Apparatus and method for executing mode conversion of a facsimile system into automatic mode

Claim 1

An apparatus for automatically converting an operating mode in a communication system, said communication system being operable in a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode, said apparatus comprising: input means for allowing a user to set the communication system in an automatic mode; means for detecting an ambient noise external to the communication system and generating a noise detection signal; switch means for enabling transmission of said noise detection signal in response to reception of an automatic control signal; and control means for generating, after the user has set the communication system in said automatic mode, said automatic control signal to receive transmission of said noise detection signal, for making a comparison between said noise detection signal and a reference noise signal to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the communication system, and for automatically converting an operational mode of the communication system from any one of said telephone mode, said facsimile mode, and said telephone/facsimile mode to said telephone answer mode in dependence upon said comparison.

Claim 2

An apparatus for automatically converting an operating mode in a communication system, said communication system being operable in a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode, said apparatus comprising: input means for allowing a user to set the communication system in an automatic mode; means for detecting an ambient noise external to the communication system and generating a noise detection signal; switch means for enabling transmission of said noise detection signal in response to reception of an automatic control signal; and control means for generating, after the user has set the communication system in said automatic mode, said automatic control signal to receive transmission of said noise detection signal, for making a comparison between said noise detection signal and a reference noise signal to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the communication system, and for automatically converting an operational mode of the communication system from any one of said telephone mode, said facsimile mode, and said telephone/facsimile mode to said telephone answer mode in dependence upon said comparison.

Claim 9

An apparatus for automatically converting an operation mode in a facsimile system, comprising: input means having an automatic mode key for enabling a user to set the facsimile system in an automatic mode, regardless whether the facsimile system has been operating in one of a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode previously set by the user; noise detector means for detecting a level of ambient noise external to said communication system and generating a noise detection signal; switch means for enabling transmission of said noise detection signal in response to reception of an automatic control signal; and control means for generating, after the user has set the facsimile system in said automatic mode, said automatic control signal for receiving said noise detection signal to determine whether said noise detection signal exhibits the noise level greater than a reference noise level, and for activating the automatic mode conversion of the facsimile system when said noise detection signal exhibits the noise level less than said reference noise level.

Claim 10

An apparatus for automatically converting an operation mode in a facsimile system, comprising: input means having an automatic mode key for enabling a user to set the facsimile system in an automatic mode, regardless whether the facsimile system has been operating in one of a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode previously set by the user; noise detector means for detecting a level of ambient noise external to said communication system and generating a noise detection signal; switch means for enabling transmission of said noise detection signal in response to reception of an automatic control signal; and control means for generating, after the user has set the facsimile system in said automatic mode, said automatic control signal for receiving said noise detection signal to determine whether said noise detection signal exhibits the noise level greater than a reference noise level, and for activating the automatic mode conversion of the facsimile system when said noise detection signal exhibits the noise level less than said reference noise level.

Claim 16

A method for automatically converting an operation mode of a facsimile system having an operational panel with an automatic mode key, comprising the steps of: checking whether the automatic mode key is pressed by a user for setting the facsimile system in an automatic mode, regardless whether the facsimile system has previously been set in one of a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode; generating an automatic mode control signal when the automatic mode key is pressed by the user; detecting a noise level external to the facsimile system and generating a noise detection signal upon reception of said automatic control signal; making a comparison between the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal and a reference noise level to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the facsimile system; and activating the automatic mode conversion of the facsimile system when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is maintained at a lower level than said reference noise level to automatically convert an operating mode of the facsimile system into the telephone answer mode.

Claim 17

A method for automatically converting an operation mode of a facsimile system having an operational panel with an automatic mode key, comprising the steps of: checking whether the automatic mode key is pressed by a user for setting the facsimile system in an automatic mode, regardless whether the facsimile system has previously been set in one of a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode; generating an automatic mode control signal when the automatic mode key is pressed by the user; detecting a noise level external to the facsimile system and generating a noise detection signal upon reception of said automatic control signal; making a comparison between the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal and a reference noise level to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the facsimile system; and activating the automatic mode conversion of the facsimile system when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is maintained at a lower level than said reference noise level to automatically convert an operating mode of the facsimile system into the telephone answer mode.

Claim 21

The method for automatically converting an operating mode in a facsimile system operable in a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode, said method comprising the steps of: generating an automatic control signal when a user sets the facsimile system in an automatic mode; detecting a noise level surrounding the facsimile system and generating a noise detection signal in response to reception of said automatic control signal; making a comparison between the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal and a reference noise level to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the facsimile system; releasing said automatic mode of the facsimile system to return to an operating mode of any one of said telephone mode, said facsimile mode, said telephone/facsimile mode previously set by the user, when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is greater than said reference noise level indicating that the person is present in the vicinity of the facsimile system; and automatically converting an operating mode of the facsimile system into said telephone answer mode, when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is maintained lower than said reference noise level for a predetermined duration indicating that the person is absent in the vicinity of the facsimile system.

Claim 22

The method for automatically converting an operating mode in a facsimile system operable in a telephone mode, a facsimile mode, a telephone/facsimile mode, and a telephone answer mode, said method comprising the steps of: generating an automatic control signal when a user sets the facsimile system in an automatic mode; detecting a noise level surrounding the facsimile system and generating a noise detection signal in response to reception of said automatic control signal; making a comparison between the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal and a reference noise level to determine whether a person is present or absent from the vicinity of the facsimile system; releasing said automatic mode of the facsimile system to return to an operating mode of any one of said telephone mode, said facsimile mode, said telephone/facsimile mode previously set by the user, when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is greater than said reference noise level indicating that the person is present in the vicinity of the facsimile system; and automatically converting an operating mode of the facsimile system into said telephone answer mode, when the noise level obtained from said noise detection signal is maintained lower than said reference noise level for a predetermined duration indicating that the person is absent in the vicinity of the facsimile system.