JPS6394778A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the management of a talking charge even if power interruption takes place during the transmission by providing a monetary amount recognizing means recognizing the monetary amount of a deposition transaction medium and storing means storing the monetary amount recognized through battery support. CONSTITUTION:The monetary amount recognized by a monetary amount recognition means 3 is stored by a storage means 4 subject to battery support. That is, In loading the transaction medium C prior to the transmission, the monetary recognition means 3 recognizes the monetary amount and stored in the storage means 4. Since the storage means 4 is subject to battery support, even if power interruption takes place during the transmission, the monetary amount stored in the storage means 4 is not lost. Thus, the residual amount is recorded on the transaction medium C, e.g., the card after the restoration of power to collect the communication charge accurately.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A FAX device for use by a large number of unspecified users when a communication service by facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) is used by an unspecified number of users, and an amount recognition means for recognizing the amount of input transaction media; By providing a battery-supported storage means for storing the recognized amount, communication charges can be managed even if the power is cut off during transmission.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to fee management for providing communication services by a FAX device, and particularly relates to a FAX device that can manage communication fees even if power is cut off during transmission.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, FAX communication has become popular in which a document, figure, etc. is transmitted to a remote location using a communication line.

Recently, we have been offering a fee-based fax communication service to send manuscripts to unspecified persons.

Alternatively, a method of making copies and collecting usage fees has been considered, and in this case, methods have also been attempted in which the fees are charged using a prepaid card or the like prior to communication.

When communicating after charging such a fee, the amount of the fee is checked and memorized, but there is a need for a method that allows communication fees to be managed even if the power is cut off during transmission.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, there has been no method of providing communication services by fax after paying a fee in advance, but there are already practices in which prepaid cards (hereinafter referred to as cards) are used to sell tickets over the phone or for rides. Attempts are being made to apply it to FAX.

The card has, for example, a magnetic recording area, on which the amount paid in advance is magnetically recorded.

In this case, the fee collection method is as follows: First, the card is inserted and the amount is read, and then the original is sent or copied. The communication fee is deducted from the amount read from the card at each transmission time, and when the transmission is completed, the remaining amount is updated and recorded on the card.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above method, if a power failure occurs during transmission, the amount of money read from the card and the count value of communication time will disappear, so there is a problem that usage charges cannot be collected accurately.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the principle of the present invention.

In the figure, C is a transaction medium, 3 is an amount recognition means for recognizing the amount of transaction medium C input prior to communication, and 4 is a battery-supported storage means for storing the amount recognized by the amount recognition means 3. be.

Therefore, the amount recognized by the amount recognizing means 3 is stored in the storage means 4 supported by a battery.

[Effect]

When the transaction medium C is inserted prior to transmission, the amount recognition section 3 recognizes the amount and stores it in the storage means 4. Storage means 4
Since it is battery supported, the amount stored in the storage means 4 will not disappear even if the power is cut off during transmission. Therefore, communication charges can be accurately collected by updating and recording the remaining amount on the transaction medium C1, for example, a card after the power is restored.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

Further, in FIG. 2, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are surrounded by a dashed line.

FIG. 2 (al shows a FAX machine 1a+ as a calling side device which is placed everywhere for use by an unspecified number of people, and a FAX machine 2a as a called side device connected by a line through a telephone network. .

In the following, the FAX machine 1a will be explained as a calling side device, and the FAX machine M2a will be explained as a called side device.

In the FAX machine 1a of FIG. 2(b), the card read/write unit 3a has the function of reading the amount MI recorded on the card Ca inserted from the card insertion slot (not shown) and writing the remaining amount after communication. .

Card Ca is a prepaid card, and has, for example, a magnetic recording area, in which an amount M is recorded, and communication can be performed with the amount M as the limit, and the amount is reduced and updated according to use. Ru.

The remaining amount memory 4a stores the amount M read from the card Ca.
. This is a battery-supported memory that stores the remaining amount M2, which is read out every time the read data of one document is transmitted, and updates and stores the remaining amount M2 sent from the calculation unit 7.

The area setting section 51 has a low reswitch 52 . and a called side area table 53, and when a call is made, the rotary switch 52 determines the installation area of the own device, and the called side's FAX
It has a function of selecting and setting the area of the device 2a from the called side area table 53. That is, the communicable area is divided into a plurality of areas, and both areas where FAX machines for communication are installed are set.

The unit charge table control unit 54 has a function of reading the communication charge U per unit time t0 with the area from the unit charge table 55 based on the own area and the called side area set by the area setting unit 51. .

The unit charge table 55 shows the unit time t between areas. This is a memory that stores the per-unit communication charges U as a table as shown in the table below.

That is, the own device area and the called side area are arranged vertically/horizontally, and the communication charge U per unit time t0 is stored at the intersection. For example, if the own device area is 3 and the called side area is 5, the communication charge per unit time t0 is U=cs.

The time counter 6 is a counter that transmits the counted transmission time T every time one document is transmitted.

The calculation unit 7 calculates the communication time T sent from the time counter 6 each time data for one document is transmitted.

and the communication charge m based on the communication charge U per unit time t0, that is, m=UxT/l.

is calculated, and the communication charge m is subtracted from the amount stored in the remaining amount memo 'J4a to obtain the remaining amount M2. That is, M2=M
, -m.

The main control unit 8 controls each unit to perform transmission and reception, and also transfers the amount M from the card Ca to the remaining amount memory 4a. , and the remaining amount M2, notification of the number of sheets that can be sent in advance at the time of communication 1 communication start, grasping the end time 1 communication time count, communication fee settlement, etc.

Further, 9 is a reading unit for reading the transmitted original, 10 is a recording unit for recording received data or a copy of data read from the original, and 11 is an input for inputting the calling code of the called party, transmission/reception instructions, original size, etc. 12 is a transmission control unit, 13 is a modem, and 14 is a network control unit (NCU).

Since it has such a configuration and function, the operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 3. ■ First, the card Ca
When inserted from the card insertion slot, the card read/write part 3
At step a, the recorded amount is read and displayed on the LCD of the operation display section 11, and is also sent to the remaining amount memory 4a and stored therein.

(2) A call code is input from the operation display section 11, and the area setting section 51 sets the area of the own device and the area of the called side, and sends it to the unit charge table control section 54.

■The unit charge table control section 54 has a unit charge table 55.
The communication fee U per unit communication time t0 between the areas is
is read out and notified to the calculation unit 7. Then the called party's fax
Device 2a is called.

- When the send button is pressed, the original is read, data transmission is started, and the time counter 6 is activated.

■Every time the transmission of one page is completed, the count value of the time counter 6, that is, the transmission time T, is transmitted to the calculation unit 7, and the main control unit 8 reads the amount M0 from the remaining amount memory 4a and sends it to the calculation unit 7. .

■The calculation unit 7 first calculates the communication fee m, and obtains the amount M.

The remaining amount M2 is obtained by subtracting m from. The remaining amount M2 is updated and stored in the remaining amount memo 'J4a.

■If a power failure occurs during transmission, transmission will be stopped and the line will be disconnected. At this time, since the remaining amount memory 4a is temporarily suspended, the remaining amount M2 is held.

■If the cart Ca is inserted when the power is restored, the remaining amount M2 in the remaining amount memory 4a is sent to the card read/write unit 3a and recorded on the card Ca,
is sent.

- If the power is not cut off, the process is repeated until the scheduled number of originals N2 has been transmitted, and the remaining amount M2 is gradually decreased.

[Phase] If the remaining amount M2 is insufficient, transmission will be stopped.

(2) When the end button is pressed after the transmission of the number N of originals is completed, the remaining amount M2 is sent to the card read/write section 3a and recorded on the card Ca, and the card Ca is sent out.

In this way, the remaining amount memory 4a is supported by the battery.
By preventing the remaining amount M2 from disappearing, it is possible to accurately collect charges even if the power is cut off.

The above example describes the case where the original data is sent to the called device FAX 2a, but it can also be applied to the case of copying where the original is read and recorded by that device. It can be used to copy values.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by using a battery-supported storage means as a storage means for storing the amount of transaction media inputted prior to communication, communication charges will be charged even if the power is cut off during communication. This has the effect that the collection of fees can be carried out accurately and the fees can be managed normally.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of FIG. 2. In the figure, la, lb, 2a, 2b are FAX machines, 3 is an amount confirmation means, 3a is a card read/write part, 4 is a storage means, 4a is a remaining amount memory, 51 is an area setting part, 52 is a low reset switch, 53 54 is a called side area table, 54 is a unit charge table control unit, 55 is a unit charge table, 6 is a time counter, 7 is a calculation unit, and 8 is a main control unit. (d) System Pro/So 2 Invention n Actual Information 1 Σ Show T Gu0t 2 Circle? Figure (I)) # O'H rule ML/)7'6・So7 fJ
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Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Consists of an unspecified number of calling and called devices that are connected via a line, and the calling device transmits data read from a document to the connected called device, and In a facsimile communication system that charges a fee immediately after transmission according to the time required, an amount recognition means (3) that recognizes the amount of a transaction medium (C) inserted prior to communication; and a battery-supported amount recognition means. A facsimile device comprising: (3) storage means (4) for storing the amount recognized by step (3). (2) The facsimile device according to claim 1, wherein the inserted transaction medium (C) is a portable card recording medium on which a transactable amount is written.