JP2011211525A - Communication equipment and diagnostic system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide communication equipment that can smoothly execute remote diagnosis, and a diagnostic system.SOLUTION: A facsimile device 100 stores a plurality of communication lines and is communicably connected with a prescribed center device 200 via the communication lines. The device includes a diagnosis execution part and a diagnosis control part. The diagnosis execution part executes diagnostic processing when the facsimile device receives an execution instruction regarding diagnostic processing from the center device 200. The diagnosis control part is constituted as follows. Even if the facsimile device receives the execution instruction regarding the diagnostic processing from the center device 200 and when one of the communication lines is in use, the diagnosis control part receives a prescribed execution instruction but does not make the diagnosis execution part execute the diagnostic processing until the end of the use of the communication line.

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus that performs a predetermined diagnosis operation by remote control, and a diagnosis system that includes the communication apparatus and a host apparatus that performs remote diagnosis.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a communication device such as a facsimile device can perform failure diagnosis and failure repair from a remote host device (center station) by using its communication function.
Specifically, data and programs can be transmitted and received and jobs can be executed by remote control from the center station.

For this reason, various diagnoses relating to the facsimile apparatus can be performed without having the service person bother to visit the remote station, which is convenient for maintenance and operation of the apparatus.
However, in such remote diagnosis, when a power failure or software lock occurs on the facsimile machine side during diagnosis, human work or redundant processing such as reset processing on hardware or redo of diagnosis processing is performed. May occur.
In other words, the convenience of remote diagnosis is impaired by the occurrence of such a situation.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a job file in which each job necessary for remote processing for each facsimile apparatus is prepared, the job registered in the job file is spooled, and the facsimile terminal corresponding to the job being spooled is prepared. A remote processing apparatus has been proposed in which a job that has been subjected to remote processing by communication with a facsimile terminal is deleted from a job file. This remote processing device stops the spooling job if the job ends abnormally during communication with the facsimile device, and resumes communication if there is a re-communication instruction from the operator for the job. To do.
Therefore, according to such a remote processing device, it is possible to safely and easily resume remote diagnosis even when a diagnosis operation is interrupted due to a power failure or software lock on the facsimile terminal side. It is said that.

JP 2004-166066 A

However, according to the remote processing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the interrupted remote diagnosis is not properly executed, there is a problem that the execution cannot be smoothly finished.
For example, if another facsimile communication is performed while firmware or the like is being updated as a remote diagnosis, a communication error may occur, and this may interrupt the firmware update.

  That is, if the update of the firmware or the like is completed in a state where the output operation of the received document is not completed, there may be a problem that the received document cannot be processed correctly. In addition, the line is forcibly disconnected.

However, when rewriting of the program is resumed by redialing from the center station or the like after that, if another port is used for facsimile communication, the same error occurs. That is, such an error is repeated unless the program is rewritten in a state where all the ports are not used.
Further, if such an error is repeated, hardware resources such as lines and ports are wasted, which has been a cause of reducing the use efficiency of the device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication device and a diagnostic system that can smoothly execute remote diagnosis.

  In order to achieve the above object, a communication device of the present invention is a communication device that accommodates a plurality of communication lines and is connected to a predetermined host device via the communication line, and an execution command related to diagnostic processing from the host device. If any communication line is used even if a diagnosis execution unit capable of performing the diagnosis process and an execution command related to the diagnosis process are received from the host device Is configured to include a diagnosis control unit that does not cause the diagnosis execution unit to perform the diagnosis process.

  The diagnosis system of the present invention includes a predetermined host device and a communication device in which a plurality of communication lines are accommodated, and the host device performs execution related to diagnosis processing via the communication line with respect to the communication device. A remote diagnosis command unit for sending a command, and the communication device, when receiving an execution command related to the diagnostic process from the host device, a diagnosis execution unit capable of performing the diagnostic process; and the host device Even when an execution command related to the diagnostic processing is received, when any communication line is used, the diagnostic execution unit is configured to include a diagnostic control unit that does not perform the diagnostic processing. .

  According to the present invention, remote diagnosis can be executed smoothly.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a remote diagnosis system including the facsimile apparatus and a center station. It is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a main control unit of the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is a sequence diagram showing various signals transmitted and received between the center station and the facsimile apparatus from the start of remote diagnosis until the reservation ID is notified. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process regarding the remote diagnosis performed with a facsimile apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus corresponding to a communication apparatus of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a remote diagnosis system including the facsimile apparatus and a center station.
As shown in the figure, the facsimile apparatus 100 is physically connected to a center station 200 and other partner machine 300 via a telephone line (not shown).

The center station 200 is a host computer (host device) necessary for remote diagnosis of the facsimile apparatus 100, and the counterpart apparatus 300 is an external facsimile apparatus, a communication apparatus having a facsimile function, or the like.
Typically, the center station 200 is installed at a service center that undertakes maintenance and operation of the facsimile apparatus 100, and corresponds to a personal computer that performs remote maintenance by dialing the telephone line of the facsimile apparatus 100 as necessary. The counterpart machine 300 corresponds to a facsimile machine or the like installed in a business partner or a related department that normally performs facsimile communication.

As shown in FIG. 1, the facsimile machine 100 includes a main control unit 1, a reservation information storage unit 2, and a line control unit 3.
The main control unit 1 reads a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing various control programs, a RAM (Random Access Memory) having a function of temporarily storing data and a function as a work area, a control program, and the like from the ROM. It consists of a dedicated hardware circuit such as a microcomputer to be executed or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and transmits / receives various control signals to / from each of the above units to control the operation of the facsimile apparatus 100.
The line control unit 3 includes a line control unit 3a and a line control unit 3b, and each line control unit 3 accommodates a telephone line.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the main control unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a diagnosis execution unit 11, a diagnosis control unit 12, a communication control unit 13, and a reservation information notification unit 14.
The diagnosis execution unit 11 executes a predetermined remote diagnosis in response to receiving a remote diagnosis execution command from the center station 200.
For example, a remote diagnosis start signal, a signal indicating the contents of the remote diagnosis, and the like are transmitted from the center station 200 via a telephone line connected to the line control unit 3a, and the facsimile apparatus 100 supports such various signals. Performs remote diagnosis operations.

Even when the diagnosis control unit 12 receives an execution command for remote diagnosis from the center station 200, the diagnosis control unit 12 transmits or receives a facsimile from any telephone line accommodated in the facsimile apparatus 100. The remote diagnosis is interrupted by determining that a communication error has occurred.
This is to prevent a communication error (for example, due to a consistency error at the time of rewriting the firmware) due to another facsimile communication being performed in parallel with the remote diagnosis, as described as a conventional problem. This is to prevent the occurrence of problems that hinder the smooth execution of remote diagnosis.

  However, even if the remote diagnosis is interrupted in this way, the diagnosis control unit 12 thereafter performs a predetermined reservation ID (reservation information notification to be described later) after the other facsimile communication is terminated by the redial function or the like from the center station 200. When the remote diagnosis execution command accompanied with the ID) previously notified to the center station 200 by the unit 14 is received, control is performed to execute the remote diagnosis.

Even when the communication control unit 13 receives a remote diagnosis execution command from the center station 200, if any communication line is used, until the remote diagnosis is re-executed, The use of the communication line for purposes other than the purpose of executing the remote diagnosis is prohibited.
In other words, re-execution of remote diagnosis that was interrupted due to a communication error is preferentially executed, and not only the line used for remote diagnosis but also all other lines can be executed smoothly. It is to secure.

  Specifically, a reservation ID is notified to the center station 200 by the reservation information notifying unit 14 described later, the reservation ID is stored in a predetermined storage medium, and the stored reservation ID is re-executed with re-execution of remote diagnosis. Since it is deleted (refer to the reservation information storage unit 2 described later), the communication control unit 13 does not execute remote diagnosis until the reservation ID is deleted from when it is stored in the storage medium. Use of communication lines for the purpose of is prohibited.

  The reservation information notifying unit 14 receives a predetermined diagnosis ID (for example, six-digit alphanumeric characters, etc.) when a remote diagnosis execution command is received from the center station 200 and any of the telephone lines is used. A unique character string made up of and the like is generated and notified to the center station 200. In response to this, the center station 200 stores the received reservation ID in a predetermined storage medium, and transmits the reservation ID to the facsimile apparatus 100 together with a remote diagnosis execution command at a predetermined timing based on, for example, a redial function. To perform the operation.

