JP2002142038A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal that can properly realize an energy-saving function of a communication unit provided with an option. SOLUTION: A main body device and a network communication means are respectively provided with an energy-saving function and make independently an energy-saving operation and the main body device and the network communication means take synchronization of the energy-saving operation. Thus, the energy-saving mode can properly be operated and the entire communication terminal can smoothly be operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal device having a communication function for performing communication via a public network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a function of performing image information communication using electronic mail connected to a local area network or the Internet, and a predetermined facsimile transmission between a facsimile apparatus connected to a public network and a public network. A network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging facsimile data using a procedure has been put into practical use, and a facsimile communication system using this network facsimile apparatus has also been put into practical use. Further, in such a network facsimile apparatus, a technical recommendation relating to an e-mail communication function for communicating image information using an e-mail is described in ITU-T Recommendation T.40. 37 applies.

[0003] Such a network facsimile apparatus is realized not only by manufacturing a dedicated model, but also by mounting an option for connecting to a local area network to a group 3 facsimile apparatus.

[0004]

On the other hand, as a function of the facsimile machine, an energy saving function for reducing power consumption during standby is provided.

[0005] Of the above-mentioned network facsimile apparatuses, in the case of a group 3 facsimile apparatus constructed by mounting an option for connecting a local area network to a group 3 facsimile apparatus, the optional local area network connection means does not have an energy saving function. The problem is that a great energy saving effect cannot be obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a communication terminal device that can appropriately realize the energy saving function of a communication device having options.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a communication terminal device having a communication function for performing communication via a public network.
A network communication means for connecting to other network means and performing communication via the network means is externally provided, and the main unit and the network communication means each have an energy saving function, perform an energy saving operation independently, and The operation is synchronized between the main unit and the network communication means.

The network communication means is supplied with power from the main unit.

When the main unit shifts from the energy-saving state to the energy-saving release state, if the network communication unit is in the energy-saving state, the main unit issues a return command for returning the network communication unit from the energy-saving state to the normal power supply state. It is issued to the network communication means.

When the network communication means shifts from the energy-saving state to the energy-saving release state, if the main unit is in the energy-saving state, the network communication means issues a release command to cancel the energy-saving state of the main unit to the main unit. It is like that.

Further, a shared memory for exchanging data between the main unit and the network communication means is provided, and the main unit is provided with a first memory indicating whether or not the shared memory is in an energy saving state. Along with storing the flag information, the network communication unit stores second flag information indicating whether or not the apparatus is in an energy saving state in the shared memory.
Based on the second flag information, it is determined whether or not the network communication unit is in the energy saving state. The network communication unit sets the main unit in the energy saving state based on the first flag information. It is determined whether or not it is set.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 shows a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a local area network LAN includes a plurality of workstations WS1 to WS1.
WSn, the mail server device SM, and the network facsimile device FX are connected, and also connected to the Internet via the router device RT.
Therefore, the workstation devices WS1 to WSn,
The mail server device SM and the network facsimile device FX can exchange data with other appropriate terminal devices via the Internet.

Here, the mail server device SM collects well-known e-mails for users using the workstation devices WS1 to WSn connected to the local area network LAN and for the network network facsimile device FX. It provides distribution services.

Also, a local area network LAN
Are connected to the Internet via a router device RT, whereby the workstation devices WS1 to WS
The Sn, the mail server device SM, and the network facsimile device FX can exchange various data with a host device or the like connected to another local area network or the like.

The workstation devices WS1 to WSW
Various programs such as facsimile application software for creating, displaying, and outputting facsimile image information, and various software for exchanging various data via a local area network LAN are installed in Sn. Is used by the user. Here, the specific user is
There may be one or more users.

Further, a network facsimile machine FX
Is an e-mail processing function for exchanging image information and various reports as e-mail, and image information transmission by a group 3 facsimile transmission procedure by connecting to a public network (PSTN) and using the public network as a transmission path. It has a transmission function to perform

FIG. 2 shows a network facsimile apparatus F
3 shows an example of the configuration of X.

In FIG. 1, a network facsimile machine FX includes a main unit MU having a group 3 facsimile machine function and a local area network LA.
It is constructed by combining two units of a local area network unit LU having a function of exchanging e-mail by connecting to N.

