JPH01108857A - Picture communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the convenience of communication management by counting number of terminal equipments for each communication such as sequential multiple address sequential polling communication and displaying the count together with all opposite terminal numbers being communication objects and communication form. CONSTITUTION:The title equipment is provided with a count means 40 counting the number of changing destinations at each communication of changed over destinations and a control means 24 displaying the communication form representing either sequential multiple address or sequential polling communication is executed and the count of the countmeans 40 and all object terminal number in the communication form to be executed on a display means 42. That is, in applying sequential multiple address communication or sequential polling communication, while the number of object terminal equipments is counted up at each connection and communication with them, the number of all the opposite terminal equipment being objects of the communication form and the communication form are displayed as the count. Thus, the progress of the communication is made clear sequentially.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication device that sequentially performs image communication with a plurality of destinations forming an image communication network.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, devices of this type are known, such as the one shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-43868 and the one shown in FIG.

The facsimile device 110 shown in FIG. a calling unit 115 that sends a message to the converter 102 via the calling unit 100;
a line control unit 116 that controls the DC loop and opens and closes the DC loop for the line 100; a modem 120 that modulates and demodulates facsimile communication control signals and image signals; a reading unit 122 that reads a document and converts it into an image signal; a compression/decompression unit 124 that encodes the image signal using a predetermined encoding method or decodes the encoded image signal using a predetermined decoding method; a first storage unit 126 that stores the encoded image signal; It is composed of a recording section 128 that records signals on recording paper, and a control section 114 that controls various functional sections.

For example, three other party facsimile machines 104.1
When image information is received from 06.108 and polling communication is performed sequentially, when the operation unit 112 receives an operation for polling communication, the control unit 114 stores the dial information of each of the destination facsimile devices 104, 106, and 108. The dial information of the facsimile device to be communicated with first is read out from the second storage unit 118 , and the dial information is output to the line control unit 116 .

The line control unit 116 controls the calling unit 1 based on the dial information.
15 and sends a dial signal to the exchange 102. As a result, facsimile machine 110 is connected to partner facsimile machine 104.

The modem 120 and the control section 114 cooperate to exchange predetermined facsimile control signals.

Thereafter, the control section 114 receives the encoded image signal from the other party's facsimile device 104 and stores it in the first storage section 126. Thereafter, the other party's facsimile machines 106 and 10
Polling communication is performed by performing the above-mentioned series of operations in the same manner for 8.

When the communication ends, the control section 114 reads the encoded image signal from the first storage section 126. This encoded image signal is decoded by the compression/expansion section 124 and sent to the recording section 128.

Then, the recording unit 128 records the destination facsimile device 104.
The image signals received from 106 and 108 are recorded on a recording medium.

Also, send the same document to the other party's facsimile machine 104 or 106.
When performing sequential broadcast communication such as sequentially transmitting to 108 and 108, first, the reading section 122 reads the original, and the first storage section 126 stores this read data, while the dial information in the second storage section 118 is stored. Based on the control unit 114, the facsimile devices to be communicated are sequentially connected,
Data stored in the first storage unit 126 was transmitted for each connection.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with this configuration, when a series of transmissions and receptions are performed within the network such as sequential polling communication and sequential broadcast communication, the progress status of the communication cannot be known, and it is difficult to know when the communication has ended. It was unpredictable and inconvenient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image communication device that makes the progress of communication clear and is convenient for communication management.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a counting means for counting each time communication is performed by switching destinations, and a communication means for indicating whether sequential broadcast communication or sequential polling communication is being performed. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a control means for displaying, on a display means, the total number of target terminals and the count value of the counting means in the communication mode being implemented.

Effects of the present invention With the above configuration, when sequential broadcast communication or sequential polling communication is performed, the count-up is performed each time the target terminal is connected and communicated.
Since the count value is displayed together with the number of all target terminals in this communication mode and this communication mode, the progress status of the communication becomes clear.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, ρ is an operation unit that instructs sequential broadcast communication or sequential polling communication, the base is a second storage unit that stores the dial number of the other terminal and the number of other terminals, and 5 is the second storage unit that dial information. a calling unit that sends a dial signal to the converter 12 via the line 10 based on the line 10, a line control unit that controls the calling unit 5 and opens and closes a DC loop for the line 10, and a modem;
32 is a reading unit that reads the original and converts it into an image signal; A is a compression/expansion unit that encodes the image signal and decodes the encoded image signal; % is a first storage unit that stores the encoded image signal; A is a recording unit that records the decoded image signal on recording paper; 40 is a counter that sequentially switches connections with the other party's terminal and counts up each time it communicates; 42 is a communication unit that is stored in the second storage unit A; A display section that displays the total number of target terminals and the communication mode as well as the counted value of the counting section 40, Sae controls the display of the display section 42 during communication, and controls whether sequential broadcast communication or sequential polling communication control is performed. This is a control unit that selects and implements the following.

