Facsimile receiving method and facsimile apparatus carrying out the method

A facsimile receiving method usable for a facsimile system in which a telephone line is used for both an automatic answering telephone set and facsimile apparatus by automatically switching the automatic answering telephone set or facsimile apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• carrying out ringing of an automatic answering telephone set by a called station for a predetermined period without a called station identification signal being transmitted from the called station to a calling station even when a recording capacity of the automatic answering telephone set is full of incoming messages, and a calling signal transmitted from the telephone central office is received by the called station, and a facsimile calling tone signal is transmitted from the calling station;
• detecting whether the automatic answering telephone set of the called station is offhooked during said predetermined period of ringing of the automatic answering telephone set or not;
• and
• transmitting a voice message meaning "Absence" and "Transmit a facsimile message, if any" from the called station to the calling station when it is detected that the automatic answering telephone set of the called station is not offhooked.

A facsimile apparatus usable for a facsimile system in which a telephone line is used for both telephone calling or answering and facsimile calling or answering by automatically switching telephone or facsimile, said apparatus comprising:

• means for detecting a call signal transmitted from a telephone central office;
• means for carrying out ringing of telephone by a called station for a predetermined period without a called station identification signal being transmitted from the called station to a calling station even when a calling signal is detected and a facsimile calling tone signal is transmitted from the calling station;
• means for detecting whether a handset of the called station is offhooked during said predetermined period of ringing of telephone or not;
• means for transmitting a voice message meaning "Absence" and "Transmit a facsimile message, if any" from the called station to the calling station when it is detected that the handset of the called station is not offhooked during said predetermined period of ringing of telephone;
• and
• means for removing a frequency component equivalent to the frequency of said facsimile calling tone signal from said voice message,

A facsimile apparatus usable for a facsimile system in which a telephone line is used for both telephone calling or answering and facsimile calling or answering by automatically switching telephone or facsimile, said apparatus comprising:

• means for detecting a call signal transmitted from a telephone central office;
• means for carrying out ringing of telephone by a called station for a predetermined period without a called station identification signal being transmitted from the called station to a calling station even when a calling signal is detected and a facsimile calling tone signal is transmitted from the calling station;
• means for detecting whether a handset of the called station is offhooked during said predetermined period of ringing of telephone or not;
• and
• means for transmitting a voice message meaning "Absence" and "Transmit a facsimile message, if any" from the called station to the calling station when it is detected that the handset of the called station is not offhooked during said predetermined period of ringing of telephone;
• wherein said means for transmitting a voice message transmits a voice message which does not include a frequency component equivalent to the frequency of said facsimile calling tone signal.