JP3555036B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus, and in particular, optimizes (preferably) image quality to be actually transmitted based on transmission image quality set by a transmission side apparatus and image quality of a partner machine in an initial identification signal (DIS) returned from a reception side. Ideal for facsimile machines with the function of determining (to obtain high-quality images), and even when the receiving facsimile machine does not declare an inch-series millimeter system based on the new CCITT recommendation. Facsimile apparatus having a function of setting transmission image quality estimated to be feasible.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a facsimile apparatus, a mode such as ultra-high image quality / high image quality / standard is selected on the transmitting side in accordance with the density of a document to be transmitted, and a document image is read and image information is transmitted. At this time, in order to transmit and receive at the highest image quality and resolution possible, the transmitting device reads the original image at the highest resolution that can be transmitted and determines the image quality function of the receiving device based on the image quality declared by the partner device. In addition, it is known that image information is transmitted at a resolution that is common to both and as high as possible (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-30571).
[0003]
Further, if there is no function declared in the receiving apparatus that matches the function of the transmitting apparatus, it is proposed to disconnect the line without performing facsimile transmission (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-15959). .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The CCITT recommendation T.1 regarding the conventional transmission control procedure. In 30, the image quality was only standard, high image quality, and metric system, so the receiving device only has to make two declarations of the image quality function, that is, whether there is both high image quality and standard, or only standard. Determining whether the image quality functions match was very straightforward. However, in response to the newly recommended ultra-high image quality and image quality inch-type millimeter declaration, the receiving device must declare at least one of the ultra-high image quality and image quality type, that is, inch-type millimeter system. Therefore, it is desirable that the transmitting side transmit at the optimum and highest image quality suitable for the image quality of the partner device declared as the image quality of the own device.
[0005]
However, as the number of types of image quality increases, it becomes quite troublesome to recognize the image quality of the transmission side device and the partner device and manually set the optimum transmission image quality, and it becomes difficult to set the optimum transmission image quality. Furthermore, conventional facsimile machines before the new recommendation did not have such a standard, so they did not have a function to declare ultra-high image quality and image quality in inches or millimeters, or had an ultra-high image quality function. In some cases, an inch-type millimeter declaration may not be made. In such a case, it is expected that the transmission side cannot receive the inch-type millimeter declaration in communication. The new recommendation states that if none of the inches and millimeters is declared, it is "invalid" .However, it is not clear how to invalidate it. Did not decide how to work.
[0006]
The conventional equipment does not consider automatically recognizing the image quality of the transmitting device and the partner device and automatically setting the optimum transmission image quality. No consideration has been given to the operation and control of the facsimile machine in the case where it is not performed. Applying the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-15959 and disconnecting the line without performing facsimile transmission when the declaration has not been made, if transmission is not actually performed, If the reception is possible, however, the situation of not transmitting is increased, and the utilization efficiency of the line and the facsimile apparatus is reduced.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of recognizing image qualities of a transmitting apparatus and a partner machine and automatically setting an optimum transmission image quality.
[0008]
Further, another object of the present invention is to estimate the image quality function of the receiving device or to assume that the receiving device has an image quality determined in advance, even if the receiving device does not declare the inch system millimeter system, It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which transmits an image in accordance with the image quality.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An image quality selection table having parameters of the image quality of the partner machine and the transmission image quality set by the transmitting device is prepared in advance, and is obtained based on the initial identification signal sent from the partner machine at the time of facsimile communication. The image quality to be actually transmitted is read and determined from the image quality selection table, using the image quality of the other party and the transmission image quality set by the transmission side device as parameters.
[0010]
In this case, if the other device has not declared the inch system millimeter system, it is assumed that the other device has millimeter system image quality or has the same image quality as the transmission image quality set by the transmitting device. Then, the actual transmission image quality is determined by referring to the image quality selection table by determining that the image quality has been appropriately set in advance by the transmitting apparatus.
