JP3021953B2 - Facsimile transmission / reception system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus and
The present invention relates to a facsimile transmission / reception system including a document storage / call device provided in association with the facsimile device .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, a communication line connected to the facsimile apparatus is generally one system, and either one of reception and transmission is selected and executed.

[0003]

However, recently, with the increase in communication frequency, there has been a demand for simultaneously transmitting other data even during reception. In order to meet such demands, a plurality of facsimile lines and facsimile apparatuses have to be provided, which is problematic in terms of cost and space.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, without requiring much space and moreover facsimile capable facsimile apparatus having transmission even receiving station at the same time
It is intended to provide a transmission / reception system .

[0005]

To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of facsimile transmission and reception system of the present invention includes means for storing a facsimile number and the image information of the destination sent from the facsimile device to the memory, a plurality of Inside the line
Line that can be used for facsimile transmission
Selecting means for selecting, and a line selected by the selecting means
The destination facsimile stored in the memory using
And calling means for calling the number, including the <br/> and transmission means for transmitting the image information stored in the memory after calling by the calling unit, facsimile apparatus and detachably constructed Ru document storage onset A calling device and the document storing and calling device are connected.
The fax number of the facsimile destination
Send the image information and
If the original storage device is not connected,
Control to perform facsimile transmission from facsimile machine
Facsimile machine having control means for controlling
And features .

[0006]

When an interrupt signal is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus to the document storing and calling apparatus, the facsimile number and the image data to be transmitted after this signal are temporarily stored in the memory, and then the facsimile number is read from the memory. A calling operation is performed, and image data in the memory is transmitted after the line is connected.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows a document storing and calling apparatus A as an embodiment of the present invention, and a facsimile apparatus B connected to the apparatus A and an RS-232C via an interface. In the facsimile apparatus main body B, the reading processing section 1, the recording processing section 2, the memory 3, the modem 5, the NCU 6, the auto dialer 7, the display section 8, the operation panel 9, and the speed dial 22 are the same as those of the conventional facsimile apparatus. Therefore, detailed description is omitted. Keys that are not necessary for explanation on the operation panel 9 are not shown. The communication key 21 is a key for transmitting image data to the destination displayed on the display unit 8. If the document storage / calling apparatus A is connected to the facsimile apparatus B, the key is pressed to press the facsimile. The number and the image data are transferred to the document storing and calling device A. CPU
4 controls the operation of the facsimile apparatus B,
If the document storage and calling device A is connected when is pressed, an interrupt signal is transferred to the document storage and calling device A and a request is made to receive the destination facsimile number and image data following the signal. If not, the image data is transmitted from the facsimile machine B via the line a. Interfaces 91 and 92 are connected to facsimile machine B
Is a device for performing serial-parallel conversion of data when a facsimile number and image data are transferred from the MFP to the document storing and calling device A. The RS232C 93 is a transmission path for transferring a facsimile number and image data from the facsimile apparatus A to the document storing and calling apparatus B. Next, the document storing and calling device A
Shows a case where there are three transmission functions. Of the three transmission functions, the transmission function using the line b will be described in particular, and the remaining two transmission functions have exactly the same function, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

The dial memory 50 is a device for storing the destination facsimile number transferred from the facsimile machine B. The memory 51 is a device that stores the image data transferred from the facsimile machine B. Buffer 64
Is a temporary storage device having a capacity capable of temporarily storing all facsimile numbers and image data transferred from the dial memory 50 and the memory 51 by the DMA method. CPU
Reference numeral 61 denotes a buffer 6 for storing the other party's facsimile number and image data stored in the dial memory 50 and the memory 51.
After the transfer, the image data is transmitted from the buffer 64 to the line b by controlling the modem 62 and the auto dialer 63. The modem 62 is a device that modulates and transmits image data. The NCU 63 with an auto dialer is a device that automatically performs a calling operation with a called station and transmits image data. The controller 52 has two functions and has a CPU 61,
A line b controlled by each of the CPUs 62 and 63;
If any of c and d is unused, the image data stored in the memory 51 is transmitted using the line,
At the same time as managing the usage status of the CPUs 61, 62, and 63, it always monitors when an interrupt signal is transferred from the facsimile apparatus B, and immediately detects the interrupt signal from the facsimile apparatus B and immediately follows the subsequent facsimile apparatus. Number and image data are stored in dial memory 50 and memory 5
Prepare to memorize in 1. Interfaces 91 and 92
Is a device for performing serial-parallel conversion of signals when transferring a facsimile number and image data from the facsimile apparatus B to the document storage / calling apparatus A via the communication line RS-232C93.

