JPH06326843A - Facsimile equipment provided with memory communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reconfirm a picture file subjected to memory transmission/memory reception newly through print-out as necessary by storing the file for a predetermined period even after the end of print-out or transmission of facsimile information. CONSTITUTION:When new picture data are received, a residual capacity of a picture memory 52 is discriminated and when the residual capacity is not enough, a memory communication table 51 storing management information of a picture file is referenced and the file with low storage priority is deleted. Then after the new picture data are stored in the picture memory 52 as a picture file, a picture file selector switch 7a is operated to select the picture file to be printed out. When the print key is operated, a signal processing section 1 references the memory communication management table 51 to read a storage block storing the selected picture file and a print output section 9 is operated and the selected picture data are printed out on recording paper 10 and the content is reconfirmed.

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 a memory communication function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a facsimile apparatus having a memory communication function, one having a memory transmission function and a memory reception function has been developed. Then, after converting to image data and storing it in the image memory, it is sent as it is or at the specified time, and after the facsimile transmission is completed, the image data stored in the image memory is automatically It is supposed to be erased.

Further, in the case of having a memory receiving function,
The received image data is temporarily stored in the image memory,
When printed, the printed image data is erased. Therefore, it is difficult to check the contents of the image data received in the past in a facsimile device having these memory communication functions. It was difficult to rediscover if the printing paper received was lost.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed in view of the above circumstances in a conventional facsimile apparatus having a memory communication function, and a new image to be stored in an image memory. When the remaining capacity of the image memory becomes insufficient when receiving data input, delete the image data with a low storage priority stored in the image memory to ensure that the latest image file sent to or received from the memory Another object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that can be printed easily and can be reconfirmed by storing it for a certain period of time after the completion of printing output and facsimile transmission.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, which is proposed to achieve the above object, determines the remaining capacity of an image memory when new image data is received, and when the remaining capacity is not sufficient, Refers to the memory communication management table that stores the image file management information, erases the one with the lowest storage priority, stores it in the image memory, and selectively prints out the image file stored in the image memory. It is configured to do.

According to the present invention as described above, each time a new image file is stored in the image memory, the remaining capacity of the image memory is determined and the minimum amount of image data already stored in the image memory is deleted. However, in addition to sequentially storing new image data in the image memory, when determining the remaining capacity of the image memory, all image data with low storage priority that meets the preset conditions is erased to create a new image data. The image data may be stored.

Further, the present invention as described above,
It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to all memory communication such as confidential reception and memory transmission, and can be applied to a video facsimile device and the like in addition to a normal facsimile device.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the received image data is once stored in the image memory as an image file, and after a predetermined condition, for example, when the recording paper is exhausted, the recording paper is replenished and the confidential reception is performed. When setting the mode, it is possible to print out on the recording paper when the specified time arrives after inputting the password, and when receiving the specified time, the image data stored in the image file can be output. Even if is sent by facsimile or printed out after reception, it is not immediately deleted, and is saved according to the image file management table for a certain period.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention. Facsimile apparatus A of the present invention
Is a signal processing unit 1 composed of a CPU, a facsimile transmission / reception control unit 2 having an automatic incoming call function for sending and receiving image data through a telephone line L, and a telephone circuit 4 having a telephone line L and a telephone 4a. A line control unit 3 for controlling switching between a telephone line) and a facsimile transmission / reception control unit 2 (facsimile line), a memory communication management table 51, and an image memory 5.
An image storage means 5 including 2;
An image reading unit 6 for converting into image data, an image file selecting means 7 provided with a selection switch 7a for selectively reading out for printing out an image file stored in the image memory 52, and a ten-key pad for operating the facsimile apparatus A. 8a
Display / operation control unit 8 including various control switches (not shown) including the above, a display unit 8b that displays a guidance message for operating various communication control programs by operating these control switches, and a necessary operation display, and a facsimile. A print output unit 9 is provided which prints out the document data received by the transmission / reception control unit 2 or stored in the image memory 52 as an image file on the recording paper 10.

