JP2000101703A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile equipment that has a simple and optimized re-transmission function. SOLUTION: A backup memory 3 stores a call number of an opposite station when the user operates an operation section 1. A busy tone detection section 4 detects a busy tone on a communication line and informs a control section 2 of it. The control section 2 discriminates whether transmission is executed or the opposite station is busy and stores its recording to the backup memory 3. Number of times when the opposite station was busy is counted. In the case that number of times of busy states recorded in a communication history reaches a threshold number of times specified in advance as a result of the count, the control section 2 discriminates it that a specific opposite station is very frequently busy even when re-dialing is executed at a current interval of reading and revises the redialing interval.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus, and more particularly, to a facsimile apparatus having a retransmission function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A facsimile apparatus is an apparatus for transmitting a document to a distant station using a communication line. On the transmission side, an original is optically read and converted into an electric signal by photoelectric conversion. Then, the converted image data is applied to a prescribed coding method, and data is transmitted to a communication line according to a prescribed procedure. The receiving side reproduces the document on the transmitting side by decoding the signal received from the other party and printing the decoded image data on recording paper.

[0003] In a facsimile apparatus, a call number (telephone number) of a partner station for facsimile communication is registered in advance, and when communicating with a specific partner station, a button designated at the time of registration is depressed, so that the call number is registered. Some devices perform facsimile communication without input. In addition, when the other station is called (busy) for communication or communication with another station as a result of calling the other station when performing facsimile transmission, the communication is temporarily stopped, and after a certain period of time, the communication is stopped again. Some have a retransmission function to make a call.

Conventionally, this type of facsimile apparatus has a backup memory for storing a call number (telephone number) of a specific partner station, and the other station being used when calling the partner station during facsimile transmission. A busy tone detecting unit for detecting a busy tone indicating the presence on a communication line. Further, it has a modem section for transmitting a signal in accordance with a facsimile procedure specified in advance on a communication line and detecting a procedure signal from a partner station, and a control section for controlling these sections.

Conventionally, this type of facsimile apparatus can register in advance a calling number (telephone number) of a partner station for performing facsimile communication. By pressing the designated button, facsimile communication can be performed without inputting the call number. Also, as a result of calling the other station when performing facsimile transmission, if the other station is busy (busy) due to communication with another station or a call,
The communication is temporarily stopped, and after a predetermined period of time elapses, a recall operation is performed to call again.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus, a recall (time) interval until a recall is performed in performing a recall operation is fixed. For this reason, the partner station is performing a long-term call or long-term communication,
If the frequency of the facsimile communication with the other station is extremely high, the facsimile apparatus is set to a predetermined number of times while the other station is in use, because the other station is still in use even after re-calling. However, there is a problem that the communication operation is terminated before the target facsimile document can be transmitted to the destination station.

In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-78129 discloses a method of calculating the number of times of non-delivery with a specific partner station from a communication history, and has a high probability of communication (busy). There has been proposed a method of changing settings so as to increase the number of retransmissions (recalls) to a specific destination station where facsimile transmission is difficult. In addition, a method has been proposed in which the number of times of communication of the own station per predetermined time is calculated from the communication history, and retransmission is performed in a time zone where the own station is less frequently used. Furthermore, the frequency of non-delivery of a specific partner station per predetermined time is calculated from the communication history, and the frequency of use of the specific partner station with respect to the specific partner station having a high probability of busy (busy) and difficult to perform facsimile transmission is calculated. A method for performing retransmission during a low time zone has been proposed.

[0008]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-78129
In the case of the proposal described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-157, by repeating retry to the partner station in which the own station is difficult to communicate many times (the probability of busy is high), the frequency of use (busy) of the own station is increased. Therefore, because the frequency of use of the own station is high (busy), the transmission source that wants to perform facsimile transmission to the own station
I can't send.

[0009] A proposal to calculate the number of communications per predetermined time of the own station from the communication history, and to re-transmit the time in a time zone where the own station is infrequently used, and a failure to reach a specific partner station per predetermined time from the communication history. A proposal to calculate the number of times and retransmit to a specific partner station with a high probability of busy (busy) and difficult to perform facsimile transmission during a time period when the specific partner station is infrequently used is one solution to this problem. There are two approaches. But,
Depending on the frequency of use, the retransmission time can be significantly delayed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus having a simple optimized retransmission function.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is a facsimile apparatus which repeats a call repeatedly up to a certain number of times when a destination is in use, and stores and communicates call numbers of a plurality of specific destinations. Communication history storage means for storing a history while updating the history; and a recall interval control means for controlling a time interval of the recall based on the previous communication history when transmitting to the specific destination. It is characterized by the following.

The operation of the present invention is as follows. While the conventional facsimile machine has a backup memory for storing the call number of a specific partner station, it has a backup memory for storing the past communication history with the specific partner station in addition to the call number of the specific partner station. . The control unit updates the communication history in the backup memory every time a call (call) is made to a specific partner station.

[0013] When a bi-stone indicating that the specified partner station is busy (busy) is detected on the communication line at the time of calling, the control unit returns to the specified partner station based on the communication history. Count the number of times that the other party was busy at the time of the call. As a result of counting, when the number of times of use has reached the number of times of the predetermined threshold, the control unit frequently executes a re-call at the current re-call interval, and the specific partner station is frequently used. Therefore, change (enlarge) the recall interval.

Means for providing a plurality of set values of the recall interval and automatically changing the recall interval in accordance with the situation, while the conventional facsimile apparatus executes recall at a fixed recall interval. Having. A plurality of set values of the recall interval are collectively provided as a table, and each time the change of the recall interval occurs, the control unit takes out the set values from this table in order and changes them.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. FIG.
In the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, a control unit (a kind of computer) 2 which controls the present apparatus, an operation unit 1 operated by a user (operator) and input to the control unit 2, a call of each communication destination It has a backup memory 3 for storing numbers and communication histories 31 to n. Also, a busy tone detecting unit 4 for detecting the busy (busy tone) of the transmission destination, a modem unit 5 for connecting the control unit 2 to a communication line (public line), a program memory 6 storing a recall interval table, and a backup memory 3 It has a backup power supply 7.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The user operates the operation unit 1 for the call number of the specific (high transmission frequency) partner station, and the control unit 2 receives information from the operation unit 1 and stores the registration information in the backup memory 3. (register. The backup memory 3 has an area for storing (registering) a call number of a specific partner station, and areas 31 to n for storing communication histories when a call has been made to this specific partner station.

The communication history refers to the number of re-calls (the number of re-calls) when the facsimile apparatus has performed facsimile transmission to a specific partner station, and the time interval of the re-calls finally. It records whether the transmission has been completed, and whether the facsimile transmission has been executed finally, or whether the transmission has been stopped because the partner station is busy (busy) (execution / stop of facsimile transmission). The communication history stored in the backup memory 3 is updated when execution / stop of facsimile transmission is determined.

When a facsimile transmission is performed, a call is made using the call number stored (registered) in the backup memory 3 and as a result, if the destination station, which is the destination of the call, is in use, an exchange (not shown) is used. ) Sends a busy tone on the communication line indicating that the other party is busy (in use; busy). At this time, the busy tone detector 4 detects a busy tone on the communication line and notifies the controller 2 of the busy tone.

On the other hand, when the partner station responds, the modem unit 5 transmits a facsimile signal to the partner station and executes facsimile communication based on a prescribed facsimile procedure. When the communication ends, the modem unit 5 notifies the control unit 2 that the facsimile transmission has ended. The control unit 2 determines whether facsimile transmission has been executed or whether the other station has been in use, based on a combination of the two notifications described above, and stores the record in the backup memory 3 as a communication history.

In facsimile transmission, when a busy tone is detected on the communication line because a specific destination station is in use, the control unit 2 reads out the communication history of the specific destination station, Count the number of times the other station was busy. As a result of the counting, when the number of busy states (number of recalls) reaches the number of predetermined thresholds, the control unit 2 executes a recall at the current recall interval, and the control unit 2 uses a specific partner station. Judging that the frequency is high
Change (enlarge) the recall interval.

As the set value of the re-call interval changed by the control unit 2, a plurality of set values are registered in the program memory 6 in advance as a table. When a change in the recall interval occurs, the control unit 2 reads out a new set value from the set value table stored in the program memory 6 and executes the change.

If the frequency of use is still high as a result of changing the recall interval (when the threshold is reached again), the control unit 2 reads out new setting values from the table in order and changes (enlarges). If the number of recalls is 0 in the previous communication history, it is considered that the transmission destination is infrequently used, and recall is started at the shortest recall time interval in the table. By repeating these series of operations, the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention can finally realize retransmission of a facsimile document at an optimal recall interval according to the use situation of a specific partner station.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, when performing facsimile transmission to a specific destination station, if the destination station is busy communicating with another station or talking, the communication is temporarily stopped. However, retransmission (re-calling) is performed after a certain period of time, but the time until retransmission is adjusted according to the usage status of the specific destination station (destination), so that the facsimile Has the effect that it can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation part 2 Control part 3 Backup memory 4 Busy tone detection part 5 Modem part 6 Program memory 7 Backup power supply 31-n Communication history

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus which repeats a call repetition a certain number of times when a destination is in use, and a communication history storage means for storing call numbers of a plurality of specific destinations and updating and storing the communication history. And a recall interval control means for controlling a time interval of the recall on the basis of the previous communication history when transmitting to the specific destination. 2. The communication history includes the number of recalls, the time interval of the last recall, execution of facsimile transmission /
2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising stop information. 3. The recalling interval control means performs the recalling at a time interval of the last recalling call included in the previous communication history, and when the number of recallings reaches a threshold, the recalling interval control means performs the recalling. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a time interval between calls is made large. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the time intervals of the plurality of re-calls are stored in the form of a table.
Alternatively, the facsimile apparatus according to 3. 5. The recall interval control means, if the number of recalls included in the previous communication history is 0, performs the recall at the shortest time interval included in the table. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: