JPH04170148A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely output a communication management report by implementing direct print-out when a recorder is available when management information is to be outputted and storing the information in a memory as a text file when the recorder is not available and printing out the information when the recorder is available. CONSTITUTION:When it is required to output management information and a recorder 4 is available, management information is directly transferred to the recorder 4, and when the recorder is not available, the management information is stored in a memory 6 as a text file and the management information is transferred to the recorder 4 when the recorder is available and printed out. Thus, even when disable recording or deficient capacity of the recorder 4 is caused, the output of a communication management report is surely ensured and a danger of loss of the required communication management information not indicated for the user is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a facsimile device that outputs management information.

[Prior Art] Conventional facsimile machines are equipped with a function that automatically outputs management information such as communication operation results when one communication or a predetermined number of communications are completed, to ensure that communication is performed normally. used to indicate to the user whether the

The information included in the above management information includes the sender's name, the recipient's name, the recipient's telephone number, communication start time, communication time required, number of communication sheets, communication results, etc., and this information is stored in the memory ( The communication management report is written on recording paper and outputted as a communication management report at the end of one communication or at a predetermined time.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when attempting to output such a communication management report, for example, if a failure occurs in the recording device such as running out of recording paper or a recording paper jam, or if the recording device is used for other purposes. There are cases where it is not possible to output a communication management report because the communication management report is in a non-recordable state, such as when the communication management report is being used for

On the other hand, since the capacity of the RAM is limited, if the next communication is performed without outputting the communication management report, new information will be overwritten and the previous information will be lost.

On the other hand, facsimile machines that have a large capacity image memory to store image information create a report in the image memory for all communication management reports, and then output it when it becomes possible to record it. The technology is already known.

However, in this case, if there is no free space in the image memory, no report can be created at all even if the recording device is in a recordable state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device that can reliably output a communication management report by utilizing the functions of both a memory and a recording device to the maximum extent possible.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a facsimile device having a memory for storing management information regarding facsimile communication and a recording device for outputting the management information on recording paper, and in a case where the need to output the management information arises. At that point, if the recording device is operational, the management information is transferred directly to the recording device, and if the recording device is inoperable, the management information is stored as a text file in the memory and can be recorded. It is characterized in that it is transferred to a recording device and outputted at the point in time.

[Function] In the present invention, if the recording device is capable of recording at the time when management information should be output, it is directly printed out, and if it is not recordable, it is stored in the memory as a text file,
It will be printed out when it becomes possible to record.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This facsimile machine has a CP that controls the entire machine.
A UI, a reading device 2 that reads a document, a communication device 3 that includes a modulation/demodulation circuit and a control circuit, a recording device 4 that prints out images on recording paper, and a CPU bus 5 that connects the cptri and each circuit. an image memory 6 for storing images;
It has a RAM 7 used as a work area and a ROM 8 for storing programs.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the report creation operation of this facsimile machine.

When creating a normal report, the necessary data is extracted from the management information held in the work RAM 7.
Create a character string line by line in the line buffer in RAM7,
A common method is to develop an image of the created character string and print it.

When creating multiple types of reports, it is undesirable to create separate report creation programs for files in the memory (image memory 6) and for direct recording, as this increases the program size.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the report creation program for the above two cases is made common, and the report creation program created in the line buffer is
At the stage of processing character strings in line units, a method was adopted in which the transfer to the recording device or the memory was selected (57 in FIG. 2, which will be described later).

When creating a report, it is first determined whether the recording device 4 is capable of recording (S1), and if recording is not possible for some reason, a preparatory operation is started to create a text file in the image memory 6 (S4).

As a preparatory operation, a memory area used for file creation is secured in the image memory 6, and file management information is created in the RAM 7 used as a workpiece.

This file management information includes address information of the memory to be used, attribute information indicating that the file is a file that will be printed immediately when recording is possible, and information indicating that the data format is a text file.

Next, when the preparation operation for creating a file is completed in S4, the report creation mode is set to MEM mode, that is, a mode for saving the report in memory and waiting (S5
).

On the other hand, in the above si, if recording is possible, a preparation operation for printing a report is started (S2). Here, operations are performed depending on the recording device, such as feeding the recording paper to a predetermined position.

When the preparation for recording is completed in S2, the report creation mode is then set to the DOC mode, that is, the mode for directly recording with the recording device 4 (S3).

This completes the recording preparation and moves on to report creation.

First, a character string of - lines is created and set in the line buffer in the RAM 7 (S6).

If the report creation mode is the DOC mode (S7), the character string on the line buffer is recorded (S8).

If the report creation mode is MEM mode, the character string in line buffer L is transferred to image memory 6 (S9).
.

When the processing of one line is completed, if the report creation has been completed (SIO), the system returns to the SS and performs the same work until the report creation is completed.

When printing directly on recording paper, this is the end of the process.

Furthermore, when filing on the image memory 6, it is necessary to output the filed report.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure for outputting a filed report.

The CPU should periodically check whether there is a report to be output (S11), and if a report exists,
Check whether recording is possible (sl2)
.

If the report does not exist or cannot be recorded, the process returns to Sll and continues checking.

On the other hand, if a report exists and is recordable, recording preparations are made according to the recording device 4 (S13).

When the preparation operation is completed, one line is recorded (S
14). That is, data is read line by line from the text file in the image memory 6, set in the line buffer in the RAM 7, and recorded line by line.

When the recording of one line is completed, if the end of one page has not been detected (S15), the process returns to S14 to continue recording.

Then, when the end of one page is detected, the recording operation is ended.

As described above, depending on the state of the recording device 4, the direct recording mode and the temporary filing mode in the memory 6 can be used to reliably output the communication management report.

In the embodiments described above, the memory 6 for storing one image was used when filing the report in the memory, but if there is room in the work RAM 7, it may be left there.

Furthermore, instead of a straight conductor memory, a magnetic tape, floppy disk, hard disk, etc. may be used.

Furthermore, if a non-volatile memory or magnetic medium is used as the filing medium, the report can be retained even if a power outage occurs before output.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, even if the recording device is unable to record or the memory capacity is insufficient, it is possible to ensure the output of the communication management report, and necessary communication management information is not displayed to the user. This has the effect of significantly reducing the risk of being lost.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the report creation operation in the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure for outputting a filed report in the same embodiment. 1...CPU, 2...Reading tear, 3...Communication device, 4...Recording device, 5...CPU bus, 6...Image memory, 7...RAM, 8...・ROM. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Agent Arata Yokubo −

Claims (1)

[Claims] A facsimile device that has a memory that stores management information related to facsimile communication and a recording device that outputs the management information on recording paper, and the recording device is operable at the time when it becomes necessary to output the management information. if there is,
Transfer the management information directly to the recording device, and if the recording device is inoperable, store the management information as a text file in the memory, and then transfer it to the recording device and output it when it becomes possible to record. A facsimile device featuring: