WO1999004552A1

WO1999004552A1 - Method and apparatus for marking multipage facsimile documents

Info

Publication number: WO1999004552A1
Application number: PCT/KR1997/000141
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eun Jae Lee
Original assignee: Daewoo Telecom Ltd.
Priority date: 1997-07-16
Filing date: 1997-07-16
Publication date: 1999-01-28
Also published as: GB2327549A; GB9715333D0

Abstract

A reception method for use in a facsimile system provides a visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document. At a detection step, each of ringing signals from a communications line is detected to produce a detected ringing signal corresponding thereto. At a next step, the number of the detected ringing signals is counted until the number of the counted ringing signals reaches a predetermined number. And then, a facsimile signal concerning each page of the multipage facsimile document is received at a receiving step when the number of the counted ringing signals is equal to the predetermined number; and decoded on a line-by-line basis to generate a decoded facsimile line signal for each line. At a following step, a first and a second predetermined pattern signals are provided from the sets of first and second type pattern signals. Subsequently, at a combining step, the first and the second predetermined pattern signals are processed to provide pattern line signals which are combined and decoded on a line-by-line basis; and a combined facsimile line signal for each of lines on each page is obtained by using a decoded pattern line signal and a decoded facsimile line signal which correspond to each line. At a final step, the combined facsimile line signal is printed on a recording sheet to thereby output the visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MARKING MULTIPAGE FACSIMILE DOCUMENTS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a facsimile system; and, more particularly, to a reception method and apparatus, for use in the facsimile system, for providing multipage facsimile documents which are visually distinguishable one from another.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional facsimile system is widely utilized to transfer multipage facsimile documents that can be put on papers, including various types of data such as printed texts, handwritten notes, graphs, drawings, to and from a remotely located facsimile machine. When a user calls a remotely located receiving facsimile system to transmit a multipage facsimile document, each of ringing signals is seguentially generated from a switching board and sent via a communications line to the remotely located receiving facsimile system, the switching board being coupled with the remotely located receiving facsimile system. At the remotely located receiving facsimile system, a facsimile signal on each page of the multipage facsimile document is received when a predetermined number of ringing signals are detected from the communications line, especially in an automatic receiving mode. Thereafter, the facsimile signal is demodulated and decoded to transfer a decoded facsimile signal to a printer within the remotely located receiving facsimile system, thereby outputting each page of the multipage facsimile document printed on a recording sheet onto a tray. These processes are seguentially repeated for all the following pages of the multipage facsimile document.

However, in the conventional facsimile system, in case more than one multipage facsimile documents are provided through the printer and put on the tray, it is rather difficult to separate each multipage facsimile document from the others. Conseguently, it is desirable to mark a different symbol on each of the multipage facsimile documents to easily distinguish one from another. Hitherto, no prior art facsimile system is known to have such marking capability.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a reception method and apparatus, for use in a facsimile system, for effectively processing each of multipage facsimile documents to thereby help distinguish the multipage facsimile documents one from another. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, for use in a facsimile system, for receiving and processing a multipage facsimile document transmitted from another facsimile system via a communications line connected therebetween to provide a visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document, wherein the multipage facsimile document includes one or more pages, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting each of ringing signals from the communications line to produce each detected ringing signal corresponding thereto, the ringing signals being seguentially provided by pressing numeric keys on said another facsimile system, wherein the numeric keys pressed represent a facsimile number of the facsimile system that is being called; (b) counting the number of the detected ringing signals until the number of the counted ringing signals reaches a first predetermined number;

(c) receiving a facsimile signal concerning each page of the multipage facsimile document when the number of the counted ringing signals is egual to the first predetermined number and decoding the facsimile signal received on a line-by-line basis to generate a decoded facsimile line signal for each line of said each page; (d) storing a set of first type pattern signals, each of the first type pattern signals representing a pattern capable of distinguishing one from another, and a set of second type pattern signals, wherein each of the first type and the second type pattern signals contains a plurality of pattern line signals;

(e) providing a first and a second predetermined pattern signals, wherein the first predetermined pattern signal is obtained from the set of the first type pattern signals and the second predetermined pattern signal is derived from the set of the second type pattern signals;

