JPH05153415A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the simple reception of confidential information with an ordinary facsimile equipment by printing out the reception picture information of a 1st page and storing the information of 2nd and succeeding pages into a picture information memory. CONSTITUTION:Received picture information of a 1st page is outputted to a printer section 6 and printed out an recording paper since a switching circuit 8 is set to the position (a) of an output control section 7 by a control section 10 in the case of usual facsimile reception by the standard procedure. When the output of the received picture information of the 1st page is finished, the control section 10 allows a memory control section 9 to start the storage and the received picture information of 2nd and succeeding pages is stored in a picture information memory 5. When a recipient desires to print out the received picture information of 2nd and succeeding pages, an output button 13 is depressed to generate a trigger signal. In the case of receiving the trigger signal, the control section 10 sets the switching circuit to the position of (b) to allow the memory control section 9 to start extraction, then the received picture information stored in the picture information memory 5 is extracted and printed out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine capable of simple confidential communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a facsimile device having a confidential communication function for the purpose of maintaining confidentiality of message contents.
This confidential communication function was realized using non-standard procedures for each manufacturer. That is, the memory reception instruction information is sent from the transmission side using a non-standard procedure, the reception side decodes this, and when it is confirmed that the communication is confidential, the reception image information is stored in the memory without being printed. At this time, the instruction information such as the personal identification number is stored from the received signal, and the information such as the telephone number of the sender is printed to notify the recipient that the confidential communication has been received. The received image information stored in the memory cannot be printed unless a personal identification number that matches the personal identification number in the instruction information is input.

Regarding the confidential communication function using such a non-standard procedure, the received image information of the first page is printed at the time of confidential reception to notify the recipient of incoming confidential communication and sender information. Facsimile apparatuses configured to store received image information for the second and subsequent pages in a memory are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2-101871 and 2-18366.
No. 9 publication.

[0004]

However, according to the above-mentioned configuration, since the non-standard procedure is used, confidential communication is generally impossible between the facsimile machines manufactured by different manufacturers, and the facsimile machines manufactured by the same manufacturer are not able to communicate with each other. However, there is a problem that the progress communication cannot be performed unless both devices have the confidential communication function. Incidentally, most of the conventional facsimile machines are not equipped with a confidential communication function. In addition, there is a troublesome point of use that the receiver must be notified of the personal identification number by telephone or the like.

Further, the conventional confidential communication function aims at a considerably high confidentiality and naturally requires a considerable cost to realize it, but this is not always rational for general users. I can't say. That is, it is rare for a general user to require complete confidentiality, and in many cases, the degree of confidentiality that the received document is hard to be noticed by others can be satisfied. Rather, even with such a degree of confidentiality, it is more suitable for many users, especially individual users, to be able to carry out confidential communication from various types and manufacturers of facsimile machines.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and considerations, and can be applied to a facsimile machine manufactured by a different manufacturer or a facsimile machine having no confidential communication function.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device which can ensure practically sufficient communication confidentiality.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention is a facsimile apparatus capable of normal facsimile reception according to a standard procedure, and is predetermined or designated at the time of normal facsimile reception. When the received image information of another page is printed by the recording means for printing the image information, the received image information of another page is stored in the memory for storing the image information, and the output of the stored image information is instructed. In addition, there is provided a structure in which received image information is taken out from the memory and printed by the recording means.

A second aspect of the present invention is a facsimile apparatus capable of performing normal facsimile reception according to a standard procedure,
Normally, at the time of facsimile reception, the document number and the received image information of a predetermined or specified page are printed by the recording means for printing the image information, and the received image information of other pages is stored in the image information. When the storage image information is stored in the memory, and the received image information corresponding to the designated document number is instructed to be output from the memory, the recording device prints the received image information. is there.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, only the original contents of a predetermined or designated page are printed, and the original contents of other pages are instructed to be output at the time of ordinary facsimile reception by the standard procedure. Since it is not printed, it is arranged between the sender and the receiver that only the information such as the addressee and sender is entered on the first page and the original manuscript should be on the second page or later. By determining or designating that only the first page should be printed at the time of reception, simple confidential reception with practically sufficient confidentiality is possible. Further, since the non-standard procedure is not used, confidential reception can be performed from almost all facsimile machines regardless of manufacturer or model.

The second aspect of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, in the same manner as the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform simple confidential reception from most of the facsimile devices and to store a plurality of received image information. Also, the necessary document image information can be easily printed by designating the document number printed at the time of reception. Further, even if it is determined or designated not to print even one page of the received image information at the time of reception, the recipient confirms that there is an incoming call by printing the document number, designates the document number and prints the received image information. Therefore, it is possible to secure the confidentiality of all pages of the received image information.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a reception-related part of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, 1 is a network control section and 2 is a network control section.
Is a modulator / demodulator, 3 is a standard procedure control unit, and 4 is a reception control unit. During normal facsimile reception by the standard procedure, the standard procedure control unit 3 controls the reception procedure, and the reception control unit 4 reproduces the received image information. A procedure control unit for a non-standard procedure is also provided as needed, but it is not necessary to support the non-standard procedure for simple confidential reception according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 5 is an image information memory for storing image information, and 6 is a printer section for printing the image information. Reference numeral 7 is an output control section directly related to the gist of the present invention, which includes a switch circuit 8 and a memory control section 9, and a control section 10 for controlling them.
Reference numeral 11 is a trigger signal input terminal for outputting the received image information stored in the image information memory 5. This trigger signal is generated when the output button 13 of the operation panel unit 12 is pressed.

FIG. 2 shows an operation flow of the output control section 7.
However, FIG. 2A is an operation flow when a normal facsimile is received, and FIG. 2B is an operation flow when the output button 13 is pressed.

When a normal facsimile reception by the standard procedure is received, the standard procedure control section 3 controls the reception procedure as described above, the reception control section 4 reproduces the received image information and inputs it to the output control section 7. .. In the output control unit 7, since the switch circuit 8 is set to the side a by the control unit 10, the received image information of the first page is the switch circuit 8
And is output to the printer unit 6 and printed on recording paper (ST1). When the output of the received image information of the first page is completed, the control unit 10 causes the memory control unit 9 to start the accumulation operation. Then, the received image information for the second and subsequent pages is stored in the image information memory 5 under the control of the memory control unit 9 (ST2).

Since the received image information on the first page is directly printed in this manner, the address and sender information, etc. should be written on the first page of the transmitted document between the sender and the recipient. By making an arrangement, the receiving side can easily confirm that there is an incoming call from the printed contents and the destination and sender.

The recipient, who knows that there is an incoming call addressed to himself, presses the output button 13 to generate a trigger signal when he wants to print the received image information for the second and subsequent pages. When the control unit 10 of the output control unit 7 detects this trigger signal (ST11, YES), it causes the switch circuit 8 to b.
It is set to the side (ST12), and the memory control unit 9 starts the take-out operation. Then, under the control of the memory control unit 9, the received image information of the second and subsequent pages is sequentially fetched from the image information memory 5, and the printer unit 6 passes through the switch circuit 8.
Is output to and printed (ST13).

As described above, the received image information on the second and subsequent pages is not printed unless an output operation is performed on the receiving side. Therefore, if it is decided that the second and subsequent pages are original documents, the contents will be immediately reproduced. It is not visible to anyone other than the recipient. Therefore, it is possible to realize simple confidential communication satisfying the degree of confidentiality that is normally required, by the ordinary facsimile communication that does not follow the non-standard procedure.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of a reception-related part of a facsimile apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and the same symbols as those in FIG. 1 are the same parts. The output control unit 17 is a part corresponding to the output control unit 7 of the first embodiment, but its configuration is changed. That is, the output control unit 17 includes a switch circuit 18, a memory control unit 19, a control unit 20 and a document number generation unit 21. The control unit 20 manages the received image information stored in the image signal memory 5 by the document number, and also has a function of searching the received image information of the document number designated by the operation of the operation unit 12. Reference numeral 14 is a terminal to which the document number designated by the operation of the ten key 15 of the operation unit 12 is input. The document number generation unit 21 generates image information (image signal) of the document number.

FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of the output controller 17. However, FIG. 4A shows an operation flow when a normal facsimile is received, and FIG. 4B shows an operation flow when the output button 13 is pressed.

When a normal facsimile reception by the standard procedure is received, the procedure is controlled by the standard procedure control unit 3 as described above, the received image information is reproduced by the reception control unit 4 and input to the output control unit 17. .. In the output control unit 17, the control unit 10 sets a document number, causes the document number generation unit 17 to generate the image information, and outputs the image information to the printer unit via the switch circuit 18 (initially set to the a position). Output to 6 and print (ST21). Next, the control unit 20 sets the switch circuit 18 to the b position, outputs the received image information of the first page input from the reception control unit 4 to the printer unit 6 and prints it (ST22). When this output ends, the control unit 20 instructs the memory control unit 19 to start the storage operation. As a result, the received image information on the second and subsequent pages is stored in the image information memory 5 under the control of the memory controller 19 (ST23).

Since the received image information of the first page and the document number are directly printed in this way, as described in the first embodiment, there is an incoming call on the receiving side,
The destination and sender can be easily confirmed.

When the receiver who knows that there is an incoming call to himself / herself and wants to print the received image information of the second and subsequent pages, he / she designates the printed document number by operating the ten keys 15, and the output button 13 Is pressed to generate a trigger signal (ST31). Control unit 20 of output control unit 17
Compares the document number held in the internal management table with the designated document number, and retrieves the corresponding image information in the image information memory 5 (ST32). When the corresponding image information is found (ST33, YES), the control unit 20 causes the extraction information such as the storage address of the image information (control unit 20).
(Stored in the management table in) memory controller 1
Then, the switch circuit 18 is set to the c position (ST34). The received image information is taken out from the image information memory 5 under the control of the memory control unit 19, is output to the printer unit 6 via the switch circuit 18, and is printed. The area of the image information memory 5 in which the output received image information is stored is managed as an empty area and used for accumulating image information received thereafter.

