Information transmission/reception device

• US 6,018,569 A
• Filed: 08/26/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Tetsuya, Kuwabara, Kazuhiro, Kato, Tokunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US08/917,389
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100.01, 379/100.09, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/88.13, 379/88.08, 379/100.06
• US Class Current: 379/100.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32368 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32379 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3288 Storage of two or more complete document pages or image frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3297 Simultaneous use of a single memory for different image storage purposes

Abstract

While the answering machine is recording a message from a remote caller, if it is determined that an automatic reproduction request code has been inputted over the telephone, the time and day designated by the remote caller on which the message is to be reproduced is inputted as reproduction time data. Afterward, the message spoken by the remote caller is recorded as sound data. Also the time and day designated for reproduction is stored as automatic reproduction time data. When, by passage of time, the time registered by the clock circuit matches the time and day designated for reproduction, an alarm is sounded by the speaker 14. Then the message is reproduced.

Claims

1. A facsimile machine for transmitting information to and receiving information from a remote facsimile machine, comprising:

data input means for inputting various data including sound data;

transmission/reception control means for transmitting at least one of image data and sound data as transmission data to a remote facsimile machine and for receiving at least one of sound data and image data from the remote facsimile machine;

sound data recording means for recording at least one of sound data inputted by the sound data input means and sound data received by the transmission/reception control means;

sound reproduction means for reproducing the sound data recorded by the sound data recording means;

visualizing means for visualizing various data;

clock means for monitoring time;

memory means for storing time information on time at which the sound data is desired to be reproduced, the time information being transmitted from the remote facsimile machine when the sound data is transmitted from the remote facsimile machine and being inputted by the data input means when the sound data is inputted by the data input means; and

control means for controlling the sound reproduction means to reproduce the sound data when the time measured by the clock means reaches the time at which the sound data is desired to be reproduced, and for controlling said visualizing means, after the sound data is reproduced, to visualize an information that the sound data is reproduced and is retained in said recording means.

2. A facsimile machine of claim 1, wherein the visualizing means includes printing means for printing data onto printing medium, the control means controlling the printing means, after the sound data is reproduced, to indicate a statement that the sound data is reproduced and is retained in said recording means.

3. A facsimile machine of claim 1, wherein the visualizing means includes display means for displaying data, the control means controlling the display means, after the sound data is reproduced, to indicate a statement that the sound data is reproduced and is retained in said recording means.

4. A facsimile machine of claim 1, further comprising:

erasure time setting means for, when the sound data is reproduced, setting an automatic erasure time when the reproduced sound data is desired to be erased; and

erasure control means for, when the time measured by the clock means reaches the automatic erasure time, automatically erasing the sound data.

5. A facsimile machine of claim 4, wherein the erasure time setting means sets the automatic erasure time, when the time measured by the clock means reaches the time at which the sound data is desired to be reproduced.

6. A facsimile machine of claim 4, wherein the erasure time setting means sets the automatic erasure time, when the control means controls the reproduction means to reproduce the sound data.