JPH07295899A - Data processing system and network service system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute processing without being conscious that data is the one from the facsimile equipment by executing data editing processing at the end node of each access point, and transmitting the data to a host computer. CONSTITUTION:In a data processing system which is provided with plural repeating processors 40E-1 to which plural terminals 100 are connected and executes data transmission to the host computer 10 from the terminal 100 through the repeating processor 40E-1, the repeating processor 40E-1 is provided with a data converting means 43 to execute data conversion to data format to be handled in the host computer 10. Then, when the data transmission is executed from the facsimile equipment 100 to a user host 10, the facsimile equipment 100 accesses the end node 40 to 42 of the nearest access point from the plural end nodes 40 to 42, and converts transmitted data to the data format a user can handle at the accessed end node 40 to 42. Accordingly, the processing is dispersed, and besides, the data can be transmitted without concerning the data format at a gateway 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing system and a network service system, and more particularly, a facsimile machine connected between a facsimile machine connected to a public network and a user host on the network transmits data via a node system. The present invention relates to a data processing system and a network service system for transmitting or receiving data to or from a user host.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 shows the configuration of a conventional system. The system shown in the figure includes a plurality of facsimile terminals 100 _{1 to} 100 _n connected to the public network 200, and node systems 300 ₁ to 30 connected to the public network 200 and provided for each access point of the facsimile terminal 100.
0 _m , network control unit 50 for monitoring the network
0, a gateway 400 that edits data, and a user host computer 600 that processes data transferred from the gateway 400.

A facsimile terminal 100 accesses a node system 300 of an access point via a public network 200. The accessed node system 300 controls the input / output of facsimile communication, and transmits the data transmitted from the facsimile device 100 to the network control unit 500. The network control unit 500 controls the route of the transmitted data and transmits the data to the gateway 40.
Transfer to 0. The gateway 400 edits data, such as converting data transmitted from a plurality of users into a predetermined data format that the user host 600 can handle.

FIG. 12 shows the structure of a conventional gateway. In this conventional system, a facsimile machine 1
00 from the node system 300 and the network control unit 500, the gateway 4 transmits the received data until one communication for each node is completed.
The gateway 400 stores the data in the buffer 410 in the buffer 00, reads data from the buffer 410 in the order of reception, performs data conversion processing, processes the data, and transmits the processed data to the user host computer 600.

In the above processing, the gateway 400
Has a conversion table 430 according to the format received,
The data conversion unit 420 is transferred from the buffer 410,
The accumulated data is read out and the conversion table 430 is read.
With reference to, a process of converting to a predetermined data format is performed.
In this way, the gateway 400 is the facsimile machine 1
The data format of the facsimile data from 00 is converted into a format that the user host can handle, and the data is transmitted to the user host 600 in a predetermined communication format.

[0006]

However, in the above conventional system, facsimile communication (CCITT, G
As in 3/4), protocol / data conversion / communication control etc. are performed by the gateway for each communication, so it is difficult to perform processing in real time. Especially, when the number of traffic is large, it is executed by the user host. There is a problem that the waiting time of the processing to be performed increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, solves the conventional problems, and allows a host computer to communicate with a large number of facsimiles at the same time without being aware of the connected facsimiles. An object is to provide a processing system and a network service system.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a data processing system and a network service system which can be used in a form suitable for a connection partner without limiting the data format / format / communication procedure between the host computer and the facsimile. Is.

Further, an object of the present invention is to distribute the processing to each access point in a wide area network so that a large amount of data handled in facsimile communication can be processed in a short time and a network service system. Is to provide.

[0010]

A data processing system according to the present invention has a plurality of relay processing devices 40E-1 to which a plurality of terminals 100 are connected, and the terminals from the host computer 10 via the relay processing devices 40E-1. In a data processing system for transmitting data to a relay processing device 40E-1
Further, it has a data conversion means 43 for converting data into a data format handled by the host computer 10.

The network service system of the present invention comprises a plurality of access points 40E-1 on the network.
In the network service system having the terminal 100 and transmitting data from the terminal 100 to the host computer 10 via the selected access point, the data conversion to convert the data into the data format handled by the host computer 10 to the access point 40E-1. Means 43.

