JP3048179B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device capable of simultaneously executing a plurality of functions and displaying an operation state of a function being executed on a display unit .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional communication devices include, for example, files.
Cushion machines have become widespread. As a conventional facsimile apparatus, there is known a facsimile apparatus having a plurality of functions such as transmission / reception, copying, and telephone, and capable of simultaneously executing the plurality of functions. For example, while connected to two lines and transmitting an image original via one line, another
There is a device that can receive image information via one line. If the conventional facsimile apparatus is transmitting an image document, a message "transmitting" is displayed on the LCD of the apparatus, so that the operator can recognize that the image document is being transmitted. At this time, if the image information is received, the message "transmitting" displayed on the LCD disappears, the message "receiving" is displayed on the LCD, and the image information is being received. Can be confirmed by the operator.

[0003]

In the above-described conventional facsimile apparatus, when image information is received while an image document is being transmitted, the display content of the LCD changes from "transmitting" to "receiving". Is automatically switched to "", so it is inconvenient to check whether the transmission is in progress or the transmission is completed.

Here, in order to display on the LCD of the facsimile apparatus a message indicating the operation state of all the functions being executed while simultaneously executing a plurality of functions, it is necessary to provide a large LCD. In this case, there is a problem that the size of the facsimile apparatus is increased.

[0005] The present invention provides a plurality of communication processes and other than communication processes.
Communication device smell capable of executing the processes at the same time
And a table on each process using a small display.
It is to provide an apparatus capable of performing shown. Ma
In addition, the present invention can execute a plurality of communication processes simultaneously.
In a possible communication device, using a small display,
It is possible to display information on each communication process.
In addition, display contents for each communication process with simple control
To provide a device capable of switching between
You.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a plurality of communication processing units are provided.
Communication device that can execute
Store display contents corresponding to each of multiple communication processes
Storage means, and a plurality of storage means stored in the storage means.
Display means for displaying one of display contents corresponding to the communication processing
Operating means for switching the display of the display means
And the end of the communication process being executed on each line
End detection means for detecting, and operation input by the operation means
Is stored in the storage means in accordance with each operation of
Switch between multiple display contents, and
When the end detecting means detects the end of the communication process,
If the display content displayed on the display means is
If it is the display content of the terminated line, the communication process ends.
Control means for changing the display contents of other communication processing not to
Is a communication device having:

[0007]

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, a scanner 10 for optically reading an image document and outputting an electric signal, transmission / reception control units 20 and 20a for controlling line connection, an operation panel 30, and a control for the operation panel A panel control unit 40,
RAM 50 and CPU 60 for controlling each part of the above embodiment
And a ROM 61 for storing a program for operating the CPU 60, and a printer 70.

A line 1 is connected to the transmission / reception control unit 20, and a line 2 is connected to the transmission / reception control unit 20a.

FIG. 2 is a front view specifically showing the operation panel 30. As shown in FIG.

An operation panel 30 includes an LCD 31 for displaying an operation state relating to a function being executed by the above embodiment,
A switching key 32 for switching display contents displayed on the display 31;
And a key group 33. The switching key 32 is used for the LCD 31
Is a key pressed by the operator when the display content is switched, and is an example of a predetermined key.

The panel control unit 40 includes a transmission / reception control unit 20,
It has a function of determining which of the lines 1 and 2 transmission or reception is being performed based on the signal from 20a.

The RAM 50 has a buffer 51, a buffer 51a, a buffer 51b, and a counter 52. The buffer 51 is a buffer for storing a message displayed on the LCD 31 and indicating the operation state of the above embodiment, and the buffer 51a indicates a transmission state or a reception state when transmission or reception is performed via the line 1. Buffer for storing messages, buffer 5
Reference numeral 1b denotes a buffer for storing a message indicating a transmission state or a reception state when transmission or reception is performed via the line 2. The counter 52 is a counter that stores the number of functions being executed by the above embodiment. The buffer 51, the buffer 51a, the buffer 51b, and the counter 52 are examples of display control means for sequentially displaying a message relating to the function being executed on the LCD every time a predetermined key is pressed.

