JPH09307689A - Facsimile control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To conduct output processing of image data at a high speed and to use the memory effectively by providing a means sending the stored image data to a facsimile equipment based on new log data registered in a log file. SOLUTION: When the user designates a file in a log manager program 6b and makes a print instruction, the log manager program 6b starts print data generating processing. An input output form is revised into a print form and the result is added to a log file 6c as log data. When log data are generated newly, image data whose print is instructed based on the log data are sent to a facsimile equipment 7, in which the data are printed out. The image data managed by the updated log file 6c are stored in a hard disk 4, then it is not required to generate image data newly and output processing is quickened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to transmitting image data to a facsimile device connected to a host device,
The present invention relates to a facsimile control system for outputting (printing, transmitting) image data using the facsimile device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a facsimile device is connected to a host device such as a personal computer to enable transmission / reception of data from the personal computer to another facsimile device, or a facsimile device connected to the personal computer is connected to the personal computer. Systems have been developed to be used as printers and scanners in. This system has an advantage that not only the facsimile function but also the scanner function and the printer function can be used only by connecting the facsimile device to the personal computer. In this system, a facsimile machine connected to the personal computer is controlled by a control program supplied to the personal computer.

FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of such a system. The personal computer 1 is equipped with an RS-232C standard input / output port 2, and is connected to the facsimile apparatus 7 via this input / output port 2. The personal computer 1 is mainly composed of an application program 6, a driver program 5, a hard disk 4, a monitor program 3, and the input / output port 2 described above. The application program 6 is a program that a user directly operates, and is a log that manages a viewer program 6a that displays data contents on the screen and a communication history with the facsimile device 7 connected to the personal computer 1 using a log file 6c. A manager program 6b and the like are provided.

The log manager program 6b creates log data for each communication and registers the created log data in the log file 6c to manage the communication history. The log data includes an address at which image data transmitted / received to / from the facsimile device 7 is stored in the hard disk 4, that is, a file name of the image data, transmission / reception (communication) time, transmission / reception discrimination, and input / output. Format, and whether it has been processed or not are included.

The address referred to here is
It does not indicate a specific sector and track number on the hard disk 4. A known basic OS (operating system) manages all of the files stored in each storage unit on the hard disk 4. Therefore, if at least the file name is referenced from each program, It is possible to confirm in which storage unit on the hard disk 4 the image data with the file name is stored. That is, in that sense, the file name indicates an address on the hard disk.

The distinction between transmission and reception is distinction between transmission and reception mainly by the personal computer 1. When image data is transmitted from the personal computer 1 to the facsimile machine 7, it is transmitted, and conversely, from the facsimile machine 7 to the personal computer 1. When the image data is transmitted to, it is regarded as reception. Therefore, in the case of transmission, the image data transmitted to the facsimile device 7 may be printed by the facsimile device 7 or may be transmitted to another facsimile device. On the other hand, in the case of reception, the image data received by facsimile may be transmitted to the personal computer 1 or the image data read by the scanner of the facsimile device 7 may be transmitted to the personal computer 1. The input / output formats are scanner (SCAN), facsimile (FAX), print (PRIN
There are three). If the input / output format is a scanner (SCAN), the distinction between transmission and reception is always reception, and if it is printing (PRINT), it is transmission. I / O format is facsimile
In the case of (FAX), the distinction between transmission and reception is transmission or reception. Although the log file 6c is shown separately from the hard disk 4 in the functional configuration diagram of FIG. 4, it is actually provided in the hard disk 4.

The driver program 5 is a program that is interposed between the application program 6 and the facsimile apparatus 7 to assist the transmission and reception of data between them. The access method for the facsimile device 7 connected to the personal computer 1 differs depending on the hardware configuration of the facsimile device 7 and the personal computer 1. However, since it is difficult to change the access method of the application program 6 for each of the different environments, the driver program 5 is interposed between the application program 6 and the facsimile apparatus 7 so that the access method from the application program 6 is unified. On the other hand, on the other hand, the different access method for each environment is made to correspond by the driver program 5.

The driver program 5 interposed between the facsimile apparatus 7 includes a scanner driver 5a and a FAX.
There are three drivers, a driver 5b and a printer driver 5c. The scanner driver 5a is a driver program when the facsimile device 7 is used as a scanner device.
The FAX driver 5b is a driver program used when the data stored in the personal computer 1 is transmitted from the facsimile device 7 to another facsimile device through a telephone line. The printer driver 5c is
This is a driver program when the facsimile machine 7 is used as a printer. The monitor program 3 manages the input / output port 2 to which the facsimile device 7 is connected,
It is a program for converting the format of data transmitted / received to / from the facsimile device 7, and is interposed between the input / output port 2 and the driver program 5.

The operation of printing the image data stored in the hard disk 4 by the facsimile apparatus 7 will be described below with reference to FIGS. In addition,
It is assumed that this printing is instructed by the user on the log manager program 6b. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of instructions (messages) and data. In FIG.
The dotted arrows represent the flow of instructions (messages), and the solid arrows represent the flow of data. In FIG. 5, the flow of data and the like by the print data generation processing of FIG. 6 is L1 to L6.
The flow of data and the like in the print data transmission process of FIG. 7 is shown by M1 to M7. Further, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the contents of the log file 6c are displayed on the screen of the personal computer 1 by the log manager program 6b.

When a user designates a file on the log manager program 6b and gives a print instruction, the log manager program 6b starts the print data generation process of FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, when the contents of the log file 6c are displayed on the screen, "yy" indicated by the log data of the ID number "2" is displayed.
It is assumed that the file "y.btx" has been instructed to print. First, the log manager program 6b copies the image data (“yyy.btx”) for which printing is instructed to the hard disk 4.
Is read (L1, S61), the read data is converted into bit data, and the bit data is drawn on the printer driver 5c (L2, S62).

The printer driver 5c converts the drawn bit data into the input format of the monitor program 3 and stores the converted data ("zzz.btx") in the hard disk 4 (L3, S63). The input format of the monitor program 3 in this system is MMR compressed data. Compressed data formats include MH (Modified Huffman) and MR (Modified
There are three methods, a READ (Relative Element Address Designate) method and an MMR (Modified MR) method, and it is assumed that the MMR method is used in this system. When all the data is converted into MMR compressed data which is the input format of the monitor program 3 and stored in the hard disk 4, the driver program 5c converts the format and stores the data (“zzz.btx”) in the hard disk 4. ) Is notified to the monitor program 3 (L4, S64).

The monitor program 3 informs the log manager program 6b of the address of the stored data (L5, S65), and the log manager program 6b which has received the notice registers the print log (log data) in the log file 6c. (L6, S66). As a result, the log file 6 is displayed on the screen as shown in FIG.
The content of c is displayed. The file newly created for printing is stored in the hard disk 4 with the file name “zzz.btx”. Since the created image data has not been printed yet, “x” is displayed in the “processed” column to indicate unprocessed.

The print data created by the print data generation process of FIG. 6 is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 7 and printed by the print data transmission process of FIG. The print data transmission process of FIG. 7 is periodically executed by the monitor program 3.

In this process, first, the monitor program 3
Shows whether there is image data to be printed in log file 6
Confirm by referring to c (M1, M2, S71). This confirmation is performed via the log manager program 6b. If there is image data to be printed (S72: Ye
s), read the log data of that data (M3, S7
3) Based on the read log data, the image data to be printed (“zzz.btx”) can be read from the hard disk 4 (M4), and the read image data can be transmitted to the facsimile device 7. It is converted to MMR compressed data with the AT command added as an output format (S74). After that, monitor program 3
Sends the converted data together with a print instruction to the facsimile device 7 (M5, S75). The facsimile apparatus 7, which has received the data transmitted from the personal computer 1 (via the input / output port 2 from the monitor program 3), prints the received image data based on the print instruction received together with the data. .

After sending the image data to the facsimile device 7, when the monitor program 3 notifies the log manager program 6b that the sending of the print data is completed (M6, S76), the log manager program 6b which has received the notification is notified. The print log (log data) is updated, and the processed attribute is added to the transmitted log data (M7, S77). FIG. 8C shows the state of the updated log file 6c.

If there is no image data to be printed (S
72: No), the monitor program 3 sleeps the process for a predetermined time (waits for the elapse of the predetermined time) (S78), and confirms whether there is image data to be printed (S7).
1).

