JP3260892B2 - Delivery confirmation 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 delivery confirmation device for judging whether or not a delivery situation when image information is transmitted by a communication device such as a facsimile device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Unlike a telephone, a facsimile apparatus does not directly interact with a transmitting party, so that it is inconvenient that it is not possible to immediately confirm that transmitted image information has reached the other party without fail. . In order to solve such inconvenience, various methods for confirming the delivery status of the transmitted image information have been adopted.

For example, after the transmission of the image information is completed, the receiving side combines the character code information including the destination and the transmission time with a part of the transmitted image information, and returns the synthesized information to the transmitting side to check the delivery status. Confirmation method (JP-A-1-151365),
A method in which a series of information identification numbers stored at regular intervals are returned to the transmission side after reception is completed, and the transmission side compares the information identification number at the time of transmission with the information identification number returned from the reception side to check the delivery status (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-185097), a method of setting transmission / reception flags each time transmission of each page is completed and confirming delivery (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-90860), or one page after reception is completed A method is disclosed in which the facsimile information is returned to the transmitting side to confirm the delivery (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-254860).

[0004]

However, since none of the above-mentioned delivery confirmation methods is information including the transmitted image information itself, the number of transmitted pages can be confirmed.
It was not possible to confirm whether the contents of each page were delivered reliably. For this reason, it is necessary to make a telephone call to confirm that the contents of each page have been reliably delivered, which is very troublesome.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such a disadvantage, and has as its object to provide a delivery confirmation device capable of immediately confirming the contents of transmitted image information.

[0006]

A delivery confirmation apparatus according to the present invention includes a white run length counter for identifying and counting a white run length for each page of image information to be transmitted and received, and a page for image information. A black run length counter that identifies and counts the black run length for each edge,
From the count values of the white run length counter and black run length counter,
A black pixel ratio calculation unit that calculates a black run length ratio in units of units, and a comparison unit that compares the black pixel ratio of the transmitted image information with the black pixel ratio calculated from the image information received on the receiving side and sent back. And characterized in that:

[0007]

Further, a white run length counter for identifying and counting a white run length for each page of image information to be transmitted and received, and a black for identifying and counting a black run length for each page of image information. A run length counter, a black pixel ratio calculating unit for calculating a black run ratio in page units from count values of the white run length counter and the black run length counter, and a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction of image information to be transmitted and received. An image information compression unit for creating compressed image information by thinning out at a fixed rate in page units, a delivery information synthesizing unit for writing the black run length ratio in the thinned out compressed image information to create delivery information, and transmitting The delivery confirmation device may be configured with a comparison unit that compares the delivery information of the received image information with the delivery information calculated and returned from the image information received on the receiving side.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the black run length ratio is calculated for each page based on the image information to be transmitted and received, and the transmitting side calculates the black run length ratio at the time of transmission and the black returned and calculated at the receiving side. By comparing the run length ratios, when the black run length ratio calculated on the receiving side is within a certain allowable range with respect to the black run length ratio calculated on the transmitting side, it is determined that the image has been normally transmitted.

[0010]

Further, the delivery state is confirmed by using the delivery information in which the black run length ratio is written in the compressed image information by thinning out,
Increase the accuracy of delivery status confirmation.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a facsimile apparatus 1 has a main control section 2 for managing the entire apparatus, a storage section 3 for storing various control information and temporarily storing image information, and an operation display for selecting and inputting various functions. Unit 4, a scanner 5 for reading a document to be transmitted, and a plotter 6 for recording received image information and the like
And an encoding / decoding unit 7, a communication control unit 8, a modem 9, a network control unit 10, and a delivery confirmation unit 11.

The delivery confirmation unit 11 confirms the delivery status of the transmitted image information, and includes a white run length counter 12, a black run length counter 13, a black pixel ratio calculation unit 14, a delivery information storage unit 15, and a comparison unit 16. Having. White run length counter 12
Identifies and counts the white run length R (W) for each page of image information to be transmitted and received. The black run length counter 13 identifies and counts the black run length R (B) for each page of image information to be transmitted and received. The black pixel ratio calculation unit 14 calculates a black run for each page from the white run length R (W) counted by the white run length counter 12 and the black run length R (B) of the image information counted by the black run length counter 13. The long rate P (B) is calculated. The delivery information storage unit 15 stores the black run length ratio P (B) calculated for each page of the image information to be transmitted as delivery information. The comparing unit 16 compares the black run length ratio P (B) stored in the delivery information storage unit 15 with the black run length ratio P (B) calculated and returned from the received image information on the called side. The result is displayed on the operation display unit 4.

The operation when the facsimile apparatus 1 configured as described above transmits and receives image information and determines the delivery status is shown in the flow chart showing the operation on the calling side in FIG. 2 and the called party in FIG. The operation will be described with reference to a flowchart showing the operation of the device.

