The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 21, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 11, 1997
Motohiko Hayashi, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Masahiro Tanaka, Ikoma-gun, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A communication apparatus performs a maintenance operation in a short period of time, without using a communication apparatus which includes a special communication protocol on a maintenance side. In a facsimile machine 24, upon receipt of a DTMF signal on a communication line 1, the DTMF signal is supplied to a modem 8 through a relay 3 and a transformer T1. This is done such that the modem 8 converts the received DTMF signal into a code signal such as 1 to 0, * and # and supplies the code signal to a CPU 16 through a data bus, formed by a gate array 11 and a main gate array 23. The CPU 16 stores the code in a temporary storage RAM 19, digit by digit. In the meantime, when it is determined that the code signal is '96#,' from a RAM 17, the CPU 16 reads a functional parameter associated with the number of a soft switch which is temporarily stored in the RAM 19. Among data regarding the soft switch, the CPU 16 changes data which are associated with a data number which is temporarily stored in the RAM 19 into a changed value which is also temporarily stored in the RAM 19 and writes the changed value in the RAM 17 again.