JPH03222567A - Voice message transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save a trouble of the operator by sending a voice message stored in a voice transmission means of a 1st facsimile equipment to a 2nd facsimile equipment automatically through the application of a usual interactive reservation procedure. CONSTITUTION:A reception request transmission means 111 in response to a command of voice message sends a reception request after the end of transmission processing of a picture data similarly to, e.g. usual interactive reservation procedure. In response to the reception request, a reception control means 123 returns a reception reply and a transmission control means 114 in response to the reception reply sends a message in voice stored in advance in the voice transmission means 113 via a line 101. The voice message is fed to a voice reception means 122 by the reception control means 123 to apply reception processing. Thus, after the end of transmission of the picture data, the message in voice stored in advance in the voice transmission means is sent automatically.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Table of Contents] Overview Industrial Field of Application Conventional Technology Problems to be Solved by the Invention Examples of Means and Actions for Solving the Problems! , Correspondence between the embodiment and FIG. With regard to the voice message transmission method described above, the purpose is to automatically transmit a pre-stored message, and the present invention includes a reception request sending means for sending a reception request in response to an instruction to send a voice message, and a reception request sending means for sending image data. An image data transmitting means for processing, a voice transmitting means for transmitting a pre-stored voice message, and the image data normally outputted from the image data transmitting means are transmitted through a line and supplied through the line. a first facsimile apparatus having a transmission control means for transmitting the voice outputted from the voice transmission means via a line in response to a reception response received; and an image data reception means for performing a reception process of the supplied re-data. , an audio receiving means for performing reception processing of the supplied audio, and an image data receiving means that supplies image data, which is normally supplied via a line, to the image data receiving means, and returns a reception response in response to a reception request, and also sends the image data via the line. and a second facsimile apparatus having reception control means for supplying the voice supplied to the voice reception means.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a voice message transmission method in which a voice message is transmitted together with image data in a facsimile machine.

In recent years, with the spread of facsimile machines, requests from users have become more diverse, and facsimile machines are required to have various additional functions.

[Conventional technology]

An additional function of the facsimile machine is a polling transmission function that sends a message in response to a request from the receiving side.
For example, this is used when the head office sends polling reception requests to each branch in sequence and wants to collect reports from each branch.

There is also a mailbox function that, in response to requests from a plurality of facsimile machines, sends messages stored in a sending facsimile machine to each of these facsimile machines as a destination.

The above-mentioned polling transmission function and mailbox function enable the receiving side to receive a message at a convenient time, which is convenient for the receiving side. Further, since there is no case that the destination facsimile machine is busy, the transmission cannot be performed, so the sending side can also save time and effort such as redoing the sending procedure.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the conventional method described above, a message is automatically transmitted using the polling transmission function, and image data is recorded on the receiving side, but the recorded image If supplementary explanations were required, each operator on the receiving side would make an inquiry to the sending side by telephone or the like.

Therefore, especially when the mailbox function is used, there is a problem in that the operator on the sending side has to repeat the same explanation over and over again.

On the other hand, other additional functions of facsimile machines include:
There is a conversation reservation function that allows you to have a conversation with the operator at the destination after the message has been sent.

When this conversation reservation function is used, after the message is sent, the line is switched to the telephones of the sending and receiving facsimile machines, and the sending and receiving operators communicate with each other. It is possible to have a telephone conversation with the operator.

It would be convenient to use the conversation reservation function described above to send a prerecorded message after sending the message.

The present invention was created in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a voice message transmission system that automatically transmits recorded messages.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of the voice message transmission system of the present invention.

In the figure, a first facsimile device 110 includes a reception request sending unit 111 that sends a reception request in response to an instruction to send a voice message, an image data sending unit 112 that performs image data sending processing, and A voice transmitting means 113 that performs voice message transmission processing and image data that is normally output from an image data transmitting means are transmitted via a line 101, and a voice message is transmitted in response to a reception response supplied via the line 101. It has a transmission control means 114 that transmits the audio output from the transmission means 113 via the line 101.

The second facsimile device 120 includes an image data receiving means 121 for receiving the supplied image data, an audio receiving means 122 for receiving the supplied audio, and an image data receiving means 122 for receiving the supplied image data. It has a reception control means 123 that supplies data to the image data reception means 121, returns a reception response in response to a reception request, and supplies the audio supplied via the line 101 to the audio reception means 122.

