JP2003008799A - Facsimile system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize immediacy of each communication protocol in a facsimile system, equipped with a receiver means for receiving the image data using a plurality of communication protocols. SOLUTION: In an Internet facsimile system 20, the image data can be received using a plurality of communication protocols. ROM 6 stores a print job priority table for setting the priority order of print for each communication protocol. The main control unit 1 sets the priority order on the image data for each print job, on the basis of the print job priority table 6a and makes each image data printed under control.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine having a receiving means for receiving image data using a plurality of communication protocols.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an Internet facsimile machine capable of performing facsimile communication via a LAN or the Internet in addition to a public telephone network, the following print jobs are generated in addition to the print jobs by the G3 and G4 facsimile reception. . (A) A print job of image data by receiving an e-mail to which image data is attached via a LAN or the Internet using SMTP or POP. 37 and T.I. Print job by Internet fax reception conforming to 38. (B) A print job by the copy function using the scanner of the own machine. (C) Client personal computer to LAN
A so-called "network print" print job received via the.

In the conventional Internet facsimile machine, print jobs are executed based on the order in which the print jobs occur.

[0004]

For example, a print job of image data by SMTP has immediacy as compared with a print job of image data by POP, but if another print job is accumulated, it is printed after that. It will be S
There is a problem that the immediacy of a print job of image data by MTP is not utilized.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and, in a facsimile apparatus provided with a receiving means for receiving image data using a plurality of communication protocols, a facsimile apparatus which can utilize the immediacy of each communication protocol. To provide.

[0006]

A facsimile machine according to the present invention is a facsimile machine provided with a receiving means for receiving image data using a plurality of communication protocols,
When the image data of a plurality of print jobs is received by the storage unit that stores the priority order table that sets the print priority order for each of the communication protocols, and when the image data of the plurality of print jobs is received by the receiving unit, And a control unit that sets a priority order for the image data and controls the image data to be printed.

In the above facsimile apparatus, preferably, when the image data of the print job having a higher priority is received by the receiving means while the image data of the print job is being printed, the control means is The present invention is characterized in that the print job being executed is interrupted, and the image data of the print job having a higher priority is controlled to be preferentially printed.

Further, in the above facsimile apparatus,
Preferably, when printing the image data of the print job, when the image data of the print job of higher priority is received by the receiving unit, the control unit, after ending the print job in execution, The image data of a print job having a higher priority is controlled to be printed with priority.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus 20 having a print job priority function according to an embodiment of the present invention. The Internet facsimile machine 20 is a facsimile machine capable of receiving image data using a plurality of communication protocols, and the ROM 6 stores a print job priority table 6a in which a print priority for each communication protocol is set. When the main control unit 1 receives the image data of a plurality of print jobs, the main control unit 1 sets priorities for the image data of the print jobs based on the print job priority table 6a and prints the image data. The feature is that it is controlled to

Further, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 20 is printing image data of a print job and receives image data of a print job of a higher priority, such as a print job of image data by SMTP, The main control unit 1 controls to interrupt the print job in execution and give priority to printing the image data of the print job having a higher priority. Furthermore, when image data of a print job with a higher priority such as a print job of “network print” is received while printing the image data of the print job, the main control unit 1
After the print job in execution is finished, the image data of the print job with a higher priority is controlled to be printed with priority.

In FIG. 1, the Internet facsimile machine 20 has a facsimile communication function such as the conventional G3 system and a print job priority function. The main control unit 1 is specifically configured by a CPU, is connected to the following hardware units via a bus 13 and controls them, and also executes various software functions described later. The image reading unit 2 reads a document with a scanner using a CCD or the like and outputs dot image data converted into monochrome binary. The image recording unit 3 is a printer device such as an electrophotographic system, and prints out and records the image data received by facsimile communication from another facsimile device as a hard copy.
The display unit 4 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a CRT display, and displays the operating state of the Internet facsimile machine 20 and displays image data of a document to be transmitted and received image data. To do.

The operation unit 5 is provided with character keys necessary for operating the Internet facsimile machine 20, a numeric keypad for dialing, a speed dial key, a one-touch dial key, and various function keys. The display unit 4 may be of a touch panel type so that some or all of the various keys of the operation unit 5 may be substituted.

The ROM 6 previously stores various software programs required for the operation of the Internet facsimile machine 20 and executed by the main control unit 1. Here, the ROM 6 stores the print job priority table 6a of FIG. These programs are, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disks, MO, DVD-
The program may be recorded in a recording medium such as a RAM and loaded into the SRAM 7 via the drive device as necessary to execute the program. The SRAM 7 is used as a working area of the main control unit 1 and stores temporary data generated when the program is executed. Where SRAM
7 stores the print job waiting table 7a in FIG. The compact flash (registered trademark) 8 has a role of a so-called image memory and a memory as a program recording medium.

The fax modem 10 is a public telephone line L.
It is a modem that is connected to the public telephone network 50 via the and has a function of a fax modem for ordinary facsimile communication. NCU (Network Control Circuit: Network Control
Unit) 11 is a hardware circuit for closing and opening a DC loop of an analog public telephone line L and having an automatic dialing function, and connects the fax modem 10 to the public telephone line L as necessary. . Where N
The CU 11 detects an ID receiving terminal activation signal and a normal telephone ringing signal in the calling telephone number notification service, and can send a primary response signal and a secondary response signal in the calling telephone number notification service as necessary. it can. The NCU 11 may be connected to a digital line (for example, ISDN line) of a baseband transmission system via a predetermined terminal adapter and a DSU (subscriber line terminating device: Digital Service Unit).

The interface circuit 12 is an interface circuit for performing signal conversion of signals and data and protocol conversion in order to connect the Internet facsimile machine 20 to a LAN 30 such as Ethernet (registered trademark). The mail server device 31, the router device 32, and the client personal computers 60-1 and 60-2 are connected.

Further, the router device 32 is a destination mail server device (not shown) via the Internet 40.
Connected to. The Internet facsimile machine 2
When sending image data from 0 with the image data attached to the mail body, the LAN interface 12 to the LAN 30
After sending it to the mail server device 31 via the Internet, the mail server device 31 sends the Internet mail to the LA server.
A mail is sent to the destination facsimile machine via the N30, the router device 32, the Internet 40, and the destination mail server device (not shown). On the other hand, when receiving the Internet mail, it is received through the reverse route. Here, as a method for receiving the Internet net mail from the mail server device 31, POP3 may be used or SMTP may be used. The line connection to the Internet 40 is not limited to a dedicated line,
A dial-up connection using the public telephone line L may be used.

The internet facsimile apparatus 20 of the present embodiment configured as described above has a print job priority function in addition to a normal G3 system facsimile communication function. In the facsimile communication function, the dot image data read by the image reading unit 2 has the MH, MR, and
After being encoded by software in accordance with an encoding method such as MMR, it is transmitted to the facsimile machine of the other party, while the encoded data received from the facsimile machine of the other party is also decoded into image data by the software and imaged. It is output as a hard copy from the recording unit 3.

This Internet facsimile machine 20
In, the following print job occurs. (A) ITU-T recommended T.M. A print job by facsimile reception using 30 communication procedures. (B) A print job of image data by receiving an e-mail to which image data is attached via the LAN 30 or the Internet 40 using SMTP or POP. 37 and T.I. Print job by Internet fax reception conforming to 38. (C) A print job by the copy function using the scanner of the own machine. (D) A print job called a “network print” received from the client personal computer 60-1 or 60-2 via the LAN 30.

In this embodiment, when these print jobs occur, the main control unit 1 refers to the print job priority table 6a in the ROM 6 to determine the priority order of the generated print jobs in the queue. Then, the queue of print jobs that are being printed or that have not been printed is stored in the SRAM.
The priority order of print jobs is controlled by managing them using the print job waiting table 7a in 7.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the print job priority table 6a stored in the ROM 6 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, in the print job priority table 6a, priorities (here, higher priority numbers are attached to higher priority numbers) according to the print job receiving method. And print switching timing are stored. In the example of FIG. 2, the SMTP-received print job has the highest priority, interrupts at the end of the page being printed, executes the print job with priority over other print jobs, and then executes the original print job. Execute the job. That is, the print job is preferentially executed without waiting for the end of the print job being executed. After the SMTP reception, the print job of the network print has a high priority, and after the printing of other files is completed, that is, one file corresponds to one print job in the present embodiment, and thus the printing of another print job is completed. After that, the print job is executed with priority over other print jobs. Furthermore, POP3 reception or T. The priority of the print job received by 30 facsimiles is set to "3", and the print job is executed after printing of another file, that is, after printing of another print job.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the print job waiting table 7a stored in the SRAM 7 of FIG. Figure 3
The print job waiting table 7a of FIG. 3 is used by the main control unit 1 to manage a queue of a plurality of print jobs.
As shown in, information such as the queue priority, file name, status (whether printing is in progress or waiting for printing), reception method, image memory address in compact flash 8 and file size is stored. There is.

In the Internet facsimile machine, SMTP reception and P are used as means for receiving electronic mail.
When both OP3 reception is possible, SMTP reception is sent directly from the mail server rather than going to the mail server for polling at regular intervals, as compared to POP3 reception.
SN30 is a very effective means. However,
Even if the original image data was received by SMTP reception, many e-mails were already received at POP3 at that time, and if they were waiting for printing, they were received by SMTP until the printing of these originals was completed. The manuscript may not be printed and the immediacy may be lost. Therefore, in the internet facsimile apparatus 20 according to the present embodiment, the communication means for SMTP reception and POP3 reception are prioritized, and even when there are a plurality of originals received by the respective reception means and there is a print standby, the priority order is set. The higher received document is printed first.

