JPH07183967A - Composite terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce labor and time for a setting switching by automatically switching a first reception mode where the priority of an incoming is given to a telephone set and a second reception mode where the priority of the incoming is given to a data communication terminal. CONSTITUTION:When an incoming is received from a telephone line L, the incoming is detected in an incoming detection part 15 and it is notified to a control part 19. When the control part 19 receives the notification, the part 19 switches a relay 13 from a terminal b1 to a terminal a1, a facsimile equipment part 11 is connected to a line L and facsimile communication is started. Since a CNG signal is transmitted when a transmission side is FAX, the equipment part 11 discriminates whether the incoming is a FAX incoming or a telephone incoming by depending on whether this CNG signal is received or not. When the CNG signal is received, FAX communication is performed. When the CNG signal is not received within preliminarily set fixed time, the control part 19 judges that the incoming is not FAX, drives a calling signal generation part 17, generates a calling signal in a telephone set 12 and rings the bell of a telephone set 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

This invention relates to the same telephone line,
The present invention relates to a composite terminal device shared by a telephone and a data communication terminal such as a facsimile device, and more particularly, to line switching during reception.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a composite terminal device of this type,
A composite terminal device including a telephone and a facsimile device is well known. In such a compound terminal device, when an incoming call is received, which of the telephone and the facsimile device is given priority to receive the incoming call has a problem in terms of usability.

When receiving an incoming call in this type of composite terminal device, there are two modes of reception: a manual receiving mode in which the telephone is prioritized to switch the connection manually, and an automatic mode in which the facsimile device is prioritized to automatically switch the connection. The reception mode is known.

In the manual reception mode, the facsimile device does not accept an incoming call when an incoming call is received, and the telephone line is first connected to the telephone by calling the telephone and off-hooking by the operator. At this time, if the incoming call is a telephone call, the telephone call is performed as it is, but if the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call, the operator switches the telephone line to the side of the facsimile apparatus to perform the facsimile reception.

In the automatic reception mode, when an incoming call is received, the telephone line is first connected to a facsimile machine. If the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call, the facsimile communication is started. After a lapse of time, the telephone line is automatically switched and connected to the telephone.

[0006] A conventional composite terminal device generally has both of these two modes, and the operator sets either the manual reception mode or the automatic reception mode. Then, normally, during the daytime when the operator is present, the manual reception mode is set, and when the operator is absent at night or the like, the automatic reception mode is set.

[0007]

However, as described above, the conventional composite terminal device has a manual reception mode,
The automatic reception mode must be set by the operator. Therefore, when the manual reception mode is set, if the operator leaves the terminal device without switching to the automatic reception mode, the facsimile incoming call cannot be accepted. This is because, in the manual reception mode, the line cannot be switched to the side of the facsimile machine without the operator's switching operation.

A communication device that solves the drawbacks of the manual reception mode is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-284063. When there is an incoming call, this communication device gives priority to the telephone for a certain period of time, and when there is no response such as the operator going off-hook, the facsimile machine is automatically connected to the telephone line. To establish a facsimile connection and start facsimile communication. According to this communication device, it is possible to save the operator from troublesome mode setting.

However, in the case of the invention of the above publication,
When receiving an incoming call, the connection is always made to the telephone side for a certain period of time. Therefore, when the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call, there is a disadvantage that it takes time to connect each time. The above-mentioned automatic reception mode does not have this drawback.

However, if the automatic reception mode is fixedly set, even if the incoming call is to the telephone set, the line is once connected to the facsimile machine side, so the calling side is There is a drawback that it is kept waiting until the telephone line is switched to the telephone.

That is, regardless of whether the telephone is prioritized or the facsimile machine is prioritized when an incoming call arrives, if the priority state is fixedly set, the above-mentioned drawbacks will necessarily occur.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composite terminal device capable of avoiding the above drawbacks.

[0013]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a composite terminal device according to the present invention is a composite terminal device in which the same telephone line is shared by a telephone and a data terminal device. A first receiving mode in which the telephone line is preferentially connected to the telephone side when receiving a call, and a second receiving mode in which the telephone line is preferentially connected to the data terminal device when receiving a call from the telephone line In the first reception mode, when there is no intervention by the operator when there is an incoming call, the operation is switched to the second reception mode, and the intervention of the operation by the operator in the second reception mode. When there is, a control means is provided for switching to the first reception mode.

[0014]

The first reception mode in which the telephone side preferentially has the incoming call right is useful when the operator is present. This is because, in the first reception mode, if there is an operator, an incoming call can be received without waiting for the calling side. In addition, the second reception mode in which the data terminal device preferentially has the incoming call right is useful when there is no operator. This is because there is no operator who receives an incoming call, so it is more efficient to make an incoming call to the data terminal device immediately.

