JPH07250199A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a user's operation procedure and effectively use the functions that the body of the facsimile equipment has by automatically performing switching between a normal operation mode and a PC-FAX mode. CONSTITUTION:When receiving an AT command in the normal operation mode, the device body automatically enters the PC-FAX mode and executes the reception contents of the AT command unless a communication is made between a control part 1 and respective parts such as a transmitting function part 9, a receiving function part 10, a recording part 11, an image processing part 3, an operation part 4, and an encoding/decoding circuit 5. A timer 16 starts time counting when the device body ends operation in the PC-FAX mode, and when the control part does not recognize that a new AT command is received until a previously set T1 time is elapsed, the PC-FAX mode is automatically reset, so that the device is placed in the normal operation mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile device which can be connected to an external information processing device such as a personal computer to operate as a facsimile modem.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Documents such as documents and drawings created by a personal computer can be directly transmitted by facsimile,
The function of receiving an image transmitted by facsimile via a telephone line is commonly called PC-FAX.
This PC-FAX function can be realized by connecting a personal computer to a facsimile machine having a data communication port such as RS-232C and using the connected facsimile machine as a facsimile modem.

When connecting a personal computer to a facsimile machine, a facsimile machine such as RS-2 is used.
A function expansion board having an internal register is connected to the 32C port, and a personal computer is connected via the function expansion board.

By mounting the function expansion board, the facsimile machine is used as a printer of the personal computer in addition to the transmitting function of transmitting from the personal computer through the facsimile machine and the receiving function of receiving the personal computer through the facsimile machine. It is possible to execute various extended functions such as a printout function and a scanner function which is used as a scanner for inputting an image to a personal computer by using a facsimile apparatus.

The operation of fetching the information received by the facsimile device into the personal computer is as follows. First, the operation mode of the facsimile machine is changed from the normal operation mode to the PC-FAX mode. This PC-
The FAX mode can be set by the control from the personal computer using a control command called an AT command. The information received according to the facsimile communication procedure in the PC-FAX mode is given to the personal computer.

As described above, when the extended function board is mounted so that the facsimile apparatus has various kinds of extended functions, the printer or scanner, which originally had to be prepared on the personal computer side, can be installed in the recording unit of the facsimile apparatus. Since it can be shared by the document reading unit and the document reading unit, it is extremely advantageous in that wastefulness can be saved without separately preparing an expensive device.

By the way, when an AT command is received from a personal computer when the apparatus main body of the facsimile apparatus connected to the personal computer as described above is in the standby state in the normal operation mode, conventionally, for example, the apparatus main body is When operating in the normal operation mode, ignore the AT command, or
It is necessary for the user to determine whether to operate in the C-FAX mode by himself or herself, and to operate the operation unit provided in the apparatus main body by a predetermined procedure according to the selected mode. In addition, operate the device body in PC-FAX mode,
Even when the user wants to return to the normal operation mode after the function ends, the user himself has to perform the procedure.

[0008]

However, when issuing an AT command from a personal computer,
Obviously, it is clear that the user wants to use the main body of the apparatus as a facsimile modem, and when the PC-FAX mode function ends, the use of the personal computer often ends, but In the past, in any case, the user had to perform a predetermined procedure by himself, which was troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and automatically switches from the normal operation mode to the operation mode as a facsimile modem and to the normal operation mode after the operation mode as a facsimile modem ends. The purpose of the present invention is to simplify the user's operation procedure so that the functions of the main body can be used effectively.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to a facsimile apparatus capable of operating as a facsimile modem by connecting an external information processing apparatus to the apparatus main body. A control unit configured to automatically shift to the facsimile modem mode when the AT main unit receives the AT command from the external information processing apparatus in the normal operation mode is provided.

In the second configuration of the present invention, the external information processing apparatus receives the AT command from the external information processing apparatus in the facsimile modem mode, and the external information processing is performed during a predetermined time from the reception time. A control unit configured to release the facsimile modem mode and shift to the normal operation mode when no new AT command is received from the apparatus is provided.

[0012]

According to the first configuration of the present invention, when the main body of the apparatus is in the normal operation mode, that is, in the state in which it can operate as a facsimile, its control section and the transmission / reception standardly provided in the main body of the apparatus. When the AT command is received while communication is not being performed with the function unit, the recording unit, the image processing unit, the operation unit, etc., the main body of the apparatus is automatically switched to the facsimile modem mode by the operation of the control unit.

According to the second configuration of the present invention, when the main body of the apparatus is operating as a facsimile modem, a new AT command is issued from the external information processing apparatus until a predetermined time elapses after the operation ends. If the control unit does not recognize that the data has been received, the apparatus body is automatically released from the facsimile modem mode and returned to the normal operation mode.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the system configuration of a facsimile apparatus embodying the present invention. As shown in this figure, in this system, a facsimile device FAX1 is connected to a facsimile device FAX2 of the other party by a public telephone line L wired through a line switch S installed in a relay station and an external information device. Is connected via a data communication cable C such as an RS-232C cable.

FIG. 2 shows the overall structure of the facsimile apparatus FAX1. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit including a microcomputer, etc., which controls the entire apparatus main body. Image data from the image processing unit 3 is given to the control unit 1. The image processing unit 3 performs halftone processing or other predetermined image processing on an output signal of a reading unit (scanner) 2 that optically reads a document to be transmitted, and creates image data.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an operation unit equipped with a keyboard,
5 is an encoding / decoding circuit, 6 is a modem unit, 7 is N
The control unit 1 is a CU (network control unit), and is connected to a public telephone line 8 via an encoding / decoding circuit 5, a modem unit 6 and a NCU (network control unit) 7.

Further, a transmission function unit 9 encodes image data by a predetermined encoding method and creates a control signal necessary for facsimile communication. Reference numeral 10 denotes a reception function unit that decodes the received code into image data,
A predetermined reception control procedure is executed. Reference numeral 11 is a recording unit (print unit) for recording a received image or the like on a recording sheet, 12 is a RAM functioning as a memory, 13 is a program ROM, 1
RS is an interface unit for data communication
232C port.

FIG. 3 shows a connection state between the control unit and other components. As shown in this figure, the CPU of the control unit 1
1a is a scanner 2 which is a reading unit, a printing unit 10 which is a recording unit, an operation unit 4, a RAM 11, a ROM 12,
The modem 6 and each component of the RS-232C port 13 are connected to each other through the data bus 15. Also, ROM1
Reference numeral 3 stores various parameters for the overall control, RS-232C port 14, AT command control program, and other necessary software.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 1 has a timer 16 configured by software.

As shown in FIG. 4, the RS-232C port 14 is connected to a function expansion board 18 having an internal register 17 so that the personal computer PC is connected from the function expansion board 18 via a communication cable C. Thus, the facsimile apparatus FAX1 can be used as a facsimile modem.

With such a configuration, the personal computer PC can control the facsimile apparatus FAX1 by a so-called AT command, the facsimile transmission / reception can be performed through the facsimile apparatus FAX1, and the facsimile apparatus FAX1 can be controlled by the personal computer PC. It can be used as a printer or a scanner, which realizes a so-called PC-FAX function.

As an example, the transmission / reception function will be described. First, the operation mode of the facsimile apparatus FAX1 is changed from the normal operation mode to the PC-FAX mode. In addition, a calling command is issued from the personal computer PC,
The telephone number and transmission information are sent via RS- via the communication cable C.
When it is given to the 232C port 14, the control unit 1 calls the destination terminal device via the telephone line, and after the line connection, R
The transmission information input to the S-232C port 14 is sent to the telephone line.

When a control command indicating that the reception is to be waited in the PC-FAX mode is given, the control section 1 responds to the incoming call and sends the received information to the personal computer PC via the RS-232C port 14. give. The above-mentioned normal operation mode is an operation mode in which data is not exchanged between the facsimile apparatus FAX1 and the personal computer PC.

In this embodiment, the facsimile apparatus FAX1
The control unit 1 is configured to operate in the following manner in a state where it is connected to the personal computer PC via the function expansion board 18 attached to this and the communication cable C.

Next, a first operation example of the control unit 1 of the facsimile apparatus FAX1 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 5 shows an example of the operation. In this first operation example, when the apparatus body is operable as a facsimile, that is, when the apparatus body is in the normal operation mode, RS-2 is set in step # 5.
When an AT command is received from the personal computer PC via the 32C port 14, the control unit 1, the transmission function unit 9, the reception function unit 10, the recording unit 11, the image processing unit 3, the operation unit 4, and the encoding / decoding are performed in step # 10. If it is in the standby state in which communication with each section of the digitizing circuit 5 is not performed, the process proceeds to step # 20 to automatically shift to the PC-FAX mode and execute the contents of receiving the AT command.

When communication is being performed between the control unit 1 and each of the above units in step # 10, step # 15
At, the AT command is ignored and communication in the normal operation mode currently being executed is prioritized. For example, at the time of receiving the AT command, if the content transmitted from the other station FAX 2 has already been received and is being printed out by the recording unit 11, it is given priority. In this case, the personal computer PC side displays an error display such as "modem gadgets." Further, when the AT command is not received in step # 5, the process proceeds to step # 25 and the operation in the normal operation mode is performed.

FIG. 6 shows a second operation example of the facsimile apparatus FAX1. In this second operation example, the device body is P
When the C-FAX mode, that is, the operation similar to that of the facsimile modem is completed and the AT command is newly received from the personal computer PC in step # 105, the command is executed in step # 110.

In step # 105, the operation in the PC-FAX mode ends, and the personal computer PC
If the AT command is not continuously transmitted from, the timer 16 configured in the control unit 1 is reset at the end of its operation and immediately starts the time counting operation.

Then, in step # 125, the PC-FAX
After the mode operation is completed, a preset T ₁ time, for example, 30
If the control unit does not recognize that a new AT command transmitted from the personal computer PC is received by the RS-232C port 14 before the elapse of a second,
In step # 130, the PC-FAX mode is automatically released and the normal operation mode is entered.

After the PC-FAX mode operation is completed, T
_{By the} time ₁ hour has elapsed, a new A
When the T command is received, the process returns to step # 110 and the command is executed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus which can be connected to the external information processing apparatus and operated as a facsimile modem, the apparatus main body operates normally. In the mode, when the AT command is received from the external information processing device, the mode is automatically changed to the facsimile modem mode. Therefore, when the device main body is used as the facsimile modem, the command is simply sent from the personal computer. , It is possible to automatically operate the facsimile modem function. Therefore, the user does not need to operate the operation unit of the apparatus main body, and it is possible to provide a facsimile apparatus that saves troublesome work and is excellent in convenience and speed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus main body receives the AT command from the external information processing apparatus in the facsimile modem mode, and a new time is received from the external information processing apparatus until a predetermined time elapses from the reception time. When the AT command is not received, the facsimile modem mode is canceled and the normal operation mode is set. Therefore, after using the facsimile modem function, the user cancels the setting of the main body and the facsimile mode is set. Since there is no need to perform the operation to return to, and the user does not have to operate the operation unit of the main body of the device, the user may forget to cancel the setting of the facsimile modem function and cannot receive faxes. Can be reliably prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of a system configuration of a facsimile apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a facsimile device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific state of the control unit and a connection state with other components.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a connection state between a device body and a function expansion board.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU when an AT command is received during operation in the normal operation mode.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU when an AT command is received during operation in the PC-FAX mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 control part 2 reading part 3 image processing part 4 operation part 5 encoding / decoding circuit 9 transmission function part 10 reception function part 11 recording part 12 RAM 13 ROM 14 RS-232C port 18 function expansion board FAX1 facsimile device FAX2 facsimile device L Public telephone line PC Personal computer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus capable of operating as a facsimile modem by connecting an external information processing apparatus to the apparatus main body, when the apparatus main body receives an AT command from the external information processing apparatus in a normal operation mode. A facsimile apparatus comprising a control unit configured to automatically shift to a facsimile modem mode. 2. A facsimile apparatus capable of operating as a facsimile modem by connecting an external information processing apparatus to the apparatus main body, wherein the apparatus main body receives an AT command from the external information processing apparatus in a facsimile modem mode, When a new AT command is not received from the external information processing device until a predetermined time elapses from the reception time, a control unit configured to release the facsimile modem mode and shift to the normal operation mode is provided. A facsimile machine characterized by being provided.