JPH0662197A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speedily cancel the overflow state of a memory by requiring a few waiting period of time until the output start of each file at the time of outputting plural files stored in the memory by intercepting system in a plotter available state, to speedily grasp the contents of plural files, to directly receive emergency data during the output of an intercepting file, and to perform hardcopy as soon as the memoryreceived emergency data are received. CONSTITUTION:The intercepting is performed in a plotter 5 unavailable state, and the reception data are sored in a SAF memory 7. When the plotter 5 is available, a CPU 1 retrieves the presence or absence of the intercepting reception file stored in a RAM 3. If there is the intercepting file, the files are outputted to the plotter 5 with increasing output pages, and the outputted intercepting files are deleted from the SAF memory 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine having a substitute reception function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus has been widely used, but normally, direct reception is performed in which image data sent from a partner terminal is directly recorded and output to a plotter. However, in a situation where the plotter cannot be used due to, for example, a recording paper shortage or a recording paper jam, the received data cannot be recorded, and it is necessary to retransmit the data.

Therefore, conventionally, when the plotter becomes usable after the received data is temporarily stored in the image memory such as the SAF memory under the condition that the plotter cannot be used,
There has been a facsimile machine having a substitute reception function for hard copying the stored data with a plotter. An example of this type of facsimile machine is, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-1466.
There is one described in Japanese Patent No.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional facsimile apparatus, a large amount of received data is accumulated in the SAF memory when the unusable state of the plotter continues for a long time. For this reason, when the plotter becomes usable, a large amount of accumulated data must be hard-copied, and depending on the file reception order, it may take some time before hard-copy output starts, and files with long wait times May occur, or the received data may cause SA
If the F memory overflows, it will take some time to restore it and the memory cannot be received continuously, or the contents of multiple files stored in the memory due to data reception must be actually hard copied. If you do not understand the contents, it will take time to understand the contents, even if you receive emergency data during output of the interception file, you cannot directly receive it, and even if you receive it in memory, you can not output hard copy immediately. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and when outputting a plurality of files stored in a memory by proxy reception in a usable state of a plotter, the output of each file is started. The waiting time is short, the memory overflow condition can be resolved quickly, the contents of multiple files stored in the memory can be quickly grasped, and emergency data is directly received or output to the memory while the interception file is being output. An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device capable of making a hard copy immediately after receiving emergency data.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a facsimile machine can use a plotter by creating a file for each received data and storing it in a memory under a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter. In the case of a facsimile apparatus having an interception reception function of recording and outputting the accumulated data, a page number detecting means for detecting the number of output pages of each file is provided, and an output is made when the plotter becomes usable. The feature is that the files are recorded and output in the order of files having the smallest number of pages.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the facsimile machine creates a file for each received data and stores it in the memory under the condition that the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and when the plotter becomes usable, the stored data is stored. In a facsimile apparatus having an interception reception function for recording and outputting, a file-by-file memory amount detecting means for detecting the memory amount for each file, a memory remaining capacity detecting means for detecting the remaining capacity of the memory, and a recording output A file data erasing means for sequentially erasing the file data in the memory is provided, and when the plotter becomes usable and the remaining memory capacity falls below a certain amount, the memory of the files accumulated in the memory It is characterized in that the data is erased after recording and outputting in the descending order of the amount.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the facsimile machine creates a file for each received data and stores it in the memory under the condition that the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter. When the plotter becomes usable, the stored data is stored. In a facsimile apparatus having an interception reception function for recording and outputting, the first page data search output means for searching and outputting only the first page data of each file stored in the memory is provided, and the plotter can be used. In this case, only the first page of each file is recorded and output.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the facsimile machine creates a file for each received data and stores it in the memory under the condition that the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and when the plotter becomes usable, the stored data is stored. In a facsimile device having an interception reception function for recording and outputting, when data is sent from the other station while the plotter is outputting the interception file stored in the memory, the output operation of the interception file is interrupted. A first interrupt processing means for recording and outputting the received data is provided, and when a direct reception request of highly urgent data is issued during the output of the interception reception file, interrupt processing is performed to receive the data rather than the interception reception file. It is characterized in that the recording and outputting of data is preferentially performed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the facsimile machine creates a file for each received data and stores it in the memory under the condition that the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter. When the plotter becomes usable, the stored data is stored. In a facsimile device having an interception reception function for recording and outputting, the plotter receives in memory the data sent from the partner station while outputting the interception file stored in the memory,
A second interrupt processing means for recording and outputting the file received in the memory to the plotter immediately after the reception is completed is provided, and if there is a memory reception request of the data with high urgency during the output of the interception reception file, the memory reception is performed. It is characterized in that an interruption process is performed after the end to preferentially record and output the file received in the memory to the plotter.

