JPS6278652A - Personal computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate a complicated switching operation by attaining an automatic switching action between a facsimile function and a conversation function. CONSTITUTION:A MODEM 20a is connected to a public circuit 21 with a circuit switching command sent from the main body of a personal computer. Then data on MH codes already converted are transmitted to a facsimile equipment at the remote side. When this transmission is over, the circuit 21 is cut off. Then a circuit switching command is sent to a NCU control circuit 20e from the personal computer via a system bus 20c to connect the circuit 21 to a telephone set 30. Thus the set 30 is connected to the circuit 21 to serve as an ordinary telephone.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to personal computers.

[Prior Art] A conventional personal computer uses a facsimile device to quickly transmit data created thereon to a remote location.

That is, first, the above-mentioned data is printed once using a printer or the like, and the printed paper is set in a facsimile machine and transmitted to the other party's facsimile machine.

In this case, in addition to the personal computer, a facsimile machine is required, so there is a problem in that a considerable amount of cost is required to install the facsimile machine. Another problem is that the received data cannot be stored as is in a storage device such as a floppy disk.

In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to connect a board equipped with a modem and an NCU to the main body of the personal computer. Further, in this case, it is conceivable to install an external changeover switch on the board as a means for switching the public line to the modem or telephone.

An example of installing an external changeover switch on the board as shown above is
This is shown in FIG.

In other words, the modem and NCU board 20A include the modem 20a.
, an NCU 20b, a system bus 20c, and a changeover switch 20d. Modem 20a and NC
U20b enables communication with a facsimile machine. The NCU 20b is connected to the public line 21 via a rosette 23, and is also connected to a plug-in terminal 22 that can be connected to a plug-in port of the telephone 30. The changeover switch 20d connects the public line 21 to the modem 20a.
The user can select either the side or the telephone 30 side.

In this case, when the modem 20a is selected with the changeover switch 20d, it is possible to communicate with the other party's facsimile machine, and when the telephone set 30 is selected with the changeover switch 20d, it can be used as a normal telephone and it is possible to have a conversation with the other party. be able to.

However, in the case of the example shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to manually switch between the facsimile function and the conversation function, so there is a problem that the switching operation is complicated.

[Objective of the Invention] The present invention has been made with attention to the above background, and provides a method for directly transmitting and receiving data created on a personal computer to a facsimile machine of the other party, as well as for switching between a facsimile function and a conversation function. The purpose of this invention is to provide a personal computer that can automatically perform the following steps.

[Embodiment of the invention] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the above embodiment.

Incidentally, the same members as those shown in the example of FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

The CRTI is one of the display devices, and the external storage device 3 stores data entered using the keyboard 2 or the like.

The printer 4 prints predetermined data under the control of a CPU (not shown), and the image scanner 5
It is one of the data input means and is used to input image information.

The personal computer main body 10 has a CPU, a main memory, etc., a modem, and a connector for connecting to the NCU board 20.

The modem/NCU board 20 is the modem/NCU board 20 shown in FIG.
An NCU control circuit 20e is added to the CU board 20A.

The NCU control circuit 20e controls the connection of the public line 21 to the modem 20a or telephone 30 in response to a line switching command sent from the personal computer main body 10.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

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

First, from the personal computer main body 10 to the NCU control circuit 20e via the system bus 20c,
Assume that a line switching command is sent to connect the public line 21 to the modem 20a. This allows modem 20
A is connected to the public line 21, and preparations are made to communicate with the other party's facsimile machine.

On the other hand, a document or the like is created using a personal computer, this document data or the like is stored in the external storage device 3, and the document data or the like is read from the external storage device 3 into the main memory 12 (Sl). Then, the data is converted to MH Cony, which is one of the facsimile transmission data methods (S2
). Next, the modem as an option card, NCU20
By controlling
).

Then, it waits for a response signal from the other party's facsimile machine, and if the response signal does not arrive within the time (S4), it controls the modem 20a and NCU 20b, sends a disconnection signal to the public line 21, and disconnects the line. Cut it (S8).

In S4, if a response signal is received, the line is connected and a connection is made to the other party's facsimile according to the CCITT T-30 facsimile communication protocol (S5).

If the other party's facsimile machine is not connected (3)
6), disconnect the line; 58)L, if connected to the other party's facsimile machine, start communication.

That is, the MH Cony data, which has already been converted, is transmitted to the other party's facsimile machine (S7).

Once this transmission is complete, disconnect the public line 21 (S8)
, the sending operation ends.

As described above, data created on a personal computer is directly sent to the other party's facsimile machine without being printed, so the data can be sent clearly.

On the other hand, from the personal computer main body lO to the NCU control circuit 20e via the system bus 20c,
A line switching command is sent to connect the public line 21 to the telephone set 30a. As a result, the telephone 30 is connected to the public line 21, and the telephone 30 can be used as a normal telephone for conversation.

As mentioned above, the modem 2 is connected to the public line 21.
Since the personal computer main body 10 performs the switching operation between the terminal 0a and the telephone 30, the switching operation described above becomes easy.

In the above embodiment, data stored in the external storage device 3 is transmitted to the other party's facsimile machine, but in addition to this, data read by the image scanner 5 can be sent from other means. data may be sent to the other party's facsimile machine.

In addition to sending to the other party's facsimile machine,
Data may be received from the other party's facsimile machine under the control of the modem 20a and NCU 20b. Therefore, data sent from the other party's facsimile device can be managed immediately in the external storage device 3. In this case, after the received data is stored in the external storage device 3, the data may be printed by the printer 4.

Furthermore, instead of the above-mentioned MH Cony, other codes such as MR Cony may be used to convert the data.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to directly send and receive data created on a personal computer to the other party's facsimile machine, and it is also possible to automatically switch between the facsimile function and the conversation function. have an effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of manually switching between the facsimile function and the conversation function. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Personal computer body, 20... Modem, NCU board, 20a... Modem, 20b... NCU. 20d... Changeover switch, 20e... NCU control circuit, 21... Public line, 22... Plug-in terminal, 30... Telephone. Patent applicant: Canon Co., Ltd. Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A board equipped with a modem and an NCU that can communicate with a facsimile machine, and an NCU control circuit that switches a public line to the modem or telephone, characterized by having the modem and the NCU board that are detachable from the main body of the personal computer. Personal computer.