JPH0338152A - Fax destination specification method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To send a facsimile test even when a facsimile number of a transmission destination is not known by providing a reference list between a telephone number of a telephone set and a facsimile number of a facsimile equipment near the telephone set and converting the said telephone number into a facsimile number when the information designating the telephone number is sent from the facsimile equipment. CONSTITUTION:Upon the receipt of an off-hook signal representing a dialing of a terminal equipment from a line, an exchange retrieves a line number conversion list based on the line number of the said line, a terminal attribute table is obtained, the dialing reception is sent and the accept of the dialing is informed. When a dial number designating a connection destination opposite terminal equipment is received from the dialing terminal equipment, the kind of the caller terminal equipment is discriminated based on the terminal type display on the terminal attribute table. When the terminal equipment is a facsimile equipment, a dial number conversion list 201 and the terminal attribute table are referenced and the type of the terminal equipment represented by a received dial number is discriminated, when a called terminal equipment is a telephone set, a nearby facsimile dial number 213 on the terminal attribute table is referenced to obtain a nearby facsimile dial number.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an exchange system, and particularly to a method for specifying a destination number when sending a facsimile.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when sending a fax, the number of the subscriber line connected to the recipient's fax machine was dialed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Generally, in offices, fax machines are shared by many users, and the fax machines are not necessarily connected to the same subscriber line as the telephones used by the users, so when sending a fax, It is necessary to know the fax number, and if you do not know the fax number, it is necessary to call the recipient and inquire about the nearest fax number before sending the fax.

The present invention relates to a method for specifying the recipient's number when sending a fax, and its purpose is to simply specify the recipient's phone number without knowing the recipient's fax number, and to send a fax to the nearest fax machine of the recipient's phone. The purpose is to enable the device to send faxes.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a switching system having a memory storing the types of terminal equipment connected to a subscriber line, and a telephone set connected to the switching system. A correspondence table is prepared between the telephone number of the phone and the fax number of the nearest fax machine to the telephone, and when a call is made from a fax machine specifying the telephone number, the correspondence table is used to convert the telephone number to the factor. It is characterized by providing means for converting to a larger number.

[Effect]

According to the method of the present invention, the telephone number of the sender dialed from the fax machine when sending a fax can be converted to the nearest fax number of the sender's phone by the above means, so even if the sender does not know the sender's fax number. , can send faxes.

〔Example〕

I will explain using

FIG. 1 shows an example of a communication system in which the FAX destination designation method of the present invention is implemented.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 indicates an exchange that implements the present invention, and this exchange 100 is composed of a switch 101, a processor 102, and a memory 103.

The above-mentioned exchange 100 is connected to a telephone TEL and a fax machine as terminals, and also has an exchange 100 connected thereto as a terminal.
It is also connected to another exchange filoO via 1104.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of a table provided in the memory 103 of the exchange 100 in order to realize the F' A X destination designation method of the present invention. The purpose of each table is shown below. 202,
Reference numerals 203 and 204 are terminal attribute tables, which are provided for each terminal connected to the exchange and indicate the attributes of each terminal. Each terminal attribute table includes a terminal type display 210 of the terminal, and a terminal type display 210 of the terminal connected to the exchange. The line number 211 of the current line and the dial number 212 of the terminal are shown, and if the terminal is a telephone, the nearest fax dial number 2 is shown.
13 is also shown. If a fax mail device is connected to the exchange 100, the fax dial number 213 may indicate the number of the fax mail device, while the single line number conversion table 200 may be based on the line number of each terminal. In the table for determining the terminal attribute table for each terminal, the address of the corresponding terminal attribute table is shown in the address position indicated by the line number. Dial number conversion table 2
01 is a table for determining the terminal attribute table for each terminal based on the dial number of each terminal, and the address of the corresponding terminal attribute table is shown at the address position indicated by the dial number.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart 300 showing a portion of the operation of processor 102 of switch 100.

