JPH0897996A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To ease harmful effect due to univocal rejection of reception, receiving image information under certain conditions while rejecting reception of information of undesired source document, by receiving image information even if a specified sender is an unregistered one in the case where the value of count reaches a prescribed one. CONSTITUTION: The facsimile equipment is provided with a reception number count means counting the number of times of reception from a sender when a specified sender is not registered in a sender registration means 21 and with a management information latch means latching identification information and a count through cross-reference, and also with a comparison means comparing the count with a prescribed value, and an image storage means 13 storing the received image information. When the count reaches a prescribed number of times, even when the specified sender is not registered in the sender registration means 21, the image information is received and stored in the image storage means 13. Thus, a defect of definite reception reject is relaxed while preventing occupancy of a memory.

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 which restricts incoming calls according to the other party.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of facsimile machines,
It is not uncommon to use facsimile machines not only in offices and shops but also in general households. However, with the spread of facsimile machines, there have been an increasing number of cases in which direct mail or the like that has conventionally been mailed to each recipient is transmitted by facsimile. In the case of mailing as before, you can simply discard the delivered mail, but in the case of fax transmission, you cannot use the fax machine while receiving direct mail, and record it. There is also the actual damage of wasting consumables including paper. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a facsimile apparatus as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-23674 has been conventionally proposed. In such a facsimile device, it is determined whether or not the communication partner of the document transmission is registered in advance, and if it is not registered, the received document information is stored in the memory and the operator confirms the content. Printing is made only when it is deemed necessary. Therefore, according to this facsimile device, it is possible to solve the above-mentioned actual damage without wasting consumable items such as recording paper.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned facsimile machine, since all the manuscript information including unneeded ones is received as a result, the problem that the line is occupied and the facsimile machine cannot be used is still solved. Not done. However, if you simply refuse to receive from unregistered recipients and simply try to prevent the line from being occupied, you will find that the originals from the recipients who were accidentally unregistered should be registered. I rejected all the information,
There is a problem that even the required manuscript is not received. Further, in the above-mentioned facsimile machine, since the original document information received from the unregistered sender is kept in the memory,
The document information occupies the memory, and unless the operator frequently confirms the contents and deletes the file, overflow of the memory occurs, which may cause an adverse effect on the originally required transmission and reception of the document information. Further, in the above-mentioned facsimile apparatus, when transmitting the manuscript information from an unregistered sender, the sender must be requested to register in advance or the manuscript information received in the memory should be immediately printed. However, it is possible to make a registration request or a print request only if the transmission source operator has previously recognized that the transmission destination facsimile machine has the above-mentioned function. The sending operator has no idea of that. Therefore,
The transmission source operator normally transmits the manuscript information, and since the transmission destination receives the memory, the transmission is normally completed on the surface, which gives the illusion that the transmission destination is printed. Therefore, even if the transmitted document is treated as urgent, the document information may be left as it is in the memory.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and rejects the reception of unnecessary manuscript information such as direct mail to reduce the line occupation due to the reception of unnecessary manuscript information. An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that alleviates the harmful effects of unique reception refusal by receiving image information under a certain condition even if it is not registered and is not subject to reception permission. Another object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus in which unnecessary document information such as direct mail is prevented from occupying the memory and the memory usage efficiency is improved. A further object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus which prevents document information from being left as it is stored in a memory.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above-mentioned object is to establish a sender registration means for registering a sender that receives a reception, and a line connection,
A transmission source detecting means for identifying the transmission source based on the identification information transmitted from the transmission source, and a reception possibility determining means for determining whether or not the identified transmission source is registered in the transmission source registration means. If the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means, and the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means in the facsimile apparatus that refuses to receive the image information. A reception number counting unit that counts the number of times of reception from the transmission source, a management information holding unit that holds the identification information and the count value in association with each other, and a comparison unit that compares the count value with a predetermined value. An image storage means for storing the received image information,
When the counted value has reached a predetermined number of times, the image information is received and held in the image storage means even if the identified transmission source is a transmission source not registered in the transmission source registration means. Is achieved by a facsimile machine that

[0006] Further, the above object is to provide a sender registration means for registering a sender that accepts a reception, and a sender detection means for specifying a sender based on identification information sent from the sender when a line is connected, Receivability determination means for determining whether or not the specified transmission source is registered in the transmission source registration means, and when the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means, In a facsimile apparatus that refuses to receive information, when the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means, reception number counting means for counting the number of receptions from the transmission source, the identification information, and the total Management information holding means for holding numerical values in association with each other, comparing means for comparing the count value with a predetermined value, image storing means for storing received image information, and received image information for the image storing means. In the case of holding, the notification means for notifying that the received image information from the unregistered sender is held, and when the count value reaches a predetermined number of times, the specified sender sends the transmission The present invention is achieved by a facsimile apparatus characterized by receiving image information even if it is a sender not registered in the original registration means, holding the image information in the image storage means, and notifying that the received image information is held. .

