JP2002300360A - Image communication unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image communication unit that can transfer received data to other facsimile terminal with free of charge for a call and record the data therein when a fault takes place in a recording section of the image communication unit and the received data cannot be recorded even if no LAN is built up. SOLUTION: The image communication unit is provided with a Bluetooth interface means that once stores received data to a memory, seeks a facsimile terminal that can record the data and transfers the data to the facsimile terminal when the received image data cannot be recorded due to a fault of the recording section such as shortage of recording paper, jamming of recording paper or shortage of toner or ink.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a Bluetooth device.
h.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, when a facsimile is received, if a received image cannot be recorded due to a failure in a recording unit, such as no recording paper, recording paper jam, or absence of toner or ink, a memory is used. When the received data is held, the paper and the like are replenished, and the trouble of the recording unit is removed, the memory alternate reception for recording the data stored in the memory is performed, and the data stored in the memory is transmitted via a telephone line. Transfer to another facsimile machine.

[0003]

However, in the above-described memory substitute reception, the substitute reception is performed without being noticed by the receiving side operator or without being able to replenish the recording paper, toner, or the like. There is a problem that important information is not transmitted to the receiving side because information cannot be output. This problem significantly impairs the immediacy of information, which is the most significant feature of facsimile machines.

A method for transferring received data stored in a memory to another facsimile via a telephone line is as follows.
Although there is an advantage that the received data can always be recorded without impairing the immediacy, there is a problem that a call fee is charged every time the data is transferred. LAN (Local Aria Ne
2), it is possible to transfer the received data to another facsimile apparatus connected to the LAN without incurring a call charge. In this case, however, the LAN is constructed. In addition, there is a problem that it cannot be realized unless the facsimile apparatus is connected to the environment.

[0005] Further, a transfer technique using a wireless communication is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-196195, but this proposal is to transmit a signal exchanged between another device and a telephone line by a simple wireless method. For example, if a failure occurs in the recording unit during reception, there is a problem that the received data cannot be transferred to another device.

Further, in the above conventional example, when the received image data is transferred, the size and resolution of the image data at the transfer destination do not match. There is a problem that can not be recorded in.

[0007] The above problems also occur in image communication apparatuses such as personal computers having an image communication function.

According to the present invention, when received data cannot be recorded due to a failure in a recording unit, the received data can be transferred to another device without incurring a call charge even if a LAN is not established. It is intended to do so.

It is another object of the present invention to enable an image to be transferred to be converted according to a transfer destination.

It is another object of the present invention to prevent the unnecessary consumption of the capacity of the image memory by erasing the received data in the image memory after the transfer of the received image data.

Further, according to the present invention, when the received image data is transferred, since the recording paper size and resolution at the transfer destination do not match, if the size and resolution of the image data are converted, the received original data can be reliably converted. It is intended to be able to record.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image communication apparatus in which a recording unit records image data received via a telephone line on recording paper.
An image data storage unit for storing the image data, a recording unit failure detection unit for detecting a failure of the recording unit, a wireless communication unit, and a communicable device search unit for searching for a device with which the wireless communication unit can communicate. Communication destination information receiving means for receiving information of a communication destination with which the wireless communication means should communicate, and communication destination information storing means for storing information of the communication destination received by the communication destination information receiving means; When the image data converting means for converting the image data according to the communication destination information and the recording unit failure detecting means detects a failure in the recording unit, the image data is stored in the image data storage means. The communicable device search means searches for a communication partner to which the image data can be transferred, and establishes a wireless connection in accordance with the search result, and stores the wireless data in the image data storage means. The image data are, converted as necessary, to provide an image communication apparatus characterized by a control means for controlling to forward.

In an image communication apparatus capable of performing communication via a wired line and communication via a wireless line, an image storage means for storing an image received via the wired line; A storage unit for storing information about the device, and when transferring the image stored in the image storage unit to another device via the wireless line, transferring the image based on the information stored in the storage unit. And a conversion unit for converting an image to be converted.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus FS1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The facsimile machine FS1 has a CPU 101
, ROM 102, RAM 103, image memory 10
4, the reading control unit 106, the reading unit 107, and the operation unit 1.
08, the communication control unit 109, and the resolution conversion processing unit 111
Encoding / decoding processing unit 112, recording control unit 113,
A recording unit 114, a Bluetooth control unit 115,
1. a Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116;
And a 4 GHz high frequency unit 117.