The operation of transmitting data from the personal computer 1 and outputting it by the facsimile device 7 includes, in addition to this printing operation, a transmission operation of further transmitting the data transmitted to the facsimile device 7 to another facsimile device. There is. This transmission operation is almost the same as the above-mentioned printing operation except that the FAX driver 5b is used in place of the printer driver 5c, and therefore its description is omitted.

[0018]

However, in the print data generation process (FIG. 6) and the print data transmission process (FIG. 7) described above, the image data to be printed (“yyy.bt”) is printed.
x ”) is stored in the hard disk 4, the same image data (“ zzz.btx ”) is newly created, and the newly created image data (“ zzz.btx ”) is created.
btx ”) is transmitted to the facsimile device 7 for printing. Therefore, there is a problem in that the printing process takes a long time. In addition, in the hard disk 4,
There is a problem in that exactly the same image data is stored redundantly and the memory is wasted.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a facsimile control system capable of performing output processing of image data at high speed and effectively using a memory. Is intended.

[0020]

In order to achieve this object, a facsimile control system according to claim 1 is provided in a host device and transmits and receives image data to and from a facsimile device connected to the host device. Storage means for storing image data transmitted / received to / from the facsimile device, and an attribute of the image data stored in the storage means and its image data are stored every transmission / reception to / from the facsimile device. When a log file storing log data such as an address and the image data stored in the storage unit is newly transmitted to the facsimile device, the log data corresponding to the image data stored in the storage unit is transmitted. , Log registration means for registering new log data in the log file, and And transmitting means for transmitting the image data stored in the storage means to the facsimile device based on the new log data registered in the log file by the log registration means.

According to the facsimile control system of the present invention, the image data transmitted / received to / from the facsimile device is stored in the storage means, and the attribute of the image data and the address where the image data is stored are the log data. Is stored in the log file as. When the image data stored in the storage means is newly transmitted to the facsimile apparatus, the log registration means registers new log data in the log file corresponding to the image data, and the newly registered log. The image data is transmitted by the transmitting means based on the data. That is, when the image data stored in the storage means is newly transmitted to the facsimile, the log data is newly registered, but the existing data is used as the transmitted image data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile control system according to the first aspect, the attribute of the log data stored in the log file indicates that the image data corresponding to the log data indicates the facsimile reception. Includes an attribute that allows identification of whether the data is targeted data, data targeted for facsimile transmission, or data targeted for printing,
If the attribute of the log data newly registered by the log registration means is for facsimile transmission, the image data is facsimile transmission data, and if the attribute is for printing. The corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile device as print data.

The facsimile control system according to a third aspect of the present invention is the facsimile control system according to the first or second aspect, and when the corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus by the transmitting means, it has already been transmitted. Is added to the attribute of the corresponding log data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile control system, which is provided in a host device, transmits image data to a facsimile device connected to the host device, and causes the facsimile device to output the image data. Storage means for storing image data to be transmitted to the facsimile device, an output format of the image data stored in the storage device and an address to store the image data, etc. for each transmission to the facsimile device. A log file for storing the log data of, and a transmission means for transmitting the image data stored in the storage means to the facsimile device based on the log data stored in the log file,
The plurality of log data stored in the log file can store a common address as an address of image data transmitted to the facsimile device.

According to the facsimile control system of the fourth aspect, when the image data stored in the storage means is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus, the output format of the image data and the address where the image data is stored are logged. The data is newly registered in the log file as data, and the corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus by the transmitting means based on the newly registered log data. That is, when the image data stored in the storage means is newly transmitted to the facsimile, the log data is newly registered, but the existing data is used as the transmitted image data.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile control system according to the fourth aspect, the output format of the log data stored in the log file is image data corresponding to the log data.
An output format for identifying whether the data is intended for facsimile transmission or data intended for printing is included, and the transmission means is an output format for log data stored in the log file. However, if it is intended for facsimile transmission, the corresponding image data is transmitted as facsimile transmission data, and if it is intended for printing, the corresponding image data is transmitted as print data to the facsimile device.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile control system according to the fourth or fifth aspect, when the corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus by the transmitting means, it has already been transmitted. Is provided with an attribute adding means for adding an identifiable attribute to the corresponding log data.

