JPH03203458A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply, rapidly and surely execute returning operation by detecting and storing the telephone number(TN) of a terminating facimile equipment(FAX) in a receiving mode, and at the time of executing returning operation to the terminating FAX, depressing a return dial key to automatically execute automatic dialing for return to the terminating FAX. CONSTITUTION:When the return dial key 40 on an operation panel 30 is depressed after receiving facsimile data, automatic dialing to the up-to-date calling side FAX can be executed. When the key 40 is depressed, the depression is confirmed by a CPU 10, which accesses the TN of the up-to-date terminating FAX stored in a buffer memory 22. After reading out the TN from the buffer memory 22, the CPU 10 automatically dials the terminating FAX in accordance with the TN, and then automatically transmits a prescribed message stored in a message memory 24 following a transmission control procedure signal necessary for the facsimile.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a facsimile device that can easily realize a reply to a destination facsimile device after receiving a facsimile.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when receiving data using a facsimile machine, the automatic reception mode allows data to be received without bothering the operator. On the other hand, when sending data using a facsimile machine, you must either dial in the recipient's phone number in any case, or register the recipient's phone number in advance and select speed dial etc. when sending. I had no choice but to operate.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, after receiving data from a destination using this type of facsimile device, there are cases where a reply needs to be sent to the destination.

For example, when a particularly important document is received by fax, it is necessary to send a fax to confirm that it has been received. Furthermore, when a store or the like receives an order for a product by fax, it is necessary to send a reply confirming that the order has been received and the delivery date.

At this time, when sending such a reply, according to conventional facsimile machines, it is necessary to key in the recipient's phone number or select a pre-registered speed dial, etc. Not only is the process of configuring the information tedious and cumbersome, but there is also a high possibility that a wrong keystroke will result in a reply being sent to the wrong recipient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device that can extremely easily and reliably send a reply to the other party's facsimile device after receiving data.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a detecting means for detecting the telephone number of the destination facsimile device in the receiving mode, a storage means for storing the detected telephone number, and a reply to the destination facsimile device. and a return control means that automatically dials the destination facsimile device based on the telephone number stored in the storage means after the return dial key is operated. .

[Function] The facsimile device to which the present invention is applied detects the telephone number of the destination facsimile device in the receiving mode, and stores the detected telephone number in the storage means. Thereafter, when sending a reply to the destination facsimile machine, operate the return dial key. When this key is operated, the reply control means automatically dials the telephone number stored in the storage means. In this way, the reply to the destination facsimile device can be specified by the simple operation of operating the return dial key, and the reply to the destination can be ensured. Note that if the telephone number of the destination facsimile device is used for both facsimile and telephone, the reply after automatic dialing does not necessarily need to be sent by facsimile transmission, but may be by telephone call.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the operation panel section of this facsimile machine, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system for transmitting and receiving data.

In FIG. 2, a CPU 10 is in charge of controlling transmission and reception of this facsimile machine, and as a characteristic configuration of the embodiment apparatus, a CPU 10 has a function of detecting the telephone number of the calling facsimile machine in the receiving mode, and a function of transmitting the facsimile machine. In this sense, the CPU 10 corresponds to the detection means and reply control means of the present invention. The following various devices are connected to this CPU10. In this embodiment, the normal mode is assumed, and therefore the calling party is the other party, and the called party is the other party in the polling (receiving by the calling party) mode, which will be described later.

The reading section 12 optically reads the image data of the transmitted document, and outputs the reading result as image data to the CPU10. When sending this,
The CPU10 receives the image data from the reading unit 12,
It is converted into a signal according to the communication format and output to the modem 14.

The modem 14 modulates and demodulates the signal, and at the time of transmission, modulates the signal from the CPU10 and transmits it to N
It is transmitted to the telephone line via the CU (Network Control Unit) 16. On the other hand, during reception, the signal input via the NCU 16 is demodulated by the modem 14 and sent to the CP
Appears in U10.

CPU10 converts this signal into image data,
Output to printer 18.

The printer 18 prints on a predetermined sheet of paper based on the image data from the CPU 10, for example, using a thermal transfer method, and outputs the print.

Three memories are connected to the CPU10. The main memory 20 mainly stores information on the output management report, including the telephone number and/or name of the person to whom this facsimile machine sends and receives information, the date and time of sending and receiving,
Information such as communication time is stored. Buffer memory 22
corresponds to the storage means of the present invention, and stores the telephone number of the calling facsimile device detected by the cPU 10 in the receiving mode. The buffer memory 22 stores not only the latest phone number of the calling facsimile machine, but also all the phone numbers of the calling facsimile machines with which communication was made within one day. You can also do that. Message memory 24 stores messages to be sent when replying to the calling facsimile machine.