The ROM 61 is also a memory for storing a message indicating a transmission state and a message indicating a reception state.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

Here, a case will be described in which the above embodiment transmits data via the line 1 and receives data via the line 2.

First, when the above embodiment is on standby,
The buffers 51, 51a, and 51b are blank, and the value of the counter 52 is 0. FIG. 1A shows the display contents of the LCD 31 and the contents stored in the buffers 51, 51a, and 51b at this time. FIG. 4A shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment when transmitting. When the CPU determines that the transmission has started (S1), and when the panel control unit 40 determines that the transmission is being performed via the line 1 (S2), the message "transmitting" indicating the transmission state.
Is read from the ROM 61 by the CPU 60 and the buffer 5
1, 51a, and the value of the counter 52 is set to 0.
(S3), and the panel control unit 40 reads the message “transmitting” stored in the buffer 51, and
It is displayed on D31 (S4). FIG. 1B shows the display contents of the LCD 31 and the contents stored in the buffers 51, 51a, and 51b at this time. FIG. 4B shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment when receiving data during transmission.

The CPU 60 determines that the image information is received during transmission in the above-described embodiment (S20, S21), and determines that the reception is being performed via the line 2 by the panel control unit 4.
When 0 is determined (S22), the CPU 60 reads the message "receiving" indicating the reception state from the ROM 61 and stores it in the buffer 51b, overwrites the buffer 51, and changes the value of the counter 52 from 1 to 2 (S2).
3) The panel control unit 40 reads out the message “receiving” stored in the buffer 51 and displays it on the LCD 31 (S24). At this time, the display contents of the LCD 31 and the contents stored in the buffers 51, 51a, and 51b are shown in FIG.
It is shown in (3). FIG. 4C shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time. In this way, when the above embodiment receives during transmission, the message indicating the transmission state disappears, and the message indicating the reception state is displayed on the LCD 31.

Then, the operator presses the switching key 32 to confirm the transmission state. The CPU 60 determines that the switching key 32 has been pressed (S25), and determines that the value of the counter 52 is 2 (S2).
6) That is, if transmission is still in progress, it is further determined that the stored contents of the buffer 51 and the buffer 51b are equal.
If U60 determines (S27), the CPU 60 overwrites the buffer 51a with the contents of "transmitting" in the buffer 51 (S28), and the panel controller 40 reads the overwritten contents of the buffer 51 "transmitting". LCD3
1 (S29). FIG. 1D shows the contents displayed on the LCD 31 and the contents stored in the buffers 51, 51a, and 51b at this time. FIG. 4B shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time. Here, again, the switching key 3
When the CPU 60 determines that the button 2 has been pressed, the panel control unit 40 displays a message indicating the reception state on the LCD 31 (S25, S26, S27, S38, S2).
9).

As described above, if the operator presses the switch key 32 while the above embodiment receives the message during transmission and the message indicating the reception state is displayed on the LCD 31, the message indicating the reception state disappears. Since a message indicating the transmission state is displayed on the LCD 31, it is not necessary to provide a large-sized LCD when checking the operation states of all of the functions being executed while a plurality of functions are being executed simultaneously.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment when reception ends and transmission ends.

