JPH09233298A - Facsimile communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the transmission reception efficiency by dividing transmission data and sending the data through plural channels when plural facsimile numbers are given to the facsimile equipment so as to avoid blocking of channels for a long time. SOLUTION: A transmitter side Fax 1 reads a transmission original, a call is made by a destination number entered by the operator and call destinations, that is, receiver side Fax 2, 3, 4 receive the call to connect the Fax 1, Fax 2, 3, 4 are connected actually via channels 5, 6, 7. Then the transmission original data are divided into number in response to number of destinations and sent to the receiver side Fax 2, 3, 4. The divided data are sent respectively through the channels 6, 7, 8 and printed out by the receiver side different Fax 2, 3, 4. The divided original data are sent simultaneously through the plural channels and the communication time is reduced and high speed original transmission is attained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile communication method incorporating a plurality of lines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional facsimile apparatus accommodates only one facsimile line to send and receive facsimile originals.

[0003]

However, in the above method, since the facsimile line is blocked during facsimile transmission or reception, it is possible to receive during facsimile transmission or during facsimile reception. There wasn't. In departments that use a large amount of facsimiles, as a countermeasure, prepare multiple facsimiles and prepare lines to which such facsimiles are connected according to the number of facsimiles. A specific facsimile machine is for receiving, and realizes a transmitting operation during reception and a receiving operation during transmission.

However, in the above method, each facsimile uses only one of the functions even though it has the function of transmitting / receiving, so that the function is wasted. In addition, due to a temporary increase in transmission requests, there are cases in which a facsimile for transmission is in full operation while a facsimile assigned for reception is not in operation at all, and many documents waiting for transmission are accumulated. Alternatively, due to a temporary increase in incoming call requests, even though the facsimile assigned for transmission is not operating at all, reception concentrates on the receiving facsimile, increasing the call loss rate from the outside. It was extremely inefficient.

In order to solve the above problems, a facsimile apparatus having a plurality of lines built therein is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-2.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-252294 discloses a data communication system such as a facsimile using a plurality of lines.

In the facsimile machine described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-219275, a single facsimile machine accommodates a plurality of lines, and the transmission line is determined from the usage rate of storage means, the number of original documents waiting to be transmitted, the state of each line, and the like. The purpose is to improve the usage rate of the facsimile line, reduce the transmission waiting time, and reduce the call loss rate from the outside. In order to achieve such an object, a transmission document reading unit and a reception document output unit are provided, and when a call is made from the outside, the line communication control unit of the currently idle line receives the transmission document. It is supposed to do. Furthermore, the line selection means determines the number of transmission lines from the number of documents waiting to be transmitted, the usage rate of lines and storage means, etc., the transmission instruction is given to the line communication control means, and the line communication means which received the instruction outputs the original It is configured to send.

The data communication system using a plurality of lines disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-252294 aims to simplify the transmission operation by the operator. In order to achieve such an object, a dial information storage means is provided so that dial information such as a dial number or abbreviated number can be stored separately for each receiving station to which the dial information is assigned. The dial information is managed as the same dial information group. When the information for setting the receiving station is input from the receiving station designating means, the searching means searches the dial information storing means for a dial information group corresponding to the receiving station designated by the receiving station designating means, and makes a call. The means makes a call based on the retrieved dial information, and a plurality of lines are completed with the receiving station.

However, even in the facsimile having a plurality of lines as described above, it is preferable that the communication time required for one transmission or reception is short. This is because if the communication time is short, a plurality of lines can be used efficiently. However, since the communication speed of the facsimile has an upper limit, the communication time becomes long depending on the data to be communicated.
If the communication time becomes long, one line will be completely blocked, which will adversely affect the reception and transmission operations of the facsimile machine during this period.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems of the prior art, and provides a facsimile communication method capable of efficiently receiving and transmitting without blocking the line for a long time. The purpose is to do.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Accommodates multiple lines and simultaneously transmits by multiple lines,
A facsimile communication method capable of receiving or transmitting / receiving, wherein when the facsimile communication method has a plurality of facsimile numbers, the transmission data is divided and transmitted by a plurality of lines.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the polling functions are mutually provided, the transmission data is divided on the transmission side, and the polling reception is performed from the receiving side device by using another unused line. It is characterized by performing.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the divided data is transmitted on the first page or the last page of the transmission data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the divided data on the transmitting side are combined and output as one received data.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a facsimile communication method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an embodiment will be described in which the facsimile on the transmission side is a multi-line accommodating type facsimile and the receiving side facsimile is a one-line accommodating type facsimile. In FIG. 1, a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as “Fax”) 1 is provided on the transmission side. Fax1 is
This is a fax machine that accommodates multiple lines.
1 is connected to three lines 5, 6, and 7.
Note that the Fax 1 can use the lines 5, 6, and 7 independently, and for example, the line 5 can be received while the line 6 is transmitting.

On the receiving side, a plurality of Fax2 and Fax2 are provided.
x3 and Fax4 are installed. Fax2, Fax
3 and Fax 4 are one-line accommodating type facsimiles, and in this example, Fax 2 is connected to line 5, Fax 3 is connected to line 6, and Fax 4 is connected to line 7.

When a document for transmission is read by Fax1 on the sending side, a call is made with the destination number input by the operator, and Fax2 on the calling side, that is, receiving side,
Fax1 and Fax2, by receiving 3 and 4
3 and 4 are actually connected via the lines 5, 6 and 7. Then, the original data for transmission is divided into a number according to the number of destinations, and is transmitted to Faxes 2, 3, and 4 on the receiving side. In the above embodiment, the facsimile of the destination is F
Since there are three ax2, ax3, and ax4, the document data is divided into three data on the transmission side. Each divided data is transmitted by lines 6, 7, and 8, respectively.
It is printed by Fax 2, 3, 4 different on the receiving side. In addition,
Send with a message that indicates that the transmission is divided into the first or last page of the transmitted data,
It may be preferable to notify the receiving-side operator that the document is divided and transmitted. In this way, the continuous relationship between the divided documents becomes clear. Further, when the document data is divided on the transmitting side, it is preferable to divide it in page units. This is because if the page is divided in the middle, it will not be printed correctly. Further, when the called facsimile is busy and does not receive the call, if there is another line (not shown), the sending side and the receiving side can be connected and the original data can be sent. .

Further, since a small amount of manuscript data is not purposely divided and transmitted, the limit value of manuscript data that can be sent at one time is provided in Fax1 on the transmitting side, and the total data of the manuscript data is set. Only when the quantity value exceeds this limit value, the divided transmission may be performed. This enables efficient transmission.

According to the facsimile communication method having the above-mentioned structure, the facsimile has a plurality of lines built therein, and when the amount of original data to be transmitted is large, the original data is divided and each divided original data is divided into plural pieces. Since the transmission is performed simultaneously from the line, it is possible to shorten the communication time and transmit the original data at high speed, and it is possible to solve the problem that the line is blocked and cannot be used due to the communication for a long time. Furthermore, when a certain line is in use on the receiving side, the original can be received using another line that is not in use, so that the communication cost can be distributed.

Next, an embodiment in which the facsimiles on the transmitting side and the receiving side are plural line accommodating type facsimiles will be described. In FIG. 2, Fax1 is set on the transmission side.
Is provided. Fax 1 is a multi-line accommodation type facsimile machine, and Fax 1 is connected to two lines 8 and 9.

Fax 2 is provided on the receiving side. Fax 2 is also a facsimile of a plurality of lines accommodating type like Fax 1, and is connected to lines 8 and 9, respectively.

In Fax 1 on the transmitting side, when a document for transmission is read, it is checked whether two or more lines are open. If two or more lines, for example, lines 8 and 9, are free, CSI (ID report of the receiving station) indicates that Fax2, which is the facsimile on the receiving side, is a multi-line accommodating type or is connected to Fax2 on the receiving side. It is confirmed whether or not there is an available line. When it is confirmed that Fax2 is a multi-line accommodating type and the line connected to Fax2 has an empty line, Fax1 and Fax2 actually send line 8,
Connected at 9. Then, the read original data for transmission is divided, and each original data divided for each of the lines 8 and 9 is simultaneously transmitted from the Fax1 side to the Fax2 in response to a polling reception request from the receiving Fax2. .
Fax 2 on the receiving side attaches a page number when the reception of the divided document data is completed, and apparently outputs the document as one received data. In addition, as a method of making one received data, the original data received by dividing on the Fax2 side may be attached to be completely one data. In this way, by becoming one received data,
It is possible to prevent erroneous recognition of the operator on the receiving side. Furthermore, instead of sending a small amount of original data in a divided manner, a limit value of original data that can be sent at once is set in Fax1 on the sending side, and the amount of original data is set to the limit value. Only when it exceeds the limit, divided transmission may be performed so that efficient transmission can be performed.

In the facsimile communication method having the above structure,
Facsimile has multiple lines built-in. When the amount of original data to be sent is large, the original data is divided and each divided original data is sent simultaneously from multiple lines, reducing communication time. Thus, high-speed document data transmission can be performed, and the problem that the line is blocked due to communication for a long time and cannot be used can be solved. Furthermore, when a certain line is in use on the receiving side, the original can be received using another line that is not in use, so that the communication cost can be distributed.

When attempting to carry out division transmission, an idle line of Fax1 on the transmission side (either line 8 or line 9)
On the other hand, if there is an incoming call from another facsimile, the process is terminated without transmitting. At this time, the original data for transmission may be stored in a storage medium such as a memory, and the original data may be divided and transmitted after a vacant line is created.

[0024]

According to the present invention, in the case of having a plurality of facsimile numbers, the transmission data is divided and transmitted by a plurality of lines, so that the communication time can be shortened and the lines can be extended for a long time. Is not blocked, it is possible to efficiently receive and transmit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a facsimile communication method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a facsimile communication method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5,6,7,8,9 Line Fax1, Fax2 Facsimile Fax3, Fax4 Facsimile

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile communication method capable of accommodating a plurality of lines and capable of simultaneously transmitting, receiving, or transmitting / receiving by a plurality of lines, wherein the transmission data is divided when a plurality of facsimile numbers are included, A facsimile communication method characterized in that transmission is performed using a plurality of lines. 2. When mutually having a polling function, the transmission side divides the transmission data, and the receiving side apparatus performs polling reception by using another unused line. The facsimile communication method according to claim 1. 3. The facsimile communication method according to claim 1, wherein the divided data is written on the first page or the last page of the transmission data. 4. The facsimile communication method according to claim 2, wherein the divided data are combined on the transmitting side and output as one received data.