JPH02272963A - Image communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To match time information recorded along with an image to a definite time series by recordingly outputting either of time information transmitted from an opponent station or the timing information of a self device along with received image information. CONSTITUTION:Facsimile equipment is composed of a CPU 1, a ROM 2, a RAM 3, an image scanner 4, a printer 5, a keyboard 6, an LCD 7, a dip switch 8, a clock circuit 9 and a communication control part 10. Here, either of the time information transmitted from the opponent side or the timing information of the self-device is recordingly outputted along with the received image information. Thus, a consistent time series can be adopted for the expression of a communication time recorded along with the received image, the identification of a communication timing, the arrangement of recording media based on the communication time,etc., can be easily and correctly executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image communication device, and particularly to an image communication device that records and outputs received image information together with information regarding communication time.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in image communication devices such as facsimile machines, a one-page recording medium (such as paper) is used to record received images.
A technique is known in which header information is recorded at the beginning of the file. As header information, in addition to the abbreviation of the partner station, telephone number, page number, etc., communication start time is recorded.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By recording the header information as described above, the user can easily identify the other station, arrange the recording media that have been ejected separately, and specify the timing of document reception. However, among the above, the communication start time information has the following problems.

Conventionally, the header information as described above is used as it is, the data transmitted from the other station according to the communication procedure. Therefore, if the other party's terminal is located overseas, the communication start time will be expressed in local time.

Therefore, when determining the timing of receiving a document, it is difficult to determine whether the time recorded as header information is local time or Japan time, and it is difficult to determine whether it is local time or Japan time based on the abbreviation of the other station. must be specified. Furthermore, when the order in which documents arrive is a problem, a troublesome time difference conversion process is required, and if this process is neglected, a reception order eight times different from the actual reception order may be recognized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide an image communication device that can match time information recorded with images to a certain time series.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, in an image communication device that records and outputs received image information together with information regarding communication time, there is provided a means for measuring the current time, and a line. After connection, means is provided for selecting either the time information transmitted from the partner station or the clock information of the clock means as the information regarding the communication time, and the time information not transmitted from the partner station or the clock information of the own device is selected. We adopted a configuration that records and outputs the received image information along with the received image information.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, since either the time information transmitted from the partner station or the timing information of the own device is recorded and output together with the received image information, the expression of the communication time to be recorded along with the received image is consistent. The time series can be adopted.

[Embodiments] The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile machine employing the present invention. Here, the configuration and control procedure of a Group 4 facsimile device will be illustrated.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU consisting of a microprocessor etc. that controls the operation of the entire device, and a ROM 2.
RAM3 based on the control program described later stored in
is used as a work area to control the operation of the entire device. Each part of the device is comprised of the following members, except for the ROM 2 and RAM 3 mentioned above.

First, reference numeral 4 is an image scanner composed of a document conveyance system, an optical sensor, etc., and is used for image input.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a printer comprising a thermal recording head, other recording heads of a predetermined type, and a recording paper conveyance system.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a keyboard for selecting a communication partner station, manually inputting transmission/reception commands, etc., and is composed of a numeric keypad and function keys. Reference numeral 7 denotes an LCD panel provided on the operation panel together with the keyboard 6, and is used to display the current time or operating status.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a dip switch, which is used to determine the operating mode of the device. A predetermined bit of this dip switch 8 is used to select time information to be recorded as header information when recording received data, as will be described later.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a clock circuit composed of a known clock IC or the like, and is capable of outputting at least the current time in a format such as a character code. Reference numeral 1o denotes a communication control unit configured by a known line interface circuit, which connects the device and l5.
Used to connect digital circuits such as DN.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Figure 2 is the RO of Figure 1.
It shows the CPUI reception control program stored in M2. Here, the G4 facsimile procedure will be exemplified.

In steps 51 to S5 in FIG. 2, incoming call control is performed. Here, a CN command is received in step S1 as in the conventional case, and in response, a CA command is returned in step S2, followed by a TCRCN command in step S3, and a TCACN command in step S4.

Next, in step S5, a C3S (session start) command is received. Information regarding the normal communication start time is stored in this C3S command l' in the form of a character code, etc., so this information is stored in the RAM in step S6.
is stored in a predetermined area. Information necessary for communication control during CSS is also stored in the RAM 3.

