JPH05336339A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly cope with a conversation reservation request occurring while a conversation is performed, in a facsimile equipment having plural lines. CONSTITUTION:In a conversation reservation request detection part 10, a conversation reservation request is detected from the signal received in a line control part 1 and a busy line judgment part 11 is made to judge the use status of a telephone set 9. If the telephone set 9 is in use, what a conversion reservation requested is stored in a conversion reservation holding storage part 12. A notification part 15 notifies to the display screen of an operation part 7 and the telephone set 9 that the conversation reservation requested. A conversation reservation instruction part 13 outputs a conversation reservation instruction when the busy line is released. A conversation reservation execution part 14 executes a conversation reservation request instruction in response to the conversation reservation request enable signal from the line control part 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus accommodating a plurality of lines, and in particular, it can appropriately process a conversation reservation request entered into another line while using a telephone having only one set. The present invention relates to a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a facsimile machine is provided with only one telephone set for talking. This also applies to a facsimile machine configured to accommodate a plurality of lines and simultaneously communicate with a plurality of parties.

In the thus constructed facsimile apparatus, even if an incoming call is received on another line during a call using one line, the operator during the call cannot recognize this. If an incoming call related to image information data is left as it is, the receiving operation can be started, but if the incoming call is a call request, it is desirable to respond as soon as possible.

In view of such a situation, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-159
In Japanese Patent No. 164, a facsimile apparatus is proposed in which, when an incoming call is received on another line during a call, the operator is notified of the incoming call regardless of call request or data (image information) communication. There is.

Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-215263, not only is there notification of an incoming call to another line during a call, but a predetermined tone signal is issued to the line during the call when an incoming call is detected. There has also been proposed a communication device which notifies an incoming call and, in response to the notification, allows an operator to switch the line and monitor the signal tone of the incoming line.

[0006]

The above-mentioned conventional device has the following problems. That is, in the conventional apparatus, an incoming call is detected and a tone signal is issued to the telephone during the call, or the operator determines whether the call request or the image information is transmitted by the signal sound of the incoming line.

As described above, in any of the devices, it is determined whether the call request or the data communication is made based on the signal sound at the time of the incoming call. When there is a call request from the beginning of the communication, it can be recognized by the signal tone that the call request has occurred, but the call request generated by the conversation reservation function during the data communication cannot be recognized.

Further, in the case of a facsimile apparatus accommodating a plurality of lines, there is a high possibility that a call request due to a conversation reservation will occur during a call, and it is very necessary for the operator to respond to all of them. In some cases, it was bothersome and the disadvantage of interrupting the current call was greater.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which can appropriately deal with a call request by a conversation reservation.

[0010]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION To solve the above problems and to achieve the object, the present invention provides a busy detecting means for judging whether or not a telephone is in use, a conversation reservation request detecting means, A first feature is that it is provided with notifying means for notifying the telephone of the conversation reservation request when there is a conversation reservation request.

The present invention further comprises means for memorizing a conversation reservation request when there is a conversation reservation request, means for detecting that the busy state has been released, and said storage when the busy state has been released. A second feature is that the apparatus further comprises means for making a conversation reservation request to the other station in response to the conversation reservation request made.

[0012]

According to the present invention having the above characteristics, even when a call request by the conversation reservation function is generated during data communication, the operator can be notified of the request.

According to the invention having the second feature,
The fact that a conversation reservation request has been made can be automatically stored, so the busy operator is not bothered, and if the busy state is released, the conversation reservation is automatically made from your station to the other station. Since it is possible to make a request, it is possible to respond to a call request from the other party.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of essential parts showing a hardware configuration of the facsimile apparatus. In the figure, the line control unit 1 has n
The lines L-1 to L-n of the book are accommodated. These lines L-1 to L-n are captured according to a scheduled procedure according to an instruction from the system control unit 2. The image information memory 3 stores the image information received through the captured line and the image information of the document read by the reading unit 4. The recording unit 5 reproduces or prints the image information stored in the image information memory 3. The reading unit 4 and the recording unit 5 are controlled by the reading / recording control unit 6.

