JPH06233037A - Facsimile server device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a facsimile server device in which plural facsimile equipments can be effectively controlled and managed, and the high efficiency of a system can be attained. CONSTITUTION:When a facsimile equipment number and an abbreviated dial number are transmitted from a host computer connected with a network such as an LAN, they are respectively received by an FAX equipment number receiving part 23 and an abbreviated dial number receiving part 25. An FAX equipment selecting part 24 selects the facsimile equipment based on the facsimile equipment number, and a transferring part 26 transmits the abbreviated dial number to the selected facsimile equipment. The selected facsimile equipment develops the abbreviated dial number to the telephone number of entire digits, and operates calling. Thus, the plural facsimile equipments connected with the network can be allowed to have their own abbreviated dial number, and the high efficiency of the system can be attained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile server device, and more particularly to a system in which a plurality of host computers and facsimile devices are connected to a unique network such as a LAN so that the plurality of facsimile devices can be effectively controlled and managed. The present invention relates to a facsimile server device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there is an increasing tendency to construct a unique network such as a LAN within a company. In such a network, a facsimile machine is placed in the network and a communication line (public line, leased line, etc.) is used,
Many enable connections to other networks.

As is well known, a facsimile machine has scanner, printer, and communication control functions, and reads, receives, or transmits a document transferred from a host computer to a remote machine.
It can be printed or transferred to a host computer and is very effective as a resource in the network.

As an example of such a system, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-249560 discloses a personal computer / facsimile apparatus which provides the above-mentioned functions. This device connects a facsimile device and a personal computer, and controls the facsimile device by the personal computer.

[0005]

Since the conventional system as described above controls one facsimile machine by one host computer, it copes with an increase in the amount of information to be processed and a network. There was a problem communicating with multiple terminals inside.

Therefore, a system using a facsimile server device that accepts processing requests from a plurality of hosts, selects a facsimile device to be used from a plurality of facsimile devices, and executes the process is conceivable.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the system. In the network, a plurality of host computers H1, H2, ... And a plurality of facsimile machines FAXA,
B, C, ... Are connected via a facsimile server device.

In this system, when the facsimile server device receives a transmission request from the host computer H1, it searches the facsimile devices FAXA, B, C, ... For an empty facsimile device, and receives the received data from the host computer H1. It is conceivable that the abbreviated number is sent to the facsimile machine to make a call, and when the line is connected by this call, the transmission data sent from the host computer H1 is sent out.

However, in the above-mentioned calling method, the plurality of facsimile machines FAXA, B, C, ... Must have a common shortening dial number, and the shortening that one facsimile machine can have. Since the number of dials is limited, the number of calls that can be made from the host computer using the fax machines FAX A, B, C, ... Is small, and there is a problem that the system efficiency is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a facsimile server device capable of effectively controlling and managing a plurality of facsimile devices and making the system highly efficient.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is located between a plurality of host computers and a facsimile machine connected to a network such as a LAN and controls the facsimile machine. In the managed facsimile server device, means for receiving the facsimile device number and speed dial number sent from the host computer at the time of transmission, means for selecting a facsimile device by the facsimile device number, and the selected facsimile device It is characterized in that it has means for transferring the speed dial number to.

The invention of claim 2 further comprises means for receiving a multi-digit number transmitted from the host computer when transmitting, and means for converting the multi-digit number into a facsimile device number and a speed dial number. It is characterized by having and.

[0013]

According to the present invention, since the facsimile server can select the facsimile by the facsimile number, the speed dial number can be set uniquely for each facsimile.

Therefore, the host computer can communicate with a large number of destination facsimile machines,
The system can be made highly efficient.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1a to 1c are host computers connected to a network such as a LAN, 2 is a facsimile server device, and 3a to 3c are facsimile devices. The host computers 1a to 1c may be connected to a digital data network such as a PBX or other switching network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of a hardware configuration of the facsimile server device 2. In the figure, a CPU 10 controls the entire facsimile server device 2 according to a control program stored in a ROM 11. The RAM 12 stores the input or received image information, or stores various control data and tables. The code conversion unit 14 is a circuit that converts the code data into image data for facsimile when the document is transmitted as code data from the host computer.

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. Facsimile connection units 15, ..., 16 are connected to individual facsimile machines by a connection line 9, for example, RS-232C,
Interface circuits such as GPIB and SCSI.

The keyboard control unit 17 and the CRT control unit 18 are interface circuits for a keyboard and a CRT display which constitute the console of the facsimile server device 2. The bus 19 connects each circuit in the device.

The facsimile server device 2 is located between the host computer and the facsimile device, and controls the facsimile device according to an instruction from the host computer to carry out functions such as communication. Also, the state of the connected facsimile device is always known.

Each of the facsimile machines 3a to 3c has a facsimile machine number, for example, A, B, and C, and each of the facsimile machines 3a to 3c has a maximum of 100 abbreviated dial numbers set independently (0 to 0). 99) I have.

Next, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the function of the main part of the facsimile server device 2, 21 is a communication job receiving part, 22 is a communication job executing part, and 23 is a facsimile device number receiving part. , 24 is a facsimile device selecting unit for selecting a facsimile device based on the facsimile device number, 25 is a speed dial number receiving unit, and 26 is a transfer unit for transferring the speed dial number to the facsimile device selected by the selecting unit 24. Is.

Next, the operation of the facsimile server device 2 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

For example, when the host computer 1a tries to transmit data using a facsimile machine, the host computer 1a notifies the facsimile server machine 2 of a request for a transmission job, the facsimile machine number and the speed dial number. .

Therefore, in the facsimile server device 2, the communication job accepting unit 21 accepts the communication job, the facsimile device number receiving unit 23 receives the facsimile device number, and the speed dial number receiving unit 25 receives the speed dial number. (Step S1). It is assumed that the communication job is a transmission job, the facsimile machine number is "B", and the speed dial number is "03".

Next, the facsimile server device 2 selects a facsimile device based on the received facsimile device number "B" (step S2). Next, it is judged whether or not the facsimile apparatus B can be used, that is, whether or not it is in use, whether or not it is out of order (step S3), and if it can be used, the process proceeds to step S4
The speed dial number “03” is transferred from the transfer unit 26.
The facsimile machine to which the speed dial number is transferred expands the speed dial number into a telephone number of all digits and makes a call. The execution unit 22 also executes the transmission job (step S4). Then, the process proceeds to the next process, that is, the process of the transmission job.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the host computer can send the data to the desired destination facsimile machine by instructing the facsimile machine and providing the speed dial number.

Further, each of the facsimile machines 3a, 3b, 3
Since a unique speed dial number can be set for c, ..., The number of facsimile machines that can be transmitted from the host computer is greatly expanded, and the system can be made highly efficient.

In the above embodiment, each facsimile machine 3a, 3b, 3c, ... Has its own speed dial number. However, for example, the speed dial numbers 0 to 9 are set.
May be common to all of the facsimile machines 3a, 3b, 3c, ..., and the speed dial numbers 10 to 99 may be unique numbers to each facsimile machine.

In this way, the speed dial numbers 0 to
For the other party of 9, the facsimile machines 3a, 3b,
Since it is possible to make a call from any of 3c, ..., It is possible to improve the probability that the host computer requesting the transmission can immediately transmit without waiting. The speed dial numbers 0 to 9 are preferably applied to the facsimile machines of customers who frequently communicate and important customers.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the essential parts of the facsimile server device 2 of the second embodiment. In the figure, 31 is a speed dial number receiving unit, 32 is a conversion unit for converting the speed dial number into a facsimile device number and a speed dial number, and other symbols are the same as or equivalent to those in FIG.

In this embodiment, the facsimile machine 3 shown in FIG.
a has a speed dial number of 100 to 199, the facsimile device 3b has a speed dial number of 200 to 299, and the facsimile device 3c has a speed dial number of 300 to 399.

In these speed dial numbers, the most significant digit (hundreds) indicates the facsimile machine number, and the remaining digits (tens and ones) indicate the actual speed dial numbers.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Now, if a request for a transmission job and a three-digit abbreviated dial number such as "208" are output from the host computer, the communication job accepting unit 21 accepts the communication job, and the abbreviated dial number receiving unit 31 receives the abbreviated dial number. "208" is accepted (step S11).

Subsequently, the conversion unit 32 converts the speed dial number "208" into the facsimile device number "2" and the speed dial number "08" (step S1).
2). Next, the facsimile device selection unit 24 selects the facsimile device of the facsimile device number "2", that is, the facsimile device 3b (step S13), and determines whether or not the facsimile device 3b is usable (step S14). .

If the facsimile apparatus 3b is available, the process proceeds to step S15, the transfer unit 26 transfers the speed dial number "08" to the facsimile apparatus 3b, and then the execution unit 22 executes the transmission job. After that, the processing of the transmission job is performed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the host computer can send data to the desired facsimile machine of the other party by instructing only the speed dial number.

In the above embodiment, only the operation of the facsimile server apparatus 2 when there is a transmission request job from the host computer has been described, but it goes without saying that the facsimile server apparatus 2 also performs other operations. is there.

For example, the data read by the scanners of the facsimiles 3a to 3c or the data received via the line is transferred to the host computer, or the data from the host computer or the received data is transferred to the printers of the facsimiles 3a to 3c. You can control printing.

If the host computer 1a is performing the above-mentioned transmission operation, the other host computers 1b, 1c, ... Select other facsimile devices which are not used by the facsimile server device 2,
Of course, each job can be executed.

[0040]

According to the present invention, a unique speed dial number can be set for each of the facsimile machines connected to the network, so that the host computer can communicate with a very large number of facsimile machines of the other party. Become. Therefore, the efficiency of the system can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a facsimile server device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functions of a facsimile server device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the facsimile server device.

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

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the facsimile server device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a to 1c ... Host computer, 2 ... Facsimile server device, 3a to 3c ... Facsimile device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile server device, which is located between a plurality of host computers and a facsimile device connected to a network such as a LAN, and which controls and manages the facsimile device, the facsimile device being sent from the host computer at the time of transmission. A facsimile server comprising means for receiving a number and an abbreviated dial number, means for selecting a facsimile device by the facsimile device number, and means for transferring the abbreviated dial number to the selected facsimile device. apparatus. 2. In a facsimile server device which is located between a plurality of host computers and a facsimile device connected to a network such as a LAN and controls and manages the facsimile device, a plurality of digits sent from the host computer at the time of transmission. Means for receiving the number, a means for converting the multi-digit number into a facsimile device number and a speed dial number, a means for selecting a facsimile device by the facsimile device number, and a means for selecting the selected facsimile device. A facsimile server device comprising means for transferring a speed dial number.