JP2002281213A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide facsimile equipment for allowing a user to easily facilitate countermeasures when image information remains in an image storing function. SOLUTION: In this facsimile equipment having an image storing function, when any unrecorded image information remains in the image storing function, the reason of the storage of the image information and guidance to announce the record output procedure of the image information are visually displayed so that the convenience of a user can be sharply improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having an image storage function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, facsimile apparatuses having an image storage function have been put to practical use. This image storage function is used to realize various functions such as proxy reception when recording paper is exhausted and confidential reception.

[0003]

On the other hand, in a facsimile apparatus provided with an image recording apparatus using plain paper as recording paper, fixed cut paper such as A4 or B4 is mainly used, but various widths and lengths are used. In order to perform the reception, as many types of recording paper as possible are required.

Therefore, functions such as "reduction" and "rotation" are used in order to minimize the number of cassettes to be mounted and to reduce the size of recordings as much as possible and to make it difficult to view by dividing. .

[0005] In this case, for example, if functions such as reduction and rotation are turned on and there is no recording paper necessary to execute those functions, the subsequent pages are replenished with the corresponding recording paper. Until the image is stored in the image storage function, output cannot be performed.

[0006] This is an example, but in a facsimile machine having an advanced function with an image storage function, image information may be left in the image storage function for various other reasons. It's easy to understand why they aren't output and how they can be output.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a facsimile apparatus which enables a user to easily handle a case where image information is left in an image storage function. It is intended to be.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus having an image storage function, when unrecorded image information is stored in the image storage function, the reason for storing the image information and the image The guidance for notifying the information recording and outputting procedure is displayed visually. Further, when the unrecorded image information is accumulated, the use of the function that caused the accumulation is temporarily stopped until the image information is recorded and output. .

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 shows a group 3 facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a system control unit 1 performs a control process of each unit of the group 3 facsimile apparatus and a predetermined group 3 facsimile transmission control procedure process. Stores a control processing program to be executed and various data necessary for executing the processing program, and also constitutes a work area of the system control unit 1. The parameter memory 3 is a group 3 facsimile apparatus. The clock circuit 4 is for storing current time information.

The scanner 5 is for reading a document image at a predetermined resolution, and the plotter 6 is for recording and outputting an image at a predetermined resolution, using plain paper as recording paper. A plurality of paper cassettes (multistage cassettes) are provided as paper feeding means. The operation display unit 7 is for operating the group 3 facsimile apparatus, 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, and is a low-speed modem function (V.21 modem) for exchanging transmission procedure signals and mainly exchanging image information. High-speed modem function (V.17 modem,
V. 34 modem, V.34. 29 modem, V.29. 27ter modem etc.).

The network control unit 11 connects this group 3 facsimile apparatus to the analog public network PSTN, and has an automatic transmission / reception function.

The system control unit 1, system memory 2, parameter memory 3, clock circuit 4, scanner 5, plotter 6, operation display unit 7, encoding / decoding unit 8, image storage device 9, group 3 facsimile modem The network controller 10 and the network controller 11 are connected to an internal bus 12, and data exchange between these components is mainly performed through the internal bus 12.

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

In the group 3 facsimile apparatus, image information is stored in the image storage function for various reasons.

For example, if A4 size and B5 size recording papers are set in the paper feed cassette, A width and B width are set as the receiving capability, and the receiving side reduction function is set, In such a situation, image information is accumulated.

First, the receiving side reduction function will be described.

For example, it is possible to output the recording paper of each size as it is, while receiving the data in a size suitable for the recording paper such as A4 or B5. However, B5
Therefore, since the self-functionality at the time of reception is transmitted to the transmission side as B-width reception is possible, for example, B4 may be received.

If recording is performed with priority given to the width, B5
And the output is divided into two, making it difficult to see. Therefore, when B4 is received in such a case, the image is not divided into B5, but is reduced by B4 → A4 by itself, and output to one sheet of A4 recording paper.

[0023] Such a function is called receiving-side reduction.

In the situation described above, A4
If the recording paper has run out, the image cannot be recorded and output, and the received image information is stored in the image storage device 9. Such an operation is called alternate reception.

In this case, an alternate reception file table as shown in FIG. 2 is created, and after the reception is completed, the user is notified that there is image information that has been alternately received, and the user has received the alternate reception file information. Operation guidance for extracting image information is displayed so that the user can appropriately acquire the received document.

In this case, since the image information is related to the receiving-side reduction function, the operation guidance is, for example, “B4
It is a manuscript. A4 is output at the receiving side reduction. Please replenish A4 recording paper. ", So that the necessary recording paper can be set.

[0027] By doing so, for the user,
The user can clearly indicate the reason why the alternate reception file is not recorded and output and the method of recording and outputting the alternate reception file, so that the usability of the user is greatly improved.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a process when recording received image information.

First, it is checked whether or not the received image information to be recorded has the B width (decision 101).
Is YES, the length of the received image information is
It is checked whether it is equal to or less than a predetermined B5 length threshold (determination 102). Here, the B5 long threshold is B5
This is the number of lines that defines the length that can be output without dividing into recording paper of the same size.

When the result of the decision 102 is NO,
It is checked whether or not the receiving-side reduction function is turned on (decision 103), and if the result of decision 103 is YES, it is checked whether or not A4 size recording paper is set (decision 104). When the result of the determination 104 is YES, the receiving side reduction function as described above is applied, the image of the received image information is reduced, and the image is recorded and output on A4 size recording paper (process 105).

When the image recording for one page is completed in this way, it is checked whether the next page exists in the received image information (decision 106), and when the result of the decision 106 is YES, the process returns to the decision 101, The recording operation is performed for the next page. When the result of the determination 106 is NO, this operation ends.

If the result of determination 104 is NO, the reason is recorded in the proxy reception file (step 10).
7) Save all pages below that page as a proxy reception file (process 108), and end this operation.

When the result of the judgment 102 is YES, or when the result of the judgment 103 is NO,
It is checked whether or not there is B5 size recording paper (determination 109). If the result of determination 109 is YES, the received image of the page is recorded on B5 size recording paper (processing 110). In the process 110, division recording may be performed. Then, the process proceeds to the judgment 106.

If the result of determination 109 is NO, the process proceeds to step 107, where the image information of the subsequent pages including the current page is stored as a proxy reception file.

If the result of the judgment 101 is NO, it is checked whether or not there is A4 size recording paper (judgment 11).
1) When the result of determination 111 is YES, the received image of the page is recorded on A4 size recording paper (step 11).
2), proceed to decision 106;

If the result of the determination 111 is NO, the process proceeds to step 107, where the reason is recorded in the proxy reception file, all pages below that page are stored as the proxy reception file, and this operation is terminated. I do.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a process when a proxy reception file is stored.

First, since the fact that the substitute reception file is stored is displayed to the user, the process waits until the user presses a substitute reception file key (not shown) (determination 201).
When the result of the judgment 201 is YES, it is checked whether or not one or more substitute reception files are stored (decision 202), and when the result of the judgment 202 is NO, this operation is ended.

If the result of the determination 202 is YES, the proxy reception file table is searched to select one proxy reception file (process 203), and an appropriate proxy reception file is selected based on the proxy reception reason of the proxy reception file. The operation guidance is displayed (process 204).

Next, it is checked whether or not the next search has been instructed (step 205). If the result of step 205 is YES, the process returns to step 203 to search for another alternate reception file.

FIG. 5 shows another example of the processing at the time of recording the received image information.

First, it is checked whether or not the received image information to be recorded has the B width (decision 301).
Is YES, the length of the received image information is
It is checked whether it is equal to or less than a predetermined B5 length threshold (determination 302). Here, the B5 long threshold is B5
This is the number of lines that defines the length that can be output without dividing into recording paper of the same size.

When the result of the determination 302 is NO,
It is checked whether or not the receiving side reduction function is turned on (decision 303). If the result of decision 303 is YES, it is checked whether or not A4 size recording paper is set (decision 304). If the result of the determination 304 is YES, the above-described receiving-side reduction function is applied to reduce the image of the received image information and record and output it on A4 size recording paper (process 305).

When the image recording for one page is completed in this way, it is checked whether or not the next page exists in the received image information (decision 306). When the result of the decision 306 becomes YES, the process returns to the decision 301, The recording operation is performed for the next page. When the result of determination 306 is NO, this operation ends.

When the result of the judgment 304 is NO, it is checked whether or not the output of the received image information is set to have priority (decision 307). When the result of the determination 307 is NO, the reason is recorded in the proxy reception file (process 308), and all pages below that page are
The file is saved as a proxy reception file (process 309), and this operation ends.

When the result of the judgment 302 is YES, or when the result of the judgment 303 is NO, or when the result of the judgment 307 is YES, it is checked whether or not there is a B5 size recording sheet ( Decision 310), Decision 31
When the result of 0 is YES, the received image of the page is recorded on B5 size recording paper (process 311). In the process 311, division recording may be performed. Then, control proceeds to decision 306.

If the result of determination 310 is NO, the process proceeds to step 308, where the image information of the subsequent pages including that page is stored as a proxy reception file.

If the result of determination 301 is NO, it is checked whether or not there is A4 size recording paper (determination 31).
2) When the result of determination 312 is YES, the received image of the page is recorded on A4 size recording paper (processing 31).
3), proceed to decision 306.

When the result of the judgment 312 is NO, the flow shifts to the judgment 307, and the subsequent processing is performed.

In this way, in this case, if the output priority is set, it is possible to divide and record on recording paper capable of outputting at the same magnification, so that the situation where the number of surrogate reception files becomes unnecessary becomes unnecessary. can do.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a group 3 facsimile apparatus has been described. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to other various apparatuses.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a facsimile apparatus having an image storage function, when image information that has not been recorded is stored in the image storage function, guidance for notifying the reason for storing the image information and the recording and output procedure of the image information is visually displayed. As a result, there is an effect that the usability of the user is greatly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a group 3 facsimile apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a proxy reception file table.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing when recording received image information.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing example when a proxy reception file is stored.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a process when recording received image information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 System control unit 2 System memory

Claims (2)

[Claims] In a facsimile apparatus having an image storage function, when unrecorded image information is stored in the image storage function,
A facsimile apparatus for visually displaying a guidance for notifying a reason for storing the image information and a procedure for recording and outputting the image information. 2. When the unrecorded image information is accumulated, the use of the function that caused the accumulation is temporarily stopped until the image information is recorded and output. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein