Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-07
2001-10-23
Bella, Matthew C. (Department: 2621)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
C358S400000, C358S440000, C379S088230, C379S907000, C379S100080, C379S100150, C382S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device provided with a personal information storing device that stores information for a specific individual, which can be input or output via a telecommunication line, and a general information storing device that stores information, which can be input or output via a telecommunication line and which is not addressed to the specific individual.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional facsimile terminal equipment is provided with plural memory areas called message boxes. Each message box stores information for a specific individual. The memory areas are respectively allocated to a different specific individual. Facsimile data or voice data are stored in the message box by first specifying the number of the message box in an automatic message recording mode and then sending facsimile or voice data via a telephone line from another facsimile terminal, for example.
The specific individual who wants to know the contents of a message addressed to himself/herself directly operates facsimile terminal equipment by a predetermined operation including the input of personal identification numbers to extract the contents of his/her own message box. The specific individual can also access the message box from another facsimile terminal equipment via a telephone line and can retrieve the contents of his/her own message box. If data stored in the memory area corresponding to his/her own message box is facsimile data, it can be printed out on recording paper. If data stored in a memory area corresponding to his/her own message box is voice data, it can be reproduced from a speaker as voice.
Such facsimile terminal equipment is also normally provided with plural memory areas, each of which is called a general mail box, for storing information not addressed to a specific individual. The above facsimile terminal equipment is constituted so that voice data or facsimile data, which is input via a telecommunication line in an automatic message recording mode and which is not addressed to a specific individual, is stored in the general mail box. The contents of the general mail box can be retrieved from another facsimile terminal equipment at a remote location via a telecommunication line. Such facsimile terminal equipment is constituted so that the operation for retrieving a message from the general message box and the operation for retrieving a message from the general mail box are completely independent and both cannot be sequentially executed with a telephone line connected.
Therefore, if both a message stored in the message box for a specific individual and a message stored in the general mail box and not addressed to a specific individual are retrieved via a telephone line utilizing facsimile terminal equipment at a destination, there is a problem that the messages cannot be sequentially retrieved. That is, the telephone receiver must be hung up after the message stored in a message box is retrieved before retrieving the message stored in the general mail box. This complicates message retrieval operations and increases costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the above problems by providing a communication device wherein a message stored in a message box for a specific individual and a message stored in a general mail box not addressed to the specific individual can be retrieved sequentially without releasing a line and by providing a storage medium for storing programs for operating the above communication device.
A communication device disclosed in a first aspect is provided with a personal information storing device that stores information, which can be input or output via a telecommunication line for a specific individual, and a general information storing device that stores information, which can be input or output via the telecommunication line, and is not addressed to a specific individual. The communication device is further provided with a personal information input control device that stores information input via the telecommunication line for a specific individual in the personal information storing device, a personal information output control device that reads information stored in the personal information storing device for a specific individual and that outputs the information via the telecommunication line. The communication device still further includes a general information input control device that stores information input via the telecommunication line and not addressed to a specific individual in the general information storing device, a general information output control device that reads information stored in the general information storing device and not addressed to a specific individual and that outputs the information via the telecommunication line, and an information automatic output device that reads other information and outputs it via the telecommunication line by operating the personal information output control device or the general information output control device when either of information stored in the personal information storing device or the general information storing device is read and output via the telecommunication line.
Therefore, a message stored in the personal information storing device, that is, the message box for a specific individual, and a message stored in the general information storing device, that is, a general mail box, not addressed to a specific individual, can be automatically and sequentially retrieved without releasing the telecommunication line. Accordingly, when both a message stored in the message box and a message stored in the general mail box are retrieved, the second telephoning operation can be eliminated.
The telecommunication line may be a public circuit, a leased line, a wired line or wireless. The personal information storing device and the general information storing device can be volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM) and erasable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM. However, the above devices are not limited to the above memory and, for example, a hard disk may be also used. If volatile memory is used, its power supply should be backed up by a battery. The personal information storing device and the general information storing device may be also realized by storage mediums that are physically independent of each other and may be also realized as difference areas in the same storage medium.
The number of provided personal information storing devices is arbitrary. However, if plural devices are provided, specification information for specifying the personal information storing device is required to be input.
For the above communication device, facsimile terminal equipment and a telephone set can be considered. However, the above communication device is not limited to the above and can include, for example, a personal computer, a word processor, and an electronic printer with an aural communication function.
The personal information input control device, the personal information output control device, the general information input control device, the general information output control device and the information automatic output device are realized by operating a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor according to a predetermined program.
From the point of view of maintaining security over the contents stored in the personal information storing device, it is desirable that password information is registered beforehand for every personal information storing device. Further, the password information is additionally required to be input correctly as a condition for operating each personal information output control device.
The personal information input control device and the personal information output control device may also input and output information to/from the personal information storing device according to a predetermined dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal input, for example from a calling terminal via a telecommunication line. The personal information input and
Otsuka Shuji
Yasui Kunihiro
Bella Matthew C.
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Desire Gregory
Oliff & Berridge PLC.
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