JPH05145724A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a facsimile equipment which can easily retrieve the toll numbers. CONSTITUTION:A touch panel 2 for which a map is drawn is provided together with an input pen 3a and a toll number storage means 7. A user designates a position on the map with the use of the pen 3a, and the toll number of the designated point is read out of the means 7 and displayed. Thus, it is possible to easily retrieve even the unknown or ambiguous toll numbers in the toll facsimile transmission. Thus, not only the facsimile transmission efficiency but the business work efficiency can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine having improved transmission work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in facsimile transmission, unlike a telephone, it is impossible to confirm the correct connection to the called end before transmission, so that the area code of the called side may be a little different. If it is clear, the user separately confirms the area code in the area code book or the like before transmitting.

[0003]

However, in facsimile transmission, the area code of the transmission destination (called end) is often unclear, and the extent of the area code being unclear at all. Then, investigate it in the area code,
Not only the sending work but also the office work is interrupted, so the efficiency of the office work itself is significantly reduced.

Further, the trouble of storing and organizing the area code is not foolish. This also applies to means other than the area code, such as storage by a microcomputer and inquiry to the station. For this reason, there has been a demand for realization of an area code search means that does not interrupt the transmission work at the time of facsimile transmission and does not require the trouble of storing and organizing.

The present invention has been made for the purpose of satisfying such a demand.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention comprises a map position recognizing means for recognizing a user's designated position on a map drawn on a touch panel and each position on the map. The area code storage means for storing the area code of the point corresponding to the area code, and the area code search means for searching the area code storage means for the area code corresponding to the user's designated position based on the information from the map position recognition means, and the area code Display means for displaying the search result of the station number search means.

[0007]

With the above structure, the map position recognizing means recognizes the position on the map designated by the user and sends the position information to the area code search means. Upon receiving the information, the area code search means reads out the area code corresponding to the position information from the area storage means and then displays it on the display means.

[0008]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below based on examples. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows the construction of a first embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a control unit that incorporates a microcomputer and controls all operations of the facsimile apparatus, 2 is a touch panel on which a map of Japan is drawn, 3 is an interface unit of the touch panel (control unit / connection mediation unit, I / F) and is provided with an input pen 3a for specifying the map position of the user.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an operation unit on an operation panel for the user to perform operations such as making a call. In addition to the ten keys 4a and the call key 4b required for normal making work, the facsimile apparatus is provided with an area code search mode. A search mode key 4c for switching to is provided. Reference numeral 5 is a display unit on the operation panel that displays the area code or the like of the destination specified by the user when making a call and the area code or the like when searching the area code. RA used to store numbers
M is 7 and R is for storing the control program and area code
OM, which is indispensable for the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. It should be noted that although these constituent elements have some differences in their capabilities and functions, they are related to the prior art except for the interface section of the touch panel 2 and the touch panel 3; that is, they are equipped in all current facsimile machines. Is.

The touch panel 2 and its interface section 3 are widely used in computer-related equipment for inputting coordinate information. Therefore, the description of the specific structure, action, etc. for exerting the functions of the components according to the present invention is omitted. In addition, a scanner 11 for converting an image on an original sheet into an electric signal, a printer 12 for forming an image of a received image on a recording sheet, a modem 13, an NCU 14 for controlling a line, an auto dialer 15 for dial reception, a recording sheet (not shown) Although it is equipped with a transportation means, these are not directly connected to the gist of the present invention, and
Since it is no different from the facsimile apparatus according to the conventional art, the detailed description of the structure, function, operation, etc. will be omitted.

Next, based on the flow of the area code search procedure in the present facsimile machine shown in FIG. 2, the details of the functions and operations of each part of the present facsimile machine will be described. A user who is uncertain about the area code of the other party (called end) or is anxious about the memory when performing facsimile transmission by this facsimile apparatus operates the search mode button 4c of the operation unit 4 of the facsimile apparatus to operate the facsimile apparatus. To the area code search mode (S1).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the user inputs the portion corresponding to the destination position on the map of Japan written on the touch panel with the input pen 3a to the interface section of the touch panel. The interface unit 3 of the touch panel, which has been input with the position on the map drawn on the touch panel, sends the position information to the control unit (S2).

Upon receiving the information, the control unit 1 reads out the area code of the point corresponding to the position information from the ROM 7 (S3). Further, the control unit 1 displays the read area code on the display unit 5 on the operation panel and prepares the RAM for transmission.
6 is also transferred (S4). Next, the user who confirms the area code of the transmission destination by the above operation returns to the normal facsimile transmission mode by operating the search mode button 4c of the operation unit 4 (S5).

