DE19649175C2 - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a communication terminal according to the Preamble of claim 1, in particular a facsimile device with a function for transferring image data to another communication terminal, the from an external terminal, such as B. a computer.

Usually, a facsimile device has been widely used as a communication device Transmission and reception of image data used over telephone lines. On the other hand, many multifunction devices, such as. B. Computer, developed and used for various purposes.

In connection with the use of both devices, facsimile devices were used with FIP (Facsimile Interface Processor) mode developed that enables operation if an external device such as B. a computer is connected. With such Facsimile devices with FIP mode can send image data to the external terminal generated, sent to one facsimile machine and forwarded to another Facsimile machine can be transmitted, conversely, an image attached to a Facsimile device was scanned to be sent to an external terminal to process or change the image data.

However, in a conventional facsimile machine, only the answer to that Command that indicates the completion of the transfer to the external terminal sent back when the facsimile transfer to another facsimile device due to an image data transfer request from an external terminal is completed. Data such as B. the transmission result, the  Transmission time, the communication speed and the like are in this Ant word, but not the transmitted image data. Consequently, the one who has requested the transmission from the external terminal, do not confirm which Image data were transferred even if it was the result of the image data transfer knows.

In addition, it is problematic to retransmit the transmission through a compare the result of the transmission with the content of the image data, because no function to record the image data after the transfer is completed is provided.

DE 41 06 454 A1 describes a data processing or transmission system known a communication terminal that over a telephone line with a other communication terminal and via an exclusive Lei device is connected to an external device. With this data processing system stem it is possible to have a remotely located communication terminal, e.g. B. a Facsimile device, using the external terminal, usually a PC, to operate. For example, the PC can start printing one in the memory of the PC placed document can be caused by the printer of the facsimile machine. Conversely, a document inserted in the facsimile device can be read and the the corresponding data is transmitted to another facsimile device. With everyone Command of the PC answers the facsimile machine with a command-specific Reply. However, this reply to the PC does not contain the transmitted one Image data, only the transmission result. Consequently, the operator of the PC does not confirm which image data has actually been transferred.

In view of the above facts, the problem of the present invention is one Propose communication terminal that the content of the image data from a external source received and transmitted to another communication device have been able to confirm and this by enclosing the transfer result the transmission data correspond to the image data and their recording can make the image data easy to understand.

The solution to the problem results from claim 1. The subclaims zei preferred embodiments.

In order to achieve the aforementioned goal, according to a first embodiment form of the communication terminal according to the invention when a transmission Requesting image data over a telephone line to another communicati device from an external device via an exclusive line that did Actually transmitted image data, when the transfer is complete, in one Recording unit recorded, displayed on a display or to the external End device sent back. A facsimile machine, computer or the like Recording unit, such as. B. a magnetic storage device, printer or Memory and a display unit, such as. B. a liquid crystal display or CRT Display, are equipped in this  Communication terminal includes. A computer or the like. With functions for Creation, processing and modification of image data is provided in the external terminal included. These devices are through an exclusive line an interface such as B. an RS232C or Ethernet connected and run the Transmission and reception of image data according to a predetermined one Command signal.

Thus, even after some time after the transfer, the completion of the Transfer confirmed. In addition, the completion of the transfer on external terminal are confirmed, even if the external terminal of the Transmission source in a separate place from the invention Communication terminal is set up.

Furthermore, according to a second embodiment of the present Invention image data, the completion of the transfer of image data to a display another communication terminal, the image data stored in the Recording unit can be recorded, attached, shown on the display or sent back to the external device. The attached include Image data the transmission time, telephone number and the name of the Transfer destination etc. in addition to a transfer complete Mark. In this second embodiment of the present invention the completion of the transmission of image data together with the image data itself beeing confirmed. The transmission result can be recorded if desired become.

Furthermore, according to a third embodiment of the present Invention the image data indicating the completion of the transfer of the image data Image data in one to the image data whose transfer is complete, different color. Consequently, this communication terminal can be one Use color printers that have an inkjet system, a color liquid crystal display or Color CRT display used. A computer with a similar color display or the like. Can be used as an external terminal.  

Thus, the image data, which is the completion of the transfer of the image data display and the image data, the transfer of which is completed one on another printed and displayed when they are of different colors, thereby it is easier to distinguish between the two data types.

Furthermore, according to a fourth embodiment of the Communication terminal according to the invention the data that the completion of Display transmission of the image data to another communication terminal, only on the first page of the image data, which is either in the Recorded part recorded, displayed on a display or to the external Terminal can be sent over the exclusive line.