[0007]

In the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the reception of the image information is received by the memory when the number of times the reception is repeated is received even if the reception is from the sender which is not the object of the reception permission. , While preventing the memory occupation
It is possible to mitigate the harmful effects of the unique reception refusal.

Since the facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention notifies that the image information from the sender which is not subject to the reception permission is received in the memory, the necessary image information is accumulated in the memory. It can be prevented.

In the facsimile apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the operation procedure for printing or erasing the image information received in the memory is also notified, the operator who confirms the notification content can immediately take necessary measures. .

In the facsimile apparatus according to the invention of claim 4, the operator confirming the notification content is simply notified because the operation procedure for making the transmission source out of the reception permission object the reception permission object is also notified. The registration operation can be performed by simple operation.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

In the figure, 10 is a scanner for reading an original at a predetermined linear density, and 11 is an image information to be recorded, which is printed out on a recording paper surface by an electrophotographic system or a thermal recording system using a laser writing system. It's a plotter. 12
Is an operation display unit including various operation keys and a display, which is used for the operator to input various information and instructions and to display various guidance information to the operator. Further, 13 is an image storage unit for storing image information, 14 is an encoding / decoding unit for compressing and encoding image information by a known encoding method, and reproducing and decoding the compression-encoded image information, Reference numeral 15 is a network control unit having an automatic call-in / out function and having a connection I / F function for connection with a public telephone line network such as detection of a calling signal and closing of a line, and 16 is a communication partner and the ITU.
T Recommendation T. A communication control unit such as 30 for executing a predetermined transmission control procedure, and 17 is a modem equipped with a low-speed modem for exchanging transmission control procedure signals and a high-speed modem for exchanging mainly image information. Further, 18 is a ROM in which a program necessary for system control is stored, 19 is a system control section for controlling the entire facsimile apparatus according to the program of the ROM 18, and 20 is a system control section 19
The RAMs and 21 constituting the work area of No. 1 are backed up by a battery (not shown), and various parameters necessary for controlling the facsimile apparatus, such as the result of transmission / reception, the number of transmitted / received originals, and image information reception No. A parameter memory for storing, etc., 22 is a character display on the display of the operation display unit 12 and various reports from the plotter 11,
A character generator 23 converts the code information into pattern information when the list is output, and 23 is a clock circuit for clocking the date and time and a predetermined period.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and FIG. Note that each step in FIG. 3 is performed by the system control unit 19 unless otherwise specified.
Shall be performed by.

In FIG. 3, when the network control unit 15 detects an incoming call, the line is closed, and the communication control unit 16 starts a transmission control procedure with the transmission source via the modem 17. Here, as an example of the transmission control procedure, ITU-T Recommendation T.264. 30 will be described as an example. However, since the recommendation itself is already known, only the part related to the present embodiment will be described here. In the transmission control procedure, an NSS (non-standard function setting signal) is sent from the transmission source, so the transmission source identification information included therein is detected, and the transmission source is confirmed based on this signal (step 301). Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the NS
The source identification information sent in S will be described as an example.
As the transmission source identification information, TSI (transmission terminal identification signal) or polling ID can be used in addition to the above NSS, in short, as long as it is information that can individually identify an unspecified number of transmission sources. May be used.

Next, it is judged whether or not the confirmed transmission source is registered in the receivable transmission source table set in the parameter memory 21 (step 302). The receivable transmission source table is a table in which the operator operates the operation keys of the operation display unit 12 to input the name or telephone number of the transmission source and registers the transmission sources permitted to receive in advance. If the confirmed transmission source is registered in the receivable transmission source table (YES in step 302), reception is performed as usual (step 303), the received image information is immediately printed out from the plotter 11, and the reception operation is ended. To do.

On the other hand, if the confirmed transmission source is not registered in the receivable transmission source table (step 302N).
O), then check the management table (step 304),
It is determined whether or not the transmission source is registered in the management table (step 305). Here, the management table will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of the management table according to the present invention, which is set in the parameter memory 21. Information extracted from the above-mentioned NSS is stored in the transmission source identification information column, and the final reception date and time and the total number of receptions received from the transmission source are stored in the final reception date and time column and the reception frequency column, respectively. Although three transmission sources are shown in the figure, this is merely an example for explanation, and as will be described later, the number of registrations gradually increases up to a predetermined number when reception is repeated.

