JP2584754B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field> The present invention relates to a communication device, and more particularly to a communication device for measuring communication time.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, there has been a facsimile apparatus having a function of measuring a communication time of a facsimile, calculating a charge from the communication time, displaying the calculated charge, and printing it out on a recording sheet. In such a device, it is necessary to accurately measure the line capture time in order to know the exact charge.

However, conventional devices generally measure only the time during which the facsimile device is seizing the line, and in such a device, the user turns off the telephone connected to the facsimile at the end of communication. In such a case, the facsimile machine switches the line from the modem side to the telephone side, but the line remains seized by the telephone, and the charge is calculated from the time until the end of the communication even though the charging is continued. Therefore, there has been a problem that the actual line usage fee and the fee displayed by the facsimile apparatus are inconsequential.

So we set up a detector to see if the line was captured,
If an off-hook state is established at the end of communication, time measurement is continued, and a time and charge are calculated and displayed when the line is released.

However, with this configuration, when the telephone is off-hook after the end of communication and the line is seized, the control unit operates only for time measurement and consumes wasteful power.

Also in the above configuration, when the telephone is turned on, the control unit is in a busy state. For example, in the case of copying, etc., when the busy state is released, an accurate line capture time is measured in order to detect the line release. I couldn't do that.

<Object of the Invention> An object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional example and to provide a communication device capable of accurately measuring a line capture time.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a modem (modulator / demodulator) which modulates / demodulates transmission / reception signals on a line by an NCU (network controller). 2
And the attached telephone T1. this
NCU1 has a built-in circuit to detect the DC polarity of the line,
The output is connected to the main control unit 3 and the sub control unit 6.
The modem 2 is connected to a main controller 3 composed of a microcomputer for performing overall control and encoding / decoding of image data.

The main control unit 3 is connected to a recording unit 4 including a thermal recording device for recording a received image and a reading unit 5 including a CCD sensor for reading a transmission image. Reference numeral 6 denotes a sub-control unit to which the operation group 9, the clock, and the output of the polarity detection circuit are connected.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a main power supply for supplying power to the modem 2, the main control unit 3, the recording unit 4, and the reading unit 5, which is turned on / off by control from the sub control unit. Reference numeral 8 denotes a standby power supply which constantly supplies power to the NCUI and the NCUI.

Reference numeral 9 denotes an operation unit where the operator controls the fax machine. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the operation unit. There is a numeric keypad TK mainly in the center, and on the right is a one-touch call key DK, which secures a space for attaching a sticker with the destination name. In addition, it has a function key FK, a set key SK, a clear key CK used for the registration operation and a liquid crystal display DY for confirming the operation.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a nonvolatile memory for storing a destination telephone number corresponding to the one-touch calling key DK and a line capture start time. This memory 10 retains the stored contents even when the main power is off.

 FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of the NCU of the present embodiment.

A line is connected between L1 and L2, and a telephone is connected between T1 and T2. When communication is not being performed, the contact cml is on the T1 or T2 side. At this time, if the telephone is off-hook and the line is seized, current flows through one of the photocouplers PC1 and PC2 depending on the direction of the current. Becomes L level. This allows the facsimile apparatus to detect whether or not the line has been seized by the telephone. During communication, the contact cml is switched to the modem side, and when the contact p is kept ON, a direct current flows through the coil RET to capture the line. At this time, the voice band signal is transmitted to the modem 2 (FIG. 1) via the capacitor C and the transformer T.
Alternatively, the voice band signal from the modem 2 is output to the line through the transformer T and the capacitor C. During communication or when the line is seized by the telephone, a DC current flows through one of the photocouplers PC1 and PC2, and either POLARITY0 or POLARITY1 goes to the L level. This allows the fax machine to detect the line polarity. By connecting and disconnecting the contact p while the contact cml is connected to the modem side, an out-pulse selection signal can be output to the exchange.

In the above configuration, when connecting the facsimile apparatus to the line, the terminal L1 is connected to the negative polarity side, and the terminal L2 is connected to the positive polarity side. The user stores the destination telephone number corresponding to each one-touch transmission key from the operation panel.

Next, the transmission operation will be described with reference to the operation flowchart of the sub-control unit of FIG. 4 and the operation flowchart of the main control unit of FIG.

First, in the standby state, the main power supply 7 is off, so that the main control unit 3 is not operating. The sub-control unit 6 goes around the loop of S1, S2, S3. When the user sets a document on the facsimile apparatus and presses the one-touch transmission key DK, the sub-controller 6
Detects this, proceeds from S1 to S4, and because the main power supply 7 is OFF, proceeds to S5 and turns on the main power supply 7. When the main power supply 7 is turned on, the main control section 3 starts operation, receives a key code indicating the one-touch transmission key DK from the sub control section 6 in S31 of FIG. 5, and proceeds to S36. At this time, the sub control unit 6 determines in S6 that the main control unit 3
When the key code of the one touch transmission key DK is taught, the process proceeds to S2 and repeats the previous loop of S1 to S3. Main control unit 3 is S36
When the key code is analyzed and it is found that the key is the one touch transmission key DK, the process proceeds to S39. Here, the destination telephone number corresponding to the one-touch transmission key DK is retrieved from the nonvolatile memory 10 and S40.
Then, the contact cml is switched from the telephone TL to the modem, and the pulse relay contact P is turned ON / OFF to output an out-pulse type selection signal to the line. Or DTMF (Dual Tone Mu
lti Frequency) method to send out (call) the line. Next, POLARITY0 and POLARITY1 are monitored in S41, and when the polarity is reversed, the process proceeds to S42, and a line release monitoring command is issued to the sub control unit in S42. At this time, upon receiving the command from the main control unit 3, the sub control unit 6 proceeds from S3 to S12, and since it is neither a line release time request, a current time request nor a display request command,
The process proceeds from S12 to S14, S16, and S18, and proceeds from S18 to S19. Here, the line release monitoring flag is set to monitor whether or not the line has been released thereafter. Then, the process returns to S1, and S1, S2,
Repeat the loop of S7S3.

Next, the main controller 3 issues a current time request command to the sub controller 6 in S43. Upon receiving this, the sub control unit 6 proceeds from S3 to S12, S14.
Since the current time request command is issued, the process proceeds to S15 and when the time is read from the clock, this time data is passed to the main control unit 3. Then, the process returns to the loop of S1, S2, S7, and S3 again. Upon receiving this time data, the main controller 3 stores this data in the line capture time memory in the nonvolatile memory 10 in S44. And S4
The document is transmitted in step 5, the relay contact cml is turned off in step S46, and the line is returned from the modem to the telephone TL.

Next, the process proceeds to S33. The subsequent operation will be described in two cases.

(A) When the phone is on hook at the end of transmission (B) When the phone is off hook at the end of transmission (A) If the phone is on hook at the end of transmission, contact c in S46
The line is released when ml is switched to the telephone TL.

At this time, if the sub-control unit 6 repeats the loop of S1, S2, S7, and S3, the line is released, and the process proceeds from S7 to S8. Then, a line release flag for notifying the main controller 3 of the line release is set, and a line release monitoring flag is reset so that the line release monitoring is not performed thereafter. Next, in S9, the time is read from the clock, and the time data is stored in the open time memory in the sub control unit 6. Next, since the main power supply 7 is in the ON state in S10, the process proceeds to S3. Thereafter, since the line release monitoring is not performed, the loop of S1, S2, and S3 is repeated.

After switching the contact cml in S46, the main control unit 3 checks in S33 whether the line release flag of the sub-control unit 6 has been set. In this case, since the line release flag has been set as described above, the flow proceeds to S47.
Proceed to. Next, in S48, a line release time request command is issued to the sub control unit 6.