When the exchange receives an off-hook signal indicating a call from a terminal from a line, it searches the line number conversion table 200 based on the line number of the line in step 301 to find the terminal attribute table. A call acceptance message is sent to the line to notify that the call has been accepted. In step 303, when a dial number specifying the destination terminal is received from the calling terminal, the process moves to step 304.
Terminal type display 21 of the terminal attribute table obtained in step 301
1 Determine the type of calling terminal based on 0.0 For example, if the call is from a terminal with line number 005, the terminal attribute table 20
4 indicates that the terminal is a fax machine.

If the result of determination in step 304 is that the terminal is a fax machine, the process moves to step 305, refers to the dial number conversion table 201 and the terminal attribute table, and
For example, if the received dial number is 2100, refer to the terminal/X type table 202 and select the terminal type display 20.
1 indicates that the called party's terminal is a telephone. If the destination terminal dialed in step 305 is #i telephone, the process moves to step 306, and step 3
The nearest fax dial number is obtained by referring to the nearest fax dial number 213 in the terminal attribute table used in step 04. In the case of a telephone with dial number 2100, the nearest fax dial number is 2150.Next, in step 307, the dial number conversion table 201 and terminal attribute table are referred to, and the fax line number indicated by the dial found in step 306 is determined. For example, in the case of a fax with a dial number of 2150, by referring to the line number 211 in the terminal attribute table 203, it is found that the line number is 002. In step 308, step 30
A calling signal is sent to the line found in step 7 to start calling the called terminal, and the subsequent processing is the same as a normal connection, accepting a response from the called terminal and starting communication between the two terminals.

Note that if the originating terminal type is a telephone in step 304 and if the receiving party's terminal type is a fax in step 305, the process moves to step 307 and the receiving party indicated by the dial number received in step 303 IEJl of the terminal! Decide the number and step 30g
to start calling the recipient's fax. Note that the exchange 100 receives the telephone number of the telephone from the originating fax in step 303. Therefore, when the exchange 100 receives a disconnection signal from the fax after the fax communication ends, the exchange 100 converts the number received in step 303 to the telephone line number using the dial number conversion table 201 and the terminal attribute table 202. At the same time, it is possible to notify the telephone set of the obtained line number of the incoming fax by using a ringing sound, an indicator light, or a message displayed on the display.

Although an example of communication within the same exchange has been shown above, an example of communication across the exchange will be shown next.

In the case of communication that spans exchanges, the type of destination terminal is generally managed by the exchange that connects the destination terminal.1 To realize the functions of the present invention, when a call is made from a fax, the type of destination terminal is controlled by the exchange that connects the destination terminal. As information for determining the type of terminal specified by the number, it is necessary for the calling side exchange to notify the called side exchange that the call is from a fax. On the other hand, methods for exchanging control signals between exchanges include individual signaling systems and common line signaling systems, and examples of each signaling system will be described below.

First, in the case of the 0 individual line signaling system, which is an example of a case where the individual line signaling system is used between exchanges, a multi-frequency signal or a dial pulse is used as a means of transmitting a control signal. There is no information indicating the type. In the following example, a method will be described in which, when transmitting the dial number of the receiving terminal from the originating exchange to the terminating exchange, the number information is added to notify that the call is from a fax. FIG. 4 shows number information 400 for the above.
The format is shown below. In FIG. 4, fax communication identification 401 is number information indicating that the call is from a fax machine, and 0 receiving terminal dial number 402, which uses a special number not assigned to a terminal, is a dial number specifying the receiving terminal. This is the information that has traditionally been sent from the originating exchange to the terminating exchange when communicating across exchanges.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are operation flow diagrams in the processor 102 of the exchange 100 when the number information 400 in FIG. 4 is used. In FIG. 5, process 500
(Figure (A)) shows the operation flow of the originating exchange, and process 501 (Figure (B)) shows the operation flow of the terminating exchange.6 In the process 500 of the originating exchange, step 3
The processing from step 01 to step 303 is the same as in FIG. In step 503, it is determined whether the dialed number received in step 303 is an internal line or an external line, and if it is an external line, the process moves to step 304. In step 304', the third wU
As mentioned in the explanation above, if the result of the 0 determination that determines the type of the calling terminal based on the line number of the calling terminal is that the calling terminal is a fax machine.