When the received image information corresponding to the document number designated by the recipient is not found (ST33, N
O), the output control unit 17 ends the operation. At this time, the control unit 20 warns the recipient by activating a display device or a buzzer provided on the operation unit 12, but this operation is not shown in FIG. 4 (b).

As described above, the received image information on the second and subsequent pages is not printed unless an output operation is performed on the receiving side. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the ordinary facsimile communication which does not follow the non-standard procedure can be performed. It is possible to realize simple confidential communication that satisfies the degree of confidentiality normally required. Moreover, since the management is performed using the document number, a plurality of confidential communications can be performed.

Next explained is a facsimile machine according to the third embodiment of the invention. Although the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment has the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the operation of the output control unit 17 is the same as that of the third embodiment as shown in the flowchart of FIG.
Unlike the above case, the page to be directly printed at the time of receiving a normal facsimile can be arbitrarily designated from the operation unit 12. It is also possible to specify that no page of received image information is printed.

When a normal facsimile reception is received according to the standard procedure, the output controller 17 causes the controller 10
Generates the image information of the document number from the document number generation unit 17, outputs it to the printer unit 6 via the switch circuit 18 (initially set to the a position), and prints it. 18 is switched to position b (ST41). Subsequently, the received image information reproduced by the reception control unit 4 is sequentially input to the output control unit 17, but the control unit 20
Checks whether or not the input page is a page for which printing is designated (ST42), and the received image information of the designated page is output to the printer unit 6 via the switch circuit 18 and printed (ST43), and designated. The received image information of the outer page is stored in the image information memory 5 under the control of the memory control unit 19 (ST44). When the same output control is completed up to the final page (ST45, YES), the control is completed.

The operation of printing the image information stored in the image information memory 5 upon confidential reception is the same as in the second embodiment.

Even if it is specified that one page of the received image information is not printed directly, the document number is printed, so that at least the incoming call can be confirmed on the receiving side, and the document number can be input. By doing so, the received contents can be confirmed.

In each of the embodiments described above, the operation unit 1
By specifying from 2, it is possible to switch to the mode for printing all pages during normal facsimile reception, and when the image information memory 5 is full, the received image information is automatically printed as it is. Can be switched.

In each of the above embodiments, the received image information of the first page or the designated page is directly output without passing through the image information memory 5, but the image information of these pages is also output to the image information memory 5. You may change so that it may be stored once and then output. In the case of such a change, the switch circuits 8 and 18 can be omitted.

Further, in the second and third embodiments, the reception information such as the reception date and time may be printed together with the document number. In the case of a facsimile machine having a calendar or clock function, it is easy to add such information.

In each of the above embodiments, the reproduced (decoded) received image information is stored in the image information memory 5, but the received data (coded data) before reproduction is stored in the image information memory 5,
A decoder provided inside or outside the reception control unit 4 or the output control units 7 and 17 may execute a reproduction (decoding) process at the time of output to the printer unit 6,
This is effective in reducing the capacity of the image information memory 5 or increasing the amount of accumulated information.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first or second invention, only the received image information of the predetermined or designated page is received at the time of the normal facsimile reception in the standard output order. It prints or prints the document number, does not print the received image information of other pages, saves it in memory, and does not print it until there is an output instruction
It becomes possible to perform simple confidential reception with practically sufficient confidentiality, regardless of the model or manufacturer of the facsimile machine on the other side. Further, the second aspect of the present invention is capable of accumulating a plurality of confidentially received image information, easily printing required received image information by using a document number, and ensuring confidentiality of all pages of the received image information. It is also possible to do so.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a reception-related part of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an operation flow diagram of the output control unit of the first embodiment during reception. FIG. 2B is an operation flow diagram of image information output of the output control unit of the second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a reception-related part of a facsimile apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is an operation flow diagram of the output control unit of the second embodiment during reception. FIG. 4B is an operation flow diagram of image output of the output control unit of the second embodiment during image information output.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a reception operation of the output control unit of the facsimile apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 network control unit 2 modulator / demodulator 3 standard procedure control unit 4 reception control unit 5 image information memory 6 printer unit 7 output control unit 8 switch circuit 9 memory control unit 10 control unit 12 operation panel 13 output button 15 numeric keypad 17 output control unit 18 Switch circuit 19 Memory control unit 20 Control unit 21 Document number generation unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A memory for accumulating image information, a recording means for printing the image information, a means for executing facsimile reception, and a means for executing normal facsimile reception by a standard procedure by this means. The received image information of a predetermined or designated page is printed by the recording means, the received image information of another page is stored in the memory, and when the output of the stored image information is instructed, A facsimile apparatus comprising: means for taking out received image information from a memory and causing the recording means to print. 2. A memory for accumulating image information, a recording means for printing the image information, a means for executing facsimile communication, and a means for performing normal facsimile reception by a standard procedure by this means. , The document number and the received image information of a predetermined or designated page are printed by the recording means, the received image information of other pages is stored in the memory, and the output of the stored image information is instructed. In this case, the received image information corresponding to the designated document number is fetched from the memory and printed by the recording unit.