Interface circuit for utilizing a facsimile coupled to a PC as a scanner or printer
First Claim
1. A device for coupling a facsimile machine with a personal computer, comprising:
- first switch means having a normal mode position for electrically isolating the facsimile machine from the computer and coupling the computer and facsimile machine to at least one local telephone line and a scan/print mode position for directly electrically connecting the facsimile machine to the computer and isolating the computer and facsimile machine from the telephone line;
second switch means normally biased to a first switch position and having a manually operable switch member for moving said second switch means against said bias to a second position;
a small, low voltage DC source;
current generator means having an input and an output, said output being coupled to said facsimile machine;
ring generating means for generating a sinusoidal ring signal of a predetermined frequency and amplitude when coupled to said DC source; and
said second switch means including means for coupling said DC source to said ring generating means and for coupling the sinusoidal ring signal of said ring generating means to said computer when said manually operable switch member is moved to said second position and for decoupling said DC source from said ring generating means and decoupling the ring generating means from said computer and for coupling said DC source to said current generating means responsive to return of said second switch means to said first position, upon release of said manually operable switch member;
whereby the output of said ring generating means causes said computer to enter a scanning or print mode and subsequent application of said constant current to said facsimile machine and computer simulates an off-hook condition enabling the facsimile machine to transmit data presented in a document scanned by the facsimile machine to said computer or to transmit data from said computer to be printed by the facsimile machine responsive to a simulated off-hook condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for interfacing a conventional facsimile machine with a PC enabling the use of the facsimile machine as a scanner or printer. A first switch assembly selectively couples the PC modem and facsimile machine either to independent telephone lines in a normal mode or to one another in a scan/print mode. A manually operated switch assembly is depressed for a brief interval sufficient to activate a ringing circuit which converts DC power from a small battery source to a 20 Hz sine wave of 90 volt amplitude and applies the sine wave signal to the PC to cause the PC or facsimile to enter into a scan or print mode, respectively. The manually operable switch is then released to apply a constant current to the facsimile machine to simulate an off-hook condition. A facsimile machine start button is then operated to start the facsimile machine which scans documents provided therein and transmits the scanned data in a conventional facsimile transmission format or activate the PC to transmit a fax in conventional facsimile transmission format to utilize the facsimile machine as a printer. The PC may be equipped with a suitable software program for converting non-graphic, i.e. such as word-type information into a binary format suitable for use in word processing applications and may store the data in a memory for subsequent use. An automatic circuit (25) may be provided to initiate a scanning or printing mode responsive to receipt of a unique number received from either the facsimile machine or the PC, thus eliminating the need for switches.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A device for coupling a facsimile machine with a personal computer, comprising:
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first switch means having a normal mode position for electrically isolating the facsimile machine from the computer and coupling the computer and facsimile machine to at least one local telephone line and a scan/print mode position for directly electrically connecting the facsimile machine to the computer and isolating the computer and facsimile machine from the telephone line; second switch means normally biased to a first switch position and having a manually operable switch member for moving said second switch means against said bias to a second position; a small, low voltage DC source; current generator means having an input and an output, said output being coupled to said facsimile machine; ring generating means for generating a sinusoidal ring signal of a predetermined frequency and amplitude when coupled to said DC source; and said second switch means including means for coupling said DC source to said ring generating means and for coupling the sinusoidal ring signal of said ring generating means to said computer when said manually operable switch member is moved to said second position and for decoupling said DC source from said ring generating means and decoupling the ring generating means from said computer and for coupling said DC source to said current generating means responsive to return of said second switch means to said first position, upon release of said manually operable switch member; whereby the output of said ring generating means causes said computer to enter a scanning or print mode and subsequent application of said constant current to said facsimile machine and computer simulates an off-hook condition enabling the facsimile machine to transmit data presented in a document scanned by the facsimile machine to said computer or to transmit data from said computer to be printed by the facsimile machine responsive to a simulated off-hook condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device for coupling a facsimile machine with a personal computer, comprising:
