JPH06217059A - Facsimile connection controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the smooth operation and management of facsimile communication by selecting a facsimile which executes communication based on a communication request from a data network. CONSTITUTION:A transmission request is received from the head of an execution waiting queue. Information necessary for the selection of the facsimile is extracted from the request information, and facsimiles 2-4 which execute the communication are selected based on the information. When the selection succeeds, the selected facsimiles 2-4 are activated through a facsimile connecting part 9. Then, a requested job, for example, the transmission of data is executed. Then, the facsimiles 2-4 execute the designated processing, and communicate the processed result to a facsimile connection controller 1. Thus, the communication can be executed by selecting one facsimile from among the plural facsimiles, and even when the facsimile which can execute the request is being used, the request can be executed without canceling it by waiting until the facsimile is free.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile connection control device, and more particularly to a facsimile connection control device connected to a network and connected to a plurality of facsimile devices, in which the facsimile device to be used is selected in accordance with communication requirements and capabilities. The present invention relates to a facsimile connection control device to be selected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique of connecting a facsimile machine to a computer and controlling the facsimile machine from the computer is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-292467. A technique for connecting a facsimile and a computer and transmitting a computer original from the facsimile is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-062268.

Further, a technique for connecting a facsimile and a computer and transferring an original received by the facsimile to the computer is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-098275. A technique for connecting a facsimile to a LAN and controlling the facsimile from the terminal is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI-1
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. -101060.

[0004]

In the conventional system as described above, it is not necessary to select the facsimile because all the one facsimile is connected to the computer or the LAN. L in configuration
If communication requests are concentrated from a network such as AN, incoming calls from the line are not accepted, and there is a problem that an urgent manuscript cannot be received promptly. Further, when performing the broadcast communication, one facsimile is used to transmit sequentially, so that there is also a problem that it takes a long time to complete the broadcast communication. Therefore, if a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of facsimiles are connected, there is a problem in which facsimile should be used in order to most efficiently process a communication request.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, connect a plurality of facsimiles, and select a facsimile to be used for communication so that processing can be efficiently executed in response to a use request. To obtain a facsimile connection control device capable of

[0006]

According to the present invention, in a facsimile connection control device connected to a data network and a plurality of facsimiles, selection is made to select a facsimile to execute communication based on a communication request from the data network. It is characterized by comprising means.

[0007]

By connecting a plurality of facsimiles to the facsimile connection control device by such means, it becomes possible to smoothly operate and manage the facsimile communication.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system including a facsimile connection control device to which the present invention is applied. The details of the facsimile connection control device 1 will be described later,
It is connected to the facsimiles 2, 3 and 4 by an individual connection line 9 and also to the network 5 such as a LAN. The facsimiles 2, 3 and 4 are connected to a telephone network, a switching network such as ISDN by a line 8, and are connected to the facsimile connection control device 1 by an individual connection line 9. This connection line 9 is, for example, RS-232C, G
It may be PIB, SCSI or the like.

The network 5 is, for example, Ethernet, F
It is a digital data network such as a LAN such as DDI or a switching network such as PBX. The terminals 6 and 7 are composed of a host, a workstation, a personal computer, and the like, and include terminals that do not have a processing function of image data.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the facsimile connection control apparatus 1. CPU10 is ROM11
The entire facsimile connection control device 1 is controlled in accordance with the control program stored in. The RAM 12 stores the input or received image information, or stores various control data and tables.

The network connection unit 13 is an interface circuit of a digital data network such as a LAN such as Ethernet or FDDI, or a switching network such as PBX. The code conversion unit 14 is a circuit that converts code data into image data for facsimile when a document is transmitted as code data from a terminal.

Facsimile connection units 15 and 16 are provided on individual connection lines 9 for facsimiles, such as RS-232C and G.
Interface circuits such as PIB and SCSI. The keyboard control unit 17 and the CRT control unit 18 are interface circuits of a keyboard and a CRT display, respectively, and constitute a console of the facsimile connection control device 1. The bus 19 connects each circuit in the device. In addition to this, an external storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk may be provided.

Next, the data will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data format exchanged between the terminals 5 and 6 of FIG. 1 and the facsimile connection control apparatus 1. FIG. 3A shows request information sent from the terminal to the facsimile connection control apparatus, and is returned to the sending terminal after processing.

