JPS63207272A - Facsimile store and forward system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a facsimile storage and forwarding system having a data retrieval function.

(Prior Art) In today's facsimile store-and-forward systems, a store-and-forward device searches for data based on search conditions input from a telephone connected to a facsimile device in a switching network, and the data search results are It is known that the facsimile machine or the telephone set has a so-called data search function that delivers image data or audio to the facsimile machine or the telephone set.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this type of conventional facsimile store-and-forward system, in which a facsimile machine 2 having a telephone 1 is connected to a store-and-forward device @4 via a switch 3.

Here, the storage/forwarding device 4 includes a central processing section 40, a communication control section 41, and a storage section 42.

The data retrieval process as described above in the conventional facsimile storage and forwarding system was executed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the operator who has issued the data search request makes a call from the telephone 1 connected to the facsimile machine 2 on the R side, and calls the storage and forwarding device 4 through the exchange 3 (
Step 101).

After establishing the line, the operator operates the telephone tF11 in accordance with the voice input instructions from the storage and forwarding device 4, and inputs the password, service number, search conditions, etc. related to the data search request described above (step 102).

Based on the input information associated with this operation, the storage and forwarding device 4
Then, the central processing unit 40 starts searching for data by accessing the storage unit 42 (step 103).

Next, the central processing unit 40 searches the storage unit 4 by the above-described search.
Step 104) to determine whether the data read from step 2 corresponds to the specified condition; step 105) to extract the data if it is determined that the data corresponds to the specified condition; It is temporarily stored in another memory area of the storage unit 42.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 40 determines whether or not there remains data to be searched (step 106), and while it is determined in this determination that data to be searched remains, the steps from step 103 are performed. The process of 106 is repeatedly executed.

If it is determined in step 106 that there is no remaining data to be searched while repeating this process, the search data retrieved so far is transmitted to the facsimile machine 2 via the communication control unit 41 (step 107).
).

The operator of the telephone set 1 can check the search results by viewing the data recorded and output by the facsimile machine 2.

Note that the report of the data search results from the storage and forwarding device 4 is as follows:
It is also possible to make a voice report directly to the telephone 1 instead of to the facsimile machine 2.

In such a conventional facsimile store-and-forward system, voice response between the store-and-forward device 4 and the telephone 1 is interrupted during a data search, and the operator remains silent while waiting for the search results.

As a result, the operator may feel that the waiting time during the data search is longer than it actually is, and may become psychologically frustrated.

Furthermore, in conventional facsimile storage and forwarding systems, search conditions can only be entered once per communication.
After reporting the data search results based on the search conditions, the line will be disconnected.

Therefore, in order to search for the most desired data based on more search conditions, it is necessary for the telephone 1 to access the storage and forwarding device 4 multiple times.
Search processing has become more complex and communication costs have soared.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional facsimile store-and-forward system described above, the operator on the telephone side is forced to wait in silence while the store-and-forward device searches for data. There was a problem that people felt psychologically irritated, such as feeling that the time was longer than it actually was.

In addition, multiple accesses are required to obtain data closer to the desired data by adding search conditions, making the search process more complicated and increasing communication costs. Ta.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to reduce psychological effects such as the feeling of waiting time being longer than it actually is when performing optimal data search processing, as well as to simplify search processing and reduce communication costs. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a facsimile storage and exchange system that can accomplish the following tasks.

[Structure of the Invention j (Means for Solving Problems) The facsimile storage and exchange system of the present invention includes a timer for measuring the elapsed time of a data search process, and a voice signal corresponding to the time measured by the timer. and a voice response means for outputting the progress of the data search process by voice from the telephone, and a voice response means for holding the line during the data search process until an instruction to terminate the search process is received from the telephone, and as necessary. The storage and forwarding device is configured using a storage and forwarding device including a line holding means for inputting different search conditions a plurality of times.

(Function) In the facsimile storage and exchange system of the present invention, the progress of data search processing is outputted from the telephone by voice, and if new search processing is required based on the outputted search data, different search conditions are added. Input,
The above objective is achieved by continuing the search process for the next data while maintaining the line.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the facsimile storage and forwarding system according to the present invention, and parts having the same functions as those of the conventional facsimile storage and forwarding system shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. It is attached.

In the present invention, the storage/forwarding device 4 includes a central processing section 40, a communication control section 41, a storage section 42, and a voice response section 4.
3.

The data retrieval processing operation in the facsimile storage and forwarding system of the present invention having such a configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the operator who has issued the data search request makes a call from the telephone 1 connected to the facsimile machine 2 on the R side, and calls the storage and forwarding device 4 through the exchange 3 (
Step 201).

After establishing the line, the operator operates the telephone 1 in accordance with voice input instructions from the storage and forwarding device 4, and inputs the password, service number, search conditions, etc. related to the data search request described above (step 202).

