JP2774867B2 - Communication device and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a control method therefor, and more particularly, to a communication apparatus having a function of selecting a communication line according to communication conditions and making a call, and a control method therefor. It is about.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a communication device externally or internally provided with an LCR (Least Cost Routing) device has been known.

When making a call, the LCR device generates a selection signal corresponding to the most cost-effective line from among a plurality of communication lines that can be connected to the partner station based on communication conditions such as communication time and communication time, LCR control is performed by transmitting.

A conventional communication device with an LCR is configured so that one communication is performed at a time without being divided.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, conventionally, since one communication is performed at a time, a charge for one communication may be higher than a case where the communication is divided and performed.

For example, if the communication time is up to a certain limit, a certain line may be inexpensive, but if the communication time is longer than that, another line may be cheaper, and the cost may be lower if the connection is redone.

An object of the present invention is to provide a communication device and a control method thereof that can reliably select an appropriate line in view of the above problems.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To solve the above problems, according to the present invention, in a communication device, input means for inputting communication destination information, and at least communication destination information input by the input means, Selecting means for selecting a communication line based on predetermined communication conditions; calling means for making a call to the communication line selected by the selecting means; and communication line called by the calling means. Communication means for performing communication, and selection by the selection means even after communication is started by the communication means, and disconnecting the communication line under communication if the selection result is different from that at the time of calling, and calling again by the calling means A configuration having a control means for controlling so as to perform is adopted.

In the method for controlling a communication device, a selecting step of selecting a communication line based on at least communication destination information input from the outside and predetermined communication conditions; and making a call to the communication line selected in the selecting step A calling step, a communication step of performing communication using the communication line called in the calling step, and executing the selection step even after starting communication in the communication step;
When the selection result is different from that at the time of calling, the communication line under communication is disconnected, and a configuration having a re-calling step of executing the calling step again is adopted.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, communication can be performed using a communication line according to a predetermined communication condition not only at the time of calling but also after starting communication.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, which is composed of a microprocessor element or the like.

Each storage means necessary for control and each part to be controlled described later are connected to the CPU 1 via a data and address bus.

ROM2 is used to store programs and constants required for control, and RAM3 is used as a work area for CPU1,
Used for temporary storage of transmission / reception image data.

A non-volatile RAM 4 such as an SRAM is used for registering a telephone number, an abbreviation, and the like of a communication partner station. The non-volatile RAM 4 is backed up by a backup power supply (not shown) so that stored data is reliably retained even when the power is turned off. The data in the nonvolatile RAM 4 is used for speed dial control and other controls.

The character generator 5 is for converting information represented by a character code into binary image data. The character generator 5 is actually composed of a ROM that stores characters such as JIS code and ASCII code, and extracts character data corresponding to a predetermined code by 2-byte data as needed under the control of the CPU 1.

Reading of the document image data is performed by a reading unit 7 including a CCD sensor, a document transport system, and the like. The received image data or the image data read by the reading unit 7 at the time of the copy operation is a thermal printer,
Recording is performed by the recording unit 6 including an inkjet printer or the like.

Transmission and reception of image data to and from the line 10 are performed via a modem 8 for modulating and demodulating image signals and procedure signals, and an NCU 9 for controlling line connection or holding a loop with a telephone for line control.

The modem 8 is composed of G3, G2, G1, and FM modems, and a clock generation circuit connected to these modems. The modem 8 modulates transmission data stored in the RAM 3 under the control of the CPU 1, Output to 10. Further, the modem 8 introduces the analog signal of the line 10 via the NCU 9, modulates the analog signal, and stores it in the RAM 3.

Note that the telephone 11 is a telephone integrated with the facsimile machine, and the dial operation part is integrated as the operation unit 12. Specifically, the telephone 11 includes a handset, a speech network, a dialer, a numeric keypad, a one-touch key, and the like.

The communication operation is controlled by the CPU 1 according to the operation input of the operation unit 12. The operation unit 12 includes a key for starting image transmission / reception, a mode selection key for designating operation modes such as fine, standard, and automatic reception during transmission / reception, a numeric keypad for dialing, and the like. CPU1
Detects the pressed state of these keys and controls each of the above sections according to the detected state.

The display unit 13 is a display device such as a liquid crystal panel that displays about 16 digits, and is used to display the current time and the operation state by characters and the like under the control of the CPU 1.

The LCR control unit 14 is a unit that selects the cheapest line, and is built in or external to the facsimile machine. LCR
FIG. 2 shows an internal block diagram of the control unit 14.

The switches 15p and 15q are configured by relays and the like, and connect the telephone line to the LCR control unit 14. The transformer 16 is an insulating transformer for closing a DC loop. Reference numeral 17 denotes a DTMF decoder, and reference numeral 18 denotes a dialer. The DTMF decoder 17 and the dialer 18 can be connected to a line between the NCU 9 and the exchange 20 via a transformer 16. Switches 15p and 15q are connected to CPU1 (Fig. 1) or 1
It is controlled by the chip CPU19.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a one-chip CPU having a built-in ROM and RAM.
Perform control. The built-in ROM of the one-chip CPU 19 previously stores a control table for selecting the cheapest line according to conditions such as the partner station number, communication time, and communication time.

When the switches 15p and 15q are switched to the a side, the transformer 1
6, thus the DTMF decoder 17 and dialer 18 are disconnected.

Further, in the standby state, the switch 15p is switched to the a side and the switch 15q is switched to the b side, whereby the NCU
DTMF via the transformer 16
Input to the decoder 17, the telephone number of the partner station is 1 chip CPU1
Incorporated in 9.

