JPH0131828B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile response device that converts answer information sent from a center to a facsimile terminal in response to various inquiries from the terminal side into a code format that can be received by the facsimile terminal and sends it out. The present invention relates to a multiple facsimile response device capable of responding in real time to a plurality of facsimile terminals.

The facsimile response device has a code/pattern conversion function that converts the character code sent from the center into a character pattern arranged in dots on a picture image, arranges and edits the character pattern, and sends the edited picture image signal to a facsimile terminal. a code format suitable for (e.g. modified Huffman code string)
It must be equipped with an encoding function for converting and outputting data, and a communication function for communicating with a facsimile terminal.

Among the above-mentioned functions, in order to match the code/pattern conversion function and the encoding function to the speed of the communication function, extremely high-speed processing is required, making real-time service difficult.

For this reason, conventional answering devices immediately disconnect the line after accepting an inquiry from a terminal, collate the inquiry with the center, obtain answer information from the center, and use the code pattern for the answer information. After converting and encoding a message signal in a code format suitable for sending to a facsimile terminal, storing the message signal in memory and completing communication preparations, call the facsimile terminal again and perform the above-mentioned process. It provides a waiting service in which it sends out prepared message signals. As the above-mentioned encoding functions, functions such as one-dimensional Modified Huffman encoding (MH encoding), two-dimensional Modified Read encoding (MR encoding), and compression encoding functions are generally used. has been done. The conventional device described above can be performed using relatively low-speed and simple equipment (code pattern conversion, encoding, etc. can also be performed by software), and the service itself can be performed even if the processing speed is slow. can. However, it has the disadvantage that it is not possible to immediately respond to inquiries from a terminal. If a high-speed function is provided for immediacy, expensive high-speed equipment will be required for each line, making it very expensive.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and
To provide a multiplex facsimile response device capable of sending reply messages in real time to inquiries from terminals and simultaneously providing services to a plurality of facsimile terminals.

The response device of the present invention includes a character pattern generation unit that inputs reply information to a facsimile terminal as a character code from a center, converts the input character code into a character pattern in a dot array, and outputs the character pattern. In a facsimile response device that includes an encoding unit that converts and outputs a character pattern signal into a modified Huffman code, etc., and sends out response information to the facsimile terminal using a modified Huffman code, etc., the facsimile response device receives input from the center. a duplicated character code buffer for storing character codes output by the character pattern generation section; a duplicated editing buffer for arranging and accumulating the character patterns output by the character pattern generation section; A duplex output code buffer that stores modified Huffman codes, etc., and a line response unit that sends output codes such as modified Huffman codes to a facsimile terminal are respectively provided for line correspondence. A control unit is provided which connects the buffers to a common bus and controls the transmission and reception of signals between them and requests information from the center, and when any of the buffers is empty, performs the previous processing respectively. The present invention is characterized in that it stores the results, and requests the center to send a character code when any of the character code buffers is empty.

