JP2960175B2 - Relay broadcast transmission method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relay broadcast transmission system for a facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to a relay apparatus for a facsimile apparatus which enables a broadcast request station to easily determine how far a broadcast transmission has been executed. It relates to a broadcast transmission method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When transmitting a facsimile document having the same contents from one facsimile apparatus to a plurality of facsimile apparatuses, broadcast transmission has been conventionally used in order to reduce communication costs and distribute communication volume.

In a normal relay broadcast transmission, when a facsimile document and subscriber numbers of a plurality of transfer stations are transmitted from the relay broadcast requesting station to the relay station, the relay station transmits the facsimile document to the designated transfer stations. Forward.

In the so-called multiple relay broadcasting, when a facsimile document and subscriber numbers of a plurality of transfer stations are transmitted from a requesting station to a first relay station, some of the transfer stations function as a second relay station. The facsimile document is transferred to the registered re-transfer station.

[0005] By the way, in the above-mentioned relay broadcast transmission, the operation is complicated because all the subscriber numbers of each transfer station must be input when instructing the broadcast transmission from the requesting station to the relay station. There was a problem.

Accordingly, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-155669.
In the publication, a plurality of broadcast lists that can be selected by ID number are registered in advance in the relay station, and when the broadcast number is transmitted from the requesting station to the relay station, the relay station transmits the ID number and image information. A technique for transmitting image information to a transfer station registered in a broadcast list selected by an ID number has been proposed.

[0007] For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-194544 proposes a technique for making the above-described transmission method using a broadcast list applicable to multiple relay broadcast transmission. .

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned relay broadcast and multiple relay broadcast, in order to enable the requesting station to confirm the completion of transmission,
The subscriber number of the requesting station is registered in the terminal station in advance, and when the terminal station receives the image information, the received image information is returned to the requesting station.

However, in such a configuration, if a communication trouble occurs between the relay station and the terminal station, the occurrence of the trouble can be recognized because the image information is not returned to the requesting station. There was a problem that it was not possible to determine whether this was done.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-189864.
In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-214400 proposes the following transmission method.

That is, the requesting station transfers its own subscriber number and the number of transfer destinations together with the image information to the transfer station. At the transfer station, the subscriber number of the requesting station is transferred as it is, and the number of transfer destinations is one. The value is incremented or decremented and transferred to the next transfer station together with the image information. That is, each transfer station increments or decrements the number of transfer destinations by one each time a transfer is performed.

If the transfer station on the way fails to transfer the data to the transfer destination of the next transfer station correctly, the subscriber number sent from the requesting station is dialed, and its own subscriber number is transferred. Reply with the number of recipients.

According to such a configuration, the requesting station can accurately recognize the station number and the number of transfer destinations of the executed final transfer station.

[0014]

In the above-mentioned prior art, in the broadcast transmission system which simplifies the operation by using the broadcast list, transmission is performed when a communication trouble occurs between the relay station and the terminal station. No method has been proposed for determining how far has been executed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to easily determine how far a transmission has been performed when a communication trouble occurs in a broadcast transmission system using a broadcast list. Another object of the present invention is to provide a relay broadcast transmission method.

[0016]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a facsimile communication system including a facsimile apparatus having a function of storing image information, a destination subscriber number is added to a broadcast list. It is characterized in that a reply destination for returning a broadcast result to each destination is registered together with the broadcast list code.

[0017]

According to such a configuration, the facsimile apparatus functioning as a relay station can know the return destination of the broadcast result by referring to the broadcast list, and thus can easily return the broadcast result. As a result, the management and grasp of the communication network become easy.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a facsimile machine of a request station (hereinafter, FAX1) instructs a facsimile apparatus of a relay station (hereinafter, FAX2) to perform broadcast transmission. The FAX 2 transfers the image information to three facsimile machines (hereinafter, FAX 3, FAX 4, and FAX 5) of the transfer station based on the instruction. Of these, FAX 4 also functions as a relay station, and has two facsimile machines (hereinafter referred to as FAs) of a transfer station.
X6, FAX7).

FAX 2 returns a broadcast result A1 to FAX 3, 4 and 5 to FAX 1. FAX4 is FAX6,
7 is returned to FAX1 and FAX8.