[0011]

In the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the number of pages of a plurality of intercepted files is detected, and the hard copy is performed in the order of files having the smallest number of pages.
The start time of hard copy output of each file can be apparently shortened. That is, the hard copy process is performed first on the file with the shortest page number among the data received from the partner station, so the recipient of each file can wait for a short time and the received document can be handed to each recipient quickly. it can.

In the facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect, when the plotter is usable and the remaining memory capacity is less than a certain amount by the remaining memory capacity detecting means, the memory capacity for each file is large in memory capacity. A file is detected, a hard copy is performed, and the file data erasing means sequentially erases the file data in the memory. For this reason, the data that occupies a large memory capacity is hard-copyed and the data is erased, so that the free memory area can be expanded quickly, and even if the memory is about to overflow due to interception, the interception is possible again. It can be quickly returned to.

In the facsimile apparatus according to the third aspect, only the data of the first page of the plurality of files received by the first page data search and output means are searched and output to the plotter, so that all the received data are hard-copied. Without doing so, it is possible to quickly grasp the contents of each of the received files. According to another aspect of the present invention, the facsimile machine according to the first aspect uses the first interrupt processing means when a direct reception request with high urgency is issued from the partner station while the proxy reception file stored in the memory is output to the plotter. The output operation of the interception reception file is interrupted and the reception data is recorded and output. As a result, even when the interception file is being output using the plotter, it can be directly received when highly urgent data is sent.

In the facsimile apparatus according to the fifth aspect, when the other station requests the memory reception of the data of high urgency while outputting the interception reception file accumulated in the memory to the plotter, the reception data is transmitted. The memory receives the data, and immediately after the reception is completed, the second interrupt processing means records and outputs the data to the plotter. As a result, even when the interception file is being output using the plotter, if there is an urgent memory reception request, this will be preferentially output to the plotter to prevent hard copy delay. You can

[0015]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below based on examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the facsimile device includes a CPU 1, a ROM 2, a RAM 3, a scanner 4,
It is composed of a plotter 5, an operation port 6, a SAF memory 7, a modem 8, an NCU 9, a system bus 10, and the like.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1 is
Each part of the facsimile device is controlled according to the program in the ROM 2 to execute the sequence of the facsimile device and also to perform the plotter output process of the received data according to each invention of the present application. ROM (Read Only Memory) 2 is
The basic program of the facsimile machine is stored.

A RAM (Random Access Memory) 3 is a C
The PU 1 has a memory area in which various data necessary for executing the sequence of the facsimile apparatus and destination terminal information (telephone number, destination name, etc.) registered by the one-touch number or the abbreviated number are stored. Further, the proxy reception data according to the present invention is stored in the SAF memory, and the proxy reception file which is managed corresponding to this is stored in the RAM 3.

The scanner 4 is, for example, a CCD (Charge C
An image scanner such as an coupled device) is used to scan the transmission document line by line and read the image information of the document. The plotter 5 directly receives the image data,
Alternatively, the image data received on behalf of and stored in the SAF memory is printed out at a predetermined resolution. For example, when a thermal recording device using a thermal element or the like is used, the image data is directly recorded on a thermal recording paper. In the case of recording paper, an image is recorded indirectly via an ink sheet.

The operation port 6 is composed of various operation keys such as a ten-key pad and a start key, a display consisting of an LCD or other display device, etc., and performs transmission / reception operation with the operation keys, or selects various modes to receive a plurality of substitutes. Data is recorded and output in a predetermined order. The SAF memory 7 is a dedicated memory for storing image data,
If the plotter 5 cannot be used when receiving data from the partner station, it is possible to perform so-called proxy reception, in which the plotter 5 is temporarily stored here, and when the plotter becomes usable, the data is read and recorded and output to the plotter 5. .

The modem 8 modulates the transmission signal and demodulates the reception signal. NCU9 is an external line L
, And exchanges a facsimile control signal with the facsimile apparatus of the other party via the line L to execute a facsimile communication procedure. The system bus 10 connects the respective units of the above-mentioned facsimile machine to exchange signals.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of the interception reception file. The proxy reception file is composed of various management information for managing the image data stored in the RAM 3 and accumulated in the SAF memory 7 for each file. As the management information, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, reception date and time, destination information, number of received pages, and S to be used for each file.
AF memory capacity, number of output pages, S for each page
It is composed of addresses in the AF memory. Further, each page has a page table and stores information such as the SAF memory capacity for each page.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation according to the invention described in claim 1.
First, when the plotter 5 cannot be used due to a recording paper shortage or recording paper jam, the image data sent from the partner station cannot be directly output to the plotter 5. Therefore, in the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment, the data received while the plotter 5 cannot be used is stored in the SAF memory 7 for each file, and when the plotter 5 becomes usable, the data is transferred from the SAF memory 7 to the facsimile machine. Read and make a hard copy (standby reception).

