JPH01168161A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the equipment installation space and the cost by providing the same interface as that of an image scanner and a printer, receiving an instruction code from a host computer and using the equipment as an image scanner and a printer. CONSTITUTION:A printer emulator 2 decodes a print instruction code of a host computer via the 1st interface 1 to generate a dot level print data, the 1st selector 3 selects an output of the printer emulator 2 and a facsimile print data and gives the result to a facsimile printer section 4. An instruction code decoding section 7 decodes an instruction code of the host computer receiving the 2nd interface 6 and the 2nd selector 10 selects an output of a picture signal processing section 9 and gives the result to the 2nd interface 6 or a facsimile CODEC 11. Thus, the facsimile equipment is used in common and the device installation space and cost are reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is applied to a facsimile machine that is used by being connected to a host computer. In particular, it relates to a facsimile machine that can be connected to a host computer and used as an image scanner and printer.

〔overview〕

In a facsimile machine, the present invention decodes a print instruction code of a host computer to generate dot-level print data, selects this print data and print data for facsimile, and supplies it to a facsimile print section, and reads the instruction code of the host computer. By decoding the document, activating the document reading section, selecting the output of the image signal processing section, and providing it to the host computer or facsimile codec, the installation space and cost of the equipment can be significantly reduced.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, facsimile machines have had the same interface as image scanners and printers, and have not been configured so that they can be connected to a host computer and used as image scanners and printers by command codes from the host computer.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, with these conventional facsimile machines, the installation space and purchase cost of office automation equipment is limited, as today's offices are a mix of office automation equipment such as personal computers, printers, image scanners, and facsimile machines. The disadvantage was that the increase in expenses such as administrative expenses and other expenses would become a problem in the future.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and aims to provide a facsimile device that can significantly reduce the installation space and cost of the device.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a facsimile device that includes: a first interface connected to a host computer; a printer emulator that decodes a print command code of the host computer via the first interface and generates dot-level print data; a first selector that selects the output of the emulator and print data for facsimile and supplies it to the facsimile printer; a second interface that connects to the host computer; and the host computer that inputs the data through the second interface. a second selector that selects the output of the image signal processing section and supplies it to the second interface or facsimile codec; and a second selector that selects the output of the image signal processing section and supplies it to the second interface or facsimile codec, and the first selector that selects the output of the image signal processing section according to the control signal of the printer emulator. and a facsimile control section that controls the facsimile printer section and controls the second selector, the document reading section, and the image signal processing section based on the instruction code decoded by the instruction code decoding section. shall be.

[Effect]

The printer emulator decodes the print instruction code of the host combination via the first interface and generates dot-level print data.

The output of the printer emulator and print data for facsimile are selected by the first selector and provided to the facsimile printer section.

The instruction code decoding section decodes the instruction code of the host computer input through the second interface.

A second selector selects the output of the image signal processing section and supplies it to the second interface or facsimile codec. The facsimile control section controls the first selector and facsimile printer section according to the control signal of the printer emulator, and controls the second selector, document reading section, and image signal processing section based on the decoded instruction code of the instruction code decoding section. do. Through the above operations, the facsimile device can also be used, and the installation space and cost of the device can be significantly reduced.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The figure is a block diagram of a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the facsimile device includes a facsimile printer section 4 that prints dot-level print data, a document reading section 8 that scans a document and generates an image signal, and an image signal that processes the image signal of the document reading section 8. It includes a processing section 9 and a facsimile codec 11.

Here, the features of the present invention include a first interface 1 connected to a host computer, a printer emulator 2 that decodes the print command code of the host computer via the interface 1 and generates dot-level print data, and a printer a first selector 3 that selects the output of the emulator 2 and print data for facsimile and supplies it to the facsimile printer unit 4; a second interface 6 that connects to the host computer;
an instruction code decoder 7 that decodes the instruction code of the host computer input manually through the interface 6; a second selector 10 that selects the output of the image signal processor 9 and supplies it to the interface 6 or the facsimile codec 11; , controls the selector 3 and the facsimile printer unit 4 according to the control signals from the printer emulator 2, and controls the selector 10, the original reading unit 8, and the image signal processing unit 9 based on the decoded command code of the command code decoding unit 7. The facsimile controller 5 is provided with a facsimile control section 5.

The operation of the facsimile machine having such a configuration will be explained. In the figure, upon receiving a print command code requesting printing from a host computer via an interface 1, a printer emulator 2 outputs a print request to a facsimile control unit 5. Upon receiving the request, the facsimile control section 5 connects the selector 3 to the printer emulator 2 side, and also activates the facsimile printer section 4 to make it ready for printing. The printer emulator 2 decodes the print instruction code input via the interface 1 and sequentially develops it into dots.

The data expanded into dots is input to the facsimile printer unit 2 via the selector 3 along with a timing signal and printed.

On the other hand, upon receiving an instruction code requiring output of image data via the interface 6, the instruction code decoding section 7 notifies the facsimile control section 5.

Upon receiving the image output request, the facsimile control unit 8 sends the image signal processing unit 9 the parameters included in the code requesting the output of image data, that is, designation of image size, line density, and binary/halftone processing. and connect the selector 10 to the interface 6 side.

Next, the document reading section 8 is activated to start scanning and reading the document. The image signal output from the facsimile+J original reading section 8 is subjected to various conversions specified by the image signal processing section 9.
The signal is outputted to the host computer via the selector 10 and the interface 6.

When there is no operation request from the host computer, selector 3 and selector 10 are each connected to the side that operates as a facsimile.

Here, the interface 1 is, for example, a Centronics specification interface, and the interface 6 is, for example, an R3232C interface.

In addition, print command codes input via interface 1 include print start commands, horizontal/vertical tabs, line feeds,
This is used to specify print characters and control character spacing.

Further, the command codes inputted through the interface 6 are for starting and stopping data transfer, stopping at -, restarting, and starting reading of a document.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention can be used not only as a facsimile, but also as an image scanner and printer for a host computer, and has the excellent effect of significantly reducing the installation space and cost of the device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a block diagram of a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1.6...Interface, 2...Printer emulator, 3.10...Selector, 4...Facsimile printer section, 5...Facsimile control section, 7...
Instruction code decoding section, 8... Original reading section, 9... Image signal processing section, 11... Facsimile codec.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A facsimile printer section (4) that prints dot-level print data, a document reading section (8) that scans the document and generates an image signal, and an image signal that processes the image signal of this document reading section. Processing section (9
) and a facsimile codec (11), the first interface (
1), a printer emulator (2) that decodes the print instruction code of this host computer through this first interface and generates dot-level print data, and a printer emulator (2) that uses the output of this printer emulator and print data for facsimile. a first selector (3) that selects and provides to the facsimile printer; a second interface (6) that connects to the host computer; and an instruction code of the host computer that is input through the second interface. a second selector (10) that selects the output of the image signal processing section and supplies it to the second interface or the facsimile codec; A facsimile control unit ( 5) A facsimile device comprising: