JP2880161B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a communication device for storing and transmitting data. [Related Art] Conventionally, there has been a communication device that stores and transmits data.
A facsimile machine will be described as an example of such a machine. Some conventional facsimile apparatuses have a function of storing image data obtained by reading a document in a memory and designating the time and transmitting the image data. If this conventional facsimile machine is shared by a plurality of users, the user stores the telephone number and data of the transmission destination in the memory in order to confirm whether the data specifying the transmission time has been transmitted normally. The storage time and the like were noted down, and it was determined from the communication result report whether the data reserved for transmission was transmitted. However, for this confirmation, the user has to write down the telephone number of the transmission destination and the time when the data is stored in the memory, which is troublesome. Also, if the user forgets to take this memo, it may not be possible to confirm whether the data reserved for transmission has been transmitted. Furthermore, if the user forgets to take this memo, he may even forget to make a transmission reservation and may make another transmission reservation for the same data. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages that occur when data is stored and transmitted. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, input means for inputting data, and transmission information necessary for transmitting data input by the input means are set. Transmission information setting means for performing transmission, storage means for storing transmission data input by the input means, transmission means for transmitting transmission data stored in the storage means, and transmission information input by the input means. Output means for automatically outputting a report on transmission data which has not been transmitted by the transmission means and which has been stored in the storage means, in response to the credit data being stored in the storage means. It was adopted. EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a control unit constituted by a microprocessor or the like. The control unit 3 controls the operation of each unit of the apparatus according to a control program stored in the ROM 11 and described later. The device is composed of the following units. The operation unit 1 includes a keyboard such as a numeric keypad and a liquid crystal display, and is used for communication control of the apparatus. Reading and recording of the document image are performed by the reading unit 2 and the recording unit 10. The reading unit 2 is configured by using a CCD line sensor or the like, and the recording unit 10 is configured by a thermal printer or the like. The RAM 4 is used as a work area or the like for processing of the control unit 3, and a part of the RAM 4 is provided with an area for storing a user code required for control described later. This user code is used as a password when selecting the image data stored in the image memory. The image memory 5 is used to store received image data or a plurality of image data for polling. The image memory 5 includes a large-capacity RAM element, a magnetic disk device such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, and other storage devices. In the present embodiment, when a plurality of units of image data stored in the image memory 5 are selected, a signal of a predetermined system using a multi-frequency dial tone is transmitted from the calling side. The dial tone transmitted from the calling side is analyzed by the DTMF detection circuit 6 constituted by a frequency discrimination circuit or the like. Image data transmitted / received to / from the line is modulated and demodulated by the modem 7. As the modulation and demodulation method, a method defined by the CCITT recommendation is used. In the following, a signal specified in CCITT recommendation T30 is used as a facsimile procedure signal. The network controller 8 is used to switch the connection of the line N between the line control telephone and the facsimile machine. Next, the operation in the above configuration will be described. FIG. 2 shows the storage state of the user code in the RAM 4. The user code is composed of a predetermined number of digits or alphabets, and is sequentially stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 4 as illustrated. When polling is performed from the calling side and one of the image data stored in the image memory 5 is transmitted, the third
The caller sends identification information as shown in the figure. This identification information includes a user code UC and a file code FC for identifying an image file stored in the image memory 5. Each of these codes starts with a start code SC with a “#” tone, and ends with a series of identification information with an end code EC with a “*” tone.