The facsimile apparatus of this embodiment is characterized by the order of the intercepted reception files which are recorded and output when the plotter 5 becomes usable. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the plotter 5 can be used (step 1
00), and the presence or absence of the intercepted file is detected (step 1
01), if there are a plurality of interception files, the file having the smallest number of pages to be output by the plotter of each file is searched (step 102). Specifically, the CPU
1 compares the number of received pages in the proxy reception file of the RAM 3 shown in FIG. Then, hard copy is performed by the plotter 5 in the order of files having a small number of pages to be output (step 103). When plotter output is completed (step 104), the output interception reception file is erased from the SAF memory 7 (step 10).
5) Next, in order to perform output processing on the file having the next smallest number of pages, the process returns to step 101 and the above operation is repeated until there is no substitute reception file.

The reason why the facsimile machine according to the present embodiment outputs the plotter in the order of files having the smallest number of output pages is that, for example, when there are three files A, B, and C as the intercepted reception files, the pages to be output respectively. It is assumed that the numbers are a, b, and c, and the magnitude relation of the number of pages is a>b> c. Then, the time required to output one page is t,
When the files are output in the order of files A → B → C (the one with the largest number of output pages), the average waiting time until the end of output of each file is calculated as shown in the formula.

1/3 (3at + 2bt + ct) ... On the other hand, as in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, when the plotter outputs C → B → A in the order of the file with the smallest number of output pages, The average waiting time until the output of each file is calculated is as shown in the formula. ⅓ (3ct + 2bt + at) ………………. Then, in order to compare the above equations, when − is calculated, it becomes the equation.

1/3 (2at-2ct) = 2 / 3t (ac) ... Here, since a> c, 2 / 3t (ac)> 0, which is obviously the formula It can be seen that the average waiting time is smaller. That is, the time itself until the output of all files is completed does not change in the output order of the files. However, a file with a large number of output pages takes a long time to output to the plotter, so the waiting time until the subsequent file is output to the plotter is long.Therefore, by outputting the file with the fewest number of output pages first, This is to reduce the apparent waiting time of the subsequent files.

Next, in the embodiment according to the invention described in claim 2, when the unusable state of the plotter is prolonged and the SAF memory is about to overflow due to proxy reception,
It is necessary to quickly eliminate this state and return to a state where the proxy reception can be performed again. Therefore, in this embodiment, the remaining capacity of the SAF memory is calculated by using the SAF memory shown in FIG.
When it is detected that the remaining memory capacity is less than a certain amount, it is calculated in reverse from the capacity, and the SAF capacity used for each file is compared, and plotter output is performed in the order of the files with the largest memory size. By deleting the file data, the empty memory area of the SAF memory is expanded, and it is possible to quickly create a state in which the alternate reception is possible.

Further, in the embodiment according to the invention described in claim 3, the contents of the received data accumulated in the SAF memory by the proxy reception can be actually output to the plotter to grasp the contents. However, this requires time to hard copy all the data in the memory, which takes time. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first page address in the interception reception file shown in FIG. 2 is searched for each file, and only the image data of the first page of each file is sequentially output from the SAF memory and output by the plotter. It is the one.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation according to the invention described in claim 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the image data received from the partner station when the plotter 5 cannot be used due to a recording paper shortage, recording paper jam, or the like is accumulated in the SAF memory 7 for each file, and the plotter 5 becomes usable. In this case, the hard copy is read from the SAF memory 7.

Therefore, if the plotter 5 is usable (step 200), the presence or absence of the interception reception file is detected (step 201). If the interception reception file exists, the interception reception file shown in FIG. 2 has been output. Whether or not there is a file for which the first page has not been output is confirmed by the number of pages (step 202), and when there is a file for which the first page has not been output, only the image data of the first page is output from the plotter ( Step 203). In this way, since only the first page of each file stored in the SAF memory is output from the plotter, the operator can quickly understand the contents of the received file by looking at it.

