JPH08125769A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a facsimile equipment enabling the security of the voice message in a reception station. CONSTITUTION: In a reception station, whether the reproduction output means of a voice message is designated by a transmission station or not is judged by a decision part 101. When the designation is performed, which of a handset 1b and an incorporated speaker 7b is designated or not is further judged. At this stage, when the reproduction output by the handset 1b is instructed, a message that the reproduction of the handset is designated and take the handset is outputted from the incorporated speaker 7b and the handset 1b is selected as the reproduction output means of voice information by a selection part 102.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine capable of transmitting and receiving not only image information but also voice information as well as image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile machine, voice information is used only for voice guidance to an operator and voice notification when an incoming call arrives. That is, there is a problem that the information transmitted and received between the transmitting and receiving stations is only the image information, the voice information is not transmitted and received, and the transmission information is limited.

In order to solve such a problem, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-2253, a means for inputting / outputting image information, a means for inputting / outputting voice information, and image information and voice information are respectively imaged. There has been proposed a facsimile apparatus which is provided with a means for storing a file and an audio file and a means for transmitting and receiving an image file and an audio file so as to be able to provide a composite service in which audio information and image information are combined.

[0004]

Regarding the operation of a receiving station that receives voice information, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-40553 describes that a voice message is reproduced and output by a speaker built in a facsimile apparatus. ing. However, if the voice message is reproduced and output by the built-in speaker, a voice message may be heard by a third party around the facsimile apparatus. In particular, in the case of a message received together with a confidential document such as a confidential document, confidential handling is often required like image information, and it is necessary to prevent it from being heard by a third party. desirable.

As described above, the above-mentioned conventional technique has a problem that it is difficult for the receiving station to keep the voice message confidential, and the transmitting station cannot transmit the voice message whose confidentiality is required.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of maintaining confidentiality of voice messages at a receiving station.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that a facsimile machine for transmitting and receiving image information and voice information has the following means. (1) The transmitting station includes means for inputting voice information, means for instructing the partner station to reproduce and output voice information by the handset, and means for transmitting image information and voice information. (2) The receiving station is provided with means for determining a reproduction / output means of voice information instructed by the transmitting station, and means for selectively reproducing / outputting the received voice information with the handset based on the determination result. . (3) The receiving station includes means for determining whether the communication is confidential communication, and means for selectively reproducing and outputting the received voice information with the handset based on the determination result.

[0008]

According to the above configuration (1), the transmitting station can instruct the receiving station to reproduce and output the voice information by the handset. Therefore, when transmitting the voice information requiring confidentiality, By instructing reproduction output by the handset in advance, the confidentiality of the voice message at the receiving station can be maintained.

According to the above configuration (2), when the receiving station is instructed to reproduce and output the voice information by the handset,
Since the received voice information is selectively reproduced and output by the handset, the confidentiality of the voice message can be maintained.

According to the above configuration (3), the receiving station
When the voice information about the confidential document is received, the voice information is selectively reproduced and output by the handset, so that the confidentiality of the voice message about the confidential document can be maintained.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The facsimile apparatus of the present invention has all the configurations of the conventional facsimile apparatus, but here, the configuration unnecessary for the description of the present invention is omitted.

The control unit 14 performs control processing of the entire facsimile apparatus and facsimile transmission control procedure processing according to the program registered in the ROM 15. Line control unit 1
An interface circuit 3 connects an analog network such as a public telephone line to the facsimile machine. The image input unit 4 is, for example, a CCD that reads image image data.
A scanner that converts image information into electrical signals. The encoding unit 3 encodes the image information and stores it in the storage unit 12. The decoding unit 11 reads out and decodes the image information stored in the storage unit 12. The image output unit 10 is, for example, a printer device, and prints out the image information decoded by the decoding unit 11 on a recording sheet.

The operation unit 6 is an input device such as a keyboard or a touch panel, and receives various instructions from the operator and transfers them to the control unit 14. The display unit 5 is a display device such as an LED or LCD, and displays various messages, alarms, operating states, and the like. The modulation / demodulation unit 2 uses a low-speed modem (V
21) and a high-speed modem (V27ter) for sending and receiving image information
, V29, V33, V17, etc.) and performs modulation / demodulation of image information and audio information.

