JPH0379151A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a waste call issuing operation performed by detecting the available state of a terminal in use and displaying it on another terminal in a system where one of plural telephone sets and a facsimile terminal is connected to one telephone line. CONSTITUTION:One of the plural telephone sets 1, 2 and the facsimile equipment F not shown in figure is connected to a pair of telephone lines L1, L2 with a CML relay 5, respectively. The telephone sets 1, 2 and a call signal detection circuit 9 are connected to lines L3, C4 in parallel. The modem of facsimile equipment is connected to lines L5, L6 via an insulating transformer 6. Off-hook detection circuits 3, 4 are provided in series at the telephone sets 1, 2, and a relay RL1 or RL2 is closed by performing off-hook, and a LED 7 or 8 is lit. The output signal CI of the call signal detection circuit 9 is inputted to the control part of the facsimile equipment, and the LEDs 7, 8 are provided in the neighborhood of the operating part of the facsimile equipment and the telephone sets 1, 2. In such a way, the fact that another terminal is being used can be displayed, which prevents the waste call issuing operation performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application 1] The present invention relates to a facsimile device, particularly a facsimile device having a plurality of telephones and facsimile communication means as a terminal device, and in which one telephone line is connected to one of the telephones or facsimile communication means. The present invention relates to a facsimile machine that connects one terminal to perform communication.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, facsimile machines connected to a telephone line have been equipped with multiple telephones for making calls or for manual control.
Systems comprising facsimile communication means are known. Among these, the facsimile communication means has a known image input/output means and line control means, and also performs connection exchange with a plurality of connected telephones.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although conventional facsimile machines that connect multiple telephones detect the state of the hook switch, they do not have a means to notify the user which of the multiple telephones has gone off-hook. Ta. Therefore, a user may attempt to make a call using another telephone even though one telephone is busy. It is also possible that - while another user is busy on one of the telephones, another user may attempt to send a main body facsimile.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device that solves one or more problems and can accurately notify users of the usage status of a plurality of terminals.

[Means for Solving the Problems J] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a plurality of telephones and facsimile communication means as terminal devices, and a single telephone line has a plurality of telephones or facsimile communication means. In a facsimile device that performs communication by connecting any one terminal, means for detecting the usage status of a predetermined terminal among the telephone or facsimile communication means; The present invention employs a configuration in which means is provided for displaying the usage status of a predetermined terminal detected by the detection means.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, it is possible to notify the user of the usage status of a plurality of terminals, that is, telephones or facsimile communication means.

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

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a facsimile machine adopting the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a CPU consisting of a microprocessor, etc., which is connected to various parts of the device to be described later via a bus 23 consisting of an address bus, a data bus, etc., and a ROM 12.
The operation of the entire device is controlled according to the program stored in the device.

Each part constituting the device will be explained below.

First, reference numeral 12 is a ROM that stores a control program, and reference numeral 13- is a RAM used as a work area for the CPU II. Reference numeral 14 denotes an SRAM (static RAM) whose storage contents are backed up by a backup power source (not shown), and is used to store speed dial numbers and the like.

The real-time clock 15 is comprised of a known clock IC or the like, and is used to determine communication times used as communication management information, control time-specified communications, and the like.

The voice IC 16 is composed of a known voice synthesis circuit and the like, and is mainly used to generate a voice message to be used in response to a partner station, such as a voice terminal, or to generate a voice warning message.

The power supply unit 17 is for transforming, rectifying, and stabilizing the output of an AC line (commercial alternating current power supply) and supplying it to each circuit.
Consists of switching power supply circuits, etc.

NCUl 8 is for connecting the device to the telephone line N, and performs call control, loop maintenance, and exchange connection with the telephone set 1.2. The image signal or procedure signal is modulated and demodulated by a modem 19 made of a known modem IC or the like.

In this embodiment, a plurality of telephones can be connected to the NCU 18. Here, an example is shown in which two telephones are connected; one of the plurality of telephones may be built into a facsimile machine;
The configuration for connection will be described in detail later.

The operation unit 20 includes an LCD display and a keyboard such as a numeric keypad and function keys, and is used for a user interface.

The reading unit 21 includes a CCD line sensor, a document conveyance system, and the like, and is used to read document images.

