JP2747589B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides functions of a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol, for example, G4 facsimile and G3 facsimile based on CCITT recommendations T.5 and T.4. The present invention relates to a facsimile machine that is also provided.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile machine having both a function as a G4 facsimile machine and a function as a G3 facsimile machine has been provided.

This facsimile machine has a G4 line control unit that controls the G4 protocol to transmit and receive signals over a digital line, and a G3 line control unit that controls the G3 protocol to transmit and receive signals over an analog telephone line. The line control units are selectively operated to transmit and receive image information.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in such a conventional facsimile apparatus,
Dial control in the G4 line control unit and dial control in the G3 line control unit are independent of each other.

For this reason, for example, when a broadcast transmission is performed using an image memory, or when a plurality of originals are continuously transmitted by storing a plurality of originals and their destinations in the image memory, a conventional method is used. As described above, in a facsimile apparatus in which G4 and G3 dial control is independent, all transmissions are performed on one preset line, and the other line is left empty, so that the line is not used. It is difficult to increase the efficiency, and there is a problem that the processing time increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of automatically performing retransmission processing by switching between G4 and G3 and improving line utilization efficiency.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a first communication unit for performing data communication via a first communication line according to a first communication protocol, and a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. A second communication unit for performing data communication via a second communication line, wherein the data communication by the first communication unit and the data communication by the second communication unit can be performed simultaneously in parallel In the facsimile apparatus, input means for inputting data for communication, information of a communication request and information of a communication destination, and data communication relating to the communication request input by the input means are performed by one of the first and second communication means. Control means for executing the communication means, wherein the control means selects a vacant communication line among the first and second communication lines, and communicates with the selected communication line. If no communication line is available when the communication request is input, the communication request is placed in a waiting state corresponding to the first communication line or the second communication line. If there is a communication request set in the waiting state and the communication line corresponding to the set waiting state changes from the use state to the idle state, data communication is performed to the communication means of the idle communication line. And execute
If data communication cannot be performed by executing data communication via one of the first and second communication lines, the communication request that failed to perform data communication corresponds to the other communication line. It is characterized in that it is set in a waiting state.

[Operation] In the present invention, when a next call request is made while one of the lines is in use, a call is made using the other line that is free, and the next call is made while both lines are in use. , The call request is held in a line waiting state.
Therefore, even when sending multiple originals continuously,
It is not necessary to perform an operation such as switching between the first communication and the second communication, and the line utilization efficiency can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

This facsimile apparatus includes a reader 1, a printer 2, a codec 3, a memory 4, a G4 line control unit 5, a G3 line control unit 6, and a line wait management device 7.

The reader 1 reads a transmission original by photoelectric scanning, and the printer 2 records the received image information on a recording sheet.

The codec 3 encodes the transmission image signal and decodes the reception image signal.

Further, the memory 4 stores the encoded image signal. Further, in this facsimile apparatus, after temporarily storing the image information of the transmission original in the memory 4, a line is selected and transmission processing is performed, and a plurality of originals and their destinations are set in the memory 4. Thus, continuous transmission of the original can be performed.

The G4 line control unit 5 controls the G4 protocol and transmits and receives signals via the digital line 8.

The G3 line controller 6 controls the G3 protocol, and transmits and receives signals via the analog telephone line 9.

The line waiting management device 7 performs switching between G4 and G3 in accordance with the use state of each of the lines 8 and 9 in response to a call request, and creates a queue for holding the call request in a line waiting state. It performs processing.

That is, in the line waiting management device 7, when a call request is made and both lines 8 and 9 are idle, the G4 line control unit 5 uses the digital line 8 to transmit image information. If the digital line 8 is in use, the G3 line control unit 6 controls the line control units 5 and 6 to transmit image information using the telephone line 9.

If both lines 8 and 9 are in use, for example, a flag corresponding to a call request for each transmission original is set to create a line queue for each call request, and management is performed until a line becomes free. Perform

Further, during the period in which the line queue exists, the line waiting management device 7 repeats the switching operation from G4 to G3 and the switching operation from G3 to G4, and transmits using both lines 8 and 9 alternately. Perform As a result, a plurality of originals set in the memory 4 can be continuously and efficiently transmitted.

FIGS. 2 (1) and 2 (2) are schematic diagrams showing an operation example of the line waiting management device 7 when a connection control signal or the like is returned from the exchange when a call is made to the G4 line 8. FIG.

FIG. 2A shows an example in which the G3 line 9 is free. First, when a connection restriction signal is received from the exchange of the line 8 by the first G4 call request A (), the call request A is called by the G3 line 9 (). Then, the next call request B
Is called by the G4 line 8 ().

