JP3185691B2 - Facsimile storage 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 facsimile storage device used for, for example, a broadcast facsimile broadcast facsimile system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of facsimile storage device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-327045 as a "facsimile storage switching device". This has a timer set to a longer measurement time until the response operation by the transmitting facsimile terminal should be completed, starts the timer upon completion of the calling operation, and starts the facsimile communication procedure by timeout of the measurement time. The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size of the entire device by eliminating the need for a signal detection circuit used only for response confirmation for each line corresponding unit.

[0003]

However, in this type of facsimile storage apparatus, a broadcast is performed by using a G3 facsimile terminal specified by the recommendation of the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) for the receiving facsimile. In this case, not only the facsimile on the transmitting side but also the facsimile on the receiving side transmit signals, so if the transmission timing overlaps with the signal transmission timing from the transmitting side, the signal on the receiving side cannot be detected, There is a problem that communication reliability is reduced.

Further, in the conventional facsimile storage device, only one type of procedure signal transmission timing is set, and therefore, it is necessary to add an adapter with a memory to avoid collision between procedure signals due to timing deviation. However, there is also a problem that the entire apparatus becomes large.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and can improve the reliability of communication,
An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile storage device that can reduce the size of the device.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile storage apparatus comprising:
Switching between the broadcast line and the individual line in a facsimile storage device connectable to a broadcast line for performing broadcast communication from a transmitting station and an individual line for performing individual communication in a standard facsimile communication procedure. At the time of communication between the line switching unit and the individual line, at a timing t ₁ from the transmission of the activation signal to the return of the NSF / DIS signal for a plurality of receiving stations, the transmission of the TCF signal and the CFR Timing t ₂ at which the signal is returned, E
A timing measurement unit for measuring a timing t ₃ between sending out the OP signal until MCF signal is returned as a procedure signal transmission timing, based on a procedure signal transmission timing result of measurement by the timing measurement unit, the same procedure signaling A timing receiving station is set to the same group, a timing storage unit that stores the plurality of receiving stations in groups, and based on information from the timing storage unit, a signal on the transmitting side does not collide with a signal from the receiving side. And a timing determining unit for determining a proper transmission timing.

Therefore, the same procedure signal transmission timing
Multiple receiving stations by grouping the receiving stations
They can be stored in groups .

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams showing a facsimile storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the communication system shown in FIG.
Broadcast line in which the transmitting station 17 and the receiving stations 15 and 16 are in a broadcast format
11 and an individual line 12 such as NTT.

This communication system includes a facsimile 3 for sending a facsimile signal to the storage device 1, a modem 2 for demodulating a modulated signal from the facsimile 3 and returning it to data, and a data storage unit 4 for storing image data. A modem 5 for modulating a signal during broadcast and individual communication, a line switching unit 6 for switching between a broadcast line and an individual line, a procedure control unit 7 for performing transmission control of individual communication and broadcast communication, A timing measuring section 8 for measuring the transmission timing of the procedure signal transmitted / received by the section 7;
And a timing determination unit 20 that determines a transmission timing based on information from the timing storage unit 9 so that a signal from the transmission side does not collide with a signal from the reception side. Have.

The storage device 1 includes a facsimile device 3 on the transmitting station side.
The facsimile image information data is stored in the data storage unit 4 via the modem 2 and the C / D (compression / expansion unit) 10. This stored data is broadcasted in a broadcast format or in accordance with the CCITT Recommendation T.40 using an individual line such as NTT according to the destination information given at the time of storage. It is transmitted by individual communication according to the 30 standard facsimile communication procedure.

First, a description will be given of a case where transmission is performed by simultaneous broadcasting. The storage device 1 includes a simultaneous broadcasting line 11 (satellite line,
In a cable broadcasting line, a wireless line, etc.), the line is switched by the line switching unit 6 and the signal transmission timing is transmitted by the procedure control unit 7 by referring to the data in the timing storage unit 9 in a procedure that does not receive a response.

On the other hand, when a broadcast is received at the receiving stations 15 and 16 (1 to N), the line is switched by the line switching device 13 to the broadcast line. The G3 facsimile machine 14 on the receiving station side starts receiving in the normal G3 communication mode,
The response signal transmitted by the 3 facsimile machine 14 is cut by the line switching device 13 and is not output to the broadcast line.

When individual communication is performed using an NTT line or the like, the timing measurement unit 8 measures the timing of transmission and reception of the procedure signal performed by the procedure control unit 7 of the storage device 1 in the individual communication. It is stored in the timing storage unit 9. The timing storage unit 9 stores the timing of transmitting the procedure signal as a table, and the timing data of the receiving stations 1 to N is centrally managed. If there is a variation in the timing of transmitting the procedure signal, for example, the model of the G3 facsimile machine 14 of the receiving station is not unified, the timing storage unit 9
Now, create multiple timing tables.

