JPH0657036B2 - Equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having an image information storage function and a time designation transmission function.

[Prior Art] In recent years, a facsimile apparatus having an image information storage function capable of storing a large number of original images and capable of realizing various advanced transmission functions such as a time designation transmission function capable of designating a transmission time of the stored image information has been developed. It is provided.

By the way, when you set the time-specified transmission, if the image information specified as the destination could not be transmitted for some reason at the specified time, the image information will be discarded. There was a problem that transmission could not be performed.

Also, at that specified time, image information is transmitted from another party and it takes a considerable time to receive it, or image information is continuously transmitted from multiple parties, or
If the facsimile machine is used for a long time by another operator, the time-specified transmission is executed after those processes, so that the image information is transmitted much later than the specified time. There are cases.

In such a case, it may not be necessary to transmit the image information for which the time designated transmission is set, and in such a case, there may be a disadvantage that the transmission cost is wasted.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional technique, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that enables appropriate time-specified transmission.

[Structure] In order to achieve this object, the present invention makes it possible to set the time at which the transmission can be effectively executed and the period for saving the image information when the time-specified transmission is set. There is. Further, the end time of the storage period is usually set to a later time than the transmission effective time, and it is possible to specify that the image information after the effective time has been transmitted again.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the image information storage function of storing a large number of image information and the time designation transmission function of designating the transmission time of the image information, this facsimile machine also designates the image information from another facsimile apparatus by the facsimile apparatus. It has a so-called relay transmission function for transmitting to a destination (there may be a plurality).

In the figure, the scanner 1 is a well-known one capable of reading a transmission document at a predetermined resolution, and the plotter 2 is a well-known one capable of recording a received image at a predetermined resolution.

The system control unit 3 controls the entire facsimile apparatus, receives a read image signal from the scanner 1 and outputs a recorded image signal corresponding to a received image to the plotter 2. Further, a parameter memory 4 for storing various kinds of information required when transmitting image information, an image memory 5 for storing image information, and a clock circuit 6 for discriminating time are provided. Also, the system control unit 3
Is a function for outputting various kinds of report information described later as graphic characters, for example, a format information storing function and a graphic character generating function that determine the output format of the report information.

The parameter memory 4 is a non-volatile memory, and can be constituted by, for example, a battery-backed CMOS RAM, NOVRAM, magnetic bubble memory, or the like.

The operation display unit 7 is for an operator to operate the facsimile apparatus, and includes a plurality of operation keys and a display device. The operation signal is output to the system controller 3, and the display data is displayed by the system controller 3.
Given by.

The communication control unit 7 executes a predetermined transmission procedure,
The encoding / decoding unit 9 executes compression / expansion processing of image information, the modem 10 executes modulation / demodulation processing of transmission information, and the network control device 11 uses this facsimile device as a transmission circuit (public telephone). A communication network, and these communication control unit 7, encoding / decoding unit 9, modem
10 and network controller 11 are well known.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the operation display unit 7.

In the figure, 7a is a start key for starting the transmission operation of the facsimile apparatus, 7b is a stop key for stopping the operation of the facsimile apparatus, 7c is a numeric keypad for inputting numerical data such as a telephone number, and 7d. Is a numeric keypad
Phone number mode key to set the input mode of 7c to the phone number input mode for entering a phone number, 7e is a numeric keypad
7c is a speed dial mode key to set the speed dial mode to the speed dial mode for inputting 7c, and 7f is a clear key for canceling the data input from the numeric keypad 7c.

7g is a character display for displaying various information as graphic characters, 7h is a mode key for setting various modes (transmission functions), and 7i is guidance information displayed on the character display 7g, "YES". , When the selection of "NO" is requested, select "YES" or the YES key to input the data input from the numeric keypad 7c to the facsimile machine as normal data. 7k is the character display 7g This is the NO key for selecting "NO" when the selection of "YES" or "NO" is requested in the guidance information displayed in, or for canceling the data input from the numeric keypad 7c.

Further, the character display 7g displays various messages such as the current time and guidance information from the facsimile device to the operator at the upper part, and the setting status of various modes by the mode key 7i at the lower part. In this way, the function set for each of the mode keys 7i sequentially changes depending on the operating status of the facsimile apparatus.

The system control unit 3 identifies the image data ID at the beginning of the image data ID corresponding to the image information, as shown in FIG. 3A, so that a plurality of image information can be stored in the image memory 5. The file number FN for is added.

Further, in the parameter memory 4, for each image information, the file number FN corresponding to the image information, the designated transmission time information DS indicating the designated transmission time, the transmission effective time information DL indicating the transmission deadline, are stored. Original storage period information SL, destination information DD, and
The transmission management table MT including the transmission source information TD is stored for each image information.