On the other hand, FIG. 2 (2) shows an example in which the G3 line 9 is not empty. The connection control signal is received from the exchange of the line 8 by the G4 call request A (), but the G3 line 9 is already calling by the G3 call request C ().
Waits for a call on the G3 line 9 (). Then, the next call request B is called by the G4 line 8 ().

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams showing an operation example of the line waiting management device 7 when a busy or timeout signal is returned from the exchange when a call is made to the G3 line 9. is there.

FIG. 3A shows an example in which the G4 line 8 is free. First, when a busy or timeout signal is received from the exchange of the G3 line 9 based on the outgoing call by the G4 outgoing request A (),
This call request A is re-called by the G4 line 8 (). Then, when there is a call request B of G3, G3
A call is made by the line 9 ().

On the other hand, FIG. 3 (2) shows an example in which the G4 line 8 is not empty. The G8 call request A is causing the rotation 8 to be called (), and the G3 call request B is waiting for the G4 line 8 to call because the busy or time-out signal has been received from the G3 line 9 exchange (). (). Therefore, the next G3 call request C is called by the G3 line 9 ().

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus at the time of transmission.

First, when there is a call request for G4 (S101) and the G4 line 8 is empty (S109), and when there is no G4 queue (S110), a call is made via the G4 line 8 (S112). If the connection is not returned from the exchange (S113) and the line is connected, the image information by G4 is transmitted (S114).

In a normal transmission process, almost the above procedure is performed.

After calling the G4 line in S112, the G4 line 8
Since the connection control signal and the like are returned and the line connection is not performed (S113) because this is in use, the call request is added to the G3 queue (S122), and the G3 line 9 is empty. If it is (S103), it is determined whether there is a G3 queue (S110). In this case, it is a change from G4, and in S122, G3
Since the queue of G3 exists because the queue is added to the queue of No. 1, one flag of the queue is deleted (S10).
Five). If there are a plurality of queue flags, the oldest flag is deleted.

Then, a call is made using the G3 line 9 (S106). If a connection control signal or the like is not returned from the exchange (S107), the line is connected and the image information by G3 is transmitted (S108).

As described above, if there is a preceding transmission document or the G4 line cannot be connected, and if transmission by G4 cannot be performed, transmission processing is performed by automatic calling of the G3 line.

If a connection control signal or the like is returned in S107, the process returns to S101, and the call originating from the G4 line is redone.

If the lines 8 and 9 are not idle in S109 and S103, the call requests for G4 and G3 are added to the respective queues and wait until the lines are empty. And
If there is already a G4 or G3 queue before the call request is made (S116, S118), the idle state of each line is determined (S117, S119), and each call held in the waiting state is determined. Requests will be processed in order.

[Effect of the Invention] According to the present invention, first communication means (first communication line)
And the second communication means (second communication line) can be used efficiently for data communication, and the input communication request is transmitted to the first and second communication means.
Even if one of the communication means cannot be executed, the other communication means can be automatically selected to perform data communication, and the operability of the apparatus can be improved without bothering the operator. There is an effect that can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 2 (1) and 2 (2) are schematic diagrams showing an operation example of the line wait management device when a connection control signal or the like is returned from the exchange when a call is made to the G4 line. Also, FIGS. 3 (1) and 3 (2) show the line waiting management when the exchange returns a busy or timeout signal when a call is made to the G3 line because the G4 line cannot be used in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the operation example of an apparatus. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of transmission in the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment. 1 ... Reader, 2 ... Printer, 3 ... Codec, 4
... Memory, 5... G4 line control unit, 6... G3 line control unit, 7...
……telephone line.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first communication means for performing data communication via a first communication line according to a first communication protocol, and a second communication line according to a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. A facsimile machine having a second communication means for performing data communication via the first communication means and capable of simultaneously executing data communication by the first communication means and data communication by the second communication means in parallel And input means for inputting information on data, a communication request, and a communication destination, and control means for causing one of the first and second communication means to execute data communication relating to the communication request input by the input means. The control means selects a vacant communication line among the first and second communication lines, and performs data communication by the communication means corresponding to the selected communication line. If there is no free communication line when the communication request is input, the communication request is set to a waiting state corresponding to the first communication line or the second communication line. When there is a communication request set in the state, when the communication line corresponding to the set waiting state changes from the use state to the idle state, the communication means of the communication line in the idle state executes data communication, If data communication cannot be performed by executing data communication via one of the first and second communication lines, the communication request that failed to perform data communication corresponds to the other communication line. A facsimile apparatus, which is set in a waiting state.