JPS58127456A - Picture transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the transmission corresponding to the status of a terminal device, by providing a command storage means for a relay section transmitting a picture signal obtained from a reading section to a selected recording section, and transmitting the corresponding command to the recording sectioh with the request of the recording section. CONSTITUTION:The picture signal outputted from readers R1-R4 is transmitted to a selected transmission address with a control section CPU via an exchange network 701. Ahead the transmission and reception of the picture signal, the transmission/reception of a protocol relating to the picture transmission is executed with the transmission/reception of a command packet. After the transmission of the command where the inquiry whether or not each terminal has the request of transmission/reception is executed with polling, the transmission/ reception of the command packet is executed by using an output command register 705 and an input command register 706 to determine the protocol of the picture transmission.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image transmission system, and more particularly to a system for transmitting image information between one or more image information reading sections and one or more image information recording sections.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for transmitting image information, there is a facsimile machine using the public line of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation. Generally, these devices output the transmitted image information as is if the receiving device is in a receivable state.

Here, devices that receive and distribute image information, such as printers, are generally expensive and require a large installation space.
If multiple people compete for one receiving device, the original information transmission will be performed regardless of the receiver's will.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the relay section that transmits the image signal obtained from the image information reading section to the selected image information recording section has means for storing commands related to image transmission. The present invention provides an image transmission system in which a command corresponding to the recording unit can be used to confirm the record upon request from the recording unit.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an image transmission system according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a private branch exchange (hereinafter referred to as PABX). Reference numeral 2-1.2-2 is a reader device that photoelectrically takes over the original image and forms an electrical signal. 3-1.3-2
is a printer device that forms an image on a recording material such as paper based on image information converted into an electrical signal (hereinafter referred to as an image signal).

Note that the reader device 2-1 and the printer device 3-1 are placed in close proximity, and one set of these two devices is the beam reader device 2-1.
The reader device 2-1 also operates as a copying machine that forms an image based on the image signal read by the reader device 2-1. (Note that this operation is called local copy.) L1, L2, and L3 are input/output lines made of, for example, optical fibers, which connect the PABX1 and the reader device or the printer device, and are used for signal transmission including image signals. The image transmission system shown in FIG. 1 is based on a wiring system called a star network centered on PABXI.

The PABXI is provided with a switching network for selectively outputting signals input from each input/output line to a predetermined input/output line, as will be described later. PABXI also connects a page memory consisting of, for example, a semiconductor random access memory IJ (RAM) that stores one page of image signals, and an auxiliary memory consisting of, for example, a disk memory that stores multiple pages of image signals. The image signal read by the reader device 2-1 is formed into an image in the printer device 3-1, or the input/output line L
At least one of three types of transmission is performed: either the image is transmitted to 9PABXI and stored in the page memory, or it is further transmitted to the printer device 3-2 through the input/output line L3 and formed into an image.

Further, the image signal read by the reader device 2-2 is transmitted to the PABXI via the input/output line L2, and from there is transmitted to the printer device 3-1 or the printer device 3-2 via the input/output line L1. At least one of three transmissions is performed: or stored in the page memory.

That is, the image signal read by the reader device is transmitted to at least one of the printer devices constituting the image transmission system to form an image, or is stored in a page memory. Furthermore, it is possible to simultaneously store the information in the page memory while transmitting it to the printer device.

The image signal stored in the page memory is transmitted to the printer device or further stored in the auxiliary memory according to a request from the printer device or judgment by a control section included in the PABXI.

Note that although the system shown in FIG. 1 has three routes from PABXI, the number is not limited to this number.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the reader device shown in FIG. 1.

In the figure, 201 is a document table glass, 202 is a bar-shaped light source such as a halogen lamp or a fluorescent lamp, 203 is a first mirror, 204 is a second mirror, 205 is a third mirror, 206 is a lens, 2
07 is a one-dimensional solid-state imaging device such as a CCD. Note that two sets of lenses 206 and CCDs 207 are provided, and are configured to read half of the document area each.

To explain the operation of the apparatus, an original placed on an original platen glass 201 is illuminated by a rod-shaped light source 202, and a first mirror 203, a second mirror 204, etc. scan (sub-scan) the original.
The lens 406 via the third mirror 405
407. The main scanning direction of the CCD 407 is perpendicular to the drawing. The rod-shaped light source 202 and the first mirror 203 are integrated by a support (not shown), and scan the document surface while moving in the direction F in the figure by a guide rail (not shown) (sub-scanning). Second mirror 204
, the third mirror 205 is integrally formed with a support (not shown), and the first mirror 205 extends in the same direction as the first mirror 203.
Move on the guide rail (not shown) at 1/2 the speed of movement in step 3. Rod-shaped light source 202. First mirror 203. Second mirror 204. Third mirror 205
are respectively indicated by dotted lines in the figure (202', 203').

204', 205'), but at this time, the optical path length from the document table 201 through the mirrors 203, 204, and 205 to the lens 206 is always kept constant.

Note that this reader device supports A3 size documents in the longitudinal direction.
A document of four sizes is sub-scanned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the linear density of the reading is 16 lines/rnm.

Further, the resolution in the main scanning direction is 16 Pel/rrm. Therefore, the number of output bits for one main scanning line is 475.
With 2 focus, this main scanning is performed for 6720 lines for A3 size and 3360 lines for A4 size.

As mentioned above, a CCD for photoelectrically converting the original image
Two sets of lens 207 and lens 206 are provided, and approximately one 4752-bit image outputted by main scanning can be read.
/2 each. The two series of image signals outputted from the two CODs 207 are formed into a first series of image signals corresponding to one main scanning line by the circuit shown in FIG. 3-1.

In FIG. 3-1, 207-1 and 207-2 are the two CCDs mentioned above. 301-1.301-2 is a video amplifier which amplifies the DC output voltage of each of the CCDs 207-1.207-2 to a required level. 302-1,
302-2 is an N-converter which converts the analog image signal into a digital signal using a clock pulse (not shown). 3
03 is a parallel-serial converter and converter 302-1 of ~
and 302-2 are converted into one system of serial signals as shown in FIG. 3-2, and outputted from the output terminal OUT.

As is clear from FIG. 3-2, a clock signal (b) synchronized with the image signal (a) is generated. Image signal (a)
The data changes at the rising edge of the clock signal (b), and the clock signal (b) falls at a stable point in the middle of the data. Incidentally, the image signals of the entire area of the document resulting from the main scanning of 3360 lines for A4 size and the main scanning of 6720 lines for A3 size are collectively referred to as an image packet. A dummy clock DCK, which is an identification signal, is attached to the tip of this image packet, and this allows the PABXI and the terminal to determine whether the subsequently transmitted signal is an image signal or a command signal related to the transmission of an image signal. is determined.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the printer shown as an example of the output section in FIG. This is a photosensitive drum rotatably supported within the Ha. 502 is a semiconductor laser that emits a laser beam La, and the emitted laser beam La is made incident on a beam expander 503 to become a laser beam having a predetermined beam diameter. Further, the laser beam is incident on a polyhedral mirror 504 having a plurality of mirror surfaces. The polyhedral mirror 504 is rotated at a predetermined speed by a constant speed rotation motor 505. The laser beam emitted from the beam expander 503 is scanned substantially horizontally by the polyhedral mirror 504. And an imaging lens 506 having f-〇 characteristics
As a result, an image is formed as a spot light on the photosensitive drum 501, which is charged to a predetermined polarity by the charger 513.

A beam detector 507 detects the laser beam reflected by the reflecting mirror 508, and uses this detection signal to determine the timing of the modulation operation of the semiconductor laser 502 in order to provide desired optical information onto the photosensitive drum 501.

An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 501 by the laser light that is imaged and scanned on the photosensitive drum 501 . After this latent image is developed by a developing device 509, it is converted into a developed image by a developing device 509.
, 511, and then the recording material passes through a fixing device 512, whereby the image is fixed on the recording material and is discharged as a copy to a discharge section (not shown).

FIG. 5 shows an example of a circuit for modulating the semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 4 with a predetermined image signal.

The image signal inputted from the input terminal IN is transferred to a first line buffer 601 consisting of a shift register or the like having a number of bits equal to the number of pixels for one scan for each group of image signals for one scan.
and is alternately input to the second line buffer 602 under the control of the buffer switch control circuit 603.

Further, the image signals inputted to the first line buffer 1601 and the second line buffer 602 are read out alternately for each scan using the beam detection signal from the beam detector 604 as a trigger signal, and are applied to the laser driver 605.

The laser drino 5605 modulates and controls the semiconductor laser 606 based on the input image signal to control the emission of laser light.

By having two line buffers 1, while sequentially input image signals are input to one of the line buffers, the image signals already stored in the other line buffer 1 are output to the laser driver 605. It can handle high-speed image signal input.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of an embodiment of a terminal equipped with both the reader device and printer device shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. 401 is a PABXI provided in the input section of the terminal
If the input line IL is an optical fiber, it is an optical-to-electrical converter (hereinafter referred to as a converter), which is an interface for inputting manually input data, and information that is input as an optical signal from a signal transmission line using an optical fiber. into an electrical signal. 402 is a command/image discrimination circuit which also determines whether the input packet is an image packet or a command packet by ANDing the electric signal inputted to the interface 401 with the identification signal added before the packet and the clock. However, if it is an image packet, a "1" signal is output to line 403, and if it is a command packet, a "1" signal is output to line 404. Further, a packet from which the identification signal has been removed is outputted to line 405. Reference numeral 406 denotes an image recording unit and a reader device that reads an original and forms an image packet as an electrical signal based on an input image packet.

407 and 408 are AND circuits, and the AND circuit 40
8 to line 4 from the command/image discrimination circuit 402
03-11" signal is input, line 405
outputs the image packet inputted by on line 409.

In addition, when the "1" signal on line 404 from the command/image discrimination circuit 402 is input to the AND circuit 407, the command packet input on line 405 is output on line 410.The manual packet is an image packet. If so, line 4
The image packet output on 09 is sent to the printer device 40.
6.

On the other hand, if the human packet is a command packet,
The command packet output on line 410 is input to input command register 411. The input command register 411 stores all 32-bit command packets. 415 is a command analysis and generation circuit.

When it is determined that all 32-bit command packets have been input to the input command register 411, it takes in all of these 32-bit command packets, analyzes their contents, and forms response bits and specification bits as necessary.
All 32 bits are set in the output command register 412 at the same time.

413 is an OR circuit, which is connected to the PABXI formed by the output line 419 of the output command register 412 and the reader device.
An output line 418 of the image signal to be sent to is input.

414 is an interface for outputting terminal signals to PABXI, and if the output line OL is an optical fiber, an electrical-to-optical converter (hereinafter referred to as a converter) is used to connect the line 41.
The electrical signal inputted via 7 is converted into an optical signal and transmitted to the next terminal using an optical fiber as a medium.

Reference numeral 416 denotes an operation control unit provided in the terminal, into which instructions related to sending and receiving image information and driving instructions for the device, such as destination, number of sheets to be sent, size, etc., are input by the user, and the operation of the device is controlled according to these instructions. Although FIG. 6 describes an embodiment of a terminal equipped with both a printer device and a league device, the terminal for either the league device or the printer device has roughly the same configuration.

FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the private branch exchange PABXI shown in FIG. 1.

In the figure, CPU is a control unit that controls the operation of the main body of the private branch exchange PABX1 and the operation of the entire image transmission system;
1-R4 is a reader device %P1 to P4 are printer devices, and the reader device R1 and the printer device P1 and the league device R2 and the printer device P2 are the only two devices having a copying function as described above. Reference numeral 701 is a switching network to which a plurality of input lines and a plurality of output lines are connected, and image signals and command signals input from the input lines are selectively output to the output line by an input/output switching signal SL from the control unit CPU. 702 is a page memory consisting of a semiconductor random access memory capable of storing one page of image signals; 704;
is an auxiliary memory consisting of a disk memory that stores image signals for a plurality of pages, and its capacity is 70 MB. 7
03 is a compression circuit that compresses the image signal stored in the page memory 702 using a predetermined compression logic and sends it to the auxiliary memory 704.

705c Parallel-in serial-out output command register for serially transmitting command signals related to transmission of image signals output in parallel from the control unit CPU to a reader device or printer device connected to a switching network;
706 is a serial-in-parallel-out input command register for transmitting a command signal related to transmission of an image signal serially input from a beamer device or a printer device to the control unit CPU in parallel.

707 is a DMA controller that controls DMA transfer of image information within PABXI, 708 is a 7-on) ROM used to convert encoded information into image information,
By having this font ROM 708, character information can be handled using code signals in internal processing.
Memory savings are possible. A data memory 709 stores command signals related to image transmission or records the history of image transmission.

Explain the operation. The image signals output from the league devices R1 to R4 are selectively input to the page memory 7o2 by the control unit CPU via the exchange network 701'.

Once the information is stored in the page memory 702, if the specified destination is not busy, or if there is no transmission/reception request from another terminal device, the information can be sent to the destination as is from this page memory 702. It has a structure that can be output. At other times, the data is stored in the auxiliary memory 704 through the compression circuit 703. This auxiliary memory 70
4, the image signal is filed with an index added to the beginning of the image signal, and the file number, source address, destination address, etc. are written in this index. The exchange network 701 also has a function that can bypass Page Memo 1.1702 and directly send the message to the destination printer in real time, and if the destination is in a state where it can receive the message, it can also be sent through this route. It looks like this.

FIG. 8 shows a conceptual diagram of the switching network 701 shown in FIG. 7.

Terminal 8 for connecting a reader device or printer device
Six terminals 01 to 806 are provided, and an input line and an output line are connected to each terminal. Also provided in the PABXI are a page memory 7o2, an output command register 705, and an input command register 70.
Terminals 808 and 809 for connecting 6 are provided.

As described above, the operation of this switching network 701 is controlled by the input/output switching signal SL from the control unit CPU.

Six rotary switches SWI to SW6 are provided for each of the terminals 801 to 806.
Connected to each output line. Also terminals 807 and 8
08 is also provided with a rotary switch circuit, SWS, which is connected to the output line.

Input lines of terminals other than the corresponding terminals are connected to the input terminals &-g of these rotary switches SWI to SW8. In addition, the rotary inch product - the input terminal g at the end
No lines are connected to the . This is page memory 7
This is because it is not necessary to input the command signal from the output command register 705 to the output command register 705 and the image signal from the page memory 702 to the input command register 706.

The contacts of the rotary switches SWI to SW8 are selectively switched by the input/output switching signal SL input from the control unit CPU.

As an example of the operation of the switching network 701, a reader device is connected to a terminal 801, a printer device is connected to terminals 803 and 804, and if you want to transmit image information from the reader device to two printer devices, but the connection is not made to the terminal 804. When the printer connected to the terminal 803 is busy, the information can be sent in real time to the printer connected to the terminal 804, stored once in the page memory 702 to the printer connected to the terminal 804, and then transmitted from the page memory 702 after the printer is released from the busy state. In such a case, first select the B contact of the rotary switch and the A contact of the rotary switch, and output the image signal from the reader device of terminal 801 to the printer device of terminal 803 and to the page memory 702. Store it. After that, as soon as the printer device connected to terminal 804 becomes able to receive data, select the a contact point of rotary switch history 4 and page memory 7
The image signal output from 02 is transmitted to the printer device at terminal 804.

Prior to transmitting and receiving image signals, protocols related to image transmission must be exchanged between the PABXI and the reader device or printer device by transmitting and receiving command packets. For this purpose, an output command register 705 and an input command register 706 are used. The input command register 706 is selectively inputted from the rotary switch end in FIG. 8, and the output command register 705 is inputted to the rotary switches SW1 to SW6, respectively, and selectively sent from each terminal 801 to 806.

This command information packet is a 32-bit signal as shown in FIG. 9(a), and is transmitted in synchronization with the clock shown in FIG. 9(b). The contents of this command packet are given meanings as shown in FIG. 10, for example.

In addition, in this system, P from the reader device and printer device is
It is not possible to directly issue a request to the ABXI, but it is possible to issue a request in response to a command packet input from the PABXI. Therefore, normally, PABXI sets the rotary switch SWI to the g contact, sends out a command packet indicating whether there is a transmission or reception request from the output command register 705, then sets the rotary switch depth to the g contact, and sends a command packet from the output command register 705 to the terminal 801.
will have a response from the terminal.

Furthermore, rotary switches SW2, SW3, -8
They are issued in the order of W6 and are repeated periodically.

FIG. 10 shows the format of the command packet.

There are four types of command packets as shown in the figure, and the first four bits of the command packet are used to indicate the type. In FIG. 10, (1) is a type 1 command packet, (2) is a type 2 command packet, (8) is a type 3 command packet, and (4) is a type 4 command packet.

