JPH0698068A - Composite data store and forward device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a composite data store and forward device capable of performing communication by handling data even when it is character code data or image data (image signal). CONSTITUTION:The composite data store and forward device 100 is comprised of a code system communication control part 101 which performs the transmission/reception of the character code data via a line, an image data system communication control part 102 which performs the transmission/ reception of the image data via the line, an accumulation part 106 in which the character code data and the image data are accumulated, a device control part 104 which controls each part relating to the transmission/reception and accumulation of the data based on communication service supplied to the code system communication control part 101 or the image data system control part 102, and a data conversion part 105 which performs the mutual switching of the character code data and the image data under the control of the device control part 104.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a composite data storage / exchange device capable of handling character code data and image data (image signals) and communicating them.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as storage and exchange devices, there have been independently only ones for facsimile machines and those for personal computers. This is because the data transmission control procedure by the facsimile machine is different from the data transmission control procedure by the personal computer, and the types of data to be handled are image data and character code data.

Therefore, when the data sent from the personal computer is sent as image data to the facsimile apparatus, the center side prints out by the computer only once and the operator inputs the printed document to the facsimile apparatus. It was rather inconvenient. In addition, if the storage device and the terminal handle different types of data, there is a problem that services such as mailbox communication (PO Box communication) that retrieves data from the center where the storage device is installed cannot be received. It was

[0004]

As described above, the conventional storage and exchange device handles only one type of data, and if there are two or more types of data, it is inconvenient because an operator is required to intervene. When a service for extracting the existing data is received, the service cannot be received unless the type of data handled by the terminal and the type of data handled by the storage exchange device match.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional store-and-forward system, and its purpose is to enable data transmission and reception between terminals having different data transmission control procedures and different types of data to be handled. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite data storage / exchange device capable of extracting data stored in the storage / exchange device from the terminal side regardless of the type of data to be handled.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a code communication controller for transmitting and receiving character code data via a line, an image data communication controller for transmitting and receiving image data via a line, and a character. A storage unit that stores code data and image data, and a device control unit that controls each unit regarding transmission / reception and storage of data based on information about a communication service provided to the code communication control unit or the image data communication control unit. And a data conversion unit for exchanging character code data and image data with each other under the control of the device control unit.

[0007]

According to the above construction, there are two types of communication control units, a code system and an image data system, and a data conversion unit for converting between character code data and image data is provided. Regardless of the procedure or the type of data to be handled, you will be able to communicate and receive services.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a communication system adopting an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 100 denotes a complex data storage / switching apparatus, which is connected to the switching network 200. The composite data storage / exchange device 100 includes a code communication control unit 101, an image data communication control unit 102, an interface unit 103, and a device control unit 10.
4, a data conversion unit 105 and a storage unit 106 are provided.
The code system communication control unit 101 includes a modem and an NCU.
Character code data is transmitted and received by a predetermined transmission control procedure such as basic. Transmission and reception of character code data is performed via the line 301 which is a plurality of channels. The image data system communication control unit 102 has a function similar to that of the communication control unit of the facsimile machine and also has a receiving section for the DTMF signal, and accepts a command by the DTMF signal sent from the facsimile machine. Transmission and reception of image data etc.
Done through 2. The interface unit 103 has a function of connecting the code communication control unit 101 and the image data communication control unit 102 to each of other devices via the bus 107. Device control unit
The 104 controls each unit in response to a request (information regarding communication service) from the terminal and performs various services related to data transmission / reception and storage. Here, the services are broadcast communication, time designation communication, mailbox communication (PO Box communication).
Shall be provided. Broadcast communication is communication to multiple destinations, time-specified communication is communication for delivery at a predetermined time, and mailbox communication is a password for the terminal to correspond to a predetermined mailbox (predetermined area of the storage unit 106). It is a communication that sends the data in the mailbox when it is sent. Under the control of the device control unit 104, the data conversion unit 105 converts the character code data into image data and vice versa, and converts the image data into character code data. The pattern generator and OCR (optical character recognition device) Including.
The original used here is as shown in FIG. 2, the reference mark M is printed at a predetermined position, and the character frame C
Is printed and the writing position of one character is determined. Therefore, OCR will perform recognition processing for documents of a specified format. The storage unit 106 is a storage device such as a magnetic disk device and stores character code data and image data.