After the first page of each file is output from the plotter, the presence or absence of the intercepted reception file is checked as usual (step 204), and hard copy is performed in the desired order (step 205), and the plotter is then executed. The output interception file is erased from the memory (step 20).
6). Further, in the embodiment according to the invention described in claim 4, when the partner station requests the direct reception with high urgency while outputting the image data accumulated in the SAF memory by the proxy reception to the plotter. , In the past, reception was performed by proxy. However, in this embodiment, the output operation of the interception reception file is temporarily interrupted by the interrupt processing, and the received data is preferentially recorded and output from the plotter. As described above, even when the proxy reception file is being output using the plotter, when highly urgent data is sent, it can be directly received.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, while the image data accumulated in the SAF memory by the proxy reception is being output to the plotter, the memory reception of highly urgent data from the partner station is performed. When there is a request, the received data is stored in the SAF memory and is recorded and output to the plotter immediately after the reception is completed. In this way, even when the interception file is being output using the plotter, if there is a urgent memory reception request, it will be received in memory once, and after the memory reception is completed, other processing will be performed. Since the plotter is preferentially output to the plotter, it is possible to prevent a hard copy delay.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the number of pages of a plurality of files received on behalf of each other is detected, and the hard copy is performed in the order of files having the smallest number of pages. You can quickly hand over the received document to each recipient.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the remaining capacity of the memory becomes less than a certain amount, the hard copy is performed in the order of the file having the largest memory size, and the hard-copied file data is stored in the memory. Since the data is sequentially erased, even if the memory is about to overflow due to the proxy reception, it is possible to quickly expand the empty memory area, and it is possible to quickly return to the state where the proxy reception can be performed again.

According to the facsimile apparatus of the third aspect, only the data of the first page of the plurality of files received by the proxy is searched and output to the plotter.
It is possible to quickly grasp the contents of each file in the memory that has been intercepted, without making a hard copy of all the received data. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, if the other station issues a direct reception request for highly urgent data while outputting the interception file to the plotter, the reception operation of the interception file is performed. Since it is interrupted and the received data is preferentially recorded and output,
Even if data with high urgency is sent while using the plotter, it can be directly received.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, if the other station requests the memory reception of highly urgent data while the proxy reception file is being output to the plotter, the reception data is stored in the memory. Since the data is received and recorded and output to the plotter immediately after the reception is completed, the highly urgent data received in the memory while the plotter is being used can be quickly output as a hard copy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a proxy reception file.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to the invention described in claim 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to the invention of claim 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Scanner 5 Plotter 6 Operation Port 7 SAF Memory 8 Modem 9 NCU

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An agent receiving function for creating a file for each received data in a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to a plotter, stores the file in a memory, and records and outputs the stored data when the plotter becomes usable. In a facsimile machine equipped with, a page number detecting means for detecting the number of output pages of each file is provided, and when the plotter becomes usable, recording output is performed in the order of files having the smallest number of output pages. A facsimile machine characterized by. 2. An agent receiving function for creating a file for each received data and storing it in a memory under a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and records and outputs the stored data when the plotter becomes usable. In a facsimile apparatus including, a file-by-file memory amount detecting means for detecting the memory amount of each file, a memory remaining capacity detecting means for detecting the remaining capacity of the memory, and file data in the memory where recording and outputting are performed. If the plotter can be used and the remaining memory capacity falls below a certain amount, the file data erasing means for sequentially erasing the , A facsimile machine characterized by erasing data. 3. An agent receiving function for creating a file for each received data and storing it in a memory under a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and records and outputs the stored data when the plotter becomes usable. In a facsimile apparatus equipped with, a first page data search and output means for searching and outputting only the first page data of each file accumulated in the memory is provided, and when the plotter becomes usable, A facsimile machine characterized in that only the first page is recorded and output. 4. An alternate reception function for creating a file for each received data and storing it in a memory under a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and records and outputs the accumulated data when the plotter becomes usable. In a facsimile apparatus including, when data is sent from the partner station while the plotter is outputting the interception file stored in the memory, the output operation of the interception file is interrupted and the received data is recorded and output. When the direct reception request of the data with high urgency is issued during the output of the interception reception file, the interruption processing is performed and the recording output of the reception data is prioritized over the interception reception file. Facsimile machine characterized by being carried out. 5. An agent reception function for creating a file for each received data and storing it in a memory under a situation where the received data cannot be directly recorded and output to the plotter, and records and outputs the accumulated data when the plotter becomes usable. In a facsimile machine equipped with the above, the plotter receives in memory the data sent from the partner station while the proxy reception file stored in the memory is being output, and immediately after reception is completed, the file received in the memory is recorded and output to the plotter. A second interrupt processing means is provided, and when a memory reception request of data with high urgency is issued during output of the interception reception file, interrupt processing is performed after completion of the memory reception to give priority to the file received in the memory. A facsimile machine characterized in that it records and outputs to a plotter.