Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10038817-B2
Application number	US-201615274998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first connection portion, a second connection portion, a communication processing portion, a switch processing portion, and a connection determination processing portion. To the switch processing portion, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected in parallel. The switch processing portion breaks a communication path between the second connection portion and the switch processing portion when the facsimile communication process is executed by the communication processing portion. The connection determination processing portion, when a predetermined determination start condition is satisfied, causes the switch processing portion to break the communication path, and then when a predetermined line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, determines that a connection between the first connection portion and the public switched telephone network is normal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first connection portion configured to connect to one end of a first communication line whose other end is connected to a public switched telephone network;
a second connection portion configured to connect to one end of a second communication line whose other end is connected to a speech device;
a communication processing portion configured to execute a facsimile communication process in which image data is transmitted or received via the public switched telephone network;
a switch processing portion to which the first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected in parallel, and configured to break a communication path between the second connection portion and the switch processing portion when the facsimile communication process is executed by the communication processing portion; and
a connection determination processing portion configured to, when a predetermined determination start condition is satisfied, cause the switch processing portion to break the communication path, and then when a predetermined line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, determine that the first connection portion is connected to the public switched telephone network, and when the line voltage is not applied to the switch processing portion, determine that the first connection portion is not connected to the public telephone network, wherein
the first connection portion always connects to the switch processing portion, and the switch processing portion switches between:
a connection between the switch processing portion and the second connection portion; and
a breakage between the switch processing portion and the second connection portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in a case where the line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, and a predetermined dial tone signal is received from the public switched telephone network, the connection determination processing portion determines that the first connection portion is connected to the public switched telephone network.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising
a setting processing portion configured to receive a setting of presence or absence of connection to the speech device; and
a breakage prohibition processing portion configured to, when the setting processing portion sets absence of the connection to the speech device, prohibit the switch processing portion from breaking the communication path.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising
a determination report processing portion configured to report a determination result of the connection determination processing portion.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the determination start condition is that a predetermined user operation is performed.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the determination start condition is that a communication time-out occurs.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the determination start condition is satisfied, the connection determination processing portion breaks the communication path, and then when the line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, closes a DC (direct current) loop circuit in which the first communication line and the second communication line are connected, and when the line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, and a predetermined dial tone signal is received from the public switched telephone network, determines that the first connection portion is connected to the public switched telephone network.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Ogawa Shinya

Classifications

• H04N2201/0093

  Facsimile machine (H04N2201/0094 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/32728

  an off-hook condition · CPC title

• H04N1/32767

  in response to a user operation, e.g. actuating a switch (H04N1/32769 and H04N1/32771 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/32708 Primary

  Telephone · CPC title

• H04N1/32756

  Inhibiting connection of another apparatus when a first one is connected · CPC title