[For production]

Normally, the transmission control means 1 of the first facsimile machine 110
14, the image data output from the image data transmitting means 112 is transmitted via the line 101, and is supplied to the image data receiving means 121 by the reception control means 123 of the second facsimile device 120, and the supplied image data is Reception processing is performed.

In response to an instruction to send a voice message, the reception request sending means 111 sends a reception request after the image data sending process is completed, for example, in the same manner as a normal conversation reservation procedure.

In response to this reception request, the reception control means 123 returns a reception response, and in response to this reception response, the transmission control means 114 transmits the voice message previously stored in the voice transmission means 113 via the line 101. will be sent.

This voice message is supplied by the above-mentioned reception control means 123 to the voice reception means 122 for reception processing.

In the present invention, reception requests and reception responses are exchanged according to the conversation reservation procedure, and the transmission control means 114 and the reception control means 123 control the voice message line 10.
The sending operation to the audio receiving means 122 and the supplying operation to the audio receiving means 122 are controlled.

Thereby, for example, after the transmission of the image data is completed, it becomes possible to automatically transmit the voice message stored in the voice transmission means 113 in advance.

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

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a communication system to which a voice message transmission method is applied in an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) Here, the correspondence between the embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 1 will be shown.

Line 101 corresponds to line 231.

Facsimile machine 110 corresponds to facsimile machine 210.

The reception request sending means 111 corresponds to the procedure control section 261 of the control section 216.

The image data transmitting means 112 has a memory 217. Compression/decompression unit 214. Corresponds to modem 211.

The audio transmission means 113 corresponds to the audio storage section 218.

The transmission control means 114 includes the line control section 212. Control unit 21
Corresponds to 6.

Facsimile machine 120 corresponds to facsimile machine 220.

The image data receiving means 121 includes a modem 221. Compression/decompression unit 224. It corresponds to the memory 227.

The voice receiving means 122 corresponds to the voice storage section 228 and the telephone 242.

The reception control means 123 includes the line control section 222. Control unit 22
Corresponds to 6.

Examples of the present invention will be described below assuming that the correspondence relationship as described above exists.

1-j1 Receiving Side In FIG. 2, 210 indicates a facsimile machine on the transmitting side, and 220 indicates a facsimile machine on the receiving side. This facsimile device 210 and facsimile device 22
0 is connected via line 231.

The facsimile device 210 has a modem 211 . @line control unit 2I2. Reading section 213, compression/decompression section 214. It is configured to include each section of the recording section 215, a memory 217 that stores image data to be transmitted, an audio storage section 218 that stores an audio message (hereinafter referred to as an audio message), and a control section 216 that controls each section. has been done. This control section 216 and the modem 2111 line control section 212. Reading section 213. Compression/decompression unit 214. Recording section 215° Memo 1J217. Each section of the audio storage section 21B is interconnected via a bus.

The above-mentioned line control section 212 normally connects the facsimile device 210 and the line 231 via the modem 211, and in response to a switching instruction, connects the voice storage section 218 and the telephone 241 provided in the facsimile device 210. A line 231 is connected to either of them.

The audio storage unit 218 may be configured using, for example, an IC memory for audio storage or a tape recorder.

The facsimile device 210 also includes an operation panel 2.
19 is provided, and instructions to use additional functions such as a polling transmission function and a conversation reservation function, and to send a voice message are made via this operation panel 219, and these instructions are stored in memory. 217.

The control unit 216 includes a procedure control unit 261 that controls the procedure of transmitting and receiving operations of the facsimile machine 210 based on instructions stored in the memory 217, and a procedure control unit 261 that controls the procedure of transmitting and receiving operations of the facsimile machine 210, and a notification information generator that creates notification information indicating that there is a voice message. In response to instructions from the creation unit 262 and the procedure control unit 261, the r voice storage unit 21
and a switching control section 263 that supplies a switching instruction to the line control section 212 to connect the line 231 and the line 231.

Here, the notification information indicating that there is an r voice message is, for example,
As shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined bit in the bit string between the facsimile control field (FCF) and the frame check sequence (FC3) of a non-standard device setting (NSS) frame is set to logic ``1''. All you have to do is set it and create it.

In addition, in the figure, the symbol rFj indicates a flag field,
The symbol rAJ indicates an address field, and the symbol rCJ indicates a control field.

Furthermore, the facsimile device 220 includes a modem 221 and a line control section 22, similar to the facsimile device W210 described above.
2. Reading unit 223. Compression/decompression section 224, recording section 225
．． Control unit 226, memory 227, audio storage unit 228. It is configured to include an operation panel 229.