Connected to the CUPIO is an operation panel 3o equipped with various operation keys that are operated especially during transmission. This operation panel 3o has a numeric keypad group 3 as shown in FIG.
2. Speed dial group 34° Stop key 36. Start key 38. Return dial key 40 and display section 42
etc. The characteristic configuration of the device of this embodiment is as follows:
The operation panel 30 is provided with a return dial key 40.

Next, the operation when this facsimile device receives a transmission from the other party and the subsequent reply operation will be explained.

When there is a transmission from the calling facsimile machine, which is the other party, signals are first exchanged with the called facsimile machine of this embodiment in accordance with the facsimile transmission control procedure. There are various types of signals for this transmission control procedure, but among the optional non-standard function signals, C3l (called terminal identification signal) and TSI (transmitting terminal identification signal) are mutually transmitted and received. Become. The facsimile machine on the calling side, which is the other party, can obtain the telephone number of the facsimile machine on the called side, which is the apparatus of this embodiment, by using the above-mentioned C8. On the other hand, by using the TSI, the called facsimile machine can learn the telephone number of the calling facsimile machine. In the calling side facsimile machine as the device of this embodiment, the NCU 16. Among the signals input via the modem 14, the T S I is detected by the CPU 10, and the calling party's telephone number is stored in the buffer memory 22.

After the exchange of signals for the transmission control procedure of the facsimile device is completed, the original data read by the calling facsimile device is sent to the telephone line, and the called facsimile device of this embodiment transmits the data to the NCU 16. It becomes possible to input the document data to the CPU 10 via the modem 14, drive and control the printer 18, and print out the document data. Additionally, information for management output reports is taken into the main memory 20 via the CPU10. After printing of all the original data is completed, the telephone line is disconnected and the reception mode ends.

By the way, after receiving an important facsimile data transmission, it is important to send a reply confirming that the data was indeed received, or if you receive an order for a product at a store etc. by facsimile, make sure to confirm that the order has been received. It is necessary to reply that the pressure has been received.

In this embodiment, by operating the return dial key 40 on the operation panel 30 after receiving facsimile data as described above, it is possible to automatically dial the latest calling side facsimile machine. Become. When the return dial key 40 is operated, the fact that the operation has been performed is confirmed by the CPU 10, and the CPU 10 calls up the latest telephone number of the destination facsimile machine stored in the buffer memory 22. Such an operation may be performed by displaying the telephone number on the display unit 42 after operating the return dial key 40 and waiting for the start key 38 to be operated after this confirmation.

After reading the telephone number from the buffer memory 22, the CPU
The IO automatically dials the destination facsimile machine according to the telephone number, and then automatically transmits a predetermined message stored in the message memory 24 after receiving a necessary facsimile transmission control procedure signal. The contents of this message include the telephone number and name of the facsimile machine, as well as a statement that the manuscript data has been received correctly.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, after operating the return dial key 40, it is possible to automate the operation of replying to the most recent calling party's facsimile machine, and the telephone number of the party's facsimile machine is automatically returned. Since there is no need to check the address book or other information, it is possible to respond quickly and reliably.

Here, if the CPU 10 is configured to update the contents of the buffer memory 22 by overriding each time there is a transmission from the other party's facsimile machine, in other words, each time the facsimile machine enters the receiving mode, By operating the return dial key 40, it is possible to always automatically dial the telephone number of the destination facsimile machine in the latest reception mode, and it is possible to reliably perform a reply operation only by operating the return dial key 40. can.