Based on the input information associated with this operation, the storage and forwarding device 4
Then, the central processing unit 40 starts searching for data by accessing the storage unit 42 (step 203
).

Next, the central processing unit 40 searches the storage unit 4 by the above-described search.
Step 204) to determine whether the data read from Step 2 corresponds to the specified condition, and if it is determined that the data corresponds to the specified condition, extract the data (Step 205); It is temporarily stored in another memory area of the storage unit 42.

The processing of steps 201 to 205 is similar to that of steps 101 to 105 in the conventional facsimile storage and forwarding system.
The process is executed in exactly the same way.

Simultaneously with reading the data from the storage unit 42, the central processing unit 40 starts counting the data search time (step 206), and determines whether the data search time has reached a preset time (step 206). Step 207
).

Note that if it is determined in step 204 that the data read from the storage unit 42 is not the applicable data, the processing from step 204 to step 206 is performed.
will be quickly transitioned to.

By the way, if it is determined in step 207 that the data search time has not reached the preset time,
The central processing unit 40 subsequently determines whether or not there remains any data that needs to be searched (step 208).

While it is determined in step 208 that data that needs to be searched remains, the central processing unit 4
0 repeatedly executes the processing of steps 203-208.

During execution of the process, if it is determined in step 207 that the data search time has reached the preset time, the central processing unit 40 sends voice data to the telephone 1 that is waiting to receive search data. Report the progress of the search.

As an example for realizing this progress report, the voice response unit 43 of the storage/exchange device 4 is configured with a so-called voice synthesis device that digitizes and stores voice signals and outputs them as the original voice signals when necessary. There is a way to do it.

In this case, the central processing unit 40, at the same time as it is determined in step 207 that the data search time has reached the preset time, sends the voice response unit 43 to the communication control unit 41 and the telephone 1 through the exchange R3. A signal may be transmitted to output a voice such as "Currently searching for data. Please wait for a while."

The above is an example of reporting the progress of a data search by voice only once when the data search time reaches a preset time. It is also possible to report the progress of the data search.

It goes without saying that the voice response unit 43 can also be configured by other devices such as a tape recorder, in addition to the voice synthesis device described above.

As the data search progresses while reporting progress, when it is determined in step 208 that there is no longer any data that needs to be searched, the central processing unit 40 records the data search results that have been made so far by voice. The information is immediately reported to the telephone 11 (step 210).

Subsequently, the central processing unit 40 prompts the telephone 1 to respond with a voice message such as "Do you want to continue searching?", and then displays the data search results reported as described above. Waiting for input of response information from the telephone 1 based on the data, it is determined whether or not to execute a data search (step 211).

If it is determined in step 211 that a continuation of the data search is requested, the central processing unit 40 continues to wait for the telephone 1 to input conditions necessary for the next data search.

When the input of the above-mentioned conditions, etc. is confirmed (step 212), the central processing unit 40 replaces the corresponding data specified by the input condition with the search data (step 213>), and then immediately proceeds from step 203. Then, the search for the corresponding data continues.

While repeatedly executing such processing, step 211
If it is determined in step 214 that the data search should be terminated, the central processing unit 214 transmits the data searched so far to the facsimile machine 2 via the communication control unit 41 and the exchange 3 (step 214).

The operator of the telephone set 1 can check the search results by viewing the data recorded and output by the facsimile machine 2.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the facsimile storage and forwarding system of the present invention, the storage and forwarding device reports the progress of the search process or the searched data etc. to the calling terminal by voice during data retrieval. However, if a new data search condition is input from the calling terminal in response to the report, the data search is continued based on the search condition while maintaining the line, so that data search is not in progress. In addition to reducing psychological effects such as feeling that the waiting time is longer than it actually is,
It has the excellent advantage of simplifying search processing and contributing to lower communication costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the facsimile storage and forwarding system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of data search processing in the facsimile storage and forwarding system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a conventional facsimile storage and forwarding system. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the facsimile storage and forwarding system shown in FIG. 1...Telephone, 2...Fax machine, 3...
exchange unit, 4... storage/exchange device, 40... central processing unit, 41... communication control unit, 42... storage unit, 43...
・Voice flute section. wsi diagram 'N3 diagram Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a facsimile store-and-forward system in which a store-and-forward device performs data search processing based on search conditions input from a telephone connected to a facsimile device, and delivers the search results to the facsimile device or the telephone, the store-and-forward system comprises: The apparatus includes a timer for measuring the elapsed time of the data search process, and a voice response means for generating an audio signal corresponding to the time measured by the timer and outputting the progress of the data search process by voice from the telephone. , further comprising a line holding means for holding the line during the data search process until an instruction to terminate the search process is received from the telephone, and inputting different search conditions a plurality of times as necessary. Features a facsimile storage and exchange system.