(f) combining and decoding the first and the second predetermined pattern signals on a line-by-line basis to provide decoded pattern line signals, and generating a combined facsimile line signal for each line of said each page by using the decoded pattern line signal and the decoded facsimile line signal which correspond to said each line of said each page; and

(g) printing the combined facsimile line signal on a recording sheet to thereby output the visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a novel facsimile system for providing multipage facsimile documents which visually distinguishable one from another in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 presents a block diagram of a reception processor of the present invention which is obtained by combining the main controller with a region of the ROM shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3A to 3C depict flow charts for describing an inventive reception method for generating multipage facsimile documents visually distinguishable one from another; and Fig. 4 offers an exemplary diagram of a page of a multipage facsimile document produced by the reception processor shown in Fig. 2.

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to Fig. 1, there is provided a schematic block diagram of a facsimile system 100 employing a reception processor for providing multipage facsimile documents visually distinguishable one from another in accordance with the present invention. As will be described below, the reception processor may be obtained by appropriately combining a main controller 30 with a read only memory (ROM) 80 shown in Fig. 1. The facsimile system 100 comprises a console 10, a scanner 20, the main controller 30, a modem 40, a network control unit (NCU) 50, a printer 60, a random access memory (RAM) 70 and the ROM 80.

The console 10 includes a plurality of keys, which can be actuated by the facsimile system user, and a display panel for displaying information representing, e.g., key entries. For example, the keys may be various functional keys such as a manual/automatic reception mode selection key, a power on/off key and the like. The key entry information from the console 10 is transferred to the main controller 30; and is displayed on the display panel in response to an instruction from the main controller 30. The scanner 20 includes an optical device which scans, on a line-by-line basis, each page of a multipage facsimile document and provides each scanned page as a facsimile signal corresponding thereto.

The facsimile signal is then relayed to the main controller 30, wherein the facsimile signal is encoded to transfer an encoded facsimile signal to the modem 40. The modem 40 processes the encoded facsimile signal to modulate same in a signal form that is suitable for transmission via a communications line 11. The modulated facsimile signal is then transmitted via the communication line 11 to a remotely located facsimile system (not shown) through the NCU 50, wherein the NCU 50 provides an interface between the facsimile system 100 and the remotely located facsimile machine.

In case of receiving a modulated facsimile signal transmitted via the communication line 11 through the NCU 50 from a remotely located facsimile system, on the other hand, the modem 40 takes and demodulates the modulated facsimile signal, wherein the NCU 50 carries out a same operation as set forth above. The facsimile signal demodulated at the modem 40 is then applied to the main controller 30, wherein the demodulated facsimile signal is decoded to provide a decoded facsimile signal to the printer 60. The printer 60 serves to print an image corresponding to the decoded facsimile signal provided from the main controller 30 on a recording sheet 51 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The main controller 30, which may be implemented by using a microprocessor, performs in various modes, e.g., a transmission mode and a reception mode, which are selectively operated in response to the key entry from the console 10. In the transmission mode, the scanned facsimile signal from the scanner 20 for each page of the multipage facsimile document is temporarily stored in the RAM 70 and then encoded under the control of a transmission processor implemented by utilizing the ROM 80 and the main controller 30 to thereby provide the encoded facsimile signal to the modem 40. At the modem 40, the encoded facsimile signal is modulated and then transmitted to the remotely located facsimile system through the NCU 50 and the communication line 11. In the reception mode, under the control of a reception processor which is introduced by using the ROM 80 and the main controller 30, a modulated facsimile signal from the corresponding other facsimile system is supplied to the modem 40 through the NCU 50 via the communication line 11. As is well known in the art, in the modem 40, the modulated facsimile signal is processed to provide a demodulated facsimile signal to the main controller 30.

In the reception processor of the present invention, the demodulated facsimile signal is further processed before it is printed on the recording sheet 51 at the printer 60. That is, the demodulated facsimile signal is first decoded in the reception processor. Thereafter, the decoded facsimile signal is combined with two predetermined pattern signals derived by using an inventive signal combination scheme which will be explained in detail with respect to Figs. 1 to 4 hereinafter. Through such a signal combination scheme of the invention, multipage facsimile documents visually distinguishable one from another can be provided from the facsimile system 100.

