JPH0575764A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operating efficiency by converting data inputted externally and sending the converted data externally with a command inputted through an external interface. CONSTITUTION:This facsimile equipment is electrically connected to a host computer by an external interface I/F section 12. The function relating to the interface of the facsimile equipment is implemented by an external interface function control section 19 and a request command commanding coding or decoding is entered via the I/F section 12 and then the I/F section 12 receives decoding data or coding data from the host computer accordingly and the decoding data or coding data are stored in a memory 15, and when the data stored in the memory 15 are the decoding data, a facsimile coding/decoding section 18 implements coding processing and when the data stored in the memory 15 are the coding data, the facsimile coding/decoding section 18 implements decoding processing. The data converted in this way are sent to the host computer via the I/F section 12, then the operating efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, for example, a facsimile machine having an external interface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, since this type of facsimile machine is a stand-alone device, it has been forced to manage both the transmitted document and the received document on the paper.

However, recently, SCSI (small
Computer equipment (computer systems interface) and other external devices have been developed and connected to host computers such as personal computers and workstations for various applications.

As an example thereof, in a facsimile machine having a built-in internal memory such as a hard disk, the image data read from the scanner of the facsimile machine is encoded by remote control from a host computer. Code data and received code data are accumulated in an internal memory, or code data in the internal memory is decoded and printed by a printer of a facsimile device or transmitted through a communication control unit. In addition, it has become possible to send data from the host computer and print or send it with the printer of the fax machine, and conversely receive it with the fax machine and use the data read by the scanner of the fax machine with the host computer. .. By this,
The received documents from the fax machine can be stored in a large-capacity memory on the host computer side for file management.

In this case, when a facsimile document file is stored in a large-capacity memory on the host computer side, an MMR (modified / modified / modified) having a small amount of information is stored.
Since the facsimile code data of the read method etc. is used, the decoded original image data is required to print this on the printer of the host computer side or to display it on the display. Was there.

Further, when the image data read by the scanner on the host computer side is sent to the facsimile device through the external interface and then transmitted on the facsimile device later, it is desirable to encode it for a while in the large capacity memory on the host computer side. However, this was also done by software.

When notifying the host computer of reception of facsimile, the received data is stored in the internal memory of the facsimile apparatus and the host computer connected to the external interface bus only receives the received data. What was sent to was common.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, if the encoding / decoding of facsimile coded data is performed by software, it takes a long time to process,
The processing efficiency of the system decreases, and effective utilization cannot be expected. For example, when a fax machine receives it, it does not print it immediately with the printer of the fax machine, but stores it in the large-capacity memory of the host computer side, and later the host user prints the received data for himself to the printer of the nearby host computer side. In such a case, the encoding takes time and the work efficiency is lowered. The same applies when encoding.

Further, each host computer connected to all external interface buses will perform notification processing to the operator at every reception of all facsimiles, which is troublesome for the operator of each host computer. It was

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus which enables the construction of a convenient document management system with high usage efficiency. There is a point.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device which enables the operator of each host computer to concentrate on his work without being bothered by notifications of receipt of unnecessary facsimiles.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the object, a faximili device according to the present invention is a faximili device having an interface means for interfacing with an external device, wherein the external device instructs encoding or decoding via the external interface means. Command input means for inputting a command to
Data input means for inputting decoded data or coded data from the external device via the external interface means according to the input command, storage means for storing the input decoded data or coded data, and storage by the storage means If the converted data is decoded data, it is encoded, and if the data stored in the storage means is encoded data, it is decoded, and the data converted by the conversion means is externally transmitted via the external interface means. And a sending means for sending to the device.

[0013]

According to this structure, the command input means inputs a command for instructing encoding or decoding from the external device through the external interface means, and the data input means receives the external interface from the external device according to the input command. Decoded data or coded data is input via the means, storage means stores the input decoded data or coded data, and conversion means encodes when the data stored in the storage means is decoded data, and stores in the storage means. If the stored data is coded data, it is decoded, and the sending means sends the data converted by the converting means to the external device via the external interface means.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the facsimile machine according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes an external interface bus such as SCSI, to which an external bus such as a host computer such as a workstation is connected. In the present apparatus, 12 is an external interface unit for interfacing with an external interface bus, 13 is a scanner of a facsimile machine, 14 is a printer of a facsimile machine, and 15 is a memory for storing facsimile code, decoded data and original image data. , 16 is a communication control unit that controls communication of the facsimile device, 17 is a communication line, 18 is a facsimile code decoding unit that encodes or decodes data from the memory 15 and writes the data in the memory 15, and 19 is the above An external interface function control unit for controlling the external interface unit 12 and the facsimile encoding / decoding unit 18, detects an instruction signal from an external device connected to the external interface bus 11, and continues the external interface. The facsimile code data sent from the bus 11 is The memory 15 stores the original facsimile image data which is stored in the memory 15 and is read out and decoded by the facsimile encoding / decoding unit 18 in the memory 15. The external interface unit 12 stores the original facsimile image data. And a command signal from an external device connected to the external interface bus 11 are detected, and the external interface bus 11 is continuously detected.
The original facsimile image data sent from the memory 1
5, stored in the memory 15, stored in the memory 15, and stored in the memory 15, and transmitted to the external interface bus 11 by the external interface unit 12. It has a function of controlling to do so.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system using the facsimile machine of the first embodiment. In the figure,
Reference numeral 22 is a facsimile device having an external interface shown in FIG. 1, 23 is a personal computer (personal computer) having an external interface, 24 is a workstation having an external interface, and 25 is an external storage device having an external interface. , 26 is a printer connected to the personal computer 23, 27 is a printer B connected to the workstation, 28 is the workstation 24
Is an external storage device connected to.

In this application system example, for example, the following is possible. For example, the workstation 24 sends the code data to the fax device 22 as needed when storing the fax code data received by the fax device 22 in the external storage device 28 via the external interface bus 21 for management. , Can be received as original image data.

On the contrary, the original image data managed by the work station 24 can be sent to the facsimile device 22 as required and received as facsimile code data. As a result, the external interface bus 2
Each device connected to 1 is capable of performing high-speed conversion between code data with a small amount of information and original image data that is indispensable for visualizing in managing a facsimile document as an electronic file. The operation can be quickly performed by the computer. Of course, all computer connected to the external interface bus 21 can utilize electronic facsimile documents. Further, if an independent external storage device 25 with an external interface is connected to the external interface bus 22, it is also possible to collectively store all the facsimile document files and operate them by each host computer. Is.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the decoding operation in the system of FIG.

The host computer connected to the external interface sends the decryption processing request command after designating the facsimile device 22 with the external interface. Subsequently, parameters such as the encoding method and facsimile code data are sent. The facsimile device 22 analyzes the encoding system from the received parameters, decodes the original image data according to the analysis, and sends back the status indicating that the decoding is completed to the host computer. After receiving the decoding completion status, the host computer sends a transfer request command for the original image data in the facsimile device 22. In response to this, the facsimile device 22 sends the original image data in the memory 15 to the host computer, and then sends the status indicating the end of transfer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the encoding operation in the system of FIG.

The host computer connected to the external interface sends the encoding processing request command after designating the facsimile device 22 with the external interface. Further, the parameters such as the encoding method and the original image data are subsequently sent. The facsimile apparatus 22 analyzes the encoding method from the parameters, encodes it according to the encoding method, creates facsimile code data, and sends back a status indicating the end of encoding to the host computer. After receiving the encoding completion status, the host computer sends a transfer request command of facsimile code data in facsimile device 22. In response to this, the facsimile machine 22 sends facsimile code data in the memory 15 to the host computer, and then sends a status indicating the end of transfer.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, unlike the conventional apparatus, the encoding / decoding of facsimile coded data is not performed by software, but is connected by an external interface. Since the encoding / decoding unit inside the fax machine is used, it provides a high-speed encoding / decoding environment for the system without adding new equipment, and it is possible to construct a convenient and convenient document management system. It will be possible.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the facsimile machine according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 51 denotes an external interface bus such as SCSI, which is connected to an external bus such as a host computer such as a workstation. In the present apparatus, 52 is an external interface unit for interfacing with an external interface bus, 53 is a scanner of a facsimile machine, 54 is a printer of a facsimile machine, and 55 is a memory for storing facsimile code, decoded data and original image data. , 56 is a communication control unit for controlling communication of the facsimile device, 57 is a communication line, 58 is a facsimile code decoding unit for coding or decoding the data from the memory 55 and writing it in the memory 55, and 59 is the above A reception detection unit that monitors the communication control unit 56 to detect facsimile reception detection information indicating reception of facsimile and transmission source ID information. Reference numeral 60 denotes facsimile reception detection information and transmission source ID detected by the reception detection unit 59.
The external interface function control unit controls the sending of information to an external device connected to the external interface bus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a system using the facsimile machine of the second embodiment. In the figure,
Reference numeral 62 is a facsimile apparatus having the external interface shown in FIG. 5, and reference numerals 63, 64 and 65 are host computers such as personal computers having the external interface.

Upon receiving from the communication line 57, the facsimile device 62 sequentially sends the facsimile reception detection information and the sender ID information to the host computers 63, 64 and 65 connected to the external interface bus 51. On the other hand, each host computer does not need to perform unnecessary facsimile reception notification processing by registering the sender ID information that requires the facsimile reception notification processing such as display on the display. As a result, the required facsimile reception can be immediately dealt with by effectively displaying it on the display without unnecessarily bothering the operator's work, and there is an advantage that the work efficiency is significantly improved.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation in the system of FIG.

When receiving the facsimile, the facsimile device 62 sends the sender ID information together with the reception notification command to the designated host computer. After receiving the sender ID information, the host computer sends back an end status.
When the sender ID information matches the ID registered in advance, the e-out computer performs display processing on the display.
If necessary, a data transfer instruction is given to the facsimile device 62 with an external interface. That is,
When the host computer sends a transfer request command,
In response to this, the fax machine unit 62 sends fax code data, then sends an end status, and ends the transfer sequence. In this embodiment, the reception notification command designates the host computer and is sent one by one.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a reception notice according to the second embodiment. In the figure, 81 is a display capable of displaying a Marui window, 82 and 83 are windows being processed, and 84 is a reception notification icon. The reception notification icon 84 is displayed when the sender ID information sent subsequently to the reception notification command and the notification display permission ID registered in the host computer match.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, notification processing (for example, reception notification display) is performed in each host computer connected to all external interface buses at every reception of all facsimiles as in the conventional apparatus. It is possible to carry out selective notification processing in the host computer based on the sender ID information sent from the facsimile machine with external interface without any trouble, and for the operator of each host computer. Can concentrate on business without being bothered by unnecessary receipt notifications.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to construct a convenient document management system with good usage efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a facsimile machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system using the facsimile machine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a decoding operation in the system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram explaining an encoding operation in the system of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the facsimile machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a system using the facsimile machine of the second embodiment.

7 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation in the system of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a reception notification according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11,51 External interface bus 12,52 External interface unit 13,53 Scanner 14,54 Printer 15,55 Memory 16,56 Communication control unit 17,57 Communication line 18,58 Facsimile code decoding unit 19,60 External interface Ace function control unit 59 Reception detection unit 81 Display 82, 83 Window 84 Icon

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a facsimile device having an interface means for interfacing with an external device, a command input means for inputting a command instructing encoding or decoding from the external device via the external interface means. Data input means for inputting decoded data or coded data from the external device via the external interface means according to the input command, and storage means for storing the input decoded data or coded data,
Conversion means for encoding when the data stored in the storage means is decoded data and decoding when the data stored in the storage means is coded data; and the external interface for converting the data converted by the conversion means. And a sending means for sending to an external device via the means. 2. In a facsimile device having interface means for interfacing with an external device, receiving means for receiving facsimile information including sender information and facsimile code data, and the receiving device included in the received facsimile information. First sending means for sending source information to an external device via the external interface means;
And a second sending means for sending the facsimile code data to the external device via the external interface means in response to an instruction from the external device after the first sending means is carried out. ..