[0012]

According to the present invention, when data is transmitted from a facsimile device to a user host, the facsimile device accesses (relay processing device) an end node which is an access point closest to a plurality of end nodes and is accessed. By converting the transmission data into a data format that can be handled by the user at the relevant end node, the conversion processing is not performed in the gateway, so the processing is distributed and the gateway does not need to know the data format. , The transmission time can be shortened because it can be transmitted to the user host.

Further, by converting the data generated on the user host side through the gateway and the front node into the data format (image data etc.) handled by the facsimile machine at the selected end node, Since the gateway does not perform the data conversion processing, the data conversion processing for one destination does not occupy the gateway, and the processing is distributed by the end node connected to the facsimile apparatus at the destination. Become.

Further, in the gateway, when the data transmitted from the facsimile machine of the transmission source is short like inquiry information, it is transmitted to the user host without being stored in a file, and a series of image data is transmitted. As described above, in the case of a large amount of data, the transmission time is shortened by temporarily storing it in a file and transmitting it to the user host at the stage when all the data has been input.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in the figure, a plurality of facsimile devices 100 are connected to a public network 200, and a public network 2
00 is connected to the front nodes 30F, 31F, 32F and a plurality of end nodes connected to the front node. In the example of the figure, the front node 30F includes end nodes 40E-1, 40E-2, 40E-n.
Are connected to the front node 31F, end nodes 41E-1, 41E-2, 41E-n are connected to the front node 31F, and end nodes 32E-n are connected to the front node 32F. Each front node 30F, 31F, 32F
Is connected to the gateway 20. In FIG.
The gateway 20 is FNA, BSC, JCA, MH
It is a network gateway for converting communication procedures such as S and LAN into a facsimile net protocol.
The front node 30 is a system that controls data on a transmission path at a lower level in the network configuration, and the end nodes 40, 41, 42 are nodes that operate at a higher level in the network configuration.

FIG. 2 is a sequence chart showing the outline of the operation of transmitting data from the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention to the user host.

In the figure, when the user transmits data from the facsimile machine 100, for example, the public network 2
The end node 40E-1, which is the nearest access point, is selected via 00 to secure an available port. At this time, when the end node 40E-1, which is the closest access point, is busy, the next closest access point, for example, 40E-2 is accessed (step 101). Here, when the end node which is the connection partner is determined, the end node 40E-1 transmits the facsimile procedure 100 to the user host 10 for transmission.
Frame data is created from the image data transmitted from ₁ and the transmission request information. At this time, the end node 40E-
1 transforms the data into a format that the user host 10 can receive. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of transmission data according to an embodiment of the present invention. The data shown in the figure is data input from the facsimile apparatus 100, and includes transmission request information 90 and image data. Transmission request information 90
Is the destination identification number 9 which is the number of the destination facsimile.
1, a sender identification number 92, which is the number of the sender's facsimile device, and reply presence / absence information 93, which is information as to whether or not a reply to the transmission result is required (step 10).
2). The data edited by the end nodes 40E-n is input to the gateway 20 via the front node 30F (step 103), and is actually input to the user host 10 via the gateway 20 (step 10).
4).

In the above processing, not only the image data is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 100 ₁ , but
PB signal / voice information or OCR, like inquiry processing
Data transmission by information is also included. In this case, the data is converted into a data format that can be handled by the user host 10 in step 102 described above.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing the outline of the operation of transmitting data from the user host to the connected facsimile machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The user host 10 connects the nodes in the network and the facsimile devices according to a predetermined communication procedure based on the transmission request information from the transmission source facsimile device 100 ₁ and requests the destination facsimile device for data transmission. The front node 3 which can perform communication by generating frame data to be transmitted on the network (step 201)
Data is transmitted to 0F and the end node 40E-3 (step 202). The end node 40E-3 converts the data transmitted from the user host 10 into a data format for performing facsimile communication (step 20).
3), data is transmitted to the facsimile device designated by the destination identification number 91 of the transmission request information (step 20)
4).

As described above, according to the present invention, the end node, which is the access point of the connection destination, performs various conversions to the data format that can be used at the destination of the transmission data,
Connect to the designated facsimile machine and send data.