The line control unit 222 connects the line 231 to either the voice storage unit 225 or the telephone 242 provided in the facsimile machine 220 in response to a switching instruction from the control unit 226.

1-1JIj Column 1 Figure 4(a) shows a flowchart showing the sending operation of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment, and FIG. 4(b) shows a flowchart showing the receiving operation. Further, FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram of the communication procedure.

Hereinafter, a second explanation will be given regarding the case where a voice message is stored in advance in the voice storage section 218 of the facsimile device 210 and this voice message is added to the message to be transmitted by polling.
This will be explained with reference to FIGS.

First, the operator of the facsimile machine 210 on the sending side issues an instruction to use the polling transmission function and an instruction to send a voice message via the operation panel 219. Subsequently, the reading unit 213 reads the original, and the compression/decompression unit 214 stores the compressed image data in the memory 217 .

In this way, the polling transmission reservation operation is performed.

In response to the ringer (see FIG. 5) from the facsimile device 220, the facsimile device 210 and the facsimile device 2
20 (steps 401 and 42).
1), called station identification (NSF) digital identification signal (D
rS), calling station identification (CIG), and other identification information is exchanged (see FIG. 5). During this pre-procedure, a non-standard device command (NS
C) etc., a polling reception request is made.

In response to this polling reception request, facsimile machine 2
The procedure control unit 261 of No. 10 becomes the polling transmitter and starts the polling transmission procedure.

First, the procedure control unit 261 refers to the memory 217 and
It is determined whether there is a voice message to be added to the message to be polled (step 402).

In the case of an affirmative determination in step 402, the notification information creation unit 262 sets a predetermined bit of the NSS (see FIG. 3) signal to logic "1°" (step 403), and the modem 211 , line control section 2
12, this NSS signal is sent out via 1231 (step 404).

If the determination in step 402 is negative, a normal NSS signal is sent out in step 404.

On the other hand, the control unit 226 of the facsimile device W220 determines whether or not there is a voice message based on whether a predetermined bit of the NSS signal supplied via the line 231 is set to logic "t". A determination is made (step 422). If there is a voice message, an affirmative determination is made in step 422, and notification information indicating that there is a voice message is stored in the memory 227 (step 423).

After the pre-procedure and training are completed (see FIG. 5), the image data stored in the memory 217 of the facsimile device 210 is transmitted to the facsimile device 220 via the line 231 by the modem 211 and line control unit 212 ( Step 405), the facsimile device 220 receives the image data (Step 405).
24).

In this manner, after the transmission and reception of the image data is completed, the control unit 216 of the facsimile device 210 determines whether or not there is a voice message in the same way as step 402 described above (step 406), and makes a negative determination. If so, the normal post-procedure is performed to disconnect the connection via the line 231 (step 411), and the communication is terminated. Also, at this time,
The control unit 226 of the facsimile machine 220 controls the memory 22
It is determined whether or not there is a voice message based on the notification information stored in 7 or the presence or absence of the PRI-EOP signal supply (step 425). If the determination is negative, the normal post-procedure is performed to disconnect the line 231. In step 433), the communication is terminated.

On the other hand, in the case of an affirmative determination in step 406, the procedure interruption signal (PRI-EOP) is transmitted to the facsimile machine 22.
0 (step 407, see FIG. 5).

In this way, the facsimile machine 220 receives Pt-EO.
If the P signal is supplied, an affirmative determination is made in step 426, and the ringing bell of telephone 242 provided in facsimile machine 220 rings to request operator intervention (step 427).

Thereafter, the operator calls the telephone 242 within a predetermined period of time.
If the receiver is not operated, it is determined in step 428 that there is no operator.

In this case, the procedure interruption affirmative signal (PIP) shown in FIG.
After sending out the message, a switching instruction to “connect the voice storage unit 228 and the line 231” is output, and the line control unit 222
The voice storage unit 228 and the line 231 are connected by (
Step 431).

On the other hand, in the case of an affirmative determination in step 428, after transmitting the PIF signal in the same manner as the normal conversation reservation procedure, the controller 226 controls the r telephone 242 and the line 23.
1 is output, and in response to this, the line 231 and telephone 242 are connected (step 429).

