JPH11146052A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the communication terminal equipment where each person possesses information required for communication to use the information effectively. SOLUTION: The terminal equipment is provided with an operation means 9 that has plural buttons used to designate each of plural communication opposite parties, a read means 5 that reads destination number information from a removable external storage medium 20 that at leasts includes destination number information corresponding to each button of the operation means 9, and a control means 1 that allows the read means 5 to read information corresponding to any button from the external storage medium 20 that is equipped with the read means 5 when any of the buttons of the operation means 9 is depressed and controls communication based on the information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an improvement in a communication terminal such as a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as one of communication terminal devices,
Facsimile apparatuses are widely and widely used, and can transmit a scanned and scanned document image via a line, receive image data from another apparatus, and print out the image data on a recording sheet. Such a facsimile apparatus is provided with a one-touch dial function and a speed dial function. With a few button operations, a registered party corresponding to the operation is called in advance, and facsimile communication can be started. .

[0003]

However, in the conventional communication terminal device described above, when a plurality of users use the communication terminal device, the number of buttons operated for designating a facsimile number of the other party may be insufficient. . For example, even if 30 one-touch buttons are provided and the button functions are switched in two ways using a page plate, only 60 partners can be registered as buttons, and if this is used by 10 users, This was inconvenient because only six buttons were assigned per person.

The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances, and provides a communication terminal device in which information necessary for communication is owned by each individual and each individual can use it effectively. It is intended to be.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal apparatus comprising: a plurality of buttons for designating each of a plurality of communication partners; Reading means for reading the information from a detachable external storage medium including at least destination number information corresponding to each button of the operation means; and reading of the information when the external storage medium is mounted and one of the buttons of the operation means is operated. Control means for reading information corresponding to the button from an external storage medium by a reading means, and controlling communication based on the information.

Here, the "button" is a concept including keys, switches, and the like, and the buttons for designating a communication partner include one-touch buttons and shortening buttons. The destination number information indicates a telephone number (facsimile number), a communication destination (address), and the like. Further, the external storage medium is constituted by an IC card or the like incorporating a CPU, a memory, and the like, whereby various functions of the communication terminal device including the functions of the buttons can be switched and used for each user. In addition, in the external storage medium, as information necessary for communication, in addition to the number information used in one-touch dialing or the like, a data transmission mode, a line density of image data, and the like are stored.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the communication terminal further includes means for detecting that an external storage medium is mounted on the communication terminal, and the control means operates the communication terminal based on the detection information of the storage medium. Is started. That is, the operation can be performed by inserting an IC card into the card insertion slot or the like. Note that this operation may include an operation other than communication (for example, a copy operation). Further, when the IC card is inserted, the operation may be started after collating the ID stored in the card with the ID stored in the communication terminal device in advance.

According to a third aspect, the external storage medium of the first or second aspect includes a flash memory.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication terminal device of the present invention. Here, a configuration example of the facsimile apparatus F, which is one of the communication terminal apparatuses, is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a personal computer having a data communication function.

The CPU 1 constitutes control means of the present invention,
Each part of the facsimile machine F is controlled. The image memory 2 is composed of a DRAM or the like, and temporarily stores image data to be transmitted and received. The ROM 3 stores a control program and the like necessary for the operation of the facsimile machine F. The RAM 4 stores temporary data generated when the processing is executed. The card read / write unit 5 detachably connects (inserts / takes out) an IC card 20 as an external storage medium, and reads (reads) data from the IC card 20 inserted into a card insertion slot (not shown). Constitute reading means,
Data writing (writing) is also possible.

The modem 6 modulates and demodulates signals for facsimile communication. The NCU 7 closes and opens the communication line L1 (analog line). When a digital line is connected, a DS 6 is used instead of the modem 6 and the NCU 7.
U and so on. The codec 8 encodes and decodes facsimile communication data. The operation panel 9 includes display means such as a liquid crystal display for displaying the operation state of the facsimile apparatus F, a plurality of buttons for designating a communication partner, and various input settings for the facsimile apparatus F by operating various keys. And means. Note that the buttons for specifying the communication partner include a one-touch button and a shortening button.

The reading section 10 reads an image from a document and converts it into image data. The recording unit 11 is configured by a printer, and records (prints and outputs) data received from another facsimile apparatus as image data. The IC card 20 (personal card) includes a CPU 21, an interface unit 22 connected to the card read / write unit 5 for exchanging data, a DIP switch 23 for setting an ID for each IC card 20, and at least an operation. Flash memory 24 storing information necessary for communication with the other party, including information on the other party number specified on panel 9
And

With respect to the flash memory 24, writing (rewriting) is possible together with reading of data. The destination number information indicates a telephone number (facsimile number), a communication destination (address), and the like. Other information necessary for communication includes data transmission mode and image data irrespective of each button. It also stores, for example, linear transmission density and individual transmission message data and maintenance information required for remote diagnosis. If the information is stored in the flash memory 24 in this manner, there is less danger of the information being erased or destroyed. In addition, since rewriting can be easily performed electrically, the device is easy to use.

When the IC card 20 is inserted into the card insertion slot, the CPU 1 reads out information stored in the flash memory 24 by the card read / write unit 5,
Store in RAM4. After that, the communication is controlled according to the information stored in the RAM 4. In other words, the telephone number registered corresponding to each button on the operation panel 9 is rewritten, and the function of each button is switched and used for each user who owns the IC card 20.

When one of the buttons on the operation panel 9 is operated, the CPU 1 controls the communication according to the information necessary for communication stored in the RAM 4 corresponding to the operated button. Specifically, a call is made through the NCU 7 to the telephone number registered corresponding to the button, and in the facsimile communication procedure, the registered communication mode, the line density, and the like are specified, and then the reading unit 10 The transmission of the data read and encoded by the codec 8 and stored in the image memory 2 is started. In addition, when a registered individual fixed message is added to the transmission data, or when there is a remote diagnosis request, the registered maintenance information is returned.

In the above, information necessary for communication of each user is read out from the IC card 20 in advance and stored in the RAM.
4, the information may be read from the IC card 20 when one of the buttons is operated. In addition, information necessary for communication is
Instead of storing the information in the C card 20, the information may be stored in the RAM 4 in advance so that only the user can use it. Further, R
AM4, the flash memory 2 of a plurality of IC cards 20
Alternatively, data corresponding to the contents stored in each of the four may be stored, and when the IC card 20 is inserted, the data may be selected by the ID set by the dip switch 23.

When information necessary for communication is set and registered in the flash memory 24 of the IC card 20,
By operating the operation panel 9 after inserting the C card 20, the C
The PU 1 can rewrite data via the card read / write unit 5. FIG. 2 shows a setting example of the dip switch 23 and the flash memory 24 of the IC card 20. Here, an example is shown in which the communication mode and the line density, which are information necessary for communication, are stored in the flash memory 24 corresponding to each button. The communication mode and the like can be changed. The content (ID) set in the dip switch 23 may be registered in the memory, but it is preferable that the content is not easily rewritten.

In the present invention, the CPU 1 executes the card reading /
When the IC card 20 is connected to (attached to) the write section 5, this fact can be detected and the operation of the facsimile apparatus F can be started. Thus, only the person who owns the IC card 20 can use the facsimile machine F. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation in this case. Here, the IC card 20 cannot be used simply by inserting it, and the ID set by the dip switch 23 or the like on the IC card 20 cannot be used.
And the ID stored in the RAM 4 in advance, and after confirming the coincidence, the operation can be started (102 to 104).

First, when the IC card 20 is inserted, the operation of the operation panel 9 becomes possible. Here, a facsimile transmission process, a copy process, etc. are instructed (100, 10).
1). Next, the ID is read from the IC card 20 and collated (102 to 104). If the read ID is a valid ID, the passcode set by the dip switch 23 or the like is further read from the IC card 20. The passcode plays a role of a security code for determining whether to permit or prohibit the execution of the process instructed in step 101. Thus, the users who can use the facsimile machine F can be classified according to the processing. If the pass code matches the code set in the RAM 4 in advance, the user data is read from the flash memory 24 of the IC card 20, the data in the RAM 4 is rewritten into information of each individual, and the process being operated is executed (105). To 109). On the other hand, if the passcodes do not match, the processing is prohibited and the fact is displayed on the display panel 9 or an alarm sound is output (11).
1).

In the ID collation, the IC card 2
When the ID set to 0 is invalid and the security setting is set for the facsimile apparatus F, the processing performed in the same manner as described above is prohibited (104, 104).
110, 111). On the other hand, when the security setting is not made, any IC card 20 can be used, so that the operated process is executed according to the data originally stored in the RAM 4 or the ROM 3 (112).

Therefore, in this case, each IC card 2
0 is used not only for setting information for each button for designating a communication partner on the operation panel 9 but also for making functions (for example, copy functions) for other various keys different for each user. Also.

[0022]

As can be understood from the above description, in the communication terminal device according to the first aspect of the present invention, when an external storage medium is mounted and one of the buttons for designating a communication partner is operated. Then, information corresponding to the button can be read from the external storage medium, and communication can be controlled based on this information. Therefore, personalization of this communication terminal device can be realized. In other words, since the functions of this device can be switched and used effectively for each user by using an IC card or the like, when a plurality of users use the device, the number of buttons for designating the communication partner may be insufficient. Disappears.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when an external storage medium such as an IC card is mounted, the operation of the communication terminal device is started. It cannot be used and can perform security functions. According to the third aspect, since the external storage medium includes a flash memory and stores necessary information in this memory, there is little danger of the stored information being erased or destroyed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the communication terminal device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 F: Facsimile device 1 ... CPU 4 ... RAM 5 ... Card read / write unit 9 ... Operation panel 20 ... IC card 21 ... CPU 23 ... Dip switch 24 ..Flash memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of buttons for designating each of a plurality of communication partners; and a detachable external storage medium including at least destination number information corresponding to each button of the operation unit. Reading means for reading, and control for reading information corresponding to the button from the storage medium by the reading means when the storage medium is mounted and one of the buttons is operated, and controlling communication based on the information. Communication terminal device comprising: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for detecting that the storage medium has been mounted, wherein the control means controls to start the operation of the communication terminal apparatus based on the detection information of the storage medium. The communication terminal device according to claim 1. 3. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium includes a flash memory.