JPH06233095A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly correct initial discrimination time to reduce an initial discrimination time-out error by extending the initial discrimination time at the time of redialing in the case that a significant signal from the other party cannot be detected after calling. CONSTITUTION:Initial discrimination time at the time of calling is stored in a destination management record 150 for calling, and a communication control part 104 is provided with a means which detects a significant signal within the initial discrimination time, and a means which extends the initial discrimination time in the destination management record 150 is provided. That is, the initial discrimination time in the destination management record 150 is set to a timer as initialization. When a select signal is sent from the destination telephone number, the timer is started to detect the significant signal from the station of the other party. When the significant signal is detected, communication is performed in accordance with facsimile control means; but if it is not detected within the initial discrimination time, the initial discrimination time is extended. Consequently, a probability of initial discrimination time-out error for redialing is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine having an automatic redial function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, automatic call transmission is performed, and if there is no response from the partner station or if the transmission ends in error, the same partner is automatically dialed after a few minutes. There is an automatic redial function.

Further, in the case of automatic call transmission, the initial identification time T1 from the transmission of the selection signal to the detection of the signal from the partner station is CCITT recommendation T.264. Approximately 3 according to 30
It is 5 seconds.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in the case of an international call, it takes about 1 minute from the transmission of the selection signal to the connection with the partner station, and an initial identification timeout error occurs before the connection is completed. It may become.

Further, recently, the frequency of use of the FAX / TEL automatic switching function, the answering machine connection, etc. has increased, and there has been a case where the partner station does not respond within the initial identification time T1.

Even when an initial identification time-out error occurs in these cases, the automatic redialing function calls the number of redials set in the apparatus, and each time an initial identification time-out error occurs. There was a problem such as a decrease in the use efficiency of the line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of properly correcting the initial identification time and reducing the initial identification timeout error.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus having an automatic redial function, a storage means for storing an initial identification time when a call is made, and a detection means for detecting a significant signal within the initial identification time. And setting means for extending and setting the initial identification time when the significant signal cannot be detected by the detecting means.

[0009]

1 is a block diagram showing the basic construction of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The main control unit 101 is a microprocessor,
It is composed of a program memory ROM, a work area RAM, etc., and controls the operation of the entire apparatus.
The reading unit 102 is composed of a CCD image sensor, a document feeding mechanism, an image processing device, and the like, optically reads a document, converts it into electrical image data, and further performs correction processing to output high-definition image data. To do. The recording unit 103 includes a thermal printer, a laser printer,
It is composed of an ink jet printer or the like and outputs image information and the like on recording paper.

The communication control unit 104 is composed of a modem, an NCU (network control unit) and the like, and exchanges image information and the like with a partner communication device through a line. The operation unit 105 is a keyboard or the like. It is configured for the operator to perform various inputs. In addition, the display unit 106
Is composed of an LCD, an LED, etc., and performs various displays.

The image memory 120 is composed of a D-RAM or the like and is for accumulating image data such as a memory transmission image. The control data storage memory 130 is an S memory.
-It is composed of a RAM or the like, and is for storing the setting values registered by the operator, the management data of the apparatus, and the like.

The image management information 140 is for managing the image data stored in the image memory 120, and the outgoing call destination management record 150 is for waiting for outgoing calls such as transmission reservation and redial standby. For managing the recipients of In addition, the dial management record 160
Is for managing one-touch dials and speed dials registered by the user.

The image management information 140 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the call destination management record 150 will be described with reference to FIG. 4, and the dial management record 160 will be described with reference to FIG.

The T1 timer 170 is a timer for measuring the initial identification time T1 after the selection signal is sent at the time of calling, and the significant signal detection flag 171 is the initial identification time T.
This is a flag indicating whether or not a significant signal from the partner station is detected within 1.

The maximum number of redials 172 is the maximum value of the number of redials, and the redial interval 173 is the communication interval when redialing is performed. These may be unique to the device or may be registered by the user. .

2 and 3 show the image management information 14 described above.
It is a schematic diagram which shows 0.

The image management information 140 is composed of an image management record 141, a page management record 142 and a block management table 143.

