JPS6345945A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To send a dial signal suitable to a line automatically by providing plural dial signal generating means generating respectively a dial signal with different signal form and a means detecting the signal system of the telephone line in a communication equipment connected to the telephone line. CONSTITUTION:A dial tone detection circuit 5 is connected to a line capture circuit 2 to select a dial pulse generating circuit 3 or a tone signal generating circuit 4 automatically. The detection circuit 5 detects a dial tone signal on a line 1 and the result of detection is inputted to a control circuit 6. The control circuit 6 selects either the circuit 3 or 4 in response to the detection result of the circuit 5 to activate it and uses it for calling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a communication device, and particularly to a communication device that is connected to a telephone line and performs communication using a predetermined method.

[Prior Art] Various communication devices, such as telephones, facsimile machines, and data communication devices, that are connected to telephone lines and transmit and receive data in voice, images, and other formats have been known.

This type of device controls a line connection with a communication partner station by a telephone calling procedure, that is, by sending a dial signal.

On the other hand, at present, in communication via telephone lines, there are two methods: setting a tonal signal with a different frequency for each digit of the telephone number and transmitting this to the line to make a call; A method is known in which a call is made using a dial pulse that transmits a set pulse. Generally, the former method is used for butshuphones, and the latter method is used for dial-type telephones.

Currently, lines using the above two dial signals are classified into dial tone lines and dial pulse lines. Conventionally, in order to accommodate the types of lines mentioned above, methods have been used in which the specifications of the device are changed or the dial signal generation circuit is changed using a switch or the like.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, in the past, in order to connect a device with a different dial signal generation circuit specification to a line, it was necessary to modify the device or remember to change a switch. . Therefore, when a user connects a device to a line with a different dialing signal system due to reasons such as relocation, it is often necessary to call a service person and request modification or change of switch settings. A switch type device can be operated by a user, but if the settings are incorrect, it may not function properly.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, dial signals having different signal formats are generated in a communication device that is connected to a telephone line and performs a communication operation of a predetermined method. a plurality of dialing signal generating means for detecting a dialing signal, and a means for detecting a dialing signal system of a telephone line to which the device is connected;
A configuration is adopted in which the dial signal generating means is selected and used based on the detection output of the detecting means.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, it is possible for the device to automatically determine the type of line related to the dial signal method and set an appropriate dial signal mode.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the example shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a communication device such as a telephone or a facsimile machine employing the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a telephone line, to which a line capture circuit 2 is connected. A dial pulse generating circuit 3 and a tone signal generating circuit 4 are connected to the line acquisition circuit 2 so that calls can be made on either the dial pulse line or the tonal signal line.

Dial pulse generation circuit 3 and tone signal generation circuit 4
Either one is selectively activated by a control circuit 6 composed of elements such as a microprocessor and a memory, and is used during automatic dialing processing. In order to automatically select the dial pulse generating circuit 3 or the tone signal generating circuit 4, a dial tone detecting circuit 5 is connected to the line acquisition circuit 2 in this embodiment. The dial tone detection circuit 5 detects a dial tone signal (dialing tone) on the line 1, and the detection result is input to the control circuit 6. The control circuit 6 selects and activates either the dial pulse generating circuit 3 or the tone signal generating circuit 4 in accordance with the detection result of the dial tone detecting circuit 5, and uses it when making a call.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure when the control circuit 6 of FIG. 1 makes a call. The illustrated procedure is the control circuit 6
ROM (not shown) in the control circuit 6 as a control program for
are stored in memory elements such as

When the user takes off-hook the handset of the device and inputs a telephone number from an input means such as a pushbutton dial (not shown), the control circuit 6 starts the process shown in FIG. 2.

The control circuit 6 first captures the line using the line capture circuit 2 in step Sl. Subsequently, in step S2, the output of the dial tone detection circuit 5 is checked to determine whether the dial tone detection circuit 5 is detecting a dial tone signal.

If the dial tone of the line is detected, the process moves to step S3, where the tone signal generation circuit 4 is activated and a tone signal corresponding to the first digit of the telephone number input by the user is transmitted.

Next, in step S4, a timer (configured by software or hardware) is used for several seconds to wait for a response from the exchange.

Next, in step S5, it is determined whether the dial tone on line 1 has disappeared. If the dial tone disappears, the process moves to step S6, and if it does not, the process moves to step S7.

When the dial tone disappears, it is known that line 1 is a dial tone line because the exchange responded to a dial signal using a tonal signal.

Further, if the dial tone does not disappear, the exchange is not responding, so it can be seen that line l is a dial pulse line.

Therefore, in step S6, the control circuit 6 activates the tone signal generation circuit 4, and transmits the tonal signal corresponding to the second digit and subsequent digits of the telephone number input by the user to the line acquisition circuit 4.
Let it be sent via.

On the other hand, in step S7, the control circuit 6 activates the dial pulse generation circuit 3 and causes the dial pulse signal corresponding to the second and subsequent digits of the telephone number input by the user to be transmitted via the line acquisition circuit 2.

Through the processing described above, each time the user dials, the dial pulse generation circuit 3 and the tone signal generation circuit 4 are automatically switched and used based on the detection of dial tone on the line. Even if the system is connected to a line with a dialing signal system different from the previous one, there is no need for modification or switching.

Therefore, the user does not need to request modification or installation processing, and can easily complete the installation work of the device without being aware of the difference in line.

In the above embodiment, the line is determined each time the user dials, but once the determination process is performed, it is stored in a memory, etc., and the user then dials automatically in the mode set in the memory. A configuration that performs processing is also conceivable.

[Effects] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in a communication device that is connected to a telephone line and performs a communication operation of a predetermined method, a plurality of dial signal generating means each generating dial signals of different signal formats is provided. The device is provided with a means for detecting the dialing signal method of the telephone line to which the device is connected, and the dialing signal generating means is selected and used based on the detection output of this detecting means, so that the dialing signal generating means is automatically selected and used. It is possible to provide an excellent communication device that can determine the line type regarding the dial signal method and transmit a dial signal suitable for the line.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication device employing the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control circuit of FIG. 1. 1...Line 2...Line capture circuit 3...
Dial pulse generation circuit 4...Tone signal generation circuit 5...Dial tone detection circuit 6...Control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a communication device that is connected to a telephone line and performs communication operations using a predetermined method, a plurality of dial signal generating means each generating dial signals of different signal formats, and means for detecting the dial signal method of the telephone line to which the device is connected. A communication device characterized in that the dial signal generating means is selected and used based on the detection output of the detecting means.