The numerals and symbol tones shown in FIG. 3 correspond to the dial tones generated by each of the ten keys of the telephone or the facsimile machine operated on the transmitting side, so that the operator can use the dialing machine as shown in FIG. Just send the code. The apparatus does not transmit the image data stored in the image memory 5 unless the user code UC matches one of the user codes stored in the predetermined area of the RAM 4 as shown in FIG. Therefore, a user who does not have a proper right cannot transmit image data in the image memory 5. However, if the data stored in the image memory 5 has no confidentiality, it is needless to say that the user code need not be referred to. FIG. 4 shows a storage state of the image data in the image memory 5. As shown by a symbol M in FIG. 4, image data for one communication is read by the reading unit 2, and then encoded and stored by the control unit 3 according to a predetermined method, for example, the MH or MR method. You. At the beginning of the encoded image data M, a file code FC is stored together with the line density, the image width, the encoding method, the registration date of the image data, the number of scanning lines, the end address of the file, and the like. The file code FC identifies a plurality of image files stored in the image memory 5 and corresponds to the file code transmitted from the calling side in FIG. That is, the encoded image data M corresponding to the file code transmitted from the calling side is selected and transmitted at the time of polling. When storing image data in the image memory 5 in the above configuration, the operator first stores a user code in the RAM 4. The input of the user code is performed via the operation unit 1. At this time, a user code is determined corresponding to a partner station that can permit transmission of the image data stored in the image memory 5. Of course,
At this time, the operator of the other calling station must know the user code of the own station stored in the RAM 4. Next, the document is set on the reading unit 2, and the file code FC corresponding to the document image data is input by the operation unit 1 to start reading. The image data read by the reading unit 2 is encoded by the control unit 3 and stored in the image memory as shown in FIG. At this time, various control data shown in FIG. 4 are stored in a predetermined format together with the file code FC before the encoded image data M. These control data are used at the time of image transmission. When the reading of the document and the storage in the image memory 5 are completed, the control unit 3 uses the recording unit 10 to record and output a reception report as shown in FIG. This reception report identifies the image data stored in the image memory 5, and as shown at a minimum, data such as the date D, the file code FC, and the file number FN, and additionally stores the data in the image memory. Including part of the processed image data,
The file can be used when an operator deletes unnecessary image data by storing the file, or when informing the calling side of a file code of image data to be obtained. The image memory 5 has a capacity capable of storing at least a plurality of image files for one or several originals, and thus can read and store image data until the image memory 5 becomes full. FIG. 6 shows a polling control procedure performed by the control unit 3 in the above configuration. The polling process is started in step S1 of FIG. 6 by receiving a calling signal from the calling side. When a call signal is received from the calling side, a CED signal is transmitted in step S2. This CED signal is shown at 71 in FIG. After opening the CED signal transmitted in step S2, the calling side operator starts the start codes in the order shown in FIG.
After the SC, a user code UC and a file code FC are transmitted as identification information. In step S3, a timer for setting a time period for receiving the identification information is started. The dial tone signal constituting the identification information is inputted by controlling the numeric keypad of the facsimile machine or the numeric keypad of the attached telephone. The transmitted dial tone signal is detected by the loop of steps S4 to S9. When a one-digit dial tone signal is received, step S5
Since the DTMF detection circuit 6 generates numbers or alphabets represented by a format such as ASCII code,
The control unit 3 stores this data in a predetermined area of the RAM 4 in step S5. In step S6, a timer is started to input only a series of dial tones having a predetermined inter-digit time. In step S7, the end code EC is detected. Unless the “*” end code is entered,
The process loops to step S4 to store the code represented by the DTMF signal transmitted one after another. When the end code has been transmitted, the process proceeds to step S10. On the other hand, if the DTMF signal cannot be detected,
In S8, it is checked whether or not the interdigit timer started in step S6 has timed out. In step S9, a timeout of the timer started in step S3 is detected in order to permit the transmission of the DTMF signal on the calling side for a predetermined time. If both timers have not timed out, the process returns to step S4 and repeats the above loop. If the timer times out in steps S8 and S9, the process proceeds to step S14 to disconnect the line connection. On the other hand, when a series of codes are transmitted from the calling side, first in step S10, it is determined whether the user code UC matches any of the valid user codes stored in the predetermined area of the RAM 4 as shown in FIG. judge. If the user codes do not match, the line is disconnected in step S14 to prohibit communication. If the user codes match in step S10, the process proceeds to step S11 to check whether image data corresponding to the file code FC following the user code is stored in the image memory 5. As shown in FIG. 4, since the image data is accompanied by the file code FC, the determination in step S11 is performed by comparing the file code with the transmitted file code. If there is no image data corresponding to the file code, the communication is stopped in step S14. If the file codes match, the process moves to step S12, where a CED signal is transmitted. This CED signal is shown in FIG.
Indicated by Thereafter, a polling procedure is performed in step S13. In the polling procedure, as shown by reference numeral 74 in FIG. 7, first, an exchange of a non-standard device signal, a digital identification signal, and an exchange of a training signal are performed to set an appropriate communication speed and other conditions, and then a reference numeral 75 shows. The image file stored in the image memory 5 is transmitted to the line N via the modem 7 and the network control device 8 as described above. The image file transmitted at this time is the image data of the file code matched in step S11. As described above, a plurality of image files can be stored in the image memory, and selected from the calling side and transmitted. At that time, since the DTMF signal is used to select the image file, the calling device only needs to be a system that can transmit the TDMF signal, and does not need to be a non-standard device having the same specifications as the embodiment. . Therefore, the possibility of utilizing the above-described polling function can be increased. Further, according to the above embodiment, transmission of the image file stored in the image memory is prohibited unless the user code matches, so that it is possible to prevent an unauthorized user from obtaining the image file stored in the memory, Polling transmission / reception of highly confidential document images is also possible. In the above embodiment, a dial tone signal is transmitted in order to transmit identification information from the calling side.
Various signals that can be transmitted and received through a normal telephone line, such as a dial pulse signal or a voice signal, can be used. In that case, the DTMF detection circuit 6 is changed to a pulse counter or a speech recognition circuit. In the above embodiment, if image data corresponding to a file code is stored in the image memory, the data is transmitted. However, a predetermined user code and a file code are stored in the RAM 4 in association with each other. The transmission of the image file may be prohibited when identification information other than the combination is transmitted from the calling side. As a result, it is possible to prevent a different user image from being transmitted even by a valid user. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, in a communication device that stores input transmission data and transmits the stored transmission data, the input transmission data is stored. Accordingly, even if the operator does not perform the report output operation, the report regarding the data for transmission not yet transmitted by the transmission means stored in the storage means is automatically output. The output report can be used to prove that the data has been stored, and the transmission result of the stored data can be confirmed without the need for memorizing or preparing memos and performing other complicated tasks that were required in the past. It has an excellent effect that it can be used as a memo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a user code storage format in a RAM of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a calling side. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the configuration of the identification information transmitted from the MFP, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the storage format of the image data in the image memory, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the control unit of FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing signal exchange in the control procedure of FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation part 2 ... Reading part 3 ... Control part 4 ... RAM 5 ... Image memory 6 ... DTMF detection circuit 9 ... Telephone

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Input means for inputting data, transmission information setting means for setting transmission information necessary for transmitting data input by the input means, and storage means for storing data for transmission input by the input means Transmitting means for transmitting the transmission data stored in the storage means; transmission data input by the input means being stored in the storage means in response to the transmission data being stored in the storage means. Output means for automatically outputting a report on transmission data that has not been transmitted by the transmission means. 2. 2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit includes an output unit that outputs the report in response to the completion of the storage of the data input by the input unit in the storage unit. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the report includes date information. 4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores a plurality of data, and the report includes identification information for identifying each of the plurality of data. 5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the identification information is a file code of each data. 6. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the identification information is transmission destination information of each data. 7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is a reading unit that reads a document. 8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit is a recording unit that records the report on recording paper. 9. The storage means stores a plurality of data, and storage means for storing identification information given in correspondence with each of the plurality of data, and the output means gives the identification information to the stored data. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the generated identification information is included in the report and output.
The communication device according to claim 1. 10. Receiving means for receiving the identification information from the other party, and determining means for determining whether the stored identification information matches the received identification information, wherein the transmitting means 10. The communication device according to claim 9, wherein if the received identification information matches, the data stored in the storage unit is transmitted. 11. 11. The communication according to claim 10, further comprising input means for inputting the identification information by an operator, and storage means for storing the identification information input by the input means in association with the data. apparatus. 12. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the report including data stored in the storage unit. 13. 13. The communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the output unit outputs the report including a part of the data stored in the storage unit. 14． The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data is image data. 15. 15. The communication device according to claim 14, wherein the communication device is a facsimile device.