JPH0225167A - Picture transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the total transmission time of picture information while its transmission destination is subject to frequent change and to enhance the utilizing efficiency of a communication line by commanding reception preparation to a reception station scheduled to be sent during the transmission of picture information. CONSTITUTION:A communication control means 3 sends picture information including control information to a communication line L connection in common to plural reception stations 20. A reception station control means 4 sends a command to allow a reception station scheduled for the next transmission object to make reception preparation of the picture information. Upon the receipt of the operating command signal, the communication control means 3 multiplexes the preparation command signal onto a picture signal sent at present and sends the resulting signal to the reception station scheduled for the next transmission object. Thus, after the transmission of the picture information sent at preset is finished, since the picture information is immediately sent to the next reception station, the total transmission time is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transmitting device that is effective when applied to, for example, transmitting newspaper pages.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional devices of this kind, as shown in FIG.
a plurality of receiving stations 20.2, which are connected in common to the communication line;
0. (For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-17
(See Publication No. 8064).

Here, the image transmitting device forming the transmitting station 10 calls a receiving station designated for each screen (page), and transmits the image information after receiving confirmation from the called receiving station that preparation for reception is complete.

After receiving the call, the receiver makes preparations for reception, such as loading photosensitive material n for image recording into the image recording device 21, and then sends a confirmation that reception preparation is complete to the transmitting station to receive the image information. Get into position.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with such a configuration, when image information is continuously transmitted while changing the destination frequently, the time spent in addition to the net transmission time of image information is long. On the left, there was a problem that the use of communication lines was not necessarily efficient.

The above problem arises for the following reasons.

That is, in the above-mentioned apparatus, each time the transmission destination is changed, it is necessary to wait for the receiving station newly designated by the change to complete reception preparations such as loading of photosensitive material.

Here, in order to shorten the time spent waiting for reception preparation to be completed, it is conceivable that the recording device at the receiving station is always loaded with a photosensitive material.

However, the transmission of image information is not necessarily constant; for example, in the transmission of newspaper pages, there are peak times when transmission is concentrated and periods when the transmission is congested several times during the day. For this reason, if the photosensitive material is always loaded, the photosensitive material will remain loaded for a long time during the less crowded period when the image information reception interval is long. On the other hand, photosensitive materials used for recording newspapers and the like tend to bend if they are left wound around a drum or the like for a long time. This bending tendency causes malfunctions such as paper jams. In other words, a photosensitive material that remains loaded for a long time is of no use. Therefore, the loaded photosensitive material must always be kept fresh.

This causes another problem in that the photosensitive material is wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and reduces the total transmission time of image information by frequently changing destinations, without wasting photosensitive materials, and making use of communication lines. An object of the present invention is to provide an image transmitting device that can improve efficiency.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention transmits image information including control information to a plurality of communication lines connected to a plurality of receiving stations, and also transmits the next transmission schedule while the image information is being transmitted. This system is configured to instruct the receiving station to prepare for receiving image information.

Effect of the Invention With the above-described configuration, the present invention transmits the image information immediately after the transmission of the image information currently being transmitted is completed, without waiting for a long time for the receiving station, which is the next scheduled destination, to prepare for reception. The power to start! In order to achieve this, it is possible to reduce the total transmission time of image information by frequently changing the destination, without wasting photosensitive materials, and to increase the efficiency of communication line usage. .

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image transmitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image transmitting device shown in the figure is configured as a transmitting station 10 that transmits newspaper pages, and 1 is an image information generating means, 2 is an image memo IJ-13 is a communication control means, and 4 is a receiving station control unit. 5 is a receiving station monitoring means; 61 is a transmission schedule table; 62 is a receiving station status table; 7 is an input terminal device;
L is a digital communication line.

In the figure, image information generating means 1 is an image processor that synthesizes images of newspaper pages, a scanner that reads images of newspaper pages, etc.; and outputs image information of newspaper pages together with page ID. The paper screen information outputted from 1 is once stored in image memory 2 and then transmitted.

The image memory 2 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a magnetic disk storage device, and stores and accumulates a plurality of image information together with paper IDs.

The communication control means 3 includes a plurality of reception peripheral holes, 20. . . . Image information including control information is transmitted through a communication line commonly connected to... This communication control means 3 has a kind of multiplex communication function, and can transmit control information to a receiving station different from the destination of the image information while transmitting the image information.

The receiving station control means 4 instructs the receiving station m scheduled for next transmission to prepare for receiving image information, in particular to load the image recording device 21 with a photosensitive material n for recording the received image. This command is transmitted from the communication control means 3 via the communication line. Even when the command is issued while image information is being transmitted, the communication control means 3 multiplexes the command with the image information that is being transmitted and transmits it. The receiving station scheduled for next transmission is selected by referring to the image memory 2, the transmission schedule table 61, and the receiving station status table 62.

The receiving station monitoring means 5 monitors the status of receiving stations that are scheduled destinations stored and registered in the transmission schedule table 61, particularly whether or not image information can be received. Monitoring of the state of the receiving station is performed via the communication control means 3 and the communication line.