As a result, the area code stored in the RAM 6 is displayed again on the frontmost end of the display unit 5 on the operation panel, that is, on the leftmost side when viewed from the user (S6). Next, the user presses the ten key 4a on the operation unit 4 to input the local telephone number of the transmission destination (S7). As a result, the local area code entered after the area code is displayed on the display unit 5 (S8). Looking at the display, the user confirms whether or not there is an error in all station numbers of the transmission destination (S9), corrects if there is an error (S10), and if there is no error, presses the transmission key 4b. As a result, the facsimile transmission is performed in the same manner as a normal facsimile apparatus, that is, the conventional facsimile apparatus (S11). (Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows the configuration of another embodiment of the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

Further, FIG. 5 shows steps corresponding to steps S2 to S5 of the first embodiment in the present embodiment. The other steps are the same as those in the previous embodiment (that is,
It is not shown because it is the same as the flow shown in FIG. In this facsimile apparatus, not only the area code but also the name of the city is stored in the ROM 7, and it is displayed on the display unit 5 together with the area code and corresponds to the position designated on the map by the user. The name of the municipality near the point and the area code are also read at the same time (S31), and then RA
It has been transferred to the display waiting section (not shown) of M6 and can be displayed at any time (S41), and a total of 4 keys for north, south, east and west for changing designated points on the operation section 4
d, 4e, 4f, 4g are provided, and the operation is to transfer to the display waiting section of the RAM and display the stored names of cities, towns and villages and the area code. Different from the first embodiment.

If the name of the municipality displayed on the display unit 5 is different from the one searched by the user (S32), the user can change the designated point on the operation unit in the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment. Key 4d, which is either north, south, east, or west of
By pressing 4e, 4f, or 4g (S33), the names of the municipalities and the area code adjacent to the point corresponding to the position designated on the map are retrieved from the display waiting section of the RAM 6 and then on the map. The name of the point corresponding to the designated position and the area code are displayed on the display unit 5 and are also input to the transmission waiting section (not shown) of the RAM 6 (S42).

As described above, in the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment, the user can retrieve the area code more easily and accurately than in the facsimile apparatus of the first embodiment. In other words, the boundaries of actual cities, towns, and villages are complicated, so it may be difficult to specify the required cities, towns and villages accurately using only the small map drawn on the touch panel and the input pen. In some cases, the actual location of the other party's municipality may not be known exactly. In these cases, this second
The facsimile machine of the embodiment has the same basic area code search procedure as the facsimile machine of the first embodiment, but a small map on the touch panel makes it more accurate, simple, and quick. The area code can be searched.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. That is, for example, a function of changing or correcting the stored contents of the station number storage means in accordance with the change of the area code may be added. In this case, it goes without saying that the changed or modified area code or a specific local area code is stored in RAM instead of ROM. It goes without saying that it also has the functions related to the prior art, such as the function of issuing an alarm against an erroneous operation by the user and the function of storing the shortened station number.
The memory in which the map is associated with the area code or a specific city area code may be a part of the region such as the Kanto region instead of the whole of Japan.

A function of displaying a postal code and the like may also be added. However, since these additional functions and the like are not the gist of the present invention and can be sufficiently realized by the currently widely known techniques both in terms of hardware and software, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide the existing facsimile apparatus with new components in terms of hardware and to greatly increase the scale and the function, as much as possible. In addition, it becomes possible to equip the area code search means. For this reason, in facsimile transmission, if the area code of the transmission destination (called end) is unknown or uncertain, it is possible to retrieve it easily, and not only facsimile transmission but also office work itself. Further, since the area code search means is built in the facsimile machine itself, there is no need for a storage location, and there is an unexpected effect that the labor for storage and organization is unnecessary.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a map and an input pen on the touch panel in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 control unit 2 touch panel 3 touch panel interface unit 3a input pen 4 operation unit 4a numeric keypad 4b transmission key 4c search mode key 4d designated location change operation key 4e designated location change operation key 4f designated location change operation key 4g designation Land change operation key 5 Display 6 RAM 7 ROM

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A map position recognizing means for recognizing a user's designated position on a map drawn on a touch panel, a station number storing means for storing an area code of a point corresponding to each position on the map, and a map position recognizing. An area code search means for searching the area code storage means for an area code corresponding to the position indicated by the user based on information from the means, and a display means for displaying the search result of the area code search means. Facsimile machine.