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first switch means having a normal mode position for electrically isolating the facsimile machine from the computer and a scan/print mode position for directly electrically connecting the facsimile machine to the computer; second switch means normally biased to a first switch position and having a manually operable switch member for moving said second switch means against said bias to a second position; a small, low voltage DC source; current generator means having an input and an output, said output being coupled to said facsimile machine; ring generating means for generating a sinusoidal ring signal of a predetermined frequency and amplitude when coupled to said DC source; and said second switch means including means for coupling said DC source to said ring generating means and for coupling the ring signal of said ring generating means to said computer when said manually operable switch member is moved to said second position and for decoupling said DC source from said ring generating means and decoupling the ring generating means from said computer and for coupling said DC source to said current generating means and coupling the current generating means to the computer and facsimile machine responsive to return of said second switch means to said first position, upon release of said manually operable switch member; whereby the output of said ring generating means causes said computer to enter a scanning or print mode and subsequent application of said constant current to said facsimile machine simulates an off-hook condition enabling the facsimile machine to transmit data presented in a document scanned by the facsimile machine to said computer or to transmit data from said computer to be printed by the facsimile machine responsive to a simulated off-hook condition; said ring generating means further comprising; means responsive to said low voltage DC source for generating an adjustably selectable output signal of a given frequency; phase delay means for delaying said given frequency output signal; step-up transformer means having primary and secondary transformer windings; said secondary transformer winding being selectively coupled to said computer through said second switch means; and bridge circuit means for alternately coupling said given frequency signal and said delayed given frequency signal to opposing inputs of said primary winding. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A ring generating device comprising:
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a low voltage DC source; adjustable pulse generating means responsive to said low voltage DC source for generating an adjustably selectable output signal of a given frequency; phase delay means for delaying said given frequency output signal; step-up transformer means having primary and secondary transformer windings; said secondary transformer winding being selectively coupled to a device for receiving a ringing signal through a switch means; and bridge circuit means for alternately coupling said given frequency signal and said delayed given frequency signal to opposing inputs of said primary winding to generate at an output of the secondary winding a sinusoidal ring signal of the desired frequency and an amplitude greater than an amplitude of the DC source. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of interfacing a computer with a facsimile machine, enabling use of the facsimile machine as a scanner or printer for the computer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) operating a first switch assembly from a normal position electrically isolating the computer from the facsimile machine and coupling the computer and facsimile machine to at least one telephone line to a scan/print position coupling said computer to said facsimile machine and isolating the facsimile machine and computer from the telephone line; (b) momentarily operating a second switch assembly from a normally occupied first position to a second position for activating a ring generating circuit to generate a sinusoidal signal of a given frequency and amplitude and applying said signal to said computer and facsimile machine to cause said facsimile machine to initiate a scan mode or a print mode; (c) releasing said second switch means after a brief interval, between one and two seconds to return the second contact assembly to the first position to remove said sinusoidal signal from said computer and facsimile machine and activating a constant current generating circuit for generating a constant current and applying said constant current to said computer and facsimile machine to simulate an off-hook condition; and
either(d) operating a start button provided on said facsimile machine to initiate a facsimile transmission whereby said facsimile machine transmits signals to said computer representative of information on a document scanned by said facsimile machine responsive to the simulated off-hook condition and operation of the start button;
or(e) whereby the computer transmits signals to the facsimile machine when in a print mode, responsive to the simulated off-hook condition. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method of interfacing a facsimile machine with a computer to cause said facsimile machine to operate as a scanning device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling the facsimile machine to the computer and isolating the facsimile machine and the computer from a telephone line; (b) generating a sine wave signal of a given frequency and amplitude representative of a standard facsimile machine call signal and applying said signal to said computer for a short given time interval, between one and two seconds whereby the computer is conditioned to receive signals representing data on a scanned document; (c) generating a constant current signal after termination of said sinusoidal signal and applying said constant current signal to said facsimile machine to simulate an off-hook condition whereby the facsimile machine is conditioned to transmit signals representing data on a scanned document; and (d) operating a facsimile machine start button for initiating transmission of said facsimile machine for transmitting information to said computer representative of a document being scanned by said facsimile machine. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A device for interfacing a facsimile machine with a personal computer, comprising:
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first switch means having a normal mode position for electrically isolating the facsimile machine from the computer and a print mode position for electrically connecting the facsimile machine to the computer; second switch means normally biased to a first switch position and having a manually operable switch member for moving said second switch means to a second position; a small, low voltage DC source; current generator means having an input and an output, said output being coupled to said facsimile machine; and said second switch means including means for coupling said DC source to said current generator when said manually operable switch member is moved to said second position; whereby the output of said current generator means simulates an off-hook condition enabling the computer to transmit data from said computer for printing by the facsimile machine.
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Specification