JP2003189052A - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print a received document at a place where a user wants. <P>SOLUTION: This facsimile machine has a storing means to store a received facsimile image, a storing section connecting means to connect several storing sections via a communication line, and a setting means to set up whether an image can be transferred to the storing section connected with the storing section connecting means or not. The image is stored with the storing means when set up as un-forwardable with the setting means, and the image is stored in any storing section in storable status out of the storing sections connected with the connecting means when set up as forwardable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a household or SOHO (Small Office HomeOff).
The present invention relates to a network system in an ice environment and an operation when receiving a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digitalization of information devices such as facsimiles has progressed, and an environment has been established in which personal computers, facsimiles, printers, scanners, etc., which function independently, are used by being connected to a home network. Is coming.

[0003]

However, with respect to the facsimile apparatus, for example, the received facsimile data is output to the recording paper by using the recording unit built in the main body, and the user installs the facsimile main body. There is a problem that you cannot know that the main body of the facsimile has received it unless you go to the place where you are in the room, or you need to go to the place where the main body of the facsimile is installed to get the document received by the facsimile. is there.

In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile main body and a printer installed in each room.
It is an object of the present invention to output facsimile data received by a printer in each room by connecting with a cable such as EEE1394 so that a user can obtain a facsimile document received at a desired place.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a connecting means for connecting to a public network for transmitting and receiving a facsimile, a recording means for recording a received facsimile image, and a communication line. A facsimile apparatus having a recording unit connecting means for connecting a plurality of recording units via a setting unit and a setting unit for setting permission / inhibition of image transfer to the recording unit connected by the recording unit connecting unit. ，
When the transfer is set to be impossible, the recording is performed by the recording unit, and when the transfer is possible, the recording is performed by the recording unit in the recordable state connected to the connecting unit. The feature is that it operates like.

[0006]

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer connected to a facsimile apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The facsimile main body 100 includes a control unit 101.
The ROM 103, the RAM 104, the facsimile transmission / reception unit 105, the recording unit 108, the operation unit 107, the image reading unit 102, and the interfaces 109 and 110 conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard.

The control unit 101 controls the entire image processing apparatus, and controls the entire facsimile apparatus via the system bus.

The ROM 103 is a memory that stores program codes such as instruction groups for operating the MPU, operating system (OS) program codes, initial value data, table data, and the like.

The RAM 104 is used as an image buffer, an image memory, a work area for various operations, and the like, and is a buffer that temporarily holds image data when transmitting / receiving to / from the facsimile transmitting / receiving unit 105. It is a memory for accumulating the image data received via the unit 105 and the image data read by the image reading unit 102 as a file. RAM1
The battery 04 is protected from an accidental failure such as a power failure by a battery backup.

The recording unit 108 is composed of a recording image processing unit, a recording control unit, an image memory and the like.

When the received image data is output to the built-in recording unit 108, the recorded image processing unit outputs the received image data to the main scanning resolution 360 dpi of the printer.
Various image processing such as resolution conversion, smoothing, and density correction for conversion into raw image data of (dots per inch) is performed, converted into high-definition image data, and output to an inkjet printer incorporated in the main body.

The recording control unit processes a recording control MPU for controlling each operation of the recording unit 108, a ROM in which various instructions for recording control are described, a unit for reading out an instruction from the ROM, and a read instruction. The processing means, the inputtable RAM for storing the information required by the processing means, the output means for outputting the signal generated by the processing means to the recording head, etc. Input and output of signals for controlling recording of the printer. Although the recording unit 108 is an ink jet printer, a thermal printer, an LED
It may be a printer or the like.

When an image is output using the external printers 201 and 202 connected to the interface 109 or 110, the facsimile transmission / reception unit 105 receives the image without passing through the recording unit 108 and the RAM 104.
The image data stored in is converted into a form that can be output by a printer externally connected in the control unit 101, and the image data is transmitted to the printer set as the recording unit through the interface units 109 and 110. To do.

The operation unit 107 is used for dialing, for registering and setting data, a numeric keypad, function keys for using various functions, a telephone number, etc., for one-touch dialing, etc. One-touch key, start key used to start transmission, reception, copying, etc., various key switches such as stop key used to stop operations such as transmission, registration and setting, confirmation of communication status and data registration, setting, It is composed of an LCD that displays various messages such as confirmation messages, a lamp that lights up during communication, a lamp that lights up when various errors occur, and various LEDs such as a lamp that displays the transmission mode, etc. Phone number, time information,
Display the operating procedure, etc. Further, according to the setting of the user using the operation unit 107, it is selected whether the reception mode of the facsimile is set to the memory reception mode or the reception image is output to the recording paper after the reception is completed. If it is set to output the received image to the recording paper, the received image is further output by the built-in recording unit 108, or if a printer is connected to the interfaces 109 and 110, the external connection is made. It is possible to select whether to output using a printer.

The facsimile transmission / reception unit 105 is an NCU.
Communication connections such as (network controller), modem (modulator / demodulator)
It is composed of a communication control unit such as
It is connected to an N-line communication network and performs line control such as communication control, call origination, and call reception to the communication line according to the G3 protocol.

The image reading unit 102 performs a reading operation by passing a sheet-shaped document.

The image reading section 102 optically reads an original by a contact image sensor (not shown) and performs photoelectric conversion for converting the optically read image into an electrical image signal. When the start key of the operation unit 107 is pressed, the control unit 13 causes the LED of the contact sensor to
Is turned on, the reflected light from the document B is taken in according to the synchronizing signal, and the image reading operation is performed.

The image reading unit 102 includes a read image correction unit for processing the read image, a read image processing unit,
A reading drive unit and the like are included. Read operation is 7.7 lin
The image data read by the sub-scanning resolution of e / mm is read by the image processing unit according to the reading mode (binary, halftone, etc.) set by the operation unit 107. Image processing such as halftone processing is performed. The image data that has been converted into an electric signal and processed is once subjected to RA
It is stored in M104. The RAM 104 is also used as a buffer when performing image processing.

Reference numerals 201 and 202 denote the facsimile main body 100.
Is a printer connected to. In the present embodiment, the printers 201 and 202 perform printing with a print head according to the inkjet method. The recording unit includes a power supply for supplying electric power for driving the control system and the recording head in the printer, and the recording unit 1 of the facsimile main body 100.
As in 08, the recording control MPU, the ROM in which various instructions are described, the means for reading the instructions from the ROM, the processing means for processing the read instructions, and the input for storing the information required by the processing means. Possible RAM, facsimile body 1
An interface control unit is provided for controlling the interface for receiving the image data sent from 00 and sending various information to the facsimile main body 100.
Each of the printers 201 and 202 is equipped with either a cartridge type monochrome recording head dedicated for monochrome recording or a cartridge type color recording head. The monochrome recording head and the color recording head are replaceable. Both recording heads are integrated ink cartridges with built-in ink tanks. While being held by the carriage, this recording head reciprocates in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the recording paper conveyance direction (sub scanning direction). The reciprocating movement of the carriage is carried out by a pulley and a timing belt driven by a motor, and the recording signal and the electric power given to the recording head at this time are stored in the printers 201 and 202 by a flexible cable connecting the carriage and the electric board. Supplied from an electric circuit. The recording head and the flexible cable are connected by pressing the contact points of each other.
By detecting opening / connection between specific contacts of the recording head, it is possible to recognize whether a cartridge dedicated to monochrome recording is mounted or a cartridge for color recording is mounted. In addition, the printer 20
As will be described later, when the facsimile main body 100 receives a facsimile, the printers 201 and 20 are instructed by the facsimile main body 100.
LED that the printer controller built in 2 lights up
There are provided keys 201L and 202L and keys 201K and 202K for downloading the received facsimile data and outputting to the recording paper when the facsimile main body 100 notifies that the facsimile is received. Further, the printers 201 and 202 are respectively provided with connection ports 201P and 202P conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard for connecting to the facsimile main body 100.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a port 10 for connecting an external printer.
9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the facsimile main body 100 when a printer is connected to 9,110.