The image information memory 3 is provided with a memory control section 3a for controlling writing and reading of data with respect to the image information memory 3 and a data control section 3b for data encoding.

An instruction from the operator is input from the operation unit 7, and this instruction is transmitted to the system control unit 2. Control data is also input from the operation unit 7, and this control data is registered in the control data memory 8. A telephone 9 is connected to the line control unit 1 for a call.

The system control unit 2 follows the above-mentioned control units, that is, the line control unit 1, the memory control unit 3a and the data control unit 3 according to the operator's instruction and the registered control data.
b and the read / record control unit 6 are controlled. Each control unit is controlled by a microcomputer.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S1, the presence or absence of a conversation reservation request is determined based on the protocol control signal detected by the line controller 1. If the conversation reservation request is detected, the process proceeds to step S2, and it is determined whether or not the telephone 9 is in use. If the telephone 9 is in use, the process proceeds to step S3 to output a signal notifying that a conversation reservation request has been issued. The telephone 9 generates a notification sound by a predetermined tone in response to the notification signal. Note that the notification sound is not limited to being generated from the telephone 9, and the fact that a conversation reservation request has been generated may be displayed on the display screen of the operation unit 7.

In step S4, it is determined whether the operator has instructed to switch the line. If there is a line switching instruction, the process proceeds to step S5 and the line for which the conversation reservation request is made is connected to the telephone set 9. In this case, it is possible to put the line that was in a call on hold without disconnecting it.

If it is determined in step S2 that the telephone 9 is not in use, the process proceeds to step S6 to call the telephone 9, and the line for which the conversation reservation request is made is connected to the telephone 9 in step S7.

Further, if there is no instruction to switch the line in step S4, the procedure for ending the data communication is executed after a predetermined time by leaving it as it is. Also,
When the conversation reservation request is made between pages, the reception of the image information of the next page is started after a predetermined time.

In the operation shown in FIG. 3, a notification sound is emitted during a call or a message is displayed on the display screen to interrupt the operator's conversation during a call, which may cause inconvenience in an important conversation. It is possible.

Therefore, in a second embodiment described below, when a conversation reservation is made during a call, the conversation reservation is stored and when the telephone 9 is present, the conversation reservation is made from the own station to the partner station. I made a request.

The operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, in step S10, it is determined whether or not there is a conversation reservation request. If a conversation reservation request is detected, step S11 is skipped and step S1 is executed.
Proceed to step 2 to determine whether the telephone 9 is in use.

On the other hand, if there is no conversation reservation request, step S1
The process proceeds from 0 to step S11, and it is determined whether or not the conversation reservation hold flag indicating that the conversation reservation was made before that time is set. If the flag is not set, the process of this flowchart ends. On the other hand, if the flag is set, the process proceeds to step S12.

If it is determined in step S12 that the telephone 9 is not in use, the flow advances to step S13 to reset the conversation reservation hold flag, and then the conversation reservation procedure is executed in step S14. In this conversation reservation procedure, a parameter indicating a conversation reservation request is added to a protocol control signal for message confirmation between pages or at the end of reception.

When the telephone is in use despite the conversation reservation request, the steps S12 to S12 are performed.
In step 15, the conversation reservation request hold flag is set.

The above operation will be described with reference to a protocol example. A conversation reservation request can be made before the start of image information transmission, between pages,
It can be executed at a predetermined timing when the image information transmission is completed. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the transmission side issues a conversation reservation request during transmission of image information and executes conversation reservation after the transmission of the page is completed.

In the sequence diagram of FIG. 5, image information PI
The conversation reservation request instructed by the operator of the transmitting station during the transmission of X1 is added as a parameter of the multi-page signal MPS sent after the transmission of the image information PIX1 is completed.

If the telephone 9 on the receiving side is in use when the multi-page signal MPS added with this parameter is received, the conversation reservation hold flag is set. Then, if the busy state is released during the reception of the next page PIX2 and the telephone 9 is released, the page PIX2
The parameter indicating the conversation reservation request is added to the message confirmation signal MCF at the end of reception of the message and transmitted.

