JPH05327952A - Facsimile equipment with timer reservation transmission function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a facsimile equipment having a timer reservation transmission function, where a communication cost is efficiently reduced. CONSTITUTION:A clocking part 7 controlling present date and time and also timer-reserved time, a control part 1 which successively facsimile-transmits picture information of plural documents, which is timer-transmission-reserved, from a timer reservation memory part 8 at a prescribed reservation time period and a remote telephone number order rearrangement processing part 10 which recognizes the telephone number of a callee station and rearranges the transmission order of the plural documents in order of a remote place are provided. Then, the control part 1 transmits picture information of the plural documents in order of the remote place at the reservation time period.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function capable of sequentially transmitting image information of a plurality of originals by facsimile during a preset time period,
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function capable of efficiently reducing communication costs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, some facsimile machines have a timer reservation transmission function for starting transmission of image information of an original by designating a fixed time. That is, as shown in the circuit block diagram of FIG. 6, a conventional facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function has a control unit 1, an image input unit 2, a FAX modem unit 3, a printing unit 4, an LCD.
/ LED and the like, including a display unit 5 for displaying the current time and operation of the operation, a switch unit for performing operation operations, an operation unit 6 including keys, a clock unit 7, and a timer reservation memory unit 8. .

When performing timer reservation transmission, the document is read by the image input section 2 by, for example, a CCD,
The image information is transmitted to the control unit 1 described later. And
The image information is encoded by MR or the like by the control unit 1, and the encoded image signal is stored in the timer reservation memory unit 8 together with the telephone number of the called station input by the operation unit 6. When the control unit 1 confirms the arrival of the timer reserved time based on the current year, month, day, hour, minute, and data stored in the clock unit 7 that manages the timer reserved time via the operation unit 6, The image information of the original to be transmitted at the timer reservation time is read from the timer reservation memory unit 8, the image signal transmitted by the FAX modem unit 3 is converted into an analog signal and modulated, and the facsimile of the called station is transmitted through the telephone line. I am trying to transmit to the device.

When the reservation times overlap among the image information of a plurality of originals, the image information of a plurality of originals is transmitted in the order in which the timer reservation is set, that is, in the order of input to the timer reservation memory unit 8. I have to.

In this case, after the transmission of the image information of the original document is completed and the connection between the telephone line and the facsimile apparatus is cut off, the destination of the image information of the next original document is recognized again and the telephone line is called. The facsimile machine on the calling side and the facsimile machine on the called side are connected to each other via the.

The image signal received from the facsimile machine of the caller is demodulated by the FAX modem unit 3, converted into a digital signal and transmitted to the control unit 1. And the control unit 1
At, the image information is decoded and printed by the printing unit 4. Further, the image information read by the image input unit 2 can be printed by the printing unit 4.

[0007]

By the way, a facsimile apparatus having such a timer reservation transmission function is useful for saving communication cost by setting a reservation time in a time zone when the telephone charge is discounted. However, as described above, since the telephone number recognition, calling, line connection, transmission, and line disconnection procedures are carried out for each document image information, the number of documents and the amount of document image information Due to this, the communication time becomes longer and the communication may not be completed within the discount time.

Especially, when the timer reservation for the image information of a large number of originals or the image information of a large number of originals is made before the timer reservation of the image information of the originals to be transmitted to the remote place, the communication cost is high. Transmission to remote areas may be delayed after a discounted time, and the purpose of saving communication costs may not be achieved.

Even when the image information of a plurality of originals for the same called station is timer-reserved, a telephone number is recognized, a call is made, a line is connected, and a transmission is performed for each image information of one original.
Since each communication procedure for disconnecting the line is performed, it is not necessary to repeat it to achieve the purpose of transmitting the image information of the manuscript. , Extra time is needed.

An object of the present invention is to ensure that communication in a remote place can be performed within a call charge discount time period.
Alternatively, another object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function that can reliably save communication costs by making it possible to collectively transmit image information of a plurality of documents to the same called station.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function, in which a timer reservation for storing image information of image information of a plurality of timer-reserved originals and a telephone number of a called station. A memory unit, a clock unit that manages the current year, month, day, hour, minute, and timer reserved time, and a control unit that sequentially sends the image information of a plurality of documents stored in the timer reserved memory unit by facsimile during a predetermined reserved time zone In a facsimile device having a timer reservation transmission function equipped with, in order to reliably perform communication in a remote area within a call charge discount time period, the telephone number of the called station is recognized and image information of a plurality of originals is displayed. It is characterized in that an order change processing unit for rearranging the transmission order is provided, and the control unit causes the image information of a plurality of originals to be transmitted in the remote place order in the reserved time zone.

The second facsimile machine having a timer reservation transmission function of the present invention includes a timer reservation memory section for storing image information of a plurality of timer-reserved originals and a telephone number of a called station, and a current year. Timer reservation transmission function that includes a clock unit that manages the date and time of the month and timer reserved time, and a control unit that sequentially transmits the image information of a plurality of documents stored in the timer reservation memory unit by facsimile during a predetermined reservation time period In order to be able to collectively transmit the image information of a plurality of originals to the same called station, the facsimile apparatus having the The same telephone number recognition batch processing unit that batches the image information of the above is provided, and the control unit continuously transmits the image information of a plurality of originals having common telephone numbers in batch. And wherein the door.

[0013]

In the facsimile apparatus having the first timer reservation transmission function of the present invention, image information of a plurality of originals reserved for timer transmission is rearranged in the order of remote locations by the order rearrangement processing unit, and when the reservation time is reached. Since the image information of those originals is transmitted in the order of remote locations, they are transmitted to remote locations within the beginning of the reserved time period.

In the facsimile apparatus having the second timer reservation transmission function of the present invention, the image information of the manuscript having the same telephone number is collected by the same telephone number recognition batch processing unit, and when the reservation time is reached, a plurality of telephone numbers having the same telephone number are reached. The image information of the original document is continuously transmitted all at once, and the line disconnection between the image information of each original document, the telephone number recognition, the calling, and the communication procedure of the line connection are omitted.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A facsimile machine having a timer reservation transmission function according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the circuit block diagram of FIG. 1, this facsimile apparatus has a control unit 1, an image input unit 2 and an F unit.
An AX modem unit 3, a printing unit 4, an LCD / LED and the like, a display unit 5 for displaying the current time and operation of the operation, an operation unit 6 including switches for performing operation operations, keys, etc., a clock. It is similar to the conventional facsimile apparatus having the timer reservation transmission function in that the section 7 and the timer reservation memory section 8 are provided.

However, this facsimile apparatus is provided with the same telephone number recognition batch processing unit 9, remote telephone number order changing processing unit 10 and own telephone number registration unit 11, and is included in the control program for timer reservation transmission of the control unit 1. This is different from the conventional example in that a procedure for changing the transmission order to the remote place and transmitting the information and a procedure for collectively transmitting the image information of a plurality of documents having the same telephone number are incorporated.

The same telephone number recognition batch processing section 9 recognizes the telephone number attached to the image information of each document in the timer reservation memory section 8 when the timer reservation time comes, and the same telephone number is added. The image information is arranged in a batch in the order of input.

In this case, a page break signal is added to the end of the image information of each document to collectively combine the image information of a plurality of documents, and when the documents are revised, the printing unit on the called station side prints the page again. can do.

The remote telephone number order change processing unit 10 is
Recognize the telephone number of the called station attached to the image information of each manuscript in the timer reservation memory section 8 and the telephone number of the own station stored in the telephone number registration section 11 of the own station, and the telephone number of the called station is recognized. The transmission order is rearranged in the order distant from, and the image information and the telephone number of each document are stored.