[0028]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the facsimile control system of the present embodiment, a facsimile device 7 is connected to a personal computer 1 as a host device, and its control program, that is, an application program 6, a driver program 5, and a monitor program 3, It is supplied to the personal computer 1. Since the configuration of this system is the same as that already described in the prior art based on FIG. 4, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the contents of the log manager program 6b are improved.

The operation of printing the image data stored in the hard disk 4 by the facsimile device 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 7. It is assumed that this printing is instructed by the user on the log manager program 6b. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flow of instructions (messages) and data. In FIG. 1, dotted arrows indicate the flow of instructions (messages),
Solid arrows indicate the flow of data. In FIG.
The flow of data etc. by the print data generation processing of FIG. 2 is K1.
The flow of data and the like in the print data transmission process of FIG. 7 is shown by M1 to M7. Further, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state where the contents of the log file 6c are displayed on the screen of the personal computer 1 by the log manager program 6b.

When a user designates a file on the log manager program 6b and gives a print instruction, the log manager program 6b starts the print data generation process of FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the contents of the log file 6c are displayed on the screen, "yy" indicated by the log data of ID number "2" is displayed.
It is assumed that the file "y.btx" has been instructed to print. The log manager program 6b changes the attribute of the log data of ID number "2" to print, that is, changes the input / output format (FAX / PRINT / SCAN) to print (PRINT), and changes this to the ID number " 3 ”is added to the log file 6c as log data (K1, S21).

FIG. 3B shows how the updated log file 6c is displayed. Since all the image data managed by the log file 6c is stored in the hard disk 4 as MMR compressed data which is the input format of the monitor program 3, in the print data generation process (FIG. 2) of this embodiment, printing is performed. The existing image data (“yyy.btx”) is used without newly creating the image data to be displayed. Therefore,
The file of “yyy.btx” for which printing is instructed is commonly used as the log data of ID numbers “2” and “3” and is commonly displayed in the file name column. FIG.
In the state of (b), since the image data (“yyy.btx”) for which the print instruction has been issued has not been printed yet, “x” is displayed in the “processed” column to indicate unprocessed. .

When a new print log (log data) is created by the print data generation process of FIG. 2, the image data for which printing is instructed based on the log data is changed to that of FIG.
The print data is transmitted to the facsimile device 7 and printed. This print data transmission process is periodically executed by the monitor program 3.

In this process, first, the monitor program 3
Shows whether there is image data to be printed in log file 6
Confirm by referring to c (M1, M2, S71). This confirmation is performed via the log manager program 6b. If there is image data to be printed (S72: Ye
s), read the log data of that data (M3, S7
3) Based on the read log data, the image data to be printed (“yyy.btx”) can be read from the hard disk 4 (M4), and the read image data can be transmitted to the facsimile device 7. It is converted to MMR compressed data with the AT command added as an output format (S74). After that, monitor program 3
Sends the converted data together with a print instruction to the facsimile device 7 (M5, S75). The facsimile apparatus 7, which has received the data transmitted from the personal computer 1 (via the input / output port 2 from the monitor program 3), prints the received image data based on the print instruction received together with the data. .

After sending the image data to the facsimile device 7, when the monitor program 3 notifies the log manager program 6b that the sending of the print data is completed (M6, S76), the log manager program 6b which has received the notice The print log (log data) is updated, and the processed attribute is added to the transmitted log data (M7, S77). FIG. 3C shows the state of the updated log file 6c.

If there is no image data to be printed (S
72: No), the monitor program 3 sleeps the process for a predetermined time (waits for the elapse of the predetermined time) (S78), and confirms whether there is image data to be printed (S7).
1).

As described above, according to the facsimile control system of the present embodiment, when the image data managed in the log file 6c is transmitted to the facsimile device 7 for printing, only the print log (log data) is printed. Is newly created and existing data is used as the image data (no new image data is created), the print data generation process (FIG. 2) can be performed at high speed. Also,
Since the same image data is not redundantly stored in the hard disk 4, the memory of the hard disk 4 can be effectively used. Further, since log data is newly created without newly creating print data as described above, transmission / reception with the facsimile apparatus 7 can be reliably managed for each transmission / reception.