The request type is defined as, for example, 0: transmission, 1: print, 2: scan, 3: information registration, 4: information read. As the request detailed information, detailed information associated with each request type such as processing content and destination is set. The execution result information is set after the communication process is executed, and is defined such that the normal end is 0, the facsimile busy is 1, and the other error occurrences are 2 to N.

The facsimile selection information is set to 1 when the facsimile to be used is designated from the terminal, and to 0 when the facsimile connection control device selects it. The facsimile number is the number of the facsimile when the terminal specifies the facsimile (the facsimile selection information is 1).

The terminal number is the number (address) of the terminal transmitting the request. File attributes include image / code data, code format such as MH, MR, MMR, A4
Paper size such as / B4 / A3, Std / Fine / SF
It is composed of pixel density data such as ine. The target file is, for example, an image or code data file to be transmitted.

FIG. 3B shows notification information voluntarily transmitted from the facsimile connection control device to the terminal. The notification type is defined as, for example, 0: reception, 1: abnormality notification, 2: status notification. Detailed information associated with each notification type is set as the detailed notification information. The facsimile number is the number of the facsimile that received the original. The file attribute is the same attribute data as the request information. The notification file is, for example, the received image data file.

Next, the facsimile management table will be described. FIG. 7 shows the RAM of the facsimile connection control device
It is a figure which shows an example of the content of the facsimile management table memorize | stored in. In the figure, four facsimiles A to D are registered, and the capability, priority, and attribute of each are stored. These pieces of information are input from a console consisting of a keyboard and a CRT display. Although not shown in the figure, information about the current status of each facsimile (empty, transmitting, receiving, printing, scanning, etc.) is stored.

Among the items of the facsimile management table,
As the capability, a transmission rate, an error correction function, a coding method, etc. are registered. Moreover, the priority order is set by the administrator arbitrarily, and this enables the selection in line with the usage environment and in accordance with the intention of the administrator. The administrator also sets the usage attributes arbitrarily, for example, for sending and receiving, for sending only,
Although it may be dedicated to reception, dedicated to printing, dedicated to scanning, or the like, an attribute such as interruption of temporary use may be provided in addition to the above when replacing recording paper.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a transmission operation (reception of data from a terminal and transfer to a selected facsimile) in the facsimile connection control device. This flowchart shows the process from the state where the facsimile connection control device receives the communication request information from the terminal and is connected to the execution waiting queue. If the original is code data, it is converted into facsimile image data.

In step S1, the transmission request is received from the head of the execution waiting queue. In step S2, the information necessary for selecting the facsimile is taken out from the request information, and the facsimile to be used for communication is selected based on the information. A more detailed processing example of step S2 will be described later. In step S3, it is checked whether or not the usable facsimile can be selected in step S2. If not, the process proceeds to step S4, and the transmission request fetched in step S1 is returned to the execution waiting queue, The process ends.

The transmission request returned to the execution waiting queue is connected to the end of the execution waiting queue, is connected to the waiting queue, and is activated periodically or whenever other processing is completed. It is executed after waiting until it becomes executable.

If the selection is successful in step S3, the process proceeds to step S5, and the selected facsimile machine is activated via the facsimile connection section. Step S6
In step 1, a requested job, for example, data transmission is executed. The facsimile executes the designated processing and notifies the facsimile connection control device of the processing result. In step S7, the execution result as described above is set in a predetermined column of the request information. In step S8, the processed request information is returned to the terminal.

With the above-described configuration, one facsimile can be selected from a plurality of facsimiles to execute communication, and the request can be canceled even when the facsimile capable of executing the request is in use. Without waiting, you can wait until it becomes available.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing details of the selection operation in step S2 of FIG. In step S20, it is checked whether or not a facsimile to be used for communication is designated by the facsimile selection information and the facsimile number in the request information. If there is no designation, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, a device, an attribute, etc. required to execute the request are determined in consideration of the request type, the detailed request information, and the file attribute.

In step S22, the facsimile management table as shown in FIG. 7 is referred to, the apparatus capable of executing the request is searched, and the hit facsimile is selected. At this time, if the priority is set, the search is performed in order from the highest priority. Further, in the case of broadcast communication, it is possible to select a plurality of facsimiles capable of executing requests by the maximum number of destinations, and in this case, the broadcast time is shortened. In step S20,
If the facsimile to be used is specified, select that facsimile.

By adopting such a selection system, it becomes possible to automatically select the facsimile having the optimum capability, and it is also possible to designate the facsimile near the terminal, for example. Further, by setting the attribute of the facsimile, for example, by providing the attribute of the reception only, it becomes possible to promptly receive the urgent document even if the transmission requests are concentrated.

Next, the receiving operation of the facsimile connection control device will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation (receiving data from a facsimile and transferring it to a terminal) in the facsimile connection control device.

In step S10, the original data is received from the facsimile and stored in a memory such as a RAM. In step S11, the data in the destination column of the received document is taken out. This destination is set, for example, by a method specified for each facsimile, or specified by NSS or the like in the transmission procedure from the transmission facsimile.

In step S12, it is checked whether or not there is destination data in the destination field, and if there is destination data, the process proceeds to step S13, and the received document data is designated using the notification information format of FIG. 3B. Transfer to the terminal. If there is no destination data, the process proceeds to step S14 and is transferred to, for example, a predetermined representative facsimile,
Print out.

In the above-mentioned flowchart, an example in which the manuscript data is directly transferred to the terminal has been shown. It is also possible to issue a takeout request of the above, or a printout request by a designated facsimile.

Although the embodiment has been described above, the following modifications are also possible. An example is shown in which a facsimile manages the state of being vacant or in use on a device-by-device basis. For example, when facsimile A is in communication but the printing section is vacant, and facsimile B is in the process of printing but not communicating. When there is a request to send with a copy of,
It is possible to select the facsimile B for the transmission function and the facsimile A for the print function. As described above, in the selection process shown in FIG. 6, the usage status may be grasped for each function of each device, and the selection may be made for each function without being restricted by each device.

As shown in FIG. 7, the order of priority is usually set in descending order of ability. For example, if C is faster than B in FIG. 7, the procedure execution time may be exchanged between B and C. Good. Also, it may be set in consideration of the original to be used.

[0034]

According to the facsimile connection control apparatus of the present invention as described above, a plurality of facsimiles are connected,
It becomes possible to select the facsimile to be used for communication so that the processing can be executed efficiently in response to the usage request,
This has the effects of improving the operating rate of the device, the success rate of communication, and shortening the time required to complete communication.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an entire system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile connection control device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data format.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a transmission operation.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of a selection operation.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of contents of a facsimile management table.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Facsimile connection control device 2,3,4 ... Facsimile, 5 ... Network, 6,7 ... Terminal, 8 ... Line, 9
... Connection line, 10 ... CPU, 11 ... ROM, 12 ... RA
M, 13 ... Network connection unit, 14 ... Code conversion unit,
15, 16 ... Facsimile connection section, 17 ... Keyboard control section, 18 ... CRT control section, 19 ... Bus

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile connection control device connected to a data network and a plurality of facsimiles, comprising selection means for selecting a facsimile to execute communication based on a communication request from the data network. Facsimile connection control device. 2. A table is provided in which capabilities of respective facsimiles are registered, and the selecting means selects a facsimile to be executed from facsimiles capable of executing the communication request. Facsimile connection control device described in. 3. The facsimile connection control according to claim 1, wherein, when a facsimile capable of executing the communication request is in use, the selecting means holds the communication request until the facsimile becomes idle. apparatus. 4. The facsimile connection control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects the facsimile specified in the communication request. 5. The table according to claim 1, further comprising a table in which the priority order of each facsimile is registered, and the selecting means refers to the table and selects a facsimile to be executed according to the priority order. Facsimile connection control device. 6. The table according to claim 1, further comprising a table in which the use attribute of each facsimile is registered, and the selecting unit refers to the table and selects a facsimile to be executed according to the use attribute. Facsimile connection control device. 7. The facsimile connection control device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit analyzes a communication request of each facsimile and selects a facsimile to be used in a functional unit required for processing. 8. The facsimile connection control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection means selects a plurality of usable facsimiles corresponding to a plurality of destinations designated by the broadcast communication request. .