JP2001007952A - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile machine which evades the trouble of connection work of a signal cable and realizes a user environment capable of sufficiently utilizing its functions. SOLUTION: A PC(personal computer) card memory 30 can be inserted into a PC card slot 17 of the facsimile machine 10, and a PC card controller 16 controls data input/output or the like of the PC card memory 30. FAX document data or print-out document data generated by a personal computer 20 is recorded in the PC card memory 30, and data showing the document form, FAX number data and transmission appointed time data are recorded together. When the PC card memory 30 is inserted into the PC card slot, data is automatically transmitted by FAX at a transmission appointed time in the case of a facsimile document or is automatically printed out in the case of a print-out document.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly, to the transmission and reception of a facsimile document by a facsimile machine and printout, and to a technique applicable to a multifunction machine / copier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A facsimile apparatus equipped with a PC-FAX function can transmit a facsimile (FAX) document from a personal computer (PC).
It requires time and effort to connect X with a cable. In some cases, the cable connection is omitted by using optical communication, but there is a restriction that a PC must be arranged near the device.

Further, it is impossible to send a FAX document by referring to a FAX number database on the PC side or to send a FAX document at a designated time, which is not convenient.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has been developed to provide a facsimile machine which avoids the troublesome work of connecting signal cables and establishes a use environment in which functions can be fully utilized. It is intended to provide a device.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a personal computer (PC) is provided.
A facsimile apparatus having a card slot and capable of reading data stored in a PC memory card inserted in the PC card slot, reading facsimile document data stored in the PC memory card, and facsimile transmitting the read facsimile document data. Is made possible.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the storage data further includes destination number data for facsimile transmission, the facsimile is transmitted to a destination according to the read destination number data. It is characterized by enabling facsimile transmission of document data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, when the storage data further includes transmission time data of facsimile transmission, the read storage data is stored in a memory of the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile transmission of the facsimile document is enabled at a time according to the transmission time data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus having a PC card slot and capable of reading data stored in a PC memory card inserted into the PC card slot, wherein printout document data stored in the PC memory card is provided. Is read, and the read-out printout document data can be automatically printed out.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a facsimile apparatus (FAX main body), and 11 denotes a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus. , 12 are constituted by a CCD or a contact image sensor, an AD conversion unit, an image processing unit, etc., and an image reading unit for outputting read data as a digital signal, and 13 is constituted by a laser / thermal printing unit, etc., and print out on paper. A printing unit 14 comprising a number input key, a function key and the like; an operation unit for inputting data; 15 a facsimile communication control unit and an image information compression / decompression unit (DCR unit), which are responsible for facsimile communication; Reference numeral 16 denotes a PC card controller for controlling data input / output of the PC card memory, and reference numeral 17 denotes a PC card slot.

[0010] Using a PC card slot mounted on a personal computer (PC) 20, a FAX document or a printout document created by the PC 20 is transferred to the FAX body 10 via the PC card memory 30, and the document is transmitted by FAX. Print out.

When the image information data stored in the PC card memory 30 is a facsimile document, the PC card controller 16 of the facsimile body 10 converts the image information data into a D file.
Data format conversion is also performed so that it can be compressed by CR, and if the image information data is a printout document, it can be processed by the printing unit.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a format of data stored in a memory card. The PC memory card has (1) document form, (2) FAX number, (3)
The designated transmission time and (4) the image information are stored for each document.

The information of each item described above is used for the following purposes. (1) Document form: The FAX document is set to "1" and the printout document is set to "0", and is used to identify the document. (2) FAX number: FAX transmission destination number (example: 0123)
In the case of -45-6789, "012345789") is designated. This realizes automatic transmission by inserting the PC card memory into the FAX body. If data is not stored (data is "0": initial value), input from the body key is requested.

(3) Transmission designation time: Designates the transmission time of the FAX document ("1830" at 18:00). However, if the transmission process is to be executed immediately after the PC card memory is inserted into the FAX body, "9999" is designated. (4) Image information: Stores image information data of a FAX document and a printout document. The document data is in a generally used format (tiff, jpeg, M).
R, MH, etc.) in the PC card memory 30;
Make it available on other notebook computers.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure in one embodiment of the present invention. FAX PC 10
As soon as the PC card memory 30 is inserted into the card slot 17, the document form information is read in step S1. If the document format is a FAX document, data such as FAX number / designated transmission time / image information stored in the PC card memory 30 is transferred to the memory of the FAX body 10 in step S2.
Next, in step S3, the FAX number data of the transmission destination is read. If the data is not stored, an instruction is made to input a number from the operation unit 14 of the FAX body 10 in step S8, and the input data is used as the FAX number data. Store it in the memory of the fax machine.

In step S4, the completion of data transfer to the FAX main body memory is notified. Thereafter, in step S5, the designated transmission time data is read. If the data is other than "9999", the process proceeds to step S10, where the document data is held in the FAX body until the designated time, and the transmission process is executed at the designated time. If the data is "9999", the transmission process is immediately executed in step S6.

If the document format is a print-out document in step S1, the process proceeds to step S7, where after inserting the PC card memory 30 into the PC card slot 17, immediately reads only the image information and executes the print-out procedure.

[0018]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the use of the PC card memory eliminates the need for cable connection, and the PC card memory can be used.
FAX transmission is possible only by removing and inserting the card memory.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, for example, FAX on the PC side
By storing the FAX number in the PC card memory with reference to the number database, it is possible to perform automatic FAX transmission after inserting the PC card memory without requiring a dial operation on the FAX body.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by storing the transmission time specified on the PC side in the PC card memory,
FAX automatically at specified time read from card memory
It is possible to send. Further, when the PC card memory is inserted into the FAX main body, the data of the FAX number, the designated time, and the image information are transferred to the main body memory. Therefore, when making a call, the PC card memory storing the FAX document is inserted. No need.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the use of the PC card memory eliminates the need for a cable connection, and the document can be printed out only by inserting and removing the PC card memory.

[0022]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a format of data stored in a memory card.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Facsimile apparatus, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Image reading part, 13 ... Printing part, 14 ... Operation part, 15 ... Communication part, 16 ... PC card controller, 17 ... PC card slot, 20 ... Personal computer (PC) , 3
0: PC card memory.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having a PC card slot and capable of reading data stored in a PC memory card inserted into the PC card slot, wherein facsimile document data stored in the PC memory card is read and read. A facsimile apparatus wherein facsimile transmission of facsimile document data is enabled. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the stored data further includes destination number data for facsimile transmission, the facsimile document data is sent to a destination according to the read destination number data. A facsimile apparatus characterized in that facsimile transmission is possible. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the storage data further includes transmission time data of facsimile transmission, the read storage data is transferred to a memory of the facsimile apparatus. And facsimile transmission of the facsimile document at a time according to the transmission time data. 4. A facsimile apparatus having a PC card slot and capable of reading data stored in a PC memory card inserted into the PC card slot.
A facsimile apparatus which reads out printout document data stored in a memory card and automatically prints out the readout printout document data.