A personal computer 1 corresponds to the host device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in this embodiment,
The storage unit corresponds to the hard disk 4, the log registration unit corresponds to the process of S21 (FIG. 2), and the transmission unit corresponds to the processes of S73 to S75 (FIG. 7).
The process of S77 (FIG. 7) corresponds to the attribute adding means described in claim 3.

A personal computer 1 corresponds to the host device according to the fourth to sixth aspects, a hard disk 4 corresponds to the storage means, and S as the transmission means.
The processing from 73 to S75 (FIG. 7) corresponds to this. The process of S77 (FIG. 7) corresponds to the attribute adding unit according to the sixth aspect.

As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can easily be inferred.

For example, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied when printing is performed using the facsimile device 7, but the present invention is applied when the data transmitted to the facsimile device 7 is transmitted to another facsimile device. It is also possible to do so. The present invention can also be applied to a case where the image data once transmitted to the facsimile device 7 and output (printed or transmitted) is again transmitted to the facsimile device 7 for output.

[0041]

According to the facsimile control system of the present invention, when the image data stored in the storage unit is newly transmitted to the facsimile apparatus, although the log data is newly registered, the image data to be transmitted is transmitted. The existing data is used as. Therefore, compared with the conventional case where not only the log data but also the image data is newly created, the output processing of the image data can be performed at high speed and the memory can be effectively used. effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flow of data and instructions at the time of printing in a facsimile control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a print data generation process.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how the contents of a log file are displayed on the screen of a personal computer.

FIG. 4 is a functional configuration diagram of a facsimile control system in the related art.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of data and instructions at the time of printing in a facsimile control system of a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a print data generation process in a conventional technique.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a print data transmission process.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the contents of a log file in the related art are displayed on the screen of a personal computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 personal computer (host device) 2 input / output port 3 monitor program 4 hard disk (storage means) 6b log manager program 6c log file 7 facsimile device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/32 H04N 1/32 Z

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile control system provided in the host device for transmitting and receiving image data to and from a facsimile device connected to the host device, and storing means for storing image data transmitted and received to and from the facsimile device. A log file that stores log data such as an attribute of image data stored in the storage unit and an address at which the image data is stored, and image data stored in the storage unit every time transmission and reception are performed with respect to the facsimile device. In the case of newly transmitting to the facsimile device, in correspondence with the image data stored in the storage means to be transmitted,
Log registration means for registering new log data in the log file, and image data stored in the storage means to the facsimile device based on the new log data registered in the log file by the log registration means. A facsimile control system comprising: a transmitting unit for transmitting. 2. The attribute of the log data stored in the log file indicates whether the image data corresponding to the log data is data intended for facsimile reception,
An attribute is included that allows identification of whether the data is intended for facsimile transmission or data intended for printing, and the transmission means is provided for the log data newly registered by the log registration means. If the attribute is for facsimile transmission, the corresponding image data is transmitted as facsimile transmission data, and if the attribute is for printing, the corresponding image data is transmitted as print data to the facsimile device. The facsimile control system according to claim 1. 3. When the corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus by the transmitting unit, an attribute adding unit that adds an attribute that can be identified as already transmitted to the attribute of the corresponding log data is provided. The facsimile control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. A facsimile control system provided in the host device for transmitting image data to a facsimile device connected to the host device and causing the facsimile device to output the image data, Storage means for storing image data to be transmitted, and a log for storing log data such as an output format of the image data stored in the storage means and an address at which the image data is stored for each transmission to the facsimile device. Based on the file and the log data stored in that log file,
And a transmission unit that transmits the image data stored in the storage unit to the facsimile device, wherein the plurality of log data stored in the log file is an address of the image data transmitted to the facsimile device, A facsimile control system characterized by being able to store a common address. 5. The output format of the log data stored in the log file is whether the image data corresponding to the log data is data intended for facsimile transmission or data intended for printing. If the output format of the log data stored in the log file is intended for facsimile transmission, the corresponding image data is transmitted by facsimile transmission data. 5. The facsimile control system according to claim 4, wherein the image data corresponding to printing is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus as corresponding image data as print data. 6. When the corresponding image data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus by the transmitting unit, an attribute adding unit that adds an attribute that can be identified as already transmitted to the corresponding log data is provided. The facsimile control system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: