JPH0837586A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read in an original, to transfer the original from a feeder part and to enable another transmission to be performed when a storable state is set by inputting transmission designating time, an opposite number and the number of transmission originals. CONSTITUTION:The transmission designating time is inputted from an operating part 17 and stored in memory. and the opposite number is inputted from the operating part 17 and stored in the memory. and the number of transmission originals is also inputted from the operating part 17 and stored in the memory. The free capacity of image memory 16 is calculated. Required capacity to store all the originals is compared with the free capacity, and when the latter exceeds the former, the original is read by a scanner 18, and accumulated in the image memory 16. When transmission time arrives while such accumulation is being performed, data in the image memory 16 is transmitted, and after that, the original in the feeder part is transmitted after it is read by the scanner 18. When all the data in the image memory 16 are transmitted completely, the image memory 16 is erased. then, transmission is completed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for reducing the number of documents on a feeder as much as possible when performing memory transmission by facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a technique in which an image memory is provided in a facsimile machine so that the contents of an original can be stored in the image memory before being transmitted. Especially, when transmitting at a designated time. Since the contents of the original are stored in the image memory, the original can be removed from the feeder section (original table), and the original can be transmitted when the feeder section is empty. At the specified time, the contents of the document in the image memory will be read from the image memory and automatically sent.
When completed, the contents of the image memory are erased.

[0003]

However, the capacity that can be stored in the image memory is limited, and it may not be possible to store all the originals depending on the content of the originals, the number of originals, and the number of reservations for time designated transmission. In other words, if there is a memory communication reservation in advance and the free space in the image memory is small and there is not enough free space to read the original, let the original be read and
When the data is stored in the image memory, the capacity of the image memory becomes full in the middle of the document, and all the document contents read and stored until then are canceled. Therefore, the original is left on the feeder unit and is transmitted at the designated time. Therefore, even if another operator tried to send, the original could not be sent because the original was on the feeder.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the original cannot be completely read, the setting is made so that the document is transmitted from the feeder unit, and as soon as the image memory has a free space, it is read by that amount.
The original on the feeder is eliminated as much as possible.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The problems to be solved by the present invention are as described above. To solve the problems, a facsimile apparatus equipped with an image memory and capable of memory communication is used to calculate the document capacity. Process, a process of calculating the free space of the image memory, a process of comparing the two capacities, a process of leaving the original document on the feeder unit when the free space of the image memory is smaller than the original document capacity, When there is at least one page free in the image memory, the original is read,
Means for performing processing for storing in the image memory is provided.

Further, the facsimile apparatus is provided with means for inputting the number of originals and means for displaying the empty state of the image memory, and processing for calculating the original capacity from the number of originals,
If there is not enough space in the image memory to store all the originals,
A means for performing processing for holding the original document in the feeder unit and displaying that it cannot be stored and for storing the original document in the image memory as soon as the image memory becomes available is provided.

Further, in the above-mentioned facsimile apparatus, a transmission time setting means is provided, a process for designating a time, a process for registering as a transmission from the feeder section when there is no free space in the image memory, and a vacant space before the designated time are created. In this case, a means for reading the original and storing it in the image memory is provided.

[0008]

By using such means, if the designated transmission time, the other party's number and the number of originals to be transmitted are entered, all the originals can be automatically transmitted at the designated time if all the originals can be stored in the image memory. If the image cannot be stored in the memory and the free space in the image memory increases due to other transmissions by the specified time and the storage becomes possible, the original is read, the original is removed from the feeder, and other transmissions become possible. .

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a facsimile, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a flowchart showing a document reading operation.

In FIG. 1, an operation panel 2 is arranged on the front side of an upper part of a main body case 1 of a facsimile apparatus, a scanner 18 which is a document reading device is arranged below the operation panel 2, and a document supply tray 3 is provided on the rear side thereof. Are arranged so that the originals can be fed one by one to configure the feeder section. A paper discharge port 4 is provided in the lower rear portion of the document supply tray 3, a recording unit and a control circuit board are stored in the main body case 1, and a paper feed cassette 5 for storing the recording paper is arranged below.

On the upper surface of the operation panel 2, there are a ten-key pad 6 serving as a document number input means and a transmission time setting means, a one-touch dial key 7, a copy key 8, a memory communication key 9, and a start key 11 for communication. A liquid crystal display 10 is provided, which is a means for displaying dialed numbers, operating methods, alarms and the like and an empty state of the image memory.

As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit configuration of the facsimile includes a main control unit 13 for controlling the entire facsimile.
In addition, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 14, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 15, an image memory 16, an operation unit 17 such as operation keys on the operation panel 2 and a liquid crystal panel, a scanner 18, a modem 19, a printer 22 and the like. Are connected.

A control program is stored in the ROM 14, and a memory communication program described later is also stored therein. The RAM 15 temporarily reads an input signal from the operation unit 17, a command signal, a signal from the line, and the like. The image memory 16 temporarily stores the content of the document read by the scanner 18 when performing memory communication, and also stores a certain amount of transmission content when the recording paper runs out upon reception.

The scanner 18 is for reading a document, and the printer 22 prints image data communicated at the time of reception or makes a copy at the time of copying. The modem 19 is an NCU (network control unit)
It is connected to a telephone line 21 via 20 and modulates and demodulates transmission / reception data, and also generates and detects command signals and the like. The main control unit 13 calculates a document capacity, which will be described later, a process of calculating a free space of an image memory, a process of holding a document in a feeder unit when there is no free space, and a process of storing a document when there is a free space. It serves as a means for performing a reading process and controls the scanner 18, the reading drive unit, the modem 19, the printer, and the like.