For example, in FIG. 1, the facsimile machine 100 ₁ is used as the closest access point to the public network 2
Access the end node 40E-1 via 00.
Here, when the connection destination is the facsimile machine 100 _3, it is assumed that the access point of the connection destination is the end node 40E-3. Here, the facsimile machine 1
00 _1, the user host 10 requests data transmission to the connection destination facsimile apparatus 100 ₃ by the connection request information.

The user host 10 receives the connection request information from the sender facsimile machine 100 ₁ as the gateway 20.
Then, the area of the connection destination is referred to according to the connection request information, and the front node 30 which is the nearest access point is selected. The front node 30 secures an available communication port (end node). End node 4
0E-3 converts the transmitted frame data into an image data format handled by the facsimile apparatus 100 ₃ of the connection destination,
Assemble each frame and send. End node 40E
-3 refers to the operating status of the transmission path to be transmitted, determines the transmission path to be used, and performs data transmission using the transmission path.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the data flow of one embodiment of the present invention. First, when data is input to the user host 10 from the facsimile device 100 ₁ , the facsimile device 100 ₁ calls the nearest end node 40, and the accessed end node 40
The transmission request is accepted by the facsimile input control unit 42, and the transmission request information and the transmission data are transferred to the presentation control unit 43, the session control unit 44, and the data flow control unit 45 to be converted into a data format corresponding to the transmission and transferred. To do. It is transmitted from the end node 40 to the front node 30 that manages the end node, and is transmitted from the front node 30 to the user host 10 via the gateway 20.

The presentation control unit 22 of the gateway 20 performs protocol conversion according to the protocol between the user host 10 and the gateway 20, and edits a protocol (frame) conforming to the network and data for transmission to the user host 10. .

The route control unit 21 of the gateway 20 receives a message on the network and sends a message to the network.

When data is output from the user host 10 to the facsimile machine 100, the user host 10 generates frame data based on the information request information transmitted from the sender facsimile machine 100 ₁ and the gateway 20 At the destination facsimile machine 10
0 access points are searched by region, and end nodes 40, which are access points, are accessed through the front node 30.
Transfer the frame data to. The data flow control unit 45 of the end node 40 sorts the frame data transmitted via the front node 30 as a received message for each record and transfers it to the session control unit 44.
The session control unit 44 checks the operating status of the transmission line connected to the end node 40 according to the following Table 1 and selects a transmission line capable of transmission.

The ent node 40 converts the data received from the user host 10 into a data format that can be transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 100, assembles frames, and transmits the frames to the facsimile apparatus 100 via the selected transmission path. When transmitting, the end node 40 determines the transmission path by referring to the transmission path usage status table shown in Table 1.
The transmission path indicated by "BUSY" in Table 1 indicates unusable and is selected from the transmission paths indicated by "WAIT". The number of input / output transmission lines is dynamically changed depending on the load state. When referring to the table of Table 1, port 2 is selected as an available port.

[0030]

[Table 1] FIG. 6 shows the configuration of a node system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The end node 40 shown in the figure includes a facsimile output control unit 41, a facsimile input control unit 42, a presentation control unit 43, a session control unit 44,
It is composed of a data flow control unit 45, an image DB 46, and an overlay pattern 47.

The data flow control unit 45 sorts the transmission and reception messages for each function.

The session control unit 44 determines the operating state of the transmission line under the node and determines the transmission line to be used.
Also, the received message (frame) is transferred to output control.

The facsimile output control unit 41 uses the transmission path assigned by the session control unit 44 and outputs data to the corresponding facsimile apparatus.
In addition, the output result is acquired from the facsimile device 100,
It is sent to the data flow control unit 45 as a transmission message.

The facsimile input control unit 42 uses the assigned transmission path, inputs data from the corresponding facsimile apparatus, extracts image data using the image database 46, performs code conversion processing, and edits data. The control is transferred to the data flow control unit 45 as a transmission message.

The presentation control unit 43 basically edits data according to the input medium, converts the data into a data format according to the data format of the destination, and stores the image data in the corresponding image DB. Also, data editing is performed according to other input media.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining input / output between the end node and the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The output control unit 41 of the end node is a facsimile which transmits data when data for transmission is input from the user host 10 side via the data flow control unit 45, the session control unit 44, and the presentation control unit 43. A predetermined calling process is performed on the device 100 _{3 according} to the transmission request information. The data requested to be transmitted by the user host 10 according to the transmission request information is converted into a designated data format and output to the facsimile machine 100 ₃ as fax millimeter data. At this time, it is assumed that the print attributes and print data are edited and output by referring to the information prepared in advance as the printer file PRTED. After transmission to the facsimile apparatus 100 ₃ is finished, it disconnects the facsimile machine 100 ₃ destination. The reception result is acquired from the facsimile apparatus 100 ₃ , edited, and the result is transmitted to the communication host (not shown).

When an incoming call is received from the facsimile machine 100 ₁ , the input control section 42 of the end node performs a predetermined incoming call process on the destination facsimile machine 100 _{3 according} to the transmission request information. If necessary, convert the code of the entered data.
Performs image extraction, etc. For example, when the OCR information is input, the OCR conversion table 47 is accessed and converted into a predetermined code. When the image data is input, the image database 46 is referenced to extract the image. After sending to the user host 10, from the user host 10,
The input result is acquired and edited via the gateway 20 and the front node 30, and the result is transmitted to the communication host. Further, when there is an abnormality, the result is output to the facsimile machine of the other party. The connection with the facsimile machine 100 ₁ is disconnected.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart (No. 1) showing a series of operations until input to the user host according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Step 201) The facsimile apparatus A on the transmitting side accesses the end node 40 which is the nearest access point via the network 200.

Step 202) At this time, if the accessed end node 40 is busy, another end node is selected and accessed.

Step 203) The data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus A is transferred to the facsimile input control section 42 of the end node 40.

Step 204) The facsimile input control section 42 of the end node 40 extracts the image of the transmission data from the facsimile apparatus A by referring to the image database 46. Or, from facsimile machine A to OC
The R input data is converted into a code format that can be transmitted to the user host 10 by referring to the OCR code conversion table 48 and transferred to the front node 30.

Step 205) The front node 30
It controls the data on the transfer route to the gateway 20 which transmits the transmission data, and transmits the transmission data to the gateway 2
Transfer to 0.

Step 206) The gateway 20 transfers the data as it is to the user host 10.

Step 207) Here, the user host 1
When the input result to 0 is acquired and the input is normal, the input processing is terminated, and when an error occurs,
Notify that there is an error to the facsimile device A that is the transmission source.

Although the above data input is not stored in the gateway 20 but is actually transferred from the gateway 20 to the user host 10, the transmission data is stored in the storage file 221 of the gateway 20. A case in which the data is first transferred to the user host 10 will be described.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart (No. 2) showing a series of operations until input to the user host according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Since steps 301 to 305 perform the same processing as steps 201 to 205 in FIG. 8, the description thereof will be omitted.

Step 306) The session controller 44 of the end node stores transmission data in the storage file 221 of the presentation controller 22 of the gateway 20 via the front node 30.

Step 307) When all the transmission data from the facsimile machine A is stored in the storage file 221, the gateway 20 sends the user host 1 in file units.
Transfer to 0.

In step 308, the same processing as in step 207 is performed.

Next, a case in which data is output from the user host 10 received from the facsimile apparatus A to the facsimile apparatus B will be described.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a series of operations from the user host to outputting to the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Step 401) It is judged whether the input process from the facsimile apparatus A shown in FIG. 8 or 9 is completed, and if it is not completed, the transmission data input process is executed.

Step 402) The user host 10 generates frame data for each record of the transmission data received from the facsimile apparatus A. For example, various kinds of information such as a transmission destination identification number record, a code data record, an image data record, a graph data record, etc. are created based on information requested to be transmitted.

(Step 403) In step 402, the created data is transferred to the gateway 20.

(Step 404) The gateway 20 refers to the data of one record transferred from the user host 10, determines whether or not to store the data in the storage file 221, and when storing, moves to step 411.

Step 405) In the gateway 20, when the data is transferred without being stored in the storage file 221, the front node 30 is selected and the data is transferred.

Step 406) The front node 30
The end node 40 connectable to the destination facsimile machine B is selected according to the destination area or the like, and data of one record or one file is transmitted.

