JPH10107937A - Facsimile equipment and facsimile system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the facsimile equipment that realizes a facsimile circulation where a job in the facsimile equipment relaying the facsimile circulation is simplified and a job by a facsimile circulation source is not increased by the simplified job. SOLUTION: The facsimile equipment having a facsimile circulation function is provided with a group information storage section 1 that stores a terminal number of a member facsimile equipment belonging to a facsimile circulation group in cross reference with a group identification code allocated to each of a plurality of facsimile circulation groups, a group information registration means 11a that registers the group identification code and the terminal number to the group information storage section 1, and a circulation transmission means 11b that transmits the terminal number list of the member facsimile equipment belonging to the facsimile circulation group of the group identification code to the first facsimile circulation destination facsimile equipment with circulation image information when a circulation transmission designating one group identification code is instructed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus capable of circulating a facsimile within a predetermined group, and more particularly to a facsimile apparatus capable of easily circulating a facsimile to the next circulation destination, and connecting a plurality of such facsimile apparatuses. Facsimile system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Broadcast transmission is generally used as a method for sending the same document (image information) to a plurality of destinations by a facsimile apparatus, but a method called facsimile circulation in which the same document is sequentially forwarded in a predetermined order is also conventionally employed. Have been. This facsimile circulation has the advantage that if the circulation order is properly determined, the total communication cost is lower than that of broadcast transmission, and the document transmission source can easily know the transmission result by returning the circulation. . The facsimile apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-110739 is provided with such a facsimile circulation function, and circulates a circulation check sheet as shown in FIG. The decision has been made ahead. In other words, when a facsimile device that relays a circulation receives a circulation, it outputs a circulation check sheet, performs handwritten signature entry, the user looks at the circulation check sheet, determines the next circulation destination, and decides the next circulation destination. A circulation document and a circulation check sheet are transmitted to the next circulation destination by inputting the previous terminal number (for example, speed dial). In this transmission, if connection with a circulation destination in a predetermined order is not possible, transmission to another uncirculated partner is also possible. Finally, the circulation is returned to the circulation source indicated as "start" in FIG.

[0003]

However, in the prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-110739, a manual operation for circulation check is required in a facsimile apparatus for relaying circulation, The user has to enter the terminal number of the circulation destination. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and to reduce the work load of a user of a facsimile device that relays a circulation without increasing the work load of a user of the circulation source. And a facsimile system.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus having a facsimile circulation function, a plurality of circulation groups are assigned to each of the circulation groups. A group information storage unit for storing a terminal number of a member facsimile device belonging to the circulation group in association with a group identification code, and a group information registration unit for registering the group identification code and the terminal number in the group information storage unit When a circular transmission specifying one group identification code is instructed, a circular transmission in which the terminal number list of the member facsimile devices belonging to the circulation group of the group identification code is transmitted to the first circulation destination facsimile device together with the circulation image information. Means for providing one group identification code Only instructs the circulation outgoing specified by, and as the terminal number list and circulation picture information members facsimile apparatus belonging to circulation group of the group identification code is transmitted to the first circulation destination facsimile machine. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a facsimile apparatus that receives a facsimile circulation that circulates the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, deletes its own terminal number from the received terminal number list, When the circulation information is output, the terminal number of the next circulation destination is obtained from the remaining terminal number list from which the terminal number is erased by the terminal number erasing means, and the circulation is performed to the circulation destination facsimile apparatus of the acquired terminal number. A terminal number list and circulation relay means for transmitting circulation information. When the circulation information is output, the terminal number of the next circulation destination is automatically selected from the remaining terminal number list from which the terminal number has been deleted. The terminal number list and the circulation image information are automatically transmitted to the circulation destination facsimile apparatus of the acquired terminal number. According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect or the second aspect,
The described facsimile machine has a function of changing the circulation order and transmitting circulation picture information when the connection to the predetermined next circulation destination facsimile machine is not successful, so that the predetermined next When the connection to the circulation destination facsimile device is not successful, the circulation order is changed and the circulation image information is transmitted. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile system including the facsimile apparatus according to the first and second aspects, wherein the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect is associated with its own terminal number in a terminal number list. The facsimile apparatus described in claim 2 is a destination to which only the circulation source can be connected among the facsimile apparatuses having the terminal numbers left in the terminal number list. After confirming this, the terminal number list is transmitted to the circulation source. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the terminal number of the circulation source can be known in the facsimile apparatus which has received the circulation, the terminal number is added to the circulation source when there are no more unconnected circulation destinations. You can send a list.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a facsimile system according to the present invention. In FIG. 7, symbols A to G
Each indicates a facsimile machine, and three circulation groups each including a plurality of facsimile machines are formed, and the circulation groups are connected by a facsimile machine shared with each other. For example, a circulation group 1 including facsimile apparatuses A, B, and C and a circulation group 2 including facsimile apparatuses C, D, E, and F
Are connected via facsimile machines C belonging to both groups. Facsimile machines A to G
As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 11, the operation display unit 12,
RAM 13, scanner 14, encoding / decoding unit (DCR)
18, a plotter 15, a network control unit (NCU) 16, a communication control unit 17, a modem 19, an image memory 20, a parameter memory 21, and the like.