The control section 1 controls the operation of each section in the procedure shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, for example. That is, first, when the arrival of the timer reservation time is confirmed (step S
1) From the data stored in the timer reservation memory unit 8, the telephone number of the called station and the telephone number of the called station attached to the image information of each document to be transmitted within a predetermined time period after this time The telephone number of its own station is read from the number registration unit 11 (step S2), and subsequently the remote telephone number rearrangement processing unit 10 determines the transmission order (the order of the called station) based on these telephone numbers. The transmission order changing process is performed in which the image information of each document and the telephone numbers attached thereto are stored in the remote telephone number order changing processing unit 10 according to the order (step S3). ).

For example, the own station is located in Gifu, and as shown in FIG. 3 (a), FAX contents A in 0584-64-4590 (Gifu) and F in 03-3456-7892 (Tokyo) in order.
FA in AX contents B, 0584-64-4590 (Gifu)
FAX to contents C 0584-64-4971 (Gifu)
If the contents D, 0584-64-4590 (Gifu), FAX contents E, 06-435-8871 (Osaka), FAX contents F, ... Are set to be timer-reserved within a certain time zone. , 03-3456-78
FAX contents B, 06-435-8871 in 92 (Tokyo)
FAX contents F, 0584-64-4590 in (Osaka)
(Gifu) FAX contents A, 0584-64-4590
(Gifu) FAX content C, 0584-64-4590
(Gifu) FAX contents E, 0584-64-4971
In (Gifu), the transmission order is sorted in the order of FAX content D, ... And stored in the remote telephone number order change processing unit 10.

After this, the remote telephone number order change processing unit 10
The data stored in the same telephone number is read, the same telephone number recognition batch processing unit 9 recognizes the telephone number of each original again to check whether there are a plurality of the same telephone numbers (step S4), and if there is, the same. A batch process (step S5) is performed in which the FAX contents of the telephone numbers are collected, for example, in the order of input, and one phone number is attached to the image information of a plurality of documents that have been collected and stored in the same phone number recognition batch processing unit 9. . That is, in the above case, as shown in FIG.
FAX contents B, 06-435-887 in 892 (Tokyo)
FAX contents F, 0584-64-4590 in 1 (Osaka)
(Gifu) FAX contents A, C, E, 0584-64-4
The data rewritten as FAX content D, ... In 971 (Gifu) is stored in the same telephone number recognition batch processing unit 9.

The confirmation as to whether or not there are a plurality of the same telephone numbers (step S4) and the batch processing (step S5) are repeated until all the telephone numbers become one, and all the telephone numbers become one. After that, the control unit 1 sequentially reads the memory of the same telephone number recognition batch processing unit 9, and recognizes the telephone number of the highest called station (step S6), calls (step S7), and connects the line (step S8). After carrying out each communication procedure of image information transmission (step S9) and line disconnection (step S10), the order advance processing (step S11) for advancing the transmission order of the data stored in the same telephone number recognition batch processing section 9 by one. )I do. As a result, the already transmitted data and telephone number are deleted from the same telephone number recognition batch processing section 9.

After that, it is judged whether or not there is data to be transmitted within a predetermined transmission time zone (step S12), and if there is data, the telephone number of the highest called station is recognized (step S6). If not, it is determined whether or not the time slot for reserved transmission has ended (step S1).
3).

If the timer transmission reservation time zone has not expired, it is meaningless to maintain the timer transmission reservation transmission program any longer, and the process proceeds to another control program (main routine).

If the time zone has already expired, the timer reservation memory unit 8 must have registered therein data reserved for timer transmission during the extended time from the end of the time zone to the present time. However, there is a problem of how to transmit the data reserved for timer transmission during this extension time.

In this embodiment, when the reserved time period has ended, it is determined whether or not there is a timer transmission reservation within the extension time (step S14), and if there is, timer transmission within the extension time. Since the timer reservation time for the reservation has arrived, the process returns to the step of reading out the telephone number of the called station from the timer reservation memory unit 8 and the telephone number of the own station from the own telephone number registration unit 11 (step S2), After transmitting the data for which the timer transmission is reserved within the extension time according to the same procedure, the control program (main routine) other than the transmission program for the timer transmission reservation is entered.
If there is no timer transmission reservation within the extension time, it is meaningless to maintain the timer transmission reservation transmission program any more, and therefore the process shifts to a control program (main routine) other than the timer transmission reservation transmission program.

