JPH11308396A - Control method for facsimile system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce labor for post-processing upon the occurrence of an image information transmission error by preparing transmission image information, transferring this information to facsimile equipment as polling transmission standby image information, holding the received polling transmission standby image information when that image information is received from a personal computer system and setting it on image information for polling transmission standby. SOLUTION: When a user instructs the setting of a polling transmission standby file, first of all, image information to be used as the polling transmission standby file is selected by suitable file selecting processing. Then, it is designated whether the mode of polling to be set is an ID polling mode or a free polling mode not to designate any ID. When the ID polling mode is designated and the result of discrimination is YES, for example, the polling ID of four digits is inputted by the user and the inputted polling ID is preserved. In such a state, instruction of transfer start from the user is waited.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus for providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus, and a method for controlling a facsimile system including the personal computer apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer and providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer and a facsimile system including the personal computer have been put into practical use.

In this case, as a command system for instructing a facsimile apparatus to perform a transmission operation or the like from a personal computer, for example, EIA (Ele)
ctolic Industries Associate
Tion) -592 (Class 2) or EIA-5
A so-called AT command system of 91 (class 1) (also referred to as a "facsimile modem command system") is applied. Since these command systems are widely used as a so-called de facto standard (a de facto standard in the industry), a detailed description thereof will be omitted in the description of the present invention.

[0004]

By the way, in such a facsimile system, there is a problem to cope with when the transmission operation of the image information instructed to the facsimile apparatus from the personal computer apparatus ends in error.

For example, the designated destination cannot be transmitted because it is busy or the like, and subsequent retransmission operations have been performed a predetermined number of times.
For example, when a connection cannot be made to the destination. In such a case, a communication result report notifying the transmission failure is recorded and output from the facsimile apparatus, and the transmission image information is deleted from the facsimile apparatus.

Therefore, in this case, it is necessary to specify again the transmission operation for transmitting the same image information to the same destination from the personal computer to the facsimile machine.
Post-processing of the user was troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a facsimile system which can reduce the time and effort of post-processing when an image information transmission error occurs.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus and providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus, and a method of controlling a facsimile system comprising the personal computer apparatus. The computer device creates transmission image information and transfers the transmission image information to the facsimile device as polling transmission standby image information, while the facsimile device receives polling transmission standby image information from the personal computer device, The received image information is stored and set as the image information for polling transmission standby.

Further, in a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus for providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus and a method for controlling a facsimile system including the personal computer apparatus, the personal computer apparatus may be connected to the facsimile apparatus. By specifying the image information in the transmission standby state that has been saved and instructing the facsimile apparatus to set the image information in the polling transmission standby file, the image information set in the polling transmission standby file is specified by the personal computer. Then, the designated image information is set as the image information for polling transmission standby.

Also, in a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus and providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus, and a method of controlling a facsimile system including the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus includes: If it is not possible to record and output the received image information, the fact is notified to the personal computer.

Also, in a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus and providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus and a facsimile system control method including the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus includes: If the received image information cannot be recorded and output, the personal computer is notified of the fact.If the facsimile apparatus notifies the facsimile that the received image information cannot be recorded and output, the personal computer notifies the personal computer of the fact. When the user is notified and instructed by the user to convert the image information into the polling transmission standby image information, the facsimile is configured so that the received image information that cannot be recorded and output at that time is designated and converted into the polling transmission standby file. Command to the machine and the above facsimile Apparatus is obtained as described above when it is commanded to convert from the personal computer apparatus to polling transmission standby file, sets the received image information specified at that time to image information for polling transmission standby.

Also, in a facsimile apparatus connected to a personal computer apparatus for providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer apparatus and a facsimile system control method including the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus includes: If it is not possible to record and output the received image information, the personal computer device notifies the personal computer device to that effect. When the user instructs to convert the image information to transmission image information with the destination specified, the destination specified at that time and the received image information that cannot be recorded and output are specified, and the transmission standby file is specified. Command to the facsimile machine to convert to Shimiri apparatus, when it is commanded to convert into a transmission standby file from the personal computer, and a call to that time given to the destination,
The received image information designated at that time is transmitted.

[0013]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a facsimile system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The facsimile system includes a facsimile device connected to a personal computer and providing a facsimile communication function to the personal computer, and a personal computer.