An operation procedure from the transfer of a facsimile number and image information from the facsimile apparatus B to the original storing and calling apparatus A until transmission from the original storing and calling apparatus A using any of the lines b, c and d. Will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure for transferring a facsimile number and image data from the facsimile apparatus B to the document storing and calling apparatus A. S1 is a process of setting a document on the reading processing unit 1 of the facsimile machine. S2 is a process for reading out the facsimile number of the transmission destination from the memory 3 of the facsimile apparatus main body B using the speed dial 22. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the facsimile number stored in the memory 3 is a one-to-one correspondence between the speed dial number and the facsimile number in the table of the memory 3, for example, when the speed dial number 2 is pressed, the facsimile number 0748-32. -1
234 is read out. At step S3, the facsimile number read by the speed dial 22 is displayed on the display unit 8.
If there is no error as a result of the display, the communication key 91 on the operation panel 9 is pressed to prepare for transferring image data from the facsimile apparatus B. More specifically, pressing the communication switch shifts the procedure to S4 and subsequent steps. In step S4, if the facsimile apparatus B is connected to the document storing and calling apparatus A, the interrupt signal is transferred to the document storing and calling apparatus, and the facsimile number and the image signal following the interrupt signal are transferred. S5 is a process for transferring the facsimile number from the facsimile apparatus B to the document storage / calling apparatus A. S6 is a process for transferring image data from the facsimile apparatus B to the document storage and calling apparatus A. If there is no document storing and calling device B, the facsimile device A transmits the facsimile number and the image data. Send

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the controller 52 of the document storage and calling device A. Controller 5
2 is always waiting for an interrupt signal from the facsimile machine to be input. If an interrupt signal is input during the execution of this procedure, the image data storing procedure of FIG. 5 for immediately storing the subsequent facsimile number in the redial memory 50 and the image data in the memory 51 is executed. If not, this procedure is always executed. This procedure is a procedure until transfer is completed using any of the unused lines a, b, and c if the image data to be transmitted is in the memory 51. T1 is a process of always searching the unexecuted image data in the redial memory 50 for a facsimile number corresponding to one-to-one. Unexecuted means that the image data is not transmitted and stored in the memory 51. The image data is stored in units of image data files as shown in FIG. 9, and each image data has an image data file number of 1, 2, 3
And stored in the memory 51.
The image data is read from the memory 51 by designating the image data file number. FIG. 8 shows a state where the facsimile number is stored in the redial memory 50, and the search operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 shows the state of the facsimile number table stored in the redial memory 50. The facsimile number is stored in this table using the concept of a pointer. The pointer and the facsimile number are stored in the table in one-to-one correspondence. Further, the facsimile number is stored in a table in which the image data file number corresponding to the facsimile number and the execution bit indicating that the image data is being transmitted are in one-to-one correspondence. In the example of FIG. 3, the pointer is the leftmost digit, followed by the facsimile number, the image data file number, and the execution bit. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, the pointer 3 is the facsimile number 0748-37-1234, the image data corresponding to the facsimile number is stored in the file number 1, and since the execution bit is 1, the image data is stored in the file number 1. Indicates that transmission to the partner station is in progress. However, when the execution bit is 0, the image data has not been transmitted. When a facsimile number is stored in this table, it is stored using a pointer called a write pointer. Each time a facsimile number is stored in this table, the write pointer increments its value by one. Further, when a facsimile number is read from this table, a pointer called a read pointer is incremented by one.
When this table is searched for the execution bit 0, the value of the read pointer is incremented by one until the condition of the value of the read pointer = the value of the write pointer is satisfied, and the search operation is continued. However, the initial values of the write pointer and the read pointer are both 0.

T2 is a process for searching for the execution bit "0" from the facsimile number table shown in FIG.
If there is an execution bit 0 in the table, and if it is executed, the process proceeds to T3, and the process proceeds to a process of searching for an unused CPU that has not transmitted using the line a, b, or c. Since the original storing and calling device has three CPUs 61, 71, 81, which CPU is unused is found according to the operation procedure for searching for an unused CPU in FIG. Naturally unused C
The line for the PU is also unused. The operation of FIG. 4 will be described. CPU in each step of U1, U2, U3
1. It is checked whether each of the CPUs 2 and 3 is unused, and if all are in use, the used bit is set to 0. If there is even one that can be used, the used bit is set to 1
To

T4 in FIG. 3 is processing for continuing the operation of searching for an unused CPU in FIG. 4 until an available CPU is found. If an available CPU is found, the process proceeds to transmitting image data using the available CPU. T5 is a procedure for setting the execution bit to 1 before transmitting image data and preventing reading twice. The execution bit in the table storing the facsimile number in FIG. 8 is changed from 0 to 1, and information indicating that the image data corresponding to the facsimile number is being transmitted is provided. Naturally, since an unexecuted facsimile number is found at T2, the execution bit corresponding to the facsimile number should be 0, so that the execution bit is changed to 1. That is, since an unexecuted facsimile number is found, the image data corresponding to the facsimile number is transmitted.