In this facsimile apparatus, when a predetermined time period arrives, image information to be transmitted is transmitted in the order of the remote place within that time period. Therefore, when timer transmission reservation is made in a time period when the call charge is discounted. The communication cost can be reduced most efficiently by transmitting from a remote place where the call cost is high.

Further, since the image information of a plurality of originals to be transmitted to the same called station at the same time zone is collectively transmitted, line disconnection, telephone number recognition, calling, Since each procedure of circuit connection is omitted, the communication time as a whole can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image information of the original to be transmitted within a predetermined time period, for example, the charge discount time period, from being transmitted beyond that time period, and to transmit a large amount of image information within the predetermined time period. Therefore, the communication cost can be saved more efficiently.

The control program executed by the control unit 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, after the transmission order is changed (step S23), the order of the remote telephone numbers is changed. It is determined whether or not the highest and next highest telephone numbers of the data stored in the exchange processing unit 10 are the same (step S24), and if they are the same, the same telephone number recognition collective processing unit 9 collects these data together. (Step S2
5), storing the collected data in the remote telephone number order change processing unit 10 as the highest level data, and
Move up one rank each (step S2)
6) After all the image information of the manuscript having the same telephone number as the highest telephone number is collected, the same procedure (steps S27 to S35) as that of step S6 and subsequent steps in the above-described embodiment is executed. Good.

Further, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 5, for example, after the image information of the originals to be transmitted to the same telephone number is put together (steps S43 and S44), the transmission order is changed (step S45), After that, the same procedure as that of step S6 and subsequent steps of the above-described embodiment (steps S46 to S54)
May be configured to execute.

[0033]

As described above, according to the facsimile apparatus having the first timer reservation transmission function of the present invention, since the transmission is performed in the order of the remote locations, the transmission is performed from the remote location where the call cost is high, It is possible to prevent the transmission to the remote place from being delayed after that time period and lose the opportunity of discounting the charge, and it is possible to efficiently reduce the communication cost.

Further, according to the facsimile apparatus having the second timer reservation transmission function of the present invention, since the image information of a plurality of originals transmitted to the same telephone number is transmitted in a lump, the originals are revised each time they are revised. Line disconnection, phone number recognition, calling,
Since each circuit connection procedure is omitted, a large amount of image information can be transmitted within a short time, and the communication cost can be efficiently reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a control program of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a memory pattern diagram of (a) timer reservation memory section and (b) same telephone number recognition batch processing section 9 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of another control program of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of yet another control program of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Control unit 7 Clock unit 8 Timer reservation memory unit 9 Same telephone number recognition batch processing unit 10 Remote telephone number order change processing unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A timer reservation memory section for storing image information of a plurality of timer-reserved manuscripts and a telephone number of a called station, and a clock section for managing the current year / month / day / hour and the timer reserved time. In a facsimile device having a timer reservation transmission function, which includes a control unit for sequentially facsimile-transmitting image information of a plurality of originals stored in a timer reservation memory unit in a predetermined reservation time zone, a telephone number of a called station is recognized. A timer characterized in that a remote telephone number order change processing unit for rearranging the transmission order of image information of a plurality of originals is provided, and the control unit transmits image information of a plurality of originals in a remote place during a reserved time zone. Facsimile machine with reservation transmission function. 2. A timer reservation memory section for storing image information of a plurality of timer-reserved manuscripts and a telephone number of a called station, and a clock section for managing the current year / month / day / hour and the timer reserved time. In a facsimile device having a timer reservation transmission function, which includes a control unit for sequentially facsimile-transmitting image information of a plurality of originals stored in a timer reservation memory unit in a predetermined reservation time zone, a telephone number of a called station is recognized. The same phone number recognition batch processing unit that collects image information of documents with common telephone numbers among image information of multiple documents is provided, and the control unit continuously collects image information of multiple documents with common telephone numbers. A facsimile apparatus having a timer reservation transmission function, which is characterized by transmitting.