JPH0810896B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having an image storage function.

[Prior Art] Generally, in a facsimile machine, when a call cannot be made to a destination designated by an operator at the time of transmission,
By repeatedly calling again up to a predetermined number of times (for example, 3 times), the destination line can be connected to the destination as much as possible even when the line is busy (busy).

However, conventionally, for example, when the destination continues to be busy for a long time, etc., and when the call cannot be connected to the destination even if the call is repeatedly made up to the set number of re-calls, the call to the destination is terminated at that point. In such a case, it is necessary to repeat the setting input for transmission again, which takes time and effort for the operator.

In addition, in a facsimile machine equipped with an image storage function,
The transmitted image information is stored and the call is recalled in the same manner. However, when the destination cannot be called, the stored image information for transmission to the destination is deleted, so it is necessary to store the image information repeatedly. There was, and it was more troublesome.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in order to solve the inconvenience of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that can reduce the trouble of the operator when repeatedly calling again.

[Configuration] In order to achieve this object, the present invention is provided with operation input means for inputting a save time of transmission image information and a call return instruction, and is provided even if a designated destination is called a predetermined number of times. When it is not possible to connect to the destination, when the call recovery instruction is input before the set storage time elapses, the call operation to the destination is repeated.

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 the figure, a scanner 1 reads an image of a transmission document with a predetermined resolution, and a plotter 2 records and outputs a received image with a predetermined resolution.

A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1 controls the entire facsimile machine, and its execution program is stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 2 and its work area is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory) 3. It is formed.

The image memory 6 stores the image data (non-compressed data) to be recorded and output by the plotter 2 and the compressed image data at the time of transmission or reception, and at the same time stores the accumulated image data file such as the saving time and saving time described later. It stores various management information for management.

The clock circuit 7 outputs time data, the character generator 8 generates character graphic data for recording and outputting report information such as a non-delivery report described later from the plotter 2, and the operation display unit 9 It is composed of various operation keys and a display with a high degree of freedom for displaying guidance information and the like for operation, and is used by an operator to operate the facsimile apparatus. The operation keys include a mode key for designating various operation modes, a guidance key for making a selection corresponding to the guidance display, and the like.

The coding / decoding unit 10 has a function of coding / compressing image data and a function of decoding the coded / compressed image data into original image data, and the communication control unit 11 executes a predetermined facsimile transmission control procedure. The modem 12 modulates and demodulates digital data so that a public telephone line or the like which is an analog line network can be used as a transmission line, and the network control device 13 is a facsimile. It is for connecting the device to a public telephone network. The network control device 13 has an automatic call originating / receiving function.

And these scanner 1, plotter 2, CPU3, RO
The M4, the RAM 5, the image memory 6, the clock circuit 7, the character generator 8, the operation display unit 9, the encoding / decoding unit 10, and the communication control unit 11 exchange data with each other via the bus line 14. It

 The operation at the time of storing and transmitting with the above configuration will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 3 first executes the accumulation / transmission operation input processing 101 to accumulate the transmission original document in a state where the operator inputs the destination to which the transmission image information is transmitted and the operation mode at that time. .

As a result, the transmission image information read by the scanner 1 at that time is accumulated in the image memory 6, and
The data for setting various conditions at the time of transmission such as the transmission destination and the transmission mode corresponding to the transmission image information and the file number for identifying the transmission image information in the image memory 6 are the transmission image information. It is stored in the image memory 6 as management information regarding.

Next, the CPU 3 executes the save time setting input process 102, displays a guidance message such as “Enter the save time for saving the image file.” On the operation display unit 9, and prompts the operator at that time. Ask the user to enter the time to save the stored transmission image information.

If the operator does not enter a valid time when executing the save time setting input process 102, the default save time, for example, 10 minutes or 1 hour is treated as input. In addition, in this saving time setting input process 102, instead of the saving time, the time to save the transmission image information accumulated at that time, that is, the saving time can be input. In addition, the storage time and the storage time may be selectively input.

In this way, the storage time (or the storage time) for storing the transmission image information is added to the already stored management information and stored in the image memory 6.

Then, the CPU 3 clears the calling counter for storing the number of outgoing calls to 0 (processing 103), and then the calling processing 104
To call the transmission destination. In this calling process 104, the information of the transmission destination is read from the management information stored corresponding to the transmission image information to be transmitted at that time, the transmission destination information is transferred to the network control device 13, and the destination is called. Let

When the destination and the line are connected by this calling process 104 (the result of the judgment 105 is YES), the accumulation transmission process 106 for transmitting the accumulated transmission image information is executed, and the accumulation transmission process 106 is terminated. The transmitted transmission image information is deleted (process 107).

