JPH0498968A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability by discriminating whether a received signal is a voice signal or a facsimile signal and converting the voice signal into a character code when the received signal is the voice signal. CONSTITUTION:An inputted reception signal is inputted to a signal discrimination section 3 and whether the signal is a voice signal or a facsimile communication signal is discriminated therein. When the reception signal is the facsimile signal, a changeover switch 4 is thrown to the position of a terminal (a). Thus, the facsimile signal on a line 14 is inputted to a MODEM 5, in which facsimile reception processing is implemented. On the other hand, when the received signal is discriminated to be the voice signal, the changeover switch 4 is thrown to the position of a terminal (b). Thus, the voice signal is inputted to a voice recognition section 12. The recognition section 12 converts the inputted voice signal into a relevant character code and it is given to the control section 1. The control section 1 converts the character code into a font data and it is outputted to a recording section 10. The recording section 10 prints out the inputted font data onto paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a facsimile machine having a function of identifying voice messages.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, when a telephone call is made to a facsimile device, if the communication is facsimile communication, the facsimile communication can be performed by directly entering a predetermined transmission procedure. However, when voice messages are not transmitted, it has been impossible to have the facsimile machine receive the voice messages if the facsimile machine is not equipped with a telephone.

Further, even if a line is connected to the attached telephone and an operation is performed to call an operator, unless the telephone is an answering machine, if the operator is not present, communication will not be possible.

Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, the facsimile machine must have an answering machine function, which has the drawback of complicating the structure of the facsimile machine.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, since conventional facsimile machines themselves cannot receive voice signals, when making a call to convey a voice message, the other party's facsimile machine does not have a telephone set. However, there was a drawback that voice messages could not be conveyed to the other party. Further, even if a telephone is attached, there is a drawback that when the operator is absent, it is impossible to contact the operator unless the telephone is an answering machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a facsimile machine that can recognize a received voice signal and output a corresponding document from a recording section.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a facsimile device that can print received image data on recording paper and output it from a recording section.
determining means for determining whether a received signal is an audio signal or a facsimile communication signal; and when the determining means determines that the received signal is an audio signal, inputting the audio signal and a corresponding character code; and a control means that sends the character code obtained from the voice recognition means to the recording section and outputs a document corresponding to the voice signal.

As an additional configuration to the above configuration, the control means once stores the character code obtained from the voice recognition means in the memory, and then
When a separate instruction is given, the character code is read from the memory and sent to the recording section, thereby causing the recording section to output the document.

(Operation) In the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, the determining means determines whether the received signal is a voice signal or a facsimile communication signal. The voice recognition means receives the voice signal and converts it into a corresponding character code when the discrimination means determines that the received signal is a voice signal. The control means sends the character code obtained from the voice recognition means to the recording section to output a document corresponding to the voice signal.

As an additional action to the above action, the control means once stores the character code obtained from the voice recognition means in the memory, and then
When a separate instruction is given, the character code is read from the memory and sent to the recording section, thereby causing the recording section to output the document.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a control unit that controls the entire device, 2 is an NCU that captures and releases lines, and 3 determines whether the received signal is a voice signal or a facsimile signal, and in the case of facsimile communication, switches switch 4 to terminal a side. In the case of voice signals, there is a signal discriminating unit that performs control to switch the line to the terminal side, 4 is a changeover switch that switches the line to either the facsimile side or the voice recognition unit 12 side, and 5 is a modem for modulating and demodulating image signals, etc. 9 is a modem; 6 is a code/decoder unit for encoding/decoding image signals; 7 is a display unit for displaying dial numbers and various operation messages; 8 is an input unit for inputting dial numbers and setting operation modes; 9 1 is a reading unit that reads the original and obtains an image data; 10 is a recording unit that prints data on paper and outputs it; 11 is a memory that temporarily stores character codes; and 12 converts input audio signals into corresponding character codes. 13 is a memory in which character codes corresponding to voice signals are stored, and 14 is a telephone line.