The one-chip CPU 19 refers to the control table of the built-in ROM, generates telephone number data corresponding to the lowest cost route, and inputs this data to the dialer 18. When the dial signal of the dialer 18 is generated, the switch 15p is turned 15q to the b side.
Is switched to the a side, and the replaced dial signal is transmitted to the exchange 20.

In this embodiment, during communication, the one-chip CPU 19, the CPU 1
An appropriate signal path is set therebetween, and a communication stop signal is input from the one-chip CPU 19 to the CPU 1 through this path. This signal path is constituted by, for example, a control line indicated by a broken line in FIG.

Next, the operation in the above configuration will be described. Third
The figure shows an outline of control during communication. At the start of communication
LCR control is performed as described above.

In this embodiment, the one-chip CPU 19 performs the LCR control even after the start of communication.

In other words, it monitors whether or not the result of selecting the cheapest line changes according to the change in the communication time or communication time (current time). A communication stop signal is sent through the above signal path (step S1 in FIG. 3).

In response, the CPU 1 terminates the communication temporarily (step
S2) The remaining data is transmitted and received by repeating the process from the calling again (step S3).

The processing of FIG. 3 is shown in more detail in FIG. here,
An example in which LCR control is performed during communication according to communication time will be described.

In step S11 of FIG. 4, the user inputs the telephone number of the partner station using the ten keys or the one-touch key of the operation unit 12. This telephone number is converted into a DTMF signal by a dialer on the facsimile machine side, and the DTMF signal of the LCR control unit 14 is sent from the NCU 9.
Input to the decoder 17. Based on this telephone number, in step S12, the one-chip CPU 19 of the LCR control unit 14 replaces the dial signal (route select) as described above,
In step S13, the replaced dial signal is
Sent to 0.

In step S14, the one-chip CPU 19 starts measuring the communication time using a timer (not shown).

Next, facsimile communication is performed in a loop of steps S15 and S16. In step S15, it is determined whether or not the line has been released (communication has ended). This determination is made on the CPU1 side.

In step S16, the one-chip CPU 19 refers to the time measurement result of the timer started in step S14, and whether the LCR control result has changed, that is, the condition under which it is cheaper to temporarily stop the connection and change the communication path is used. Determine if it has occurred. If step S16 is denied, communication is continued in the loop of steps S15 and S16.

On the other hand, if step S16 is affirmed, step S16
The process proceeds to 17, and a communication stop signal is transmitted from the one-chip CPU 19 to the CPU1. When receiving the communication stop signal from the one-chip CPU 19, the CPU 1 temporarily stops the communication at the end of the page being processed.

Then, in step S18, the CPU 1 gives an instruction to the one-chip CPU 19 by transmitting the telephone number of the partner station again to transmit and receive the remaining pages. As a result, a dial signal is generated by the dialer 18 to use the route changed in step S19, and transmitted to the exchange 20. The actual processing in step S19 is the same as step S14).

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S14, and the communication is continued by repeating the above procedure.

According to the above embodiment, unlike the conventional case, the LCR
Instead of performing control, perform LCR control during communication,
If the route selection result fluctuates, the communication is stopped and the route is selected again, so that cheaper communication is possible.

Although the facsimile apparatus has been described above as an example, the same configuration can be implemented in other data communication apparatuses. Also,
Needless to say, the above control can be similarly performed not only for data transmission but also for reception and the like.

In the above description, the communication time is continuously monitored on the one-chip CPU 19 side. However, if the amount of data to be transmitted is known in advance by the CPU 1, this data is transmitted to one chip via an appropriate path. It may be input to the CPU 19 and used for LCR control. In this case, the LCR control can be performed so as to perform cheaper communication by appropriately dividing and transmitting a certain amount of data. The interruption and resumption of communication can be controlled by a communication stop signal from the one-chip CPU 19 as described above.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, communication can be performed using a communication line according to a predetermined communication condition not only at the time of calling but also after starting communication.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication device employing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the LCR of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are flow charts showing a communication control procedure according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU, 2 ... ROM 3 ... RAM, 4 ... Non-volatile memory 5 ... Character generator 6 ... Recording part 7 ... Reading part, 8 ... Modem 9 ... NCU, 10 ... Line 11 … Telephone, 12… Operation part 13… Display part, 14… LCR control part 15… Switch, 16… Transformer 17… DTMF decoder 18… Dialer 19… Single chip CPU 20… Switching equipment

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] An input unit for inputting communication destination information; a selection unit for selecting a communication line based on at least the communication destination information input by the input unit and predetermined communication conditions; Calling means for making a call to the communication line, communication means for performing communication using the communication line called by the calling means, and selection by the selection means even after communication by the communication means is started, A communication apparatus comprising: control means for disconnecting a communication line in communication when a selection result is different from that at the time of calling, and controlling the calling means to make a call again. 2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means performs data communication. 3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means disconnects a communication line when the communication means terminates communication in page units. 4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said communication means communicates data which has not been communicated when said control means cuts off a communication line in communication after a re-call. 5. A selecting step of selecting a communication line based on at least communication destination information input from outside and predetermined communication conditions; and a calling step of making a call to the communication line selected in the selecting step. A communication step of performing communication using the communication line called in the calling step; and executing the selection step even after communication is started in the communication step; A method for controlling a communication device, comprising a re-calling step of disconnecting a communication line and executing the calling step again. 6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the communication step performs data communication. 7. The control method for a communication device according to claim 6, wherein said re-calling step disconnects a communication line when communication in page units is completed in said communication step. 8. The control method according to claim 6, further comprising a re-communication step of executing the communication step after the re-call step, wherein the re-communication step disconnects a communication line in the re-call step. A method for controlling a communication device, comprising communicating data that has not been communicated at that time.