In FIG. 1, a system control unit 1 performs a control process of each unit of the facsimile apparatus and a facsimile transmission control procedure process. A system memory 2 stores a control process program executed by the system control unit 1. , And various data required when executing the processing program, and constitutes a work area of the system control unit 1. The parameter memory 3 stores various information unique to the facsimile apparatus. The clock circuit 4 is for outputting current time information.

The scanner 5 is for reading an original image at a predetermined resolution, the plotter 6 is for recording and outputting an image at a predetermined resolution, and the operation display unit 7 is a facsimile apparatus. To operate,
It consists of various operation keys and various indicators.

The encoding / decoding unit 8 encodes and compresses the image signal and decodes the encoded and compressed image information into the original image signal.
This is for storing a large number of image information in a coded and compressed state.

The group 3 facsimile modem 10 is for realizing a group 3 facsimile modem function, and is a low-speed modem function (V.21 modem) for exchanging transmission procedure signals and mainly exchanging image information. High-speed modem function (V.17 modem,
V. 34 modem, V.34. 29 modem, V.29. 27ter modem etc.).

The network controller 11 is for connecting the facsimile apparatus to a public telephone line network and has an automatic transmission / reception function.

The personal computer interface circuit 12 comprises, for example, a serial data interface circuit, and is connected to an external personal computer PC.
To exchange various data according to a predetermined data transmission procedure.

The answering machine 13 is connected to the network controller 11 and is used by sharing the same line.

The system control section 1, system memory 2, parameter memory 3, clock circuit 4, scanner 5, plotter 6, operation display section 7, encoding / decoding section 8, image storage device 9, group 3 facsimile modem The network controller 11, the personal computer interface circuit 12, and the personal computer interface circuit 12 are connected to an internal bus 14. Data is exchanged between these components mainly through the internal bus 14.

Data exchange between the network controller 11 and the group 3 facsimile modem 10 is directly performed.

Also, a personal computer PC
Is a personal computer interface circuit 12
Via the facsimile machine at a certain point
It has a function of transmitting and receiving image information and various command information (for example, commands and responses in the AT command system) according to a two-point transmission procedure.

Further, the system control unit 1 communicates with the personal computer PC via the personal computer interface circuit 12 in accordance with the above-mentioned AT command system transmission procedure. It also has the function of sending and receiving data.

Further, the facsimile apparatus further comprises:
Various functions such as a printer function (the plotter 6 acts as a printer) and an image reading function (transfer image data read by the scanner 5) can be provided to the personal computer PC.

In this facsimile apparatus, when the transmission image information is created or received from the personal computer PC, the file management information shown in FIG. 2A is created, and each page of the transmission image information is An image information file as shown in FIG. These file management information and image information file are stored in the parameter memory 3.

The file management information is used to store a file number for identifying each transmission image information and a transmission function (transmission standby file, polling transmission standby file, etc.) to which the transmission image information is applied. File type, transmission destination information for storing the specified transmission destination, transmission start time for storing the transmission start time when the transmission start time is specified, and ID polling mode for the transmission image information ID information for storing the polling ID, an image information file number for storing the number of an image information file for managing the image information of the first page of the transmitted image information, and file-related information such as transmission result information Etc.

In the image information file, an image information file number for distinguishing each image information file, and when the corresponding image information is the last page, information for writing the last page is set, and the corresponding image information file is set. If the image information is not the last page, the link image information file number in which the transmission image information file number of the next page is set, the line density of the image information, the reading mode, the size information, the compression mode, and the image storage device 9, the image information storage address including the actual storage address information.

FIG. 3 shows a personal computer device PC.
9 shows an example of the processing of the personal computer PC when setting the image information created in step 1 as a polling transmission standby file in the facsimile apparatus.

When the user instructs the setting of the polling transmission standby file, first, the image information to be used as the polling transmission standby file is selected by an appropriate file selection process (process 101), and the polling mode to be set is set. Is the ID polling mode or the free polling mode in which the ID is not specified (process 102).

When the user specifies the ID polling mode and the result of determination 103 is YES, for example,
The user inputs a four-digit polling ID and saves the inputted polling ID (step 104).

In this state, the process waits until the user instructs the start of transfer (NO loop of decision 105), and the user instructs the start of transfer, and when the result of decision 105 becomes YES,
The file management information described above and the FA division file are created for the polling transmission standby file at that time (process 106), and the facsimile apparatus is notified that the polling transmission file is to be transferred (process 10).
7). At this time, when the polling ID is input, the value is set in the ID information of the file management information.