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing details of the memory section of the above embodiment. That is, a plurality of line response sections 20 each connected to a plurality of facsimile terminals and transmitting messages to the terminals, and an input interface section that sends and receives response information (character code) transmission requests to the center, character codes, etc. from the center. 60, a character pattern generation unit 30 that converts and outputs the response information (character code) from the center into a character pattern, and a model that performs modified Huffman encoding (MH encoding) on the image signal in which the character patterns are edited and arranged. The MH encoding unit (MH encoding unit) 40, the response information in the character code sent from the center, the image signal in which the character pattern output from the character pattern generation unit 30 is arranged and edited, and the image image signal is It is equipped with a memory section 10 that temporarily stores modified Huffman-encoded modified codes, etc., and a control section 50 that controls signal exchange between them and sends a character code transmission request to the center. This configuration has a configuration in which the following is connected to a common bus 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the memory unit 10 stores duplicate character code buffers 11, 1 corresponding to one line
1' editing buffers 12, 12' and MH code buffers 13, 13', and similar buffers are prepared for each of the n lines.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. Answer information to an inquiry from one terminal is created at a center (not shown) and inputted in the form of character codes through the input interface unit 60 and sent to the common bus 1.
00, it is temporarily stored in the character code buffer 11 and then read out to the character pattern generation section 30. The character pattern generation section 30 converts and outputs the character code into a character pattern, and the character pattern is arranged and edited and stored in the editing buffers 12, 12' under the control of the control section 50. The MH encoding unit 40 includes an editing buffer 12
MH code the image signal read out from
Store in MH code buffers 13, 13'.
From the MH code buffer 13, the line response unit 20
The stored contents are sequentially read out according to the transmission speed, and the response information is sent as an MH code string from the line response section 20 to the terminal side. When all the data accumulated in MH code buffer 13 has been sent,
Data is read from the MH code buffer 13' and transmitted. On the other hand, MH code buffer 13
When becomes empty, edit buffer 12 or 1
If there is data in 2', the data is read out to the MH encoder 40 and converted into an MH code.
It is stored in the MH code buffer 13. Similarly,
When either of the editing buffers 12 or 12' becomes empty, if there is data in either of the character code buffers 11 or 11', the data is read out to the character pattern generation section and converted into a character pattern, The array is edited and stored in the editing buffer. When either character code buffer 11 or 11' becomes empty, the control section 50 controls the input interface section 6.
The next character code data is requested from the center via 0, and the received character code data is written into the character code buffer 11 or 11'. Each of the buffers mentioned above is provided in duplicate for each line, so each time one of the buffers becomes empty, character pattern generation, MH encoding, etc. are performed, and data is sent to the facsimile terminal. It is possible to send data continuously. In addition, by providing the line response unit 20 and each buffer for each line, it is possible to use the high-speed MH encoding unit and character pattern generation unit in common for each line, allowing multiple facsimile responses for multiple lines. . Therefore, efficient use is achieved as a whole, and an immediate response service in real time is provided. The above-mentioned MH encoding unit 40 can encode other encoding formats such as MR.
It may be an encoding unit that converts into a code, a compressed code, or the like. In this case, MH code buffer 1
3 and 13' are output code buffers that store the output of the encoding section.

As described above, in the present invention, for a plurality of facsimile terminals, a line response section corresponding to the line, a duplicated character code buffer corresponding to the line,
Equipped with editing buffer and output code buffer,
These are connected by a common bus, and a high-speed character pattern generation section and a high-speed encoding section (such as MH encoding) that are used in common for each line process the response information for each line. Since the facsimile is configured to perform the facsimile response every time a space becomes available, a multiple facsimile response device capable of responding immediately and continuously is provided by efficient use of the (MH) encoding section and the character pattern generation section. In other words, it has the effect of improving service.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a detailed conceptual diagram showing the memory section of the above embodiment. In the figure, 10...memory section, 11, 11'...
Character code buffer, 12, 12'...Edit buffer,
13, 13'...MH code buffer, 20...Line response section, 30...Character pattern generation section, 40...Modified Huffman encoding section, 50...Control section, 60...
Input interface section, 100...common bus.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A character pattern generation unit that inputs reply information to a facsimile terminal as a character code from a center, converts and outputs the character code into a character pattern in a dot arrangement, and a character pattern outputted by the character pattern generation unit. a facsimile answering device that transmits response information to the facsimile terminal according to the code rule, the facsimile response device comprising: an encoding unit that converts the code of a signal according to a predetermined code rule; Accumulate 2
a duplicated character code buffer; a duplicated editing buffer for arranging and accumulating the output character patterns of the character pattern generation section; and a duplicated output code buffer for accumulating the output codes of the encoding section. and a line response unit that sends an output code according to the code rule to the facsimile terminal, respectively, each corresponding to a line, and connects each of the above units and buffers to a common bus to control the exchange of signals between them and to send and receive signals to the center. A control unit for requesting information is provided, and the control unit includes means for performing the previous processing and storing the results when any one of the character code buffers is empty; and means for requesting the center to send a character code when