SELF-TEST APPARATUS FOR FACSIMILE GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 3,598,910 A
• Filed: 06/17/1968
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Armand M. Johnston, James D. Lehner, Marion G. Wood
• Original Assignee: Armand M. Johnston, James D. Lehner, Marion G. Wood
• Inventors: Johnston, Armand M., Wood, Marion G., Lehner, James D.
• Application Number:
  US04/737,441
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• US Class Current: 358/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0001 Transmission systems or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00045 using a reference pattern designed for the purpose, e.g. a test chart
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00055 automatically on a periodic basis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00063 using at least a part of the apparatus itself, e.g. self-testing

Abstract

A facsimile graphic communication system wherein an operator may test the transmitting and receiving functions of a transceiver by utilizing only the equipment associated with the transceiver. A self-test feature is provided whereby a transceiver unit is enabled to transmit to itself for testing the transmitting and receiving functions. A special test document is provided where the transceiver scans part of the document and prints on another part of the document, thereby testing both the transmit and receive functions without utilizing another transceiver unit and associated transmission line.

Claims

1. In a graphic communication system comprising a facsimile transceiver for transmitting and receiving video signals representative of information on a document or the like, the method of self-testing said facsimile transceiver comprising the steps of simultaneously enabling both the transmit and receive capabilities of said transceiver, detecting a predetermined pattern on a test document, and printing said predetermined pattern on said test document, whereby the quality of said printed predetermined pattern is an indication of the quality of operation of said transmit and receive capabilities of said transceiver.

2. The method of testing the operation of a facsimile transceiver used for transmitting and receiving information-modulated electrical signals representative of information on a document or the like comprising the steps of affixing on a record medium a predetermined test pattern, said recording medium with said test pattern comprising a test document, scanning said test document to detect said test pattern thereon, and printing on said test document the test pattern simultaneously with the scanning of said test document, whereby the quality of the printing in comparison with the test pattern is an indication of the effectiveness of the transceiver operation.

3. A facsimile transceiver system comprising a scanner and printer and including scan and print circuitry operating in conjunction with said scanner and printer in the respective modes thereof, comprising:

means for energizing said scan circuitry and said print circuitry so that said scan and print circuitry are simultaneously operable, means for coupling the output of said scan circuitry to the input of said print circuitry, and a record sheet that is simultaneously scanned by said scanner and printed upon by said printer, the print quality on said record sheet being an indication of the effectiveness of the operation of said facsimile transceiver.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said coupling means comprises an electric coupler, said electric coupler allowing direct electrical coupling from the output of said scan circuitry to the input of said print circuitry upon proper enabling thereof.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said coupling means comprises an inductive coupler, said inductive coupler including first means for inductively converting the output of said scan circuitry into electric video signals, and second means for inductively converting electric video signals into input electrical signals for application to said print circuitry.

6. A facsimile transceiver system comprising a scanner and printer and including scan and print circuitry operating in conjunction with said scanner and printer in the respective modes thereof, comprising:

means for energizing said scan circuitry and said print circuitry so that said scan and print circuitry are simultaneously operable, means for coupling the output of said scan circuitry to the input of said print circuitry, said coupling means comprising an acoustic coupler, said acoustic coupler including first means for converting the output of said scan circuitry into audio signals representative thereof, and second means for converting audio signals into input electrical signals for application to said print circuitry, and record means for being simultaneously scanned by said scanner and printed upon by said printer, whereby the effectiveness of the operation of said facsimile transceiver can be monitored thereby.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 further including dummy telephone handset means for coupLing the audio signals from said first converting means to the second converting means, said dummy telephone handset means comprising a hollow tube in the configuration of a telephone handset for allowing a close physical and audio relationship with said acoustic coupler.

8. In a facsimile information scanning and printing transceiver system, a recording medium for testing the operation of said facsimile transceiver comprising:

sheet means for receiving the information to be printed, and label means attachable to said sheet means for providing a predetermined pattern to be scanned and simultaneously reproduced as said information on said sheet means, the quality of the reproduced pattern being an indication of the operativeness of said facsimile transceiver.

9. The recording medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sheet means comprises a first and second member in intimate coplanar relationship, said first member comprising a colorant-depositing layer adjacent to said second member, whereby the colorant is depositable onto said second member to generate said reproduced pattern, and wherein said label means is attached to the side of said first member opposite said colorant-depositing layer.

10. The recording medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said colorant-depositing layer is colored ink.

11. The recording medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein the colorant-depositing layer is encapsulated colored fluid.

12. In a graphic communication system comprising a facsimile transceiver for transmitting and receiving video signals representative of information on a document or the like wherein said transmitting and receiving functions are simultaneously operable in a test mode, a record medium for testing the operation of said facsimile transceiver comprising:

sheet means for receiving the information to be recorded, and a test pattern on said sheet means to be scanned and simultaneously reproduced on said sheet means, the quality of the reproduced pattern being an indication of the operativeness of said facsimile transceiver.

13. In a graphic communication system comprising a facsimile transceiver for transmitting and receiving video signals representative of information on a document or the like, apparatus for self testing said facsimile transceiver comprising:

means for simultaneously enabling both the transmit and receive capabilities of said transceiver, means for detecting a predetermined pattern on a test document, and means for printing said predetermined pattern on said test document, whereby the quality of said printed predetermined pattern is an indication of the quality of operation of said transmit and receive capabilities of said transceiver.

14. A facsimile transceiver for transmitting and receiving information-modulated electrical signals representative of information on a document or the like, apparatus for testing the operation of said facsimile transceiver comprising:

a test document comprising a record medium with a predetermined test pattern thereon, means for scanning said test document to detect said test pattern, and means for printing on said test document the predetermined test pattern simultaneously with the scanning of said test document, the quality of the printing in comparison with the test pattern being an indication of the effectiveness of the transceiver operation.

15. In a graphic communication system comprising a facsimile transceiver for transmitting and receiving video signals representative of information on a document or the like wherein said transmitting and receiving functions are simultaneously operable in a test mode, the method of testing the operation of said facsimile transceiver by a record medium with a test pattern thereon comprising the steps of:

scanning and simultaneously printing on said record medium said test pattern, the quality of the reproduced pattern being an indication of the operativeness of said facsimile transceiver.