Next, a broadcast procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a broadcasting procedure when a signal is transmitted from the transmitting station to the receiving station. In the figure, receiving station 1
When the G3 facsimile terminal (general-purpose facsimile terminal) specified by the CCITT recommendation is used for the 5 and 16 facsimile machines 14, the facsimile machine 14 on the receiving station side transmits the facsimile machine 1 to the transmitting station 1.
7 returns a procedure signal as a general-purpose facsimile terminal in response to the procedure signal from.

When the line is closed by being activated by the activation signal 18, the receiving stations 15 and 16 return an NSF / DIS signal 19. The transmitting side receives the NSF / DIS from the start signal 18.
The timing t ₁ until the signal 19 is returned is measured by the timing measurement unit 8 and stored in the timing storage unit 9.

Similarly, after transmitting the TCF signal, the CFR
The time t ₂ until the signal 22 is returned and the EOP signal 24
And the time t ₃ until the MCF signal 25 is returned from the timing measuring section 8, and accumulates it in the timing storage section 9.

Based on these stored data, the storage device 1 determines a timer value when using the broadcast-type procedure. If these timer values vary widely, a plurality of timings are set. The procedure adjustment of these timings is automatically performed, and the work time for on-site adjustment and maintenance is reduced.

When the storage device 1 of the transmitting station broadcasts the broadcasting system at the same time, the signal from the transmitting side is converted by the timing determining unit 20 based on the information from the timing storing unit 9 from the signal from the receiving side. A signal transmission timing that does not cause a collision is determined.

FIG. 3 shows a case where a signal is transmitted from the transmitting station while the receiving station is transmitting a signal. The side facsimile 14 cannot detect the signal.

Next, the case where a plurality of receiving stations are grouped according to the timing of transmitting a procedure signal will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart showing a case where test communication is performed when measuring the timing of sending a procedure signal in the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the line of the transmitting station 17 is switched to the individual line side such as NTT, and the receiving station (1) is called by the individual line.

The communication with the G3 facsimile machine 14 of the receiving station 1 is performed, and the time t ₁ from the incoming call to the return of the NSF / DIS signal is measured. Next, a time t ₂ from when the TCF signal is transmitted to when the CFR signal is returned, and a time t between when the EOP signal is transmitted and when the MCF signal is returned.
_3, measures the time to return a sequential response signal. Then, the first group is created based on the results of these measurements.

Similarly, a call is made to the receiving station (2), the timing of transmitting the procedure signal is measured, and if the measurement result is the same as that of the receiving station (1), it is registered in the first group. In this case, if the timing of transmitting the procedure signal is different due to a difference in the model of the G3 facsimile, a new group is created and registered.

In this manner, the procedure signal transmission timing is measured for all of the receiving stations (1) to (N).
The receiving stations are grouped according to the timing of sending these procedure signals.

FIG. 5 is an operation flow diagram in the case of performing simultaneous broadcast to the grouped receiving stations, and shows a case where the receiving stations are classified into four groups according to the timing of transmitting a procedure signal. In the figure, when image data information is stored in the data storage unit 4 of the storage device 1 from the broadcast facsimile, first, the broadcast is sent via the broadcast line at the timing of sending the procedure signal according to the group 1. Do. Next, the same image data is simultaneously broadcast to the group 2 at a timing different from the timing of the group 1 at the timing of the group 2, and this is repeated up to the group 4.

When transmitting to a specific receiving station in the broadcast mode, transmission can be performed at the timing of transmitting the procedure signal of the corresponding group directly according to the destination information.

[0026]

According to the present invention as described above, according to the present invention, the
Group the receiving stations with the same procedure signal transmission timing.
And store multiple receiving stations in groups.
Due to the difference in the timing of sending the procedure signal
With memory required conventionally to avoid collision between procedure signals
It is not necessary to add an adapter, and the size of the device can be reduced.
Can be achieved.

[0027]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams showing a facsimile storage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a broadcasting procedure when a signal is transmitted from a transmitting station to a receiving station.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining a case where a signal is transmitted from a transmitting station while a receiving station is transmitting a signal and the signals collide with each other.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart showing a case where test communication is performed when measuring a procedure signal transmission timing in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation flow diagram in the case of performing broadcast to the receiving stations divided into groups.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 storage device 6 line switching device 7 procedure control unit 8 timing measurement unit 9 timing storage unit 15, 16 reception station 17 transmission station 20 timing determination unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A facsimile storage device connectable to a broadcast line for performing simultaneous broadcast communication from a transmitting station and an individual line for performing individual communication according to a standard facsimile communication procedure. A line switching unit for switching the individual line, and when communicating on the individual line, for a plurality of receiving stations,
The timing t ₁ from when the start signal is transmitted to when the NSF • DIS signal is returned, and when the TCF signal is transmitted and C
A timing measuring section for measuring a timing t ₂ for returning the FR signal and a timing t ₃ from sending the EOP signal to returning the MCF signal as a procedure signal sending timing; Based on the result of the procedure signal transmission timing, the receiving stations having the same procedure signal transmission timing are grouped into the same group, and the plurality of receiving stations are grouped and stored. A facsimile storage device comprising: a timing determination unit that determines a transmission timing such that the signal does not collide with a signal from the receiving side.