JP3277724B2 - Facsimile machine - 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 apparatus, and more particularly, to a facsimile apparatus capable of simultaneously processing a plurality of jobs requested by a plurality of hosts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A facsimile apparatus has functions of reading an original, storing it in a memory, transmitting, receiving, and printing out. Normally, in a facsimile apparatus, the processing is executed for each job using each of these functions. However, in the processing for each job unit, the throughput of the facsimile apparatus, that is, the operation rate is low. Therefore, there has been proposed a facsimile apparatus in which a plurality of jobs are simultaneously processed in parallel to improve the throughput (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho.
1-288553).

On the other hand, a facsimile apparatus can be used not only alone but also incorporated in an information processing system. For example, it is possible to configure a system that executes the transmission, reception, and printing jobs in response to requests from a plurality of host computers (hereinafter, referred to as “hosts”).

[0004]

When a facsimile apparatus is used in a system as described above, there are job requests from a plurality of hosts, and the job requests are concentrated on one function. It is expected that. However, conventionally, no system that processes job requests from a plurality of hosts simultaneously and in parallel has been considered, and no measure has been taken when job requests are concentrated on one function. Also, due to diversification of processing, one job may include contents requiring a plurality of functions such as printing and transmission. In such a case, it may be better to wait until all the requested functions are available, or it may be possible to execute the processing more efficiently by sequentially executing the available functions. However, conventionally, no measure has been taken when such a plurality of functions are requested as one job.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus that enables simultaneous and parallel processing of job requests using a plurality of functions issued from a plurality of hosts.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the object, the present invention provides a function management means for grasping and managing the state of each functional unit, and a job management method for a plurality of hosts. A request analysis means for accepting a request and disassembling the job request by function; a registration means for registering the function request disassembled for each function; and a plurality of function requests when one job request includes a plurality of function requests. Means for assigning an identifier indicating that a plurality of function requests are included in the same job request; and, when executing the function request registered in the registration means, the same job request is determined by the presence or absence of a function request to which the same identifier is assigned. Identifier discriminating means for detecting that a plurality of function requests are included in the same job request, and detecting the state of each function unit when it is detected that the same job request includes a plurality of function requests. A job management unit that, when it is determined that all the function units required to execute the function request included in the same job request are available, gives an instruction to execute the request to each function unit. The point has a first characteristic.

Further, the present invention is configured such that the registering means registers the function requests in a queue so that the function requests are executed in the order of reservation, and a plurality of functions included in the same job request. When executing one of the function requests, if the remaining function requests are not registered at the head of the queue, means for exchanging registration to grant the next use right to the function request is provided. The point has a second feature.

[0008]

According to the present invention having the first feature, job requests from a plurality of hosts are decomposed for each function. Then, among the received job requests, a plurality of function requests included in one job request are registered with identifiers assigned so as to be able to identify each other. When executing each function request,
When there is another function request included in one job request, execution of the function request is instructed when all the function requests can be executed.

Further, according to the present invention having the second feature, the queue registration order is changed so that all of a plurality of function requests included in the same job request can be executed earlier.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2, the facsimile apparatus 1 has a hardware configuration described later with reference to FIG. The facsimile device 1 is connected to two hosts 3 and 4 and an external storage device 5 via a bus 2. Further, the facsimile apparatus 1 is provided with a server 6, and the server 6 is connected to a plurality of computers 8, 9 via a LAN network 7. Further, the facsimile machine 1 is connected to other facsimile machines (hereinafter referred to as "remote facsimile") 10, 11, and 12 by telephone lines.

Next, the hardware configuration of the facsimile machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, each component is connected by a system bus 13. The function of each unit will be described according to job processing. For example, a case where an original supplied from the host 3 is printed according to an instruction from the host 3 and an original supplied from the host 4 is transmitted to a remote facsimile (FAX) 10 according to an instruction from the host 4 will be described. I do.

First, when the instruction from the host 3 is executed, the image information of the original supplied from the host 3 is transmitted to the interface 1.
4 and stored in the storage unit 15. The stored image information is transferred to the printing unit 16, and the printing unit 16 prints the received image information. The CPU 17 manages the image information accumulation state of the document in the storage unit 15 and the printing state of the printing unit 16 and the like. Further, in order to perform the above-described printing operation, the CPU 17 issues an instruction to accumulate image information in the storage unit 15, transfer the image information to the printing unit 16, and start printing in the printing unit 16. The storage unit 15
The transfer of the image information from the printer to the print unit 16 may be any transfer or transfer in page units.

