JPH04215368A - Facsimile device with automatic answering telephone function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a user to early know the arrival of image data and the generation of a trouble during his absence and to allow the rapid executing of adequate dealing with by effectively utilizing the automatic answering function added to the facsimile. CONSTITUTION:The user previously switches the facsimile to the automatic answering function by a switching means 15 for switching the facsimile to a transmission and reception function of image data, a telephone function or a recording function as an automatic answering telephone at the time of going out. If there is the arrival of the image data or the generation of the trouble, such as run-out of recording paper, in the state of the above-mentioned automatic answering function, such arrival or the trouble is detected and the voice message dealing with the signal arrival or the contents of the generated trouble is read out of a voice memory section 12 in accordance of the result of the detection and is recorded in a recording section 11. Then, the user is able to know the arrival of the image data or the presence or absence of the generation of the trouble by listening to the contents of the automatic answering record from the outside.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a facsimile machine with an answering machine function, which is equipped with a recording function as an answering machine (hereinafter referred to as an answering machine function) in addition to the function of sending and receiving image data. be.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, facsimile machines have been known which are provided with switchable additional functions such as a telephone function and an answering machine function. Among the additional functions mentioned above, the answering machine automatically answers incoming calls while you are away, sends a message that you are away, and then records the caller's message in voice so that you can use it later. It is only for playing the content.
The recording function is not fully utilized to confirm the original sending and receiving of facsimile or to detect trouble.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional facsimile machine with an answering machine function as described above, even if an image data call is received while the answering machine function is switched, it is difficult to know this at an early stage. I was unable to call, and only realized that I had received a call when I returned from a trip. Additionally, if a problem occurs such as running out of recording paper while you are away, or recording paper jamming while receiving image data, you will not be able to know about it early, causing trouble to the recipient. was there.

[0004] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and makes effective use of the answering machine function to quickly detect the arrival of image data while the person is away and the occurrence of trouble, and promptly take appropriate measures. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device with an answering machine function that can be used as an answering machine.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile device with an answering machine function according to the present invention can be switched to an image data transmission/reception function, a telephone function, or a recording function as an answering machine. a switching means, a means for detecting the incoming image data and the occurrence of trouble when the switching means is switched to the recording function, and a means for detecting the incoming image data and the occurrence of the trouble, respectively. The apparatus is equipped with a voice storage section that stores a voice message to be sent, and a recording section that reads out and records the voice message from the voice storage section based on the detection result of the detection means.

[0006]

[Operation] According to the above structure, when going out, the switching means switches to the answering machine function. If an image data call is received or a problem occurs such as running out of recording paper while the answering machine function is in use, it will be detected and, based on the detection results, the system will respond to the incoming call and the problem that occurred. A voice message will be recorded. Therefore, by listening to the contents of the answering machine from outside, it is possible to know whether image data has been received or whether a trouble has occurred.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a facsimile machine with an answering machine function according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the appearance of the facsimile machine. In Figure 1,
1 is the input operation section, which is a numeric keypad 1 for entering phone numbers etc.
a. Start key 1 for instructing the start of transmission and other operations
b. Image quality mode setting key 1 for setting the image quality mode
In addition to keys for operating the image data transmission/reception function inherent in facsimile machines such as 1d, there is also a switch key 1d for inputting a switching signal between the telephone function, answering machine function, and image data transmission/reception function. It also includes an indicator lamp 1e made of, for example, an LED, which illuminates to indicate the switching state of the function.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an image data reading section, which scans and reads the image data of a document inserted from the document insertion section 4 of the facsimile machine body 3 shown in FIG. 2 and ejected from the document ejection section 5. It is a mechanical part for the purpose of the camera, and is composed of a line light source, a reflecting mirror, a CCD image sensor, etc.