The CPU 101 is a system control unit.
The entire facsimile apparatus FS1 is controlled. ROM10
2 stores a control program of the CPU 101, an operating system (OS) program, and the like.
01 controls the entire facsimile apparatus FS1 according to a control program stored in the ROM 102.
The RAM 103 is used for arithmetic processing, storing set values registered by an operator, management data of the apparatus, and the like.

The image memory 104 stores read image data and received image data. In the above embodiment, the control programs stored in the ROM 102 are controlled by software such as scheduling and task switches under the control of the OS stored in the ROM 102.

The reading control unit 106 optically reads the original by the photoelectric conversion element in the reading unit 107 and performs various image processing such as binarization processing and halftone processing on the image signal converted into electric image data. And outputs high-definition image data. The operation unit 108 includes various input keys, an LED, an LCD, and the like, and performs various input operations by an operator and displays an operation status of the image processing apparatus.

The communication control unit 109 is composed of a modem (modulator / demodulator), an NCU (network controller), etc., is connected to the communication line 203, and is based on the ITU-T recommendation.
It performs communication control by 30 protocols and line control such as outgoing and incoming calls to a communication line.

The resolution conversion processing unit 111 controls resolution conversion such as millimeter-inch resolution conversion of image data. The code decoding processing unit 112 performs a code decoding process of compressing and expanding image data. The recording control unit 113 performs a resolution conversion process and a smoothing process on the recorded image data so that the recording unit 114 records the image data. In addition, the recording control unit 113
When a failure such as paper out, paper jam, running out of toner (or ink) occurs, failure information is received from the recording unit 114 and the CPU 101 is notified. further,
The recording control unit 113 is configured by a laser beam printer, an ink jet printer, or the like, and has a recording paper detecting unit, a toner (or ink) detecting unit, and a jam detecting unit.

The Bluetooth control unit 115 controls the BL
It is a control unit that performs Bluetooth communication control.
Protocol control is performed in accordance with the standard of
A command from the Bluetooth control task of the PU is converted into a packet and sent to the Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116, and conversely, a packet from the Bluetooth baseband processing unit is
Or send it to

[0022] Bluetooth baseband processing unit 1
Reference numeral 16 performs Bluetooth frequency hopping processing and frame assembly / disassembly processing. The 2.4 GHz high frequency unit 117 is a 2.4 GHz high frequency unit that transmits and receives radio waves. The system bus 120 is a system bus that connects the CPU 101 and each block.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an installation environment of the facsimile machine FS1.

The facsimile apparatus FS1 is connected to the communication line 20.
3 and can communicate with an unspecified number of facsimile machines or a communication terminal 204 such as a PC-FAX through a communication line 203 (only one is shown in the figure). The facsimile apparatuses FS2 and FS3 are connected to the communication line 203 independently of each other, and similarly, can perform facsimile communication with another facsimile apparatus. Further, the facsimile machine F
S1, FS2, and FS3 have Bluetooth interface means and are installed at a position where a piconet can be formed with the facsimile apparatus FS1, and
wireless connection is also possible. Specifically, an office in which a plurality of facsimile machines are installed on one floor is assumed.

Next, a specific operation of the above embodiment will be described.

When there is an incoming call, the facsimile apparatus FS1 causes the communication control unit 109 to close the communication line,
The T.T. Image data is received based on 30 protocols. The received image data is temporarily stored in the image memory 104, and is sequentially transmitted to the encoding / decoding processing unit 112.
Is decoded into raw data (bitmap data), sent to the recording unit 114 via the recording control unit 113, and recorded on recording paper. When the recording is completed successfully, the image memory 1
04 is deleted.

Next, a description will be given of the operation of the above-described embodiment, which is performed when a recording unit fails to record received image data at the time of an incoming call.

In the case where a failure occurs in the recording unit during reception recording and the received image data cannot be recorded, or when the recording unit has already failed at the time of an incoming call and the received image data cannot be recorded, the conventional memory substitute reception is performed. Similarly to the above, the received data is held in the image memory 104, and the communication is completed.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment.

In order to transfer the received data stored in the image memory 104, in step S101, the CPU 1
01 sends a command to the Bluetooth control unit 115 to request piconet formation.

In step S102, Bluetooth
When the control unit 115 receives the piconet formation request command, the control unit 115 enters the inquiry state and proceeds to step S10.
3, the Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116,
The high frequency unit 117 transmits an Inquiry message by radio waves, and in step S104, the surrounding Bluetooth is transmitted.
h Wait for a response from the compatible device. That is, by this operation, a device that can be connected by Bluetooth is searched.

In step S105, if there is a response from a device capable of transferring the received facsimile image data (for example, facsimile device FS2), the process proceeds to the page state of step S106, and the clock of the transfer destination device (facsimile device FS2) is changed. Synchronization is performed, and a piconet connection is established in step S107. If no transferable device is found in step S105,
Do not transfer images.

When the connection with the transfer destination device is established, in step S108, information on the recording paper size, resolution, and supported encoding method of the transfer destination device is obtained. In step S109, the information is confirmed. If the image data to be transferred supports the recordable recording paper size, the same resolution and the same encoding method as the image data, the process proceeds to step S109.
At 110, the received image data stored in the image memory 104 is directly transferred to the transfer destination device.

If data conversion is necessary, in step S111, if the recording paper of the transfer destination device is smaller than the size of the received image data, it is once decoded to raw data (bitmap data) and The size is converted according to the recording paper, and the converted image is encoded again.

Even if the resolution does not match the transfer destination device,
As described above, the image is once decoded into raw data (bitmap data), the resolution is converted (so-called thinning is performed), and the image is encoded again.

If the transfer destination device does not support the encoding method of the received image data, it is once decoded and re-encoded by the encoding method held by the transfer destination device. After converting these data, step S110
Then, transfer is performed. After confirming the end of the transfer in step S112, the piconet is canceled in step S113.
Return to the Standby state.

Next, it is confirmed in step S114 that the data conversion has been performed in step S111. If the data conversion has not been performed, the image data stored in the image memory 104 is deleted in step S115. If the size of the image is converted, information may be lost when the image is recorded at the transfer destination. Therefore, even if the transfer is completed, the image is not erased from the image memory 104 and stored. The held image data is recorded by a predetermined operation after the failure of the recording unit 114 is removed.

Next, data conversion is performed in step S111.
The operation of recording the original image data stored in the image data storage will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of converting data and recording original image data held in the image data storage means in the above embodiment.

When the image data is converted in step S111, in step S201, a display means such as an LED or an LCD in the operation unit 108 displays that there is data in the image memory, and notifies the operator. Step S202
When the operator performs an operation for recording data held in the image memory, the process proceeds to step S203.
To record the image data held in the image memory. When the recording of the image data is completed, step S204
Then, the image data is deleted from the image memory.

According to the above embodiment, the image data stored in the image memory 104 can be transferred to another facsimile machine by Bluetooth.

Also, according to the Bluetooth standard, once the Inquiry state causes the Bluetooth
When a compatible device is searched and the address of the device to be connected is known, the above-described operation can be executed from the Page state while omitting the Inquiry state when establishing a piconet.

The data format at the time of transfer need not be limited to the method described above.
04 when accumulating in ITU-T T.04. It may be converted in advance into an indispensable encoding method (for example, MH method) at 30. Further, when transferring to the transfer destination device, the data may be converted into raw data (bitmap data) and then transferred. By doing so, the trouble of decoding at the transfer destination device can be saved. Once the data has been transferred, the characteristics of the transfer destination device are known, so that the data may be stored and transferred in a format suitable for that.

Further, the above embodiment may be applied to an image communication device such as a personal computer having an image communication function.

By the way, instead of the conventional method of connecting devices by wire, IEEE802.
And Bluetooth, a connection method using wireless communication, has been spotlighted. In particular, since Bluetooth does not specify a connected device due to its characteristics, it is expected to be mounted on all electronic devices and rapidly spread. Even in a facsimile apparatus, a document created by a personal computer is printed without printing.
An application that sends the fax directly to the facsimile apparatus by ooth and sends the fax to the destination without paper is considered. In this way, the facsimile apparatus has a Bluetooth
When h is installed, communication between facsimile apparatuses using Bluetooth is naturally possible.

In the above-described embodiment, even if the recording unit cannot record the received data due to some trouble at the time of reception, the facsimile which can be recorded is searched by Bluetooth and the received data is transferred.
The received data can be recorded using a nearby facsimile machine, and the information can be transmitted to the recipient without impairing the immediacy and without incurring a communication fee. In particular, a great effect can be obtained in an environment where a plurality of facsimile machines are installed in a large-scale office.