The facsimile machine 1 on the calling side (hereinafter referred to as the calling side) first sets a call to the facsimile apparatus 1 on the called side (hereinafter referred to as the called side) according to the transmission control procedure of the CCITT recommendation. (Step S1). At this time, the calling side and the called side confirm that they are non-standard functions in the NSF and NSS frames. Next, the image information of the original transmitted by the scanner 5 on the calling side is sequentially read, encoded, and transmitted to the called side (step S2). When this image information is read and transmitted, the white run length counter 12 identifies the white run length for each line of the read image information, counts the white run length, and accumulates it by one page (step S3). , S4, S
6). The black run length counter 13 also identifies the black run length for each line of the read image information, counts the black run lengths, and accumulates them by one page (steps S3, S5, S).
6).

When the black pixel ratio calculation unit 14 detects EOP indicating the end of one page, the white run length R for one page counted by the white run length counter 12 and the black run length counter 13 is calculated.
(W) and black run length R (B), P (B) = 100R (B) / ｛R
(W) + R (B)} to calculate the black run length ratio P (B) and store it as delivery information in the delivery information storage unit 15 (step S).
7, S8, S9). This process is repeated until the last page of the image information is transmitted (step S10).

On the other hand, upon receiving the image information, the called side decodes the received image information and sequentially outputs the decoded image information with the plotter 6 (steps S21 and S22). When this image information is received, the white run length counter 12 identifies the white run length for each line of the received and decoded image information, counts the white run length, and accumulates one page at a time (step). S23, S24, S26).
The black run length counter 13 also identifies the black run length for each line of the received and decoded image information, counts the black run lengths, and accumulates them by one page (steps S23, S25, S).
26).

Every time the reception of one page is completed, the black pixel ratio calculation unit 14 counts the white run length R (W) of one page counted by the white run length counter 12 and the black run length counter 13. From the black run length R (B), P (B) = 100R (B) / ラ ン R (W) + R
(B) The black run length ratio P (B) is calculated by｝ and stored as delivery information in the delivery information storage unit 15 (steps S27 and S2).
8, S29). This process is repeated until the last page of the image information is received (step S30). When the reception of the image information is completed, the black run length ratio P (B) for each page stored in the delivery information storage unit 15 is inserted into the facsimile information field (FIF) of the transmission control procedure, and the calling side is called. And the transmission control procedure ends (steps S31 and S31).
32).

After transmitting the image information, the comparing section 16 of the calling side transmits the black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the received image information from the called side (step S11). The black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the transmission image information stored in the information storage unit 15 and the page based on the reception image information from the called side.
Compare the black run length ratios P (B) for each edge (step S1).
2). As a result of this comparison, the black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the received image information is all predetermined with respect to the black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the transmitted image information. If it is within the allowable range, a message indicating that the image information has been correctly transmitted, the black run length ratio P (B) based on the transmitted image information for each page, and the black based on the received image information The run length ratio P (B) is sent to the operation display unit 4 and displayed (steps S13 and S1).
4). Also, the black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the received image information deviates from a predetermined allowable range with respect to the black run length ratio P (B) for each page based on the transmitted image information. The message indicating that the image information was not transmitted correctly, and the black run length ratio P based on the transmitted image information for each page.
(B) and the black run length ratio P (B) based on the received image information are sent to the operation display unit 4 and displayed (steps S13 and S15). Thereafter, the transmission control procedure ends (step S16). The operator on the calling side confirms the contents displayed on the operation display section 4 to determine whether or not the transmitted image information has been correctly delivered to the called side. It is possible to immediately determine if the message was not delivered correctly;

In the above embodiment, the case where the black run length ratio P (B) for each page of the image information to be transmitted and received is used as the delivery information has been described. Compressed image information created by thinning out the scanning direction at a fixed rate in page units may be used as the delivery information.

In this case, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4, the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction of the image information transmitted / received to / from the delivery confirmation unit 11 are thinned out at a fixed rate on a page-by-page basis to compress the compressed image information. An image information compression unit 17 to be created, a delivery information storage unit 15 for storing thinned compressed image information for each page, and a comparison unit 16 are provided.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the calling side.
As shown in the chart, the calling side performs call setting and the like on the called side according to the transmission control procedure of the CCITT recommendation, and then sequentially reads, encodes, and transmits the image information of the document to be transmitted to the called side. (Steps S51, S52). When reading and transmitting the image information, the image information compression unit 17 thins out and compresses the read image information in the main scanning direction at a fixed ratio of 1 / n for each line, and stores it in the delivery information storage unit 15 (step S53). , S54, S55). After one line in the main scanning direction is thinned out and compressed, the sub-scanning direction is thinned out and compressed in consideration of the thinning rate in the main scanning direction and stored in the delivery information storage unit 15 (steps S56 and S57). This process is continued until one page of the image information is completed, the thinning compression of one page of the read image information is completed, and the compressed image information of one page is stored in the delivery information storage unit 15. Then, the storage range of the next page is set in the delivery information storage unit 15 (steps S58, S59, S6). The above process is repeated until the last page of the image information is read, and the compressed image information of each page of the read image information is stored in the delivery information storage unit 15 (step S59).

