JP2000115404A - Transmission state notice device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transmission state notice device that accurately identifies defects of facsimile equipment and informs a notice device of the identified state. SOLUTION: A control section 12A of the transmission state notice device 1A monitors the state of a facsimile equipment 5 in cooperation with a facsimile processing section 16, a communication control information detection section 20 and a network processing section 22, when the facsimile equipment 5 receives a transmission signal so as to discriminate whether the facsimile equipment 5 can normally receive the signal, receives other transmission signal or cannot receive transmission signals because of paper shortage. When the facsimile equipment 5 receives other transmission signal or cannot receive any transmission signal because of paper shortage, the control section 12A opens the line of the facsimile equipment 5 and informs a telephone set 6 about the facsimile equipment 5 as to whether facsimile equipment 5 is receiving other transmission signal or is unable to receive signals, because of paper shortage distinguishingly through a voice data transmission reception section 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transmission status reporting device for reporting a transmission status using a telephone line, and more particularly to a facsimile device for transmitting a facsimile signal when the facsimile device is out of paper and cannot be received. The present invention relates to a transmission status reporting device that reports the status to a telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art According to facsimile transmission, information in a sentence format conforming to a predetermined format is converted into image data, transmitted to a destination, and a received facsimile apparatus can reproduce an original image. An advantage of facsimile transmission is that since the monitoring status is notified in advance as a text in a predetermined format, the received document can be stored as a form after the received document is confirmed on the receiving side. On the other hand, there is a problem that facsimile transmission to the facsimile apparatus cannot be performed when the format apparatus runs out of paper or during reception. For this reason, transmission status reporting devices that monitor the transmission status of such facsimile devices have been proposed.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a description will be given of a transmission state notifying apparatus and a processing method thereof as background art of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a transmission status reporting device as a background art of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing of the transmission status reporting device illustrated in FIG.

[0004] The transmission status notifying apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a control unit 12 having a built-in computer and a memory unit 14.
And a facsimile processing unit 16, a voice / data transmission / reception unit 18, a communication control information detection unit 20 for detecting a communication control information signal such as DT / BT / RBT, and a network processing unit 22. The memory unit 14 is provided with a monitoring data storage unit 141. The network processing unit 22 of the transmission status reporting device 1 is connected to a communication network 4 via a communication line 3 such as a public line or an ISDN line, and is connected to a facsimile device 5 and a telephone 6 via the communication network 4. I have. The communication network 4 includes an exchange and the like. In the illustrated example, the facsimile machine 5 is set as the first transmission destination, and the telephone 6 is set as the second transmission destination. A sensor 7 is connected to the transmission status notification device 1.

[0005] Referring to FIG. 4, the processing of the transmission status reporting device 1, in particular, of the control unit 12 will be described. Step 1: The control unit 12 calls the facsimile device 5 as the first transmission destination via the facsimile processing unit 16 and the network processing unit 22.

Step 2: The control unit 12 checks whether or not the called facsimile machine 5 has responded. When the facsimile device 5 responds, the normal facsimile transmission is performed, and thus the monitoring is terminated.

Steps 2 and 3: If the called facsimile machine 5 does not respond, the control unit 12 proceeds to step 3 and checks whether the communication control information detection unit 20 has detected a BT signal.

Steps 3, 4, When the BT signal is not detected, the control unit 12 checks whether the communication control information detection unit 20 has detected the RBT2. Still RBT
If has not been detected, the control unit 12 returns to the process of step 3 and waits for a predetermined time to perform the process of step 3 again.

Steps 4 and 5: Communication control information detecting section 20
Receives the RBT signal, the control unit 12 checks whether the calling time has elapsed. The control unit 12
If the calling time has not elapsed, the process returns to step S4.

Steps 3 and 6 / Steps 5 and 6; When the control unit 12 confirms that the BT signal has been detected in Step 3, or when the predetermined calling time elapses after detecting the RBT signal in Step 5, In this case, the control unit 12 recognizes that the facsimile machine 5 as the first transmission destination is not responding in step 6, and performs processing for releasing the communication line secured in step 1.

Steps 7 and 8: The control unit 12 calls the telephone 6 as the second transmission destination via the facsimile processing unit 16 and the network processing unit 22. Thereafter, the control unit 12 checks whether or not the called second transmission destination has responded.

Steps 8 and 9: If the telephone 6, which is the second transmission destination, does not respond, the control unit 12 cannot notify the telephone 6 of the state of the facsimile machine 5, so that the control Of the telephone 6 which is the transmission destination of the telephone 6 is not responding, and performs processing for releasing the communication line for the telephone 6 secured in step 7, and returns to step 1 to proceed to the next transmission processing. stand by.

Steps 9 and 10: If the telephone 6 as the second transmission destination answers in the check of the control unit 12 in step 8, the control unit 12 indicates that the facsimile apparatus 5 is in a "monitoring state". Is notified to the telephone 6 and the process is terminated.

[0014]

According to the monitoring of the facsimile apparatus 5 by the above-mentioned transmission status notifying apparatus, it is determined whether the facsimile apparatus 5 cannot receive a new facsimile transmission during reception or the paper has run out and cannot be received. Since the information is not transmitted to the telephone 6 from the transmission status reporting device, there is a problem that a person who receives the report from the transmission status reporting device by the telephone 6 cannot perform quick and appropriate recovery work.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission status reporting device capable of accurately determining a failure status of a facsimile machine and reporting accurate failure information to a telephone located near the facsimile machine.

[0016]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transmission status notifying apparatus for monitoring a communication status of a communication system for performing facsimile transmission and a telephone call via a telephone line. First line acquiring means for acquiring a line, first monitoring means for monitoring the state of the facsimile machine at the transmission destination, and second line acquiring means for acquiring a line for reporting to the reporting apparatus for reporting the state of the facsimile apparatus. 2, a second monitoring means for monitoring the status of a reporting device for reporting a faulty state of the facsimile communication, and whether the facsimile device at the transmission destination can normally receive or is receiving another transmission. Or a facsimile apparatus state determining means for determining whether the paper cannot be received due to a paper out condition, and when the facsimile apparatus is receiving the facsimile apparatus, First notifying means for notifying that facsimile transmission cannot be performed during communication, and second notifying means for notifying the notifying apparatus that the facsimile apparatus cannot receive the out of paper when the facsimile apparatus is out of paper, When the facsimile device cannot receive normally, first line release means for releasing the line obtained for transmission to the facsimile device, and when notifying the notification device normally, for notifying the notification device There is provided a transmission status reporting device having a second line releasing means for releasing an acquired line.

The monitoring means monitors the faulty state of the facsimile apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus state determination means determines the state of the facsimile apparatus from the monitoring state. If the facsimile device is out of paper, the second notification unit notifies the notification unit.
If the facsimile machine is defective, the line is released for another call that has released the line.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the transmission status reporting device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 1 and 2 correspond to FIGS. 3 and 4, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a transmission state notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the transmission status notification device illustrated in FIG. 1.

The transmission status notification device 1A illustrated in FIG.
It has a configuration similar to that of the transmission status notification device 1 illustrated in FIG. 3, and includes a control unit 12A containing a computer, a memory unit 14A, a facsimile processing unit 16, a voice / data transmission / reception unit 18, a DT A communication control information detection unit 20 for detecting a communication control information signal such as BT / RBT, and a network processing unit 22;

The transmission status notification device 1A illustrated in FIG.
The memory unit 14A and the control unit 12A are different from the memory unit 14 and the control unit 12 of the transmission status notification device 1 illustrated in FIG. In the memory unit 14A, in addition to the monitoring data storage unit 141,
A facsimile machine status data storage unit 142 is provided. The difference between the control unit 12A and the control unit 12 is the processing of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 2 and the processing of the flowchart illustrated in FIG.

A network processing unit 22 of the transmission status reporting device 1A is connected to a communication network 4 via a communication line 3 such as a public line or an ISDN line, and is connected to the facsimile device 5 and the telephone 6 via the communication network 4. It is connected. The communication network 4 includes an exchange and the like. A sensor 7 is connected to the transmission status notification device 1.

In the illustrated example, the facsimile machine 5 is set as the first transmission destination, and the telephone 6 is set as the second transmission destination. In the present embodiment, the telephone 6 has been described as an example of the notification device of the present invention. The notification device of the present invention may be a facsimile device different from the facsimile device 5, a personal computer, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the processing of the transmission status reporting device 1A, particularly the control unit 12A, will be described. Control unit 12
A has a computer, and the following processing is performed by the control processing function of the computer.

