JPH01177757A - Image communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability of the title equipment by detecting the state of the hooking switch of a telephone set and starting image receiving action in case the prescribed state of connection/disconnection of the hooking switch is detected. CONSTITUTION:When an operator takes up the receiver of a telephone set 16 and performs a hooking that is to operate the hook switch for a short time, corresponding pulses are outputted from a hooking detection circuit 24. By the hooking of the telephone set 16 detected by the circuit 24, a facsimile equipment is remote-controlled. Therefore, even if the facsimile equipment and the telephone set are distant from each other, the operator does not need to go to the facsimile equipment in starting the manual reception.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image communication device, and particularly to an image communication device in which a communication device for transmitting and receiving images and a telephone are connected to a terminal on the same telephone line.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, image communication devices such as facsimile devices have a configuration in which the device is connected to a line together with a telephone for making calls and controlling the line.

This type of facsimile machine is equipped with a switch for switching between automatic reception and manual reception, and normally the manual reception mode is set and the line is connected to the telephone.

Most communication is now done via telephone (in other words, calls are the main thing), and when it comes to image communication, people have to pick up the handset and operate the start switch to start axis communication. was.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with such a configuration, communication cannot be started unless both transmission and reception are controlled manually, that is, the telephone is not hooked up.

FIG. 4 shows a reception control procedure in a conventional facsimile machine.

In step S31, it is determined whether a calling signal is input from the exchange.

If a calling signal has been input, the process moves to step S40, and it is determined whether a manual reception mode is set by a predetermined switch on the keyboard.

If the manual reception mode is not set, that is, if the automatic reception mode is set, the process returns to step 541. If the manual reception mode is 0, in which automatic reception processing similar to the conventional one is performed, the process returns to step 531.

If there is no call signal in step S31, that is, if the device is in a standby state, the process moves to step S332, and it is determined whether the start key on the keyboard has been pressed.

If the start key is pressed, the process proceeds to step S33.
If the button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S31.

In step S33, the hook state of the telephone is determined. In subsequent steps S34 and S37, it is determined whether a document is loaded in the reading section. Steps 333, S34, and S37 are for determining the process to be performed depending on the hook state and the document loading state.

If the original is loaded in the on-hook state, step S3
In step S35, a copying operation of the original document is performed.If there is no original document in the on-footer state, a cutting operation of the recording paper in the recording section 4 is performed in step S35.

On the other hand, if a document is loaded in an off-hook state, a transmission process is performed in step 539. If there is no document in an off-hook state, a reception process is performed in step 338.

As mentioned above, in the manual reception state, step S32.53
3. The reception process cannot be started unless S37 is passed, that is, the start key is not pressed while off-hook.

There is no problem with this configuration if the facsimile machine is placed near a telephone that normally receives incoming calls. However, if the telephone and facsimile device are installed in separate locations, when a call is received from the facsimile device of the other party to whom you wish to send an image, you must pick up the handset, confirm that the other party is a facsimile machine, and then send the fax. There is an inconvenience in that it is necessary to move to the side of the device and operate the switch.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image communication device in which a communication device for transmitting and receiving images and a telephone are connected to a terminal on the same telephone line. A configuration is adopted in which means for detecting the state of the hook switch is provided, and when the detecting means detects a predetermined intermittent state of the hook switch, the image receiving operation is started.

[Function] According to the above configuration, even if the communication device for image communication is in the manual reception state, the communication device does not have to move to that location.
Image reception processing can be started by performing a predetermined hooking operation using the telephone.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an example shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the structure of a facsimile machine that employs the present invention. In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a control unit composed of a microprocessor, etc., and this control unit controls each part of the device as shown below. and perform image communication.

The communication section 2 modulates and demodulates procedure signals and image signals, and performs line control, and is composed of a modem, an NCU, and the like.

Telephone line 3 is connected to the device via communication section 2 .

Recording and reading of the original is performed by a recording section 4 and a reading section 5. The recording section 4 is composed of a thermal printer, etc., and the reading section 5 is composed of a CCD line sensor, a document conveyance system, etc.

Communication operations are controlled via the operation panel 6.

The operation panel 6 has a keyboard 8 consisting of a numeric keypad for inputting telephone numbers, various function keys, etc., a one-touch key 9 for making a call to the other party by operating a single key, and a keyboard 8 used for displaying telephone numbers, time, etc. It has a display 7 that can be displayed.

Three memories indicated by reference numerals 10 to 12 are connected to the control unit 1. ROM10 is used to store a control program to be described later. EEPROMll stores telephone numbers stored in correspondence with one-touch keys. RAM12
is used as an image memory and a work area for the control section 1. The image data to be transmitted is encoded and stored in RAM.
12.

One or more telephones 16 are connected to the communication section 2 . The telephones 16 are connected in parallel to the line extending from the communication section 2, and a hooking detection circuit 24 is commonly provided between each telephone and the communication section 2.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the connection circuit around the telephone shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, NCU 2a and modem 2b are an NCU and a modem that constitute the communication section 2, respectively. NCU
Two lines LL and L2 of the telephone line 3 are connected to the CML relay 21 of 2a.

The CML relay 21 switches the line L1 to either lines L3 and L4 on the facsimile machine side or lines L5 and L6 on the telephone side. A coil 22 and a hybrid transformer 23 for closing a DC loop during communication are connected in parallel to the lines L3 and L4. The hybrid transformer 23 connects the modem 2b and the lines L3 and L4, and facsimile transmission/reception signals are input/output to/from the modem 2b via the transformer 23.

