Facsimile apparatus

A facsimile apparatus, connected to a communications network, comprising:

• an image signal transceiver for receiving and transmitting image signals;
• a telephone, including at least one speaker and at least one microphone, normally connected to the communications network;
• a detector for detecting a received facsimile start signal;
• a memory for storing voice operating instructions descriptive of operating procedures for receiving image signals;
• and
• a first switch, responsive to said detector, for connecting said telephone to said memory in order to output the voice operating instructions via at least one of said at least one speaker when said detector detects the received facsimile start signal.

A facsimile apparatus, connected to a communications network, comprising:

• image signal transceiver means for receiving and transmitting image signals;
• a telephone including a microphone and a speaker;
• detector means for detecting a received facsimile start signal;
• memory means for storing voice operating instructions descriptive of operating procedures for receiving image signals;
• and
• switching network means for connecting said telephone to the communications network upon receipt of a call, connecting the telephone to receive the voice operating instructions from said memory means upon detection of the received facsimile start signal by said detector means, and connecting said image signal transceiver means to the communications network upon detection of the received facsimile start signal by said detector means.

A method for receiving image signals in a facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus including an image transceiver and a telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving a call from a communications network;
• (b) determining whether the received call comprises a facsimile start signal;
• (c) connecting the received call to the telephone if it is determined in said step (b) that the received call does not comprise a facsimile start signal;
• and
• (d) connecting the telephone to a voice signal generated within the facsimile apparatus if it is determined in said step (b) that the received call comprises the facsimile start signal in order to deliver to a receiver of the call instructions describing operating procedures for receiving image signals via the facsimile apparatus.

A facsimile apparatus, connectable to a communications network, comprising:

• an image signal transceiver, receiving and transmitting image signals;
• a telephone including at least one speaker and at least one microphone, normally connected to the communications network;
• a detector, detecting a received facsimile start signal;
• a memory, storing operating instruction data descriptive of operating procedures for receiving image signals;
• and
• a controller, connected to said memory, retrieving said instruction data from said memory in response to said detector detecting a received facsimile start signal, to communicate the instruction data as voice signals to a user of the facsimile apparatus via said telephone.

A facsimile apparatus, connectable to a communications network, comprising:

• an image signal transceiver, receiving and transmitting image signals;
• a telephone including at least one speaker and at least one microphone, normally connected to the communications network;
• a detector, detecting a received facsimile start signal;
• a memory, storing operating instruction data descriptive of operating procedures for receiving image signals;
• a display, displaying images;
• and
• a controller, connected to said memory, retrieving said instruction data from said memory in response to said detector detecting a received facsimile start signal, to communicate the instruction data as images to a user of the facsimile apparatus via said display.