Turning now to Fig. 2, there is shown a functional block diagram illustrating a reception processor 200 for generating facsimile documents visually distinguishable one from another in accordance with the present invention. The reception processor 200 may be implemented by a software program stored in the ROM 80; and includes a first and a second decoders 21 and 26, a combination logic circuit 23, a line counter 24, a comparator 25, a ringing signal detector 27, a reception mode controller 28 and a pattern memory 29.

When a caller calls from his facsimile system, i.e., the remotely located facsimile system to the facsimile system 100 to transfer a multipage facsimile document with one or more pages, each of ringing signals is seguentially generated from the switching board and transmitted to the ringing signal detector 27 through the line 11 and the NCU 80 shown in Fig. 1. In the ringing signal detector 27, a detection operation for each of the ringing signals is carried out to provide a detected ringing signal corresponding thereto to the reception mode controller 28.

At the reception mode controller 28, the number of the detected ringing signals provided from the ringing signal detector 27 is counted until the number of the counted ringing signals is equal to a preset number TH. The preset number TH is a positive integer and decided in advance depending on the type of the facsimile system 100 and the type of a reception mode thereof, wherein for the sake of illustration, it is assumed that an automatic reception mode is set in advance by the facsimile system user. If the number of the counted ringing signals becomes equal to TH, the reception mode controller 28 issues a modem control signal MCS to the modem 40 shown in Fig. 1 to control the operation thereof so that the facsimile system 100 can receive data on each page of the multipage facsimile document from the remotely located facsimile system.

Specifically, a demodulated facsimile signal, provided from the modem 40 which is responsive to the MCS issued by the reception mode controller 28, is applied to the first decoder 21. At the first decoder 21, the demodulated facsimile signal is decoded, on a line-by-line basis, and the decoded facsimile signal is relayed to the line counter 24 and the combination logic circuit 23. The line counter 24 monitors each line data of the decoded facsimile signal provided from the first decoder 21 to count the number of lines based on the monitored line data. Subsequently, the number of the counted lines is sent to the comparator 25 which compares same with TN, TN being a predetermined line number from the top of the page, e.g., 5. If the number of the counted lines is equal to TN, the comparator 25 generates a first control signal CS1 of logic high level which is applied to the pattern memory 29; and if the number of the counted lines is smaller than TN, it produces the first control signal CS1 of logic low level. These counting and comparing operations at each of the line counter 24 and the comparator 25 are sequentially repeated until the number of the counted lines becomes equal to TN. The pattern memory 29, responding to the signal CS1, may be implemented by using a region of the ROM 80 shown in Fig. 1; and includes a read address generator 29A, a pointer 29B, a first and a second storage banks 29C and 29D. The first storage bank 29C includes N memory sections Pl-1 to Pl-N, each memory section storing a set of first type pattern signals, wherein each of the first type pattern signals represents a pattern distinguishable one from another and contains a plurality of pattern line signals, N being a positive integer. In case the facsimile system 100 is a color mode, in accordance with the invention, each of the first type pattern signals may be represented with a color different from each other. On the other hand, the second storage bank 29D is provided with M memory sections P2-1 to P2-M, each storing a set of second type pattern signals with different patterns, M being a positive integer, wherein each pattern signal has a multiplicity of pattern line signals. For instance, a pattern signal of a mark such as a particular symbol 52 illustrated in Fig. 4 can be stored, as an element of the set of the first type pattern signals, on any one of the N memory sections, e.g., a first storage section Pl-2, of the first memory bank 29C. And a pattern signal of a mark such as a numeral symbol 53 in Fig. 4 may be stored, as an element of the set of the second type pattern signals, on any one of the M memory sections, e.g., a first memory section P2-1, of the second storage bank 29D. The first type pattern signals, e.g., the particular symbol 52, are used to indicate that the one or more pages carrying a same pattern signal belong to a same multipage facsimile document; and the second type pattern signals, e.g., the numeric symbol 53, are used to indicate the sequence of each page in the same multipage facsimile document. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, to minimize the capacity of the first and the second storage banks 29C and 29D, the data stored in each of them may be coded data, wherein one of conventional data coding techniques is used for obtaining the coded data.

