JPH04316270A - Facsimile equipment with broadcasting function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the broadcast communication which can freely designate the delivery page range of a document to be broadcasted in accordance with a destination and to efficiently broadcast the document to plural broadcast destinations different in communication mode. CONSTITUTION:The transmission page range of the document to be broadcasted is designated from a picture memory 7 by a partial broadcast information setting part 11 with respect to each broadcast destination; and at the time of transmission, a partial broadcast control part 11 reads out only transmission pages of the document from the picture memory with respect to each transmission destination and transmits them as one transmission document to this destination. As the result, the page ranges designated for respective destinations of the document is transmitted with one transmission operation.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine having a broadcast function for transmitting document information to a plurality of destinations in one operation using a telephone line or digital line.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art There are three cases of broadcast communication as follows. 1) In the case of sequential broadcasting in which transmission is repeated for each broadcast destination using one line, FIG. 8A shows a sequence diagram for sequential broadcasting. 2) In the case of simultaneous broadcasting in which individual communications are performed simultaneously with a plurality of destinations using multiple lines (channels), FIG. 8(b) shows a sequence diagram for such simultaneous broadcasting. 3) In contrast to the above two systems, where individual communications are basically 1:1 communications, broadcast networks, satellite lines, and loop lines can be used to simultaneously transmit 1:N communications in one call, such as broadcast facsimile. In this case, the facsimile machine on the receiving side requires a special receiving function for broadcasting, which is different from normal 1:1 communication.

[0003] Therefore, the above-mentioned methods 1) and 2 are possible for realizing a broadcast function in a facsimile machine that performs normal 1:1 communication using a telephone line or digital line.
). In addition, the international standards for facsimile machines that perform normal 1:1 communication using telephone lines or digital lines include Group 2 type and Group 3 type facsimile machines that use telephone networks, and Group 4 type facsimile machines that use digital networks. As a type facsimile machine, each CC
It is stipulated by the recommendation of ITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Advisory Committee). These recommendations define communication rules for 1:1 communication.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a facsimile machine that uses a conventional telephone line or digital line and also has a broadcast function. In the figure, 1 is a reading unit that reads the original to be sent, 2 is a recording unit, 3 is an operation unit that supports operations such as broadcasting, etc.
4 is a main control unit that controls the whole, 5 is a communication control unit, 6 is an encoding/decoding unit, 7 is an image memory that stores documents as image data, 8 is a communication line, 9 is an encoding method of the other device,
This is an image conversion processing section that converts data in the image memory 7 according to resolution and paper size. The communication line 8 is connected to a communication network, and facsimile machines for a plurality of broadcast destinations are connected to the communication network. There may be only one communication line 8, or there may be multiple lines.

Next, the operation will be explained. First, when broadcasting, for example, the data necessary for broadcasting (destination number, etc.) is set from the operation unit 3 using the operating procedure shown in FIG. 7, and then the broadcast start button is pressed. . Prior to the start of communication, as shown in FIG. 9, the transmission document is read as image data page by page by the reading section 1, encoded by the encoding/decoding section 6, and then temporarily stored in the image memory 7. be done.

[0006] The above-mentioned broadcasting function is as follows: 1) When performing sequential broadcasting in which broadcasting is repeatedly sent to each destination using one line, communication is performed for each destination set from the operation unit 3. The control unit 5 repeatedly reads out the document stored in the image memory 7, converts it in the image conversion processing unit 9 according to the encoding method, resolution, and paper size of the destination device, and transmits the converted document. In addition, in the case of simultaneous broadcasting that uses multiple lines (channels) in 2) to send to multiple destinations at once, the communication control unit 5
simultaneously controls each line, reads out the same transmission document stored in the image memory 7, converts it in the image conversion processing section 9 according to the encoding method, resolution, and paper size of the destination device, and sends it. do.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional facsimile machines having a broadcasting function for existing group 3 type facsimile machines and group 4 type facsimile machines are configured as described above, and therefore have the function of broadcasting. is limited to sending the same document to all recipients, and has a function that sends only part of the broadcast document to some recipients, so to speak.
A function that can be called 'partial broadcasting' cannot be realized. 'Partial broadcast'
As a communication method that realizes
There is a method described in Publication No. 3, which requires special functions on the receiving station in the case of 3) above of broadcast communication, and is compatible with existing Group 3 type facsimile machines and Group 4 type facsimile machines. It does not apply to broadcast communications with devices. Further, communication to multiple broadcast destinations having different communication modes cannot be realized in case 3) above.

[0008] Therefore, in addition to sending the entire text of the broadcast document,
If you want to send only part of a broadcast document (for example, just the cover) to an existing group 3 type facsimile machine or group 4 type facsimile machine, you will need to read it again as a separate communication and then send it. There were problems such as being troublesome.

[0009] This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to freely specify the delivery page range for documents to be broadcast according to the destination, and the facsimile on the receiving side can be It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that realizes efficient broadcast communication to a plurality of broadcast destinations having different communication modes without modifying the device.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] A facsimile apparatus having a broadcast function according to the present invention is provided with partial broadcast information setting means that can specify a page range to be transmitted individually for each destination to which a broadcast is to be made, and The partial broadcast control means manages the memory on a page-by-page basis in an image memory that stores images, and performs communication control for transmitting a page range specified for each destination to be broadcast as one document. Further, a facsimile device having a broadcasting function using a plurality of communication modes according to another invention is provided with partial broadcast information setting means that can specify the page range and communication mode to be transmitted individually for each destination to which broadcasting is to be performed. , to manage the memory in page units in the image memory that stores documents, and to send a range of pages specified for each destination as one document using the communication mode set for each destination to be broadcast. It has partial broadcast control means for controlling communications.

[0011]

[Operation] In the facsimile apparatus having the broadcast function according to the present invention, the partial broadcast information setting means specifies the transmission page range of the broadcast document for each destination of the broadcast, and when transmitting, the partial broadcast information setting means Transmission pages of the broadcast document are read out from the image memory for each destination, and communication is performed as one transmission document for each broadcast destination. Therefore, a designated page range is delivered to each destination by a single transmission operation. According to another aspect of the present invention, when transmitting a document, the partial broadcast control means performs transmission in a communication mode set in advance according to the recipient's destination. Therefore, partial broadcasting is possible even when different communication modes coexist among the broadcast destinations.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a reading unit that reads a document to be sent, 2 is a recording unit, 3 is an operation unit that instructs operations such as broadcasting, 4 is a main control unit that controls the whole, 5 is a communication control unit, and 6 1 is an encoding/decoding unit, 7 is an image memory for storing documents as image data, 8 is a communication line, 9 is an image conversion processing unit, 10
11 is a partial broadcast information setting section in which the relationship between the destination number required for partial broadcast and the transmission page range of multiple sheets of originals is set by the operation section 3; 11 is set in this partial broadcast information setting section 10. This is a partial broadcast control unit that performs control for partial broadcast depending on the content.

Next, the operation will be explained. First, when performing a 'partial broadcast' in which a part of a page of a plurality of manuscripts is sent depending on the recipient, the operation procedure shown in FIG. Then, in the partial broadcast information setting unit 10, the relationship between the broadcast destination and the transmission range of the broadcast document as shown in FIG. 3 is set. Next, when partial broadcasting is started, as with conventional equipment,
A transmission document is read from the reading section 1 and sent to the encoding/decoding section 6.
The data is compressed and temporarily stored in the image memory 7.

Next, when each broadcast communication is started, the image data of the page to be transmitted is read out from the image memory 7 according to the contents set in the partial broadcast information setting section 10,
The image conversion processing unit 9 performs conversion processing according to the encoding method, resolution, and paper size of the destination device, and as shown in FIG. Control is performed for this purpose. In FIG. 4, all pages from the first page to the nth page of the transmission manuscript are transmitted to broadcast destination 1, and the first page, which is a part of the transmission manuscript, is transmitted to broadcast destination 2.
Pages up to the m-th page are transmitted, and only the first page is transmitted to each of the multicast destinations p-1 and multicast destinations p.

[0015] Through these communication controls, only the transmission range specified according to the broadcast destination is sent. For communication control for each destination, for example, the communication control means of a group 3 type facsimile machine or a group 4 type facsimile machine can be used as is.

[0016] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the original is read in order from the first page and stored in the image memory 7, but the original reading/travel system inserts the original upward and reads it from the bottom. In this case, the partial broadcast control unit 11 associates the page order of the original with the page order of the image data stored in the image memory and sets the partial broadcast information setting unit 1.
Only the necessary page range specified by 0 will be sent.

In the above embodiment, the communication mode of the multicast destinations is the same, but when the communication mode differs depending on the multicast destination, for example, when group 3 type facsimile machines and group 4 type facsimile machines coexist, According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the information regarding the transmission range, the partial broadcast information setting means sets the communication mode together with the partner number for each destination. Further, the partial broadcast control means performs communication control in the communication mode set by the partial broadcast information setting means according to the destinations to be broadcast. FIG. 5 shows an operating procedure for partial broadcasting when such communication modes are mixed.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the page range of documents to be broadcast can be freely specified depending on the destination of the broadcast, so the necessary page range can be specified according to each destination. This has the effect of enabling efficient communication without modifying the receiving device. Furthermore, there is an effect that partial broadcast communication can be realized even for a plurality of broadcast destinations having different communication modes.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile machine having a broadcast function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operating procedure for partial broadcasting.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between broadcast destinations and transmission pages in partial broadcast.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between broadcast destinations and image data as a transmission document in partial broadcast.

FIG. 5 is an operation procedure for partial broadcasting in which different communication modes coexist.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional facsimile device having a broadcast function.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation procedure for broadcasting.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of sequential broadcasting and simultaneous broadcasting.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a transmitted document and image data on an image memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Reading section 2 Recording Department 3　　　　Operation section 4 Main control section 5 Communication control section 6 Encoding/decoding section 7 Image memory 8 Communication line 9 Image conversion processing section 10 Partial broadcast information setting section 11 Partial broadcast control unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claims 1: Document reading means for image processing a transmission document and managing the document for transmission in an image memory in units of predetermined pages, and partial broadcast information for setting information regarding the transmission range in page units for each destination to be broadcast. The present invention is characterized by comprising a setting means, and a partial broadcast control means for reading a document from the image memory for each setting transmission page range and controlling transmission as one document for each destination to be broadcast. facsimile machine with information function. 2. In the facsimile apparatus having a broadcast function according to claim 1, the partial broadcast information setting means sets a communication mode for each destination together with the other party's number in addition to the information regarding the transmission range, and A facsimile apparatus having a broadcast function, characterized in that a broadcast control means performs communication control in a communication mode set by the partial broadcast information setting means according to destinations to which broadcast is to be made.