JPH0374870B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a facsimile device that can function as a parent device in a facsimile network.

[Prior art]

When facsimile devices are networked and several slave units are connected to a base unit as a central unit, the slave units can utilize the expensive functions such as the broadcast function of the base unit. , an economical system can be constructed. To this end, various methods have been proposed to network facsimile devices. However, it has been considered difficult to create a network using existing facsimile equipment. This was due to the fact that there were often idiosyncrasies in the functions of the base unit and slave units, as well as in the local area network (LAN) or similar dedicated connection method between these devices. . i.e.
Even if it is a G2 or G3 standard device standardized by CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee), it is generally not possible to use it as a slave device and add the functions of the base device to it. It was difficult.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a facsimile device as a base device, which can be used as a slave device in a network even if it is an existing facsimile device equipped with a push-button dial telephone. is its purpose.

[Structure of the invention]

In the present invention, an identification means for identifying a dial tone or a digital signal equivalent thereto, a voice response instruction means for instructing a telephone on the other end connected to the line to respond at an audio frequency;
Function setting means for identifying the response result of the other party's telephone to the content instructed by the voice response instruction means using the identification means, and setting a predetermined function such as a substitute transmission/reception function between the other party's telephone and the other party's telephone based on this result. This facsimile device as a parent device is equipped with the following. Based on the requests of these telephones connected to the facsimile device of the present invention through the subscriber telephone network or local area network, the facsimile device of the present invention is made to play the role of a base unit, and the existing facsimile device is connected to the network. do.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples below.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment. This facsimile device 10, which serves as a master device, has a storage section 11 whose main purpose is to store image information, and a facsimile main body 12 that is
We are preparing for The facsimile main body 12 is connected to a dial tone detection section 14, a voice response section 15, and a network control section 16, and is also adapted to control these sections. Here, the dial tone detection section 14
This is the part that detects the PB signal (Push Button Signal) that is output when a button on a push button dial telephone is pressed. In addition to the telephone 17 provided in the facsimile device 10, the network control unit 16 includes:
A subscriber telephone line 18 and an in-house telephone line 19 are connected, and the subscriber telephone line 18 is connected to any extension line or to each other.

The PB signal is input to the network control unit 16 via the telephone line 18 or 19, and is input to the dial tone detection unit 1.
4 will be detected. The voice response unit 15 is equipped with a ROM (read only memory) for voice response, and is configured to send voice commands from the facsimile body 12 to the network control unit 16. The network control unit 16 sends this to a predetermined subscriber telephone line 18 or local telephone line 19. The voice response unit 15 can also output an identification sound consisting of a single tone or the like corresponding to the content of the sentence, instead of a ROM that outputs the sentence as voice.

FIG. 2 shows the main part of a facsimile network using the facsimile device configured as described above as a base unit. The facsimile device 10 is a device that has various functions such as an automatic transmission/reception function, proxy transmission and reception functions including inter-machine communication, and storage service function, and serves as a central device. On the other hand, multiple slave units 21-1 to 21-N located within the premises of the same office,
Each is a facsimile device using a push-button dial telephone, and is connected to a network control unit 16 within the facsimile device 10. Network control unit 16
is connected to other facsimile devices 21-1, . . . via a subscriber telephone line 18.

The outline of the control procedure of the facsimile device 10 is explained in the third section.
This will be explained with figures. A network control section 16 of this device monitors the status of subscriber telephone line 18 and local telephone line 19. When an incoming call is detected, the called side on which the facsimile device 10 is installed connects the line and operates the dial tone detection section 14 and voice response section 15. Along with this, a CED signal (called station identification tonal signal) is sent to respond to the call. Subsequently, an NSF signal (non-standard equipment signal) and a DIS signal (digital identification signal) are sent to the calling station to identify the dial tone.

Assume that the facsimile device 21 or 22 on the calling side presses the function button * of the push button dial 24 shown in FIG. 4 at the timing of waiting for a response after sending the DIS signal. In this case, 941Hz and
A PB signal that combines both frequencies of 1209Hz is sent to the called party. In the facsimile device 10, when the dial tone detection unit 14 detects this,
It is determined that the call is from a facsimile terminal making a service request to this facsimile device 10. Then, the control procedure for the DIS signal specified by CCITT T30 is interrupted, and the voice response unit 15 is controlled to perform a voice response. The operator of the telephone on the calling side operates the pushbutton dial 24 in accordance with the voice content to input the corresponding data. The facsimile device 10 detects this input data with the dial tone detection section 14, and further instructs the necessary selection contents by voice. Through such operations, the facsimile device 10 is set to the function requested by the calling party.

Next, the operation of the facsimile device 10 will be explained using a specific example.

(b) Proxy transmission when receiving a call from an extension For example, from the handset 21-1 to the facsimile device 22-1 of the outside line, as well as the facsimile device 22-2 (not shown) of the outside line, and the handset 21-2 of the extension.
Broadcast communication shall be made to. In this case, the facsimile device 10, which is a master device and has a broadcast communication function, performs proxy transmission.
In this case, the facsimile device 10 and the handset 21-
The response of 1 is as follows.

A PB signal representing a function button* is sent from the handset.

The base unit outputs a voice saying "Please enter your phone number."

When the extension number is 100, the operator of the handset inputs "100*" from the push button dial 24. Here, the function button * is used to indicate a communication break.

The base unit thereby recognizes the extension number of the slave unit attempting to transmit. Therefore, the next step is to output a voice saying ``Please enter the telephone number of the other party.''

The operator of the handset must first use the facsimile device 22.
Enter the telephone number for -1 from the pushbutton dial 24. For example, the following input is performed.