11(a)-(C) and FIG. 12 are flowcharts showing the command analysis task and idle task of the control unit CPU of the PABXI. Figures 10 and 11 (
The command analysis operation will be explained with reference to a) to (C) and FIG. 12. The command analysis tasks shown in FIGS. 11(a) to 11(C) are entered by the monitor by an interrupt caused by an input to the input command register 706 of the PABXI of the command.

The posting also returns control to the monitor, which then executes the idle task.

Assume that no image information is currently stored in the auxiliary memory 704. When the power is turned on, the control unit CPU of the PABXI executes the idle task shown in FIG. That is, since there is no file in the auxiliary memory 704 at step 12-1, the process advances to step 12-9 and command type 1 is sent.

Type 1 command packets are commands for inquiring each terminal as to whether there is a request for transmission or reception, usually by polling as described above.

When the type 1 command returns to the PABXI, it is determined in step 1 that it is a type 1 command, and the process proceeds to step 2. At this time, if there is a transmission request from any terminal in the 33rd bit, the process proceeds from step 2 to step 3 in FIG. 11(a), and a type 2 command is issued. In the type 2 command, the sender writes the destination name, number of sheets to be sent, image size, and designation as to whether the information is confidential and returns it to the PABXI. The 33rd and 34th bits of the continuation packet are provided to indicate that when it is desired to transmit to a plurality of terminals, it is necessary to retransmit another destination name etc. using a type 2 command. When the 15th and 16th pits indicating classified status are set, P
The ABXI only stores the image information input to the PABXI in the auxiliary memory 704, and never sends it until there is a request to receive the file number from the destination.

If the PABXI determines in step 4 that a type 2 command packet has been input, it proceeds to step 5 and stores the data in the data memory 70.
First set an index on 9.

Step 9 Image information from the sender is temporarily loaded into the page memory 702, including the sender, number of destinations, size, whether it is classified or not, and date and time of reception. (Step 7) Then, if the PABXI determines that the classification is classified in Step 8, it will generate a file number in Step 8, and then in Step 10, it will create an index and page number on the data memory 709.
The contents of memory 702 are stored in auxiliary memory 704.

If the index is not designated as confidential, PABX1 looks at the destination of the index, issues a type 3 command, and inquires from the 31st pit whether the destination can receive the data (step 11).

If it is determined in step 15 that a type 3 command packet has been input to the PABXI, the process proceeds to step 16, and since the receivable bit of the 31st bit is set, it is determined in step 17 whether the response bit of the 34th bit is set. See.

If the response bit is not set, that is, there is even one destination that cannot receive data, the index and the contents of the page memory 702 related to the destination that cannot receive data are generated as a new file and stored in the auxiliary memory 704 (step 18). At this time, the busy destination has a waiting time of 15.
Since the response is written to 18 bits, this time is added to the index and written, and the process proceeds to step 20.

On the other hand, if the response bit is set, a ready flag corresponding to the destination is sent in step 19,
Proceed to step 20.

In step 20, it is determined whether there are any other terminals to which type 3 commands should be sent, and if there are, step 1
Returning to step 1, type 3 commands are set and output to the remaining terminals again.

If there are no terminals to which the data should be transmitted, the process advances to step 21 and it is determined whether ready flags corresponding to all of the designated destinations have been set. If there is a terminal whose ready flag is not set, in step 22 the index on the data memory 709 regarding the destination is added to the image information in the page memory 702 and stored in the auxiliary memory 704, and the process proceeds to step 23. , if the ready flags corresponding to all the destinations are set, the process advances to step 23.

In step 23, a type 3 command packet with a bit set asking whether the 32nd pit is ready for reception is output to the terminal whose ready flag is set, that is, the destination capable of receiving image information.

When the command packet with the sent bit inquiring whether it is ready for reception returns to the PABXI, steps 24 to 2
Proceed to step 5. When responses of preparation completion are received from all terminals that are not busy in step 25, image information for each number of images is sent at once from the page memory 702 to all destinations whose ready flags are set (step 26).
.

After transmitting the image information, in step 27, the PABXI transmits a type 3 command packet with the 33rd bit set, inquiring whether the transmission is complete.