Upon receiving this command, the sub control unit 6 proceeds to S3, S12, S13,
The line release time is retrieved from the release time memory and passed to the main control unit 3. Then, the process returns to the loop of S1, S2, and S3.

When the main control unit 3 receives the release time from the sub-control unit 6 in S47, it reads out the line capture time stored in S44 from the non-volatile memory 10 in S48 and obtains the difference between these two times in S49 to solve the line capture problem. Ask. Next, in S50, the telephone line usage fee (charge) is calculated from the line capture time, and in S51, the capture time,
Create data to be passed to the sub control unit to display the charge, and
In step 2, this data is sent to the sub-control unit for display. Then S53
Issues a clear command of the line release flag to the sub control unit. next
In S53, since the line release flag of the sub-control unit has been reset in S53, the flow advances to C34 to issue a standby command to the sub-control unit in S34.

Upon receiving the standby command, the sub-control unit proceeds from S3 to S12, S14, S16, S1.
Proceeding to 8, S20, the main power supply 7 is turned off at S21, and the process returns to the loop of S1, S2, S3.

As described above, when the telephone is on-hook at the end of the transmission, the capture time and the charge are displayed immediately after the end of the transmission operation.

(In the case of B) If the telephone TL is off-hook at the end of transmission, the line is still held when the contact cml is switched to the telephone TL in S46. Therefore, the operation proceeds from the facsimile communication mode to the communication mode.

Accordingly, in S33, the line release flag of the sub-control unit 6 is not set, and the process proceeds to S32, where a standby command is issued to the sub-control unit 6, and
Wait for the main power supply 7 to be turned off at 35.

The sub-control unit 6 repeats the loop of S1, S2, S7, S3, but upon receiving a standby command, proceeds to S3, S12, S14, S16, S18, S20.
In S21, the main power supply 7 is turned off. Thereafter, the loop of S1, S2, S7, S3 is continued, and when the user turns on the telephone TL, the process proceeds from S7 to S8. Here, the line release flag is set, the line release monitoring flag is reset, and thereafter the line is not monitored. Next, the time is read from the clock at S9 and stored in the open time memory, and the main power supply 7 is turned off at S10, so that the main power supply 7 is turned on at S11 and thereafter, the loop of S3, S1 and S2 is repeated.

When the main power supply 7 is turned on, the main controller 3 proceeds to S31, and proceeds to S32 because there is no key code. Since the line release flag of the sub-control unit is set, the process proceeds from S32 to S47, and in the same manner as in the case A, the acquisition time (the facsimile acquisition time + the time when the user has been off-hook) and the fee are displayed, and the operation waits. Return. In other words, even if the terminal is off-hook at the end of transmission, it is possible to obtain the correct line capture time and fee up to that point when the terminal is turned on-hook.

Also, in the case B, even when the main control unit is busy, such as during registration of a one-touch destination or copying during the on-hook operation, an accurate line acquisition time and charge can be obtained. The operation will be described.

As described in the example B, the main power supply 7 is turned off, and the sub-control unit 6 performs S1, S2, S7, S3
Around the loop and waiting for the phone to hook up.

In this state, when the user presses the function key in order to register, for example, a one-touch destination, the sub-control unit 6 sets S1.
Then go to S4 and turn off the main power supply 7 in S5 because the main power supply 7 is off.
N and S6 use the key code of the function key for the main control unit 3.
And returns to the loop of S1, S2, S7, and S3 again.

The main control unit 3 receives the key code of the function key from the sub control unit in S31, and proceeds to S36 and S37. Since the key code is not a one-touch key key, the process proceeds to S38. If the user turns on the hook while performing the registration operation in S38, the sub control unit 6 proceeds from S7 to S8, S9, S10 and repeats the loop of S1, S2, S3 as in the previous example.

When the registration operation of S38 is completed, the main control unit 3 proceeds to S33, and proceeds to S47 because the line release flag is set, and proceeds to S47.
The process proceeds to 48, S49, S50, S51, S52, and S53, and in S33, since the line release flag is not set this time, the process proceeds to S34 and S35 to be in a standby state.

As described above, when the line is released, the time is stored in the sub-control unit, and the main control unit receives this time from the sub-control unit after the process in operation is completed, and calculates the line capture time. Regardless of the timing at which the telephone is turned on and off, an accurate line acquisition time can be obtained, and thus an accurate charge can be obtained.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a line is connected, the main control unit issues a command to start monitoring the opening of the line to the sub control unit, and at the same time, stores the line capture in the nonvolatile memory. .

Thereafter, the sub-control unit monitors the line release, stores the time when the line release is detected in the sub-control unit, sets a flag to notify the main control unit of the line release, and turns off the main power supply.
If so, turn on the main power supply. When the main power is turned on and at the end of any operation, the main control unit checks the flag indicating that the line has been released, and if the line has been released, receives the time from the sub-control unit and stores the time in the nonvolatile memory in the main control unit. The line acquisition time is calculated by comparing with the set line acquisition time, and the charge is calculated based on this time.

With the above configuration, even if the telephone is off-hook at the end of the operation, it is possible to accurately measure the line capture time regardless of the timing of the on-hook at any timing, and thus more accurate charge calculation is possible. In addition, by telephone
While the line is seized, only the sub-control unit operates, and does not consume wasteful power.

In this embodiment, the facsimile apparatus has been described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to other communication apparatuses capable of a call mode, for example, teletex.

<Effects> According to the invention of the present application, even when the operator makes a call following the data communication and uses the line for a longer time than the time required for the data communication, the main power supply means is turned off at the end of the data communication and the standby power supply is turned off. Since the line connection time and the line opening time are stored by the power supply, power saving can be achieved and an accurate line capture time can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, the main power supply turned off after the end of the data communication is turned on again in response to the end of the call by the operator,
Since the line capture time is calculated from the line connection time and the line open time stored in the storage means by the power supplied from the main power supply which is turned on again, an accurate line use time can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of the NCU of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an external view of an operation unit, and FIG. 4 is control of a sub-control unit of FIG. FIG. 5 is a control flowchart of the main control unit of FIG. In the figure, 1 is an NCU, 2 is a modem, 3 is a main control unit, 4 is a recording unit, 5 is a reading unit, 6 is a sub control unit, 7 is a main power supply, 8 is a standby power supply, 9 is an operation unit, and 10 is non-volatile. Memory, L is telephone line, TL is telephone, PC1, PC2 is photocoupler, cml is
CML relay contacts, p indicates a pulse relay contact, C indicates a capacitor, T indicates a transformer, and RET indicates a coil.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A communication device having communication control means for controlling communication of data communication and communication means for making a call by an operator, wherein said communication control means connects a line at the start of data communication and releases a line at the end of data communication. In the case where there is a specific operation of the operator, the communication control means is switched to the communication means side without holding the communication control means in accordance with the specific operation, and the communication control means is switched to the communication means side to hold the communication. A communication unit that sets the communication state to an enabled state and releases a line in response to an operation of the operator after the operator's call ends; a main power supply unit that supplies power to the communication control unit; and a main communication unit that starts the data communication by the communication control unit. A main power supply control means for turning on the power supply means and turning off the main power supply means at the end of data communication by the communication control means; Informing means, clock means for measuring time, output means for outputting a line connection time and a line opening time based on outputs of the detecting means and the clock means, and line connection time and line output by the output means Storage means for storing an open time; and a standby power supply means for supplying power to the main power control means, the detection means, the clock means, the output means, and the storage means, and the main power control means comprises: The main power supply unit turned off at the end of data communication, is turned on again in response to the detection unit detecting the line open, the communication control unit is supplied with power from the main power supply unit turned on again, A communication device for calculating a line capture time based on the line connection time and the line release time stored in the storage means.