In response to the CS1 of logic high level from the comparator 25, the pointer 29B generates a first selection signal SSI with a value denoting any one of the N memory sections Pl-1 to Pl-N in the first storage bank 29C. Also in response to the CS1 of logic high level, the read address generator 29A produces a second selection signal SS2 indicating any one of the M memory sections P2-1 to P2-M in the second storage bank 29D. Whenever a new multipage facsimile document is received and processed, the value of the SSI will be changed to a new value corresponding to a different memory section in the first storage bank 29C; and the SS2 is changed to sequentially select one of the M memory sections, i.e., starting from P2-1 to P2-M, to represent the sequential page number in a multipage facsimile document whenever a new page of the multipage facsimile document is processed. The SSI is applied to the first storage bank 29C, while the SS2 is provided to the second storage bank 29D.

In response to the first selection signal SSI, one of the N memory sections in the first storage bank 29C is selected; and one element of the set of the first type pattern signals stored in the selected memory section is retrieved to the second decoder 26 on a line-by-line basis. And in response to the second selection signal SS2, one of the M memory sections in the second storage bank 29D is selected; and one element of the set of the second type pattern signals stored in the selected memory section is retrieved to the second decoder 26 on a line- by-line basis. At the second decoder 26, the first type pattern signal retrieved from the first storage bank 29C and the second type pattern signal retrieved from the second storage bank 29D are combined, thereby generating a pattern line signal which is decoded on a line-by-line basis and relaying the same to the combination logic circuit 23.

The combination logic circuit 23, which may be implemented by using an exclusive-OR (EX-OR) gate widely used in the art, performs an exclusive-OR on each decoded facsimile line signal from the first decoder 21 and a corresponding pattern line signal from the second decoder 26, thereby generating a combined facsimile line signal for each decoded facsimile line signal. Each combined facsimile line signal obtained from the combination logic circuit 23 is then provided to the printer 60 shown in Fig. 1 for printing it on the recording sheet 51.

Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B, there is illustrated the reception method for generating multipage facsimile documents visually distinguishable one from another in accordance with the present invention. When a power (not shown) of the facsimile system 100 is turned on, the inventive reception process starts at step 31, wherein the ringing signal detector 27 detects each of the ringing signals sequentially transmitted through the line 11 and the NCU 50 from the switching board which is coupled with the remotely located facsimile system. Once any ringing signal is detected, the reception process proceeds to step 32; and if not, the ringing signal detector 27 keeps repeating the detecting operation at step 31 till a ringing signal is detected.