The voice reproduction unit 8 reads the voice information stored in the storage unit 12, converts it into an analog electric signal, and selectively sends it to either the handset 1 or the built-in speaker 7. The built-in speaker 7 audibly converts the analog signal output from the audio reproducing unit 8 and outputs the analog signal. The handset 1 has a transmission / reception function, transfers the voice of the operator to the voice compression unit 9, and audibly outputs the analog signal output from the voice reproduction unit 8. Voice compression unit 9
Converts an analog signal related to voice information input from the handset 1 into a digital signal and stores the digital signal in the storage unit 12.

In the following description, the subscript "a" is attached to the code representing each component of the transmitting station, and the subscript "b" is attached to the code representing each component of the receiving station. The configurations shall be distinguished.

In such a configuration, when the operator of the transmitting station sets the transmission original, the transmission original is read by the image input section 4a, encoded by the encoding section 3 and stored in the storage section 12a. Subsequently, when the operator inputs a voice message from the handset 1a, the voice information is data-compressed by the voice compression unit 9 and is stored in the storage unit 12a in association with the image information.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a message displayed on the display unit 5a when voice information is input from the handset 1a of the transmitting station. When the input of image information is completed, the remaining time is displayed together with a message requesting voice registration, as shown in FIG. When voice registration is started, the remaining time is displayed along with a message indicating that voice registration is in progress, as shown in FIG. When the voice registration is completed when the remaining time is exhausted, a message indicating that the voice registration is completed is displayed as shown in FIG. Then, the registered message is played back and output,
When the operator finishes confirming the reproduction content, a message indicating that the voice confirmation is completed is displayed as shown in FIG.

When the registration of image information and audio information is completed as described above, the operator
The reproduction output of the voice information by the handset 1b is specified by operating the operation unit 6a, and the facsimile number of the receiving station is input to call the receiving station. When both lines are connected, the communication protocol is started as follows.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a protocol communication sequence in the present embodiment. When the transmitting station makes a call to the receiving station and the line is connected as described above, an NSF (non-standard function) signal is transmitted from the receiving station. This NSF signal includes whether or not the own station (reception station) has a voice information processing capability, and the handset 1
Information on whether or not the voice message can be reproduced and output by b is registered as a parameter.

At the transmitting station which has received the NSF signal sent from the receiving station, when it is confirmed that the receiving station has the voice information processing capability and the voice message reproduction output by the handset 1b, first, the image information of the image information is transmitted. The transfer request is registered in the NSS (non-standard function setting) signal and sent to the receiving station. Further, the transmitting station sends a phase signal to the receiving station to perform a modem training check (TCF), and the receiving station returns a CFR (reception preparation confirmation) signal when the training check is completed.

At the transmitting station which has received the CFR (reception preparation confirmation) signal, the image information is read from the storage section 12a and transmitted to the receiving station via the modulation / demodulation section 2a and the line control section 13a. At the receiving station, the image information is transmitted to the line controller 13
The data is stored in the storage unit 12b via b and the modulation / demodulation unit 2b. When the transfer of the image information is completed, the transmitting station outputs PPS (Partial Page Signal). This PPS is
This is a unique command indicating the boundary between mutually related image information and audio information, and each file (image information and audio information) before and after PPS is treated as a file of the same page at the receiving station.

When an MCF (message confirmation) signal is returned from the receiving station in response to the PPS, the transmitting station, in turn, requests the transfer of voice information and the handset 1 for voice information.
The reproduction output instruction by b is registered in the NSS (non-standard function setting) signal and sent to the receiving station. Further, when the transmitting station sends a TCF signal to the receiving station and a CFR (reception preparation confirmation) signal is returned from the receiving station, the transmitting station stores in the storage unit 12a.
The voice information is read from and is transferred to the receiving station. At the receiving station, the received voice information is stored in the storage means 12b. When the transfer of voice information is completed, EOP is sent from the transmitting station.
(End of procedure) When a signal is sent out and the receiving station sends back an MCF signal in response to this, this time the transmitting station sends DCN.
A (line disconnection command) signal is sent and the protocol ends. When the transfer of the image information and the audio information is completed as described above, a message indicating that the transmission is completed is displayed on the display unit 5 of the transmitting station as shown in FIG. 3 (e). .