In this embodiment, for the sake of convenience, a case will be described in which the facsimile machine side is connected to three counterpart facsimile machines 14, 16, and 18 via the line 10 and the exchange 12. Then, it is assumed that broadcast or polling communication is performed sequentially in the order of destination facsimile devices 14, 16, and 18.

In this embodiment, the second storage path also stores the number of terminals to be communicated with (in this embodiment, "3") as shown in FIG.
''), and a dial information area (b) that stores the dial information of the other party's facsimile device 14, 16, 18 in the order of communication.

As shown in FIG.
A target machine number display section that displays the quantity stored in the destination number area (A) of the storage section), and a communication type display section (E) that displays whether sequential broadcasting or sequential polling communication is being performed. Display each.

The operation of the facsimile machine configured as described above will be explained.

First, in the case of sequential polling communication, when the user operates the operation unit 22 to issue an instruction for polling communication, the control unit 24 sends the information to the other party's facsimile device 14 from the dial information area (b) of the second storage path. The dial information is read out and outputted to the line control section 26, and the number of destinations "3" is read out from the destination number area (a) and outputted to the display section 42.

Then, the line control section 26 controls the calling section 5 based on the dial information of the other party's facsimile device 14, and
Sends a dial signal to. As a result, the present facsimile device and the other party's facsimile device 14 are connected.

On the other hand, when the control section 24 reads out the dial information from the second storage section, it outputs the read information to the counting section 40 . The counting unit 40 receives the read information and returns to the initial value "0".
1' is added to "1" and the count display section of the display section 42 (
Output to c). As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the display section 42 displays the count value of the counter section 40 and the total number of partner terminals (in this embodiment, "0" and "target machine number display section").
3) to target three destinations and clearly indicate to the first party that communication is currently being attempted.

Then, the modem 30 and the control unit 30 cooperate to perform transmission of a predetermined facsimile control signal and start receiving the encoded image signal from the other party's facsimile device 14.
The control unit 24 recognizes that polling communication has started and outputs a notification to that effect to the display unit 42. In response to this, display section 4
2 displays "Polling" on the communication mode display section (E) as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the encoded image signal is stored in the first storage unit 3 as shown in FIG.
6.

Thereafter, by performing the series of operations described above for the other party's facsimile devices 16 and 18 in the same manner as described above, polling communication is performed and the encoded image signals are sequentially stored in the first storage section 36.

When the communication ends, the control unit reads the encoded image signal from the first storage unit 36, decodes it in the compression/expansion unit 34,
The recording function is activated to record the image signals received from the other party's facsimile devices 14, 16 and 18 on the recording paper.

Further, in the case of sequential broadcast communication, when the operation unit n is operated for sequential broadcast communication, the reading unit 32 reads the original and converts it into an image signal. Then, the compression/expansion section encodes the image signal using a predetermined encoding method. First storage unit 36
stores this encoded image signal.

Next, the control unit U reads out the total number of destination terminals and dial information from the second storage path in the same way as in the polling communication, and sequentially connects to the destination facsimile machines and performs transmission. Then, the display unit 42 displays the count value along with "broadcast communication in progress" and the total number of target aircraft. Therefore, the user can immediately understand the number of stations currently transmitting data to the three destinations.

In the above embodiment, the number of call destinations is three in sequential polling communication or sequential broadcast communication, but the number of call destinations is not limited to three.

As described in detail, the present invention counts each communication during sequential broadcasting or sequential polling communication, and displays this count value together with the total number of communicating party terminals and the communication type, so that the progress of communication can be seen. This has the effect of making it clearer and making communication management more convenient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a first storage section of the facsimile machine,
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of display on the display section of the facsimile machine; FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional facsimile device. Add: facsimile machine, Sae: control unit, 40...
- Counting part, 42...display part. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
2 Figure 3 Water 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] When sequential broadcasting or sequential polling communication is performed, a counting means for counting the number of destinations for each communication, a display means for displaying characters, and a communication form clearly indicating whether sequential broadcasting or sequential polling communication is being carried out. and control means for causing the display means to display the total number of partner terminals targeted by the communication mode in progress and the count value of the counting means.