JPH01149681A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the waiting time of facsimile equipment to improve the utilizing efficiency of the equipment by storing image data read from originals in different storing areas for every original and selecting a vacant line out of plural lines. CONSTITUTION:A main control section 10a sends the image data to different transmitting destinations to be respectively stored in different storing areas of an image data memory 5b by controlling the image data memory 5b and a line selecting section 17a and, while re-dialing is carried on by calling through one line, performs an originating call to another transmitting destination through a vacant line and transmits the image data in the storing areas corresponding to the transmitting destinations of lines 13a and 13b to be transmitted. Therefore, any waiting time caused by re-dialing can be eliminated and, when all of plural lines are occupied for re-dialing, the mean waiting time until one of them becomes vacant due to completion of transmission or incapability of transmission is reduced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] To provide a FAX device that is equipped with a plurality of lines and is capable of shortening waiting time and increasing usage efficiency, regarding a FAX device that is capable of calling a destination using an idle line. The purpose is to make a call using the call code of the destination, and when the call is busy, redial a predetermined number of times at a predetermined time interval to call the destination, transmit the image data read from the document, and receive it. The facsimile device is a facsimile device for recording image data read from a document, and has a plurality of storage areas, a storage means for storing image data read from a document in a different storage area for each document, and a plurality of lines used for transmission and reception. , line selection means for selecting an empty line among the plurality of lines,
The configuration is such that a call is made using an idle line selected by the line selection means.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method for calling a destination for a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) device, and particularly for a FAX that is equipped with a plurality of lines and can call a destination using an idle line.
It is related to the device.

With a FAX machine, the sender calls the destination by phone number and calls other destinations during the transmission time of the image data read from the document, or during the redial time that is repeated a predetermined number of times at intervals of several minutes when the destination is busy. Since it is necessary to wait for the transmission to be sent, a method to shorten this waiting time is desired.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of the FAX machine 1a. Figure 4(a)
As shown in the figure, since the FAX machine 1a is equipped with a transmitting/receiving function, the functions of the transmitting side and the receiving side will be explained with reference to the figure.

When transmitting a document, an operator on the transmitting side sets the document in the device and issues a reading instruction from the operation panel 2. Under the control of the main control section 10, the document is read by the reading section 3 equipped with a contact type image sensor, for example. is read, the image data is binarized and compressed by the compression section 4, and then stored in the image data memory 5a by the memory control section 6.

Then, if you enter the destination phone number, sending time, etc. manually, the destination phone number will be displayed on the display unit 7, and after confirmation, it will be stored in the destination phone number memory 8. In the case of immediate transmission, the main control unit 10 will immediately send the destination phone number. The destination telephone number is read and dialed, the receiving station is called, and the receiving station sends a response signal to connect the line.

When making an automatic call at a designated time, when a timer (not shown) reaches the designated time, the automatic dialing section 16 automatically dials.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the network control unit (Net-
The work'Control Unit (hereinafter referred to as NCU) 12a includes a telephone number pulse generator 120 and a busy detector 121, and the telephone number pulse generator 120 transmits the telephone number of the destination. Then, the exchange E determines the destination to be connected, sends a calling signal, and calls the destination. This ring tone is also received by the calling party. If the caller is busy, a busy signal is sent to the caller, and the busy detection unit 121 detects this and redials every few minutes. If the call cannot be made even after repeating the predetermined number of times, a "non-delivery notification" is recorded in the recording unit 15.

When the line is connected in this way, image data is output page by page from the image data memory 5a under the control of the memory control unit 6, modulated by the modem lla under the control of the transmission control unit 9, and sent from the NCU 12a to the receiving station. is sent out to line 13a.

On the receiving side, the received image data is expanded by an expansion section 14 and recorded on recording paper by a recording section 15.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above-mentioned conventional method, while the destination is being redialed, it becomes unavailable and transmission to other destinations is not possible, so there is a waiting time during that time, which reduces usage efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a FAX device that can shorten waiting time and increase usage efficiency.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the principle of the present invention.

In the figure, numeral 5 has a plurality of storage areas 50, and the image data read from the original is recorded in different storage areas 50 for each original.
13 is a plurality of lines used for transmission and reception; 17 is a line selection means for selecting an idle line among the plurality of lines 13;

Therefore, the system is configured so that the destination is called using the idle line selected by the line selection means 17.

[Effect]

The image data of the original is stored in one storage area 50 of the storage means 5, and the destination is called using one of the plurality of lines 13, redial is performed when the line is busy, and other destinations are called. When it becomes necessary to call up the original, the image data of the original to be transmitted is stored in another storage area 50 of the storage means 5, and the line selection means 17 selects an empty line among the plurality of lines 13, Free lines are used to call other destinations.