The reservation information notification unit 14 may notify the reservation ID at the timing when the use of the telephone line is finished. In this case, the center station 200 may send a remote diagnosis execution command to the facsimile apparatus 100 in response to reception of the reservation ID.
In this way, when restarting the interrupted remote diagnosis, all the communication lines are not used reliably, so the remote diagnosis can be executed and completed more smoothly.

  The reservation information storage unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 stores the reservation ID transmitted to the center station 200 by the reservation information notification unit 14 in a predetermined storage medium such as a memory, and then accompanies the reservation ID from the center station 200. When the remote diagnosis is re-executed in response to the remote diagnosis execution command, the reservation ID is deleted from the storage medium.

The reservation ID stored in the storage medium by the reservation information storage unit 2 can be used to determine whether or not the remote diagnosis received from the center station 200 is a target to be preferentially executed. Specifically, when a remote diagnosis execution instruction is received from the center station 200 after the remote diagnosis is interrupted due to a predetermined communication error, not only the reservation ID is attached to the execution instruction, It is possible to identify whether the attached reservation ID matches the reservation ID stored in the storage medium by the reservation information storage unit 2.
As a result, it is possible to distinguish between normal remote diagnosis and remote diagnosis that is restarted due to interruption, and to execute the restarted remote diagnosis with priority. Further, even when a plurality of interrupted remote diagnoses are generated, the remote diagnosis is smoothly re-executed according to the order of occurrence.

The reservation information storage unit 2 deletes the reservation ID from the storage medium when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reservation ID was stored in the storage medium.
This assumes an unforeseen situation such as redial processing related to remote diagnosis is not performed due to a trouble or some other cause on the center station 200 side.
In other words, since the general use of the line is restricted from the time when the reservation ID is stored, if such restriction is continued for a too long time, normal facsimile communication or the like will be hindered. For this reason, when the preset time elapses, the reservation ID is deleted to cancel the restriction on the use of the line so that the normal use of the facsimile apparatus is not hindered.

  As described above, since the remote diagnosis to be resumed is preferentially processed while the reservation ID is stored in the reservation information storage unit 2, the state during this period is regarded as being reserved and related processing is controlled. You can also. On the other hand, since the communication line is released after the reservation ID is deleted, it is possible to control the related processing by assuming that the reservation is canceled (see S12, S22, etc. in FIG. 4).

Next, the remote diagnosis processing procedure of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing various signals transmitted and received between the center station and the facsimile apparatus from the start of remote diagnosis until the reservation ID is notified.
For convenience of explanation, transmission / reception of various signals is performed via a telephone line accommodated in the line control unit 3a of the facsimile apparatus 100, and the telephone line accommodated in the line control unit 3b is connected to the partner apparatus 300. It is assumed that it is used for facsimile communication.

As shown in FIG. 3, first, in response to dial access or the like (not shown) from the center station 200, the facsimile machine 100 transmits a predetermined response signal (NSF / CSI / DIS) to the center station 200 (S1). .
Here, “NSF” is a non-standard device signal and plays a role of identifying the function of the terminal device. For example, this signal allows the center station 200 to confirm whether or not the facsimile apparatus 100 has a remote diagnosis function. “CSI” is a called station identification signal, by which the telephone number assigned to the terminal device can be confirmed. “DIS” is a digital identification signal and indicates that the function of the terminal device is JT-T30 of the TTC standard. That is, it is based on the transmission control procedure of G1, G2, G3 facsimile machines used in the general exchange telephone network.

Next, the center station 200 transmits an NSS / TCF signal to the facsimile machine 100 (S2).
Here, “NSS” is a non-standard function setting signal, and in this embodiment, the NSS signal notifies the facsimile apparatus 100 that remote diagnosis is being performed. “TCF” is a signal for performing a training check in advance.
In the facsimile apparatus 100 that receives the remote diagnosis execution request (NSS), the diagnosis control unit 12 determines whether or not to execute the remote diagnosis, but the telephone line accommodated in the line control unit 3b is connected. Therefore, the diagnosis control unit 12 regards this as a communication error and interrupts the remote diagnosis process.

