JP2769172B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus having a broadcast function for distributing image information to a plurality of terminals and a polling function for collecting image information from a plurality of terminals. .

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional device of this type has a broadcasting function for distributing image information to a plurality of terminals and a polling function for collecting image information from a plurality of terminals, as shown in FIG. Next, the operation of delivering the image information read from the document A to the plurality of terminals a, b, c, and d, and as shown in FIG.
And the operation of collecting the image information B, C, D, and E for each terminal from a command operation from an operation unit (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-174575, Kaisho 62
-261275, JP-A-59-188272).

A device having the above-described functions is installed as a master station at a head office managing a plurality of branches and business offices, for example, while transmitting company-wide information to terminal stations installed at each branch or business office, This is effective when used to collect individual information such as sales from a branch or business office.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, according to such a configuration, there is a problem that an unnecessary load may be imposed on an operator.

 The above problem occurs for the following reasons.

That is, in this type of conventional device, the operation of the broadcast communication and the operation of the polling collection are separate, and when performing the broadcast communication, an input operation of designating a plurality of distribution destinations,
A command operation for performing broadcast communication is required, and when performing polling collection, an input operation for specifying a plurality of collection destinations and a command operation for performing polling collection are also required. there were.

For example, if the master station and terminal station are installed at the head office and branch office, and the distribution destination and the collection destination overlap, the same terminal station is used to perform broadcast communication and polling collection. Two operations are required, and each operation must be performed at a different time from each other.

For this reason, the operator on the master station side is forced to perform the duplicate operation, and has to be troubled that the operation must be performed twice at different times. In other words, an extra burden that is not always necessary is imposed on the operator.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide an image communication device that can significantly reduce the burden on an operator when, for example, a distribution destination and a collection destination overlap. I do.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes a first storage unit for storing image information of a document, and input of destination information such as a telephone number of a terminal to which the document is to be transmitted, Operating means for setting a distribution flag indicating the presence / absence of broadcast distribution, a collection flag indicating the presence / absence of polling collection, a collection time for executing polling collection, the distribution flag, the collection flag, and the destination information A second storage means for storing the collection time, a third storage means for storing the collection time, a timer means for measuring the current time, and a delivery flag indicating the presence of the broadcast. Broadcast of the image information stored in the first storage means, and when a current time by the timer means coincides with the collection time, a destination of a collection flag indicating presence of polling collection. Polling for Control means.

Operation The present invention, with the above-described configuration,
Broadcasting settings and polling collection settings can be performed together, and, at the same time as broadcasting to the set destination, polling collection from the broadcast destination is automatically set at the collection time. This can be performed, and when the distribution destination and the collection destination overlap, the burden on the operator can be greatly reduced.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image communication apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where 1 is a read / record control unit,
2 is a reading unit that reads image information from a document, 3 is a recording unit that prints and records received image information on recording paper or the like, 4 is a memory control unit,
5 is a rewritable main memory for storing destination information and time information, 6 is an image information memory for storing image information, 7 is a communication control unit, 8 is a communication unit including a network control unit and the like, 9 is a timer circuit, 10 Denotes an operation unit on which a keyboard and the like are arranged, and L denotes a communication line such as a telephone line or a facsimile line.

Here, in the main memory 5, as shown in FIG. 2, a destination storage area A1 for storing a plurality of pieces of destination information (telephone numbers, destination names, etc.) input from the operation unit 10, and an input from the operation unit 10 And a time storage area A2 for storing the received time.

The image information memory 6 is configured using a relatively large-capacity storage device, and stores image information read from a transmission original by the reading unit 2.

 The timer circuit 10 measures the current time.

The communication control unit 7 is configured using a general-purpose information processing device in the form of a microcircuit, a so-called microcomputer, and centrally manages and controls the operation of each unit. Further, the communication control unit 7 is provided with a broadcast communication function and a polling control means as software.

The broadcast communication function is activated by operation of the operation unit 10,
The image information stored in the image information memory 6 is broadcast to the destination stored in the destination storage area A1 of the main memory 5.