In this way, not only during the redial time, but also for other transmission requests, it is possible to call and transmit on an idle line, so that the operator's waiting time can be shortened and usage efficiency can be increased.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures. Further, in FIG. 2, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are surrounded by a dashed line.

In the figure, the FAX machine 1b has multiple lines 13a, 1
3b.

The image data memory 5b includes a plurality of storage areas 50a.

50b, -, and the image data read from the original is stored in storage areas 50a, 50b, -, which are different for each original. During the redial time, when there is an instruction to call another destination, an empty line is selected. do.

In addition to the functions of the main control unit 10 described in the conventional example, the main control unit 10a includes an image data memory 5b and a line selection unit 17a.
The image data to be transmitted for each destination is stored in different storage areas of the image data memory 5b, and during the time when redial is being performed for a call on one line, the image data to be transmitted for each destination is stored in different storage areas of the image data memory 5b. The call is made on an idle line, and the image data in the storage area corresponding to the transmission destination of each line ffA 13a, 13b of the image data memory 5b is transmitted.

The memory control unit 6a accesses the image data read by the reading unit 3 to different storage areas corresponding to the destination.

The transmission control unit 9a performs calling and image transmission on the line selected by the line selection unit 17a.

Also, lla and llb are modems, 12a and 12b are N
Indicates CU.

Since it has such a configuration and function, the operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 3.

(2) First, the image data read from the transmission document is compressed and stored in the storage area 50a of the image data memory 5b in correspondence with the transmission destination.

(2) Prior to making a call using the telephone number of the destination A, the line selection section 17a selects an available line, and calls the destination A using, for example, the line 13a.

- When the destination A is connected by making a call, the image data is read out from the storage area 50a of the image data memory 5b, sent to the transmission control section 9a, modulated by the modem lla, and sent out to the line 13a by the NCU 12a. , is sent to destination A.

Redialing is performed when the call is in progress.

■When the line 13a is connected by redialing, the message is transmitted according to the flow of ■.

■If it becomes necessary to call another destination B while redialing is repeated, first compress the image data read from the original to be sent and send it to the storage area 50b of the image data memory 5b. Memorize in advance.

(2) In response to the transmission instruction, the line selection unit 17a selects an idle line.

That is, the line 13b is selected and the main control unit 10a and transmission control unit 9a are notified.

■Then, use the phone number of destination B to call destination B using dial &7113b, and once destination B is connected, read out the image data from the storage area 50b of the image data memory 5b according to the flow of ■, and send it to the transmission control unit. Send to 9a, modem ll
The signal is modulated by NCU 12b, sent out to line 13b, and transmitted to destination B.

■When destination B is busy, redialing is performed.

In this way, when it is necessary to send a message to another destination while redialing, you can select an available line, call the destination, and send the message, eliminating the waiting time caused by redialing and If either of the lines is redialing, a waiting time will naturally occur, but the average waiting time until one of the lines completes transmission or becomes an idle line due to transmission failure is reduced.

In the above example, a case has been described in which a call is made to another destination during redialing, but it is also possible to call another destination on an idle line and operate in parallel while transmitting/receiving on one line. In this case, in order to perform parallel transmission, it is necessary to have means for reading each image data from the image data memory in parallel and a corresponding transmission control function. Of course, it is necessary to provide means for accessing image data and image data transmitted during reception to an image data memory, and corresponding transmission control functions.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to select an available line from among a plurality of lines and make a call, thereby reducing operator waiting time and increasing usage efficiency. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart 1 of the embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a FAX machine showing a conventional example. It is. In the figure, 5 is a storage means, 5a, 5b are image data memories, 13, 13a, 13b are lines, 17 is a line selection means, 17a is a line selection section, 50 is a storage area, 50a
, 50b indicates a storage area. Shyness 8H! j! Zorognu refractory-'IJ'' fJJt nail j guro/gu plastic cut 1/ 9 cases of 1 goo J Yuto Kono j1

Claims (1)

[Claims] A call is made using the calling code of the destination, and when the call is busy, the destination is redialed a predetermined number of times at a predetermined time interval to call the destination, and image data read from a document is transmitted and received. A facsimile device that records image data read from the original document, the facsimile device having a plurality of storage areas (50), and storing image data read from the original document in a different storage area (50) for each original document.
a plurality of lines (13) used for the transmission and reception; and a line selection means (5) for selecting an idle line among the plurality of lines (13).
17), wherein a facsimile device makes a call using an idle line selected by the line selection means (17).