On the other hand, a hooking detection circuit 24 is inserted into the line L6. The line after the hooking detection circuit 24 branches into terminals T1, T2 and TI'', T2' for connection to the two telephones 16 in this case.The hooking detection circuit 24 is similar to a known off-footer detection circuit or the like. It detects whether the line is on or off in a direct current manner and outputs a signal at the corresponding logic level.

Therefore, when the operator picks up the telephone receiver and operates the hook switch for a short period of time, ie, so-called hooking, the hooking detection circuit 24 outputs a corresponding pulse. In this embodiment, the facsimile machine is remotely controlled by the hooking of the telephone 16 detected by the hooking detection circuit 24. Therefore, even if the facsimile machine and the telephone are located far away, manual reception can be started without having to go to the trouble of moving to the facsimile machine.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a control procedure of the control section 1 of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the manual reception mode is designated by the keyboard 8 of the operation panel 6, so the line control is not completely manual, but is performed by the control unit 1.6. When the device is powered on, the NCU 2 ac7) CML relay 21 is connected to the lines L3 and L4, that is, to the facsimile device.

In this state, in step S1, a known calling signal detection circuit (not shown) determines whether a calling signal from the exchange is being input.

If the calling signal is input, the process moves to step S7, and it is determined whether the manual reception mode is set by a predetermined switch on the keyboard 8.0 If the manual reception mode is not set, that is, the automatic reception mode is set. If it is the 0 manual reception mode in which automatic reception processing similar to the conventional one is performed in step S8, the process returns to step S1.

If there is no call signal in step S1, that is, in a standby state, the process moves to step S2, and it is determined whether or not the start key of the keyboard 8 has been pressed. If the start key has been pressed, the process moves to step S4; otherwise, the process moves to step S3.

In step S4, the hooking detection circuit 24 determines the hook state of the telephone 16, and determines whether it is on. Step SI if hook is on
If the hook is off, the process moves to step S9.

In steps 59 and 310, it is determined whether a document is loaded in the reading section 5, respectively. Steps S4, S9
, 510 are for determining the processing to be performed depending on the hook state and the document loading state. If the original is loaded in the on-footer state, the process moves to step 512 and a copying operation of the original is performed. If there is no document in the on-footer state, the recording paper in the recording section 4 is cut in step Sll. On the other hand, if a document is loaded in an off-hook state, transmission processing is performed in step SL4. If there is no document in the off-hook state, reception processing is performed in step 513.

If the start key is not pressed, step S3
At this point, the output of the hooking detection circuit 24 is determined, and it is determined whether the telephone 16 is in an off-hook state. If step S3 is negative, the process returns to step S1.

If an off-footer state is detected, the process moves to step 321 and the number of hooking is determined using a counter or the like.
Determine whether hooking was performed twice (or an even number of times). If hooking has been performed twice, it is determined by the remote control that the operator wishes to start reception, and reception processing is performed in step S6.

According to the above configuration, when there is an incoming call in the manual reception mode, a transition to steps Sl and S7 occurs. Here, if the operator does not press the start key as in the normal procedure (step S2) and performs hooking twice as confirmed in steps S3 and S5, reception processing begins in step S6.

That is, the operator can start reception processing by hooking twice from a nearby telephone without moving to the facsimile machine. Therefore, the device can be always set in the manual reception mode without any troublesome operations, and the telephone can be used for making calls.

In the above, the start of reception is specified by performing hooking twice or an even number of times. The reason for doing this is
This is because, in a private branch exchange, a device is known that performs a transfer function by performing hooking an odd number of times, and if the hooking is performed an odd number of times, this function will be activated by mistake.

However, when the device is connected to an exchange that does not have the above-mentioned functions, the number of hookings may not be identified, and the receiving operation may proceed only by determining whether or not there is a hooking. Note that in a private branch exchange that starts the transfer function by hooking an odd number of times, the transfer function is canceled by performing an even number of hooks, so that the reception processing described above can be started.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in an image communication device in which a communication device for transmitting and receiving images and a telephone are connected to a terminal on the same telephone line, the state of the hook switch of the telephone can be determined. Since a detecting means is provided and a configuration is adopted in which the image receiving operation is started when the predetermined intermittent state of the hook switch is detected by the detecting means,
Even if the communication device for image communication is in manual reception mode,
Since image reception processing can be started by performing a predetermined hook with a telephone without having to go to the location, the operability of the device can be greatly improved, and even users who only use a single telephone line can use the communication device. This has the excellent effect of not limiting the installation location of the telephone.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile machine adopting the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the surroundings of the telephone shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the line control procedure according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a conventional line control procedure. 1...Control unit 2...Communication unit 3...Telephone line 4...Recording unit-5...Reading unit
6...Operation panel 7...Display unit
8...Keyboard 9...One-touch key 10
...ROM11...EEPROM12...
RAM16...Telephone 24...Hooking detection circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) In an image communication device in which a communication device for transmitting and receiving images and a telephone are connected to a terminal on the same telephone line, means is provided for detecting the state of a hook switch of the telephone;
An image communication device characterized in that an image receiving operation is started when a predetermined intermittent state of a hook switch is detected by the detection means.