6 in FIG. 1 is a printing section, which prints the received image data.
In addition to the function of printing the data on recording paper and sending it out to the recording paper ejection section 7 of the facsimile main body 3 shown in Fig. 2, the image data of the document inserted from the document insertion section 4 is read by the reading section. This mechanical section also has a copying function for printing on recording paper and sending it out to the recording paper discharge section 7. 1st
Reference numeral 8 in the figure denotes a display section, which is used to display the telephone number of the other party during transmission and reception, transmission errors, and other information, and is comprised of a liquid crystal panel and the like. 9 is a main control unit, which is used to control each of the above-mentioned mechanical units and transmit/receive control, and is composed of a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc.
Control programs and various data necessary for each control are written in the ROM.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a telephone set, which is installed on the side of the facsimile machine main body 3 shown in FIG. 2, and is a mechanical unit having a telephone function for communicating between the sender and the receiver. 11
is a recording unit that has an answering machine function and also sends voice messages corresponding to incoming calls and trouble details, which will be described later.
This is the part where you record the video. Reference numeral 12 denotes a voice storage section which, when using the answering machine function, stores a voice message when image data is received, such as ``Facsimile has arrived,'' and a voice message when a trouble occurs, such as ``Page. "I'm out of paper", "I'm out of paper"
This is a memory for registering information, etc., and is made up of ROM.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a transmission control section, which includes a modulation circuit for transmitting the transmission data from the main control section 9 to the other party via the telephone line 20, a modem for demodulating the received data transmitted through the telephone line 20, and the like. ing. 14 is a line control unit which has a function of selecting a line from a plurality of telephone line networks.

The main control unit 9 includes a switching means 15 that can selectively switch to the above-described image data transmission/reception function, telephone function, or answering machine function, and a switching means 15 that can selectively switch to the above-mentioned image data transmission/reception function, telephone function, or answering machine function, and a switching means 15 that can selectively switch to the above-mentioned image data transmission/reception function, telephone function, or answering machine function. There are provided image data incoming detection means 16 for detecting the arrival of image data, and trouble detection means 17 for detecting the occurrence of troubles such as running out of recording paper and jamming of recording paper. Based on the detection results of these detection means 16 and 17, the recording section 11 reads out the corresponding voice message from the voice storage section 12 and records it.

Next, among the operations of the above configuration, the operations in a state where the answering machine function is switched will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the user goes out and is away from home, the user operates the function switching key 1d of the input operation section 1 shown in FIG. 1 to set the state of the answering machine function (step S1 in FIG. 3).

[0014] When an incoming call is received in such a setting state of the answering machine function (step S2), it is determined whether the incoming signal is a call signal or a transmission signal of image data (step S3). As a result of the determination, if the incoming call is a call signal, the main control section 9 sends out a response message (step S4), and according to the response message, the business message sent from the caller is recorded in the recording section 11. Recording is performed (step S5), the end of the call transmission is detected (step S6), and the process returns to step S2. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S3 is a transmission signal of image data, based on the detection of image data by the incoming call detection means 16 (step S7), the recording section 11 sends a "facsimile" signal from the voice storage section 12. A voice message "A call has arrived" is read out and recorded (step S8). The end of recording is detected (step 9), and the process returns to step S2.

[0015] In addition, in the setting state of the answering machine function, it is determined whether troubles such as running out of recording paper or jamming of recording paper have occurred (steps S10 and S11).
. If it is determined that a trouble has occurred, the voice storage section 12 will display messages such as "Paper is out" and "
A voice message corresponding to the content of the trouble, such as "Paper is jammed", is read out, and the voice message is recorded in the recording section 11 (steps S12 and S1).
3) The end of the recording is detected (steps S14 and S15), and the process returns to step S2. On the other hand, if it is determined that no trouble as described above has occurred, the process returns to step S2 and the setting state of the answering machine function is maintained.

The voice message recorded in the recording unit 11 in steps S5, S8, S12, and 13 above can be listened to by dialing, including inputting a password, from a telephone outside the home. In addition, the recording media used for the answering machine function are tape and voice synthesis LS.
It may be either an IC consisting of I and a semiconductor memory, or a combination of tape and IC. Also, if you register a caller and receive a call from that registered caller,
It is even more practical if the device is configured to perform the above-mentioned answering machine function.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the answering machine function of a facsimile machine is effectively used to prevent troubles such as receiving image data while the user is away and running out of recording paper. Since it can be recorded as a voice message, it is possible to listen to the voice message at the same time as you operate the voicemail from outside to listen to the contents of the answering machine. This has the practical effect of allowing appropriate responses to be taken promptly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus with an answering machine function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the facsimile device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of main parts.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Input operation section, 1d... Function switching key, 9... Main control section,
10...Telephone, 11...Recording section, 12...Voice storage section, 15
...Switching means, 16...Incoming image data detection means, 17...
Trouble detection means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Image data transmission/reception function, telephone function,
or a switching means capable of switching to a recording function as an answering machine; a means for detecting the arrival of image data and the occurrence of trouble when the switching means is switched to the recording function; a voice storage section that stores voice messages corresponding to the incoming call and the content of the trouble that has occurred, and a recording section that reads out and records the corresponding voice message from the voice storage section based on the detection result of the detection means. A facsimile machine with an answering machine function.