The image management record 141 is composed of J (arbitrary integer) number of image management records, and an unused image management record is acquired every time image data is accumulated in the image memory 120 by memory transmission or the like. , Is held until the image data is erased. Each image management record has a file attribute (transmission, reception, etc.), a pointer to the page management record of the first page, and the like.

The page management record 142 manages one page of image data in the image memory 120. Each page management record includes a storage mode (encoding method, main scanning width, sub-scanning direction density, etc.), page number, a pointer to the page management record of the next page, first memory block information, and the like. An end code (for example, NULL) is set in the pointer portion of the page management record of the last page. Here, the memory block is obtained by dividing the image memory 120 into blocks of a certain fixed size.

The block management table 143 has an area of one-to-one with respect to the memory block, and manages the image data in the image memory 120. A pointer to the area of the block in which the image data is stored next is stored in each area, and the end code is set in the area of the last block of the page. Further, an unused memory block in the image memory 120 can be acquired by searching a free area from the beginning of the block management table.

When reading the image data in the image memory 120, first, the pointer to the page management record of the first page is obtained from the corresponding image management record in the image management record 141, and the first page management record is obtained. 1
The memory block information is obtained, and the pointer is sequentially followed until the end code is found from the area of the block in the block management table. Next, the pointer to the page management record of the next page is obtained from the previous page management record, and the same process is performed until the page where the pointer part of the page management record is the end code.

FIG. 4 shows the call destination management record 15 described above.
It is a schematic diagram which shows 0.

This call destination management record 150 is K
It is composed of individual destination management record areas, and is acquired for each called party when there is a transmission reservation or the like. The following items are stored in each destination management record.

First, in the communication mode 151, modes such as timer, relay, confidentiality, polling, etc. are stored. Also,
The image management record number 152 stores the number of the image management record that manages the image data in the image memory 120 used for calling.

The scheduled call time 153 stores the scheduled call time. When the carry of an internal clock (not shown) is carried, the scheduled call time 1 of all destination management records is stored.
53 is searched, and the scheduled call time 1 that matches the current time 1
53 is a value indicating that the scheduled time has passed (0xfff
f). In the case of immediate transmission, 0xffff is stored from the beginning.

A one-touch dial number or a speed dial number is stored in the destination telephone number 154, or
The keys dialed by the ten keys (0 to 9, #, *) and dial-related keys (pause key, tone key, etc.) are stored. The redial number 155 is a redial number counter and is incremented when redialing is performed. Further, the initial identification time 156 is set in the T1 timer 170 at the time of automatic call origination, and a unique value (for example, 35 seconds) is initially stored and may be changed at the time of redial setting.

FIG. 5 shows the dial management record 160.
It is a schematic diagram which shows.

The dial management record 160 is composed of M one-touch dial registration areas and N speed dial registration areas. Each one-touch dial or speed dial area stores a mode 161, which indicates a timer, relay, confidentiality, etc., a destination telephone number 162 registered by the user, a destination abbreviation 163, and the like.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the automatic call processing in this embodiment.

In this automatic call processing, the scheduled call time 153, which is a value (0xffff) indicating that the scheduled time has passed, is periodically searched in the call destination management record 150, and if it exists, it is found. The destination management record (hereinafter referred to as the relevant destination management record) is processed as a target of automatic call.

In FIG. 6, first, control data is initialized (S201). This sets the initial identification time 156 in the corresponding destination management record in the T1 timer 170,
The significant signal detection flag 171 is turned off. Next, a selection signal is sent from the destination telephone number 154 in the destination management record (S202). This is because if the destination telephone number 154 has a numeric keypad stored,
It is sent to the line as it is via the communication control unit 104.
Further, when the one-touch dial number or the speed dial number is stored in the destination telephone number 154, the destination telephone number 162 stored in the corresponding number area in the dial management record 160 is stored in the communication control unit 104. To send on the line via.

