JP2641634B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus, and more particularly to an image communication apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of a recording sheet when an operation start time comes at the time of a polling call and determining whether to start or stop the call. It concerns the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a remarkable multifunctional image communication apparatus such as a facsimile machine, and one of them is a timer reservation function and a polling reception function. As a prior art of an image communication apparatus having such a timer reservation function, there is, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-7663. This is because the facsimile apparatus generates a current time signal and resets the clock every predetermined unit time, and outputs the specified time, the specified operation mode, and the specified time input from the keyboard. Memory means for storing a current time (reference time) to be stored, and a designated operation mode stored in the memory means based on the specified time and the reference time stored in the memory means and the current time generated by the clock circuit. Control means for controlling the start of the corresponding operation, wherein the control means specifies that when the reference time is greater than the designated time, the current time is smaller than the reference time and greater than the designated time The operation is started. And
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a polling operation performed by such a conventional image communication apparatus.

In FIG. 3, first, a processing step (hereinafter, referred to as a processing step)
When a timer polling set is performed in ST1 (hereinafter simply referred to as a step), it is checked in step ST2 whether timer polling has timed out. If the time is not up, it is checked whether or not there is an incoming call from the line (step ST3). If the incoming call is not received, the process returns to step ST2. If the incoming call is received, the recording paper is set in the next step ST4. Is checked. If the recording paper has not been set, processing for waiting for recording paper setting is started (step ST).
5), returning to the process of step ST2. If the timer polling has timed out in step ST2, the timer set is released and polling calling is started (step ST6). Then, when it is determined in step ST4 that there is a recording sheet, and after the processing of step ST6 is performed, the receiving operation is started (step ST7). Also during this reception, it is checked whether or not there is a recording sheet (step ST8). If there is no recording sheet, the reception is stopped and a communication error is issued (step ST9), so that the next polling operation is started. It returns to step ST2. If it is determined in step ST8 that there is a recording sheet, it is checked whether or not the reception has been completed. If the reception has not been completed, the process returns to step ST7. Step S to enter the operation
Return to T2.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional image communication apparatus, there is an advantage that the timer reservation can be set over the next day. The calling operation is started. Therefore, when the polling operation is performed, the calling operation is started regardless of whether or not the recording paper is set in the image communication apparatus, and it is detected that there is no recording, and an error is stopped. Therefore, the operator has to set the recording paper and then perform the polling reception operation again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to detect the presence or absence of a recording sheet at the time of starting operation when polling a call and determine whether to start or stop the call. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image communication device adapted to perform the above.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image recording section for printing out received data as an image, and a recording section for detecting whether or not recording paper is set in the recording section. A timer for setting a polling call time in an image communication device having a paper sensor;
When the recording paper is not set according to the detection signal from the recording paper sensor, a polling call is stopped even if the timer expires, and a control unit is provided for performing a calling operation after the recording paper is set. Is the gist.

[0007]

According to the above configuration, in the image communication apparatus of the present invention,
When the timer expires at the time of polling reception, first, the presence or absence of the recording paper is detected, and if the recording paper is set after the detection, the calling operation is started. On the other hand, if the recording paper is not set, the calling operation is temporarily stopped, and the setting of the recording paper is waited. When the recording paper is set, the calling operation of the polling is started.

[0008]

1 and 2 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a facsimile which is an image communication apparatus.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a network control unit which has an automatic transmission function and establishes communication with a line 2 to perform a dial transmission or reception operation; 3 a modem for performing a predetermined modulation / demodulation process for transmitting image data; Reference numeral 4 denotes a buffer memory for storing received image data, and together with the modem 3, constitutes a data receiving unit. Reference numeral 5 denotes a decoding unit that decodes received image data and restores the original image, 6 denotes a line memory that temporarily stores the decoded image data for printing, and 7 denotes an image that is stored in the line memory. A recording unit that outputs data as a hard copy. Reference numeral 8 denotes a communication control unit that controls data reception operations by the network control unit 1, the modem 2, and the buffer memory 3, and reference numeral 9 denotes a main control unit that controls operations of the entire facsimile. In order to control the polling operation, the main controller 9 is provided with a recording paper sensor 10 for detecting the presence or absence of a recording paper, and a built-in timer 11 for reserving an operation start time, and various operation commands are inputted. The operation panel 12 is connected.

The operation of the image communication apparatus having such a configuration will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the polling reception operation of the facsimile according to this embodiment.

In FIG. 2, first, in step ST11, a timer polling set is performed and the built-in timer 1 is set.
When the operation start time is set to 1 in the reservation, the main control unit 9 checks whether or not the timer polling has timed out (step ST12). If the time has not elapsed, the communication control unit 8 is accessed to check whether there is an incoming call from the line 2 (step ST13). If no incoming call has been received, the process returns to step ST12. In step ST14, a signal from the recording paper sensor 10 is received to check whether recording paper is set. If the recording paper is not set, the process enters a recording paper waiting process (step ST15), and then returns to the process of step ST12. If the timer polling has timed out in step ST12, it is first checked with reference to a signal from the recording paper sensor 10 whether or not recording paper has been set (step ST16).
Then, if the recording paper is not set, it is checked whether or not the recording paper is set (step ST17). If the recording paper is not set, the process returns to step ST12. on the other hand,
If there is a recording sheet in step ST16,
If it is determined in T17 that the recording paper has been set, the main control unit 9 cancels the timer setting and the network control unit 1
To start a polling call (step ST1).
8). Then, when it is determined in step ST14 that there is a recording sheet, and after the processing of step ST18 is performed, the receiving operation is started (step ST19). During this receiving operation, the image data is decoded from the network control unit 1 through the modem 3 and the buffer memory 4 by the decoding unit 5, stored in the line memory 6, and then printed out on a recording paper by the recording unit 7. You. The main controller 9 also checks whether there is a recording sheet even during data reception (step ST).
20) If the recording paper runs out, reception is stopped and a communication error is issued (step ST9), and the process returns to step ST12 to start the next polling operation. Step ST
If it is determined in step 20 that there is a recording sheet, it is next checked whether or not the reception has been completed. If the reception has not been completed, the process returns to step ST19. If the reception has been completed, the next polling operation starts. The process returns to step ST12.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A function capable of changing the start of operation depending on the presence or absence of recording paper is provided to an image communication apparatus that can make a timer reservation, so that timer polling can be performed more reliably, communication errors are less likely to occur, and labor for an operator can be saved. Various effects can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a polling operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a polling operation of the conventional image communication apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network control part 2 Line 3 Modem 4 Buffer memory 5 Decoding part 6 Line memory 7 Recording part 8 Communication control part 9 Main control part 10 Recording paper sensor 11 Built-in timer 12 Operation panel

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A network control unit for establishing communication with a line, data transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving data, a recording unit for printing out the received data as an image,
A recording paper sensor for detecting whether or not recording paper is set in the recording section, a timer for setting the polling call time, and the arrival of the polling call time by the timer.
Is detected from the recording paper sensor,
If a detection signal indicating the
Release the polling call by the timer and save the recording paper.
And a control unit for starting a polling call operation after waiting for a call .