JPH08251369A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To realize a facsimile equipment having provision for various communication forms flexibly. CONSTITUTION: An operation section 4 is provided with numeral keys and transfers entered numerals to a control section 1. The control section 1 is provided with various control functions for the facsimile equipment, a manual setting control section 11 and an analysis section 12. The manual setting control section 1 edits a text of a nonstandard function setting signal to an opposite equipment by using the numeric value from the operation section 4 to be a numeral corresponding to the nonstandard function setting signal directly. The analysis section 1 discriminates whether or not the opposite equipment has a function requested by its own equipment based on a bit level representing a capability of the nonstandard function identification signal received from the opposite equipment.

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 various forms (functions) performed by this facsimile machine.
The present invention relates to a configuration for flexibly setting transmission / reception of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Facsimile apparatuses for transferring images via communication lines are widely used today. Such a facsimile machine transmits and receives an image of a document and
Other additional functions include various functions such as broadcast communication and confidential communication. Of these functions, for example, when the confidential transmission function is used, the user operates a key corresponding to the confidential transmission. As a result, the facsimile device creates a communication message corresponding to confidential transmission, and transmits it to the partner device.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional facsimile machine, when performing communication operations of various forms (functions), it is natural that the facsimile machine is provided with a structure corresponding to such a function in advance. Must be That is, it is necessary to prepare in advance a function such as an operation key for performing such an operation and a display on the display unit, and a new function cannot be added later.

In image communication, various functions have been developed, and a facsimile apparatus having such a function is used. However, even if the facsimile machine on the receiving side has a new function, if the facsimile machine on the transmitting side does not support this, as a result,
You will not be able to utilize its function. Then, in order to make such an existing facsimile device compatible with a new communication mode, it is necessary to change the control unit and the operation unit, but this is very difficult. Further, even in the newly developed facsimile machine, it is necessary to design in advance in consideration of various communication forms, which causes an increase in development cost.

From these points, it has been desired to realize a facsimile apparatus capable of flexibly coping with various communication modes without changing the control unit and the operation unit.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention uses a numerical value input from an operating section equipped with numerical keys as a numerical value directly corresponding to a non-standard function setting signal. By doing so, a manual setting control unit for editing the telegram of the non-standard function setting signal to the partner device is provided.

[0007]

In the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, the manual setting control section operates when manual setting is performed. First, when an arbitrary numerical value is input, the operation unit transfers it to the manual setting control unit. Then, the manual setting control unit recognizes the received numerical value as information of the non-standard function setting signal and directly uses this numerical value to create the non-standard function setting signal. After that, the communication control unit transmits the non-standard function setting signal created by the manual setting control unit to the partner device.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention. The illustrated apparatus includes a control unit 1, a reading unit 2, a printing unit 3, an operation unit 4, a display unit 5, and a communication control unit 6.
Consists of The control unit 1 is a unit that controls the facsimile apparatus such as image processing and transmission / reception control, and includes a manual setting control unit 11 and an analysis unit 12.

The manual setting control unit 11 directly inputs the numerical value input from the operation unit 4 to a non-standard function setting signal (NSS: Non-
Standard facilities Set-up) has a function of forming a non-standard function setting signal (hereinafter, referred to as NSS) to the partner device. The analysis unit 12 receives the non-standard function identification signal (NSF: Non-function) received from the partner device.
Standard facilities) has a function to check whether or not the device has the corresponding function based on the bit that represents the capability. In addition, hereinafter, the non-standard function identification signal is referred to as NSF.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus showing a specific configuration of the control unit 1. As shown in the figure, the control unit 1 comprises a microprocessor 1a and a main memory 1b, and the main memory 1b is provided with a program storage area 1b-1 and an NSS editing area 1b-2. Programs for configuring the control unit 1 in FIG. 1 are stored in the program storage area 1b-1, and the microprocessor 1a executes these programs, whereby the manual setting control unit 11 and the analysis in the control unit 1 are performed. The function of the section 12 is realized. Also, NSS
The edit area 1b-2 is a memory area for the manual setting control unit 11 to edit the NSS.

The reading unit 2 optically reads a transmission document and sends it as image data to the control unit 1. The printing unit 3 records the data received from the control unit 1 on a recording sheet. The operation unit 4 is composed of preset function keys, numeric keys (numeric keys), etc., and sends a signal corresponding to a specific key to the control unit 1. Display unit 5
Is a display unit for displaying operation contents, reception results, and the like. The communication control unit 6 is a control unit for performing communication control with the communication line 7, such as sending the NSS telegram set by the manual setting control unit 11 to the communication line 7.

Next, the operation of the facsimile apparatus having the above configuration will be described. Note that the document is read by the reading unit 2 and the control unit 1
Since the operation of transferring the data to the partner device, the reception from the partner device and the printing of the reception result are the same as those of the known facsimile device, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

Further, as an example of various communication modes, a case of performing confidential communication will be described below. Here, confidential communication is communication of a specific personal document or confidential document using a password. At the receiving side, the received information is temporarily stored in a memory or the like, and this can be entered by entering the password. It can be taken out.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the NSS format and shows the case of confidential communication. In the figure, the identifier representing the NSS of the first field is the NSS
It is for showing that. In addition, the country code is a code assigned in advance to each country, and the manufacturer code is a code similarly determined for each manufacturer. And this identifier, country code,
The manufacturer code is ITU-T recommendation T.264. It is predetermined at 30.