That is, according to the above-described embodiment, the facsimile apparatus is not limited to the conventional communication line,
If the environment allows communication with other facsimile machines via the h interface, there is a failure in the recording unit when there is an incoming call, and when the received data cannot be recorded, and when a failure occurs in the recording unit while recording the received data, When the recording of the received data cannot be completed, the received data is transferred to the Bluetooth
Transfer to another facsimile, the received data can be recorded using a nearby facsimile machine, without impairing the immediacy and without incurring communication charges,
Information can be communicated to the recipient.

Further, according to the above embodiment, the transferred image data is erased from the image data storage means, so that the capacity of the image data storage means is prevented from being wasted, and the image data storage means is stored in the image data storage means. It is possible to prevent the reception itself from being disabled due to accumulation of data.

Further, according to the above embodiment, when the image data is transferred, the size and the resolution of the image data are converted because the recording paper size and the resolution do not match with the transfer destination. Even if the image data is stored in the image data storage means and can be recorded by a predetermined operation after the recording unit recovers from the failure, even if the image is missing due to the conversion of the size and resolution of the image data,
Since the received original data can be recorded, important information can be reliably transmitted to the recipient.

[0050]

According to the present invention, when received data cannot be recorded due to a failure in the recording section, the received data can be transferred to another facsimile apparatus without incurring a call charge even if a LAN is not established. Is transferred and recorded.

Further, since the image to be transferred is converted in accordance with the transfer destination, it is possible to prevent useless transfer such as recording and outputting at the transfer destination.

Further, when the received image data has been transferred, the received data in the image memory is erased, thereby preventing unnecessary consumption of the capacity of the image memory.

When transferring the received image data,
If the size and resolution of the image data are converted because the recording paper size and resolution at the transfer destination do not match, the received original data can be reliably recorded.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation environment of a facsimile machine FS1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of converting data and recording original image data held in image data storage means in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 FS1, FS2, FS3: facsimile machine, 101: CPU, 102: ROM, 103: RAM, 104: image memory, 106: read control unit, 107: read unit, 108: operation unit, 109: communication control unit, 111: Resolution conversion processing section, 112: code decoding processing section, 113: recording control section, 114: recording section, 115: Bluetooth control section, 116: Bluetooth baseband processing section, 117: 2.4 GHz high frequency section.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page F term (reference) 5C062 AA30 AA37 AB22 AB38 AB42 AC22 AC43 AC58 AF02 BC04 5C073 BD03 CD02 CD07 5C075 AB06 CA14 CE03 5K067 AA26 BB21 DD52 EE12 EE35 HH23 5K101 KK01 LL11 QQ04 QQ10RR

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus in which a recording unit records image data received via a telephone line on a recording sheet, image data storage means for storing the image data, and recording for detecting a failure in the recording unit. Wireless communication means; communicable device search means for searching for a device with which the wireless communication means can communicate; communication partner information for receiving information of a communication partner with which the wireless communication unit should communicate Receiving means; communication destination information storage means for storing information of the communication destination received by the communication destination information receiving means; image data converting means for converting the image data according to the communication destination information; When the recording unit failure detecting means detects a failure in the recording unit, the image data is stored in the image data storage means, and a communication destination capable of transferring the image data is transmitted to the communication destination. Control means for performing a search by a function device search means, establishing a wireless connection in accordance with the search result, converting the image data stored in the image data storage means as necessary, and transferring the image data. And an image communication device comprising: 2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein when the transfer of the image data stored in the image data storage unit is completed, the stored image data is replaced with
An image communication device, wherein the image data is deleted from the image data storage means. 3. The image data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image data is converted when transferring the image data stored in the image data storage device. An image communication device, comprising: 4. An image communication apparatus capable of communicating with a wired line and communicating with a wireless line, comprising: an image storage unit for storing an image received via the wired line; Storage means for storing information about the device; and transferring the image stored in the image storage means to another device via the wireless line, based on the information stored in the storage means. Conversion means for converting an image to be converted. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether to delete the image stored in the image storage unit, based on whether the transferred image has been converted. Image communication device. 6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the communication via the wireless line is communication based on the Bluetooth standard. 7. The image communication device according to claim 4, wherein the image communication device has an output unit that records and outputs the data stored in the data storage unit to a recording sheet, and the transfer is capable of being output by the output unit. An image communication device, which is performed in accordance with the following. 8. The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein the image communication device is a facsimile device.