The recording unit 22 includes a thermal recording head, a recording paper conveyance system, and the like, and is used to record received images or images read by the reading unit 21 during original copying.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the line control system of telephones 1 and 2 of the device shown in FIG. L2 is a line connected to the telephone line, and the line L3,
Connected to either L4, L5, or L6.

Lines L5 and L6 are transformers for insulating the line and the modem, and are connected to the modem via the transformer. Track L3
, L4 are connected in parallel to telephones 1 and 2 and a ringing signal detection circuit 9. Off-hook detection circuits 3.4 consisting of reed relays and the like are connected in series to the lines branching from the lines L3 and L4 to the telephones 1 and 2, respectively.

The off-hook detection circuit 3.4 has a reed relay coil inserted into the line in a DC manner, and its contacts RL1. RL2
is closed by the DC loop formed by the hook switch when each telephone 1, 2 goes off-hook.

Contact RL1. One end of RL2 is grounded, and the voltage at the other end is the off-hook detection signal ofl of telephones I and 2, respectively.
, of2 to the control unit of the facsimile machine. The off-hook detection signals off and of2 become the ground potential when off-hook. Further, the calling signal detection signal ci output from the calling signal detection circuit 9 is also input to the control section of the facsimile machine.

The off-hook detection signals of1 and of2 are used, for example, to display the hook status on the facsimile machine side. This display circuit can be realized by providing the operating section 20 with a circuit as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 7.8 is an LED whose cathode is controlled by off-hook detection signals of1 and of2, respectively. The anode of each LED 7.8 is connected to the constant voltage power supply Vcc of the facsimile machine via resistors R1 and R2 for current control during lighting.

Contacts RLI and RL2 in FIG. 2 close when telephone 1 or 2 is off-hook, respectively, and control off-hook detection signals of1 and of2 to ground potential. therefore,
When either telephone 1.2 goes off-hook, L in Figure 3
ED7.8 lights up correspondingly. LED7.8
is turned off when the corresponding telephones 1 and 2 are on-footer.

Therefore, if the user
By visually checking the hook state of the plurality of telephones connected to the facsimile machine, it is possible to determine whether facsimile communication is possible.

In the above example, the display circuit shown in FIG. Wire the phone so that it displays the hook status of other phones.

For example, in the case of the telephone 2, an LED is provided that is turned on or off depending on the output of the off-hook detection circuit 3. As a result, even when a user attempts to make a call using a telephone, the user can determine whether or not the call is possible by detecting the hook state of another telephone.

Further, when the telephones 1 and 2 are provided with display means, it is possible to display not only the status of the other telephones but also the status of the facsimile machine. In this case, a reed relay similar to the off-hook detection circuit 3 or 4 may be inserted in series with the lines L5 and L6, and the LED may be controlled in accordance with the output thereof.

[Effects of the Invention 1] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, the terminal device includes a plurality of telephones and facsimile communication means,
In a facsimile device that performs communication by connecting one terminal of the telephone or facsimile communication means to one telephone line, means for detecting the usage state of a predetermined terminal of the telephone or facsimile communication means. In addition, since a configuration is adopted in which means is provided in a predetermined terminal of the telephone or facsimile communication means and displays the usage status of the predetermined terminal detected by the detection means, the user can use multiple terminals. That is, it is possible to notify the usage status of the telephone or facsimile communication means, and has the excellent effect of avoiding the conventional problem of noticing that communication is not possible after starting a call or sending operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile machine adopting the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the control system of the telephone shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of a display circuit used together with the circuit of FIG. 2. l, 2...Telephone 3.4-...Off-hook detection circuit 5...CML relay 6-...Transformer 7.8-...LED 9--Call signal detection circuit 1! -・CPU 12...-ROM13...-RA
M 14...SRAM15...Real-time clock 16...Audio IC 17--Power supply section 18--N CU19...Modem 20...Operation section 21...Reading section 22--
- Figure 1 of recording section 1.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A facsimile device that has a plurality of telephones and facsimile communication means as terminal devices, and performs communication by connecting one terminal of the telephones or facsimile communication means to one telephone line. , means for detecting the usage status of a predetermined terminal among the telephone set or facsimile communication means; and means for detecting the usage state of the predetermined terminal provided in the predetermined terminal among the telephone set or facsimile communication means and detected by the detection means. A facsimile device characterized by being provided with means for displaying.