Image communication apparatus and method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10542170-B2
Application number	US-201715707374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

An image communication apparatus, to communicate with a telephone set, includes a first control unit, a detection unit, a generation unit, and a second control unit. The first control unit controls the image communication apparatus. The detection unit detects an occurrence of a telephone set off-hook state. The generation unit generates a pseudo-CI signal for ringing the telephone set or an intermittent off-hook voltage to be supplied to the detection unit. The telephone set is connected to a communication line or the generation unit. The second control unit controls the generation unit. Where the telephone set is controlled to wait for a call without being allowed to ring in a power-saving state, the telephone set is connected to the generation unit and placed in the power-saving state. In the power-saving state, the second control unit controls the generation unit to supply a generated intermittent off-hook voltage to the detection unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image communication apparatus to communicate with a telephone set, the image communication apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to control the image communication apparatus;
a detector configured to detect off-hook on the telephone set;
a generator configured to generate an intermittent off-hook voltage; and
a switch configured to switch a connection state between a state in which the telephone set is connected to a communication line and a state in which the telephone set is connected to the generator,
wherein, in a case where it is set that the telephone set does not ring according to reception of an incoming call when the image communication apparatus is in a power-saving state and a condition for a transition of the image communication apparatus to the power-saving state is satisfied, power supply to the processor is restricted, the telephone set is connected to the generator by the switching unit, and the intermittent off-hook voltage generated by the generator is supplied to the detector.

2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a setting unit configured to set a duty factor of on and off periods of the intermittent off-hook voltage,
wherein the generation unit generates the intermittent off-hook voltage according to the duty factor set by the setting unit.

3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the image communication apparatus is set in one of the following modes: an incoming call reception mode, a remote reception mode, a FAX/TEL switching mode, and a manual reception mode, it is set that the telephone set does not ring according to reception of an incoming call when the image communication apparatus is in the power-saving state.

4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, before the image communication apparatus transits to the power-saving state, the processor notifies the generator of a content of the control to be performed by the generator in the power-saving state.

5. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, even after the power-saving state is exited, the processor performs control such that the generator generates the intermittent off-hook voltage and supply the resultant intermittent off-hook voltage to the detector.

6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intermittent off-hook voltage includes an on-period in which the intermittent off-hook voltage is output and an off-period in which the intermittent off-hook voltage is not output, and
wherein the detector is allowed to detect an off-hook state of the telephone set when the intermittent off-hook voltage is in the off-period.

7. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the generator includes a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter, and
wherein a primary side on an input side of the DC-DC converter and a secondary side on an output side of the DC-DC converter are electrically isolated from each other via a transformer.

8. A method to control an image communication apparatus to communicate with a telephone set, the method comprising:
controlling, by a processor, the image communication apparatus;
detecting, by a detector, off-hook on the telephone set;
generating, by a generator, an intermittent off-hook voltage; and
switching, by a switch, a connection state between a state in which the telephone set is connected to a communication line and a state in which the telephone set is connected to the generator,
wherein, in a case where it is set that the telephone set does not ring according to reception of an incoming call when the image communication apparatus is in a power-saving state and a condition for a transition of the image communication apparatus to the power-saving state is satisfied, power supply to the processor is restricted, the telephone set is connected to the generator by the switching unit, and the intermittent off-hook voltage generated by the generator is supplied to the detector.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ohara Eiji

Classifications

• H04N1/32708

  Telephone · CPC title

• H04N1/00899

  Detection of supply level or supply failure · CPC title

• H04N1/00896 Primary

  using a low-power mode, e.g. standby · CPC title

• H04N1/00026

  Methods therefor · CPC title

• H04N1/32763

  Supplying power to the apparatus · CPC title