When the command packet with the bit inquiring about completion of reception is returned to the PABXI, the process advances from step 28 to step 29. When a completion reply is received from the sender to whom the image information was sent, the index stored in the data memory 709 is erased in step 30, and then the type 1 frame/tono ζ Kent is deleted by the IHIL task shown in FIG. Output to each terminal. At the same time, if it is determined in step 12-4 that there is a file stored in the auxiliary memory 704° by the idle task for which the waiting time has elapsed, then in step 12-5 the file index (destination address, transmission (including the number of sheets) into the data memory 709, and the process proceeds to step 12-6 to load the data into the auxiliary memory 704.
Load the image information from to the page memory 702, and further,
In step 12-8, a type 3 command is issued to the destination of the index input to the data memory 709, and after the protocol is performed as described above, image information is sent from the image memory 702.

In this case, the data memory 709 is transferred from the auxiliary memory 704 to the data memory 709.
The capacity of the auxiliary memory 704 is effectively used by erasing the information loaded into the page memory 702 from the auxiliary memory (step 12-7). Regardless of the previous available time, as described above, the output is output from the auxiliary memory 704 only when a receive request from the destination is received as a type 1 command packet (step 12-2).
.

Further, if there is a non-confidential file in the auxiliary memory 704 that has passed a predetermined period of time, the process proceeds from step 12-3 to step 12-8, and that file is deleted from the auxiliary memory 704. This allows effective use of the auxiliary memory 704.

In this way, confidential image information is not directly output to the terminal, but is stored in the auxiliary memory and can be output from the PABXI only when there is a reception request from the destination, so that confidential information is not output to the destination. information is not transmitted to other terminals, and information is not transmitted to unattended terminals.

Also, when transmitting image information to multiple terminals at the same time,
If there is a terminal that cannot receive data, the address and image information of that terminal can be stored and the image can be transmitted to other terminals that can receive data, so it is not necessary for all terminals to be able to receive data.

Therefore, images can be transmitted in real time to terminals that can receive images, and images can be transmitted to one terminal that cannot receive images without changing the source after the unreceivable state is released.

Also, since the terminal that cannot receive data notifies the PABXl of the time that it cannot receive data, the receiving side can notify the
Image transmission is performed without further notification to BXI.

Next, as a result of issuing a type l command, if there is a reception request from any terminal in step 12, a type 4 command packet is sent to the PA in step 13.
BXl is sent to the receiving request destination.

There are two types of reception requests: a request to send image information stored in the auxiliary memory 704, and a request to send a list of reception history related to sending and receiving image information. The receiving request source indicates the requested content of the request using the 5th and 6th bits of the type 4 command packet shown in FIG. 10(4).

When the type 4 command packet returns to the PABXI, the process proceeds to step 31, and it is determined whether it is a history reception request or an image reception request based on the set state of the 5.6th bit of the command packet.0If the PABXI is a history reception request, In step 32, the auxiliary memory 70
4, only the files related to the receiving destination are sorted, the indexes therein are developed in the data memory 709, and the contents are further developed in the page memory 702 using the font memory 708 and transmitted as an image.

FIG. 15 shows the form of a resume sent from PABXI and recorded by a printer device. As shown in the figure, the file number assigned when the file is stored in the auxiliary memory 704 is written on the left end, and the source, whether it is classified or not, date and time of publication (input), and image size are written below.

Furthermore, it is also possible to output a transmission history that is a list of indexes related to the transmission of image information from the terminal.

The PABXI, which has sent the image information including the reception history to the reception request destination, again executes an idle task that outputs a type 1 command bucket.

Here, if there is an image information file that needs to be received on the terminal that received the reception history, send a reception request to the PABX again using a type l command packet.
Send to I.

Upon receiving this command packet, the PABXI again sends a type 4 command packet to the terminal that made the reception request. The terminal that receives the type 4 command packet specifies the image information in the auxiliary memory 704 from the operation unit 416 using the file number of the history table corresponding to the image information that needs to be received, and causes it to be transmitted to the PABXI. . This file number is set in the 7th to 10th bits of the type 4 command packet, and the number of files desired to be received is set in the 11th to 14th bits.

In step 33, the PABXI loads the image information corresponding to the specified file number from the auxiliary memory 704 to the page memory 702, and
The desired number of sheets will be sent to the terminal that has received the reception request.

In this way, the source terminal can transmit image information regardless of whether the destination terminal is in a receivable state, and if
Even if the destination is unreceivable, it is stored in the PABXI's memory for a predetermined period of time. Since each terminal can obtain the storage status of image information addressed to it in the form of a list, it is possible to easily receive the necessary information at the desired time by accessing PABXI from the receiving terminal according to this storage status. You can take it.