The composite terminal device according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration takes the above points into consideration. In the first receiving mode, there is an incoming call, but the operator is absent, and the off-hook operation of the operator is not possible. If not, the control means switches to the second reception mode. Therefore, the incoming call to the data terminal device from the next time is immediately sent to the second
You will be able to receive it according to the reception mode of.

When an operator's operation such as a calling operation or an off-hook operation of the telephone is performed in the second receiving mode, the control means switches to the first receiving mode. The fact that the call origination operation or the telephone off-hook operation means that the operator exists, so that when the next incoming call is a telephone incoming call, the telephone is immediately sent without using the connection to the data terminal device. Can be received at.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a composite terminal device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a composite terminal device according to the present invention, in which the data terminal device is a facsimile device.

In FIG. 1, L is a telephone line, 11 is a facsimile unit, and 12 is a telephone. Relays 13 and 14 are switching means for switching between the telephone 12 and the facsimile unit 11 for the telephone line L. An electronic switch may be used instead of the relay.

Reference numeral 15 is an incoming call detecting section for detecting an incoming call by detecting a ringer from the telephone line L. Then, each time the ringer is received, the detection output is sent to the control unit 19. Reference numeral 16 denotes an off-hook detection unit that detects when the telephone 12 is off-hook and sends an off-hook detection signal to the control unit 19. Reference numeral 17 is a call signal generation unit, which is instructed by the control unit 19 to close the line after the line is closed.
A call signal is generated for the telephone 12. An input unit 18 includes a mode switching key and a ten-key pad for dial input, and the operation input information is input to the control unit 19. The control unit 19 includes a microcomputer and controls the entire composite terminal device of this example.

The facsimile unit 11 has a modem, a scanner, and a printer, and is used for image input / output and CN.
It has facsimile protocol functions such as G signal (calling tone) detection. The CNG signal detection output is supplied to the control unit 19. The control unit 19 detects that the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call based on the CNG signal detection output.

In the facsimile unit 11, a common movable contact is connected to the telephone line L and one terminal a1 of the relay 13 connected to the incoming detection unit 15. Further, the other terminal b1 of the relay 13 and one terminal a2 of the relay 14 are connected. The other terminal b2 of the relay 14 is connected to the calling signal generator 17. The movable contact of the relay 14 is connected to the telephone 12.

The composite terminal device of this example has a manual reception mode as a first reception mode and an automatic reception mode as a second reception mode. Initially, depending on the input setting from the input unit 18, either one is always selected and set.

When the manual reception mode is set by the input unit 18, the control unit 19 switches the relay 13 to the terminal b1 side and the relay 14 to the terminal a2 side. This manual reception mode is used when receiving a call from the telephone line L.
Facsimile device unit 11 does not accept the incoming call, the bell of telephone 12 rings, and after an off-hook operation on telephone 12 by the operator who responds to the incoming call, if the incoming call is a telephone call, the call is continued and the incoming call is received by the facsimile device unit 11. If it is for a facsimile unit, it is a mode in which the telephone line L is connected to the facsimile unit 11 by a switching input operation by the operator. In this case, the fact that the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call is detected by the operator listening to the CNG signal by sound after the off-hook or having a conversation with the calling side.

When the automatic reception mode is set by the input unit 18, the control unit 19 causes the relay 13 to connect to the terminal b.
1, the relay 14 is connected to the terminal b2 side, respectively. This automatic reception mode is used when receiving a call from the telephone line L.
First, connect the telephone line L to the facsimile unit 11 and
In this mode, the facsimile communication is started when the NG signal is detected, and the telephone line L is automatically connected to the telephone 12 when the CNG signal cannot be detected for a certain period of time and the facsimile communication is not started. .

After any one of the modes is selected and set, the control unit 19 continues the current reception mode depending on the reception mode at that time and the presence or absence of the intervention of the operator, as described below. Or to switch to the other reception mode.

That is, in the state where the device is set to the manual reception mode, when the off-hook operation is performed by the telephone 12 or when the outgoing call operation is performed, that is, when the operator intervenes, the control unit 19 is operated.
Controls the device to continue the manual receive mode.

In the state where the device is set to the automatic reception mode, when the operator similarly intervenes, the control unit 19 switches the device from the automatic reception mode to the manual reception mode. This is because the operator is present in the vicinity of the terminal, and the telephone 12 is given the priority of the incoming call in the manual reception mode.