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of this embodiment, and the same reference numerals as those used above represent the same or equivalent portions. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the receiving station that has received the image information and the audio information.

In step S10, the determination unit 101 determines whether or not the reproduction output means of the voice message is designated in the transmitting station. If the designation is made, in step S11, the handset 1b and the built-in speaker 7b are further added. It is determined which of the two is specified.
In the present embodiment, since the reproduction output by the handset 1b is instructed as described above, in the subsequent step S12, a message indicating that the handset 1b is designated as the reproduction output means of the voice message is, for example, It is specified. "Please take your handset" message
The handset 1b is selected by the selection unit 102 as the reproduction output unit of the audio information.

In step S13, when it is confirmed that the operator of the receiving station has picked up the handset 1b,
In step S14, the voice information is read from the storage unit 12b and reproduced and output in the handset 1b. If it is determined in step S11 that the reproduction output by the handset 1b is not instructed, the voice information is read from the storage unit 12b and reproduced and output in the built-in speaker 7b in step S15.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that the instruction of the voice message reproducing / outputting means is not issued by the transmitting station, the voice message reproducing / outputting means of the voice message is displayed on the display section 5b of the receiving station in step S16. For example, "Please specify the playback device." Message is displayed. Here, when the operator of the receiving station specifies either the handset 1b or the built-in speaker 7b, step S17
Then, it is determined whether or not the handset 1b is designated. When the handset 1b is designated, the process proceeds to step S14, and when the built-in speaker 7b is designated, the process proceeds to step S15.

According to this embodiment, when the transmitting station instructs the receiving station to reproduce and output the voice message by the handset 1b, the receiving station reproduces the received voice message by the handset 1b. Therefore,
When transferring voice information that should not be heard by a third party, the operator of the transmitting station can instruct the receiving station to reproduce and output by the handset, so that the voice information can be kept confidential. .

In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the reproduction output by the handset 1b is selected in the receiving station only when the transmission station preliminarily specifies the reproduction output of the voice message by the handset 1b to the receiving station. As described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the transmitting station instructs confidential transmission, the receiving station may detect this and the reproduction output by the handset 1b may be automatically selected.

In this way, the transmitting station can transfer the highly confidential voice information to the receiving station without any third party's hearing, without any special operation.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved. (1) According to claim 1, the transmitting station can instruct the receiving station to reproduce and output the voice information by the handset. Therefore, when transmitting the voice information requiring confidentiality, If the transmitting station instructs the receiving station to reproduce and output by the handset, the confidentiality of the voice message can be maintained at the receiving station. (2) According to claim 2, when the receiving station is instructed to reproduce and output the voice information by the handset, the received voice information is selectively reproduced and output by the handset, so that the confidentiality of the voice message can be maintained. Become. (3) According to claim 3, when the receiving station receives the voice information on the confidential document, the voice information is selectively reproduced and output by the handset, so that the confidentiality of the voice message on the confidential document can be maintained. Become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a message at the time of voice information registration.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a communication sequence of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Handset, 2 ... Modulator / demodulator, 3 ... Encoder, 4 ...
Image input unit, 5 ... Display unit, 6 ... Operation unit, 7 ... Built-in speaker, 8 ... Audio reproduction unit, 9 ... Audio compression unit, 10 ... Image output unit, 11 ... Decoding unit, 12 ... Storage unit, 13 ... Line control unit, 14 ... Control unit, 15 ... ROM

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mikio Akabira 3-7-1 Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for inputting image information, a means for inputting voice information, a means for instructing a partner station to reproduce and output voice information by a handset, and a means for transmitting image information and voice information. A facsimile machine characterized by being provided. 2. A means for receiving image information and audio information, a means for outputting the received image information, a means for determining a reproduction output means instructed by the transmitting station regarding the audio information, and based on the determination result. A facsimile apparatus comprising means for selectively reproducing and outputting the received voice information with a handset. 3. A means for receiving image information and audio information, a means for determining whether or not confidential communication is performed, a means for outputting the received image information, and a handset for receiving the received audio information based on the determination result. And a means for selectively reproducing and outputting the data.