Step 11: In step 11, when a request for transmitting facsimile image data to the facsimile apparatus 5 occurs in step 11, the control unit 12A transmits the communication line 3 and the communication network 4 via the facsimile processing unit 16 and the network processing unit 22. And obtains a communication line to the facsimile machine 5, and calls the facsimile machine 5 as the first transmission destination.

Steps 12 and 23: In step 12, the control unit 12A reads information input through the communication network 4 and the communication line 3 from the network processing unit 22, and determines whether the called facsimile machine 5 has responded. Check. If the called facsimile machine 5 responds normally, normal facsimile transmission is performed, so the control unit 12A shifts to the process of step 23 and “notifies the monitoring state”. Subsequent processing follows the normal facsimile transmission processing.

Steps 12 and 13: If the called facsimile machine 5 does not respond, the control section 12A proceeds to step 13 to read information from the communication network 4 via the network processing section 22 or to detect communication control information. Part 2
Check if 0 has detected a BT signal.

Steps 13 and 14: When the BT signal is not detected, the controller 12A proceeds to step 14
It is checked whether or not the communication control information detection unit 20 that has read the information of the communication network 4 via the network processing unit 22 detects the RBT 2. If the communication control information detection unit 20 has not yet detected the RBT, the control unit 12A returns to the processing of step 13, waits for a predetermined time, and performs the processing of step 13 again.

Steps 14 and 15: When the communication control information detecting section 20 receives the RBT signal, the control section 12A checks in step 15 whether a predetermined calling time has elapsed. If the predetermined calling time has not elapsed, the control unit 12A returns to the process of step S14 and waits until the predetermined time has elapsed.

Steps 15 and 16: The control unit 12A detects no BT for the facsimile machine 5 in the processing of step 13, detects an RBT in the processing of step 14, and elapses a predetermined calling time in the processing of step 15. If it is confirmed, in step 16, the facsimile machine 5 recognizes that it is out of paper and cannot receive it. The control unit 12A further releases the acquired line in step 11, and shifts to the processing in step 18.

Steps 13 and 17: If the communication control information detection section 20 confirms that the BT signal has been detected in step 13, the control section 12A determines in step 17 that "the facsimile apparatus 5 as the first transmission destination is Recognizing "no response", the communication line secured in step 11 is released, and the process proceeds to step 18.

In the facsimile machine status data storage unit 142 of the memory unit 14A, the monitoring result of step 12, the judgment result of step 13, the judgment result of step 14, the judgment result of step 15, the judgment result of step 17, and the judgment result of step 16 The judgment result and the like are stored.

Steps 18, 19 and 24: control unit 12A
In step 18, in order to enable notification with the telephone 6 as the second transmission destination, the network processing unit 22
, The communication line 3 and the communication network 4 are subjected to line acquisition processing. Thereafter, in step 19, the control unit 12A reads the processing result of the communication network 4 via the network processing unit 22, and checks whether the called second transmission destination has responded. If the telephone 6 has not responded, the control unit 12A determines in step 24 that the telephone 6
The processing for releasing the line acquired for the communication is performed on the communication network 4 via the network processing unit 22. Then, the control unit 1
2A returns to the process of step 11, and waits for the next process.

Steps 19 to 21: If the second transmission destination responds, the control unit 12A proceeds to step 20
Facsimile machine status data storage unit 1 of memory unit 14A
The failure state of the facsimile machine 5, which is the first transmission destination, is determined from the data stored in 42. Control unit 12A
In step 21, if the facsimile machine 5 as the first transmission destination does not respond, the telephone 6 is notified of “monitoring state” and “communicating” via the voice / data transmitting / receiving section 18 and the network processing section 22. Is notified (reported). In step 22, the control unit 12A stores the facsimile machine status data storage unit 142 of the memory unit 14A.
It is determined from the data stored in the facsimile machine 5 that is the first transmission destination that the paper has run out, and via the voice / data transmission / reception unit 18 and the network processing unit 22,
The telephone 6 is notified (reported) of "monitoring state" and "paper out".

