JP3575393B2 - Communication terminal device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication terminal device that reduces communication cost when transferring a received image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is known a facsimile apparatus configured as a multifunction peripheral having a copy function. Such a multifunction peripheral is generally provided with a flatbed type document mounting table that functions as an auto document feeder (ADF) or a flatbed scanner (FBS).
[0003]
When copying an original with a multifunction device, specify the reading mode (resolution) according to the number of copies and the type of the original (image information of ordinary characters or figures or a photograph), and then The reading of the original is started by pressing the start button, and the copy is printed on the specified number of recording sheets.
[0004]
2. Description of the Related Art A known communication terminal device such as a multifunction peripheral has a function of receiving an image transmitted from a transmission source and transferring the received image to a preset destination.
[0005]
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example in which a communication terminal device having such a transfer function is arranged. In FIG. 10, 1 is a transmission source, 2 is an exchange, 3 is a communication terminal device, and 4 and 5 are transfer destinations. The communication terminal device 3 receives the image transmitted from the transmission source 1 through the exchange 2 and stores it in the image memory. The communication terminal device 3 serves as a transfer source and transfers the received image to the transfer destinations 4 and 5 through the exchange 2 as necessary.
[0006]
When an image is transferred from the communication terminal device 3 to the transfer destinations 4 and 5, a transfer reception time zone is determined, and the image received and stored in the image memory is read out and transferred during the time slot. ing. In this time zone, the user sets an appropriate time in consideration of the business contents and the like. Although two transfer destinations are set in FIG. 10, the user can set a predetermined number of transfer destinations.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional image transfer, images received within a transfer reception time slot are collectively transferred after the end of the time slot. For example, if the end time of the time zone is set to 5:00 pm, after 5:00 pm, the images waiting for transfer stored in the image memory will be transferred to the transfer destination all at once. For this reason, when the end time of the time zone set by the user is a time zone where the communication fee is high, there has been a problem that the communication cost increases.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal device in which a communication cost for transferring a received image is reduced.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal device according to the first aspect, wherein the communication terminal device stores an image memory for storing a received image, and a table for storing a telephone number of a transfer destination and a table corresponding to a transfer reception time zone of the image. Means for setting and storing a transfer start time different from the transfer reception time zone, and a control means, wherein the control means reads out an image stored in an image memory and sets a predetermined time at the transfer start time. This can be achieved by a configuration in which an image is transferred to a transfer destination.
[0010]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal device according to the first aspect, the transfer start time is automatically set.
[0011]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal device according to the first or second aspect, a plurality of combinations of the transfer acceptance time zone and the transfer start time are set.
[0012]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the transfer start time can be set at a time when the communication fee is low, the communication cost can be reduced.
[0013]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the transfer start time is automatically set at a time when the communication fee is low, so that the work load on the user and the communication cost can be reduced.
[0014]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform an appropriate process according to the business contents of the user of the communication terminal device, such as when the transfer destination has a time difference overseas.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a control device of the communication terminal device of the present invention. Next, this block diagram will be described. In FIG. 3, the control device 11 of the communication terminal device has a control unit 12 for processing various signals and data. The control unit 12 is constituted by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
[0016]
The control unit 12 is connected with a line control unit (NCU) 14, a modem 15, an image memory 16, a RAM 17, a ROM 18, a display unit 19, an operation unit 20, a reading unit 21, a recording unit 22, and a clock unit 23.
[0017]
The line control unit 14 is connected to the external line 13 and detects transmission of a dial pulse corresponding to the dial number of the other party and detection of an incoming call. The modem 15 modulates and demodulates data transmitted / received to / from a communication terminal device such as a facsimile machine of the other party, and connects to the line control unit 14. Thus, the line control unit 14 and the modem 15 constitute a communication unit for transmitting and receiving images. The control unit 12 reads an image stored in the image memory 16 and transfers the image to a predetermined transfer destination at a set transfer start time, as described later.
[0018]
The image memory 16 stores images transmitted and received by a communication unit including the line control unit 14 and the modem 15. The RAM 17 stores management data for reservation transmission or memory reception. As will be described later, a transfer table in which a transfer start time is set in advance and a table for storing a transfer standby image queue (management) are stored. The ROM 18 stores data and programs necessary for various operations of the communication terminal device.
[0019]
On a display unit 19 using a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD), various messages necessary for the operation of the communication terminal device are displayed. An operation unit 20 including a keyboard, a mouse, and the like instructs various operations and stop of the communication terminal device. Also, an enlargement magnification of the image of the document is set.
[0020]
The reading unit 21 reads an image of a document transmitted from the transmission side. When reading a double-sided document, an image on the front side and an image on the back side are read. The recording unit 22 records the image transmitted from the transmission side on recording paper. Image recording may be performed on both sides of the recording paper or on one side of the recording paper.
[0021]
The recording unit 22 is provided with an electrophotographic printer, and copies a received image or an image read by an optical reading system onto recording paper of a fixed size supplied from a paper cassette (not shown). The printer can record various data on recording paper. It is also possible to count the current time by the clock unit 23 and print the time at that time on a received document using the output.
[0022]
The operation unit 20 is provided with various keys. For example, a copy / facsimile multifunction machine can be used to select either a copy mode or a facsimile communication mode for a copy / communication key, and whether a document is image information such as characters or photographic information. A key for setting various operation modes such as a reading mode key for setting a reading mode (resolution) of a copy in accordance with the setting, a key for setting an automatic reduction, and an automatic recording paper selection mode. Is provided.
[0023]
In the present invention, it is basically necessary to set a time zone in which the communication terminal device receives the transfer image, and separately set a transfer start time in advance from a time zone in which the communication fee is low. Configuration.
[0024]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transfer table in which a transfer start time is set beforehand when a communication terminal device transfers a received image to a predetermined transfer destination. This transfer table is created by the user and stored in the RAM 17. In FIG. 1, in the vertical direction (a) of this table, the transfer reception start time of the transfer image is shown in the (a) column, the transfer reception end time is shown in the (b) column, the transfer start time is shown in the (c) column, and (d). In the column ()), a transfer destination telephone number is set, and in the column (e), print on / off of an image is set. The time period from the transfer reception start time to the transfer reception end time corresponds to the transfer reception time period.
[0025]
The (A), (B), (C),... Columns in the horizontal direction of the table are the first, second,. In the example of FIG. 1, the (a) column shows that the transfer reception start time of the transfer image is 15:00, the transfer reception end time is 18:00, and the transfer start time is 23:00 when the communication fee is discounted at night. Is set to The image printing is set to ON.
[0026]
In the (b) column, the transfer reception start time of the transfer image is set to 18:01, the transfer reception end time is set to 1:00, and the transfer start time is set to 7:00 at which the communication charge is reduced in the early morning. I have. Further, the printing of the image is set to off. In the example of (b), the setting is useful for the user of the communication terminal device when the transfer destination is an overseas office having a time difference from Japan.
[0027]
Although the user manually inputs the transfer start time shown in the column (c) of FIG. 1, it is possible to automatically set the transfer start time in a time zone where the communication fee is low. In this case, a time zone near the transfer reception end time at a time after the transfer reception start time set in the column (a) is set as the transfer start time. The time zone where the communication fee is low is stored in the memory in advance, and when the transfer acceptance time zone is set, the corresponding transfer start time is read and written into the table. By automatically setting the transfer start time in this manner, the user's work load can be reduced.
[0028]
As shown in columns (a), (b), (c),... Of FIG. 1, the transfer start time, the transfer end time, and the transfer start time are set differently depending on the transfer destination. . Hereinafter, in the present invention, the times in columns (a), (b), and (c) are divided into “first”, “second”,... In correspondence with columns (a) and (b). Express separately. For example, the transfer reception start time 15:00 set in the column (a)-(a) is the first transfer reception start time, and the transfer start time 7: set in the column (c)-(b). 00 is expressed as a second transfer start time.