It is determined that the transmission is in progress and the reception is completed.
U60 makes a determination (S40, S41), and panel control unit 40 determines that reception via line 2 has been completed (S4).
2) The panel control unit 3 determines that the storage contents of the buffer 51b are the same as the storage contents of the buffer 51b "receiving".
If 0 is determined (S43), the panel control unit 40 deletes the stored content “receiving” of the buffer 51b, changes the value of the counter 52 from 2 to 1 (S44), and changes the stored content of the buffer 51a to “transmitting”. Is overwritten on the buffer 51 (S45), and the stored content of the overwritten buffer 51 "transmitting" is displayed on the LCD 31 (S4).
6). At this time, the display contents of the LCD 31 and the buffer 5
FIG. 1 (2) shows the stored contents of Nos. 1, 51a and 51b. FIG. 4B shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time.
Shown in

The CPU 60 informs the CPU 60 that the transmission has been completed.
(S40), the panel control unit 40 determines that the transmission via the line 1 has been completed (S52), and the storage content of the buffer 51a is "transmitting" and the storage content of the buffer 51 is equal. When the panel control unit 30 determines that this is the case (S53), the panel control unit 40 deletes the stored content “transmitting” in the buffer 51a, and
The value of 2 is changed from 1 to 0 (S54), the content stored in the buffer 51b is overwritten on the buffer 51 (S55), and the overwritten content stored in the buffer 51 is displayed on the LCD 31 (S46). However, since the content stored in the buffer 51b has already been deleted, the content stored in the buffer 51 is deleted, and the LCD 31 becomes a standby screen. FIG. 4A shows a display example of the LCD 31 at this time.

It should be noted that other cases such as transmission during reception, telephone call during transmission, copying during reception, and the like can be described in the same manner as in the case of reception during transmission.

In the above embodiment, the case where two functions are being executed at the same time has been described. However, the same applies to the case where three or more functions are being executed at the same time. In this case, buffers for storing messages indicating the function being executed may be provided by the number of functions that can be executed simultaneously. That is, in the case of a facsimile machine capable of simultaneously executing three functions, a buffer 51c is added to the above-described embodiment, and the buffer 51a, 51
What is necessary is just to sequentially overwrite the stored contents of b and 51c in the buffer 51 and display them on the LCD 31.

[0028]

According to the present invention, a plurality of communication processes can be performed simultaneously.
Communication device that can execute multiple communications
Stores the display content corresponding to each communication process
Then, in accordance with each operation by the operation means, the stored
Switch the display contents of the
When the end detecting means detects the end of the communication process,
The display contents displayed on the display means the communication processing is completed
If it is the display content of the line that was
Display contents of other communication processes.
Without providing a large-sized display device capable of displaying all display about the signal processing, using a small display, any
The effect that the communication status of the line can be displayed
Each time you play and switch the display,
Compared to those that create and display display contents,
Display with simple control just by selectively switching the display contents to be displayed.
Display can be switched, and
While displaying the communication status corresponding to one line,
If the communication is completed, another line that has not completed communication yet
Automatically switches to the communication status display of
The user confirms that communication processing other than the selected line is also continued.
Is easily recognized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing display contents of an LCD 31 and contents stored in buffers 51, 51a, and 51b according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view specifically showing an operation panel 30 in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of an LCD 31 in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation during transmission in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when receiving during transmission in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment when reception ends and transmission ends in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Scanner 20, 20a Transmission / reception control unit 30, Operation panel 31, LCD 32, Switching key 40 Panel control unit 50 RAM 51, 51a, 51b Buffer, 52, Counter, 60, CPU, 61, ROM.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for simultaneously executing a plurality of communication processes.
In a possible communication device, display contents corresponding to each of the plurality of communication processes are described.
Storage means for storing a plurality of communication processes stored in the storage means ;
Display means for displaying one of the display contents to be displayed ; operating means for performing an operation for switching the display of the display means; detecting the end of communication processing being executed in each line
End detecting means for performing the operation input by the operation means for each operation ;
Switching a plurality of display contents stored in the storage means
Display on the display means, and the end detection means
When the end of the process is detected, the
Is the display content of the line for which communication processing has been completed.
If the communication process is not completed,
Control means for changing the communication device. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a facsimile device. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device can simultaneously execute processing other than communication.
The control means controls the display contents corresponding to the plurality of communication processes and
Switch between display contents corresponding to processing other than communication
A communication device as a means for displaying on a display means .