Step 407) In the end node 40, the session control unit 44 searches the transmission path for the transmission path from the transmission path usage status table, and sets the transmission path based on the search result. Furthermore, the presentation control unit 4
In 3, various data is edited based on the conversion condition of one record.

For example, when the standard edit is specified as the condition, it is converted into the data of the corresponding form specified by using the overlay pattern, and when the image edit is specified as the condition, The image is referenced from the image database 46 and converted into image data.

Step 408) The end node 40 sends the facsimile device B through the facsimile output controller 41.
Send data to.

Step 409) The end node 40 acquires the transmission result transmitted to the facsimile apparatus B.

Step 410) It is judged whether or not the acquired transmission result is normal, and if the facsimile apparatus B has a reception abnormality, the facsimile apparatus A, which is the transmission source, receives it via the user host 10. Notify the abnormality. If received normally, the process ends.

Step 411) In step 404, when the data is transferred to the transmission / reception file 221 of the gateway 20 and then transferred, the data transferred from the user host 10 is input and stored in the transmission / reception file 221 one record at a time.

Step 412) The gateway 20 determines whether all the data has been transferred. If the remaining data has not been transferred, the process of step 411 is repeated for all the data.

Step 413) The gateway 20 selects the front node 30 to collectively select the data of the transmission / reception file 221, and proceeds to step 406.

In the above process, when the data transmission source facsimile apparatus A makes an inquiry about the identification number or the like to the user host 10, the user host 10
Refers to its own database, generates data for the required number of records, and transfers the data to the gateway 20. The gateway 20 selects the presence / absence of accumulation, designates the front node 30 accessed at the time of data reception, and transfers it. Thereafter, the message is returned from the front node 30 to the end node and the facsimile apparatus A.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in order to convert the data into the data format handled by the transmission destinations in the distributed end nodes without performing the editing processing such as data conversion in the gateway 20 as in the conventional case, Not only is the processing of the gateway 20 distributed, but the data format, format, communication protocol, etc. between the user host 10 and the facsimile apparatus 100 need not be limited.

Further, in the system forming the wide area network, the processing load is reduced on the network side and the processing time is reduced on the user host side by performing the processing for each access point such as the end node.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

[0074]

As described above, according to the present invention, the data transmitted from the host computer is not edited by the gateway but is transmitted by the end node which is the access point, so that the data can be transmitted without being aware of the data format of the destination. can do. In addition, since the end node of each access point performs data editing processing and the edited data is transmitted to the host computer, the host computer executes the processing without being aware that the data is from the facsimile machine. be able to.

Further, according to the present invention, by distributing the processing to each access point in the wide area network, it becomes possible for the host computer side to process a large amount of data input from the facsimile in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a sequence chart showing an outline of processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of transmission data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing an outline of an operation of transmitting data from a user host to a facsimile apparatus of a connection destination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data flow according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an end node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining input / output between an end node and a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart (No. 1) showing a series of operations up to input to a user host according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart (No. 2) showing a series of operations up to input to a user host according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a series of operations from a user host to outputting to a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a conventional system configuration diagram.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a conventional gateway.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 user host 20 gateway 21 path control unit 22 presentation control unit 23 file transmitting / receiving unit 24 data communication unit 30 front node 40E, 41E, 42E end node 41 facsimile output control unit 42 facsimile input control unit 43 presentation control unit 44 session control unit 45 Data flow control unit 46 Image database 47 Overlay pattern 48 OCR code conversion table 90 Transmission request information 91 Destination identification number 92 Source identification number 93 Reply presence / absence information 94 Image data 221 Storage file 100 Facsimile device 300 Node system 410 Buffer 420 Data conversion unit 430 data conversion table

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of relay processing devices (40E-1) to which a plurality of terminals (100) are connected, and a host computer (1) from a terminal via the relay processing devices (40E-1).
In the data processing system for transmitting data to 0), the relay processing device (40E-1) is provided with a data conversion means (43) for converting data into a data format handled by the host computer (10). And data processing system. 2. A network has a plurality of access points (40E-1), and the terminal (100) transmits the access points selected by the terminal (100) to the host computer (1).
In the network service system for transmitting data to 0), the access point (40E-1) is provided with a data conversion means (43) for converting data into a data format handled by the host computer (10). Network service system.