Here, the case where a printer is connected to the external printer connection port 109 or 110 in FIG. 1 will be described. The printer connected here is IEEE1.
It has an interface compliant with the 394 standard. According to the IEEE1394 standard, the node power is turned off /
When it is turned on or when a node is inserted or removed, the node that detects this issues a bus reset on the bus. That is, in step S201, when the printer is connected to the external connection port, the facsimile main body 1 which detects it is detected.
00 issues a bus reset to the network.
Next, proceeding to step S202, the node receiving the bus reset clears the node ID. Next in step S20
In step 3, a parent-child relationship is established between each communication port.

First, each node confirms the connection status of its own connection port.

If the number of connected ports is only one, the node recognizes itself as a leaf, and the node declares to the connection destination that it is a child. In this embodiment, the external printers 201 and 202 connected to the facsimile main body 100 are children because they have only one connection port. Since the facsimile main body 100 has a plurality of connection ports, it recognizes itself as a branch and recognizes the port to which the external printers 201 and 202 are connected as the parent port. Then, it waits for a declaration from the external printers 201 and 202 which are its children. Step S2
In 04, the facsimile main body 100 waits for the completion of the construction of the parent-child relationship with the connected external printers 201 and 202. When the declaration of the parent-child relationship with the external printer is completed here, the process proceeds to step S205, and the parent facsimile apparatus 100 issues a node ID setting permission to the externally connected printer 1. The printer 1 to which the ID is set broadcasts the set ID.
Similarly, in step S206, the node ID setting permission is issued to the externally connected printer 2. Similarly, the printer 2 to which the ID is set also transmits the ID by broadcasting. And step S2
After the ID of the externally connected printer is determined in 07, the node ID of the self is determined. In this way, the facsimile main body 100 is connected to the external printers 201 and 202, and the printers 201 and 202 can be used for outputting an image received by facsimile as described below.

Next, the operation at the time of facsimile reception will be described with reference to FIG.

When a facsimile is received, first in step S301, the control unit 101 of the facsimile main body 100.
Indicates that the image reception by the printer 201 or 202 connected to the external printer connection port 109 or 110 is set so that the image transfer of the received image output of the printer is not allowed to be output by the recording unit 108 of the printer itself. Check if output is allowed. Here, the external printers 201, 20
If the transfer to No. 2 is disabled, that is, if the recording unit 108 of the facsimile main body 101 is set to output an image, the process proceeds to step S302, and the facsimile main body 100 outputs the received image. The operation is performed, and the process proceeds to step S307 to check whether the recording operation is normally performed. Here, due to an error such as the recording head or recording paper not being attached to the recording unit 108,
If the normal recording operation is not performed, step S
In step 309, the received image data is stored in the RAM 104.
The recording operation can be performed again in accordance with an instruction from the user using the operation unit 107 while keeping the above value. When the recording operation is normally performed in step S307, the process proceeds to step S308, the image data received from the RAM 104 of the facsimile main body 100 is erased, and the current receiving operation is ended. If the transfer of the image data is permitted to the printer connected to the ports 109 and 110 in step S301, the process proceeds to step S303, and the printer 1 or the printer 2 connected to the ports 109 and 110 is selected. Check if there is a printer that is in the active state, that is, capable of outputting images. If neither the printer 1 nor the printer 2 is in a state capable of recording an image, the process proceeds to step S302, the facsimile main body 100 similarly performs the recording operation, and it is determined in step S307 that the recording operation is normally performed. In this case, RA in step S308
The image data is deleted from M104. Step S303
If there is a printer in the active state in step S304, the process proceeds to step S304, and printer 1, printer 2
Check which of the two can record images. If there are a plurality of printers capable of recording images, that is, if both printers 1 and 2 are capable of recording images, the process proceeds to step S305, and the facsimile main body 100 transfers the printers 1 The image data is not transferred to 2 and only the reception of the facsimile is notified. In response to this notification, the recording control units of the printer 1 and the printer 2 turn on the LEDs 201L and 202L provided in the printer, respectively, to inform the user that there is received image data to be recorded in the facsimile main body 100. Notify the
The facsimile main body 100 waits for a request to transfer received image data from the printer 1 or the printer 2. When the user presses the data transfer request key 201K or 202K provided on the printer,
When the facsimile main body 100 is requested to transmit the received image data, the facsimile main body 100 performs various image processing such as resolution conversion, smoothing, and density correction for converting into raw image data having a main scanning resolution of 360 dpi of the printer. Then, the received image data is transmitted to the requested printer through the connection port 109 or 110. Then, in step S307, the facsimile main body 100 waits for whether the recording of the image data is normally completed. When the image recording by the printer that has requested the data transfer is normally completed in step S307, the process proceeds to step S308, the image data received from the RAM 104 is erased, and the process ends. Further, the printer that has recorded the image turns off the LED 201L that has been turned on. When the printing operation is not normally performed such as an error in the printing operation of the printer in step S307, the information is notified to the facsimile main body 100. Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 101 of the facsimile main body 100
In step S309, the received image data is stored in the RAM 104.
The image data can be output to the printer when the cause of the error is canceled by the user and the image transfer request from the printer is made again. In step S304, printer 1, printer 2
If one of the two can record an image, step S30
In step 6, the image data is transferred to the active printer. Similarly, the process proceeds to step S307 to wait for whether the recording operation is normally performed. The subsequent operation is as described above.

According to this embodiment, the facsimile main body 1
Although it has been described that the inkjet printer is used for both the recording unit 108 built in 00 and the externally connected printer 1 and printer 2, this may of course be a laser beam printer, an LED printer, or a thermal printer. . Further, in the present embodiment, the description has been made assuming that the number of externally connected printers is two, but the number of printers is not limited to this. Further, the interface for connecting the facsimile main body 100 and the printer externally connected is I
Not limited to those conforming to the EEE1394 standard, for example, U
It may be SB.

[0029]

According to the present invention, the user does not have to make special settings for the facsimile transmission partner, and the IEEE
By using a 1394 cable or the like to connect the main body of the facsimile and a printer used for a personal computer installed in each room, etc., the facsimile data received at the user's desired location can be output and a facsimile document can be obtained. You will be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile body of the invention and a diagram showing a network of printers.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the facsimile body of the present invention when a printer is externally connected.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of facsimile reception when a printer is externally connected to the facsimile main body of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Facsimile Main Unit 101 Control Unit 102 Image Reading Unit 103 ROM 104 RAM 105 Facsimile Transmission / Reception Unit 107 Operation Unit 108 Recording Unit 109 Built in the Facsimile Main Body 100 External Printer Connection Port 2 110 External Printer Connection Port 1 201 External Connection Printer 1 202 Externally connected printer 2

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AQ04 AQ05 AQ06                       HJ08 HK05 HN04 HN15 HQ03                       HQ20                 5C062 AA02 AA05 AA35 AB20 AB22                       AB38 AC23 AC41 AC42 AC43                       BA04                 5K101 KK01 NN18 NN19 NN21

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A connection means for connecting to a public network to send and receive a facsimile, a recording means for recording a received facsimile image, a recording section connection means for connecting a plurality of recording sections via a communication line, and the recording. And a setting unit for setting whether or not to transfer an image to the recording unit connected by the unit connecting unit, the facsimile apparatus comprising:
When the transfer is set to be impossible, the recording is performed by the recording unit, and when the transfer is possible, the recording is performed by the recording unit in the recordable state connected to the connecting unit. A facsimile device characterized by the above. 2. When there are a plurality of recording units in a recordable state among the recording units connected by the recording unit connecting means, the fact that facsimile reception has been performed is recorded in all the recording units in a recordable state. A notification is given, characterized by the above-mentioned.
Facsimile apparatus described in 1. 3. A judgment means for judging whether or not the recording section connected by the recording section connection means has normally performed, and when the judgment means determines that the recording has been normally performed, 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image received by facsimile is erased. 4. The received facsimile document can be recorded and output by an operation on a plurality of recording units that have been notified of facsimile reception and are connected by the recording unit connecting means. Claim 2 or 3
Facsimile apparatus described in 1. 5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication line complies with the IEEE 1394 standard.