JPH05336320A - Facsimile equipment and memory control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a facsimile equipment where a secret function is improved by controlling transmissions and receptions according to the state of the loading of a movable hard disk. CONSTITUTION:When an external storage device 20 is unloaded, a system control part 11 falls a line without fail to the side of a telephone set 23 within a network control device 21, stops the detection of an incoming call and rejects a reception by giving an instruction to a communication control part 16. In this case, the transmission rejection by an operator at the time of a transmission is performed for a scanner 13 and an operation display part 15 by the system control part 11. In a state that image information remains stored, the external storage device 20 is unloaded, and subsequently, when the external storage device 20 is loaded, the control data for transmissions and receptions is stored in the external storage device 20 so as to make the transmissions and receptions possible in the same way as before the device 20 is unloaded. For instance, the control data on which area and how many reception data of plot queue is or how many data of transmission queue waiting for an opposite telephone number is, etc., is stored in the external storage device 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of controlling the operation of a facsimile machine equipped with a memory, and more particularly to controlling the operation of the facsimile machine according to the mounted state of a removable hard disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus has a function of storing received image information in an external storage device such as a removable flexible disk and then reading the information from the external storage device so that the received information is immediately recorded. There is a method for easily switching between the mode in which the received information is stored and the mode in which the received information is stored in the external storage device (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-121465).

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional facsimile apparatus, as a removable external storage device,
A flexible disk is often used, and depending on whether the flexible disk is mounted or not, a method of switching between a mode in which an external storage device is used and a mode in which the external storage device is not used (a mode for directly recording on recording paper) are used. Was used. However, since the external storage device in this case is merely used as an image memory, the confidentiality of its contents was not considered at all. An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems described above, to use a removable external backup storage device, and to enhance its secret function, thereby providing a new added value and a facsimile device. It is to provide a memory control method.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile apparatus of the present invention comprises (a) means for receiving image information, means for recording the received image information, and decoding of the received image information. In a facsimile machine equipped with a decryption means for converting the received image information and a removable external storage device for storing received image information and management information necessary for reception, when the external storage device is removed, It has a control unit for giving an instruction to the network control unit via the communication control unit so as to stop the reception operation, and a unit for displaying that reception is impossible because the external storage device is removed. I am trying. (B) Necessary for image information to be transmitted and transmission in a facsimile machine equipped with a document reading unit, a unit for transmitting the read image information, and an encoding unit for encoding the image information to be transmitted. A removable external storage device for storing various management information and an instruction to the network control device via the communication control unit to automatically stop the transmission operation when the external storage device is removed It is characterized by having control means and means for displaying that transmission is impossible because the external storage device has been removed. Further, the memory control method of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention includes (c) an external storage device such as a mountable flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk or memory card, and image information to be transmitted and received image. In a facsimile machine that temporarily stores information in an external storage device, the management information necessary for transmission and reception is stored in the external storage device, and when the external storage device is removed, the operation of transmission and reception is stopped. The control unit gives an instruction to the communication control unit. In addition, (d) When the removable external storage device is removed, the operation of the operator
It is also characterized in that the read image information is directly stored without being stored in the external storage device. Furthermore, (e) When the external storage device is detached and then mounted again in the state where the received image information is stored in the removable external storage device, it is stored. It is also characterized in that the image information is read out and output as a hard copy by a plotter.
Further, (f) the image information to be transmitted is stored in the removable external storage device, and when the external storage device is removed and then mounted again, it is stored. Another feature is that the image information is read and transmitted.

[0005]

In the present invention, an external storage device such as a removable hard disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, or a memory card that can be backed up is used, and a facsimile is put into a transmitting state or a receiving state depending on the mounted state. It controls to put it into a state or stop it. In addition, the present invention is particularly applicable to a removable bubble.
Do disk is in mind. The main function required of a facsimile machine equipped with a removable hard disk is confidentiality. Therefore, when the removable hard disk is installed, that is, when a person is present in the office, it operates as a normal facsimile, and when the removable hard disk is removed, that is, the person is in the office. If not, it is necessary to stop the facsimile operation. Also, the operation
Displaying that fact on the computer and notifying the user makes it easier to use. On the other hand, even if the removable hard disk is removed, it may be possible to send in the presence of an operator. In such a case, it is possible to send directly without using an external storage device. By doing so, convenience is further enhanced. Although it is possible to directly receive data even when the external storage device is detached, in this case, confidentiality is lost, and therefore it is not taken into consideration in the present invention.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is a system control unit of a program control system using a microcomputer, 12 is a system memory for storing programs and data, 13 is a document, and an image information signal is converted into an electric signal. A scanner, 14 is a plotter for writing electrostatic recording or thermal recording, 15 is an operation display unit on which a panel and push buttons are arranged, 16 is a communication control unit for executing a transmission control procedure, and 17 is a large-scale integration. A modulation / demodulation unit (modem), 18 is a temporary memory for temporarily storing image information, 19 is an encoding / decoding unit having a function of data compression / reproduction, and 20 is an external device such as a moveable hard disk. A storage device, 21 is a network control device, 22 is an internal bus, 23 is a telephone attached to a facsimile device, and 24 is a communication line. The attachable external storage device 20 stores image information at the time of transmission and reception, and management information required for communication. The management information is, for example, a shortened telephone number, an address insertion character, an ID code, or the like.

In FIG. 1, in normal reception when the external storage device 20 is mounted, the image information input from the communication control unit 16 is temporarily stored in the temporary memory 18 and then stored in the external storage device 20. To be done. After that, the data is reproduced by the encoding / decoding unit 19 and is hard copied by the plotter 14.
Is output as. When a jam occurs in the plotter 14, the image information remains stored in the external storage device 20. On the other hand, in the case of transmission, the image information read by the scanner 13 is temporarily stored in the temporary memory 18 and then stored in the external storage device 20. Thereafter, the coding / decoding unit 19 codes according to the code method of the communication partner.
And is sent from the communication control unit 16 to the communication line 24. When the external storage device 20 is removed, the system control unit 11 gives an instruction to the communication control unit 16 so that the line in the network control device 21 is always brought down to the telephone 23 side, and the incoming call is detected. Try not to refuse to receive.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the network control device in FIG. In FIG. 2, 21 is a network control unit, 17 is a modem, 210 is a dial generation unit, 211 is a direct current removal unit,
Reference numeral 212 is a transformer, 213 is an incoming call detection unit, 214 is an off-hook detection unit, 215 is a control unit, and 216 is a relay. In the state shown in FIG. 2, in the case of facsimile transmission, the off-hook detecting unit 214 does not detect the off-hook, and therefore the relay-216 is switched to the opposite side, so that the dial generating unit 210 generates the destination dial signal. , Send this to the line. In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 2, when an incoming call is received, the incoming call detection unit 213 detects the incoming call and notifies the control unit 215 of the relay-216.
Switch. As a result, the image information from the other party is transmitted to the dial generator 210, the DC remover 211, the transformer 21.
2 is received and sent to the modem 17. On the other hand, as described above, when the external storage device 216 is detached, an instruction is given from the system control unit 11 via the communication control unit 16 to cause the control unit 2 in the network control unit 21 to operate.
The relay-216 is switched to the state shown in FIG. 2 under the control of 15. Therefore, when an incoming call is received via the line 24, the telephone 23 receives the call. The operator will respond to this.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a protocol for refusing reception by removing the external storage device. As a method of rejecting the reception, there is also a method of performing the reception once and then using the protocol. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, when the receiving side continuously transmits CED, DIS, and NSF, and when the transmitting side sends NSS and TCF, the receiving side sends DCN to receive the signal. Rejected. The advantage in this case is that the sender will not redial. Rejection of operator transmission at the time of transmission is performed by the system control unit 11 with respect to the scanner 13 and the operation display unit 15. That is, in this case, the scanner 13 does not read the image information. The message indicating that transmission and reception cannot be performed is displayed on the operation display unit, for example, "Communication is not possible because the external storage device is not installed".

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the transmission is performed in the presence of the operator even when the external storage device 20 is not attached. When the transmission document is read by the scanner 13, the read image information is temporarily stored in the temporary memory 18 and is then copied by the encoding / decoding unit 19.
Then, the data is sent to the line 24 via the communication control unit 16. Of course, the above operations are performed after the protocol is established. In this case, since the shortened telephone number and the like are stored in the external storage device 20, this function cannot be achieved. Therefore, it is necessary to manually input the telephone number. The function based on other information is also the same. Also, with the image information still stored,
The external storage device 20 is removed, and then the external storage device 2
When 0 is attached, the management data for that is stored in the external storage device 20 so that transmission and reception can be performed as before removal. For example, in the external storage device 20, management data such as how many reception data waiting for plotting are present in which area or how many data waiting for transmission waiting for the other party's telephone number are stored. Has been done.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are control flow charts of the external storage showing an embodiment of the present invention. When the facsimile machine is activated, it is immediately determined whether or not the hard disk is mounted (step 101). If it is not attached, the message indicating that transmission / reception is impossible is displayed (step 103). If it is attached, it is determined whether a calling signal is detected (step 102). If not detected, it is determined whether or not a document is set, that is, whether or not there is a transmission document (step 104). If there is a transmission original, the process moves to the transmission flow (step 107), after setting the other party (step 108), the start switch is turned on (step 109) and the image information is read (step 110). The image information is saved to the hard disk (step 111). Then, a call is made (step 11
7), the transmission operation (protocol transmission) is performed (step 118), and it is determined whether communication is possible (step 11).
9) If possible, the image information in the hard disk is erased (step 120). On the other hand, when the call signal is detected (step 102), the process proceeds to the reception flow (step 112), the reception start protocol is executed (step 113), and the image information is received (step 114). Save the received image information to the hard disk (step 1)
15). Then, the reception end protocol is executed (step 116). After determining whether or not there is a document set (step 104), it is determined whether or not there is data in the hard disk (step 105). If there is data in the hard disk, it is judged whether or not it is transmission information (step 106). If it is transmission information, a call is made (step 117). If it is not transmission information but reception information, it is judged whether it is plotter ready (step 121). If it is ready, image information is sent. The print output is executed (step 122).

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since transmission / reception is controlled depending on the state of mounting the bubbleable hard disk, it is possible to realize a facsimile having an enhanced secret function, and it is most suitable for a national defense facsimile machine which attaches great importance to confidentiality. Further, it is possible to add new added value to the recently developed facsimile machine incorporating a hard disk and a memory card.

[0013]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a facsimile apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of a network control device in FIG.

[Fig. 3] Sequence of reception refusal by protocol
It is

FIG. 4 is an external storage control flow chart showing an embodiment of the present invention.
It is part of the chart.

FIG. 5 is another part of the control flow chart of external storage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 system control unit 12 system memory 13 scanner 14 plotter 15 operation display unit 16 communication control unit 17 modem 18 temporary memory 19 encoding / decoding unit 20 external storage device 21 network control device 22 internal bus 23 telephone 24 communication line 210 dial generation Unit 211 DC remover 212 Transformer 213 Incoming call detector 214 Off-hook detector 215 Control unit 216 Relay

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus comprising means for receiving image information via a network controller and a communication controller, and means for recording the received image information, the received image information and management information necessary for the reception. And a control means for giving an instruction to the network control device via the communication control unit so as to automatically stop the receiving operation when the external storage device is removed. And a means for displaying that reception is impossible because the external storage device has been removed. 2. A facsimile apparatus comprising means for reading a document and means for transmitting the read image information via a communication control unit and a network control device, and stores image information to be transmitted and management information necessary for transmission. A detachable external storage device for storing, and a control means for giving an instruction to the network control device via the communication control unit so as to automatically stop the transmission operation when the external storage device is removed. , A facsimile apparatus having means for displaying that transmission is impossible because the external storage device has been removed. 3. A facsimile apparatus, which has a wearable external storage device and temporarily stores image information to be transmitted and received image information in the external storage device, management required for transmission and reception in the external storage device. A memory control method for a facsimile apparatus, which stores information and, when the external storage device is removed, instructs the communication control unit to stop the transmission and reception operations. 4. The method for controlling a memory of a facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the detachable external storage device is removed, the read image information is stored in the external storage device by operating an operator. A method of controlling a memory of a facsimile apparatus, wherein the image information is directly transmitted without being stored once. 5. The method of controlling a memory of a facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein after the external storage device is removed while the received image information is still stored in the removable external storage device, Again, when the external storage device is attached, the stored image information is read out and output as a hard copy by the plotter. 6. The method of controlling a memory of a facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein after the external storage device is removed while the removable external storage device is still accumulating image information to be transmitted, Again, when the external storage device is attached, the stored image information is read and transmitted, and the memory control method of the facsimile device is characterized.