The fields after this are contents unique to each maker, and the portion B is fixedly assigned according to various communication modes.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the NSS configuration in the case of confidential transmission, and this configuration is a numerical example of the portion B in FIG. Here, the underlined portion is data indicating the contents of NSS, and the first data “00” indicates that the communication mode is confidential transmission. The next data indicates the data length, and in this example, "0C" indicates that the data length is 12 bytes. Further, the next "00" indicates confidential transmission, and "01" indicates that the data for that is 1 byte and confidential transmission is ON. Similarly, "01" indicates that the next field is a password, "04" has a length of 4 bytes, and "31 32 33 34" has a password of "123".
4 ". Further, the next field" 02 "is a confidential number, the data length of which is" 01 "is 1 byte, and the confidential number is" 03 "which is" 3 ".

The configuration shown here is one example of the confidential transmission, and the numerical values and functions indicating the confidential transmission are not necessarily limited to this example.

Next, taking such confidential transmission as an example, description will be given assuming that the confidential transmission function is provided in advance, that is, the control unit 1 in FIG. 1 has this function. When performing confidential communication, it is necessary to input various kinds of information in accordance with an operation procedure determined in advance by the control unit 1. Note that this operation procedure is specifically stored in the program storage area 1b-1 of the main memory 1b. First, a confidential communication key or a function selection key of the operation unit 4 is used to input information indicating that the communication is confidential, and then a password and a confidential number are input. As a result, the control unit 1 recognizes that it is confidential communication and forms the NSS based on the input content. Then, the communication control unit 6 transmits this.

Next, a case where the control unit 1 does not have such a function will be described. When the user wants to use the function with such a device, the operation by the manual setting control unit 11 is performed. First, a mode for manually inputting numerical values for NSS is selected. As a result, the manual setting control unit 11 starts operation, and the manual setting control unit 11 performs a predetermined NSS editing process as follows.

The manual setting controller 11 first edits the portion A in FIG. Incidentally, this is specifically formed in the NSS edit area 1b-2 of the main memory 1b. The manual setting control unit 11 transfers the numerical value input from the operation unit 4 to the NSS editing area 1b-2. The numerical value transferred to the NSS edit area 1b-2 is transferred to the B portion as it is. The manual setting control unit 11 is operated to end the numerical value input from the operation unit 4.
Let us know. The manual setting control unit 11 finishes the editing of the NSS and instructs the communication control unit 6 to transmit to the partner device. In this way, the numerical value input from the operation unit 4 can be directly edited as NSS.

This numerical value input operation is carried out interactively by sequentially displaying input messages to the operating section 4 on the display section 5, but the manual setting control section 11 is provided with a numerical value storage function to store the input numerical value. It may be configured such that this is made to correspond to the abbreviated key and the like, and thereafter, the setting is performed by operating the abbreviated key. Further, in the above example, the NSS editing is configured by using the NSS editing area 1b-2, but this area is not always indispensable, as long as the numerical value from the operation unit 4 can be directly edited in the NSS, The configuration may be.

Next, a description will be given of the process of connecting to the facsimile machine on the other side when such a manual setting is performed. Figure 5
Is the sequence chart. First, the manual setting control unit 11 on the calling side forms an NSS by the above-described operation and sends a calling signal (Ring) to the partner device. As a result, the facsimile machine on the other side can call the CED (Call
ed Station Identification: Sends out a called terminal identification signal, and further, NSF, DIS (Digital Identification)
Signal: Digital identification signal) is returned. And
Upon receipt of this, the calling side device causes the analysis unit 12 to perform a bit check of the partner side device.

FIG. 6 is a communication message from the partner device. That is, the analysis unit 12 checks the confidential ability in the confidential communication of the B portion from the received communication message. As for the bit indicating this capability, "01" is ON (capable), "0"
"0" is set to OFF (no ability), and here "0"
Therefore, it is determined that confidential communication is possible. And
After that, confidential communication is performed by NSS.

As described above, in order to check whether the analysis unit 12 supports the function of the partner device, for example, even though the partner facsimile device does not have the newly added communication mode, It is possible to prevent a situation in which a new communication mode is entered and a malfunction occurs.

[0025]

As described above, according to the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, since the contents of the non-standard function setting signal are directly input by the numerical value input from the operation unit by the manual setting control unit, various kinds of operations are possible. Various communication modes can be realized without setting the communication mode (function) in the facsimile device in advance. Therefore, a new communication mode can be added without changing the operation unit and the control unit. That is, even when a new communication service is added to the existing facsimile apparatus, it is possible to deal with no change (no need to change the program or the operation unit).
Further, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated key corresponding to various communication modes, and the operation unit can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a control unit in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an NSS format in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an NSS configuration in the case of confidential transmission in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart of communication connection processing in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a communication message from a partner device in the facsimile device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 control part 4 operation part 6 communication control part 11 manual setting control part 12 analysis part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A non-standard device for a partner device, which comprises a numeric keypad for performing an arbitrary input, and a numerical value input from the operation unit, which is directly a numerical value corresponding to a non-standard function setting signal A facsimile apparatus comprising: a manual setting control unit that edits a message of a function setting signal; and a communication control unit that transmits a communication message output by the manual setting control unit. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partner device has a function required by the partner device based on a value of a bit indicating a capability in a nonstandard function identification signal received from the partner device. A facsimile apparatus comprising an analysis unit for determining whether or not there is a facsimile.