At step 32, the reception mode controller 28 counts the number of ringing signals detected at the ringing signal detector 27; and at step 33, the controller 28 checks whether or not the number of the counted ringing signals is equal to the predetermined number TH as described above. If the checked result is NO, the process returns to step 31 to repeat the detecting operation; and if otherwise, the process goes to step 34, wherein the reception mode controller 28 transmits a digital identification signal (DIS) to the remotely located facsimile system through the modem 40, the NCU 50 and the line 11. After transmitting the DIS to the remotely located facsimile system, the reception mode controller 28 checks at step 35 whether or not a digital command signal (DCS) is received from the remotely located facsimile system through the line 11, the NCU 50 and the modem 40 within a predetermined duration. If it is checked at step 35 that the DCS is not received within the predetermined duration, e.g., 3 seconds, the process follows to step 36. At step 36, the reception process checks whether a preset time, e.g., 30 seconds, is over or not, and if the checked result is NO, the process returns to step 34 where the reception mode controller 28 sends again the DIS to the remotely located facsimile system and at step 35, it is checked whether or not the DCS is received. If it is checked that the DCS is not received yet at step 35, then it is checked whether or not the waited time reaches the preset time. The checking process for the DCS will continue till the DCS is received at step 35 and the process proceed to step 37 or the waited time is checked to reach the preset time at step 36. In the latter case, the reception process is terminated. However, if the DCS is received through the line 11, the NCU 50 and the modem 40 from the remotely located facsimile system, then the process goes to step 37 where the reception mode controller 28 sends a receiving preparation confirming (CFR) signal to the remotely located facsimile system through the devices connected therebetween. After transmitting the CFR signal to the remotely located facsimile system, if a demodulated facsimile signal for each page of the multipage facsimile document is provided to the first decoder 21 through the modem 40, at step 38, said each page is handled as a processing page and then the process goes to step 39. Subsequently, the first decoder 21 appoints each of lines on the processing page as a target line at step 39; and decodes a facsimile line signal for the target line at step 40, thereby providing a decoded facsimile line signal to the line counter 24 and the combination logic circuit 23. At step 41, the line counter 24 counts the number of lines based on the decoded facsimile line signals applied thereto, wherein the number of the counted lines is relayed to the comparator 25, and then the process goes to step 42 shown in Fig. 3B via tap A. At step 42 tapped from step 42 via tap A, the comparator 25 compares the number of the counted lines with the predetermined number TN mentioned above and provides the first control signal CS1 representing the comparison result to the reception mode controller 28 and the pattern memory 29. If the number of the counted lines is smaller than TN, the process goes to step 43 shown in Fig. 1 via tap B, wherein the reception mode controller 28 issues a circuit control signal CCS to the combination logic circuit 23 in response to the first control signal CS1 from the comparator 25 thereby outputting the decoded facsimile line signal to the printer 60 shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter, the reception process returns to step 39 to repeatedly perform the appointing, decoding and counting processes for a next line until the number of the counted lines becomes equal to TN.

However, if the number of the counted lines is equal to TN at step 42, the process goes to step 44, wherein the pattern memory 29, in response to the CS1, provides a first predetermined pattern signal from the set of the first type pattern signals and a second predetermined pattern signal from the set of second type pattern signals. For example, the first predetermined pattern signal is stored in the first memory section Pl-1 of the first storage bank 29C and is used to form the particular symbol 52 illustrated in Fig. 4; and the second predetermined pattern signal is stored in the first memory section P2-1 of the second storage bank 29D and is utilized to obtain the numeric symbol 53 in Fig. 4. As explained above, to economize the capacity of the first and the second storage banks 29C and 29D, the data is stored as coded data in each of them. The two predetermined pattern signals provided at step 44 are transferred, on a line-by-line basis, to the second decoder 26. At step 45, the decoder 26 combines the first predetermined pattern signal provided at the first storage bank 29C with the second predetermined pattern signal provided at the second storage bank 29D, thereby producing decoded pattern line signals which are decoded on a line- by-line basis and each of them being relayed to the combination logic circuit 23. Thereafter, at step 46 the combination logic circuit 23 performs an exclusive-OR on each decoded facsimile line signal from the first decoder 21 and a corresponding decoded pattern line signal from the second decoder 26 to provide a combined facsimile line signal for the target line. Specifically, if two inputs, e.g., the decoded facsimile line signal and the decoded pattern line signal for the target line, are fed to the combination logic circuit 23, or no input is applied thereto, it outputs a signal with zero value as the combined facsimile line signal for the target line. And if only one input, e.g., either the decoded facsimile line signal or the decoded pattern line signal, is applied to the circuit 23, it provides same as the combined facsimile line signal for the target line. Subsequently, the reception process goes to step 47, wherein the combined facsimile line sinal is transferred to the printer 60, thereby printing same on the recording sheet 51 shown in Fig. 4.