On the other hand, in the case of a transmission job in which the original supplied from the host 4 is transferred to the remote facsimile 10, the image information of the original is stored in the storage unit 15 via the interface 18, as in the case of the print. Then, the stored image information is transmitted from the communication control unit 19 to the telephone line and transmitted to the remote facsimile 10. In this transmission job, the states of the storage unit 15 and the communication control unit 19 are managed by the CPU 17, and the progress of the processing of the transmission job is grasped. If the transmission original is data that does not match the reception function of the remote facsimile 10, for example, the size of the recording paper, data processing is performed using the encoding / decoding unit 20, the enlargement / reduction unit 21, and the like. Can be sent to the line.

In the facsimile machine 1, the above two jobs, ie, printing and transmission, can be processed simultaneously in parallel. Further, during the execution of the job, the processing status of the job request is read from the CPU 17 by an operation instruction from the input unit 22 and the progress status and the function of each job, that is, the usage status of each of the printing unit 16 and the communication control unit 19 are displayed on the display unit. 23. If necessary, the processing can be interrupted by an instruction from the operation of the input unit 21.

Although the facsimile apparatus 1 is not used in the above processing, it is used in the facsimile apparatus 1 alone.
To read the original. Interface 2
5 is provided for connecting the server 6. CPU
Reference numeral 17 controls the entire facsimile apparatus 1 in accordance with programs and system data stored in the ROM 26, in addition to the status monitoring.

Next, the main functions of the facsimile machine 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. In the figure, job requests from hosts 100 and 101 are sent to a request analysis unit 30 via host interfaces 200 and 201.
0 is input. The job request from the host 100 or the like is given by a combination of functions. For example, when printing data supplied from the host 100 or the like simultaneously with transmission, a job request including a combination of “transmission” and “print” is issued. The request analysis unit 300 analyzes such a job request for each function. Then, the function requests included in the same job request include:
A common identifier for identifying these is assigned, and the function request to which the identifier is assigned is stored in the registration unit 410 in the job management unit 400.

The job management unit 400 instructs a function unit 500 including a printing unit and a communication control unit to execute a function request in order to execute a job for each function. When this execution is instructed, a function request having the same identifier can be executed simultaneously when all the functions for executing the function are available, in accordance with the instruction set in advance in the system data or the like. The function management unit 600 includes the function unit 5
The status of each function, such as a print unit and a communication control unit, is always managed, and the result is supplied to the job management unit 400. Therefore, based on the status of each functional unit obtained from the function managing unit 600 and the type of the requested job, the job management unit 400 issues an appropriate instruction for simultaneous execution of all the functions as described above, for example. Function part 5
00 can be given.

Further, since the job processing result is grasped by the job management unit 400, the notification unit 700 can notify the host 100, 101 via the host interface 200, 201 of the processing result.
The processing results include the suspension of a job request and the cancellation of a job request, and the processing in the job management unit 400 is executed based on a scheduled program or system data. Although FIG. 1 shows a case where there are two hosts, the same applies to a case where a job request is received from two or more hosts.

Next, the processing in the request analysis unit will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, in step S1, a job request supplied from the host 100 or 101 is analyzed, and if the request includes a plurality of functions, the job request is decomposed for each function. In step S2,
It is determined whether a print request is included in the disassembled job request. If a print request is included,
Proceeding to step S3, the registration unit 41 of the job management unit 400
0 stores the print request. If the job request is not a print request, the process proceeds to step S4, and it is determined whether the decomposed job request includes a transmission request. If the transmission request is included, step S
Proceeding to step S5, the registration unit 410 of the job management unit 400 stores that the transmission request has been issued. Hereinafter, similarly, step S
In steps S6 and S7, it is determined whether or not the job request includes a reception and read request. If these job requests are included, the process proceeds to steps S8 and S9, respectively, where the registration unit 410 of the job management unit 400 is registered. Each request is stored in The analysis of the job request is repeatedly performed, and every time a request is detected, storage for indicating that the request has been made is performed. Other job requests (not shown) are similarly determined and an instruction for processing is given, but not shown. These job requests are stored in a queue so that they can be executed in the order of acceptance.

Further, when storing the function requests in the registration unit 410, the same identifiers are assigned to the function requests included in the common job request and stored. For example, when the transmission and print request are included in the job request from the host 100, an identifier including at least information indicating that the request is from the host 100 and a job number is added. Further, the identifier may include the name of a user who has requested a job using the host 100. When these function requests are executed simultaneously, the function request included in one job request can be identified by this identifier.