The transmitting side, which has received the parameter indicating the conversation reservation request added to the message confirmation signal MCF, calls the telephone of its own station. In response to this call, when the operator of the partner station picks up the receiver, the telephone 9 on the receiving side is called, and when the operator on the receiving side picks up the receiver, a call is started.

Next, the essential functions required for the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 indicate the same or equivalent parts. In the figure, the conversation reservation request detection unit 10 outputs a detection signal to the busy determination unit 11 when a parameter indicating a conversation reservation request is detected from the protocol control signal received by the line control unit 1. The busy determination unit 11 recognizes whether the telephone 9 is busy depending on whether the receiver of the telephone 9 is picked up (off-hook) or not (on-hook).

When not busy, the signal s1 is sent to the line controller 1
The line for which a conversation reservation request has been generated is supplied to the telephone 9
Connect to. When the user is busy, the signal s2 is supplied to the conversation reservation reservation storage unit 12 to store that a conversation reservation request has been made (a flag is set). The conversation reservation instructing unit 13 detects that the busy state is released by the busy determination unit, and the conversation reservation holding storage unit 12
If the flag is set, the conversation reservation instruction signal is output to the conversation reservation execution unit 14.

When the conversation reservation execution section 14 detects the timing at which the conversation reservation can be executed (between pages or at the end of the document), the conversation reservation execution unit 14 executes the conversation reservation. That is, a parameter indicating a conversation reservation request is added to the protocol control signal.

When a conversation reservation request is made during a conversation,
While storing it, or separately from it, it notifies so that the operator of the own station can recognize that there is a conversation reservation request. That is, the notification unit 15 outputs a scheduled tone signal to the telephone 9 or outputs a message registered in the storage unit (not shown) to the display screen of the operation unit 7 when the busy state is detected when the conversation reservation request is generated. Or

The line control unit 1 supplies a switching signal s supplied in accordance with an instruction input by the operator from the operation unit 7.
3 has a contact for connecting the busy line and the line in which the conversation reservation request is generated.

Further, the conversation reservation reservation storage unit 12 not only stores the conversation reservation request received from the partner station, but also talks about the conversation reservation request generated from the own station based on the instruction input from the operation unit 7. It can be memorized if it is set inside.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When a conversation reservation request is generated during a call, the fact is notified by a tone signal or a message. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a voice message registered in a storage means such as a voice storage memory is used by the telephone. You may run to 9.

[0039] If the telephone set 9 of the own station is not idle at the time when the other station transmits all the scheduled data (documents), the call to the line for which the conversation reservation request is made may be abandoned. However, it can also be processed as follows. For example, the suspended reservation request is executed at the time when the protocol control signal indicating the end of the document is detected, and the telephone of the partner station is called from the own station. In response to this call from the partner station, a message registered in advance in a storage means such as a voice storage memory is sent to respond to the message from the partner station, and the message is received and stored. Good.

[0040]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a conversation reservation request generated during data communication can be detected and notified to the busy operator. In addition, the fact that a conversation reservation request has been made is stored so as not to disturb the conversation of the busy operator, and when the busy state is released, the own station can issue a conversation reservation request to the other station. ..

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main function of a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a main part protocol of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Line control unit, 3 ... Image information memory, 4 ... Reading unit,
5 ... Recording unit, 7 ... Operation unit, 10 ... Conversation reservation request detection unit, 11 ... Busy judgment unit, 12 ... Conversation reservation reservation storage unit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kiyotaka Ezaki 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki-shi, Saitama Prefecture Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Works (72) Inventor Takaya Sato 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki, Saitama Prefecture No. Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a facsimile apparatus accommodating a plurality of lines, a busy detecting means for judging whether or not the telephone is in use and outputting a busy signal, and a conversation by requesting a conversation reservation request based on the received signal and talking. A conversation reservation request detecting means for outputting a reservation request detecting signal; and a notifying means for notifying the telephone that there is a conversation reservation request in response to the conversation reservation request detecting signal and the busy signal. Characteristic facsimile machine. 2. Means for storing that a conversation reservation request has been made in response to the conversation reservation request detection signal and the busy signal, and detecting that the busy state has been released due to the disappearance of the busy signal. And a conversation reservation means for making a conversation reservation request to the other station in response to the stored conversation reservation request.