The transmission schedule table 61 and the receiving station status table 62 are configured by the semiconductor RAM 6. Transmission schedule table 61
stores identification information of image information, so-called paper ID, and scheduled destination for each paper ID. The paper ID and scheduled destination are arbitrarily input from the input terminal device 7 and stored/registered. The receiving station status table 62 stores the status of the receiving stations monitored by the receiving station monitoring means 5 for each receiving station.

The input terminal device 7 serves as a control console for the transmitting station 10, and has a keyboard 71 as an input device and a monitor display device 72. This input terminal device 7 is used for inputting paper ID and destination information.

On the other hand, each receiving station 20.20. . . . is equipped with one or more image recording devices 21, as well as a receiving function for receiving image information and control information addressed to the own station from the communication line, and is equipped with a photosensitive device 21 according to a command from the receiving station control means 4. The wrapping of material B is configured to perform loading, etc.

The operation of the image transmitting apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

First, on the transmitting station 10 side, the paper ID and scheduled destination of the paper scheduled to be sent on that day are inputted from the input terminal device.

The input paper ID and scheduled destination are shown in the sending schedule table 6.
1 and is stored and registered in the monitor display device 72.
is displayed in a list format.

When the registration in the transmission schedule table 61 is completed, the receiving station monitoring means 5 performs a monitoring operation to check whether or not the receiving station of the planned destination registered in the transmission schedule table 61 is capable of receiving image information. will be monitored. The monitoring results are sequentially registered in the receiving station status table 62.

The communication control means 3 constantly monitors whether image information to be transmitted is stored in the image memory 2.

If image information has been accumulated, the paper ID of that image information
The scheduled transmission destination is searched from the transmission schedule table 61. Once the scheduled destination is searched, it is checked by the receiving station status table 62 whether or not the receiving station of the searched scheduled destination is in a receivable state.

If the searched receiving station is in a receivable state, the image information stored in the image memory 2 is transmitted to that receiving station. When the transmission of the image information is completed, the transmission schedule table 6
A flag indicating that the transmission has been completed is set at the corresponding address within 1, and the transmitted image information and its ID are erased from the image memory 2.

On the other hand, if the searched receiving station is not ready for reception, the transmission of the image information to that receiving station is temporarily suspended, and the image information of another paper ID is sent to the image memo! J-2
A search is made to see if K has been accumulated. If image information of another paper ID is stored, the same operation as described above is repeated for that image information.

When the image information is transmitted as described above, the receiving station control means 5, in parallel with the transmission of the image information, stores the image information to be transmitted next to the image information currently being transmitted in the image memory 2. Search to see if it exists.

If there is image information to be transmitted next, the next scheduled destination is searched from the transmission schedule table 61 using the paper ID of the image information. If the searched scheduled destination receiving station is different from the receiving station currently transmitting, the receiving station status table 62 is checked to see if the receiving station is in a state where it can receive data. . If it is determined through this check that the next scheduled transmission destination is ready for reception, the photosensitive material 2
] is issued to the image recording device n.

This command is transmitted by the communication control means 3 while the image information currently being processed is being transmitted.

When receiving the above instruction, the image recording device 21 is loaded with photosensitive material n and prepared to receive image information.

When image information, which is actual information, is transmitted, the operation of receiving the image information and recording it on the photosensitive material n is immediately started without waiting for the loading of the photosensitive material n.

Thereafter, the reception control means 5 searches for further image information to be transmitted next and repeats the same operation.

In this way, after the image information currently being transmitted is completed, it is possible to immediately start transmitting the image information without waiting for the receiving station, which is the next scheduled destination, to prepare for reception. . This makes it possible to reduce the total transmission time of image information by frequently changing the destination without wasting photosensitive materials, and to improve the efficiency of communication line usage.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention transmits image information including control information to a communication line connected to a plurality of receiving stations, and also transmits image information including control information to a receiving station scheduled for the next transmission while one image information is being transmitted. By instructing the station to prepare to receive image information, the image information can be sent immediately after the transmission of the image information currently being transmitted is completed, without having to wait for a long time for the receiving station that is the next scheduled destination to prepare for reception. This reduces the total transmission time of image information, which is done by frequently changing the destination, without wasting photosensitive materials, and increases the efficiency of communication line usage. This has the effect that it can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image transmitting device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional image transmitting device. 1... Image information generation means, 2... Image memory 3.
...Communication control means, 4...Receiving station control means, 5...
Receiving station monitoring means, 61... Transmission schedule table, 62.
... Receiving station status table, 7... Input terminal device, 1p
... transmitting station (image transmitting device), (9) ... receiving station,
21... Image recording device, η... Photosensitive material for image recording. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and one other personFigure 312 Figure 10 Trauma and Injury Bureau

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A communication control means that transmits image information including control information to a communication line connected to a plurality of receiving stations, and instructs a receiving station scheduled to transmit image information next time to prepare to receive image information while transmitting image information. An image transmitting device comprising a receiving station control means. (2) a transmission schedule table that stores identification information of image information and scheduled destinations; a receiving station monitoring unit that monitors the status of receiving stations of scheduled destinations stored in the transmission schedule table; and this receiving station monitoring unit 3. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving station status table that stores the status of receiving stations monitored by the receiving station.