The process moves to step 504, where a fax communication identification 401 indicating that there is a fax communication is sent to the destination exchange indicated by the dial number received from the originating terminal;
Subsequently, in step 505, the dial number 402 received in step 303 is transmitted to the other party's exchange. Thereafter, the process moves to step 506, and after receiving a response signal from the partner exchange, the process moves to communication. Note that step 53
If the dial number is 0 and indicates an extension, the subsequent processing is the same as the processing from step 304 onward in FIG. If it is determined in step 304 that the calling terminal is a telephone, the process moves to step 505, and only the dial number received in step 303 is transmitted to the other party's exchange.

On the other hand, in the process 501 of the terminating exchange 1, an incoming call is first accepted from the originating exchange in step 508, and a dial number is received from the originating exchange in step 509. Then, in step 510, the fax communication is identified in the received dial number 400. 401 is included. If the special number for fax communication is included, the process moves to step 305, and as explained in FIG. 3, the type of the receiving terminal is determined by referring to the dial number conversion table 20 and the terminal attribute table. If the destination terminal dialed in step 305 is a telephone, the process moves to step 306, and as explained in FIG. Next step 307, as explained in FIG. 3, refers to the dial number conversion table 201 and the terminal attribute table to find the fax line number indicated by the dial found in step 306. In step 308, a calling signal is sent to the line determined in step 307 to start calling the incoming fax, and so on.

When it accepts a response to an incoming fax, it returns a response signal to the originating exchange and enters a communication state.

Next, an example will be shown in which a common line signaling system is used between exchanges. Currently, the common line signaling system includes the Nα file system and the ISDN D channel signaling system. In the common channel signaling system, messages are used as a means of transmitting control signals in both of the above cases, but conventionally there is no information indicating the type of originating terminal.In the example below, messages are sent from one originating exchange to the terminating exchange. A method is shown in which information indicating that the call is sent from a fax is added to a call setup request message.

Figures 6(A) and (B) are CCI T T(1
) Na 7 Signal System Recommendation (RED BOOK VO
L (IME VIFASCICL [E Vl, 8)
This figure shows the contents of the address signal requesting call setup and the bit assignment for caller classification shown in FIG. Figure 6 (
In A), caller classification (Calling part
y category) 600 is information indicating the attributes of the caller. For example, in the case of an operator call, the types of languages that the operator can speak are displayed. Caller classification 6 above
00 is the bit code 001 as shown in the 6th garden (B)
110 to 111111 are unused spares. In the present invention, by assigning a meaning indicating that the call is from a fax to one of these unused bit codes, even if the exchanges are connected using the 7-signal system, calls from the fax can be made. It is possible to notify that there is an incoming call.

Next, CCITT's ISDN Recommendation (I (IED BO)
OK VOLUME m FASCICLE 11.5)
L. - An example of a method for adding information indicating that the message is sent from a fax using the indicated message format is shown.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the contents of a call setup request (SETUP) message. In this example, an information element indicating that the call is from a fax is added to the call setup request message. The method will be described.

Figure 8 shows a shift information element for changing the code set of an information element, which is used to define a non-standard information element in a message. The code set 700 specified in the shift information element can be added by adding an information element indicating the shift information element.
As shown in FIG. 9, there are a code set 6 used within the local network and a code set 7 used independently by the user. When adding the information element indicating that the call is from a fax, which one of these to use may be determined depending on the operation mode of the exchange network.

Figure 10 shows the format of a 1-byte fixed length information element.
A code indicating that a call is made from a fax is defined in the information element identifier 701 of this information element, and is added and transmitted immediately after the shift information element in the call setup request message.

Note that the code indicating that the call is from a fax in the information element identifier 701 in FIG. 10 may be determined depending on the operation mode of the exchange network.
The t1 report element content 701 does not need to be used in this example. On the other hand, when the subscriber line is ISDN, high layer compatible
ility) The recommendation stipulates that the information element 70-3 can indicate that it is a fax communication, and in this case, the exchange 100 does not need to refer to the terminal attribute table 202 when determining the terminal type of the calling terminal. .

