JPH05284325A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the communication cost by using an extension closest to a toll station of a destination based on its station number in the facsimile equipment accommodating extensions (private lines) and external lines (public telephone lines). CONSTITUTION:The facsimile equipment accommodating extensions and external lines is provided with a memory 3 used to store an extension number connecting to a facsimile equipment closest based on a toll station number. In the case of facsimile transmission, a facsimile equipment connected to an extension is selected by referencing the said memory 3 based on a toll station number of a destination and the transmission is implemented to the facsimile equipment connected to the extension to be selected from the NCU 1 via the extension.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine accommodating an extension line (dedicated line) and an outside line (public service telephone network (hereinafter referred to as PSTN)).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art PSTN is used for facsimile communication.
The longer you use, the higher the price. On the other hand, the charges for internal lines (dedicated lines) are low regardless of the distance. Therefore, when performing long-distance facsimile communication, it is possible to reduce the communication cost by sending it to the facsimile apparatus closest to the other party by extension, relaying the extension-connected facsimile and transmitting it to the other party. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-117169 discloses that when a facsimile connected to an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) for relay is to be relayed, it is transmitted to the relay facsimile machine by G4 facsimile communication, and the relay facsimile machine is used. From the destination communication device to the destination facsimile device by G3 facsimile communication, and the direct communication charge transmitted to the destination facsimile device via GTN facsimile communication directly through the PSTN. It is disclosed to send.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned I
When SDN is relayed, it is necessary to compare and judge the ISDN fee + PSTN fee and the direct communication PSTN fee. Also, since the fee varies depending on the communication time, if it is accurately determined, the amount of data and communication by memory storage transmission Since the time must be known, there is a problem that accurate determination cannot be made by immediate transmission. The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of reducing communication costs.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention has means for storing the extension number of the closest extension-connected facsimile corresponding to the area code, and the external line (PSTN). When the facsimile communication is carried out, the extension number of the nearest extension connection facsimile is read from the storage means from the other party's area code, and the extension connection facsimile is relayed for facsimile transmission. When the facsimile machine receives from the extension, it informs the sender of the area code to which the facsimile machine belongs.
Further, the facsimile machine accommodating the extension and the outside line has means for sequentially informing the facsimile machine connected to the extension of its own extension number and the area code to which it belongs.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the extension is relayed and transmitted, the communication cost can be reduced. Also, by notifying the sender of the area code to which he / she belongs during extension communication, the sender can register using the learning function.
In addition, when a new fax machine that accommodates an extension and an outside line is newly installed, by notifying other fax machines connected to the extension of the area code to which you belong and your extension number, the other party's fax machine automatically registers. It will be possible.

[0006]

1 is a schematic block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a network control unit (NCU) for transmitting and receiving facsimiles, to which two lines, an extension line (dedicated line) and an outside line (PSTN line), are connected. Reference numeral 2 is a modem that modulates a transmission signal and demodulates a reception signal. Reference numeral 3 is a built-in or detachable memory that is used as a work memory for storing the extension number of the nearest extension-connected facsimile corresponding to the area code. Reference numeral 4 denotes an operation unit capable of inputting a destination facsimile number and various commands for operation control, and the like.
Reference numeral 6 is a scanner for reading a transmission original, 6 is a plotter for outputting received information or information read by the scanner on recording paper, 7 is a control unit for performing various controls of the facsimile apparatus, and 8 is a bus connecting between blocks. Is. FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of facsimile communication according to the embodiment of the present invention. When performing facsimile communication, first, the dial of the destination facsimile machine is input from the operation unit 4 (S1). If the entered dial is a local station, it will be sent as an outside line (S2, S6),
When the area code is the area code, the memory 3 is referred to in order to read the extension number of the extension connection facsimile closest to the area code (S2, S3). When you refer to it, if it is not registered, you can make an external call and perform normal facsimile communication (S
4-NO, S6). On the other hand, if the extension number of the extension-connected facsimile is registered, the relay request is transmitted to the facsimile device having the registered extension number by the extension. The facsimile machine requested to relay the data received at the extension of NCU 1 by the modem 2, the memory 3, the control unit 7, etc.
It sends it to the other party via CU1 by an outside line.

As a method of registering an extension number, it is general to input it from the operation unit 4, but there is the following method as a method for facilitating registration. When communicating by extension and registering, the received fax machine has non-standard settings (Non-Stan
Enter the area code information to which you belong in dard Facilities Set-Up (NSS) and send it to the sender. In the facsimile apparatus on the receiving side which has received the NSS, the area code and the extension number which has been transmitted are registered in the memory 3 in association with each other. That is, it is registered by the learning function as described above. After registration, when transmitting to the area code, the extension facsimile machine corresponding to the area code is relayed. FIG. 3 shows a processing flowchart in the transmission side facsimile apparatus in the above registration. On the other hand, if a new fax machine is installed in the extension, if the number of the existing fax machine connected to the extension is registered in the new fax machine,
The newly installed facsimile device informs the registered existing facsimile device of its extension number and the area code to which it belongs by an extension. The notified fax machine registers this information in memory. This makes it possible to use the newly installed extension facsimile as a relay. The memory registered as described above does not need to compare and judge the charges because the extension is used as a relay, and merely stores the correspondence between the extension number and the area code. Therefore, the contents of the registered memory can be commonly used by the facsimile machines connected to all extensions. Therefore, if this registered memory is removable, you can easily register (create and connect the memory with the same contents) to all the fax machines by creating one registration contents, and you can easily change the contents. .. An IC card memory or the like can be considered as the removable memory.

[0008]

The present invention has the following effects as is apparent from the above embodiments. (1) Communication costs can be reduced because the extension is relayed and transmitted. (2) By notifying the other party of the area code to which he / she belongs at the time of extension communication, the other party can easily register with the learning function. (3) By notifying the existing fax machine connected to the extension of the area code to which you belong and your extension number when you install the new fax machine, you can automatically register the number of the new fax machine in the existing fax machine. .

(4) By making the registered memory detachable, it becomes easy for each facsimile apparatus to use the memory having common contents, and the contents can be easily changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process flowchart side of a transmitting side facsimile device in registration in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Network control unit (NCU), 2
... Modem, 3 ... Memory, 4 ... Operation section, 5 ... Scanner, 6 ... Plotter, 7 ... Control section, 8 ... Bus.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───Continued from the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication H04N 1/34 2109-5C

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus accommodating an extension line (dedicated line) and an outside line (public service telephone line), having means for storing the extension number of the nearest extension connection facsimile corresponding to the area code, and transmitting by facsimile. In the case of carrying out the above, the facsimile apparatus is characterized in that the nearest extension connection facsimile is read from the storage means from the other party's area code, and the extension connection facsimile is relayed for facsimile transmission. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for storing the extension number is constituted by a memory which can be attached to and detached from the facsimile apparatus. 3. A facsimile machine accommodating an extension and an outside line, when information is received by the extension, the area code to which the facsimile machine belongs is set to a non-standard facade (Non-Standard Fa).
A facsimile machine characterized by notifying the sending side by cilites Set-Up). 4. In a facsimile machine accommodating an extension and an outside line, if the number of another facsimile machine connected to the extension is registered in the facsimile machine, the extension number of the facsimile machine and the area to which the facsimile machine belongs A facsimile machine comprising means for sequentially informing the other facsimile machines registered to the extension of the station number. 5. A facsimile machine having a means for storing an extension number informed of an area code to which a facsimile machine connected to an extension according to claim 3 or 4 belongs,
A facsimile apparatus, wherein the extension number of the extension-connected facsimile closest to the area code is registered in a unit for storing the extension number.