Next, processing of a job request from the host will be described with reference to a flowchart. First, FIG.
In step S10, it is determined whether there is a "print request" based on the result of analysis by the request analysis unit 300.
If there is a "print request", the process proceeds to step S11. If there is no “print request”, the processing shifts to processing of another function request, for example, transmission request processing. Step S1
In step 1, it is determined whether resources can be secured based on whether or not there is a memory capacity for receiving print data, whether or not an operator is operating the print data, and the like. If the resource could not be secured, the process proceeds to step S26, where the result information indicating that the resource could not be secured is registered in the job management unit 400, and the end information is notified to the host via the notification unit 700. On the other hand, if it is determined that the resources can be secured, the process proceeds to step S12, and a multiple function request process is performed. This multiple function request processing relates to processing when one job request includes a request to use a plurality of functions, for example, a print and transmission request. The details will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S13, based on the result of the multiple function processing, it is determined whether to continue the print request processing or shift to another function request processing. If it is determined that the print request processing is to be continued, step S
Proceed to 14 to activate a transfer function for receiving print data from the host. The processing by this transfer function is shown in FIG.
Will be described later. If it is determined in step S13 that another function request is to be processed, the process proceeds to a routine for processing a transmission request, for example.

In step S15, it is determined whether or not the printing unit 16 is in use. This can be determined by the “in use flag” indicating whether or not the print is being used by the function management unit 600. If not, the process proceeds to step S23 to secure the print unit 16. That is, the “in use flag” is set to secure the print unit 16.

On the other hand, if the printing section 16 is in use, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not a waiting time is set. This determination can be made, for example, by setting predetermined system data. If the waiting time is to be set, the process proceeds to step S17, where the scheduled waiting time is set in the timer means and counting is started. When the waiting time is not set, that is, when the printing unit 16
When waiting until the time becomes available, the process proceeds to step S18, in which an infinite or predetermined maximum value is set as a waiting time in the timer means, and time counting is started. The reason why the infinite time is set here is that the operation can be restored at any time when the processing becomes possible when the processing is interrupted due to a jam of the print unit 16 or the like.

In step S19, it is determined whether the set waiting time has elapsed. If the waiting time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to step S20, and it is determined whether or not the printing unit 16 can be used. If the print unit 16 is not usable, the process proceeds to step S21, and it is determined whether or not to suspend. This determination is made based on, for example, the presence or absence of an interruption instruction from the input unit 22. If not interrupted, the process proceeds to step S19. When the printing unit 16 becomes usable, the process proceeds to step S23 to secure the printing unit 16.

In step S24, the printing unit 16 is started to print data from the host. The printing operation will be further described later with reference to FIG. In step S25, it is determined whether the data transfer and the printing have been completed. This determination is made at the end of the processing described with reference to FIGS.
Based on notification to. If the determination in step S19 or step S21 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S22, where the data transfer from the host is interrupted, and step S2 is performed.
Proceed to 6. In step S26, the result information is registered in the job management unit 400, and the end information is notified to the host via the notification unit 700. Simultaneously with the notification of the end information, one of the stored print requests is deleted.

Next, reception of print data from the host will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, in step S30, reception of print data is started, and in step S31, the received data is stored in, for example, the storage unit 15. In step S32, it is determined whether the reception of the scheduled amount of the printed data such as the page unit has been completed. If this determination is affirmative, in step S33, the job management unit 400 is notified of the end of the scheduled amount of data transfer. Further, step S3
In step 4, it is determined whether or not reception of all print data has been completed. If the determination is affirmative, the process advances to step S35 to notify the job management unit 400 of reception completion of all print data.

Next, the printing of the print data will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, in a step S40, it is determined whether or not the operation of the printing unit 16 is possible. This is to determine a state such as "no paper". In step S41, it is determined whether print data exists. If the reception of the print data has been transferred from the host for at least the scheduled unit (for example, one page), the determination is affirmative, and the process proceeds to step S42 to execute the print operation. In step S43,
It is determined whether the printing of the data for the scheduled unit has been completed. If it is determined that the printing has been completed, in step S44, the job management unit 400 is notified of the completion of the printing of the scheduled amount of data. Further, in step S45, it is determined whether or not printing of all the print data has been completed. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S46 to notify the job management unit 400 of the completion of printing of all the print data. Notice. Step S4
If it is determined in step 1 that there is no print data, the flow advances to step S47 to determine whether or not the scheduled time has timed out. In step S41, the print data is waited until the timeout occurs.
In step S6, the job management unit 400 is notified that printing was not possible due to no print data. If the print data is received from the host before the timeout, the process proceeds to step S42.

Next, the details of the multiple function processing are shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure,
In step S50, it is determined whether there is another function request to which the same identifier has been assigned. If there is no other function request to which the same identifier has been assigned, the process proceeds to step S51. In step S51, data indicating that the function request process currently being executed, in this example, the print process is to be continued, is set in the register. The data in this register is used for the determination in step S13 (FIG. 5).

On the other hand, if there is another function request with the same identifier, in step S52, it is determined whether to wait until all the function units for executing the function request with the same identifier are available. I do. This determination can be made, for example, by setting predetermined system data. Step S to wait until all functions are available
The process advances to step S53, and if not waiting, to step S51.

In step S53, it is determined whether each of the requested functional units is in use. If all the functional units are empty, the process proceeds to step S54, and it is determined whether another function request is at the head of the memory registration. If it is at the head of the memory registration, it can be executed next, so that step S51
Proceed to. On the other hand, if another function request is not at the head of the memory registration, the process proceeds to step S55, and it is determined whether or not the next right to use the function request for the next time is to be secured. This determination can be made, for example, by setting predetermined system data. If the next use right is to be secured, the process proceeds to step S56 to make a registration change to register the function request at the head of the queue, and then proceeds to step S51. If the next use right is not secured, or if the determination in step S53 is affirmative, that is, if the requested functional unit is in use, the process proceeds to step S57. Step S
In step 57, data indicating the transition to another function request is set in a register. The data in this register is used for the determination in step S13 (FIG. 5).

In the multiple function processing, if it is determined in step S53 that each functional unit is empty and the process proceeds to step S13, the determination in step S15 is negative, and the process proceeds to the printing operation. Subsequent processing such as waiting time setting is not performed. That is, the operation such as the setting of the waiting time is performed when one job request includes only a single function request, or when each function request is executed independently.

The case where the print data from the host is printed by the print unit 16 has been described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. As in the print processing, the transmission and reception of each job are also performed. The presence / absence of the request is determined from the contents registered in the memory, and the simultaneous processing can be performed by time sharing or by forming a functional module.

The determination of whether or not there is a request for a function other than the "print request" is also performed in parallel. Therefore, for example, if it is determined that there is a “transmission request”,
Regardless of the presence or absence of the “print request”, the processing for the “transmission request” is executed. By such processing, the following requests from the host can be efficiently handled.

For example, it is assumed that after the host 3 issues a document print request, the host 4 subsequently issues a document print and a document send request. In this case, the facsimile machine 1 activates the print unit 16 in response to a print request from the host 3. Therefore, the print request from the host 4 cannot be executed immediately. However, if the communication control unit 19 is in an empty state, it can respond to a transmission request from the host 4, and therefore the processing is first executed from the transmission request. When the processing for the print request from the host 3 is completed, the printing unit 16
Becomes empty, so that a print request from the host 4 can be executed, and processing for the request is executed.

In this case, if the transmission operation is completed earlier than the printing operation, the result information may be stored in the facsimile machine 1 as information on the job of the host 4. Then, when the printing operation is completed, the host 4 may be notified of the transmission result information together with the result information. Such processing result information in the facsimile machine 1 is notified to the host in response to a request from the host that has requested the job or automatically at the end of the operation of each function.

It should be noted that the facsimile apparatus is connected to the printing section 16.
The present invention can also be applied to a case where each of the functions has a plurality of functions. That is, the function management unit 600 can grasp the state of each function, and the job management unit 400 can activate each function based on the state and notify the host of the processing result.

[0037]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when one job request includes a plurality of function requests, these function requests are executed simultaneously. Therefore, for example, if all the function requests included in the one job request are not performed at the same time, it is possible to collectively execute a job request that eventually causes a waiting time.

According to the invention of claim 2, for example, 1
If a job request contains multiple feature requests,
If these operations are not performed at the same time, it is possible to collectively execute a job request that would eventually cause a waiting time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a main part of a facsimile apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the facsimile apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of job request analysis.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a print request.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a print data transfer process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a printing operation.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a multiple function process.

[Explanation of symbols]

100, 101: Host, 300: Request analysis unit, 4
00: job management unit, 600: function management unit, 700:
Notification section

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-4-250761 (JP, A) JP-A-6-110704 (JP, A) JP-A-6-350771 (JP, A) JP-A-7- 287643 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A function management unit that grasps and manages the state of each function unit; a request analysis unit that receives job requests from a plurality of hosts and decomposes the job requests by function; Registration means for registering the requested function, and means for, when one job request includes a plurality of function requests, providing an identifier indicating that the plurality of function requests are included in the same job request. An identifier determining unit that detects that a plurality of function requests are included in the same job request based on the presence or absence of a function request to which the same identifier is assigned when executing the function request registered in the registration unit; If it is detected that the request includes a plurality of function requests, the functions included in the same job request are determined based on the status of each function unit obtained from the function management unit. Facsimile apparatus characterized by all of the functional unit required for executing the request when it is determined to be available, and and a job management means for giving an execution instruction of request to each functional unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the registering means registers the function requests in a queue so that the function requests are executed in a reservation order, and one of a plurality of function requests included in the same job request. When executing one of the functions, if the remaining function request is not registered at the head of the queue, means for replacing the registration to grant the next use right to the function request is provided. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1.