FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION METHOD AND APPARATUS

An improved facsimile transmission method and apparatus whereby the data to be transmitted may be transmitted in a shorter time than with conventional facsimile systems. The picture to be transmitted is scanned line-by-line with a conventional photoelectric scanner, but preferably at a speed such that the scanning frequency is greater than the maximum transmission frequency of the transmission channel, and the scanning voltage, which represents at least two different brightness values, preferably black and white, for a single line stored in a memory. The memory is then read out and the number of consecutive identical brightness value signals counted. Each time that the brightness value signal changes its value, e.g., from white to black or vice versa, the readout of the memory is interrupted, or temporarily delayed, until a pulse sequence representing the counted identical consecutive brightness signals and the brightness value has been formed and transmitted. This sequence of steps is repeated for each picture line to be transmitted.