After processing the decoded facsimile line signal for the target line, the reception mode controller 28 checks at step 48 whether or not a signal indicating the end of the processing page, i.e., a return to control (RTC) signal, is transmitted through the line 11 and the modem 40 from the remotely located facsimile system. If the check result is NO, the reception process returns to step 39 shown in Fig. 3A via tap C to repeatedly perform the processes as described above for a next line until the RTC signal is applied to the reception mode controller 28. However, if the check result at step 48 is YES, i.e., if the RTC signal is applied to the reception mode controller 28, the reception process goes to step 49 shown in Fig. 3C via tap D. At step S49 tapped from step 48 via tap D, the reception mode controller 28 checks whether or not there is a multipage signal (MPS) from the remotely located facsimile system through the line 11 and the modem 40. If the check result is YES, the process goes to step 50, wherein the reception mode controller 28 transmits a message confirming (MCF) signal to the remotely located facsimile system through the modem 40 and the line 11 and then the reception process goes to the step 52. At step 51, the reception mode controller 28 issues a third control signal CS3 to the read address generator 29A so that a new pattern signal representing a next page number can be selected from the set of the second type pattern signals to use the selected new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal. Thereafter, the reception process returns to step 38 shown in Fig. 3A via tap E to repeatedly carry out the processes as described above until the MPS is no longer provided from the remotely located facsimile system to the reception mode controller 28. On the other hand, if it is checked at step 49 that the MPS is not received by the reception mode controller 28, then at step 52 the reception mode controller 28 issues a fourth control signal CS4 to the pointer 29B so that a new pattern signal representing a new multipage facsimile document can be selected from the set of the first type pattern signals to employ the selected new pattern signal as the first predetermined pattern signal and a pattern signal representing a first page number can be selected from the second type pattern signals to use the selected new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal. Finally, at step 53 the reception mode controller 28 sends a disconnection command (DCN) signal to the remotely located facsimile system through the modem 40 and the line 11 and then the entire reception process is stopped.

While the present invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method, for use in a facsimile system, for receiving and processing a multipage facsimile document transmitted from another facsimile system via a communications line connected therebetween to provide a visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document, wherein the multipage facsimile document includes one or more pages, the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting each of ringing signals from the communications line to produce a detected ringing signal corresponding thereto, the ringing signals being sequentially provided by pressing numeric keys on said another facsimile system, wherein the numeric keys pressed represent a facsimile number of the facsimile system that is being called;

(b) counting the number of the detected ringing signals until the number of the counted ringing signals reaches a first predetermined number; (c) receiving a facsimile signal representing each page of the multipage facsimile document when the number of the counted ringing signals is equal to the first predetermined number and decoding the facsimile signal received on a line-by-line basis to generate a decoded facsimile line signal for each line of said each page;

(d) storing a set of first type pattern signals, each of the first type pattern signals representing a pattern capable of distinguishing one from another, and a set of second type pattern signals, wherein each of the first type and the second type pattern signals contains a plurality of pattern line signals;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each pattern signal in the set of the first type pattern signals represents that one or more pages carrying said each pattern signal belong to a same multipage facsimile document and each pattern signal in the set of the second type pattern signals indicates the sequence of each page in the document.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step (e) includes the steps of :

(el) counting the number of lines based on the decoded facsimile line signals and comparing the number of the counted lines with a second predetermined number; (e2) if the number of the counted lines is egual to the second predetermined number, providing, as the first predetermined pattern signal, a first pattern signal representing the multipage facsimile document from the set of first type pattern signals and, as the second predetermined pattern signal, a second pattern signal representing a first page number of the document from the set of the second type pattern signals;

(e3) checking whether or not a return to control (RTC) signal is received from the communications line and, if the RTC signal is received, checking again whether a multipage signal (MPS) is received from the communications line; and

(e4) if the MPS is received, changing the second pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a next page number in the set of the second type pattern signals to provide the changed new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal, and if otherwise, changing the first pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a new multipage facsimile document in the set of the first type pattern signals to output the changed new pattern signal as the first predetermined pattern signal and the second pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a first page number of the new multipage facsimile document in the set of the second type pattern signals to provide the changed new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the pattern signals in the set of the second type pattern signals is numerals and each of the pattern signals in the set of the first type pattern signals is a predetermined symbol which is not a numeral.