Then, first, the created file management information is transferred to the facsimile machine (process 108).

Next, the page to be transferred is selected from the designated image information (step 109), the start of page transfer is notified to the facsimile machine (step 110), and the image information for one page is transferred (step 111, step 111). NO loop of decision 112).

When the transfer of the image information for one page is completed,
The page transfer end is notified to the facsimile machine (step 113). Then, it is checked whether there is a next page (decision 114). If the result of decision 114 is YES, the facsimile apparatus is notified of the presence of the next page (step 115), and the process returns to step 109 to return to the image of the remaining page Performs information transfer operation.

When the transfer of the last page is completed and the result of determination 114 is NO, the facsimile apparatus is notified of the end of image information transfer (process 116), and this process ends.

FIG. 4 shows a personal computer PC
This shows an example of processing executed by the facsimile apparatus when a notification to transfer a polling transmission standby file is received.

First, the file management information sent from the personal computer PC is received and stored (step 201), and the process waits until a command to start page transfer is issued from the personal computer PC (NO loop in decision 202).

When page transfer start is instructed from the personal computer PC and the result of the judgment 202 is YES, the transferred image information is received and stored in the image storage device 9 in page units (process 203, judgment 204),
When the reception and storage of the image information for one page is completed, it is checked whether or not the personal computer PC notifies that there is a next page (decision 205).

If the result of the judgment 205 is YES, the process returns to the judgment 202 to receive and store the image information of the next page.

When the result of determination 205 is NO, the reception and storage of one piece of image information has been completed, so the above-described image information file is created and stored for each page (process 206). The process ends.

As described above, in this embodiment, the image information created by the personal computer PC can be set as the polling transmission standby file in the facsimile apparatus, so that the usability of the facsimile system is improved.

By the way, for example, in a facsimile apparatus, it is very convenient if the image information in the transmission standby state can be converted into a file in another transmission mode from the personal computer PC.

For example, a personal computer PC
If image information transferred to a facsimile machine by specifying it as a transmission standby file or image information created by a facsimile machine can be changed to a polling transmission standby file, it can be transmitted to the specified destination in normal transmission operation. If not, the same image information can be polled and received from the destination.

Therefore, the user of the personal computer PC only requests the user of the destination terminal to perform polling reception by telephone or the like, and the user of the personal computer PC transmits the same image information to the same destination. It is very convenient because there is no need to repeat the operation.

The personal computer P in this case
An example of the process C is shown in FIG.

First, the facsimile apparatus is instructed to transfer the transmission standby file list information (step 301). Thereby, the facsimile apparatus extracts the file management information for all the image information that is waiting for transmission, creates transmission standby file list information that summarizes the file management information, and transfers it. The transmission standby file list information is received (process 302), and transmission file list information for displaying a list of all the file management information included in the transmission standby file list information is created and displayed (process 303).

Next, the personal computer PC
Allows the user to select a file to be converted into a polling file from the contents of the transmission file list information (step 30).
4) When the user's selection is completed, the file management information of all the selected image information is transferred to the facsimile machine (process 305), and this process ends.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the processing of the facsimile machine in this case.

When the facsimile apparatus is instructed to transfer the transmission standby file list information from the personal computer PC, first, the facsimile apparatus extracts the file management information for all the image information in the transmission standby state, The transmission standby file list information that composes the information is created and transferred to the personal computer PC (process 402).

Next, the personal computer PC
, The file management information of the image information to be converted into the polling file is transferred and received (processing 40).
3). Then, it is checked whether file management information in which the same file number as that of the received file management information is registered is stored (decision 40).
4).

If the result of the determination 404 is YES, the file type of all the received file management information is changed to the polling transmission standby file, and if the polling ID is set, the value is changed to the corresponding file. Set to ID information of management information (Process 40
5).

When the result of the determination 404 is NO, an error indicating that there is no file is notified to the personal computer PC (process 407), and this process is terminated with an error.

As described above, in this embodiment, the image information specified by the personal computer PC as the transmission standby file and transferred to the facsimile apparatus or the image information created by the facsimile apparatus is changed to the polling transmission standby file. Therefore, for example, in the normal transmission operation, when transmission to the specified destination is not possible, the same image information can be polled and received from the destination, thereby enabling the user of the destination terminal to perform polling reception by telephone or the like. Since image information can be transmitted only by requesting that the image information be transmitted, the user of the personal computer PC does not need to repeat the operation of transmitting the same image information to the same destination, which is very convenient.

By the way, when the facsimile apparatus receives the image information, an abnormality may occur in the plotter 6 such as out of paper or paper jam, and a situation may occur in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output.

In this case, the facsimile apparatus notifies the personal computer PC that a situation has occurred in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output. Further, in order to specify the received image information at this time, a received file as shown in FIG. 7 is created and transferred to the personal computer PC. Here, in the reception file, the reception file number is for identifying each reception file, the transmission source information is the telephone number of the transmission source, and the output status is based on the reason why the recording cannot be output ( The received image information file number is for storing the number of the image information file for managing the image information of the first page of the received image information, and the file related information. Is for storing various other information regarding the received image information.

Then, the personal computer PC
Then, when the facsimile machine notifies that the situation that the received image information cannot be recorded and output has occurred, the fact is displayed to the user and the contents of the received file transferred from the facsimile machine are displayed. I do.

The user refers to the contents of the display and designates whether to convert each image information into a transmission standby file or a polling transmission file. This designation may not be performed.

Thus, the personal computer PC creates file management information representing the content specified by the user based on each received file, and transfers the file management information to the facsimile machine.

The facsimile apparatus creates file management information for a received file having the same received file number as the received file management information, and changes the corresponding image information to a transmission standby file or a polling transmission standby file.

Therefore, when a situation occurs in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output on the facsimile apparatus, the image information that cannot be recorded and output is transferred to another facsimile apparatus (for example, another facsimile apparatus on the same floor, etc.). ) And polling reception from another facsimile machine, so that the original received image information is not erased and can be appropriately distributed to the user.

FIG. 8 shows an example of processing of the facsimile apparatus when receiving image information.

When the predetermined image information receiving process is completed (process 501), it is checked whether or not printing is impossible (decision 502). When the result of the determination 502 is NO, this operation ends.

If the result of determination 502 is YES, the above-mentioned received file is created for the received image information at that time (process 503), and a situation has occurred in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output. Is notified to the personal computer PC that the received file is to be transferred (step 504).
The received file is transferred to (Step 505).

FIG. 9 shows a personal computer PC
Thus, an example of processing of the facsimile apparatus when receiving file management information for received image information for mode conversion is shown.

When the file management information is received from the personal computer PC (process 601), it is checked whether the received file management in which the received file number identical to the file number of the received file management information is registered is stored (step 601). Decision 602).

If the result of determination 602 is YES, the received files having the same received file number are converted into the received file management information for all the received file management information (process 603), and this process is terminated. I do.

When the result of determination 602 is NO, an error indicating that there is no file is notified to the personal computer PC (process 604), and this process is terminated with an error.

The personal computer P in this case
An example of the process of C is shown in FIG.

When the facsimile apparatus notifies that the received file is to be transferred because the received image information cannot be recorded and output, the received file is received and saved (step 701). A situation has occurred in which information cannot be recorded and output, and a list of image information stored in the facsimile apparatus is notified to the user on display (process 702).

When the user instructs file conversion in response to this notification (result of determination 703 is YES), it is checked whether the mode after the conversion is transmission standby (determination 70).
4) If the result of determination 704 is YES, the user is required to input a transmission destination number (process 705) and to input a transmission start time (process 706).

Next, based on the transmission destination number and the transmission start time entered at that time, the received file is referred to,
The corresponding file management information is created (process 707).
At this time, the file management number of the file management information is made to match the reception file number of the reception file, and the value of the reception image information file number of the reception file is set to the image information file number of the file management information.

Next, the facsimile apparatus is notified of the transfer of the file management information (step 708), the file management information created in step 707 is transferred to the facsimile apparatus (step 709), and this operation is terminated.

If the result of determination 704 is NO, the user is requested to specify the polling type (step 71).
0), when the ID polling mode is selected,
When the result of step 11 is YES,
For example, the user inputs a four-digit polling ID and saves it (process 712).

Next, based on the polling mode and the polling ID input at that time, the received file is referred to and the corresponding file management information is created (step 71).
3). At this time, the file management number of the file management information is made to match the reception file number of the reception file, and the value of the reception image information file number of the reception file is set to the image information file number of the file management information.

Then, the flow shifts to step 708 to notify the facsimile machine of the transfer of the file management information, and execute the subsequent processing.

When the result of determination 703 is NO, this operation ends at that point. In this case,
The user recovers from the failure of the plotter 5 and records and outputs the image of the received image information.

As described above, in this embodiment, when a situation occurs in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output on the facsimile apparatus, the image information that cannot be recorded and output is transferred to another facsimile apparatus (for example, the same floor). To other facsimile devices, or polling reception from another facsimile device, the original received image information is not erased and can be appropriately distributed to the user.

[0080]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the image information created by the personal computer can be set in the facsimile apparatus as the polling transmission standby file, the effect of improving the usability of the facsimile system is obtained.

The image information specified as a transmission standby file from the personal computer and transferred to the facsimile apparatus or the image information created by the facsimile apparatus is
Since the file has been changed to the polling transmission standby file, for example, in the normal transmission operation, if transmission to the specified destination is not possible, the same image information can be polled and received from the destination, thereby allowing the user of the destination terminal to In addition, since image information can be transmitted only by requesting polling reception by telephone or the like, the user of the personal computer does not need to repeat the operation of transmitting the same image information to the same destination, which is very convenient. There is also the effect that there is.

If a situation has occurred in which the received image information cannot be recorded and output to the facsimile apparatus, the fact is notified to the user, and the image information that cannot be recorded and output is transferred to another facsimile apparatus (for example, Transmission to another facsimile machine on the same floor), or polling reception from another facsimile machine, so that the original received image information is not erased and can be appropriately delivered to the user. Also get.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a facsimile system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of file management information and an image information file.

FIG. 3 shows a personal computer P for setting image information created by the personal computer PC as a polling transmission standby file in a facsimile machine.
9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of C.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the facsimile apparatus when the personal computer PC notifies the transfer of the polling transmission standby file.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing of the personal computer PC.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a received file.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the facsimile apparatus when receiving image information.

FIG. 9 is a bath chart showing an example of processing of the facsimile apparatus when receiving file management information for received image information for mode conversion from the personal computer PC.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing still another example of the processing of the personal computer PC.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 System control part 3 Parameter memory PC Personal computer device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Connected to a personal computer device,
A method of controlling a facsimile system including a facsimile device that provides a facsimile communication function to a personal computer device and the personal computer device, wherein the personal computer device creates transmission image information and transmits the transmission image information to the facsimile device. When the facsimile apparatus receives the polling transmission standby image information from the personal computer device, the facsimile apparatus saves the received image information and sets it as the polling transmission standby image information. A method for controlling a facsimile system. 2. Connected to a personal computer device,
In a method for controlling a facsimile system including a facsimile apparatus that provides a facsimile communication function to a personal computer apparatus and the personal computer apparatus, the personal computer apparatus specifies image information in a transmission standby state stored in the facsimile apparatus. Then, when the image information set in the polling transmission standby file is designated by the personal computer device, the facsimile apparatus polls and transmits the designated image information. A method for controlling a facsimile system, characterized by setting image information for standby. 3. Connected to a personal computer device,
In a method for controlling a facsimile system including a facsimile apparatus that provides a facsimile communication function to a personal computer apparatus and the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus receives image information, and if the received image information cannot be recorded and output, A facsimile system control method for notifying the personal computer device of the fact. 4. Connected to a personal computer device,
In a method for controlling a facsimile system including a facsimile apparatus that provides a facsimile communication function to a personal computer apparatus and the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus receives image information, and if the received image information cannot be recorded and output, When the facsimile device notifies the personal computer device that the recording and output of the received image information is disabled, the personal computer device notifies the user of the fact and polls the image information from the user. When instructed to convert to standby image information, the facsimile device is instructed to convert the received image information that cannot be recorded and output to a polling transmission standby file at that time, Paulin over computer equipment When it is commanded to convert into transmission standby file control method of the facsimile system and sets the received image information specified at that time to image information for polling transmission standby. 5. Connected to a personal computer device,
In a method for controlling a facsimile system including a facsimile apparatus that provides a facsimile communication function to a personal computer apparatus and the personal computer apparatus, the facsimile apparatus receives image information, and if the received image information cannot be recorded and output, When the facsimile device notifies the personal computer device that the recording / output of the received image information is not possible, the personal computer device notifies the user of the fact, and the destination is specified by the user. When the conversion of the image information to the transmission image information is instructed, the facsimile apparatus is instructed to convert the image information into the transmission standby file by designating the designated destination and the reception image information that cannot be recorded and output at that time, The facsimile device is transmitted from the personal computer device. When it is commanded to convert into the waiting files, the control method of the facsimile system by calling to the time specified in the destination, and transmits the received image information specified at that time.