T6 is a process for increasing the read pointer by one. Since the unexecuted facsimile numbers are naturally stored in the dial memory as pointer values in ascending order, the executed facsimile number pointer is increased by one. In T7, the facsimile number read from the dial memory 50 is transferred to the unused CPU side, and preparations are made to call the other party with the auto dialer using the facsimile number.

T8 is a process for transferring image data to the same CPU as T7. In the case of transferring image data, for example, a means of transferring the image data from the memory 51 to the buffer at once in a short time by the DMA method is used. However, the buffer 64, the buffer 74, and the buffer 84 are each CP
The U61, the CPU 71, and the CPU 81 control and control, respectively. For example, when the CPU 61 is not used, the data is transferred from the memory 51 to the buffer 64.

T9 is a process of deleting the transferred facsimile number from the table in FIG. 8 which stores the facsimile number. That is, another new facsimile number is written in the same area. T10 is a process of preparing to write new image data in the area after reading the image data stored in the memory 50. Whether or not image data can be written is indicated by an image use bit. The image use bits will be described with reference to FIG. This figure shows an image data use bit table, in which all image data is stored in image data file units. Whether the image data file for storing the image information is usable or not is stored by bits stored in the image data file. In this figure, for example, the bit indicating image use of file 2 is 0, 2 indicates that it can be used. Returning to FIG. 3, since the image data transferred at T10 is useless, the image use bit corresponding to the image data file is set to 1 in order to release the image data file area storing the image data. .

FIG. 5 shows a case where this operation is started in the operation procedure of the original storing and calling apparatus when an interrupt signal is input from the facsimile apparatus B to the original storing and calling apparatus A. Since the facsimile number and the image data are always input after the interrupt signal is input, the information is stored in the memory. V1 is a process for detecting when an interrupt signal is input to the document storage device A.

V2 is a process of increasing the value of the write pointer by one when writing a facsimile number in the dial memory 50. V3 is a process of storing the facsimile number in the record indicated by the write pointer. V4 is a process of searching the image use bit table of FIG. 10 to find an image data file area that can be written in the memory 51, based on whether the image use bit is 0 or 1.

V5 is a process for confirming whether the image data file area is empty. V6 and V7 are memory 5
If an image data file area that can be written to 1 is found, the image data is written to that area, and the bit corresponding to the image data file in the image use bit table is set to 1 to put it into a use state. The operation procedure of the CPU for transmitting image data in the document storing and calling apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This operation is performed after the controller 52 finds an unused CPU, and then returns to the unused C
This is realized by transferring an interrupt signal to the PU. W1 is a process for detecting the input of an interrupt signal and a facsimile number following the interrupt signal from the controller 52.

W2 is a process for storing the facsimile numbers from the redial memory 50 in the buffers corresponding to the respective CPUs. Further, the image data from the memory 51 is stored in the same buffer. At this time, data is transferred from the memory 51 to the buffer at a high speed by, for example, a DMA operation.
W4 is a process of performing a call operation to the other party. In this process, the automatic dialers 63, 64, and 65 automatically secure the line using the lines b, c, and d with the other party.

W5 and W6 are processes for transmitting all the image data in the buffer. W7 is a process of notifying the controller 52 of the completion of the transmission of the image data by the CPU and setting the use bit to 1.

[0021]

As is clear from the above description, since reception is performed by the facsimile apparatus and transmission is performed by using the document storage and calling apparatus, transmission and reception can be performed simultaneously, and transmission and reception can be performed as in the conventional case. Is performed at the same time, there is no need to install a plurality of facsimile machines, so that there is an effect that a large space is not required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram including an apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a transmission procedure of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a controller of the document storing and calling device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for searching for an unused CPU.

FIG. 5 is an image information storing procedure of a controller of the document storing and calling device.

FIG. 6 is an operation procedure of a transmission function CPU of the document storage / call device.

FIG. 7 is a facsimile number table stored in a memory of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a facsimile number table stored in a redial memory of the document storing and calling device.

FIG. 9 shows image information stored in a memory of the document storing and calling apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a use bit table of image information stored in a memory of the document storage / calling device.

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Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transmission transmitted from a facsimile machine.
Means for storing the previous facsimile number and the image information in the memory, from a plurality of lines, be used for facsimile transmission
Selecting means for selecting an available line, and using the line selected by the selecting means,
It includes a calling <br/> means for calling the facsimile number of the destination stored in the re, and transmission means for transmitting the image information stored in the memory after calling by the calling unit, facsimile apparatus and detachable a document storage calling device that consists freely, if the document storage calling device is connected, fa
The facsimile number and image information of the destination
The document is sent to the document storing and calling device and the document storing and calling device is
If the facsimile device is not connected,
Control means to control facsimile transmission from
Off, characterized in that it consists of a facsimile apparatus having
Facsimile transmission and reception system .