5. An apparatus, for use in a facsimile system, for receiving and processing a multipage facsimile document transmitted from another facsimile system via a communications line connected therebetween to provide a visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document, wherein the multipage facsimile document includes one or more pages, the apparatus comprising: means for detecting each of ringing signals from the communications line to produce a detected ringing signal corresponding thereto, the ringing signals being sequentially provided by pressing numeric keys on said another facsimile system, wherein the numeric keys pressed represent a facsimile number of the facsimile system that is being called; means for counting the number of the detected ringing signals until the number of the counted ringing signals reaches a first predetermined number; means for receiving a facsimile signal representing each page of the multipage facsimile document when the number of the counted ringing signals is equal to the first predetermined number and decoding the facsimile signal received on a line-by-line basis to generate a decoded facsimile line signal for each line of said each page; means for storing a set of first type pattern signals, each of the first type pattern signals representing a pattern capable of distinguishing one from another, and a set of second type pattern signals, wherein each of the first type and the second type pattern signals contains a plurality of pattern line signals; means for providing a first and a second predetermined pattern signals, wherein the first predetermined pattern signal is obtained from the set of the first type pattern signals and the second predetermined pattern signal is derived from the set of the second type pattern signals; means for combining and decoding the first and the second predetermined pattern signals on a line-by-line basis to provide decoded pattern line signals, and generating a combined facsimile line signal for each line of said each page by using the decoded pattern line signal and the decoded facsimile line signal which correspond to said each line of said each page; and means for printing the combined facsimile line signal on a recording sheet to thereby output the visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each pattern signal

in the set of the first type pattern signals represents that one or more pages carrying said each pattern signal belong to a same multipage facsimile document and each pattern signal in the set of the second type pattern signals indicates the sequence of each page in the document .

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for providing the first and the second predetermined pattern signals includes: means for counting the number of lines based on the decoded facsimile line signals and comparing the number of the counted lines with a second predetermined number; means for providing, if the number of the counted lines is equal to the second predetermined number, as the first predetermined pattern signal, a first pattern signal representing the multipage facsimile document from the set of first type pattern signals and, as the second predetermined pattern signal, a second pattern signal representing a first page number of the document from the set of the second type pattern signals; means for checking whether or not a return to control (RTC) signal is received from the communications line and, if the RTC signal is received, checking again whether a multipage signal (MPS) is received from the communications line; and means for changing, if the MPS is received, the second pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a next page number in the set of the second type pattern signals to provide the changed new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal, and if otherwise, the first pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a new multipage facsimile document in the set of the first type pattern signals to output the changed new pattern signal as the first predetermined pattern signal and the second pattern signal to a new pattern signal representing a first page number of the new multipage facsimile document in the set of the second type pattern signals to provide the changed new pattern signal as the second predetermined pattern signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the pattern signals in the set of the second type pattern signals is numerals and each of the pattern signals in the set of the first type pattern signals is a predetermined symbol which is not a numeral.

9. A facsimile system incorporating therein a reception apparatus for receiving and processing a multipage facsimile document transmitted from another facsimile system via a communications line connected therebetween to provide a visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document, wherein the multipage facsimile document includes one or more pages, the apparatus comprising: means for detecting each of ringing signals from the communications line to produce a detected ringing signal corresponding thereto, the ringing signals being sequentially provided by pressing numeric keys on said another facsimile system, wherein the numeric keys pressed represent a facsimile number of the facsimile system that is being called; means for counting the number of the detected ringing signals until the number of the counted ringing signals reaches a first predetermined number; means for receiving a facsimile signal representing each page of the multipage facsimile document when the number of the counted ringing signals is egual to the first predetermined number and decoding the facsimile signal received on a line-by-line basis to generate a decoded facsimile line signal for each line of said each page; means for storing a set of first type pattern signals, each of the first type pattern signals representing a pattern capable of distinguishing one from another, and a set of second type pattern signals, wherein each of the first type and the second type pattern signals contains a plurality of pattern line signals; means for providing a first and a second predetermined pattern signals, wherein the first predetermined pattern signal is obtained from the set of the first type pattern signals and the second predetermined pattern signal is derived from the set of the second type pattern signals; means for combining and decoding the first and the second predetermined pattern signals on a line-by-line basis to provide decoded pattern line signals, and generating a combined facsimile line signal for each line of said each page by using the decoded pattern line signal and the decoded facsimile line signal which correspond to said each line of said each page; and means for printing the combined facsimile line signal on a recording sheet to thereby output the visually distinguishable multipage facsimile document.