FIG. 5 shows a FAX functioning as the relay station.
It is a functional block diagram of 2 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, at least one broadcast list 31 managed by a broadcast list code 30 is registered in the broadcast list storage unit 50.

Hereinafter, the communication operation of FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to a broadcast list registered in each facsimile machine.

As will be described in detail later, each broadcast list 31 has a subscriber number of a destination, a broadcast list code for further selecting a broadcast list at the destination, and a destination of a destination to which a broadcast result is returned. Subscriber number is registered.

In such a configuration, at the time of reception, F
When the facsimile document and the broadcast list code are transmitted from the AX1, the facsimile document received by the transmission / reception unit 51 is stored in the image information storage unit 54, and the broadcast list code is transmitted to the broadcast list code extraction unit 52 in the FAX2. Is extracted.

The broadcast list selecting section 53 selects a broadcast list responding to the extracted broadcast list code from the broadcast list storage section 50. The selected broadcast list is stored in the broadcast list storage unit 55.

When a broadcast transmission as shown in FIG. 1 is desired, a fax list code of, for example, "3" is sent from FAX1.
Is entered, the fax 2 displays the broadcast list code "3"
The broadcast list responding to is selected and the broadcast list holding unit 5
5 is held.

As shown in FIG. 2, the broadcast list includes subscriber numbers of faxes 3, 4, and 5 as destinations and fax numbers.
4, a broadcast list code "2" for further selecting a broadcast list, and a FAX which is a reply destination of the broadcast result.
The subscriber number is registered as code 1.

Broadcast list code "3" in FAX2
When the broadcast list corresponding to is selected, the calling unit 56
FAX3, FAX3 based on the subscriber number SG1 of the destination registered in the broadcast list held in the broadcast list holding unit 55
4 and 5 are sequentially transmitted, and only the facsimile documents stored in the image information storage unit 54 are transmitted to the faxes 3 and 5,
For the FAX 4, the broadcast list code "2" registered in the broadcast list is added to the protocol data by the protocol data creation unit 57 and transmitted together with the facsimile document.

When the broadcast to the faxes 3, 4, and 5 is completed, the calling unit 56 calls the fax 1 based on the subscriber number SG2 of the reply destination registered in the broadcast list and broadcasts the fax. The result A1 is returned to FAX1.

In the FAX 4 receiving the broadcast list code "2", a broadcast list corresponding to the broadcast list code "2" is selected from a plurality of broadcast lists registered in advance as described above. Is done.

In this broadcast list, as shown in FIG. 3, subscriber numbers of faxes 6 and 7 as destinations and subscriber numbers of faxes 1 and 8 are registered as return destinations of broadcast results. Since the faxes 6 and 7 are terminal stations, the broadcast list code is not registered.

When such a broadcast list is selected, the facsimile machine 4 sends a facsimile document to the facsimile machines 6 and 7 and returns the transmission result A2 to the facsimile machines 1 and 8.

According to the present embodiment, the faxes 2 and 4 functioning as relay stations can know the return destination of the broadcast result by referring to the broadcast list, so that the broadcast result can be easily returned. As a result, the management and grasp of the communication network become easy.

Further, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of reply destinations of the broadcast result can be registered, so that the broadcast result can be confirmed by a plurality of stations.

[0035]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the relay station can know the return destination of the broadcast result by referring to the broadcast list. This makes it easier to manage and understand the communication network.

Further, since a plurality of reply destinations of the broadcast result can be registered in the broadcast list, the broadcast result can be confirmed at a plurality of stations.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a broadcast list according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the broadcast list according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a relay station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a relay station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

30: Broadcast list code, 31: Broadcast list, 50: Broadcast list storage unit, 51: Transmission / reception unit, 52: Broadcast list code extraction unit, 53: Broadcast list selection unit, 54: Image information storage unit 55: Broadcast list holding unit, 56: Calling unit, 57:
Protocol data generator

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a facsimile communication system including a facsimile apparatus having a function of storing image information, at least one of the facsimile communication systems including at least a subscriber number of a reply destination of a broadcast transmission result and managed by a broadcast list code. A broadcast list storage unit in which a broadcast list is registered; a broadcast list selection unit for selecting a broadcast list corresponding to the received broadcast list code from the broadcast list storage unit; and registering the broadcast list in the selected broadcast list. A relay station having a reply unit for returning a broadcast transmission result to a reply destination of the broadcast transmission result.