Sound volume controllable communication apparatus

• US 6,445,802 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Dan, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US09/084,225
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 381/104, 381/107, 381/109, 379/388.03, 379/388.06, 379/390.01, 379/390.03, 379/142.18, 379/418
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A sound volume-controllable communication apparatus capable of outputting signals as monitoring sounds simultaneously with the transmission and reception of the signals is disclosed. At the time of transmission of a signal from, for example, a facsimile machine, a sound volume control unit performs control such that the volume of a sound output from a sound outputting unit is set to a volume lower than the volume normally set. More specifically, when a number key or an automatic dial key is operated, the facsimile machine stores into a memory the present volume of monitoring sounds from a speaker, and then sets the speaker volume to zero, thereby establishing a state where no sound will be produced from the speaker. If the key operated is a number key, the facsimile machine continually transmits a selection signal until the operation on the number key ends. The facsimile machine then sets the speaker volume back to the value stored in the memory, thereby establishing a state where sounds will be produced from the speaker. If the key operated is an automatic dial key, the facsimile machine reads, one digit at a time, the corresponding number from the memory, and sequentially transmits the corresponding selection signals. After all of the signals corresponding to the digits have been transmitted, the facsimile machine resumes the state where sounds will be produced from the speaker.

Claims

1. A sound volume-controllable communication apparatus, comprising:

a sound outputting unit that outputs sounds, including sounds corresponding to a selection signal, wherein the selection signal sounds are output simultaneously with transmission of the selection signal;

a signal transmitting unit that transmits the selection signal corresponding to a designated number; and

a sound volume control unit that controls a volume of the output sounds, such that a volume of the selection sounds output from the sound outputting unit at time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is different than a volume of non-selection signal sounds, wherein the selection signal and the non-selection signal exclude voice signal.

2. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume of the selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit at the time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is lower than the volume of non-selection signal sounds.

3. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the volume of the non-selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit after the time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is higher than the volume of selection signal sounds.

4. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of number keys; and

a detector unit that detects an operated state of each number key.

5. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 4, wherein the signal transmitting unit transmits the selection signal corresponding to a number assigned to the operated number key every time the detector unit detects the operated state of any one of the plurality of number keys.

6. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal transmitting unit transmits the selection signal corresponding to a number assigned to the operated number key at a time that can be determined on the basis of the operated state of the number key.

7. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sound volume control unit performs control so as to set a volume different than a pre-set volume, in accordance with the time.

8. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit that stores a number;

wherein the signal transmitting unit transmits, at a predetermined time, the selection signal corresponding to the number stored in the storage unit.

9. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting unit transmits at a predetermined time.

10. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sound volume control unit performs control so as to set a volume different than the pre-set volume, in accordance with the predetermined time.

11. A sound volume-controllable communication apparatus, comprising:

sound outputting means for outputting sounds, including sounds corresponding to a selection signal, wherein the selection signal sounds are output simultaneously with transmission of the selection signal;

signal transmitting means for transmitting the selection signal corresponding to a designated number; and

sound volume control means for controlling a volume of the output sounds, such that a volume of the selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit at time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is different than a volume of non-selection signals sounds, wherein the selection signal and the non-selection signal exclude voice signal.

12. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 11, wherein the volume of the selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit at the time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is lower than the volume of non-selection signal sounds.

13. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein the volume of the non-selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit at the time of transmission of the selection signal by the signal transmitting unit, is higher than the volume of selection signal sounds.

14. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of number keys; and

detecting means for detecting an operated state of each number key.

15. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 14, wherein the signal transmitting means transmits the selection signal corresponding to a number assigned to the operated number key every time the detecting means detects the operated state of any one of the plurality of number keys.

16. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signal transmitting means transmits the selection signal corresponding to a number assigned to the operated number key at a time that can be determined on the basis of the operated state of the number key.

17. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sound volume control means performs control so as to set a volume different than a pre-set volume, in accordance with the time.

18. The sound volume-controllable communication apparatus of claim 11, wherein the signal transmitting means transmits at a predetermined time, and the sound volume control means performs control so as to set a volume different than the pre-set volume, in accordance with the predetermined time.

19. A storage medium for a sound volume-controllable communication apparatus, comprising:

a program for outputting sounds, including sounds corresponding to a selection signal, wherein the selection signal sounds are output simultaneously with transmission of the selection signal;

a program for transmitting the selection signal corresponding to a designated number; and

a program for controlling a volume of the output sounds, such that a volume of the selection signal sounds output from the sound outputting unit at time of transmission of the selection signal, is different than a volume of non-selection signal sounds, wherein the selection signal and the non-selection signal exclude voice signal.

20. A method for controlling sound volume in a sound volume-controllable communication apparatus, comprising:

outputting sounds, including sounds corresponding to a selection signal, wherein the selection signal sounds are output simultaneously with transmission of the selection signal;

transmitting the selection signal corresponding to a designated number; and

controlling a volume of the output sounds, such that a volume of the selection signal sounds output at time of transmission of the selection signal, is different than a volume of non-selection signal sounds, wherein the selection signal and the non-selection signal exclude voice signal.