[0011]
Furthermore, if the transmitting device has an ultra-high image quality function and the other device does not declare an inch-type millimeter system, it is assumed that the other device does not have the ultra-high image quality function, or The actual transmission image quality is determined by referring to the image quality selection table, assuming that it has the ultra-high image quality function unrelated to the inch system and the millimeter system among the super high image quality possessed by the above.
[0012]
[Action]
By using the image quality selection table prepared in advance, the operator simply sets the image quality desired to be transmitted, and the optimum transmission image quality is automatically set according to the image quality of the transmission side device and the partner device. Therefore, the burden on the operator can be reduced, and transmission with as high an image quality as possible can be achieved.
[0013]
In addition, the handling of "invalid" when the other machine has not declared the inch system millimeter system is standardized, the probability of transmission completion when the line is connected increases, and the utilization efficiency of the line and facsimile machine Is improved.
[0014]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a main block diagram showing a basic and representative hardware configuration of a facsimile apparatus suitable for applying the present invention.
[0015]
The reading device 1 reads a transmission document fed from an appropriate document feeding device (not shown) by a known method and converts the document into image information (electric signal). The image information is encoded by the encoding / decoding device 3 and then transmitted to the communication (public) line 16 via the modem 4 and the network control unit (NCU) 5 under the control of the system control unit 18. You. The modem 4 has a low-speed mode and a high-speed mode interface. In the low-speed mode, the interface V.1 for the transmission procedure signal is used. 21. The high-speed mode uses the image information transmission / reception interface V.21. 27ter, V.A. 29, V.S. 33, V.S. 17 and so on. The NCU 5 (network control circuit) controls transmission of dial signals and connection with a network (public line) under the control of the communication control unit.
[0016]
The image information read by the reading device 1 can be temporarily stored in the image information memory 6 or can be transmitted to the line 16 in response to a transmission instruction separately instructed from the system control unit 18.
[0017]
On the other hand, image information received from the outside via the line 16 is decoded by the encoding / decoding device 3 and then stored in the image memory 6 or recorded and output by the printing device 7. The operation / display device 8 includes operation switches for the operator to give various instructions to the facsimile machine, a liquid crystal display panel for displaying the operation state, and the like. The ROM 9 stores a program for controlling the operation of the entire facsimile apparatus, a program for operating the modem 4 and the NCU 5 for communication control, and the like, and the RAM 10 is used for executing the program. Control data and the like are stored.
[0018]
The CPU 11 executes control processing and transmission control procedure processing for the entire facsimile apparatus in accordance with programs and control data stored in the ROM 9 and the RAM 10 and instructions input from the operation / display device 8. The transmission and reception of data and signals between the respective components are performed via the system bus 12.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 9 denote the same or equivalent parts. The main control unit 20 makes a call for starting transmission by a normal method, and confirms that the initial identification signal (DIS signal) has been sent from the receiving facsimile apparatus, and then, transmits this signal to the initial identification signal analysis unit 21. Transfer to The initial identification signal analysis unit 21 analyzes this to determine (or estimate) the image quality of the receiving device. Based on the image quality of the receiving apparatus determined (or estimated) in this way and the image quality selected by the operator of the transmitting facsimile apparatus by the transmission image quality selecting section 23, the main control section 20 sets the image quality selection table 25. The image quality to be transmitted is determined by referring to the information, and the transmission original reading section 27 (reading device 1) is driven in accordance with the determined image quality to output image information (electric signal).
[0020]
The image information is encoded in the encoding / decoding device 3 by a normal method, and then communicated via the modem 4 and the network control unit (NCU) 5 under the control of the system control unit 18 (public). It is sent to the line 16. Before the image quality to be transmitted is determined, the transmission original is read and placed at the image quality selected by the operator or the highest image quality of the transmission side device. May be converted to the image quality to be actually transmitted and transmitted.