Returning to FIG. 3 again, when the transmission source is registered in the management table (YES in step 305), the last reception date / time column of the corresponding transmission source is confirmed, and the clock circuit 23
If a certain time or more has elapsed since the last reception date and time compared to the current date and time (NO in step 306), the reception count column of the same transmission source is reset to "0" (step 307), and then a new one is obtained. The number of receptions “1” is registered in (step 308). If it is within a certain time (step 3)
06YES), and skips step 307 and counts up the number of receptions by 1 (step 308). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the reception number column is equal to or larger than a predetermined value (step 309), and if the predetermined value is not reached (step 309 NO), the clock circuit 23 is referred to and the last reception date and time column is set to the current value. The time is updated (step 317), and the network control unit 15 unilaterally disconnects the line to interrupt the receiving operation (step 318). In step 306,
Besides the method of determining whether or not a predetermined time or more has passed from the last reception date and time, the determination can be made based on the average number of receptions per unit time or the average time interval between each reception.
Further, it is desirable that the predetermined number of times in step 309 is set to at least 4 or more in consideration of the fact that the normal facsimile device automatically repeats redialing about three times when the transmission has not been reached.

On the other hand, when the number of receptions column of the management table is equal to or larger than the predetermined value (step 309 YES),
The last reception date and time column is updated to the current date and time by referring to the clock circuit 23 (step 310), image information is received from the transmission source and is temporarily stored in the image storage unit 13 (step 311).
Even if the plotter 11 is in a printable state, this received image information is not immediately printed out, but a report as shown in FIG. 4 is printed out from the plotter 11 to ask the operator's judgment (step 312). . As shown in FIG. 4, management information, which will be described later, is displayed in the upper part of the report, and a part of the received image information read from the image storage unit 13 (for example, a part of the first page) is displayed in the lower part. Is displayed. An operator who sees this report can judge the necessity of print output by referring to the contents of the received image information displayed at the bottom of the report and the sender name displayed at the top of the report. An operation procedure for printing out the received image information, an operation procedure for erasing the received image information, and an operation procedure for registering the transmission source in the receivable transmission source table are also shown as guidance. As for the character information in the upper part of the report, the system control unit 19 reads necessary information from the management table and the parameter memory 21 and the current date and time from the clock circuit 23, and the code information is converted into pattern information by the character generator 22. Can be converted and created. In addition, the operation display unit 1
If the second display has a relatively large display area, it is possible to use the display instead of printing the report.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, even if the transmission source is not registered in the receivable transmission source table, the transmission source that has transmitted a certain number of times within a certain time is The image information is received in the memory and a report is printed out to notify the operator of the existence of the image information. In addition, considering that the sender has sent a certain number of times or more within a certain time, it is predicted that the same sender should be registered in the receivable sender table, and the report The registration procedure is also shown.

On the other hand, if the transmission source is not registered in the management table in step 305 (step 30
5NO), it is determined whether or not there is still a space in the management table described above (step 313), and if a predetermined number of transmission sources have already been registered and there is no space (step 313N).
O), comparing with the current date and time by the clock circuit 23, the sender that has passed a certain time or more from the last received date and time is extracted, and the sender identification information column, the last received date and time column regarding the sender,
All the reception count fields are deleted (step 314) and the new transmission source confirmed in step 301 is registered in the transmission source identification information column (step 315). If the management table has a free space (YES in step 313), step 314 is skipped and a new transmission source is registered in the transmission source identification information column (step 315). Then, the number of times of reception "1" is newly registered in the number of times of reception field (step 316), and the current date and time is registered in the last reception date and time field with reference to the clock circuit 23 (step 317). Unilaterally disconnects the line and interrupts the receiving operation (step 318).

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, with respect to the transmission sources which are not registered in the receivable transmission source table, the reception is rejected but the reception is registered in the management table, and the above-mentioned step 306 and the following steps are performed. There is room to move to the flow. Therefore, if the sender whose reception is rejected tries to resend several times, it will be the target of the report printout, and it will be registered in the receivable sender table according to the operator's judgment and normally received from the next transmission. become.