Processor 10 of exchange 100 in case of common channel signaling
Compared to the operation in the case of the individual signaling system shown in FIG. 5, the operation in No. 2 differs only in the method of transmitting the signal (message), and is essentially similar to Iiii.

Next, an example will be described in which a personal number assigned to each exchange system user is used as the #1 talk number.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the personal number conversion table 800 provided in the memory 103 of the exchange 100. When personal numbers are used, this personal number conversion table 800 is compared to the table shown in FIG.
Only 00 is added.

The personal number conversion table 800 shows the telephone number of the telephone used by the user with each personal number, and in the example of FIG. This shows that the user with the personal number 02 shares the same phone with the phone number 2500 as the user with the personal number 00.

FIG. 12 shows an operation flow in the processor 102 of the exchange 100. The operation is step 900
, and in step 301.

As described in FIG. 3, when an off-hook signal indicating a call from a terminal is received from a line, the line number conversion table 200 is searched based on the line number of the line.

In the next step 302 for determining the terminal attribute table, a call acceptance message is sent to the line of sight to notify that the call has been accepted, as described in FIG.

When a personal number specifying a destination terminal is received from one calling terminal in step 901, the process moves to step 902.
Using the personal number received from the calling terminal in step 901, the personal number conversion table is referred to to obtain the telephone number of the called party. Next, in step 304, similar to the explanation of FIG.
Display 21 by terminal type of the terminal attribute table obtained in step 301
Based on 0, the type of the calling terminal is determined. Step 30
If the result of determination in step 4 is that the terminal is a fax machine, the process moves to step 306, refers to the nearest fax dial number 213 in the terminal attribute table used in step 304, and performs a zero-order process to find the nearest fax dial number. In step 307, similarly to the explanation in FIG. 3, the dial number conversion table 201 and the terminal attribute table are referred to, and the fax line number indicated by the dial determined in step 306 is obtained, and then the process moves to step 308. , sends a calling signal to the line determined in step 307,
Initiate incoming fax calls and onwards.

Accepts a response to an incoming fax and begins communication between the two terminals. Note that if the calling terminal type is a telephone in step 304, the process moves to step 307, and then proceeds to step 9.
The line number of the destination terminal indicated by the telephone number obtained in step 02 is determined, and a call to the destination terminal is started in step 308.

In the above-mentioned method using a personal telephone number, the user can enter his or her personal telephone number from any telephone and register the use of that telephone in the exchange. No matter where you move within the exchange network, if you register your personal number from the new phone,
The sender can send a fax without knowing the location of the recipient.

The above example shows communication within the same exchange, but even in the case of communication between exchanges, the operation of the processor 102 is such that the dial number sent from the originating exchange to the terminating exchange is changed from the telephone number to the personal number. This is the same as using the vIi call number as the dialed number, except that the personal number is converted into a telephone number at the terminating exchange.

Next, a correspondence table between the telephone number of the telephone device connected to the exchange and the fax number of the nearest fax machine to the telephone is provided in the memory of a computer connected to the processor of the exchange through a communication line, and the exchange An embodiment will be described in which the computer is asked for the number of a fax to be received. FIG. 13 is a system configuration diagram, where 1000 indicates an exchange, exchange 10
00 is switch 1001. It consists of a processor 1002 and a memory 1003. A telephone 'I'EL and a fax machine AX are connected to the exchange 1000 as terminals, and other exchanges 1000 are connected to the exchange 1000 via exchange 1!1104.
It is also connected. Further, each exchange 1000 is connected to a computer 1005 via a processor 1002 and a communication line 1006.

14 and 15 show configuration diagrams of tables provided in the memory 1003 of the exchange 1000 and the memory of the computer 1005, respectively.The purpose of each table is shown below.

1102, 1103, and 1104 are terminal attribute tables, which are provided for each terminal connected to the exchange 1000 and show the attributes of each terminal. Line number 1111 of the line connected to the exchange; Dial number 11 of the relevant terminal
12 are shown.

