JPH05114989A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To low-pricedly and easily achieve the LCR function of facsimile equipment. CONSTITUTION:To a communication line connection terminal 25, the input side of LCR equipment 30 is connected, and to a telephone set connection terminal 26, the output side of the LCR equipment 30 is connected. A dial number registered in a memory 28 for dial storing corresponding to a one-touch dial or a compacted dial is dialed by a dialer circuit 29 and this is inputted to the LCR equipment 30. At the LCR equipment 30, the line identification number of the lowest charge is added to the dial number and this is detected by a dial number detecting circuit 27. Here, when the detected dial number is different from the dial number registered earlier, the detected dial number is overwritten on the same area. After the updating processing of such a dial number is completed, even when the LCR equipment 30 is removed and the subsequent one-touch dial or the compacted dial is used, it is always connected with the communication line of the lowest charge.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine capable of achieving an LCR function.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As the number of telecommunications carriers providing various services using telephone lines has increased, LCR (Least Co
Phones with st Routing and automatic selection of minimum charge lines are being developed. This LCR function automatically selects the line of the carrier with the lowest communication charge when contracting with the lines of a plurality of carriers, and also identifies the carrier, that is, the line identification number "00XX" as the telephone number. Is automatically added before.

Then, the user of the telephone can use the line with the lowest charge by the conventional dial operation.

In order to achieve the LCR function, a nonvolatile memory and a clock IC for storing the telephone charge table of the communication carrier according to the area code and the time zone of the whole country, and each communication business for updating the charge table A dedicated modem for receiving the person's fee table, an inter-center communication program for updating the fee table, and a program for selecting the optimum line are required.

[0005]

As described above, the LCR
Various devices and programs are required to achieve the functions. Therefore, the circuit scale becomes large, and if it is built in the facsimile apparatus, the cost becomes high and the entire apparatus becomes large.

Further, a commercially available LCR device can be attached to a facsimile machine, but in this case also there is a problem that it becomes expensive.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it is possible to borrow a telephone having an LCR function from another to connect to the facsimile and dial the telephone only when the facsimile transmits original information. However, in this case, the one-touch dial or speed dial registered in the facsimile cannot be used.
There is a problem that it takes time to operate the dial.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and proposes a facsimile apparatus which can achieve the LCR function at a low cost.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a telephone connection terminal for connecting a telephone, dial number detecting means for detecting a dial number input to the telephone connection terminal, and a dial. An LCR having dial number storage means for storing the dial number detected by the number detection means and having an LCR function at a telephone connection terminal.
It is characterized in that the LCR function can be achieved by connecting a device.

[0010]

When the LCR device 30 shown in FIG. 2 is used to achieve the LCR function, it is registered in the dial number store memory 28 (FIG. 1) in correspondence with a one-touch dial such as "1" or a speed dial such as "01". The dialed number, for example, "0123-45-6789", is automatically dialed by the dialer circuit 29. This dial number is supplied to the LCR device 30, and the line identification number "00XX] of the lowest charge in the dial number is added here.

The dial number "00XX-0123-45-6789" to which the line identification number is added is detected by the dial number detecting circuit 27 and stored in the dial number storing memory 28.

Then, for example, when the manuscript information is transmitted to the destination registered in the one-touch dial "1" or the speed dial "01", the memory for dial number store is simply operated by operating the one-touch dial or the speed dial. The dial number "00XX-0123-45-6789" to which the line identification number is added is read from 28 and dialed to this dial number.

Further, a telephone 31 with an LCR function shown in FIG.
When registering a one-touch dial or speed dial using, first set the one-touch dial, for example, “1” or speed dial, for example, “01” on the facsimile device, and then use the telephone 31 for dialing the number, for example, “01”.
When dialing "23-45-6789", the lowest charge line identification number "00XX" is added and output. This dial number, that is, "00XX-0123-45-67"
89 "is detected by the dial number detection circuit 27. The dial number to which the line identification number is added is stored in the area corresponding to the one-touch dial "1" or the speed dial "01" of the dial number store memory 28.

When transmitting the manuscript information, the above L
The same processing as when the CR device 30 is used is performed, whereby the communication line with the lowest fee is connected.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a CPU that manages transmission / reception control, 12 is a ROM that stores various control programs such as a transmission / reception program, and 13 is a RAM that stores image information to be transmitted.

The image information read by the image reading unit 14 is stored in the RAM 13 via the interface 15 or directly or after the modem 1 functions as a transmitting / receiving means.
6. Control circuit 32 and C of network control circuit (NCU) 23
The data is sent to the communication line via the ML (Connect MODEM to Line) relay 24 and the communication line connection terminal 25. The image information input from the communication line is stored in the RAM 13
Or stored in the storage unit 18 or directly supplied to the recording unit 18 functioning as a printer via the interface 17 and the contents thereof are recorded.

The telephone number of the transmission destination is displayed by being supplied to the display unit 20 through the interface 19. The operation unit 21 provided in the facsimile device is provided with a plurality of keys (not shown), and when these keys are operated, the contents thereof are taken into the CPU 11 via the interface 22.

This facsimile device has a telephone connection terminal 26 to which an LCR device having an LCR function can be connected, as will be described later, and when dialed by this LCR device,
Dial number detection circuit 27 for detecting the dial number
And a dial number store memory 28 for storing the dial number detected here.