Therefore, in the facsimile apparatus 100, the reservation information notifying unit 14 transmits an NSF signal in which the reservation ID is embedded to the center station 200 (S3). Note that the center station 200 detects that the remote diagnosis has caused a communication error when receiving the NSF signal or receiving an error signal sent from the facsimile apparatus 100 thereafter.
Upon receiving the NSF signal, the center station 200 transmits a DCN signal to the facsimile machine 100 (S4). That is, the center station 200 that has received the reservation ID and has detected the occurrence of a communication error in remote diagnosis and the facsimile apparatus 100 that has received the DCN signal disconnect the line. “DCN” is a line disconnection command signal.

Next, a procedure of processing relating to remote diagnosis performed by the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the figure, first, the main control unit 1 of the facsimile apparatus 100 checks whether or not to start communication (S11). Specifically, the main control unit 1 confirms through the line control unit 3 whether or not there is a communication request via an external dial access or the like. The term “external” refers to other facsimile apparatuses or other apparatuses having communication functions connected via a telephone line (not shown), and corresponds to the center station 200 and the partner apparatus 300 in the present embodiment.
When the start of communication is confirmed (S11: YES), the main control unit 1 confirms whether or not a remote diagnosis is reserved in the facsimile apparatus 100 (S12). Specifically, when a reservation ID is stored in a predetermined storage medium, a predetermined remote diagnosis is being reserved, and when no reservation ID is stored, a remote diagnosis is not reserved Judge.

When it is determined that remote diagnosis is not being reserved (S12: NO), the diagnosis control unit 12 determines whether there are two or more usable telephone lines (S13). Note that “usable” means that telephone lines that are not in operation or are out of order are excluded.
Here, when it is determined that there are two or more usable telephone lines (S13: YES), the main control unit 1 determines whether or not communication is being performed on another line (S14). “Communicating on another line” indicates a state in which some communication is being performed on not only the telephone line to be used but also any other telephone line.

When it is determined that communication is being performed on another line (S14: YES), the main control unit 1 determines whether the communication to be started is communication related to remote diagnosis (S15).
As a result, when it is determined that the communication to be started is not communication related to remote diagnosis (S15: NO), the line control unit 3 (line control unit i or line control unit ii) passes through the accommodated telephone line. Communication with the outside is started (S16).
On the other hand, when it is determined that the communication to be started is communication related to remote diagnosis (S15: YES), after the reservation information notification unit 14 transmits the reservation ID to the center station 200, the line control unit 3 The communication is disconnected (S17). At this time, the reservation information storage unit 2 stores the reservation ID.

  If it is confirmed in step S13 that there is only one usable telephone line (S13: NO), or if it is confirmed in step S14 that communication is not being performed on another line (S14: NO). The line control unit 3 starts communication with the outside via the accommodated telephone line (S16).

Here, if it is confirmed in S12 that remote diagnosis is being reserved (S12: YES), the main control unit 1 determines whether or not the communication to be started is communication related to remote diagnosis (S18).
When it is determined that the communication to be started is related to remote diagnosis (S18: YES), it is determined whether or not the remote diagnosis is reserved. Specifically, in the case of the reserved remote diagnosis, since a predetermined reservation ID is transmitted from the center station 200, the determination is made by comparing the reservation ID with the reservation ID stored in advance in the reservation information storage unit 2 ( S19).

As a result, when it is determined that the reservation ID received from the center station 200 matches the stored ID (S19: YES), the line control unit 3 sends the center station 200 via the accommodated telephone line. (S20).
If it is determined in step S18 that the communication to be started is not related to remote diagnosis (S18: NO), or the reservation ID received from the center station 200 in step S19 does not match the stored ID. Is determined (S19: NO), the line controller 3 disconnects the communication (S21).