The line number conversion table 200 and the dial number conversion table 201 are
Same as Figure 2. On the other hand, 1200 is a fax number conversion table for finding the nearest fax number for each telephone based on the telephone number.
The nearest fax number for 00 is 2200. ′? This shows that the nearest fax number for call number 2100 is 2150.

FIG. 16 shows the processor 1002 of
This figure shows the operational flow. S production starts at step 1300, and steps 301 to 305 are the same as in FIG. 4.

In step 1301, the dial number received in step 303 is transmitted to the computer 1005, and the nearest fax number as a response is received in step 1302, and the received fax number is set as the dial number of the called party. Subsequent processing step 307. Step 308 is the same as in FIG. 3, and after determining the line number of the called terminal, calling one called terminal is started, and after receiving a response from the called terminal, the communication state is entered.

FIG. 17 shows the operation flow in the computer 1005. The operation starts at 1400 with step 1401
Now, from exchange 1000 to the communication line.

1006 to receive the dialed number. Next, in step 1402, the nearest fax number is determined from the dial number received in step 1401 using a fax number conversion table. Finally, the fax number obtained in step 1402 is sent to the exchange 1 via the communication line 1006.
Send to 000 and end the process.

Although FIG. 14 above shows an example of intra-exchange communication, in the case of inter-exchange communication, the conversion from a dial number to a fax number is performed by, for example, the computer 1005 connected to the receiving side exchange 1ooo, or Originating switch 1
executed on computer 1005 connected to 000,
Possible methods include:

Next, a description will be given of an embodiment of a fax call rejection function suitable for a case where an outgoing fax is connected to an ISDN subscriber line.

FIG. 18 shows the terminal attribute table 1 provided in the memory lO3 of the exchange 1000 in order to realize the fax call rejection function.
This attribute table 500 is used in place of the terminal attribute table 202 in the table structure shown in FIG. In addition, the first
In Figure 8, terminal type display 2LO, l! ! IM number 2
11. The dial number 212 and the nearest fax dial number 213 are the same as those in the terminal attribute table 202, and the recipient fax dial number 1501 is the dial number of the recipient fax that the user of the corresponding WA machine is permitted to receive. Record.

No. 1911!7 is the processor 102 of the replacement MILOO
The operation starts at start 1600, and the subsequent processing up to step 305 is completely the same as the explanation in FIG. 3. The outgoing call request message received in step 301 includes the caller number in the case of ISDN, and in step 1601, the outgoing call number and the dial number received in step 303 are used to select the telephone number in the terminal attribute table 1500. The contents of the recipient's fax dial number 1501 are compared. The results are determined in step 1602, and the processing in the case of a match is exactly the same as the explanation from step 306 onward in FIG. If the result of the determination in step 16o2 is that they do not match, a disconnection signal is sent to the outgoing fax machine, the disconnection of the outgoing fax machine is confirmed, and the process ends.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above explanation, when sending a fax, traditionally you would dial the dial number connected to the fax machine.

According to the present invention, since it is possible to send a fax to the nearest fax number by dialing the telephone number of the recipient, there is no need to know the fax number used by the recipient.

Further, according to the present invention, when the reception of the fax is completed, it is possible to notify the nearest #1 telephone machine that the fax has been received, so that the recipient can immediately obtain the received fax output. This improves confidentiality and eliminates the need for the sender to notify the recipient that he or she will be sending a fax.

Furthermore, by using a single personal phone number, even if the recipient moves within the exchange network, you can register their location from the new phone, and then simply dial the recipient's personal number from the outgoing fax machine. Can be sent to the nearest fax destination.

In addition, a method using a computer connected to an exchange to perform the process of determining the nearest fax number,
The registration process for the nearest fax number for each telephone is also performed on the computer, allowing users to develop their own registration programs and also making it easier for users to register.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the user of the telephone can register the dial number of the recipient's fax machine from which reception is permitted for the telephone, the method of registering the dial number of the recipient's fax machine from which reception is permitted for the fax machine is possible. Compared to , it is possible to perform fine-grained reception rejection control.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a communication system in which the fax destination designation method of the present invention is implemented, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a table structure in the memory of an exchange that implements the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation flow of the processor of the exchange that implements the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing control signals between exchanges when applied to exchange communication using the individual line signaling method, and FIG. A) and (B) are diagrams showing the operation flow of the processors of the originating exchange (Figure (A)) and the terminating exchange (Figure (B)) when applied to exchange communication using the individual line signaling system. , FIGS. 6(A) and 7(B) and FIGS. 7 to 10 respectively show the &7 common line signaling system and I
A diagram for explaining the message format when the present invention is applied to the SDN D channel signaling system, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a personal telephone number conversion table required when using a personal telephone number, FIG. 12 is an operation flowchart of the processor of the exchange when a personal telephone number is used; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration when a computer connected to the exchange is used for the process of determining the nearest fax number; The figure and FIG. 15 show the exchange 1000 and computer 1 in FIG. 13, respectively.
Figures 16 and 17 showing the table structure of the memory of 005.
The figures are respectively an operational flowchart of exchange 1000 and computer 1005 in FIG. 13, FIG. It is an operation flow diagram of an exchange that executes 100... exchange, 101... switch, 102...
...Processor, 103...Memory, 104...Switching network, 200...Line number conversion table, 201...Dial number conversion table, 202, 203, 204...Terminal attribute table, 1000...・Exchange machine, 1001... switch, 1002... processor, 10o3... memory,
1005... Computer, 1102, 1103.1
104...Terminal attribute table, location...telephone, AX/
··fax. No. Z concavity diagram (CA) 1: L Sui Seal No. 77-2 (B) No. 7 Figure Shift product name with letter no. z-2. yL Abusive compilation lρ Group l1ll fixed-jLIF table page zero 1 fu 1-mat fu 11 Figure 2 Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a switching system having a memory storing the type of terminal equipment connected to a subscriber line, the switching system stores the telephone number of the telephone connected to the switching system and the telephone number of the telephone set. The present invention is characterized by providing a correspondence table with the fax number of the nearest fax machine, and means for converting the telephone number to the fax number using the correspondence table when a call is made from a fax machine specifying the telephone number. Fax destination specification method. 2. In the fax destination designation method according to claim 1, the switching system is composed of a plurality of switching machines connected by an analog individual line signaling system, and when fax communication is performed between the switching machines, accommodating outgoing faxes. When the destination exchange detects that the call is from a fax, when it sends an address signal to the destination exchange, it adds an identification signal indicating that it is a fax communication to the address signal and sends it to the destination exchange. A fax destination designation system characterized in that the destination exchange that receives the signal determines the incoming fax number from the address signal. 3. In the fax destination designation method according to claim 1, the switching system is composed of a plurality of switching machines connected by a common line signaling system, and accommodates outgoing faxes during fax communication across the switching machines. When the exchange detects that the call is from a fax, when sending an address message to the destination exchange, it adds identification information indicating that it is a fax communication to the address message, and sends the address message. The fax destination designation system is characterized in that the destination exchange that receives the address message determines the incoming fax number from the address message. 4. A fax destination designation system according to claim 3, characterized in that the CCITT Recommendation No. 7 signal system is used as the common channel signal system. 5. The fax destination designation system according to claim 3, characterized in that the ISDN channel signaling system recommended by CCITT is used as the common line signaling system. 6. The fax destination designation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an individual telephone number assigned to each unused user is used as a dial number when making a call. Fax destination specification method. 7. In the fax destination designation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a correspondence table between the telephone number of a telephone connected to the switching system and the fax number of the nearest fax machine to the telephone is provided. . A fax destination designation method, characterized in that the system is provided in the memory of a computer connected to the exchange, and the exchange inquires of the number of the fax to be received from the computer when connected. 8. In the fax destination designation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the exchange connected to the receiving fax machine uses the telephone number received from the originating fax machine at the end of the fax communication. A method for specifying a fax destination, which is characterized in that a message indicating that a fax has been received is sent to the designated telephone. 9. In the fax destination designation method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, if the subscriber line to which the fax is connected is an ISDN, within the switching system there is a A fax destination designation method characterized in that a correspondence table is provided between telephone numbers of telephones and fax numbers of parties to which a user of the telephone is permitted to receive faxes.