When the one-touch dial or the speed dial of the operation unit 21 is operated, the dial number registered in the dialer circuit 29 is automatically dialed.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which an LCR device 30 having an LCR function is connected to this facsimile apparatus.
As shown in the figure, the input side of the LCR device 30 is connected to the communication line connection terminal 25, and the output side of the LCR device 30 is connected to the telephone connection terminal 26. As a result, the LCR function can be achieved in this facsimile machine as described below.

FIG. 3 shows a dial optimization process 40 for connecting the LCR device 30 in this manner to achieve the LCR function.
It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of. In the figure, first, it is judged whether or not the dial optimization mode is set (step 41). In the dial optimization mode, the dial number registered in the dial number store memory 28 is selected as a one-touch dial or a shortened dial. A pointer is set at the beginning (step 42).

If it is determined in step 41 that the dial optimization mode is not set, the standby state is entered.

Then, the CML relay 24 is turned on (step 43), and the dial number to which the pointer is set is dialed by the dialer circuit 29 (step 44). At this time, the dial number is determined by the LCR device 30, and if the communication line with the lowest charge is not used, the identification number of the line is automatically added to the beginning.

Then, the dial number to which this identification number is added is detected by the dial number detecting circuit 27 (step 45), and then it is determined whether or not this dial number is different from the dial number registered in the dial store memory 28. It is determined whether or not (step 46).

If different, dial store memory 2
The dial number registered in 8 is updated (step 47), and then the pointer is moved to the next registered dial number (step 48). If it is determined in step 46 that the dial number registered in the dial store memory 28 matches the detected dial number, the process of step 48 is performed next.

Next, it is judged whether or not there is a dial number in the area where the pointer is set (step 4
9) If there is a dial number, then in step 44 the pointer is dialed to the dial number set,
Then, the processes in and after step 45 are performed. If there is no dial number in the area where the pointer is set,
The CML relay 24 is turned off (step 50), and the dial optimization processing 40 ends.

As a result, in this facsimile apparatus, even when the LCR device 30 is removed, the lowest-cost communication line can be used when dialing using the one-touch dial or the speed dial.

The dial optimization process described above is suitable, for example, when a person in charge of maintenance of the facsimile machine regularly performs it. In this case, one LCR device 3 is used.
If there is 0, it can be used for a plurality of facsimile machines.

The dial optimizing process 40 described above is performed for the dial number already registered in the facsimile machine. As will be described below, a telephone with an LCR function is used when registering a one-touch dial or a speed dial. 31 can also be used.

FIG. 4 shows a connection example of the telephone 31 with the LCR function. The telephone 31 with the LCR function is connected to the telephone connection terminal 26. If the telephone with the LCR function is dialed, the line identification number with the lowest charge is automatically added to the dial number, which is detected by the dial number detecting circuit 27 and stored in the dial number storing memory 28. ..

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure when the dial number registration processing 50 is performed using the above-mentioned telephone 31 with the LCR function. This registration process 50
Is performed when registering a one-touch dial or a speed dial. First, it is judged whether or not the dial registration mode is set (step 51). In the registration mode, for example, "Please dial on the telephone" is displayed on the display unit 20.
Is displayed (step 52). If it is not in the registration mode, it will be in a standby state.

Next, when the dial operation is performed, it is judged whether or not each digit of the dial number is detected (step 53), and if detected, the dial number is stored (step 54). Then, in step 55, the processes of steps 53 and 54 are repeated, while checking that the distance between dial digits does not exceed the predetermined time.

If it is determined that the time is over, it is determined that all digits have been dialed, and then all digits of the dial number stored in step 54 are stored in the registration area corresponding to the one-touch dial or the speed dial. (Step 56), the registration process 50 ends.

If it is determined in step 55 that the time is not over, a determination process is again performed in step 53 as to whether or not the dial number is detected, and the following steps are performed.

When performing such a registration process 50,
It is not necessary to always connect the telephone 31 with the LCR function to the facsimile device, and it is sufficient to prepare only when registering the one-touch dial or the speed dial.

It is to be noted that, for example, at the maintenance center of the facsimile machine, the dial number registered in the facsimile machine having the LCR function is fetched, the dial optimizing process 40 is performed, and then the original facsimile machine is returned. It is also possible.

Further, when the dial number is stored in the dial store memory, it is also possible to store the dial number for each time zone in which the charge changes in consideration of the time zone at that time. This is preferable because it is possible to deal with the case where the minimum charge line varies depending on the time of day.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to temporarily use a LCR device or a telephone with an LCR function to add a minimum charge line identification number to a dial number of a one-touch dial or a speed dial. It is a thing.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since it is not necessary to always connect an LCR device or a telephone with an LCR function to the facsimile apparatus main body, there is an effect that the facsimile apparatus main body can be constructed inexpensively and easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of connecting LCR devices.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a procedure of dial optimization processing.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection example of a telephone with an LCR function.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a telephone number registration processing procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Image Reading Section 16 Modem 18 Recording Section 20 Display Section 21 Operation Section 23 NCU 24 CML Relay 25 Communication Line Connection Terminal 26 Telephone Connection Terminal 27 Dial Number Detection Circuit 28 Dial Number Store Memory 29 Dialer Circuit 30 LCR equipment 31 Telephone with LCR function 32 Control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A telephone connection terminal for connecting a telephone, a dial number detecting means for detecting a dial number input to the telephone connecting terminal, and a dial number storage for storing the dial number detected by the dial number detecting means. A facsimile apparatus comprising a means, and an LCR function can be achieved by connecting an LCR device having an LCR function to the telephone connection terminal.