On the other hand, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the called side receives the image information, the called side decodes the received image information and outputs it sequentially by the plotter 6 (steps S71, S71).
72). When receiving the image information, the image information compression unit 1
Numeral 7 decimates and compresses the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction of the received and decoded image information in the same manner as the calling side, creates compressed image information of the received image information for each page, and stores a delivery information storage unit. 15 (steps S73 to S80). When the reception of the image information is completed, the compressed image information for each page stored in the delivery information storage unit 15 is put in the facsimile information field (FIF) of the transmission control procedure and transmitted to the calling side. The control procedure ends (steps S81, S82).

When the image information is transmitted and the compressed image information for each page based on the received image information is transmitted from the called side after the image information is transmitted (step S61), the comparing section 16 on the calling side stores the delivery information storage section 1.
5 is compared with the compressed image information for each page based on the received image information from the called side (step S62). As a result of this comparison,
If the degree of coincidence between the compressed image information for each page based on the transmitted image information and the compressed image information for each page based on the received image information falls within a predetermined allowable range, the image information is accurately transmitted. A message to the effect that the compressed image information has been transmitted, and the compressed image information based on the transmitted image information and the compressed image information based on the received image information for each page are sent to the operation display unit 4 and displayed (steps S63 and S6).
4). When the degree of coincidence between the compressed image information for each page based on the transmission image information and the compressed image information for each page based on the received image information is out of a predetermined allowable range, the image information is accurately transmitted. A message to the effect that the message has not been transmitted, and the compressed image information based on the transmitted image information and the compressed image information based on the received image information of each page are sent to the operation display unit 4 and displayed (step S63).
S65). When displaying, the compressed image information based on the transmitted image information and the compressed image information based on the received image information are displayed in comparison. Thereafter, the transmission control procedure ends (step S6).
6). In this case as well, the operator on the calling side checks the contents displayed on the operation display section 4 to determine whether or not the transmitted image information has been correctly delivered to the called side. In addition, it can be immediately determined which page was not delivered correctly.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 7, the delivery confirmation unit 11 includes a white run length counter 12 and a black run length counter 13, a black pixel ratio calculation unit 14, a delivery information storage unit 15, and an image information compression unit 17. , A delivery information synthesizing unit 18 and a comparing unit 16, and the delivery information may be created by writing the black run length ratio by the delivery information synthesizing unit 18 to the compressed image information of each page thinned and compressed as described above. . In this case, the accuracy of confirming the delivery status of the image information can be further improved.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the black run length ratio is calculated for each page based on the image information to be transmitted and received, and the transmission side calculates the black run length ratio at the time of transmission and the calculation at the reception side. Then, based on the image information to be transmitted and received, the main scanning direction and sub-scanning direction are thinned out at a fixed rate in page units to create compressed image information, and the transmitting side transmits the image. Since the compressed image information created at the time is compared with the compressed image information created and returned on the receiving side to determine the delivery status of the image information, the delivery status can be immediately confirmed when the image information is transmitted. it can.

[0027]

Further, by confirming the delivery state by using the delivery information in which the black run length ratio is written in the compressed image information by thinning out, the accuracy of the delivery state confirmation can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the calling side in the above embodiment.
It is.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the called side in the above embodiment.
It is.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a delivery confirmation unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the calling side according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the called side in the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a delivery confirmation unit according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Main control unit 4 Operation display unit 11 Delivery confirmation unit 12 White run length counter 13 Black run length counter 14 Black pixel ratio calculation unit 15 Delivery information storage unit 16 Comparison unit 17 Image information compression unit 18 Delivery information synthesis unit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A white run length counter for identifying and counting a white run length for each page of image information to be transmitted and received;
A black run length counter for identifying and counting the black run length for each page, and a black pixel rate calculation unit for calculating a black run length rate per page from the count values of the white run length counter and the black run length counter. And a comparing unit for comparing the black pixel rate of the transmitted image information with the black pixel rate returned from the image information received on the receiving side. 2. A white run length counter for identifying and counting a white run length for each page of image information to be transmitted and received;
A black run length counter for identifying and counting the black run length for each page, and a black pixel rate calculation unit for calculating a black run length rate per page from the count values of the white run length counter and the black run length counter. And the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction of the image information to be transmitted and received.
An image information compression unit that creates compressed image information by thinning out the image at a fixed rate, and a delivery information synthesis unit that writes the black run length ratio to the compressed image information created by thinning and creates delivery information.
A delivery confirmation device, comprising: a comparison unit that compares the delivery information of the transmitted image information with the delivery information calculated and returned from the image information received on the receiving side.