[0021]
FIG. 10 shows an example of the format of the initial identification signal. Since such an initial identification signal is well known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, but F following the preamble and F at the end are a flag sequence, A is an address field, C is a control field, and FCF is A facsimile control field (DIS signal code in the case of the present invention), FIF is a facsimile information field (information field) , and FCS is a frame checking sequence. In the second byte of the FIF, the presence or absence of the high image quality function is declared (described). The sixth byte of the FIF is a part newly recommended for ultra-high image quality. The 41st bit has 8 dots & 15.4 lines / mm (0 = none, 1 = yes), and the 42nd bit is 300 ppi & times. The presence / absence of 300 ppi capability (0 = none, 1 = present), the 43rd bit is 400 ppi × 400 ppi or 16 dot × 15.4 lines / mm capability presence / absence (0 = none, 1 = present), the 44th bit is The presence / absence of inch-based capability (0 = none, 1 = present) and the 45th bit indicate the presence / absence of millimeter-based capability (0 = none, 1 = present).
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the transmission image quality selecting operation by the apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. In step S1, when the operator of the transmitting apparatus sets the transmission image quality in a normal procedure and performs a start operation, the main control unit 20 selects and sets the image quality to be transmitted. In step S2, the calling operation is performed. In step S3, it is determined whether the DIS signal as the initial identification signal has been received. When the DIS signal is received, in step S4, the received DIS is analyzed to determine the image quality capability of the partner device and the inch-type millimeter type. In step S14, the "image quality to be transmitted (original image quality)" previously set and the "image quality of the partner machine (DIS declaration)" read by the DIS analysis are used as parameters. With reference to the image quality selection table as shown above, the image quality of the highest possible resolution is determined as "the image quality to be actually transmitted". Finally, in step S15, the image information is transmitted according to a known normal protocol procedure.
[0023]
In the image quality selection tables of FIGS. 11 and 12, "STD" and "Fine" are conventional standard and high image quality, and V16, R300 and R400 are 8 dots × 15.4 lines / mm and 300 ppi × 300 ppi, respectively. , 400 ppi × 400 ppi or 16 dots × 15.4 lines / mm. Note that (P) after the image quality indicates that the selected image quality type (inch system / mm system) depends on the model. The selection of “Fine” image quality is based on the premise that the other device has declared that it has the Fine capability. If the above declaration is not made (this declaration is, as described above, the FIF of FIG. 10). , In the second byte), “STD”. This is the same for other tables described later.
[0024]
For example, if the declaration of the other party is "R300, inch / millimeter capable", the transmitting side has millimetering capability, and the selected image quality of the transmitting side is "V16", these are selected as parameters from FIGS. The image quality is "high image quality (Fine) millimeter system", and image information is transmitted at this image quality.
[0025]
When the image quality and the inch / mm system capability of the partner device are accurately detected from the DIS signal, the transmission image quality is determined as described above. If the system millimeter declaration is not specified, it cannot be uniquely determined from the above table. In such a case, it is set to "invalid" in the newly recommended standard. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission image quality is selectively set as having no super-high image quality capability. The operation in this case will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2, the same symbols as those in FIG. 2 represent the same contents. A functional block diagram for realizing this method may be the same as that in FIG.
[0026]
In FIG. 3, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the partner device has an ultra-high image quality capability. If the determination in step S5 is negative, the process proceeds to step S14, where the transmission image quality is selected and determined by the conventional method. Also in this case, the image quality selection tables shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 can be used. Conversely, if the determination in step S5 is affirmative, the flow advances to step S6 to determine whether the inch / mm system declaration of the partner machine is invalid. If the judgment in step S6 is negative, that is, if the declaration of the inch / mm system of the partner machine is valid, the flow advances to step S14, and the transmission image quality is determined based on the tables of FIGS. 13 and 14 (the same applies to FIGS. 11 and 12). It is.
[0027]
On the other hand, if the determination in step S6 is affirmative, that is, if the inch / mm system declaration of the counterpart machine is invalid, it is considered that the counterpart machine does not have the super high image quality capability, and in step S8, the image quality of FIGS. The transmission image quality is determined according to the column of “no inch & mm capability” in the selection table. As is apparent, this image quality determination is the same as that in the case of referring to the column "No 6th byte" in FIGS. 11 and 12. Therefore, the column "No inch & mm capability" is omitted, and the inch of the other machine is omitted. If the / millimeter declaration is invalid, the column of "No sixth byte" in FIGS. 11 and 12 may be referred to. Further, in this case, it is desirable that the partner machine has millimeter capability. This is because the conventional facsimile machine always has the millimeter capability, so that the probability of matching the capability with the partner machine increases.