In addition, it is also possible to write the telephone number of the other party's facsimile machine in a different memory area in the buffer memory 22 each time the facsimile machine enters the receiving mode. For example, when an order for a product is received by a facsimile machine at a store or the like, it is cumbersome to operate the return dial key 40 every time the facsimile is received. Therefore, for example, there may be cases where it is desired to perform a reply operation to a plurality of recipients that have already received the message at a certain timing. In such a case, the buffer memory 22
By storing all the destinations in , it is possible to select the destination phone number and send a reply. for example,
When the return dial key 40 is operated, the telephone number stored in the buffer memory 22 is displayed on the display section 42, and the destination telephone number is selected by operating the numeric keypad group 32, for example, and then the process starts. After the key 38 is operated, a reply operation may be performed to the designated destination facsimile device. In such cases, it is convenient to reply to multiple recipients at once. After specifying the phone number using the numeric keys on the numeric keypad group 32, for example, use the ask key or pound key to separate the numbers. By attaching , then selecting another number, and finally operating the start key 38, it is also possible to perform reply operations to multiple facsimile machines in succession. You can also automatically delete the phone number that was the subject of the reply. In addition, when storing multiple destination telephone numbers in the buffer memory 22 in this way,
At a predetermined time, for example, 24:00 midnight, the buffer memory 22
By clearing all the contents of the buffer memory 22, it is possible to prevent unnecessary data from being stored in the buffer memory 22, thereby making it possible to maintain a small storage capacity of the buffer memory 22.

In the above embodiment, the CPU 10 detects the telephone number of the calling party's facsimile machine by detecting the TSI, but in the case of polling (calling party reception), it may be carried out as follows.

Polling means that the calling side receives a document set on the called side. In this case, after the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment is initially in the transmission mode, the transmission right is delegated to the other party's facsimile apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus enters the reception mode.

At this time, it is possible to know the telephone number of the other party's facsimile machine to which the transmission is to be made, based on the CIG in the signal of the transmission control procedure. Therefore, in this case, the telephone number of the other party may be detected based on the CIG and stored in the buffer memory 22.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to an automatic reception type facsimile machine, but it can be similarly applied to a facsimile machine that uses manual reception.

Further, in the above embodiment, the message memory 24 is connected to the CPU 1.
0, and this message memory 2 is connected in reply mode.
Although the message memory 24 is configured to automatically send the message stored in the memory 24 to the other party, such a message memory 24 is not an essential configuration. For example, return dial key 4
0, a predetermined original is set on the reading unit 12, and during the reply operation, this original data is sent to the reading unit 12.
It may also be configured to read the data and send the data as reply data to the other party.

In addition, the memory for storing the telephone number of the other party in the reception mode is not limited to the buffer memory 22 as in the above embodiment, but can also be used as the main memory 20 for management output reports. A bit is set on the telephone number that has been changed, and when the return dial key 40 is operated, the immediately preceding telephone number corresponding to the bit is automatically dialed, or the telephone number corresponding to the bit is displayed on the display section 42. It can be configured so that it can be selected.

In addition, the past telephone number of the other party is displayed on the display unit 42,
When making a selection later, it is preferable to display additional information together with the telephone number to facilitate selection. As such additional information, in addition to the name of the other party detected during communication, for example, the contents of the first second to third lines corresponding to the letterhead of the received manuscript may be displayed.

For example, in some FAX machines with a redial function, after the first transmission or failure due to busyness, the contents of the document are read and stored in a memory, and when redialing is performed, the data is transmitted according to the contents of the memory. Faxes and other machines that have a large memory capacity use this memory to store two copies of the original document when they are received.
~3 lines can be memorized each time and used as additional information at the time of return dialing.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when the receiving machine detects and stores the telephone number of the destination facsimile device, and sends a reply to the destination facsimile device, the return dial key is operated. By doing so, automatic dialing for a reply to the other party's facsimile device can be performed automatically, making it possible to simplify, speed up, and ensure the reply operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the operation panel of a facsimile machine to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control system of the facsimile machine according to the embodiment. 10...Detection means, reply control means (CPU), 22
...Storage means (buffer memory) 24...Message memory.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) Detection means for detecting the telephone number of the destination facsimile device in the receiving mode; Storage means for storing the detected telephone number; a return dial key; and a reply control means for automatically dialing a destination facsimile device based on the telephone number stored in the storage means after the return dial key is operated. Device. (2) The facsimile apparatus according to claim (1), wherein the reply control means automatically dials the latest destination facsimile apparatus stored in the storage means after the return dial key is operated. (3) In claim (1) or (2),
Display means for displaying the telephone number stored in the storage means after the return dial key is operated; and designation operation means for designating the displayed telephone number; A facsimile machine that automatically dials a designated telephone number from among the telephone numbers of the destination facsimile machine stored in the storage means after receiving an input from the designation operation means. (4) In claim (1), (2) or (3), a message storage means is provided, and the reply control means, after automatic dialing to the destination facsimile device, selects a predetermined message stored in the message storage means. A facsimile machine that controls the transmission of messages.