In such a configuration, when performing memory communication, set the document to be transmitted on the document supply tray 3, select memory communication with the operation unit, input the designated transmission time, and input the telephone number. Then, these data are RAM
The document is stored in 15, and the document is read by the scanner 18, and the content thereof is stored in the image memory 16.

When the designated time comes, the other party is called, and when the other party is ready to receive, the image memory 16
Further reading, when the data in the image memory 16 is exhausted, the transmission is terminated and the image memory is erased.

In such a fax transmission, the free space of the image memory 16 for the transmission original is sufficiently secured. When the number of memory transmissions is two or three, the image memory 16 cannot be stored in the image memory and the time is transmitted. When the designated transmission is performed, the original is left on the original supply tray 2, and the later sender cannot send the original.

Therefore, the present invention processes as shown in the flow chart of FIG. That is, first, the designated transmission time is input from the operation unit 17 and stored in the memory (S1), and the partner number is input from the operation unit 17 and stored in the memory (S1).
2) The number of originals to be transmitted is also input from the operation unit 17 and stored in the memory (S3) [this is stored in the A register (reg) of the main control unit 13]. Then, the free space of the image memory 16 is calculated (S4). This free space is expressed in bytes and is X bytes.

Next, assuming that the amount of image memory consumed when a standard original is read by a scanner is N bytes, the required amount of memory for the original to be transmitted is calculated as A register × N bytes (S5), and this transmission is performed. The required capacity for storing all originals to be stored is calculated as Y bytes. However, when the standard original is read, if the designated linear density is different, the storage capacity N bytes is different, and this N bytes can be changed so that the operation unit can change the setting of the storage bytes of the standard original. This Y byte is compared with the X byte of the free space (S
6) If there is more free space, the document is read by the scanner 18 and stored in the image memory 16 (S7).
When the transmission time comes during this accumulation, the data in the image memory is transmitted, and then the document in the feeder is read by the scanner and transmitted.

When all the originals are read into the image memory and the memory is not over at this time (S8), when the transmission time comes (S9), when the other party is called and the transmission / reception is ready, the data in the image memory is read. Is sent to the other party (S10), and if there is a document on the feeder section (S11), it is sent. However, in this case, there is no document on the document supply tray because all the documents have been read into the image memory 16, After sending all the data, erase the image memory (S1
3) Then, the transmission is completed.

In step S6, if the free space is small (Y ≧ X), the entire original cannot be stored in the image memory (there is a possibility that the original can be stored depending on the content of the original), so the original remains on the original supply tray 3. Before the transmission time (S14), the process returns to step S4 so as to calculate the free space of the image memory. At this time, when the content of the original document previously stored in the image memory is communicated with the memory and the free space increases to reach the capacity for storing the entire original document, the process proceeds to step 7. At step S14, when the transmission time comes with the original document placed on the original supply tray 3, the process proceeds to step S10, and the original is sent from the feeder section.

In step S8, the calculation can be stored in the image memory. Therefore, when the document to be transmitted is stored in the image memory and the content of the document is larger than that of the standard document, for example, a photograph or a detailed drawing is included. When sending a document, the memory capacity of the image memory is exceeded. At this time, along with an alarm, "Do you want to save only the storage completed page?" Is displayed on the display 10 (S15), and the operator is prompted to respond. If not saved, the contents of this document are deleted from the image memory (S16).

In step S15, if only the pages for which storage is completed are to be saved in the image memory, the number of completed pages is subtracted from the number of originals, the remaining number is stored in the A register, and the process proceeds to step S14. Similarly to the above, if there is a free space before the transmission time, it is read, and at the transmission time as it is, the contents in the image memory are transmitted, and then the document on the feeder unit is transmitted.

[0024]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects. That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the image memory is full and the original cannot be read during the memory transmission, conventionally, the original must be removed and waited until the free space of the image memory can be secured. However, even if you leave the original on the feeder, it will be automatically read as soon as there is space in the memory, and the operator does not need to check the free space once set, and the original of the feeder If there is no more, the next operator can operate.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the transmission is set, whether or not all the originals can be stored in the image memory is displayed in advance so that it is possible to reduce the possibility that the memory becomes full during the storage of the originals. An error will occur and the operation will not be repeated, and the original will be read as soon as the memory is empty for the number of originals specified for the number of memories, so the image memory can be used effectively and the originals in the feeder section can be eliminated as soon as possible. Can be sent sooner.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the original can be automatically registered as a transmission from the feeder unit, and the original can be left as it is. The document can be stored in the image memory even before and the document can be removed from the feeder unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a facsimile.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a document reading operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Operation panel 3 Original supply tray 9 Memory send key 10 Display 16 Image memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having an image memory and capable of memory communication, the processing comprising:
A process of calculating the free space of the image memory, a process of comparing the two capacities, a process of leaving the document placed on the feeder unit when the free space of the image memory is smaller than the document capacity, and at least the image memory. When one page is available,
A facsimile apparatus having means for reading the original document and storing it in an image memory. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a document number input means and a means for displaying a vacant state of the image memory, calculating the document capacity from the number of documents, and storing all documents in the image memory. A facsimile machine having means for holding a document in a feeder unit when there is not enough space to store it, displaying that the document cannot be stored, and storing the document in the image memory as soon as there is space in the image memory. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission time setting means for specifying a time,
A facsimile apparatus having means for performing processing of registering as transmission from a feeder unit when there is no free space in the image memory, and processing of reading an original and storing it in the image memory when space becomes available before a specified time.