After the transmission of this selection signal is completed, T1
The timer 170 is started (S203), and a significant signal from the partner station is detected (S205) until the initial identification time has elapsed (S204). The significant signal mentioned here is a signal that allows the other station to recognize that it is a facsimile.
CITT Recommendation T.M. 30 includes a digital identification signal (DIS), a group identification signal (GI), a called station identification (CED), and a preamble for a binary code signal. These signal detections can be easily performed by a modem, a tonal counter, or the like in the communication control unit 104.

When a significant signal is detected, the significant signal detection flag is turned on (S206) and CCITT recommendation T.264. Communication is performed according to the facsimile control procedure described in 30 (S207). Then, when the communication ends, it is determined whether or not there is a communication error (S208),
If there is no communication error, the image data in the image memory 120 indicated by the image management record number 152 in the relevant destination management record and the relevant destination management record are released (S2).
09), and ends normally (S220).

If the initial identification time has elapsed in S204, or if there is a communication error in S208, it is determined whether or not to redial (S210).
This is the number of redials 15 in the corresponding destination management record.
5 is incremented, and if the maximum number of redials 172 is less than or equal to 172, it may be determined that redialing is performed, and if the maximum number of redials is 172 or less, redialing is not performed. Further, it may be determined that redial is not performed depending on the type of communication error.

When it is determined that the redial is not performed, the corresponding destination management record is released (S21
1), the error ends (S230). The above S21
1, the image data in the image memory 120 indicated by the image management record number 152 in the corresponding destination management record may be released.

If it is determined in S210 that redialing is to be performed, redialing standby processing described later (S300).
After performing, the redial standby (S240) is entered.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the redial standby process of this embodiment.

First, it is determined whether or not the significant signal detection flag is ON, and only when it is not ON, the initial identification time 156 in the corresponding destination management record is extended (S302). this is,
This is to extend the initial identification time 156 from, for example, 35 seconds to 45 seconds to reduce the possibility of an initial identification timeout error during redial.

Next, the time obtained by adding the redial interval 73 to the current time of the internal clock (not shown) is set as the scheduled calling time 153 in the relevant destination management record (S303), and the redial standby process is ended (S310). When this scheduled call time comes, the automatic call processing similar to that in FIG. 6 is executed again.

In the above embodiment, the significant signal in FIG. 6 has been described as a signal by which the other station can recognize that it is a facsimile. However, this is a busy tone indicating that the other station is busy. Good. Note that the busy tone can be easily detected by a modem, a tonal counter, or the like in the communication control unit 104.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the automatic call processing in this case.

In FIG. 8, S401 to S406
Is a process similar to S201 to S206 in FIG. Thereafter, it is determined whether the detected significant signal is a busy tone (S407), and if it is a busy tone, the process proceeds to a redial execution availability determination (S411). Communication is performed according to the facsimile control procedure described in S30 (S408). The processing after S407, that is, S408 to S440 is also performed from S207 to S207 in FIG.
The process is the same as S240.

In the above embodiment, the initial identification time 156 is set as a value peculiar to the apparatus and is extended by 10 seconds when the initial value is 35 seconds and no significant signal is detected, but these can be arbitrarily set by the user. You may be able to register.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Extending the initial identification time when redialing when a significant signal from the other party cannot be detected after calling, eliminates the conventional drawback that an initial identification timeout error occurs every redial, and captures unnecessary lines. This has the effect of reducing the number of lines and improving the efficiency of line usage.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing image management information of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing image management information of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a call destination management record of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a dial management record of the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an automatic call processing in the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing redial standby processing in the above embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an automatic call processing according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 ... Main control part, 102 ... Reading part, 103 ... Recording part, 104 ... Communication control part, 105 ... Operation part, 106 ... Display part, 120 ... Image memory, 130 ... Control data storage memory, 140 ... Image management information , 150 ... Call destination management record, 160 ... Dial management record.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a facsimile apparatus having an automatic redial function, storage means for storing an initial identification time when a call is made; detection means for detecting a significant signal within the initial identification time; A facsimile apparatus comprising: setting means for extending and setting the initial identification time when the detection is not possible. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the significant signal is a signal by which the other station can recognize that the facsimile is a facsimile. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the significant signal is a signal indicating that the partner station is busy.