Steps 100 to 109 in FIG. 2 are time charts showing the basic operation of the present invention in the memory reception. The facsimile machine A of the present invention, like the facsimile machine having a normal memory communication function,
After receiving the call, follow the normal facsimile communication procedure
F and DIS are sent to the calling source, and then NSS and DSC sent from the calling source are detected to determine the presence or absence of the memory reception setting.

If the memory reception is not set, the signal processing unit 1 operates the print output unit 9 in accordance with a normal facsimile reception procedure, and the image data sequentially transmitted from the calling source is recorded on the recording paper 10. Although the printout is performed, if the memory reception is set, the remaining memory capacity of the image memory 52 is determined. As a result of this determination, if the image memory 52 has a sufficient remaining capacity (for example, the remaining capacity is 30% or more), the memory communication management table 51 is accessed to manage the received image data. The information is newly written and updated as image file information, and the received image data is written in the image memory 52. However, as a result of the determination, when the signal processing unit 1 determines that the remaining capacity of the image memory 52 is insufficient (for example, less than 30%), the image file with the lowest storage priority is set according to the preset priority order. Is erased, the received image data is stored in the image memory 52 as a new image file, and the management information of the image file is written in the memory communication management table 51. That is, the signal processing unit 1 refers to the memory communication management table 51, searches for the image file with the lowest storage priority, and then the reception time written in the memory communication management table 51 for that image file and the presence or absence of print output. After deleting the management information such as the (print flag) and the storage block, and writing and updating the management information of the newly received image file in the memory communication management table 51,
The newly received image data is overwritten on the retrieved image data with the lowest storage priority stored in the image memory 52.

According to the present invention, the signal processing unit 1 refers to the memory communication management table 51 when it judges that the remaining capacity of the image memory 52 is not sufficient when storing the received image data in the image memory 52. , Management information written in the memory communication management table 51, that is, information indicating the image data reception time, storage block (address) in the image memory 52, presence / absence of printing, confidential, normal, etc. , The image file with the lowest storage priority is searched according to the preset priority order, and the image file is deleted to store new image data. When the received image data is long, the image files with high storage priority are sequentially deleted.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a memory communication management table,
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a storage block of the image memory. The memory communication management table 51 includes a record number for each image file, a reception date and time, a storage block of the image memory 52 (start address of the image memory 52), and a print flag indicating whether or not printing is performed. When the chaining information is added to the memory block and the image data spans a plurality of memory blocks, the destination of the next memory block is shown. Incidentally, E indicates that there is no continuation. Further, in the above example, the memory reception is described as an example, but the same applies to the case of being applied to the memory communication.

Finally, the basic operation of the image file selecting means will be described. Steps 200 to 203 of FIG.
Shows the basic operation. After the image data is stored in the image memory 52 as an image file according to the procedure described above, the image file selection switch 7a
Is operated to select an image file to be printed, and a print key (copy key, not shown) is operated, the signal processing unit 1
Refers to the memory communication management table 51, reads out the storage block in which the selected image file is stored,
Since the print output unit 9 is operated, the selected image data can be printed on the recording paper 10 and its contents can be confirmed.

[0015]

According to the present invention, the saving priority is low when an image file to be newly stored is input even after the image data that has been memory-communicated in the past is printed or faxed. Since it can be stored until it becomes necessary, it can be printed out again as needed, which is very convenient.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a basic operation (memory reception) of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a memory communication management table.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an image memory.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a basic operation (printing of an image file) of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Facsimile device of the present invention L Telephone line 1 Signal processing unit 5 Image storage unit 51 Memory communication management table 52 Image memory 7 Image file selection unit 7a Image file selection switch 8 Display / operation control unit 9 Print output unit 10 Recording paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When receiving new image data, the remaining capacity of the image memory is determined, and when the remaining capacity is insufficient,
Refers to the memory communication management table that stores the image file management information, erases the one with the lowest storage priority, stores it in the image memory, and selectively prints out the image file stored in the image memory. A facsimile machine having a memory communication function configured as described above.