In the main unit MU, the system control unit 1
Performs various control processes such as a control process of each unit of the network facsimile machine FX and a facsimile transmission control procedure process.
A control processing program to be executed by the system control unit 1 and various data necessary for executing the processing program are stored, and a work area of the system control unit 1 is configured. The clock circuit 4 is for storing various kinds of information unique to the network facsimile machine FX, and outputs current time information.

The scanner 5 is for reading a document 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 network facsimile apparatus. It is used to operate the FX, and includes various operation keys and various display devices.

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

The network control unit 11 is for connecting the network facsimile machine FX to the analog public network PSTN, and has an automatic transmission / reception function.

In the local area network unit LU, the local area network transmission control section 21 connects the network facsimile machine FX to the local area network LAN,
It is for executing communication control processing of various predetermined protocol suites for exchanging various data with other data terminal devices via the local area network LAN, and the electronic mail processing unit 22 includes: This is for exchanging e-mail via the local area network LAN.

The system control unit 1, the system memory 2, the parameter memory 3, the clock circuit 4, the scanner 5, the plotter 6, the operation display unit 7, the encoding / decoding unit 8, the image storage device 9, the group 3 facsimile modem The network control device 10, the network control device 11, and the electronic mail processing unit 22 are connected to the internal bus 13. Data exchange between these components is mainly performed through the internal bus 14.

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

Here, in this embodiment, basically,
Data exchange between terminals connected to the local area network LAN is a so-called TCP / I
This is performed by applying a combination (a so-called protocol suite) of a transmission protocol up to a transport layer called P and a communication protocol of a higher layer than that. For example, in the exchange of e-mail data, SMTP (Simple) is used as the upper layer communication protocol.
A communication protocol called Mail Transfer Protocol is applied.

The protocol applied by each terminal to the mail server device SM for confirming the receipt of an e-mail addressed to the user or requesting the user to obtain the e-mail is a so-called POP.
(Post Office Protocol) or the like can be applied.

Communication protocols such as TCP / IP, SMTP, and POP, and the data format and data structure of electronic mail are specified by RFC documents issued by the IETF. For example, TCP is RFC793, IP is RFC793, SM
TP is RFC821, E-mail format is RFC82
2, RFC1521, RFC1522 (MIME (Mu
lti PurposeMail Extension
n) format).

Then, the network facsimile machine F
X transmits the read document image to another group 3 facsimile apparatus via the public network PSTN, or a local area network LAN (further, the Internet)
And transmits the image information received from another group 3 facsimile apparatus via the public network PSTN to the user of the workstation apparatus WS1 to WSn or another network facsimile apparatus FX via the public network PSTN. The image information transferred to the corresponding user by e-mail or received from the workstation WS of the local area network LAN (by e-mail) is transmitted to the designated public network PSTN.
And a transfer service function for transferring data to a group 3 facsimile machine.

For an electronic mail received to the terminal itself, image information arranged in the body information is extracted, recorded and output.

Here, the facsimile image information is binary data, and the electronic mail cannot directly include the binary data. Therefore, a predetermined conversion method (for example,
After being converted into readable information (7-bit character code) by applying the Base64 encoding method, it is included in the electronic mail. Such a format of the body information of the electronic mail is called a MIME format.

The facsimile image information carried by e-mail is obtained by compressing the original image data by MH encoding and converting it into a TIFF-F format.
Mime-converted IFF-F data is arranged.

Here, in the TIFF-F format,
Since image data of a plurality of pages can be collected as one file, data of one transmission image information file including a plurality of pages can be arranged in one binary part.

Now, the network facsimile machine FX in this embodiment has an energy saving function.
In this energy saving function, when the standby state is continued for a certain period of time, or when an energy saving (energy saving) key (not shown) of the operation display unit 7 is operated and the user issues a command to shift to the energy saving state, the energy saving state is entered. Transition. Also, in the energy saving state, any energy saving release event, for example, a user operation or an analog public network PS
When an incoming call from the TN, a document set to the scanner 5, reception of an e-mail, and the like are detected, the energy saving state is released and the apparatus returns to the normal power supply state.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a power supply control system for the energy saving function.

In the figure, the main unit MU is provided with a power supply unit 25, and the output of the power supply unit 25 is supplied via a switch 26 as a normal power supply PMa to a system control unit 1 operating in a normal power supply state and to the system control unit 1. Other elements have been added.

The output from the power supply unit 25 is used as a standby power supply PL as a switch control unit 2 for performing a control operation and detecting an energy-saving release event in an energy-saving state.
7, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 28 for controlling an energy saving function, a document detection unit of the scanner 5, and an operation unit of the operation display unit 7.

The switch control unit 27 is provided with the switch 2
6 is controlled, and the control operation thereof is controlled by a command from the CPU 28. Also,
The system control unit 1, the scanner 5, the operation display unit 7, and the network control device 11 exchange various kinds of information regarding the energy saving function with the CPU 28.

The output of the power supply unit 25 is also applied to the local area network unit LU. The output of the power supply unit 25 is supplied to the CPU 22 of the e-mail processing unit 22 operating in the normal power supply state via the switch 29 as the normal power supply PMa.
a and so on.

The output of the power supply unit 25 is used as a standby power supply PL as a switch control unit 30, a shared memory 22b for exchanging data related to an energy saving function between the main unit MU and the local area network unit LU, and , Local area network transmission control unit 21.

The shared memory 22b is used for exchanging information regarding functions between the CPU 28 and the local area network transmission control unit 21 in a manner that saves energy. Specifically, an energy saving flag A indicating that the main unit MU is in the energy saving state and an energy saving flag B indicating that the local area network unit LU is in the energy saving state are stored in the shared memory 22b. .

With the above configuration, the energy saving function
U28 executes a process as shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, when the standby state has continued for a certain period of time, or when the energy saving key of the operation display unit 7 is operated and the user issues a command to shift to the energy saving state, the system control unit 1 , Requesting the transition to the energy saving mode.

Therefore, the CPU 28 controls the system control unit 1
The CPU 28 monitors that the shift to the energy saving mode is required (NO loop of the determination 101), and when the shift to the energy saving mode is requested by the system control unit 1 and the result of the determination 101 becomes YES, the CPU 28 The energy saving flag A of the shared memory 22b is set (process 102), and the switch 26 is turned off by the switch control unit 27 (process 10).
3).

As a result, the normal power supply PMa output via the switch 26 is shut off, and the main unit MU shifts to the energy saving mode.

In the energy saving mode, when a user operation is performed, the operation display unit 7 notifies the CPU 28 of the occurrence of an energy saving cancellation factor. In addition, analog public network PST
N, when the incoming call matches, the network control device 11 sends the
8 is notified of the occurrence of an energy saving cancellation factor. further,
When a document is set on the scanner 5, the scanner 5
U28 is notified of the occurrence of the energy saving cancellation factor.

Therefore, in this energy saving mode, it is monitored that any energy saving canceling factor occurs (NO loop of decision 104), and any energy saving canceling factor occurs and the result of decision 104 becomes YES. Then, the switch 26 is turned on by the switch control unit 27 (Process 1).
05), the energy saving flag A of the shared memory 22b is reset (process 106).

Thus, the normal power supply PMa is supplied to each element via the switch 26, and as a result, the main unit MU
The energy saving mode is canceled and the power returns to the normal power supply state.

Here, the energy saving flag B of the shared memory 22b is checked to check whether the local area network unit LU is in the energy saving mode (decision 10).
7). If the local area network unit LU is not in the energy saving mode,
When it becomes O, the operation at this time ends.

On the other hand, if the result of determination 107 is YES, the process waits until the local area network unit LU is returned (NO loop of determination 108), and the local area network unit LU is returned to determination state 108 When the result of step (1) is YES, a return instruction SC1 is sent to the switch control unit 30 (step 109), and this operation ends.

Further, the switch control unit 30, which has received the return command SC1, turns on the switch 29, whereby the normal power PMb is applied to the CPU 22a and other various elements via the switch 29, and the local area network unit The energy saving mode of the LU is released and the LU returns to the normal power supply state.

In the local area network unit LU, the energy saving function is controlled by the local area network transmission control unit 21. FIG. 5 shows an example of processing executed by the local area network transmission control unit 21 for the energy saving function.

First, the local area network transmission control section 21 sends the local area network unit LU
It is monitored that the standby state has passed for a predetermined time or more (NO loop of judgment 201). When the standby state of the local area network unit LU has elapsed for a predetermined time or more and the result of the determination 201 is YES, the energy saving flag B of the shared memory 22b is set (processing 202), and the switch 29 is turned off by the switch control unit 30. (Step 203).

As a result, the normal power supply PMb output via the switch 29 is cut off, and the local area network unit LU shifts to the energy saving mode.

Further, in this energy saving mode, the local area network transmission control unit 21 monitors whether or not an e-mail which is a factor for canceling the energy saving is received (NO loop of the judgment 204).

For example, when the local area network transmission control section 21 inquires of the mail server device SM about reception of an electronic mail by applying POP, the mail server device SM receives the electronic mail in response to the inquiry. , It is determined that an e-mail has been received. When the local area network transmission control unit 21 has the SMTP function, and when an e-mail is received from the mail server device SM which is the upstream MTA, it is determined that the e-mail is received.

If the e-mail is received, the judgment 20
If the result of step 4 is YES, the local area network transmission control section 21 turns on the switch 29 by the switch control section 30 (step 205) and resets the energy saving flag B of the shared memory 22b (step 20).
6).

As a result, the normal power supply PMb is applied to the CPU 22a and other elements via the switch 29, the energy saving mode of the local area network unit LU is released, and the e-mail processing unit 22 is activated, After receiving the mail, the CPU 22a of the e-mail processing unit 22 checks the energy saving flag A of the shared memory 22b to check whether the main unit MU is in the energy saving mode (determination 207).

If the result of determination 207 is NO when the main unit MU is not in the energy saving mode, the processing at this time ends.

When the main unit MU is in the energy saving mode and the result of the judgment 207 is YES, the CPU 22a outputs the energy saving cancel instruction SC2 to the CPU 28 (process 208) and receives it. The contents of the e-mail are transmitted to main unit MU (process 209), and the operation at this time ends.

As described above, in this embodiment, the main unit MU and the local area network unit LU control the transition to and release from the energy saving mode, respectively.
If the local area network unit LU is in the energy saving mode when the main unit MU is released from the energy saving mode, the local area network unit LU is released from the energy saving mode and the local area network unit LU is released from the energy saving mode. When the main unit MU is in the energy saving mode at the time of the operation, the energy saving mode of the main unit MU is released, whereby the energy saving mode is set between the main unit MU and the local area network unit LU. Since the operation is synchronized with the network facsimile apparatus F, the energy-saving mode can be appropriately operated.
X can operate smoothly as a whole.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a communication terminal device having a communication function of performing communication via a public network, the communication terminal device is connected to another network means, an external network communication means for performing communication via the network means is provided, and a main device and the network communication Each of the means has an energy saving function and independently performs an energy saving operation. The energy saving operation is synchronized between the main unit and the network communication means, so that the energy saving mode can be appropriately operated. This has the effect of enabling smooth operation of the entire communication terminal device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a network facsimile machine FX.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a power supply control system related to an energy saving function.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a CPU 28 for an energy saving function.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by a local area network transmission control unit 21 for the energy saving function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 MU main unit LU local area network unit 21 local area network transmission control unit 28 CPU (central processing unit)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A communication terminal device having a communication function of performing communication via a public network, wherein said communication terminal device is connected to another network means, and externally includes a network communication means for performing communication via said network means. A communication terminal device, characterized in that the device and the network communication means each have an energy saving function, independently perform an energy saving operation, and synchronize the energy saving operation between the main device and the network communication means. 2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said network communication means is supplied with power from said main device. 3. When the main unit shifts from the energy saving state to the energy saving release state, if the network communication unit is in the energy saving state, the main unit issues a return command for returning the network communication unit from the energy saving state to the normal power supply state. 3. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal device issues the communication terminal device to a network communication unit. 4. The network communication unit, when shifting from the energy saving state to the energy saving release state, if the main unit is in the energy saving state, issues a release command to cancel the energy saving state of the main unit to the main unit. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The communication terminal device according to claim 1. 5. A shared memory for exchanging data between the main device and the network communication means, wherein the main device indicates to the shared memory whether or not the device is in an energy saving state. Along with storing the flag information, the network communication unit stores second flag information indicating whether or not the apparatus is in an energy saving state in the shared memory, and the main device is configured to store the second flag information based on the second flag information. Determining whether the network communication unit is in an energy saving state, and determining whether the main unit is in an energy saving state based on the first flag information. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal device is a communication terminal device.