.
8 may be used. Further, technical ideas other than the claims grasped from the embodiment and the like will be described below together with their effects.

[1] Storage means for storing communication charges for each time zone, image storage means for storing image data, image data amount stored in the image storage means, and each time zone stored in the storage means And a control unit for transmitting image data in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within a predetermined time from the current time based on the communication fee.

With this configuration, the communication fee can be reduced. [2] The communication terminal device according to [1], further comprising: transmission setting means for setting whether or not image data is transmitted immediately, wherein the control means is provided when the transmission setting means is set. A communication terminal device for transmitting image data in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication charge within a predetermined time from the current time

With this configuration, the communication fee can be reduced. [3] In the communication terminal device according to any one of claims 2, 3, and [1] or [2], if the transmission setting unit is not set, the control unit immediately sets an image. A communication terminal device that transmits data.

With this configuration, image data can be transmitted immediately or at a low communication fee.

[0039]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the communication fee can be reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1
In addition to the effects of the invention described in (1), when the transmission setting means is set, the communication fee can be reduced. According to the invention set forth in claim 3, claim 1 or claim 2 is provided.
In addition to the effects of the invention described in (1), the time at which image data transmission is started is not unnecessarily delayed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a communication charge table.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when setting a delay time.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of transmission.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of transmission.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Facsimile machine as a communication terminal device, 11 ... MPU which comprises control means, 12 ... R which comprises control means
OM, 13 ... RAM constituting storage means and control means,
16e ... Delay time key as time setting means, 16f ...
Saving key as transmission setting means, 18 ... Image memory as image storage means.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) H04N 1/34 H04L 11/02 F 5K101 F term (reference) 5C062 AA02 AB20 AB42 AB43 AC22 AC36 AE02 AE15 AF06 AF08 5C073 AA03 AA06 AB01 CD15 CE10 5C075 BA04 BA11 GG09 5K025 AA08 BB02 CC01 EE04 EE05 EE09 KK08 5K030 GA20 HB04 HB08 JT05 KA04 KA08 KA21 LD18 5K101 KK01 NN06 NN21 NN48 PP03 QQ07 RR27

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing a communication fee for each time zone, an image storage means for storing image data, and a predetermined time from a current time based on the communication fee for each time zone stored in the storage means. And a control means for transmitting image data in a time zone corresponding to the lowest communication fee in (1). 2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising: transmission setting means for setting whether or not to immediately transmit image data, wherein the control means, when the transmission setting means is set, A communication terminal device for transmitting image data in a time zone corresponding to the cheapest communication fee within a predetermined time from a current time based on a communication fee for each time zone stored in a storage means. 3. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a time setting means for setting a predetermined time.