US 4,908,851 AGranted

Facsimile apparatus operable in facsimile or conversation mode

AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsMatahira Kotani, Masayuki Hachinoda, Toshihiro Matsuda, Takashi Nakajiri, Motohiko Hayashi

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Abstract

A facsimile communication apparatus is disclosed which is operable under either one of a facsimile mode for transmitting facsimile signal from a calling station along a telephone line to a called station, and a conversation mode for sending conversation signal from the calling station along the telephone line to the called station. The facsimile communication apparatus at the called station includes a detector for detecting a facsimile request signal indicative of a facsimile communication request made by a calling station within a predetermined period of time after a telephone line is connected to a facsimile communication apparatus of the calling station, and a signal producer for producing a facsimile request signal when the detector detects the facsimile request signal and for producing a conversation request signal when the detecting means detects no facsimile request signal within the predetermined period of time.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A facsimile communication apparatus which is operable under either one of a facsimile mode for transmitting facsimile signals from a calling station along a telephone line to a called station, or a conversation mode for transmitting voice signals from the calling station along the telephone line to the called station, said facsimile communication apparatus at the called station comprising:

network control means for automatically connecting said called station to said telephone line upon receipt of a telephone call from the calling station;
timer means for counting a first predetermined time period, said timer means being activated in response to the automatic connection by said network control means;
detecting means, operatively connected to said timer means, for detecting if a facsimile request signal from the calling station is present within said first predetermined time period;
facsimile control signal producing means, responsive to said detecting means, for producing facsimile control signals when said detecting means detects said facsimile request signal within said first predetermined time period, thereby enabling the facsimile mode;
said timer means counting a second predetermined time period in response to said facsimile request signal not being detected by said detecting means within said first predetermined time period;
message producing means, responsive to lapse of said first predetermined time period, for producing a message, at said called station, indicating that an operator at said calling station desires said facsimile apparatus to operate in said conversation mode;
and
conversation control means, responsive to said message producing means, for producing a control signal to enable said facsimile apparatus to operate in the conversation mode, within said second predetermined time period;
wherein said facsimile control signal producing means responsive to said timer means for producing facsimile control signals upon the lapse of said second predetermined time period, thereby enabling said facsimile mode.

6 more elements

A facsimile communication apparatus which is operable under either one of a facsimile mode for transmitting facsimile signals from a calling station along a telephone line to a called station, or a conversation mode for sending conversation signals from the calling station along said telephone line to the called station, said facsimile communication apparatus at the called station comprising:

network control means for automatically connecting said called station to the telephone line upon receipt of a telephone call from the calling station;
timer means for counting a first predetermined period of time;
detecting means for detecting if a facsimile request signal from the calling station is present within said first predetermined period of time;
facsimile control signal producing means for producing facsimile control signals when said detecting means detects, within said first predetermined period of time, said facsimile request signal;
said timer means further counting a second predetermined period of time subsequent to the counting of said first predetermined period of time;
message producing means for producing a message, within said second predetermined time period, when said detecting means fails to detect, within said first predetermined period of time, said facsimile request signal;
and
said facsimile control signal producing means produces said facsimile control signals after counting said second predetermined period of time, when an operator at said called station fails to respond to said message, within said second predetermined period of time to thereby enable the facsimile mode.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.