Further, in a facsimile machine having means for receiving image data of several kinds of originals other than facsimile reception, such as the function of the Internet facsimile machine and the function of network printing, priority is given to printing the received originals. When a document having a higher priority is received during printing of a received document that has been assigned a priority to the communication means, the document is printed with priority. Further, in the present embodiment, when printing the image data of the document with high priority, the image data file of one document is printed when the document with low priority is being printed as the timing to start printing with priority. It is also possible to set in the print job priority table 6a whether to switch at the end of printing (or print job) or to switch at the end of printing of the page being printed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ROM 6 stores the print job priority table 6a in which the print priority for each communication protocol is set, and the main controller 1 controls the plurality of print jobs. When the image data is received, the image data of each print job is set on the basis of the print job priority table 6a, and the image data is controlled to be printed. Therefore, by setting the priority order of the print job according to each communication protocol, it is possible to perform printing that makes the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol.

Further, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 20 is printing image data of a print job and receives image data of a print job of a higher priority, such as a print job of image data by SMTP, The main control unit 1 interrupts the print job in execution, controls to print the image data of the print job with a higher priority first, and then executes the interrupted print job. Therefore, when the image data of a print job with a higher priority is received, the print job in progress can be interrupted and the image data of a print job with a higher priority can be printed preferentially, making the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol. Printing can be performed.

Further, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 20 is printing image data of a print job and receives image data of a print job of a higher priority such as a print job of "network print", The main control unit 1 controls to print the image data of a print job having a higher priority after printing the print job that is being executed. Therefore, when the image data of a print job with a higher priority is received, the image data of a print job with a higher priority can be preferentially printed after the print job in progress is finished, making the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol. Printing can be performed.

<Modification> In the above embodiments, an example of the Internet facsimile machine 20 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the Internet facsimile machine 20 is connected to a public network such as a public telephone network or a public digital line network. The present invention can be applied to communication terminal devices including, for example, telephones and data communication devices.

[0029]

As described above in detail, according to the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus having the receiving means for receiving the image data by using the plurality of communication protocols, the printing priority for each of the communication protocols is given. When the image data of a plurality of print jobs is received by the storage unit that stores the priority table in which the order is set and the receiving unit, the priority order is set for the image data of each print job based on the priority table. And a control unit that controls to set and print each of the image data. Therefore, by setting the priority order of the print job according to each communication protocol, it is possible to perform printing that makes the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol.

In the facsimile apparatus, preferably, when the image data of the print job having a higher priority is received by the receiving means while the image data of the print job is being printed, the control means is The print job being executed is interrupted, and the image data of the print job with a higher priority is controlled to be printed with priority. Therefore, when the image data of a print job with a higher priority is received, the print job in progress can be interrupted and the image data of a print job with a higher priority can be printed preferentially, making the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol. Printing can be performed.

Further, in the above facsimile apparatus,
Preferably, when printing the image data of the print job, when the image data of the print job of higher priority is received by the receiving unit, the control unit, after ending the print job in execution, The image data of a print job with a higher priority is controlled to be printed with priority. Therefore, when the image data of a print job with a higher priority is received, the image data of a print job with a higher priority can be preferentially printed after the print job in progress is finished, making the most of the immediacy of the communication protocol. Printing can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the present invention, an Internet facsimile apparatus 2 having a print job priority function.
It is a block diagram which shows the structure of 0.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a print job priority order table 6a stored in a ROM 6 of FIG.

3 is a diagram showing an example of a print job waiting table 7a stored in the SRAM 7 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main control part, 3 ... Image recording part, 6 ... ROM, 6a ... Print job priority table, 7 ... RAM, 7a ... Print job waiting table, 8 ... Compact flash, 10 ... Fax modem, 11 ... NCU, 12 ... interface circuit, 13 ... bus, 20 ... internet facsimile machine, 30 ... LAN, 31 ... mail server device, 32 ... router device, 40 ... internet, 50 ... public telephone network, 60-1, 60-2 ... client personal computer , L ... Public telephone line.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AP03 HH03 HJ06 HJ08 HR02                       HR04                 5B021 AA01 AA05 BB01 CC04 DD12                 5C062 AA02 AB22 AB42 AC04 AC58                       AF00 BA04                 5C075 CA03 CD02 CD25

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having a receiving means for receiving image data using a plurality of communication protocols, a storage means for storing a priority order table in which a printing priority order is set for each of the communication protocols, and the receiving means. When the image data of a plurality of print jobs is received by the means, a control means that sets a priority for the image data of each print job based on the priority table and prints each of the image data And a facsimile machine. 2. When the image data of a print job having a higher priority is received by the receiving means while printing the image data of the print job, the control means interrupts the print job being executed. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data of a print job having a higher priority is controlled to be printed with priority. 3. When the image data of a print job having a higher priority is received by the receiving means while printing the image data of the print job, the control means terminates the print job being executed. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control so that image data of a print job having a higher priority is printed with priority.