Here, the operation procedure when the operator who sees the report registers the transmission source in the receivable transmission source table will be described according to the operation flow of FIG. The figure shows a state of display on the operation display unit 12. First, when the operator who saw the report shown in FIG. 4 determines that the transmission source needs to be registered in the receivable transmission source table, the operator follows the guidance shown on the report in the waiting state shown in FIG. The operation key of the operation display unit 12 is operated to input the function 75. Then, the mode is changed to the receivable transmission source table registration mode, one piece of transmission source identification information is read from the management table, and is displayed on the display as shown in FIG. When the displayed transmission source is different from the transmission source to be registered, the operation display unit 12 returns NO.
When the key is pressed, the next transmission source identification information is read out from the management table and displayed on the display as shown in FIG. Similarly, if you continue to press the NO key, the sender is displayed cyclically, and if you press the YES key on the operation display unit 12 while the desired sender is displayed, the sender reads the sender from the management table. It is sent out, transferred to the receivable transmission source table, registered in the same table, and is subject to normal reception from the next reception. After the registration operation is completed by pressing the YES key, or when the cancel operation is performed without pressing the YES key, the display display returns to the initial standby state as shown in FIG.

Further, when the function 55 is input from the standby state of FIG. 5, it becomes a mode in which the memory receives and the received image information accumulated in the image accumulating section 13 is printed out. Similarly, when the function 25 is inputted from the standby state, the memory is received. This is a mode in which the received image information received and stored in the image storage unit 13 is erased. In these modes, the reception No. shown in the report of FIG. When the operation key of the operation display unit 12 is input, the system control unit 19 refers to the parameter memory 21 and receives the acceptance number. The address of the image storage unit 13 where the received image information corresponding to is stored is specified, and the received image information stored at this address is printed out or erased. Incidentally, when the print output is normally completed, the corresponding received image information is erased from the image storage unit 13. As is clear from the above description, in the present invention, the report is not only a means for notifying the operator,
It is also used as a guidance means for operations that the operator must perform along with the printed output of the report. Also, when registering a desired transmission source in the receivable transmission source table, it is sufficient to press the YES key in accordance with the display, and it is not necessary to enter the characters one by one.

As is clear from the above description, the receivable transmission source table is the transmission source registration means of the present invention, the transmission source confirmation means in step 301 is the transmission source detection means, and the determination in step 302 is The reception availability determination unit corresponds to the counts in Steps 308 and 316 to the reception number counting unit, the management table to the management information holding unit, the comparison in Step 309 to the comparison unit, and the image storage unit 13 to the image storage unit. To do. Further, the notification means is configured by the plotter 11 or display, the system control unit 19, the management table, the parameter memory 21, and the character generator 22 having the above-described mutual relationship.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the reception from the sender which is not subject to the reception permission is rejected and is not stored in the memory, unnecessary manuscript information such as direct mail is received. The line and memory occupancy is reduced, and even if the senders are not subject to receiving permission, the image information is received and held in the memory only when the number of times of receiving from the same sender reaches a predetermined value. Therefore, while using the memory efficiently, it is possible to mitigate the harmful effects due to the unique reception refusal.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the operator is notified that the image information from the sender which is not subject to the reception permission is received in the memory, the originally necessary image information is retained in the memory. It can be prevented from being left unattended, and if the received received image information is unnecessary, the erasing operation can be performed immediately.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the operation procedure for printing or erasing the image information received by the memory is also notified, the operator who confirms the notification content can take action without hesitation in the printing or erasing operation. You can

In the invention according to claim 4, since the operation procedure for registering the transmission source that is not the reception permission target as the reception permission target is also notified, the operator who confirms the notification content separately performs special registration. Even if the operation is not performed, the registration can be performed by a simple operation, and the image information can be received as usual from the next time.

[0028]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a management table according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output example of a report according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation flow in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Scanner 11 Plotter 12 Operation Display Section 13 Image Storage Section 14 Encoding / Decoding Section 15 Network Control Section 16 Communication Control Section 17 Modem 18 ROM 19 System Control Section 20 RAM 21 Parameter Memory 22 Character Generator 23 Clock Circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A transmission source registration means for registering a transmission source that accepts a reception, and a transmission source detection means for specifying a transmission source based on identification information sent from the transmission source when a line is connected.
Receivability determination means for determining whether or not the specified transmission source is registered in the transmission source registration means, and when the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means, In a facsimile apparatus that refuses to receive information, when the specified transmission source is not registered in the transmission source registration means, reception number counting means for counting the number of receptions from the transmission source, the identification information, and the total A management information holding unit that holds numerical values in association with each other, a comparison unit that compares the count value with a predetermined value, and an image storage unit that stores the received image information are provided, and the count value reaches a predetermined number of times. In this case, the facsimile apparatus is characterized in that the image information is received and held in the image storage means even if the specified transmission source is a transmission source not registered in the transmission source registration means. 2. A notification means for notifying that the received image information from the unregistered transmission source is held when the received image information is held in the image storage means. 1. The facsimile machine according to 1. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notifying means also notifies the operating procedure for printing or erasing the received received image information. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notifying unit also notifies an operation procedure for registering the transmission source of the received received image information as the transmission source registration unit.