The PIF signal sent in step 429 or step 431 described above is detected by the procedure control section 261 of the control section 216 of the facsimile device 210, and in response, the procedure control section 261 controls the facsimile device 22.
It is determined that the preparation for receiving the voice message on the 0 side is completed (affirmative determination in step 408). In this case, the procedure control unit 26
In response to the instruction from 1, the switching control unit 263 outputs a switching instruction to connect the r audio storage unit 218 and the line 231 (step 409). In response to this switching instruction, the line control unit 212 controls the voice storage unit 218 and the line 2.
31 is connected to the line 231, and the voice message stored in the voice storage section 218 is transmitted via the line 231 (step 410).
).

The voice message transmitted in this way is processed in step 428.
If the determination is negative, the information is stored in the voice storage section 228 of the facsimile machine 220 (step 432). Further, in the case of an affirmative determination in step 428, the information is received by the operator via the telephone 242 on the side of the facsimile machine 220 (step 430).

On the other hand, within a predetermined time after sending the PRI-EOP signal in step 407, the PI
If the P signal is not returned, a negative determination is made in step 408, and the communication is terminated after performing step 411 described above.

Also, in step 426 described above, PRl-EO
If the P signal is not supplied, a negative determination is made in step 426, and after step 433 is performed, communication is terminated.

Further, the procedure control unit 261 of the facsimile machine 210
For example, it is determined whether or not the facsimile device 220 has a voice storage unit based on information regarding the functions of the facsimile device 220 included in the NSC, CIG, etc.
If it is determined that the device has a voice storage section, steps 406 to 410 described above may be performed to transmit the voice message.

■ End As mentioned above, in the previous procedure, the notification information creation unit 26
The procedure control unit 261 sends a PRI-EOP signal after transmitting the image data. Also,
The procedure control section 261 and the switching control section 263 control the line control section 212 according to the PIF signal returned from the destination facsimile device 220, and the voice storage section 21
8 and the line 231 are connected.

In this way, the voice storage unit 21
8 can be automatically transmitted to the facsimile machine 220.

For example, when sending a manuscript to multiple destinations by polling using the mailbox function, if supplementary explanations about the document are recorded in the audio storage section 218, each of the multiple destinations can receive an image corresponding to the document. A supplementary audio explanation will be sent along with the data. This can prevent the sending side from being flooded with inquiries requesting supplementary explanations from each of the plurality of destinations.

Further, since the voice message is automatically transmitted, there is no need for an operator to intervene on the transmitting side, and a voice message can be transmitted even when the operator is absent.

Note that the present invention is not limited to polling transmission, and may also be applied to adding a voice message to a normal message, or when using a broadcast function. In particular, when using the broadcast function, the number of inquiries to the sending side can be reduced in the same way as when using the mailbox function.

Further, even if the facsimile machine on the receiving side is not equipped with an audio storage unit, steps 429 and 4 described above can be performed.
30, the voice message can be transmitted in the same manner as the normal conversation reservation procedure with the intervention of the operator on the receiving side.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically transmit the voice message stored in the voice transmission means of the first facsimile device to the second facsimile device by applying a normal conversation reservation procedure. This is extremely useful in practice since it saves the effort of the operator of the first facsimile machine.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of the voice message transmission method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of a communication system to which the voice message transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is an NSS signal according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the communication procedure according to the embodiment. In the figure, 101 is a line, 110 is a first facsimile device, 111 is a reception request sending means, 112 is an image data sending means, 113 is an audio sending means, 114 is a transmission control means, 120 is a second facsimile device, 121 is an image data sending means 210.220 is a facsimile machine, 211.221 is a modem, 212.222 is a line control unit, 213.223 is a reading unit, 214.224 is a compression/ Restoration section, 215.225 is recording section, 216.226 is control section, 217.227 is memory, 218.228 is voice storage section, 219.229 is operation panel, 231 is line, 241.242 is telephone, 261 262 is a procedure control unit, 262 is a notification information creation unit, and 263 is a switching control unit. Principle plotter diagram of the present invention Figure 1 (a) (1)) Flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Reception request sending means (111) that sends a reception request in response to an instruction to send a voice message, image data sending means (112) that performs image data transmission processing, and a voice message that is stored in advance. and a voice transmitting means (113) that performs transmission processing, and transmitting image data normally outputted from the image data transmitting means via a line (101), and receiving responses supplied via the line (101). transmission control means (11) for transmitting the audio output from the audio transmission means (113) via the line (101) in accordance with the
4); an image data receiving means (121) for receiving supplied image data; and an audio receiving means (122) for receiving supplied audio; Usually, image data supplied via the line (101) is received by the image data receiving means (101).
21), and in response to the reception request, returns the reception response and supplies the audio supplied via the line (101) to the audio reception means (122); a second facsimile machine (
120); and 120).