On the contrary, when the device is set to the manual reception mode and the telephone 12 is not off-hook even if there is an incoming call, that is, when there is no operator intervention, the control unit 19 Switch the device from manual receive mode to automatic receive mode. Since there is no operator when there is no off-hook when a call arrives, the automatic reception mode is set and the facsimile unit 1
1 is given priority of incoming call.

Next, referring to FIG. 2 and the flow chart of FIG. 3 which is a continuation thereof, the receiving operation and the switching of the receiving mode of the composite terminal device of this example will be described.

This example is shown when the initial setting was the manual reception mode. When the manual reception mode is selected by the setting input from the input unit 18 (step S
0), the control unit 19 switches the relay 13 to the terminal b1 side and the relay 14 to the terminal a2 side (step S).
1). When an incoming call is received from the telephone line L in this state, the incoming call detection unit 15 detects the incoming call by detecting the ringer and notifies the control unit 19 of the incoming call. Also, at this time, the ringer operates the telephone 12 via the relays 13 and 14.
Is supplied to the telephone, the telephone bell rings (step S
2).

In response to the bell, the operator sets the telephone 1
Off-hooking 2 will close the line. Further, the off-hook detection unit 16 detects an off-hook operation by the operator, the off-hook detection output is supplied to the control unit 19, the states of the relays 13 and 14 are held, and telephone communication is started (steps S3 → S4).

At this time, the operator determines whether the incoming call is a telephone call or a facsimile by telephone communication as described above, hears the CNG signal by sound, or determines that the call is received by a facsimile by a conversation with the caller. Performs a switching input operation for receiving a facsimile from the input unit 18.
If there is no switching input operation by the operator, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5 to start the call as an incoming call, and after the call ends, returns to step S1 to continue the manual reception mode.

When a switching input operation for receiving a facsimile is performed in step S4, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S6, the control unit 19 switches the relay 13 to the terminal a1 side, and the telephone line L to the facsimile apparatus. Connect to the unit 11 and start facsimile communication.
When the facsimile communication ends, the process returns to step S1 to continue the manual reception mode.

In this way, when there is an incoming call in the manual reception mode, if there is an off-hook, the communication is returned to the manual reception mode again.

On the other hand, step S3 of this manual reception mode
At, when the telephone 12 does not go off-hook despite the incoming call, the line is not closed. Then, the incoming call detection unit 15 monitors the ringer from the telephone line L (step S7), and when the ringer ends,
The control unit 19 switches the device from the manual reception mode to the automatic reception mode (step S10).

In this automatic reception mode, the relay 13
As described above, the relays 13 and 14 have the relay 13 on the terminal b1 side,
The relay 14 is switched to the terminal b2 side (step S
11). When an incoming call arrives from the telephone line L in this state, the incoming call detection unit 15 detects the incoming call by detecting the ringer and notifies the control unit 19 (step S12).

Then, the control unit 19 controls the incoming call detection unit 1
When receiving the notification from 5, the relay 13 is connected to the terminals b1 to a
It is switched to 1 (step S13). As a result, the facsimile device unit 11 is connected to the telephone line L and starts facsimile communication. When facsimile communication is started, if the sender is a facsimile machine, CNG
Since the signal is transmitted, the facsimile unit 11
Determines whether the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call or a telephone incoming call depending on whether or not the CNG signal is received (step S1).
4).

When the CNG signal is received, the process proceeds from step S14 to step S15 to carry out facsimile communication. After the communication is completed, the process returns to step S11, and the automatic reception mode is initialized. That is, by the control unit 19,
The relay 13 is switched from the terminal a1 to the terminal b1.

In step S14, when the CNG signal is not received within the preset fixed time, the control unit 19 determines that the incoming call is not a facsimile incoming call, drives the calling signal generation unit 17, and instructs the telephone 12 to receive the incoming call. A call signal is generated and the telephone bell is rung (step S16). At this time, there is an operator and the telephone 1
2 is off-hook, the off-hook causes the detection unit 16
Is detected by and is notified to the control unit 19. The control unit 19
Upon receiving this notification, the relay 13 is switched from the terminal a1 to the terminal b1.
Then, the relay 14 switches from the terminal b2 to the terminal a2 (step S18). As a result, telephone communication is started (step S19). After the telephone communication is completed, the process proceeds from step S19 to step S1, and it is assumed that there is an operator because the telephone is off-hook.
The control unit 19 switches the automatic reception mode to the manual reception mode.

However, if the operator is absent and the operator does not go off-hook even if the bell of the telephone 12 is ringed in step S17, the bell continues to ring and the line is disconnected until the caller gives up and disconnects the line. After that, step S
Returning to 11, the initial state of the automatic reception mode is restored.