As mentioned above, the two combinations of reader R1 and printer P1 in FIG. 7 and reader R2 and printer P2 are each PABX.
Copy operations independent of I are possible. Hereinafter, this independent copy operation will be referred to as local copy. Figure 13 and 1
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of terminal operation control.

Here, while creating a local copy, PABXI
When a Type 3 command packet is sent from the PABXI, either interrupt the local copy in progress and interrupt image reception from the PABXI, or reject it and wait for the Type 3 command packet.
A selection button is provided on the operation unit 416 to select between two modes: writing in the command packet and replying. At power-on, the reader/printer reads this interrupt rejection key using a key sense routine independent of the PABXI and sets/resets a flag indicating permission for interrupts (step 13-1 in FIG. 13).

Then, when a command packet is sent from the PABXI, the command analysis routine shown in FIG. 14 is executed. If the input command packet is type 3, the process proceeds from steps 14-1 to 14-2, and if it is a question asking whether the 31st bit can be received, the process proceeds to step 14-3. In Step 14-3, the key sense routine described above determines whether or not the interrupt permission flag is set. If it is sent, the response bit of the 34th bit of the command packet is set and output to the PABXI. (Step 14-4).And Step 14-5
Set the abort flag with .

On the other hand, if the interrupt permission flag is not set, the time required to complete the copy operation being executed is calculated in step 14-6, and
The wait time is set to 8 bits, and the 34th bit, the response bit, is output to PABXI without being set.

After this, the PABXI control operation described above is performed, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Also, the interrupt permission flag is set and step 14
If the interrupt flag is set in -5, the interrupt flag is determined in step 12-2 each time the copy cycle of local copy ends in FIG. Abort the copy cycle and wait for the abort flag to be reset.

Then, after being reset, local copy execution starts again. The interruption flag is reset when image reception ends due to an interruption.

On the other hand, if the interrupt flag is not set, step 1
The end flag is determined in step 2-4. The end flag is set at the end of local copying, and the copy cycle is repeated until it is set. If the end flag is set, the copy cycle out routine returns the copying device to its initial state.

In this way, PABX being locally copied on each terminal
Since it is possible to set whether or not to permit interrupts from I for each terminal, the function can be activated according to the usage status of the terminal. Also, even if interrupts are not allowed, PAB
Since the image information to be sent to the auxiliary memory 704 in the XI is stored, no inconvenience will occur.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an image transmission system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the reader device, and FIG. 3-1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the circuit of the reader device in FIG. 2. 3-2 is a diagram showing an image signal output from the reader device in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the printer device, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the printer device in FIG. 4. 6 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of one embodiment of the terminal, FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of PABXI in FIG. 1, and FIG. Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of the switching network, Figure 9 is a diagram showing command signals, Figure 10 is a diagram showing the contents of command packets, and Figures 11 (a) to (
C) and FIG. 12 are control flowcharts of the control unit in FIG. 7, FIGS. 13 and 14 are control flowcharts of the operation of the terminal, and FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the reception history form. Yes, l is PABX, 2-1 and 2-2 are reader devices, 3-1 and 3-2 are printer devices, 207-
1 and 207-2 are CCDs, 501 is a photosensitive drum, 5
02 is a semiconductor laser, 415 is a command analysis/command generation circuit, 701 is a switching network, 702 is a page memory, 7
04 is auxiliary memory, 709 is data memory, Sw1 to S
W8 is a rotary switch. Applicant: Canon Co., Ltd. --→-F Procedural amendment (voluntary) 1. Display of the case 1982 Patent Application No. 9854 2, Name of the invention Image transmission system 3, Person making the amendment Relationship to the case Patent applicant address 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Name (100)
)Representative of Canon Co., Ltd. Ryu Kaku Part 4, Agent address: 3-30-25 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo 148, Specification subject to amendment and drawing 6, Contents of amendment (1) Figure 10 of the drawing and Figure 13 is corrected as shown in the attached sheet. (2) The specification shall be amended as shown in the following table.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image transmission system comprising one or more image reading sections, one or more image recording sections, and a relay section that transmits an image signal obtained from the reading section to the selected recording section, the relay section transmits an image signal obtained from the reading section to the selected recording section. An image transmission system comprising means for storing commands related to transmission, and transmitting commands corresponding to the recording section to the recording section upon request from the recording section.