Furthermore, according to a fifth embodiment of the invention Communication terminal the transmission complete marking at one optional space installed in the image data whose Transfer is complete.

Furthermore, according to a sixth embodiment of the Communication terminal according to the invention the data that the completion of Show transmission, contain colored image data from the transmitted Image data can be distinguished.

Furthermore, according to a seventh embodiment of the Communication terminal according to the invention the data that the completion of Show transmission, at least the destination and the transmission time as Records, with the color of each record being different.

In addition, according to an eighth embodiment of the Communication terminal according to the invention determines one side of the image data which are either recorded on a recording unit, on a Displayed or to the external terminal via the exclusive line  is sent so that the data indicating the completion of the transfer to can be attached to this side.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram as an example of the basic construction of the communication terminal (facsimile device) of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram as an example of the structure of the image transmission processing system when a facsimile device according to FIG. 1 is used.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram as an example of the basic operation of the image transmission processing system in FIG. 2.

Fig. 4 shows an example of the printout when the transfer of the image data is completed.

A first embodiment of the present invention and the enclosed diagrams.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the basic construction of a communication terminal of the present invention. It shows the construction of a facsimile device F as an example of the communication terminal.

The facsimile device F is not only connected to the telephone lines L, but also via an exclusive line L1 (which will be described later, with reference to FIG. 2) to an external terminal, such as B. a computer PC.

In Fig. 1, 1 is a signal processor comprising a CPU that performs the signal control for each unit, 2 is a network control unit for performing connection control with a public network via telephone lines L, 3 is a modem for performing the generation and acquisition of protocol signals and for modulation / Demodulation of the image data that are transmitted and received in order to carry out facsimile communication processes, 4 an automatic selector that automatically dials the telephone number of a third facsimile device, 5 an interface for carrying out the transmission and reception of image data and character data using the computer PC an exclusive line L1, 6 a keyboard with various control buttons, such as. B. a tactile pad, 7 a display that includes a liquid crystal display or the like., 8 an image scanner that scans the document, 9 a printer with a color print head that outputs the image data on recording paper, 10 a memory that: an image data memory 10 a which temporarily stores the image data; a memory 10 b for the transmission-full mark, which stores the image data of the transmission components Fully marker that is attached to the image data; and other stores. 11 is a signal converter which encodes / decodes the image data and converts the character data into image data to enable transmission (of image data) between the computer PC or the like and another communication terminal.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the image transmission processing system when the facsimile machine F in FIG. 1 is used. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the image transmission processing system in FIG. 2. The basic operating modes of the facsimile device F are described below using these diagrams.

In Fig. 2, the facsimile device F as an external terminal by means of an exclusive line L1, such as. B. RS232C, connected to the computer PC and is connected to another external facsimile device Fa via the telephone lines L.

When image data from the computer PC to another facsimile machine Fa via the Telephone lines L are transmitted, is first a Transfer request command to the facsimile device F via the exclusive  Transfer line L1. This command contains the phone number of the target Facsimile device from

Thereafter, the computer PC transmits a print output request command and instructs the facsimile device F to print out the image data when the transfer of the image data is complete. A page determination is possible with this command. For example, only the page definition of the first page, up to a certain page or the printout of all pages. It should be noted that even if this command is not transmitted (through the computer PC), the details of this command can be set by operating the keyboard 6 on the facsimile device F.

The signal processor 1 stores the image data from the computer PC continuously in the image data memory 10 a when the facsimile device F receives this image data. It should be noted that the character data in NMR coded (or the like.) Can be converted image data in the signal converter 11, when character data is being received at that time, and the image data are stored in an image data memory 10 a, the mailbox or named similarly, where they are managed in block units.

It is of course possible to store character data to be stored in the image data memory 10 a as character data without being converted into image data, and converted into image data when conversion is necessary at the time of transmission.

When the facsimile device F has received all pages of the image data from the computer PC via the interface 5 , the telephone number in the transmission request command is automatically dialed by the automatic selector 4 . When the target facsimile device Fa responds to this, the transmission of image data is carried out according to the facsimile communication method.

Then, when the transfer of all the image data is complete after the transfer complete response is sent to the computer PC, the image data of the pages determined by the print output request command are output on the recording paper of the printer 9 and, after printing, the image data in Image data memory 10 a deleted.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which only the determined first page of the two pages of image data in which the transmission to a target facsimile device Fa is complete is output by the printer 9 .

