Facsimile machine connectable to various communication equipments

• US 5,255,312 A
• Filed: 08/03/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: White & Case LLP
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Koshiishi, Takaho
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US07/921,982
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100, 379/96, 379/98, 379/97, 379/93, 379/59, 379/58, 358/442, 358/443
• US Class Current: 379/100.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32704 Establishing a communication with one of a facsimile and another telecommunication apparatus sharing a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32708 Telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32717 a calling tone, e.g. CI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32728 an off-hook condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32763 Supplying power to the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/902 Auto-switch for an incoming voice data, or fax telephone call, e.g. comp/fax/tel

Abstract

A facsimile machine which is coupled to a telephone line and a telephone set, where the facsimile machine connects the telephone set to the telephone line in a telephone mode and disconnects the telephone set from the telephone line in a facsimile mode so as to use the telephone line as a communication line for a facsimile communication, and the facsimile machine is connectable to a communication equipment via an interface unit which is designed exclusively for the communication equipment. The facsimile machine includes a single connector including signal lines for receiving and transmitting signals for coupling the facsimile machine to the interface unit, a single switch coupled to the connector for arbitrarily selecting the communication line to the telephone line in a first mode and to the communication equipment in a second mode, and a communication part for making a facsimile communication using the communication line which is selected by the switch.

Claims

1. A facsimile machine which is coupled to a telephone line and a telephone set, said facsimile machine connecting the telephone set to the telephone line in a telephone mode and disconnecting the telephone set from the telephone line in a facsimile mode so as to use the telephone line as a communication line for a facsimile communication, said facsimile machine being connectable to a plurality of types of communication equipment via respective interface units which are designed exclusively for a corresponding one of the plurality of types of communication equipment and each using a predetermined set of signals, each of said interface units being provided with a respective signal converter, said facsimile machine comprising:

single connector means including signal lines for receiving and transmitting said predetermined set of signals for coupling the facsimile machine to each of the respective interface units;

control means, connected to said single connector means through said signal lines, for controlling an operation of said facsimile machine;

single switching means coupled to said connector means for arbitrarily selecting the communication line to the telephone line in a first mode and to one of the types of the communication equipment in a second mode; and

communication means for making a facsimile communication using the communication line which is selected by said switching means.

2. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises processing means for receiving from one of the interface units via said connector means a reception data signal, a hook signal indicative of whether or not a handset of the communication equipment is in a hooked state when the communication equipment is equipped with the handset, identification signals for identifying a kind of the communication equipment which is coupled to the facsimile machine, and a calling signal indicative of whether or not the communication equipment is called via the communication line, and for supplying to the one interface unit via said connector means power source voltages, a transmission data signal, and a control signal for switching the communication equipment between a transmitting mode and a receiving mode when the communication equipment is a radio transmitter/receiver.

3. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 2, which further comprises hook signal switching means for detecting whether or not the telephone set is in a hooked state when said switching means is in the first mode and for detecting whether or not the communication equipment is in the hooked state based on the hook signal when said switching means is in the second mode.

4. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hook signal switching means is made up solely of a logic circuit.

5. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises hook signal switching means for detecting whether or not the telephone set is in a hooked state when said switching means is in the first mode and for detecting whether or not the communication equipment is in a hooked state based on a hook signal when said switching means is in the second mode, said hook signal being received from the interface unit via said connector means and indicative of whether or not a handset of the communication equipment is in a hooked state when the communication equipment is equipped with the handset.

6. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hook signal switching means is made up solely of a logic circuit.

7. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication equipment is selected from a group consisting of a mobile telephone unit, a radio transmitter/receiver, an acoustic coupler unit, and another telephone set.

8. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises identifying means for identifying a kind of communication equipment which is coupled to the facsimile machine based on unit identification signals received from one of the interface units via said connector means, and determining means for determining a transmission control procedure of the facsimile communication based on a result of identification made in said identifying means.

9. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the interface units includes a first connector having a plurality of terminals, and said connector means includes a second connector having a plurality of terminals respectively corresponding to the terminals of the first connector for transmitting and receiving signals between one of the interface units and the facsimile machine when the first and second connectors are connected.

10. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first connector has a fixed number of terminals independent of the communication equipment which is coupled to the facsimile machine.

11. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single connector means includes second signal lines for receiving and transmitting signals from one of said interface units identifying a communication equipment which is attached to said one interface unit.

12. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means for selecting a transmission control procedure based upon said identified communication equipment attached to said one interface unit.

13. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector means comprises a single connector having a predetermined number of interconnections respectively corresponding to said predetermined set of signals;

wherein each of said interface units includes a matching connector adapted to be connected to said single connector means, the matching connector being identical for each of said interface units.