On the other hand, when the destination is busy and the line is not connected to the destination by the calling process 104 (the result of the judgment 105 is NO), C
PU3 increments the calling counter (step 108), and checks whether the value of the calling counter has exceeded the preset number of times of recalling call (decision 109),
When the result of the judgment 109 is NO, the re-calling time waiting process 110 for waiting a predetermined time before re-calling the destination.
Is executed and the process returns to the calling process 104.

In the process loop of the calling process 104, the judgment 105, the process 108, the judgment 109, and the re-calling time waiting process 110, if the destination cannot be connected even if the destination is called up to the maximum number of times of the re-calling, the judgment 109 The result is YES, so CPU3
A non-delivery report indicating that the image information cannot be transmitted to the destination is recorded and output from the plotter 2 (non-delivery report recording / output processing 111). When this non-delivery report is recorded and output, a warning sound or the like may be generated from the operation display unit 9 to call the operator's attention.

In the non-delivery report recording / output processing 111, the non-delivery report is created by arranging the file number of the transmission image information that could not be transmitted at that time and the output date / time of the non-delivery report in the preset non-delivery report format. Code data is formed, and the non-delivery report code data is image data (raster data) by the character generator 8.
And the image data is transferred to the plotter 2 and recorded and output as an image.

In this way, if you print out the non-delivery report,
The CPU 3 adds the storage time of the transmission image information to the time at that time to calculate the storage time (process 112). At this time, the time at that time is obtained from the output data from the clock circuit 7. When the save time is directly input by the save time setting input process 102, this process 112
Does not calculate the save time. In order to make the distinction possible, a storage time and an identification bit for identifying the storage time may be added.

Then, the CPU 3 monitors whether or not a predetermined return operation is input by the operator to return to the recalling operation until the save time is exceeded (decisions 113 and 114), and while executing the processing loop of the decisions 113 and 114, The result of judgment 113 is YES
When it becomes, processing 107 is executed to erase the transmission image information of interest at that time from the image memory 6.

Further, when the operator inputs the operation for returning the recalled call before the storage time has passed, the result of the determination 114 is YES, and the CPU 3 clears the call counter to 0 (process 115) and performs the call process. Return to 104 and repeat calling the destination.

Here, the return operation performed by the operator is, for example,
Select "Y" from the guidance key for "Repeat destination call? Y / N?" Displayed on the guidance display, specify the file number with the numeric keypad, and turn on the start key. . That is a series of operations. In addition, the saving time (saving time) may be reset at the time of this return operation.

As described above, when the destination cannot be connected even after the predetermined number of re-calls, the non-delivery report for notifying the operator of the event is recorded and output from the plotter 2, and the storage time is saved from that point. When a predetermined return operation is input by the operator before the time elapses, the calling operation is executed again, so that the labor of the operator can be greatly reduced.

By the way, as the format of the non-delivery report, information that allows the operator to distinguish the transmission image information that could not be transmitted may be displayed, and may further include the storage time or storage time.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the operator is made to execute the returning operation each time the non-delivery report is output. However, if the returning operation is executed once, a predetermined time elapses until the save time elapses. The recalling operation may be repeatedly executed.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, the operation input means for inputting the save time of the transmission image information and the call return instruction is provided, and even if the designated destination is called a predetermined number of times, If the call cannot be connected to the destination, or if a call return instruction is input before the set save time elapses, the call operation to the destination is repeated, so the operator The advantage is that you can save time and effort.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example. 3 ... CPU (Central Processing Unit), 6 ... Image memory, 7 ...
... Clock circuit, 8 ... Character generator, 9 ... Operation display section.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having an automatic transmission function, for inputting image information storage means for storing transmission image information, storage time of the transmission image information stored in the image information storage means, and a call recovery instruction. When the designated destination cannot be connected to even if the designated destination has been called a predetermined number of times, the operation input means gives an instruction to return the call until the set storage time elapses. A facsimile machine characterized in that the calling operation to the destination is repeated when is input, and the transmission image information stored in the image information storage means is erased when the storage time has elapsed. 2. A message for prompting input of a call return instruction from the operation input means when the specified destination cannot be connected to even after calling the designated destination a predetermined number of times. A facsimile machine characterized by displaying.