[0028]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main part of another example of the transmission image quality determining method according to the present invention. For simplification of the drawing, only a part which is substituted for steps S6 to S8 in FIG. 3 is shown. . Therefore, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 represent the same contents. A functional block diagram for realizing this method may be the same as that in FIG.
[0029]
In this embodiment, if the determination in step S6 is affirmative, that is, if the inch / mm system declaration of the partner machine is invalid, the process proceeds to step S8A, where the partner machine has ultra-high image quality irrespective of the inch system millimeter declaration. 15 and 16, the actual transmission image quality is determined according to the column of "no inch & mm capability" in the tables of FIGS.
[0030]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a main part of still another example of the transmission image quality determining method according to the present invention. For simplification of the drawing, only parts that are substituted for steps S6 to S8 in FIG. 3 are shown. I have. Therefore, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 represent the same contents. A functional block diagram for realizing this method may be the same as that in FIG.
[0031]
In this embodiment, when the determination in step S6 is affirmative, that is, when the inch / mm system declaration of the partner device is invalid, the process proceeds to step S8B, and it is considered that the partner device has the millimeter capability, and FIG. The actual transmission image quality is determined in accordance with the column "No inch & mm capability" of the 18 tables.
[0032]
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of still another embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 represent the same or equivalent parts. The image quality type storage unit 24 stores the image quality type (inch-based millimeter-based) of the transmission image quality, that is, the image quality for transmission image information set by an operator on the transmission side or captured by an appropriate method. After that, when the initial identification signal (DIS signal) transmitted from the other party is analyzed by the initial identification signal analyzer 21 and the declaration of the inch-type millimeter is not made, the other party transmits the image quality type storage unit on the transmission side. Assuming that it has the image quality type stored in 24, the actual transmission image quality is determined with reference to the image quality selection tables of FIGS. At this time, according to whether the code in parentheses () added to the image quality of the corresponding portion of the table is “S”, if “S”, the image quality type previously stored in the image quality type storage unit 24 is read. This type is determined as the image quality type to be actually transmitted.
[0033]
The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 6 will be described in more detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the same symbols as those in FIG. 3 represent the same contents. In step S1A, the image quality type (different from millimeter inch system) of the read transmission original or the transmission information fetched by appropriate means is stored in the image quality type storage unit 24. If it is determined in step S6 that the declaration of the inch type millimeter type is invalid, the process proceeds to step S9, and the tables shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are set using the selected transmission image quality and the image quality of the other type device as parameters. Refer to and read the image quality and type to be actually transmitted. In the following step S10, it is determined whether or not the type of the read image quality is code (S). If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S15 to transmit image information. On the other hand, if the determination in step S10 is affirmative, the image quality type of the partner device is determined to be the same as the image quality type stored in step S1A, the transmission image quality type is determined, and image information is transmitted in step S15.
[0034]
Therefore, in the tables of FIGS. 19 and 20, the symbol (S) indicates that the type is a type (millimeter or inch type) predetermined on the transmission side.
[0035]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing still another example of the transmission image quality determining method according to the present invention, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 represent the same contents. A functional block diagram for realizing this method may be the same as that in FIG.
[0036]
In this embodiment, first, in step S1B, which type of declaration is to be regarded as the type of declaration when the partner machine does not make a declaration of inches or millimeters is input from the operation display device 8 to the image quality type storage unit 24. . If it is determined in step S6 that the declaration of inch / millimeter of the partner machine is invalid, in step S9A, the image quality type of the partner machine is regarded as that stored in step S1B.