After that, in step S7, R35P is sent via the communication control unit 10.
(Session Start Acknowledgment Response) command,
CDCL (document function list) in step S8
The command is received, and in step S9 RDCLP (
After sending the Document Function List (Affirmative Response) command, a CDS (Document Start) command is received in step S10. Through the above command exchange, the communication functions of both sides are confirmed, and the communication mode is determined.

In step Sll, the setting state of a predetermined 1 bit of the dip switch 8 is determined. This 1 bit is used to select the time information to be stored as a header as described above, but more specifically, whether to use the time information transmitted from the partner station received by the C3S command in step S5, or to select the time information to be stored as the header in the clock circuit. This is for selecting whether to use the current time measured in step 9. If one predetermined bit of the dip switch 8 is on, the process moves to step 512, and if it is off, the process moves to step S13.

In step S12, since the built-in clock circuit is used, the current time is read from the clock circuit 9, and header information to be recorded by the printer 5 is developed in font based on this time information. A character generator (not shown) is used for font development.

In step S13, since the time information transmitted from the partner station is used, the font of the header is expanded using the time information received from the partner station stored in the RAM 3 in step S6.

In step S14, the received image is decoded, and in step S15, the decoded image is recorded using the printer 5.

In step S16, it is determined whether a CDPR (document page boundary) or CDE (document end) command has been received from the partner station. If it is a CDPB command, there is subsequent image data, so in step S17
DPBP (Document Page Boundary Positive Response)
The command is sent and the process returns to step S11 for determining the dip switch.

On the other hand, in the case of the CDE command, since the image data has been completed, the process moves to step 318 to perform post-procedures. That is, an RDEP (document end affirmative response) command is sent in step S18, and a C
After receiving the SE (Session End) command and transmitting the R3EP (Session End Affirmative Response) command in step 320, the CI and CF commands are exchanged in steps S21 and S22 to end the communication.

According to the above configuration, either the time information transmitted from the partner station by operating a predetermined 1-bit of the dip switch 8 or the current time information measured by the built-in clock circuit 9 is used as the communication start time information in the header information. You can arbitrarily set whether to use it.

Therefore, depending on the user's business, the time system can be set as desired depending on whether the order of reception is based on the local time where the user's device is installed or the local time on the transmitting side. Therefore, there is no need to perform troublesome time conversions to specify communication timing as in the past, and communication timing can be definitely specified based on a fixed time system, and storage media can be organized based on this. It has the excellent effect of making it easy and accurate.

In the above embodiment, a configuration was illustrated in which time information is recorded as header information of the page together with the received image, but if the time information is recorded together with the received image, such as footer information, it can be selected as described above. The time information may also be included.

Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, a dip switch is used to select which time to use as the header. This kind of dip switch is usually installed in a position where copying is not done very often, such as on the back of the device.
Of course, a switch having the same function may be provided on the keyboard 6.

Furthermore, although the 04 procedure has been exemplified above, it goes without saying that a similar configuration can be implemented in an image communication apparatus that uses a different communication procedure.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in an image communication device that records and outputs received image information together with information regarding communication time, there is provided a means for measuring the current time, and a means for measuring the current time, Means is provided for selecting either the transmitted time information or the timekeeping information of the timekeeping means as information regarding the communication time, and either the time information transmitted from the partner station or the own timekeeping information is selected together with the received image information. Since it uses a configuration that records and outputs, either the time information sent from the other station or the own time measurement information is recorded and output together with the received image information, so the expression of the communication time that should be recorded with the received image is consistent. This method has the advantage that it is possible to use a time series based on the communication timing, and to identify communication timings and organize recording media based on communication times very easily and accurately.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a reception control procedure of the cPU shown in FIG. 1 ・CPU 2-ROM3...RA
M 4...Image scanner 5...Printer
6... Keyboard 7... LCD 8... Deep switch 9... Clock circuit 10... Communication control section 2. two"

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In an image communication device that records and outputs received image information together with information regarding communication time, there is a means for measuring the current time, and a means for measuring the current time, and time information transmitted from the partner station after line connection or the time information of the time measuring means. Image communication characterized in that means is provided for selecting either of the clock information as the information regarding the communication time, and either the time information transmitted from the partner station or the clock information of the own device is recorded and output together with the received image information. Device. 2) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time information is recorded and output at a predetermined position on a recording/output medium for each page of received image information.