The polling control means is activated when the current time measured by the timer circuit 10 reaches the collection time stored in the time storage area A2 of the main memory 5, and
The plurality of destinations stored in the destination storage area A1 are sequentially collected by polling.

The operation of the image communication device configured as described above will be described below.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an operation example in the case where the image communication apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 performs broadcast communication and polling collection.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the operator sets a transmission original on the reading unit 2 (S1). At the same time, the operator uses the operation unit 10 to input the destination information of the terminal to which the original is to be transmitted. That is, an input operation for designating a broadcast destination is performed (S2). The input destination information is sequentially stored in the destination storage area A1 of the main memory 5.

When the input operation of the destination information is completed, the collection time is set as needed (S3, S4, S5). The setting of the collection time is performed by inputting arbitrary time information from the operation unit 10.

When the above operation is completed, the image information is read from the document set in the reading section 2 and stored in the image information memory 6 (S6).

Subsequent operations are performed automatically without the intervention of an operator, as shown in FIG.

First, the image information stored in the image information memory 6 is transmitted to the destination stored in the destination storage area A1 of the main memory 5 (S7), whereby the image information having the same content is distributed to a plurality of destinations. Broadcast is performed.

Next, it is determined whether or not the collection time is stored and set in the time storage area A2 of the main memory 5, and if the collection time is set, the current time measured by the timer circuit 9 is set to the above value. Wait until the collection time arrives.
The image information is sequentially collected by polling from the broadcast destination stored in the destination storage area A1 (S8, S9, S10).
If the collection time has not been set, polling collection from the broadcast destination is immediately performed immediately (S8, S1).
0).

In the destination storage area A1 of the main memory 5, a flag area is set for each destination to indicate the presence / absence of broadcast communication and the presence / absence of polling / collection, and the flag state of this flag area ("1" In accordance with “0”), the control of broadcast and polling is individually performed. In the time storage area A2 of the main memory 5,
There is provided an area in which a plurality of collection times can be stored together with flag data, and if necessary, a plurality of polling collections can be performed sequentially in one day.

As described above, in the image communication apparatus of the first embodiment, a plurality of broadcast destinations input from the operation unit are stored, and the collection time information input from the operation unit is stored. When the current time measured by the timer reaches the above-mentioned collecting time, the image information is collected by the polling sequentially from the above-mentioned broadcast destination. Only by performing the operation of setting the communication destination, the destination of the polling collection is set together. Further, by performing the operation of setting the collection time together with the destination, the destination to the set destination can be set. Along with the broadcast, the polling collection from the destination of the broadcast can be automatically performed at the collection time. Thus, for example, when the distribution destination and the collection destination overlap, the operation burden on the operator can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of an image communication apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The image communication apparatus according to the second embodiment is basically the same as that of the first embodiment described above. When only the characteristic portions are shown, the main memory 5 is shown in FIG. As described above, in addition to the destination storage area A1 for storing a plurality of broadcast destinations inputted from the operation unit 10, the time storage area A3 for storing the collection time inputted from the operation unit 10 for each destination.

Further, the polling control means provided as software in the communication control unit 7 performs the polling collection from the broadcast destination stored in the destination storage area A1 and the collection time for each destination stored in the time storage area A3. Is configured to be performed according to the following.

The operation of the image communication device configured as described above will be described below.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an operation example in the case of performing the broadcast communication and the polling collection by the image communication apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

First, as shown in FIG. 7, the operator sets a transmission original on the reading unit 2 (S1). At the same time, the operator uses the operation unit 10 to input the destination information of the terminal to which the original is to be transmitted. That is, an input operation for designating a broadcast destination is performed (S2). At this time, when inputting the individual destination information, the collection time is input for each destination (S3, S
Four). The input of the collection time for each destination is performed only for the destination for which the collection time is desired (S3, S4). The inputted broadcast destination and the collection time for each destination are stored in the destination storage area of the main memory 5.
A1 and the time storage area A3 are sequentially stored. As a result, the broadcast destination and the collection time for each destination are set.

When the input operation for setting is completed, the image information is read from the transmission original set in the reading section 2 and stored in the image information memory 6 (S5, S6).