“1234567*” When the base unit recognizes the phone number, the voice response unit 15 similarly asks “Please enter the phone number of the other party.”
Outputs the sound.

The person handling the handset then uses the facsimile device 2.
Similarly, enter the telephone number for 2-2. For example, the following input is performed.

“1236789*” When the base unit recognizes the second phone number, it also outputs a voice saying “Please enter the phone number of the other party.”

The operator of the handset then inputs the telephone number of the handset 21-2 as the last communication destination. Of course, it is also possible to enter the external phone number last. To indicate that it is the last game,
This is done by pressing function button #. That is, when the extension number of handset 21-2 is 123, the following input is performed.

"123#*" When the base unit recognizes the dial tone of the function button # as a function code recognition mark, it instructs the slave unit 21-2 to transmit as the next step. In other words, a voice saying "Please press the send button" is output.

The base unit stores and accumulates the sent image information in the storage unit 11, and then sends it to the two facsimile devices 22-1, 22-2 on the outside line and the handset 2 on the extension line.
Sequential broadcast transmission to 1-2. The transmission result is output to the handset 21-1. In this way, proxy transmission ends.

(b) Alternate reception for incoming calls from outside lines This alternate reception is performed when image information sent from an outside line is received and, in principle, sent to an extension line. As an example, the facsimile device 22-
The image information sent from 1 is sent to two slave units 21-
1, 21-2 and other facsimile device 2 for outside line
2-2, the following responses are made between the facsimile device 22-1 and the facsimile device 10.

A PB signal indicating a function button* is sent from the outside line.

The base unit outputs a voice saying "Please enter your phone number."

The operator of the facsimile device 21 makes the following inputs using the push button dial 24.

“1234567*” The base unit uses this to recognize the area number of the external line to which it is attempting to transmit. Therefore, the next step is to output a voice saying, ``Please enter your extension phone number.''

The operator inputs "123*" as the extension telephone number of handset 21-1.

The base unit then outputs a voice saying ``Please enter your extension phone number.''

The person handling the outside line inputs "456*" as the extension telephone number of the other handset 21-2.

The base unit then outputs a voice saying ``Please enter your extension phone number.''

The outside line operator then inputs the telephone number of the facsimile device 22-2 that performs broadcast communication as follows.

“1236789*” The facsimile device 10, which is the parent device, basically distributes proxy reception to extensions. Therefore, if a phone number other than the registered extension number (considered to be an external number) is entered,
Outputs a voice saying "Please give me your secret number",
The secret number of the facsimile device 10 is requested to be input.

The person handling the outside line enters the secret number at this stage. For example:

“1111#*” When the secret number is entered, the base unit outputs a voice saying “Please press the send button.” Also, refer to the entered secret number,
If they do not match, broadcast service to outside lines will be denied. The transmission result can also be reported to the facsimile device 22-1, which is an outside line.

(c) Request for storage of received information when receiving a call from an extension For example, when providing a service that temporarily stores the image information held by the slave unit 21-1 on the base unit side,
The following response occurs:

A PB signal representing a function button* is sent from the handset.

The base unit outputs a voice saying "Please enter your phone number."

At this time, the operator of the handset 21-1 inputs the function code #01 representing a request for memory storage together with his own extension telephone number. That is, the following input is performed.

“100#01*” The base device uses this to decipher the request for storage, but outputs a voice saying “Please give me your secret number” in order to know whether or not the information to be stored needs to be kept secret.

If the operator of the handset enters a specific secret number, the information will be made confidential. For example, suppose the operator inputs the following.

“1234#*” The base unit outputs the voice “Kashikomarimasu” and stores the sent image information and secret number as a pair.

(d) Request to output received information when receiving a call from an extension This is a request to output the image information accumulated as described above. The response when the handset 21-1, described in (c), requests the output of information is as follows.

A PB signal representing a function button* is sent from the handset.

The base unit outputs a voice saying "Please enter your phone number."

At this time, the operator of the handset inputs his/her own extension number and function code #02 indicating a request to output stored information. That is, the following input is performed.

“100#02*” The base device uses this to interpret the request to output the received information. If a secret number is set, a voice saying "Please enter your secret number" is output.

Enter the secret number on the handset as shown below.

“1234#*” The base unit confirms that the secret numbers match and outputs a voice saying “Please press the receive button.”

When the receive button is pressed, the extension will be sent from the base unit.
Image information addressed to number 100 is sent. If the secret number is not input or does not match, the corresponding image information will not be sent.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above, the functions of the base unit are set using the dial tone of the push button dial, but when communicating within the data network with CCITT's G4 machine, a digital signal equivalent to the dial tone is used. will be used to control the main facsimile device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In this way, according to the present invention, by upgrading the facsimile device that functions as a base unit, it is possible to connect existing facsimile devices to digital data networks in addition to subscriber telephone lines and local telephone lines. It is possible to substantially add various functions and create an economical image information transmission system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile device, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of a network using this facsimile device, and Fig. 3 is a diagram of a network using this facsimile device. FIG. 4, which is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the control procedure, is a plan view of the push button dial of the button telephone. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Facsimile device, 14... Dial tone detection section, 15... Voice response section, 18... Subscriber telephone line, 19... Local telephone line, 21... Handset, 22... Facsimile device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Connected to subscriber telephone networks and local area networks, equipped with identification means for identifying dial tones or equivalent digital signals sent from other telephones connected to these telephone networks, and facsimile equipment, voice response instructing means for instructing the connected other telephone to respond at an audio frequency; and identifying the response result of the other telephone in response to the instruction of the voice response instructing means, and identifying the identification result. 1. A facsimile device comprising: a function setting means for setting a predetermined function such as a proxy transmission/reception function with the other telephone in correspondence with the facsimile apparatus.