As described above, the operation when the call is not off-hooked in step S17 is that the caller does not ring the line until the line is disconnected. The line may be disconnected. Also, after ringing the bell a certain number of times,
The line may be connected to the side of the facsimile unit 11 again, and thereafter, if the facsimile communication is not started within a fixed time, the line may be disconnected on the called side.

FIG. 4 and the subsequent FIG. 5 are flowcharts for explaining another embodiment of the composite terminal device according to the present invention.

In this example, the receiving operation in the manual receiving mode and the automatic receiving mode is exactly the same as that in the examples of FIGS. In this example, in the automatic reception mode, step S20 is provided after step S11, and it is determined whether or not there is a call from the telephone 12 or the facsimile device section 11. If it is determined that there is a call, steps S20 to S20
21. After completion of communication by the call, step S
Then, the control unit 19 switches the automatic reception mode to the manual reception mode. This is to switch to the manual reception mode, assuming that the operator is nearby because the transmission operation is an operation involving the operator.

In the flow chart of FIG. 4, the case where a call is originated in the manual reception mode is omitted. However, even if there is a call operation in the manual reception mode, it remains in the manual reception mode after the end of the communication. It is what is done.

In the above-described embodiment, when a facsimile call is received in the manual reception mode and the operator is absent and the telephone is not off-hook, the automatic reception mode is entered. In the conventional device of this type, in the manual reception mode, if there is a facsimile incoming call when there is no operator, the line cannot be switched, so that the facsimile incoming call cannot be accepted no matter how many times thereafter.

However, in this example, since the first facsimile incoming call is in the manual receiving mode, it cannot be accepted when the operator is not present.
When the caller again makes a call, the present device has been switched to the automatic reception mode, so that the incoming call can be accepted.

After an operator's operation such as off-hook or call origination, the apparatus is always switched to the manual reception mode. Therefore, if the next incoming call is a telephone call, the operator can receive the incoming call without switching to the facsimile machine side, and thus the waiting time is not given to the caller.

In the above embodiment, in the manual reception mode as the first reception mode, when not off-hooked, the line is disconnected after waiting for the ringer off, and then the second reception mode, that is, the automatic reception mode is set. However, when a predetermined time elapses without being off-hook in the manual reception mode of the first reception mode, the facsimile machine side is switched to and when the incoming call is a facsimile incoming call, the incoming fax is accepted. The facsimile communication may be performed, and when the incoming call is not a facsimile incoming call (for example, when the CNG signal cannot be detected), the line may be disconnected, and thereafter, the automatic reception mode of the second reception mode may be set.

The first receiving mode need not be the manual receiving mode, as long as it gives priority to the telephone when receiving a call. For example, the receiving mode described in the above-mentioned publication, that is, the fixed time is The telephone is given priority to receive the call, and the response such as the operator goes off-hook
When it is not within this fixed time, the mode in which the facsimile device is automatically connected to the telephone line to start the facsimile communication may be the first reception mode.

Further, in the above description, the case where the data communication terminal connected with the telephone is a facsimile machine has been described as an example.
The present invention is not limited to the case of a facsimile machine, but may be, for example, a modem for data communication.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, the telephone has the priority of the incoming call as the switching control condition for the off-hook of the telephone or the intervention operation of the operator by the call originating from the telephone or the data communication terminal. Since the first reception mode and the second reception mode in which the data communication terminal has the priority of incoming call are automatically switched, the operator's time and effort for setting and switching are reduced, and efficient reception can be performed. effective.

In particular, when the manual reception mode is set as the first reception mode, data is automatically received when the call is received when the operator is absent, such as at night, even when the manual reception mode remains set. Since the communication mode is switched to the second reception mode in which the communication terminal is prioritized, the incoming call to the data communication terminal is accepted after the second time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a composite terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a part of a flow chart for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the composite terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a continuation of the flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the composite terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a part of a flowchart for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the composite terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a continuation of the flowchart for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the composite terminal device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 L telephone line 11 fax machine section 12 telephone set 13 relay 14 relay 15 incoming call detection section 16 off-hook detection section 17 call signal generation section 18 input section 19 control section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A composite terminal device in which the same telephone line is shared by a telephone and a data terminal device, and a first reception for preferentially connecting the telephone line to the telephone side when receiving a call from the telephone line. And a second reception mode in which the telephone line is preferentially connected to the data terminal device when an incoming call is received from the telephone line, and the operator receives the incoming call in the first reception mode. Control means for switching to the second reception mode when there is no intervention by the operator, and for switching to the first reception mode when there is intervention by the operator in the second reception mode. A compound terminal device.