JPS58166866A - Facsimile device having voice response function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate an error arising in an automatic reception mode or a polling transmission mode and to increase the range of application for a facsimile device, by using a built-in voice synthesizer to perform an aural guidance for the operating procedure to an own device as well as an automatic voice response to an operator of the remote side. CONSTITUTION:A circuit controller NCU2 is connected to a connection terminal 1 between a facsimile device and a telephone circuit to control the connection of the facsimile device. Then an automatic incoming detecting circuit 3 which detects an up-going automatic response to a call signal and an MODEM14 which gives modulation and demodulation to transmitted or received various types of signals are connected to the NCU2. Furthermore a control circuit 7 is added to the facsimile device to produce a transmission control signal as well as to fetch a reception control signal to control each part. Then a voice synthesizing circuit 10, a switch circuit 11, a detecting circuit 3, etc. are connected to the circuit 7. Then a voice data memory 9 is connected to the circuit 10 to ensure a voice guidance for the own control procedure through a speaker 13 as well as a voice automatic response through an operator of the remote side. Thus an error is eliminated for the control procedure of the facsimile device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile machine having a voice response function.

Many of the recent facsimile machines that use telephone lines are equipped with an automatic reception function, but considering the point of confirmation on the other party's side (sender side), even in automatic reception mode, it is necessary to It is desirable to start receiving operations after responding. For this reason, it is conceivable to incorporate a tape player into the facsimile machine to perform this operation, but this method inevitably increases the size and cost of the facsimile machine.

By the way, in recent years, voice synthesis devices using semiconductor memory and the like have been developed, and the use of this device to provide voice guidance such as operating procedures has come to be adopted in various devices.
Facsimile machines are no exception.

Therefore, the present invention proposes a facsimile machine that incorporates such a voice synthesizer so that it can not only provide voice guidance for its own device but also respond by voice to an operator at the other end.

The drawings schematically show the main parts of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, in which (1) is a connection terminal with a telephone line, and (2) is an Ncu (NCU) that controls the connection of the facsimile apparatus to this terminal.
line control device), (3) is this Ncu [an automatic incoming call detection circuit that detects whether or not it is automatic answer time based on the incoming calling signal (ring tone signal) K from the calling side; (4) is the above Mou (2) ), 151 f6) is a control signal memory that temporarily stores the received control signal and the transmitted control signal, and (7) is the modem circuit that modulates and demodulates various control signals sent or received through the This is a control circuit made up of a microprocessor, etc., which creates a control signal, takes in a received control signal, and controls various operations to be described later.

Further, (8) is a latch circuit that latches the start address of the audio data memory, which will be described later, derived from the control circuit (7), and (9) is a latch circuit that latches the start address of the audio data memory, which will be described later, derived from the control circuit (7). The voice data memory αe is a voice data memory in which data corresponding to a voice for responding to an operator at the other end is stored in advance by, for example, MU-D conversion. The voice forming circuit, Uυ, is a circuit that selectively cuts off the audio signal to the above-mentioned automatic voice drive circuit (to) K, and U is a gate speaker.

The facsimile apparatus of the present invention is generally constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained below based on the reception mode.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings, the automatic incoming call detection circuit (3) is in an inactive state in the standby state of the manual reception mode in which the automatic reception setting switch is not turned on. Therefore, when a call is received from the sending side in this state, the operator picks up the handset of the telephone, discusses facsimile communication with the operator on the other side (sending side), and then turns on the reception switch. As a result, the receiving operation is started under the control of the control circuit (7). that time,
For example, when the recording paper detection sensor detects that there is no recording paper, the control circuit (7) causes the latch circuit (8) to latch the start address corresponding to the sensor output. At the same time, the control circuit (7) croaking voice synthesis circuit a [
Derive a start pulse towards.

The a voice synthesis circuit +1 (I receives the start pulse,
Data in a predetermined area of the memory (9) specified by the previous start address is read out and converted into an audio signal. At this time, since the automatic incoming call detection circuit (3) is in an inactive state as described above, the switching circuit αυ leads the audio signal from the audio synthesis circuit 01 to the audio driving circuit +1111C. Therefore, in this case, memory (9
) For example, if data corresponding to a loud voice saying "There is no paper available" is stored in advance, this voice will be generated from speaker I. At this time, when the control circuit (7) receives the output of the previous recording paper sensor, it performs pressure control so as not to start the receiving operation until the recording paper is loaded by the operator.

On the other hand, when the normal reception operation is performed and the reception of one recorded image is completed, the control circuit (7) latches the corresponding start address in the latch circuit (8)K, and also causes the voice synthesis circuit 01 to latch the corresponding start address. Give a processing start pulse
Therefore, in this case, the speaker αS generates a voice saying, for example, 1 reception has been completed 1. Furthermore, if control signals are not sent and received correctly after the reception operation has started, the speaker (from 1s to 1s communication is not possible. be.

Next, in the case of automatic reception mode, the automatic reception detection circuit (
3) is switched to the active state. In this state, when a call is received from the sending side and a ringing signal arrives at the detection circuit (3) through the Nau i21, this detection circuit detects the ringing signal and automatically hooks up the telephone. Then, the telephone line is switched to the facsimile machine side pressure, and a K instruction is given to the control circuit (7). Then, the control circuit (7) causes the latch circuit (8)K to latch the start address corresponding to this case, and provides a start pulse to the speech synthesis circuit CIGK. In this case, assume that the area in the memory (9) corresponding to the above start address stores voice data such as 1, ``This is a facsimile from the Sanyo Electric Patent Center.'' The audio signal is transferred to the upper travel voice synthesis circuit.
K is derived from l.

On the other hand, in this state, the switching circuit α°C is switched so that the output of the IG is guided to the N c u f2 side for a predetermined period of time by the ringing signal detection output of the automatic incoming call detection circuit (3). There is. Therefore, the above-mentioned speech signal derived from the above-mentioned speech synthesis circuit α.
2) and is sent directly to the sending side, and is listened to by the operator via the sending side's telephone.

When the exit of the audio signal to the transmitting side is completed in this way, the control circuit (7) controls the modem circuit (
41 and No. 41 and No. 41 (2), control signals are exchanged, and facsimile reception operation begins.

In this state, the switching circuit Ql is switched to the voice synthesis circuit 0.
The state has been restored to the state in which the output signal of I is guided to the a-voice drive circuit I. Therefore, from now on, the reception operation and accompanying voice guidance are performed in exactly the same way as in the manual reception mode.

In the above, we have explained the case where reception is performed by a call from the sending side, but in the case of a polling operation in which the sending of a document set in advance on the sending side is automatically performed by a calling from the receiving side. Even if the voice synthesis circuit fl
Of course, it is possible to realize the above-mentioned automatic response by the GK.

Also, although I did not explain in detail the signal type of the data to be stored in the voice data memory (9)K and the details of the voice synthesis circuit (11), these are already well known as voice synthesis systems, and there are also dedicated ICs. Since it is already commercially available, it is obvious that it can be easily realized.

Since the facsimile device of the present invention is configured as described above, the built-in voice synthesis device not only provides voice guidance such as operating procedures for the own device, but also automatically responds by voice to the operator at the other end. I can do it,
Therefore, there are advantages in that it is possible to eliminate communication errors during automatic reception or polling transmission, and it is also possible to take measures against calls from regular telephone subscribers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of main parts of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. +21: NOu, +31: Automatic call detection circuit, (4
): Sodem, f5H6): Control signal memory, (7)
: control circuit, (8): latch circuit, (9): voice data memory lJ, (1 (1: voice synthesis circuit, αυ: switching circuit, αυ: voice drive circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A facsimile device that uses a telephone line,
a memory means in which data for various voice guidance including responses to the calling party is stored in advance; a voice synthesis means for converting the data read from the memory means into a voice signal; means for detecting the time of response to the calling side; means for obtaining the output of the means and controlling the output of the response data from the memory means; and the voice synthesis means responding to the output of the detection means. A facsimile machine having a voice response function, comprising means for switching to send a voice signal to a telephone line.