Here, the signal discrimination unit 3 uses the discrimination means as the voice recognition unit 12,
The memory 13 constitutes a voice recognition means, and the control section 1 constitutes a control means.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. When this facsimile machine receives a call, the NCU 2 seizes the line. Thereafter, the input received signal is input to the signal determining section 3, where it is determined whether it is an audio signal or a facsimile communication signal. As a result, if the signal is a facsimile communication signal, the signal discriminator 3 leaves the changeover switch 4 on the terminal a side. However, it is assumed that in the standby state, the changeover switch 4 is switched to the terminal a side. Therefore, line 1
The facsimile signal on 4 is input to the modem 5 via the NCU 2 and the changeover switch 4, demodulated by the modem 5, and then input to the control section 1. As a result, the control unit 1 starts a predetermined protocol communication with the other party's facsimile machine, and performs facsimile reception processing.

On the other hand, when the signal determining section 3 determines that the received signal is an audio signal, it switches the changeover switch 4 to the terminal side. Thereby, the voice signal is inputted to the voice recognition unit 12 via the NCU 2 and the changeover switch 4. The voice recognition unit 12 stores the character code corresponding to the input voice signal in the memory 13.
By searching and reading out the received audio signal, the received audio signal is converted into a character code and this is passed to the control unit 1. Control part 1
converts the passed character code to font data, then
This is output to the recording section IO. The recording unit 10 prints the input font data on paper and outputs it. As a result, the recording unit 10 outputs a document corresponding to the received audio signal.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the receiving operation of the facsimile machine. First, in step 201, the system waits for an incoming call, and when an incoming call is received, the line is connected in step 202, and it is determined whether the received signal is a facsimile signal or not. If it is a facsimile signal, the process advances to step 205, where normal facsimile reception processing is performed and the processing ends. If it is determined in step 202 that the signal is not a facsimile signal, the process proceeds to step 203, where the audio signal is converted into a corresponding character code. Next, in step 204, the character code is given to the recording section 10 to cause the recording section 10 to output a document corresponding to the audio signal, and the process ends.

According to this embodiment, when a voice signal is received, it can be recognized by the voice recognition unit 12, converted into a character code, and outputted from the recording unit 10. A receiver can be attached to the device, and there is no need to install a telephone for reception as in the past, and the device can be simplified. Further, since the received audio signal is outputted as a document from the recording section 10, there is no need for an operator to be present at the scene, and an answering machine function can also be provided.

Furthermore, even if the present invention is configured as follows, the same effects as those of the previous embodiment can be obtained, and the operator on the receiving side can decide whether or not to output the received message. That is, when the operator gives a memory voice reception command to the control unit 1 from the input unit 8 in advance, the control unit 1 receives the memory voice reception command from the voice recognition unit 12.
The character code inputted from the memory 11 is temporarily stored in the memory 11, and when the storage is completed, a message indicating that a voice message is received is displayed on the voice display section 7, or the message is recorded from the recording section 10 on a recording paper. Print and output. When the operator sees this message, he inputs a message output command from the input section 8 to the control section 1. As a result, the control section 1 reads out the character code from the memory 11, converts it into font data, and supplies it to the recording section 10 for output.

In both of the above embodiments, the audio signal is processed by the audio recognition unit 12.
When performing recognition, if a voice response device is provided to receive voice signals in an interactive manner in an orderly manner, the operability of the device can be further improved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the facsimile device of the present invention,
The received audio signal can be recognized and a corresponding document can be output from the recording section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1 at the time of reception. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Control part 2... NCU3... Signal discrimination part 4... Changeover switch 5... Modem 7... Display part 8... Input part 9... Reading part 10... Recording section 11.13...Memory 12...Speech recognition section Agent Patent attorney Book 1)
Takashi's Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a facsimile device that can print received image data on recording paper and output it from the recording section, a determining means for determining whether a received signal is an audio signal or a facsimile communication signal, and this determining means If it is determined that the received signal is a voice signal, a voice recognition means inputs the voice signal and converts it into a corresponding character code, and a voice recognition means sends the character code obtained from the voice recognition means to the recording section. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a control means for outputting a document corresponding to the audio signal. (2) After the control means temporarily stores the character code obtained from the voice recognition means in memory, when a separate instruction is given,
2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character code is read from the memory and sent to a recording section to output the document from the recording section.