JPH0132699B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a program-controlled facsimile device that allows easy changes and additions to operation modes and transmission control procedures.

When facsimile communications are program-controlled, it is often necessary to change the mode of operation of the facsimile or to add another mode of operation to an existing mode of operation.

However, when program-controlling facsimile communication, conventional facsimile models were
G1 according to the international standard recommended by CCITT
Once a machine was selected as a machine, G2, or G3, a program was created to control its operation according to the mechanism, panel layout, transmission control procedure, data processing, etc. specific to that model. For this reason, once a program has been created, it is very difficult to change its contents, especially when adding an operation mode, such as adding G3 functions to a G2 machine, which requires a complete change to the program. There were some inconveniences.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks, provides independent control programs corresponding to each operation mode, and selects these independently provided control programs as desired under the control of a memory management unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device that facilitates functional expansion of the facsimile device, such as changing the control program, that is, changing and adding operation modes, by executing the operations described in the following.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a facsimile device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a scanner 1, a printer 2, a network control unit (NCU) 3 for performing facsimile communication via a telephone line, Modem/modulator (MODEM) 4, central processing unit (CPU)
5. The input/output port 6, the keyboard 7, and the data bus 8 have the same configuration as a conventional facsimile machine.

When performing facsimile communication, as mentioned above, model-specific mechanisms, panel layouts,
Transmission control and data processing are executed according to predetermined program procedures, but in this embodiment, each program corresponding to each operation is independently modularized, for example, paged or segmented, and each
Store it in ROM. In other words, ROM1 stores the G2 program, ROM2 stores the G3 program,
ROM3 contains the program for copy mode operation,
ROM4 contains the character transmission program,
ROM5 is an OS that includes start and end control for operating modes.
The ROM 6 is a memory module consisting of a ROM that stores a mechanism and panel control program, that is, a man-machine control program. Note that the programs stored in ROM5 and ROM6 are management programs that control actual operations. The addresses of the programs stored in these ROMs are assigned independently, regardless of the address of the program when it is actually executed. Such an addressing method itself is a well-known method, as can be seen in the virtual memory method used in multi-programming, and therefore, in this embodiment as well,
Using the terminology used in this method, the addresses of the programs stored in these ROMs will be referred to as logical addresses, and the addresses of the programs when actually executed will be referred to as physical addresses.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a memory management unit that performs a switching operation between the management programs stored in ROMs 5 and 6 and the control programs for each operation mode stored in the ROMs 1 to 4, which exist independently, that is, within the logical address space. This is a device that converts addresses so that the programs stored in the respective ROMs located in the ROM can be converted by the CPU 5 into an address bus (physical address space) when actually executed.

Next, by using the facsimile device of this embodiment,
The operation when performing facsimile communication consisting of phases A to E defined by CCITT will be explained based on FIG. 2.

FIG. 2a explains the relationship between the operations performed in each phase and the programs that execute each operation. First, phase A is a call setting and line establishment sequence, in which the management program ROM5, ROM
6.

Phase B is a sequence for checking and controlling the status of terminals, relay devices, etc., and includes checking whether they are ready for transmission and reception, checking mutual communication stations, determining the transmission/reception mode notification, and checking the synchronization state, etc., before transmitting information. Perform preliminary preparations.

Phase C is a sequence for transmitting facsimile information, and is executed by independently existing control programs ROM1 to ROM4.

Phase D is a sequence for confirming the completion of reception in the post-processing process.

Phase E is a call recovery, ie, line disconnection sequence executed by the management program ROMs 5-6.

The sequences executed in each of these phases are similar to those in conventional facsimile communications.

FIG. 2b shows the program procedure for each phase when transmitting facsimile information.

(1) In phase A, after inserting the original, the receiving side informs the receiving side of the receiving function, that is, which receiving function from G1 to G3 (G1) (Group Identification)
It receives the DIS (Digital Information Signal defined by CCITT) including the signal, compares it with the transmission function of the transmitting side, and sets the transmission/reception operation mode to one of G1 to G3. This phase is executed by the management program.

(2) In phase B, the control program (for example, ROM1 for G2 or
The G3 program in ROM2 is switched and the pre-stage sequence prior to the information transmission described above is performed.

(3) In Phase C, the receiving side has a receiving function (e.g.
After sending the DCS (Digital Common Signal specified by CCITT) specifying G2 or G3), facsimile information is transmitted using the specified control program. If you want to interrupt the transmission of facsimile information, send DCN. Note that the part indicated by the dotted line is that when it is necessary to perform mechanical control during execution of the control program, the memory management unit 9 switches to the management program (in this case, the program in ROM 6) and executes the specified program. Indicates that mechanical control may be performed.

(4) Phase E is executed via phase D by the management program.

FIG. 2c shows the program procedure for each phase when transmitting character information.

(1) In phase A, the management program executes the steps up to the point where the keyboard 7 is turned on and the module for character transmission is specified, that is, the ROM 4 in which the program for character transmission is stored is specified from the control program.

(2) Character transmission of phase C via phase B is executed by the ROM 4 of the control program.

(3) After phase C, phase E is executed by the management program. Switching between these programs is performed by the memory management unit 9.

FIG. 2d shows the program procedure for each phase when receiving facsimile information.

(1) At Phase A, after detecting ringing with a 16Hz bell, the line is switched from a telephone line to a facsimile line, and a DIS indicating reception function is sent to the sending side. This phase is performed by the management program.

(2) When a DCS specifying a reception function is received from the transmitting side via phase B, phase C is entered, and the control program (for example, ROM 2 for a G3 machine) that executes the specified reception function is executed by the memory management unit 9. specified, and a predetermined control program is executed. When the sending side sends a DCN notifying transmission interruption, the process moves to phase D.

(3) When entering Phase E via Phase D, the line is switched from a facsimile line to a telephone line and the line is disconnected. If there is a handoff hook, make an operation call and disconnect the line. This phase is performed by the management program.

As described above, in the examples shown in FIGS. 2b to 2c, if control programs are prepared in areas other than ROMs 1 to 4, various control programs can be executed simply by changing the designation of the control programs using the memory management unit 9. It can be executed easily, and the control program can be easily changed or additional control programs can be added during the process.

Also, if you set the logical address of each control program to a range of about 2K bits, for example,
It can also be executed on a 16-bit CPU, so
The facsimile device can be extremely miniaturized.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is extremely easy to add or change control programs with various operation modes regardless of the mechanism of the device or the structure of the operation panel, and the number of addresses of the control program can be reduced. By making the device smaller, the device can be made smaller, and if the minimum necessary control program module (for example, G2 mode) is developed, the facsimile device can be released on the market, and the subsequent market If a control program module is developed in accordance with a request, it can be used immediately, so that it can be adapted to the market, that is, upgraded at any time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile machine showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows 5 phases A to E.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a program procedure of the present invention when facsimile communication is performed in steps. 1... Scanner, 2... Printer, 3...
NCU, 4...MODEM, 5...CPU, 6...I/O board, 7...Keyboard, 8...Data bus, 9...Management unit, ROM1-4...Control program, ROM5-6...Management program.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a facsimile device having a plurality of transmission modes, a plurality of memory modules storing mutually independent control programs for each of the plurality of transmission modes, and a device separate from these control programs are provided. A memory module that stores a management program that controls the mechanism control, man-machine interface control, and the start and end of operation modes, and a memory management unit that manages switching between the above control program and management program and designation of the control program. A facsimile device characterized by having: 2. A facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory management unit switches between the management program and the control program between phases B and D.