However, the valid transmission time and the document storage period may not be set, and in that case, the transmission valid time information DL and the document storage period information SL store code information indicating that the information is not set. If broadcast transmission (including relay broadcast) that transmits the same image information to multiple destinations is set, the destination information DD contains information indicating multiple destinations or multiple destinations (group code, etc.). ) Is set. Further, when the image information is formed by the own terminal, the code information representing the own terminal is stored as the transmission source information TD.

With the above configuration, the system control unit 3 normally puts the facsimile apparatus in a standby state. At this time, press the mode key 7i
Are assigned so that operation modes such as storage mode and time designation transmission mode can be set.

When the operator sets the transmission original on the scanner 1 and specifies the time designated transmission mode in the accumulation mode from the mode key 7i, the system control unit 3 first, as shown in FIG. 4, “Please input the destination”. Message is displayed on the character display 7g, and the operator is prompted to enter the destination (process
101), when the input ends (decision 102 is YES)
The entered information is sent to the transmission management table MT as destination information DD
(Process 103).

Then, the message "Please specify the transmission time" is displayed on the character display 7g, and the operator is prompted to input the specified transmission time (Process 104).
The result of 05 is YES) The input information is stored in the transmission management table MT as the designated transmission time information DS (process 106),
The message "Please enter the valid transmission time" is displayed on the character display 7g, and the operator is prompted to enter the valid transmission time (process 107). When the input is completed (the result of judgment 108 is YES), it is input. Transmission information table MT
Is stored as the transmission valid time information DL in (process 109), the message “Please enter the document storage period” is displayed on the character display 7g, and the operator is prompted to input the document storage period (process 110). Is completed (the result of judgment 111 is YES), the input information is stored in the transmission management table MT as the document storage period information SL (process 112), and at this time, the code information representing the own terminal is transmitted to the transmission management table MT.
Is stored as the transmission source information TD (process 113).

In steps 108 and 110, when the NO key 7k is turned on without inputting the valid transmission time and the document storage period,
Effective transmission time information DL and manuscript storage period information SL respectively
Stores predetermined code information indicating that it is not set.

When each piece of information necessary for transmission is input in this way, the system control unit 3 operates the scanner 1 to read the image of the transmission original document that has been set and accumulates it in the image memory 5 (process 114). . Then, set the file number FN to this accumulated image data ID and set it as the image data.
The head of the ID and the file number FN are stored in the transmission management table MT (process 115).

Further, when a request for relay transmission is received from a certain facsimile machine, as shown in FIG. 5, each parameter (that is, destination information, designated transmission time information, effective transmission time information, and document storage period) is set in the transmission control procedure. Information (and other necessary information) is received (process 201),
These are stored in the transmission management table MT and other predetermined areas (process 202), and when the transmission of the image information is started, the received image is stored in the image memory 5 until the end (processes 203, 204, Judgment 205).

Then, when the accumulation of the image is completed, the file number FN is set to the image, and the image memory 5 and the transmission management table are set.
Store in MT (process 206).

At this time, when the designated transmission time information is not set, the image information accumulated in the designated relay destination is transmitted immediately after the reception is completed, and when the valid transmission time information and the document storage period information are not set, As the effective transmission time information DL and the document storage period information SL, predetermined code information indicating that they are not set is stored.

On the other hand, from the clock circuit 6, a timer interrupt signal that is enabled only in the standby state is added to the system control unit 3 at 1-minute intervals, and when this timer interrupt signal is added, the system control unit 3 After reading the current time information from the clock circuit 6, executes the processing as shown in FIG.

First, each transmission management table MT stored in the parameter memory 4 is checked to see whether or not there is any transmission time that has exceeded the designated transmission time (process 301, determination 302),
If there is, the transmission valid time information DL of the transmission management table MT is read to check whether or not the transmission valid time is exceeded (process 303, decision 304).

If the transmission valid time specified for the image has not been exceeded (the result of the determination 304 is NO), the process shifts to a predetermined transmission process and the same file number FN as the file number FN of the transmission management table MT is set. The possessed image data ID is transmitted to the destination set in the destination information DD of the transmission management table MT.

If the result of judgment 304 is YES, it is checked whether or not valid data is stored in the document storage period information SL in the transmission management table MT (judgment 306), and if the result of this judgment 306 is NO. , Go to decision 307.

In this judgment 307, it is judged whether or not the transmission source information TD indicates its own terminal, and when the result is YES, a document discard message and an error report are formed and recorded and output from the plotter 2 (process 308). , The result of judgment 307 is NO
When it becomes, a similar original document discard message and error report are formed, and the original document is transmitted in the image information transmission format to the destination stored in the transmission source information TD of the transmission management table MT (process 310). The image data ID and the transmission management table MT are discarded from the image memory 5 and the parameter memory 4, respectively (process 309).

When the result of determination 306 is YES, the transmission valid time excess report is formed in a predetermined format, and when the transmission source information indicates the own terminal, the plotter 2 records and outputs it only once. In the case of, it is transmitted only once in the image information transmission format to the destination stored in the transmission source information TD of the transmission management table MT (decision 311,
321, processing 313, 314).

Here, the document discard message is, for example, “File number [F
N] manuscript has been discarded. ", Etc.
The value of the actual file number is entered in [FN]. The error report is a history of transmission errors detected during the transmission control procedure in image information transmission, and has the following contents, for example.

That is, a transmission error occurs when the destination is not busy or a non-voice terminal, that is, when a predetermined tone signal cannot be detected because of a telephone terminal, that is, when an incorrect telephone number is set as destination information. There are "busy", "no handshake" indicating that data transmission between the system control unit 3 and the image memory 5 could not be carried out normally, and "hangup" caused by the receiving side.

These transmission errors are sequentially monitored and stored by the system control unit 3 when the transmission process is executed,
The error report is a summary of the display of these transmission errors and the display of the number of times for each destination. That is, when the broadcast transmission is designated, it is formed and output to each of a plurality of destinations.

For example, the report that the transmission valid time is exceeded is “File number
[FN] has passed the valid transmission time. In addition, it has accumulated up to [SL]. It consists of character strings such as ".
The contents of N] and [SL] correspond to the values of the file number FN and the manuscript storage period SL, respectively.

In addition, the system control unit 3 uses a part of the other time to discard the image for which the document storage period has elapsed,
The processing as shown in FIG. 7 is executed.

In this process, after reading the current time information from the clock circuit 6, each transmission management table MT stored in the parameter memory 4 is checked to see if any document exceeds the document storage period (process). 401, decision 402),
When the result of the judgment 402 is YES, the processing shifts to the judgment 307 of the processing shown in FIG. 6 and the same processing as described above is executed.

In this way, the image information for which the time designated transmission is set is transmitted to the designated destination at the designated transmission time. When there are a plurality of designated destinations, the data is transmitted to each destination. If an error occurs during this transmission, it is recorded as a transmission error in the system control unit 3.

Then, when a transmission error occurs frequently and the image information cannot be transmitted even with the set number of recalls, for example, when the transmission valid time is not set, the transmission of the image information is terminated at that time. If the transmission valid time is set, the image information may be transmitted again every minute until that time, and when the situation causing the transmission error is recovered, the image information is transmitted. can do.

In addition, if the image information could not be transmitted by the valid transmission time, the sender is notified that the valid transmission time has expired and the document is saved only when the document storage period is set. During the period, the image information remains stored. The original document storage period can be set by time or time, but when set by time, it is preferable to convert it to the corresponding time.

Therefore, in this state, the transmission source can instruct the transmission of the accumulated image information to the destination again. For example, when the transmission source is the own terminal, the instruction of the operator of the own terminal may be accepted. Further, when the transmission source is another device, it can be performed by responding to the command information when the command information is transmitted in a predetermined format with respect to the transmission valid time excess report. As the transmission format of this command information, the signal format of the facsimile pre-transmission procedure can be applied.

Then, the image information that has passed the document storage period is unconditionally discarded from the image memory 5, and the sender is notified that the image information has been discarded. When the document storage period is not set and the transmission valid time has passed, the image information is similarly discarded and the transmission source is notified of that.

If the time designated transmission is specified in the relay transmission and the document storage period is not set, the transmission valid time excess report is transmitted to the sender and the instruction to discard the original is sent from the sender. You may send it.

Further, in the above description, a detailed description of each element and a part not directly related to the present invention are omitted for simplicity of description, but basically the same as the conventional device.

The present invention can be similarly applied to a facsimile apparatus having no relay transmission function. Further, the image data and the transmission management table can be stored in the same storage means, and the configuration of the transmission management table and the like are not limited to those described above.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, when the time-specified transmission is set, it is possible to set the time at which the transmission can be effectively executed and the period for saving the image information, In addition, the end time of the retention period is usually set to a later time than the transmission valid time, and it is possible to specify that the image information that has passed the valid time be transmitted again. The advantage is that it is possible to realize time-specified transmission.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an operation display unit, and FIG. 3 (a) is storage of image data in an image memory. FIG. 4B is a signal layout diagram showing an example of a transmission management table, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of input processing, and FIG. 5 is processing at the time of relay request. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for determining the transmission time and the like, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process at the time of discarding a document. 3 ... System control unit, 4 ... Parameter memory, 5 ...
… Image memory, 7… Operation display.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having an image information storage function and a time designation transmission function, and transmission effective time setting means for setting transmission effective time information indicating a deadline for transmitting the transmission image information, and saving the accumulated image information. A storage / retention period setting means for setting a storage / retention period is provided, and when the time of the transmission valid time information is exceeded, the transmission effective time excess notification information indicating that is output and the storage / retention period is exceeded. A facsimile machine characterized by discarding the corresponding image information and outputting the image information discard notification information when doing so. 2. In the claim 1, when the image information is based on relay transmission, the transmission valid time notification information and the image information discard notification information are transmitted to a requester of the relay transmission. A facsimile machine characterized by.