JP2005117205A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, whereby the user can easily listen to contents of other voice guidance in the case of outputting the other voice guidance during the output of voice guidance. <P>SOLUTION: A flowchart, indicating the operations of a facsimile machine, includes a step ST 2 of discriminating whether a voice guidance is outputted at present at the output request of a voice guidance (ST 1); a step ST 3 of decreasing a sound volume of the voice guidance during an output by a prescribed volume, when the discrimination result indicates YES; a step ST 4 of determining whether the sound volume is zero; a step ST 5 of waiting for the sound volume reduction by a time interval w, when the discrimination result in the ST 4 indicates NO; and returning to the ST 3 and repeating the ST 3 to ST 5, until the sound volume is zero; a step ST 6 of waiting for the operation by a time interval W (providing a fixed silence period), when the sound volume reaches zero in the ST 4; and a step ST 7 of outputting the next voice guidance or immediately outputting the next voice guidance, when the discrimination result in the ST 2 is NO. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of outputting voice guidance.

  As an apparatus having a function of outputting voice guidance, document data recorded in a recording unit is read and displayed, and a reading method can be instructed based on an instruction from a user, and is determined to be the first page of a sentence. There is an apparatus that generates an acoustic signal indicating a document break when it is determined that it is the last page of a sentence (for example, see Patent Document 1). With this apparatus, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent the user from overlooking a desired document, and as a result, it is possible to favorably shorten the document search time.

  In addition, a RAM for storing received image information, an operator detection device for detecting presence / absence of an operator and a distance between the operator and the apparatus main body, guidance means for providing guidance to the operator, and an operator detection device There is an apparatus provided with a control unit that controls the notification content of the guidance means based on the detected distance between the operator and the apparatus main body (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this apparatus, the notification content of the guidance means is controlled based on the distance between the operator and the apparatus main body, and the remaining memory capacity is notified to the operator at an appropriate timing.

In addition, there is an apparatus in which a voice guidance within 30 seconds is reproduced at the called station after the incoming call processing is started, and then a tone signal for identifying the called station is transmitted as a dial tone (see, for example, Patent Document 3). . In this apparatus, it is possible to appropriately respond to both a case where a person makes a call and a case where a FAX automatic transmission apparatus makes a call.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-85090 JP-A-6-46188 JP 2000-165542 A

  Any of the devices described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 outputs a corresponding guidance when a situation requiring guidance is present. Currently, including the devices described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, there are certain devices. When it is necessary to output another guidance while the guidance is being output, another guidance is output by switching from the guidance being output.

  However, in this case, while the user is listening to the guidance being output and recognizing the content, the user will immediately hear another guidance. Since the guidance is continuously output, there is a problem that it is difficult for the user to hear the content of the guidance output later, and as a result, there is a high possibility that the content of the guidance cannot be fully understood.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a current problem, and in the case of outputting another voice guidance during the output of the voice guidance, image formation that makes it easy for the user to hear the contents of the voice guidance later. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention outputs a voice data storage unit that stores voice guidance, a voice output unit that outputs voice guidance, and another voice guidance during the output of voice guidance. And a controller that controls to interrupt the output of the voice guidance being output and to provide a certain silent period before outputting another voice guidance.

  In this image forming apparatus, the silent period is preferably adjustable.

  Further, it is preferable that the control unit gradually reduces the volume of the voice guidance before interrupting the output of the voice guidance being output.

  According to the present invention, when another voice guidance is output during the output of the voice guidance, after the voice guidance being output is interrupted, another voice guidance is output after providing a certain silent period. It becomes easy to hear another voice guidance, and as a result, the contents of the voice guidance can be well understood.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a facsimile machine as an image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. The facsimile apparatus 1 is configured as a multifunction machine having both a facsimile function and a copy function. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 3 is disposed on one upper end side of the apparatus body 2 and a document is set. An operation unit 4 having a display unit 5 is provided on the upper front side of the apparatus main body 2. In addition, the apparatus 1 may include a flat bed scanner (FBS). However, these parts are not functionally different from those of the conventional apparatus, and the details are omitted.

  A configuration example of the facsimile machine 1 is shown in a block diagram in FIG. The facsimile apparatus 1 includes a main control unit (CPU) 11, an NCU 12, a MODEM 13, a ROM 14, a RAM 15, an image memory 16, an audio data memory (audio data storage unit) 17, an audio output unit 18, A display unit 19, an operation unit 20, an image reading unit 21, an image recording unit 22, a CODEC 23, a LAN I / F 24, and a bus 25 are provided.

  The main control unit 11 controls each unit constituting the device 1 according to a program stored in the ROM 14. Further, when the main control unit 11 outputs another voice guidance during the output of the voice guidance, the main control unit 11 interrupts the output of the voice guidance being output and sets a certain silent period before outputting another voice guidance. To control.

  The NCU 12 controls the connection with the telephone line 26, and also has a function of transmitting a destination telephone number (corresponding dial signal) and a function of detecting an incoming call. The NCU 12 receives a dial tone, a CNG (calling tone) signal, and the like from the telephone line 26. MODEM 13 is an ITU (International Telecommunication Union) -T recommendation T.30. 30 based on the facsimile transmission control procedure according to 17, V. 27ter, V.I. The transmission data is modulated and the received data is demodulated in accordance with 29.

  The ROM 14 stores a program for controlling the entire apparatus. The RAM 15 temporarily stores various information related to the device 1. The image memory 16 temporarily stores received image data and image data read by the image reading unit 21.

  The voice data memory 17 stores voice data as various voice guidances. For example, “Replenish paper cassette”, “Replenish toner”, “Remove original”, “Remove paper jam”, “Paper jam”, ... The voice output unit 18 outputs the voice guidance stored in the voice data memory 17 through a speaker or the like.

  The display unit 19 displays various information such as the operation state of the apparatus, a transfer time zone, and the like. The operation unit 20 includes a numeric keypad, a one-touch key, a start key, and other keys in addition to the voice guidance key 20a for allowing the user to output voice guidance from the voice output unit 18. When the user operates the voice guidance key 20a, necessary voice guidance is output from the voice output unit 18.

  The image reading unit 21 reads image data on a document and outputs image data. The image recording unit 22 is composed of an electrophotographic printer, and records received image data and image data of a document read by the image reading unit 21 in a copying operation on a recording sheet. The CODEC 23 encodes image data to be transmitted and decodes received image data. The LAN I / F 24 transmits / receives various data to / from an external device via the LAN 27.

  Next, the operation of this apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This flowchart relates to the operation when some kind of voice guidance output is required. First, when there is a voice guidance output request in step ST1, it is determined in step ST2 whether voice guidance is currently being output. While the voice guidance is being output, the volume of the voice guidance being output is reduced by a certain amount in step ST3.

  Here, it is necessary to output another voice guidance during the output of a certain voice guidance. For example, when the document is being read by the ADF 3, the toner runs out first, and then the document is clogged. This is the case. In that case, the voice guidance related to the toner exhaustion is output first, but it is necessary to output the voice guidance related to the jammed document in the middle of the voice guidance.

  Next, in step ST4, it is determined whether or not the sound volume is 0 (silence). If the sound volume is not silent, in step ST5, the process waits for a preset time w, and then returns to step ST3 to output the sound being output. The volume of the guidance is further reduced by a certain amount, and the processes of steps ST3 to ST5 are repeated until the volume becomes zero. Thereby, the volume of the voice guidance being output is gradually lowered. When the standby process for time w is not performed in step ST5, the sound volume is immediately reduced to zero.

  In step ST4, when the sound volume becomes 0, in step ST6, after waiting for a preset time W (for example, about 0.3 to 0.5 seconds), that is, after providing a certain silent period, the process proceeds to step ST7. Transition. In step ST2, when the voice guidance is not currently being output, the process directly proceeds to step ST7. In step ST7, the next voice guidance is output, and the process is terminated after the output.

1 is an external perspective view of a facsimile machine (a multifunction machine having both a facsimile function and a copy function) as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the facsimile apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement (operation | movement when the output of some voice guidance is needed) of the facsimile apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Facsimile device (image forming device)
11 Main control unit 15 RAM
16 Image memory 17 Audio data memory (Audio data storage unit)
18 Voice output unit 20 Operation unit 20a Voice guidance key

Claims (3)

  A voice data storage unit for storing voice guidance, a voice output unit for outputting voice guidance, and when outputting another voice guidance during the output of voice guidance, the output of the voice guidance being output is interrupted, An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls to provide a certain silence period before outputting the voice guidance.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the silent period is adjustable.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit gradually reduces the volume of the voice guidance before interrupting the output of the voice guidance being output.

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