On the other hand, a word processor 1 in switching network 200, the personal computer 2, the facsimile device 3 is connected via a line 303 ₁ to 303 _6. Modem, NC for word processor 1 and personal computer 2
U is equipped. Although the facsimile device 3 is a known facsimile device, it has a function of transmitting a DTMF signal by key operation.

In such a communication system, the device control unit 104 of the composite data storage / exchange device 100 is composed of a computer, which executes the program of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 at the time of receiving data, and FIG. 4 at the time of transmitting. Run the program in the flow chart shown.

The word processor 1 and the personal computer 2 send the dial number corresponding to the line 301, and the facsimile apparatus 3 sends the dial number corresponding to the line 302. As a result, the code communication control unit 101 and the image data communication control unit 102 respond to a call from the switching network 200, detect whether data should be received or transmitted by a command from the terminal, The device control unit 104 is notified of transmission / reception.

At the time of reception, the device control unit 104 converts data (character ← → by a command given from the terminal).
Image) is requested (401), and when necessary, the data conversion unit 105 is activated, and the received data is transferred to the data conversion unit 105 to perform data conversion (402). At this time, the data is transferred as it is to the storage unit 106 to store the data (403). Therefore, the data is stored in the storage unit 106 as it is or after being converted according to the request from the terminal.
Next, the device control unit 104 detects the type of service based on the transmitted command and detects whether a transmission interrupt is necessary (404). It is an end because it is not necessary for mailbox communication. On the other hand, when it is determined that the transmission interrupt is necessary, the interrupt form is detected (405). In the case of broadcast communication,
Immediately generate a transmission interrupt for immediate delivery (406),
On the other hand, in the case of time-designated communication, since the delivery is performed at the designated time, the transmission interrupt timer is set at that time, and the operation ends (407). During such operation, the code communication control unit 10
1 and the image data system communication control unit 102 send and receive data according to a predetermined transmission control procedure, the command is a predetermined code in the code system communication control unit 101, and the DTMF signal in the image data system communication control unit 102. Will be sent. The command includes the type of communication service and the information necessary for this (for example,
The destination dial data, time data, password, etc.) are included.

On the other hand, when data is requested to be extracted by a command sent from the terminal after responding to the call, or when a transmission interrupt occurs (including a case where the transmission interrupt timer times out). The device controller 10
4 starts the program of the flowchart of FIG. 4 and detects whether the type of communication service is mailbox communication (501). In the case of mailbox communication, it is detected whether the passwords match (502), and if they do not match, the communication ends. If the passwords match, or if it is not mailbox communication, whether the data conversion is necessary and the type of the stored data (character code or image data) should be sent. Detection is performed based on the type of data handled by the terminal (503). These types of information are
It is assumed that the data is stored as a memory table and managed for each data of one communication related to storage and each terminal. When data conversion is necessary, the stored corresponding data is transferred to the data conversion unit 105 to perform data conversion (504), and when it is unnecessary, the code communication control unit 101 or image data communication control is used as it is. Data is given to the unit 102 to be transmitted.
(505). Except for mailbox communication, dial data of the destination is given to make a call. Confirm the end of transmission (50
6), the end.

In the present embodiment, the line is separated according to the type of data to be handled, but an automatic line switching unit 108 is provided as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1 and the initial command is sent by DTMF. Whether it comes or is sent with a predetermined code,
If the line is connected to the code communication control unit 101 or the image data communication control unit 102 according to the detection result,
It will be more convenient.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, there are two types of communication control units, a code system and an image data system, and a data conversion unit for converting between character code data and image data. Based on the information about the communication service provided to the code communication control unit or the image data communication control unit, the device control unit controls each unit for data transmission / reception and storage. Regardless of the type, it is possible to send and receive data between terminals (sending and receiving by relay), and it is possible to extract the stored data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system using an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a format of a document used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ ... Word processor 2 ... Personal computer 3 _{1 to} 3 ₃ ... Facsimile device 100 ... Complex data storage / exchange device 101 ... Code system communication control unit 102 ... Image data system communication control unit 103 ... Interface unit 104 ... Device control unit 105… Data converter 106… Storage unit 107… Bus 108… Automatic circuit switching unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A code communication controller for transmitting / receiving character code data via a line, an image data communication controller for transmitting / receiving image data via a line, and character code data and image data are stored. And a storage unit, a device control unit that controls each unit for data transmission / reception and storage based on the information about the communication service given to the code system communication control unit or the image data system communication control unit, and a control of this unit control unit. A composite data storage / exchange device having a data conversion unit that performs mutual conversion between character code data and image data below.