Here, if communication is not started in step S11 (S11: NO) and it is determined that remote diagnosis is being reserved in the facsimile apparatus 100 (S22: YES), the main control unit 1 makes a reservation. It is confirmed whether or not a certain time has elapsed since the start (S23). Specifically, the diagnosis information storage unit 2 makes a determination based on the measurement time from when the reservation ID is stored in a predetermined storage medium.
As a result, if it is determined that the fixed time has elapsed since the reservation start (S23: YES), the main control unit 1 cancels the remote diagnosis reservation state (S24). Specifically, the reservation information storage unit 2 can cancel the reservation state by deleting the reservation ID.

As described above, according to the facsimile apparatus 100 of the present embodiment and the diagnostic system including the facsimile apparatus 100 and the center station 200, remote diagnosis is performed when remote diagnosis and other facsimile communication are performed at the same timing. Once interrupted, the reservation is made.
Specifically, the reservation ID is held in the facsimile apparatus 100 and the center station 200, and the reservation ID is transmitted from the center station 200 at the time of re-access such as redial, and the facsimile apparatus 100 holds the received reservation ID and itself. Whether or not the reservation ID to be matched is confirmed, and if it matches, the remote diagnosis is executed.

After the reservation ID is issued, the communication control unit 13 restricts the use of all communication lines so that the reserved remote diagnosis can be executed smoothly.
In addition, after the reserved remote diagnosis is executed or when it is not executed for a certain period of time, the reserved ID that has been retained is deleted, so that the use of general facsimile communication is not hindered. .

Therefore, according to the facsimile apparatus 100 and the system including the facsimile apparatus 100 and the center station 200 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a communication error that hinders the smooth execution of the remote diagnosis, and to prevent the error. Therefore, the remote diagnosis that has been interrupted can be executed again smoothly.
For this reason, remote diagnosis can be implemented more smoothly.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, the present invention can be widely applied not only to a single facsimile apparatus but also to MFPs and other communication apparatuses having a facsimile function.

  The present invention can be applied to a facsimile machine accommodating a plurality of lines.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 11 Diagnosis execution part 12 Diagnosis control part 13 Communication control part 14 Reservation information notification part 2 Reservation information storage part 3 Line control part 100 Fax machine 200 Center station 300 Counterpart machine

Claims (6)

A communication device that accommodates a plurality of communication lines and is connected to a predetermined host device via the communication line,
When receiving an execution command related to diagnostic processing from the host device, a diagnostic execution unit capable of performing the diagnostic processing;
A diagnostic control unit that does not cause the diagnostic execution unit to perform the diagnostic process when any of the communication lines is used even when an execution command related to the diagnostic process is received from the host device A communication device characterized by the above. Even when an execution command related to diagnostic processing is received from the host device, if any communication line is used, a communication line for purposes other than the diagnostic processing until the diagnostic processing ends. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication control unit that restricts use of the communication device. A reservation information notifying unit for notifying the host device of a predetermined reservation ID when an execution instruction related to diagnostic processing is received from the host device and any of the communication lines is used;
The reservation ID is stored in a predetermined storage medium together with the notification of the reservation ID, and the reservation ID is deleted from the storage medium when a diagnosis process is executed in accordance with an execution command accompanied by the reservation ID from the host device. A reservation information storage unit,
The diagnosis control unit
When an execution command with a reservation ID stored in the storage medium is received from the host device via any communication line, and the other communication line is not used, the diagnosis processing is performed. The diagnosis execution unit is not allowed to perform the diagnosis process when the execution instruction with the reservation ID is not received or when another communication line is used. 2. The communication device according to 2. The communication control unit
The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein use of a communication line for a purpose other than the diagnosis process is limited from when the reservation ID is stored in the storage medium to when the reservation ID is deleted from the storage medium. The reservation information storage unit
The communication apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reservation ID was stored in the storage medium, the reservation ID is deleted from the storage medium. It consists of a predetermined host device and a communication device in which a plurality of communication lines are accommodated,
The host device is
A remote diagnostic command unit that sends an execution command related to diagnostic processing to the communication device via the communication line,
The communication device
When receiving an execution command related to the diagnostic process from the host device, a diagnostic execution unit capable of performing the diagnostic process;
Even when an execution command related to the diagnostic processing is received from the host device, if any communication line is used, a diagnostic control unit that does not cause the diagnostic processing unit to perform the diagnostic processing; A diagnostic system characterized by comprising.

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