The subsequent operation is performed automatically without the intervention of an operator, as shown in FIG.

First, the image information stored in the image information memory 6 is transmitted to the destination stored in the destination storage area A1 of the main memory 5 (S7). As a result, a broadcast in which the same image information is distributed to a plurality of destinations is performed.

Next, it is checked for each destination whether the reception time for each destination is stored and set in the time storage area A3 of the main memory 5 (S8).

If there is a destination for which the collection time is not set, polling collection for this destination is performed first regardless of the time (S8, S11).

On the other hand, for the destination for which the collection time has been set, whether or not the current time counted by the timer circuit 9 has reached the above-mentioned collection time is monitored for each collection time for each destination (S9). ).

If the current time is measured by the timer circuit 9,
When the collection time for each destination is reached, a destination to which the collection time is set is searched (S10). Then, polling is performed from the searched destination (S11). By repeating such an operation, polling collection from a plurality of set destinations is performed at the collection time set for each destination (S11).

As described above, it is possible to cause a plurality of destinations that have performed broadcast communication to perform polling collection by specifying an arbitrary time for each destination.

The main memory 5 is set with a flag area for instructing the presence / absence of broadcast communication, the presence / absence of polling / collection, and the presence / absence of collection time setting for each destination. "And" 0 "), each operation is controlled for each destination.

As described above, in the image communication apparatus according to the second embodiment, a plurality of broadcast destinations input from the operation unit 10 are stored, and the collection time input from the operation unit 10 is stored for each destination. An operation of setting a broadcast destination by causing image information to be broadcast to a broadcast destination and polling from a plurality of broadcast destinations to be performed according to the above-mentioned collection time stored for each destination. Just set the destination of the polling collection,
Furthermore, by performing the operation of setting the collection time for each destination together with the destination, the broadcast to the set destination and the polling collection from the destination of the broadcast are automatically performed at the arbitrary collection time for each destination. Can be performed This makes it possible to greatly reduce the number of times and time that an operator is restricted for operation when, for example, a distribution destination and a collection destination overlap. Further, by setting the polling collection time for each destination, it is possible to perform collection in the order of urgency or in the order of preparation of image information.

Effect of the Invention As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, together with input of destination information such as a telephone number of a terminal to which a document is to be transmitted, a distribution flag indicating the presence or absence of broadcast distribution, and indicating the presence or absence of polling collection A collection flag and a collection time at which polling collection is executed are set and stored as a set. Therefore, for the destination information, the setting related to broadcast distribution and the setting related to polling collection are set together. It is possible to automatically perform polling collection from the destination of the broadcast distribution at the collection time together with the broadcast distribution to the set destination, so that the distribution destination and the collection destination overlap In such a case, the load on the operator can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image communication apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of the storage contents of a main memory used in the apparatus, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the apparatus, FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image communication apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an example of storage contents of a main memory used in the apparatus. , FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts each showing an operation example of the device, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a general operation concept of broadcast communication, and FIG. 10 is a general diagram of polling collection. It is a figure showing an operation concept. 1 read / record control unit 2 read unit 3 record unit 4 memory control unit 5 main memory 6 image information memory 7 broadcast function and polling Communication control section having control means, 8 Communication section, 9 Timer circuit, 10 Operation section, L Communication line, A1 Destination storage area, A2 Collected time storage area, A3 … Reception time storage area for each destination.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 1/32 H04Q 9/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A first storage unit for storing image information of an original; a destination flag such as a telephone number of a terminal to which the original is to be transmitted; A collection flag indicating presence / absence of data, an operation unit for setting a collection time at which polling collection is performed, and a second storage unit for storing the distribution flag, the collection flag, and the destination information as a set. , A third storing the collection time
Storage means, a timer means for measuring the current time, and a broadcast distribution of the image information stored in the first storage means to a destination of a distribution flag indicating the presence of the broadcast distribution, wherein the timer means And a control means for performing polling collection to the destination of the collection flag indicating the presence of polling collection when the current time of the collection information coincides with the collection time.