Thus, the person who has received the report from the telephone 6 can determine from the voice report performed in step 21 that the facsimile apparatus 5 has received facsimile transmission but cannot receive the facsimile by another facsimile transmission. It is possible to know that the facsimile machine 5 is out of paper and is in a state where transmission is not possible from the notification made in step 22. Of course, the person who receives the notification in step 22 replenishes the paper of the facsimile machine 5 and makes the facsimile machine 5 again ready for facsimile reception.

The components of the present invention are associated with the embodiments. The processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in step 11 correspond to the first line acquisition unit of the present invention, and the processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in step 19 correspond to the first line acquisition unit of the present invention. Corresponds to the line acquisition means. Control unit 12 shown in step 12
The processing content of A corresponds to the first monitoring means of the present invention, and the processing content of the control unit 12A shown in step 19 corresponds to the second monitoring means of the present invention. Steps 13, 14, 15,
Also, the processing contents of the control unit 12A shown in steps 16 and 17 correspond to the facsimile apparatus state determination means of the present invention. The processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in step 21 correspond to the first notification unit of the present invention, and the processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in step 22 correspond to the second notification unit of the present invention. It corresponds to the reporting means. The processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in steps 17 and 18 correspond to the first line opening means of the present invention, and the processing of the control unit 12A and the network processing unit 22 shown in step 24 correspond to the present invention. This corresponds to the first line opening means. The control unit 12A has a built-in computer, and control processing performed by the computer has functions equivalent to those of the above-described means.

Although the telephone 6 is exemplified as the reporting device of the present invention, the reporting device of the present invention is not limited to the telephone 6, but may be replaced with various devices capable of reporting information via a telephone line. For example, a second facsimile device different from facsimile device 5 can be used as the notification device. When the second facsimile device is used as the notification device, information notified to the telephone 6 is transmitted to the second facsimile device as image data that can be viewed and recorded. In this case, a circuit equivalent to the facsimile processing unit 16 is provided instead of the voice / data transmission / reception unit 18. A personal computer can be used as the notification device. When a personal computer is used as the reporting device, the transmission status reporting device 1A can report to the personal computer information indicating the failure of the facsimile device 5 in the form of personal computer communication or e-mail. In that case, a personal computer communication processing circuit is provided instead of the voice / data transmission / reception unit 18.

[0037]

According to the present invention, a faulty state of a facsimile apparatus can be identified, and the faulty state can be reported to a reporting device. As a result, for example, in a case where the facsimile machine is out of paper, a recovery operation can be performed quickly and accurately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a transmission status notification device as an embodiment of a transmission status notification device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the transmission status notification device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a transmission status reporting device as a background art of the transmission status reporting device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the transmission status notification device illustrated in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1A: transmission status reporting device 12A: control unit 14A: memory unit 16: facsimile processing unit 18: voice / data transmission / reception unit 20: communication control information detection unit 22: network processing unit

Continued on front page F term (reference) 5C062 AA02 AA12 AA30 AC39 AC41 AE14 AF15 5C075 AB01 CE02 CE03 CE14 CE15 CF04 5K101 KK01 KK13 LL01 PP06 PP09 QQ08 TT06 UU13 UU14 UU15 UU20

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmission status notifying device for monitoring a communication status of a communication system for performing facsimile transmission and communication via a telephone line, wherein a first line obtaining means for obtaining a line for transmission to the facsimile device. First monitoring means for monitoring the status of the destination facsimile machine; second line acquiring means for acquiring a line for reporting to the reporting device for reporting the status of the facsimile apparatus; and facsimile communication. A second monitoring means for monitoring the status of the notification device for notifying the fault condition of the facsimile device; determining whether the facsimile device of the transmission destination can normally receive, whether another transmission is being received, or whether the paper is out of paper and cannot be received; A facsimile apparatus state determining means for determining, when the facsimile apparatus is receiving, the facsimile apparatus is receiving the facsimile apparatus and the facsimile apparatus can transmit to the notification apparatus. First notifying means for notifying that the facsimile apparatus is out of paper and receiving, and notifying the notifying apparatus that the facsimile apparatus is out of paper, and the facsimile apparatus is normal. First line releasing means for releasing a line acquired for transmission to the facsimile apparatus when the information cannot be received, and releasing the line acquired for reporting to the notification apparatus when the message cannot be normally transmitted to the notification device. A transmission status reporting device comprising: