Facsimile equipment

• US 5,001,572 A
• Filed: 03/30/1988
• Issued: 03/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yasuaki, Motegi, Chiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US07/175,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 358/257, 358/256, 358/400, 358/401, 358/434, 358/438, 358/440
• US Class Current: 358/440
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32058 Abbreviated dialing, e.g. one-touch dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A facsimile equipment in accordance with the present invention comprises a key input unit for specifying a receiver or receivers to which a data is to be sent, a means for detecting a key input through the key input unit, a data memory for storing therein receiver data of the receiver or receivers corresponding to the key input, a character generator for storing a character font, and image signal memory for developing said character font, wherein the receiver data corresponding to the receiver or receivers specified by the key input unit are developed into receiver image signals.

Claims

1. A facsimile equipment, comprising:

destination office information storing means for storing at a respective address therein destination office information representing a plurality of destination offices to which a manuscript is to be sent;

destination office information reading means, coupled to said destination office information storing means, for reading said destination office information stored in the respective address of the destination office storing means;

character generator means having a plurality of fonts, coupled to the destination office information reading means, for generating a destination office information image signal corresponding to said destination office information read from the destination office information reading means;

manuscript scanning means including means for scanning a manuscript to be sent to the plurality of destination offices and means for generating a corresponding manuscript image signal, each destination office having a receiver for receiving the manuscript sent from the manuscript scanning means;

image signal storing means, coupled to said manuscript scanning means, for storing the corresponding manuscript image signal generated from the manuscript scanning means;

image signal reading means, coupled to the image signal storing means, for reading the manuscript image signal stored in the image signal storing means; and

sending means, coupled to the character generator and image signal storing means, for sending to a respective receiver the destination office information image signal generated from the character generator means which represents the plurality of destination offices and the manuscript image signal read from the image signal reading means in sequence so that said respective receiver receives in sequence said destination office information image signal and manuscript image signal sent from the sending means.

2. The facsimile equipment of claim 1, wherein the sending means includes means for providing image data representing a cover page corresponding to said destination office information and sending said cover page image data to a respective receiver prior to sending said manuscript image signal.

3. The facsimile equipment of claim 1, wherein

said stored destination office information includes at least one dial number, said dial number corresponding to a receiver;

the destination office information reading means reads said stored dial number at an address corresponding to said receiver to which a manuscript is to be sent; and

the sending means sends to said receiver said destination office information image signal and said manuscript image signal in sequence in response to said read dial number.

4. The facsimile equipment of claim 3, wherein

said stored destination office information includes a plurality of dial numbers and a plurality of corresponding receiver information items wherein each of the dial numbers corresponds to a receiver information item which corresponds to a designated receiver;

the destination office information reading means reads said stored plurality of dial numbers and said plurality of corresponding receiver information items at addresses corresponding to said plurality of receivers to which a manuscript is to be sent;

said destination office information image signal corresponds to the plurality of corresponding receiver information items; and

the sending means sequentially sends out said destination office information image signal and said manuscript image signal to each corresponding receiver in response to said read plurality of dial numbers.

5. The facsimile equipment of claim 4, wherein

the sending means rearranges said manuscript and destination office information image signal whereby one of the plurality of receiver information items is disposed on top of another of the plurality of receiver information items at times when a manuscript is sent to a receiver corresponding to said one of the plurality of receiver information items.

6. A facsimile equipment comprising:

key input means operative for designating at least one receiver;

destination office information storing means for storing at a respective address therein destination office information representing a plurality of destination offices to which a manuscript is to be sent;

destination office information reading means, coupled to said destination office information storing and key input means, for reading said destination office information stored in the respective address of the destination office information storing means in response to the operation of said key input means;

character generator means, coupled to said destination office information reading means, having a plurality of fonts for generating a destination office information image signal corresponding to said destination office information read from the destination office information reading means;

manuscript scanning means including means for scanning a manuscript to be sent to the plurality of destination offices, each destination office having a designated receiver and means for generating a corresponding manuscript image signal;

image signal storing means, coupled to said manuscript scanning means, for storing the manuscript image signal generated from the manuscript generating means;

image signal reading means, coupled to the image signal storing means, for reading the manuscript image signal stored in the image signal storing means; and

sending means, coupled to the character generator and image signal storing means, for sending out said destination office information image signal generated from the character generator means which represents the plurality of destination offices and the manuscript image signal read from the image signal reading means in sequence to the designated receiver in response to the operation of the key input means so that said designated receiver receives in sequence the destination office information image signal and manuscript image signal sent from the sending means.

7. The facsimile equipment of claim 6, wherein the destination office information storing means has a first storing means for storing addresses corresponding to said designated receivers and a second storing means for storing said corresponding destination office information.

8. The facsimile equipment of claim 6, wherein

the key input means includes a plurality of one-touch keys, each corresponding to at least one receiver and being operative for designating an address in the destination office information storing means;

said stored destination office information includes at least one dial number and a corresponding receiver information item corresponding to said one-touch key;

wherein the destination office information reading means reads said stored at least one dial number and corresponding receiver information item at the designated address in response to the operation of said one-touch key.

9. The facsimile equipment of claim 8, wherein said stored destination office information includes a plurality of dial numbers and a plurality of corresponding receiver information items wherein each of the dial numbers corresponds to a receiver information item which corresponds to a designated receiver;

the destination information reading means reads said stored plurality of dial numbers and said plurality of receiver information items at the designated address in response to the operation of each one-touch key;

said destination office information image signal corresponds to the plurality of corresponding receiver information items; and

the sending means sequentially sends out said destination office information image signal and said manuscript image signal to each corresponding receiver in response to said read plurality of dial numbers.

10. A facsimile equipment comprising:

first key input means operative for designating a plurality of receivers;

destination office information storing means for storing at an address destination office information representing the plurality of destination offices, each destination office corresponding to one of the designated plurality of receivers to which a manuscript is to be sent;

destination office information reading means, coupled to the destination office storing and first key input means, for reading said destination office information stored in the respective address of the destination office information storing means in response to the operation of the first key input means;

destination office information image forming means, coupled to the destination office information reading means, for forming a destination office information image signal corresponding to said destination office information read from the destination office information reading means;

manuscript scanning means including means for scanning a manuscript to be sent to the designated receivers and means for forming a corresponding manuscript image signal;

image signal storing means, coupled to the manuscript scanning means, for storing said manuscript image signal;

image signal reading means, coupled to the image signal storing means, for reading the manuscript image signal stored in the image signal storing means; and

sending means, coupled to the destination office information image forming and image signal reading means, for sending said destination office information image signal formed from the destination office information image forming means which represents the plurality of destination offices and the manuscript picture image signal read from the image signal reading means in sequence to said designated receiver in response to the operation of the first key input means;

second key input means operative for specifying not forming said designation office information image signal; and

means, coupled to the destination office information image signal forming and second key input means, for inhibiting execution by said destination office information image signal forming means in response to the operation of the second key input means.

11. The facsimile equipment of claim 10, wherein the destination office information stored in the destination office information storing means includes a plurality of dial numbers and a plurality of corresponding receiver information items wherein each of the dial numbers corresponds to a receiver information item which corresponds to a designated receiver;

the destination office information reading means reads the plurality of dial numbers and the plurality of corresponding receiver information items at addresses corresponding to said designated receivers to which a manuscript is to be sent;

the sending means sequentially sends out the destination office information image signal and said manuscript image signal to each corresponding receiver in response to said read plurality of dial numbers.