Then, an example of the output of the aforementioned printer 9 is shown in FIG .

In this diagram, a transfer complete mark M, which indicates that the transfer is complete, is added to the printed image data. This type of transfer complete marker M is used and in an optional place, e.g. B. positioned at the limit of the document by means of a command received from the computer PC or by operating the keyboard 6 . It is also possible to mark M only on the first page of the pages to be printed. The content of this mark M may include the transmission date and time, the number of pages transmitted, the transmission duration, the telephone number and the name of the destination, and the like, based on a calendar clock, a control circuit, telephone number memory and the like. Thus, one can be useful Receive information when the communication result is viewed afterwards. It is also easier to see if the characters of the transfer complete mark M are set larger than the standard size (10 points) used in common documents.

Furthermore, the clarity of the transferred image data is not reduced if the transfer complete mark is placed on the transferred image data (the image data in which the transfer is complete) as shown in Fig. 4 when the color of the mark M from which the image data is different and thus identification of the transfer complete marker M can be simplified.

At this point, the process is as follows:

The fixed data of the transfer complete marker M are stored in the memory 10 b for the transfer complete marker by scanning in beforehand with the image scanner 8 , or are received as data from the computer PC, or by selection / setting by means of the keyboard 6 .

Then, at the time when the transfer is completed, the image data, the fixed data of the transfer complete mark M and the communication result data such as. B. the time, the date etc. as image data with different colors such. B. compiled black, red or blue in the image memory (not shown) and output by the printer 9 . In this way, a certain value can be quickly confirmed if the color of the transfer complete marker M has been set differently with the keyboard 6 .

The case in which the image data whose transfer is completed is described above, but the present invention is not limited to this because the recording of the image data in a recording apparatus other than the printer 9 (such as an internal one) or external magnetic storage device), the display 7 and the transfer back to the computer PC as an external terminal is also possible.

When the image data is sent back to the computer PC, the Image data according to the protocol between the computer PC and the Facsimile machine F will be returned after a Transmission request command was sent out by the facsimile device F.

Because of this, the completion of the transfer on the computer PC can even a location away from the facsimile machine F along with the image data,  the transmission of which has been completed, by means of the display of the CRT display or a printout of the printer and the like. It is also possible to do this Process image data, change and back to the facsimile device F and further to be sent to an external facsimile device Fa.

Claims (9)

1. Communication terminal, which is connected to a telephone line (L) and to an external terminal (PC) via an exclusive line (L1), characterized in that the image data, the transmission of which has been completed, either in a recording unit ( 9 , 10 ) recorded, displayed on a display ( 7 ) or sent to the external terminal (PC) via the exclusive line (L1) when a transfer request for image data from the external terminal (PC) to another communication terminal (Fa) via the telephone line (L ) exists as soon as the transfer of the image data has been completed. 2. Communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein data indicating the completion of the transmission of image data to another communication terminal (Fa) are added as a transmission complete marking (M) to the image data, which are either in the recording unit ( 9 , 10 ) is recorded, shown on the display ( 7 ) or sent to the external terminal (PC) via the exclusive line (L1). 3. Communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the data that the Show completion of the transfer, shown in a different color are considered the image data whose transfer is complete. 4. Communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the data indicating the completion of the transfer of the image data to another communication terminal (Fa) only on the first side of the image data recorded either in the recording unit ( 9 , 10 ) on the display ( 7 ) are displayed or sent via the exclusive line (L1) to the external terminal (PC). 5. Communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the transmission Full mark (M) is placed in an optional location that is in the Image data whose transfer is complete is used. 6. Communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the data that the Show completion of the transfer, shown in a different color than the image data whose transfer is complete. 7. Communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the data that the Show the completion of the transfer, at least the destination and the transfer time include as records and the color data of each record is different are set. 8. Communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein a page is provided in the image data, which is either recorded in the recording unit ( 9 , 10 ), displayed on the display ( 7 ) or to the external image device (PC) via the exclusive line (L1) is sent so that the data indicating the completion of the transfer can be placed on this page. 9. Communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the image data, which are either recorded in the recording unit ( 9 , 10 ), displayed on the display ( 7 ) or sent to the external terminal (PC) via the exclusive line (L1), either on external terminal (PC) or on the communication terminal (F) can be printed and the pages of the image data to be printed can be determined.