[0029]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a table of a transfer queue image queue (management). In FIG. 2, image file numbers A1, A2,... Are set in the column (a). In the field (b), an image transfer start time is set. In this field, the first and second transfer start times are set. A transfer destination telephone number is set in the column (c).
[0030]
When the image transmitted from the transmission source is received by the communication terminal device, the image file numbers A1, A2,... Are assigned and stored in the image memory. FIG. 2 shows a table in which the image file numbers A1, A2,..., The transfer start time, and the transfer destination telephone number correspond to each other. By referring to this table, the user can confirm information on the transfer start time of each transfer waiting image and the transfer destination telephone number.
[0031]
FIGS. 4 to 6 are flowcharts showing the processing procedure of transfer time zone registration. Next, this flowchart will be described.
[0032]
(1) In step S1, a transfer time zone registration processing program is started, and in step S2, a first transfer acceptance start time is registered. Next, the first transfer reception end time is registered in step S3. Subsequently, in step S4, it is determined whether the transfer reception start time is before the transfer reception end time.
[0033]
(2) If the determination result in step S4 is NO (hereinafter, abbreviated as N), the process enters a standby state of the process in step S2. If the decision result in the step S4 is YES (hereinafter abbreviated as Y), the process shifts to a step S5 to decide whether or not to automatically set the first transfer start time.
[0034]
(3) If the determination result of step S5 is Y, in the process of step S6, a low-cost time of the communication fee after the first transfer reception start time and close to the first transfer reception end time is set as the first transfer start time. Set automatically. If the decision result in the step S5 is N, a first transfer start time is registered in a step S7. The process in step S7 is to be manually set by the user in consideration of the business contents and the like.
[0035]
(4) Following the processing in steps S6 and S7, a first transfer destination telephone number is registered in step S8. Next, in step S9, print on / off of the image is registered, and in step S10, it is determined whether to register the second time zone. If the determination result is N, the processing program ends in step S21.
[0036]
(5) If the determination result in step S10 is Y, then in step S11, the second transfer reception start time is registered, and then in step S12, the second transfer reception start time is set to the first time zone, that is, the first transfer time. It is determined whether it is within the range of the first transfer reception time zone from the transfer reception start time to the first transfer reception end time.
[0037]
(6) If the determination result in step S12 is Y, the process returns to step S11, and the second transfer reception start time is registered again. When the result of the determination in step S12 is N, the second transfer reception end time is registered in step S13. Next, in step S14, it is determined whether or not the second transfer reception end time is within the range of the first time period, that is, the range of the first transfer reception time period from the first transfer reception start time to the first transfer reception end time. It is determined whether it is within.
[0038]
(7) If the determination result in step S14 is Y, the process returns to step S13, and the second transfer reception end time is registered again. If the determination result in step S14 is N, the process proceeds to step S15, and it is determined whether the transfer reception start time is before the transfer reception end time. If the determination result is N, the process returns to step S11, and the second transfer reception start time is registered again.
[0039]
(8) When the result of the determination in step S15 becomes Y, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not the second transfer start time is to be automatically set. If the result of this determination is N, the second transfer start time is registered in the processing of step S17. If the determination result in step S16 is Y, in the process in step S18, the low transfer time of the communication fee after the second transfer reception start time and close to the second transfer reception end time is automatically set as the second transfer start time.
[0040]
(9) Following the processing in steps S17 and S18, the second transfer destination telephone number is registered in the processing in step S19. Next, print on / off of the image is registered in the processing of step S20, and the processing program ends in step S21.
[0041]
7 to 9 are flowcharts showing the procedure of the image transfer process. Next, this flowchart will be described.
[0042]
(1) The processing program is started in step S30, and it is determined in step S31 whether there is an incoming image. If the result of this determination is Y, then the external line is closed in step S32. If the decision result in the step S31 is N, a step S33 decides whether or not there is an image waiting to be transferred.
[0043]
(2) If the decision result in the step S33 is N, the process returns to the step S31 to be in a standby state for a process for determining whether or not there is an incoming image. If the decision result in the step S33 is Y, then in a step S34, it is determined whether or not the first transfer start time has elapsed and there is an image reserved for the first transfer.
[0044]
(3) If the decision result in the step S34 is N, the process shifts to a step S35 to decide whether or not the second transfer start time has elapsed and there is an image of the second transfer waiting reservation. If the determination result is N, the process returns to step S31 to be in a standby state of a process of determining whether an image has arrived.
[0045]
(4) When the external line is closed in step S32, an image is received in the process of step S36 and stored in the image memory. At this time, a predetermined file number is assigned to each image. After the line is released, it is determined whether the reception of an image is within the first transfer reception time zone in the process of step S37.
[0046]
(5) If the determination result in step S37 is Y, the process proceeds to step S38 to determine whether the first transfer start time has passed. If the result of this determination is Y, then a call is made to the first transfer destination in the processing of step S39. If the decision result in the step S38 is N, the process shifts to a step S40 to store a transfer reservation in a transfer waiting queue until the first transfer start time. As a result of this processing, the image to which the file number has been assigned is stored in the table shown in FIG.
[0047]
(6) When a call is made to the first transfer destination in the processing of step S39, the corresponding image stored in the image memory is transmitted to the first transfer destination in the processing of step S41. Subsequently, it is determined in step S42 whether print settings are present. If the determination result is Y, the corresponding image stored in the image memory is printed in the process of step S43.
[0048]
(7) If the result of the determination in step S42 is N and there is no print setting, and after executing the print processing in step S43, the image transmitted in the processing in step S44 is deleted. After that, the process returns to step S31 to be in a standby state for the process of determining whether or not an image has arrived.
[0049]
(8) If the result of the determination in step S34 is Y, the process proceeds to step S39 to call the first transfer destination. Also, in the process of step S37, if the result of the determination as to whether or not the image reception is within the first transfer reception time zone is N, the process proceeds to step S45, and the image reception is performed in the second transfer reception time zone. It is determined whether it is within.
[0050]
(9) If the determination result in step S45 is N, the transfer of the received image has not been set, so that the image stored in the image memory is printed in the process of step S47, and then, the process proceeds to step S44. The image is deleted by the processing of.
[0051]
(10) If the decision result in the step S45 is Y, it is decided in the process in the step S46 whether or not the second transfer start time has passed. If the result of this determination is Y, then control is passed to the processing of step S48, a call is made to the second transfer destination, and subsequently the processing returns to the processing of step S41 to send out the image in the image memory.
[0052]
(11) If the decision result in the step S46 is N, the process shifts to a step S49 to store the transfer reservation in the table of the transfer queue set in the memory until the second transfer start time. . Thereafter, the process returns to the step S31 to be in a standby state for determining whether or not there is an incoming call.
[0053]
4 to 9, the first and second transfer destinations are set, and the first and second transfer time zones are set. In the present invention, the present invention is not limited to such an example, and the transfer destination and the transfer time zone can be set by an appropriate number as needed.
[0054]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the transfer start time can be set at a time when the communication fee is low, so that the communication cost can be reduced.
[0055]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the transfer start time is automatically set at a time when the communication fee is low, the work load on the user and the communication cost can be reduced.
[0056]
Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform an appropriate process according to the business contents of the user of the communication terminal device, such as when the transfer destination has a time difference overseas.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transfer table according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a table of a transfer queue image queue (management).
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control device used in the communication terminal device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of image transfer.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 control device 12 central processing control unit (CPU)
13 External line 14 Line control unit (NCU)
15 Modem 16 Image memory 19 Display unit 20 Operation unit 21 Reading unit 22 Recording unit

Claims (3)

An image memory for storing a received image, a memory for storing a table corresponding to a transfer destination telephone number and an image transfer reception time zone, and a transfer start time different from the transfer reception time zone are set. A communication terminal device comprising: a storage unit; and a control unit, wherein the control unit reads an image stored in an image memory, and transfers the image to a predetermined transfer destination at a transfer start time. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer start time is automatically set. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of combinations of the transfer reception time zone and the transfer start time are set.

Images