[0037]
Naturally, the various functions described above can be enabled or disabled by an operation from the operation display device 8. The image quality selection tables shown in FIGS. 11 to 20 are merely examples, and can be changed as appropriate.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the transmission of image information with the highest image quality is automatically determined according to the transmission image quality selected by the operator on the transmission side and the image quality capability of the partner machine, irrespective of the judgment of the operator. Therefore, more effective and high-quality facsimile communication can be performed. Also, even if the image quality declaration of the other device is invalid, the transmission is performed with the image quality estimated to be the best taking into account the image quality relationship between the transmitting and receiving sides without disconnecting the communication. For this reason, the probability of the line being cut off is reduced, and the utilization efficiency of the line and the facsimile machine can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a main block diagram showing a typical hardware configuration of a facsimile apparatus suitable for applying the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a format example of an initial identification signal.
FIG. 11 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the partner device are used as parameters together with FIG.
FIG. 12 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the partner device are used as parameters together with FIG.
FIG. 13 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when it is considered that the other device has no super-high image quality. .
FIG. 14 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when it is considered that there is no super-high image quality in the other device together with FIG. .
FIG. 15 shows an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when it is considered that the other device has an ultra-high image quality not related to the inch system and the millimeter system. It is a partial table to be composed.
FIG. 16 shows an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when the other device is considered to have an ultra-high image quality not related to the inch system and the millimeter system, together with FIG. It is a partial table to be composed.
FIG. 17 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when the other device is considered to have the millimeter capability together with FIG. is there.
FIG. 18 is a partial table constituting an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when the other device is regarded as having the millimeter capability, together with FIG. is there.
FIG. 19 together with FIG. 20 constitutes an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when the other device is deemed to have the same image quality as read on the transmission side. It is a partial table to be executed.
20 and FIG. 19 together with FIG. 19 constitute an image quality selection table in which the transmission image quality and the image quality declaration of the other device are used as parameters when the other device is deemed to have the same image quality as read on the transmission side. This is a partial table to be executed.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Reading device 3 ... Encoding / decoding device 4 ... Modem 5 ... Network control device 6 ... Image memory 7 ... Printing device 8 ... Operation display device 9 ... ROM 10 ... RAM 11 ... CPU 16 ... Line 18 ... System control unit 19 ... Communication control unit 20 ... Main control unit 21 ... Initial identification signal analysis unit 23 ... Transmission image quality selection unit 24 ... Image quality type storage unit 25 ... Image quality selection table 27 ... Transmission original reading unit

Claims (2)

Means for setting the image quality to be transmitted;
Means for judging the image quality and inch-series millimeter capability of the partner machine based on the information field of the received initial identification signal,
Image quality selection table that is referred to determine the image quality to be actually transmitted, using the transmission image quality to be set, the image quality of the partner device, and the inch-based millimeter-based capability as parameters,
Refers to the image quality selection table based on the set transmission image quality and the determined image quality of the partner machine and the inch system millimeter system capability, image quality selection means to determine the image quality to be actually transmitted,
The image quality selecting means,
As a result of analyzing the information field of the received initial identification signal, when the inch type millimeter system declaration of the partner device has been made, the set transmission image quality, the image quality of the partner device and the inch system millimeter capability are used as parameters, and The image quality to be actually transmitted is determined by the image quality selection table,
As a result of analyzing the information field of the received initial identification signal, if the inch type millimeter type declaration of the partner device has not been made, it is assumed that the partner device has millimeter capability and the image quality to be actually transmitted is determined. A facsimile machine. A type storage unit that stores an image quality type (inch-based millimeter-based) of an image signal captured for transmission;
The image quality selecting means,
As a result of analyzing the information field of the received initial identification signal, when the inch type millimeter system declaration of the partner device has been made, the set transmission image quality, the image quality of the partner device and the inch system millimeter capability are used as parameters, and The image quality to be actually transmitted is determined by the image quality selection table,
As a result of analyzing the information field of the received initial identification signal, if the inch type millimeter type declaration of the partner device has not been made, it is considered that the partner device has the image quality of the type stored in the type storage unit. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image quality to be actually transmitted is determined.

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