The control unit 11 comprises a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The CPU controls the entire facsimile apparatus while using the RAM as a working area according to a program written in the ROM. The operation display unit 12 includes a keyboard as an input device for the operator to give an instruction to the facsimile machine, and a display means such as an LCD for the facsimile machine to give a message or the like to the operator. The RAM 13 is a storage unit for temporarily storing image information and the like. The scanner 14 is an image input unit for reading an image of a document to be transmitted by facsimile. The plotter 15 is an image output unit that outputs the received image information decoded by the DCR 18 and developed on the RAM 13 to a sheet. The NCU 16 is a control device for setting up a call with a remote facsimile machine via a public telephone network. The communication control unit 17 is a control unit that performs facsimile transmission and reception according to the G3 transmission control procedure.
The modem 19 includes a low-speed modem and a high-speed modem.
The image memory 20 is storage means for storing image information. The parameter memory 21 is a storage unit for storing various control information, and is backed up by a battery so that data is not lost even when the power is turned off.

The parameter memory 21 stores the terminal numbers of the member facsimile apparatuses belonging to the circulation group in association with the group identification code (group ID) assigned to each of the circulation groups. It has a group information storage unit 1. FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of information stored in the group information storage unit 1. Here, the contents stored in the group information storage unit 1 in the facsimile apparatus A are illustrated, and 0337771212 is the terminal number of the facsimile apparatus A,
935612 and 0441234288 are the terminal numbers of the facsimile machines B and C, respectively. Further, the control unit 11
Group information registering means 11a for registering a group identification code and a terminal number in the group information storage unit 1, terminal number list of member facsimile apparatuses and circulation transmitting means 11b for transmitting circulation information to the first circulation destination facsimile apparatus. Terminal number erasing means 11c for erasing one's own terminal number from the terminal number list, circulation relay means 11d for transmitting the terminal number list from which one's own terminal number has been erased and the received circulation information to the next circulation destination facsimile apparatus 11d
Etc. The group information registration means 11
a, the circulation transmitting unit 11b, the terminal number erasing unit 11c, and the circulation relay unit 11d include the above-described CPU and ROM.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of main operations in the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment, and shows an operation example in the case where circulation is performed in the circulation group 1 using the facsimile apparatus A shown in FIG. 7 as a circulation source. ing. As shown in FIG. 3, first, a document to be circulated is read in the facsimile machine A, and the read image information is stored in the image memory 20 (S1). Further, the user inputs the group identification code (code) and the circulation source (source) information of the circulation group to be circulated from the operation display unit 12 (S2). That is, in the example of FIG. 3, the identification code (for example, G1) of the circulation group 1 and the terminal number of the facsimile machine A are input. However, the terminal number can be registered in advance. Subsequently, the circulation transmitting means 11b determines whether or not the predetermined first circulation destination facsimile apparatus B is in a receivable state (S3), and if it is receivable (Yes in S3), the circulation transmission means 11b The circular image information and the terminal number list stored in the image memory 20 are transmitted. The terminal number list is created based on the terminal numbers registered in the group information storage unit 1 by the group information registration unit in advance. That is, when acquiring the group identification code input by the user, the circulation transmitting unit 11b acquires the terminal number associated with the identification code from the group information storage unit 1. The circulation transmitting unit 11b arranges the acquired terminal numbers in a predetermined circulation order (for example, the registration order, but the own terminal number is last) as shown in FIG. It is transmitted as code information (for example, ASCII code) as part of the information (in the case of the G3 transmission control procedure). In addition, S indicating the circulation source is added to the end of the own terminal number (see FIG. 4).

Upon receiving the terminal number list and the circulation information, the control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus B stores the terminal number list in the RAM 13, stores the circulation information in the RAM 13 or the image memory 20, and stores the circulation information in the operation display unit 12. The receiving lamp (LED) is turned on (S4). Then, the terminal number deleting means 11c deletes its own terminal number from the received terminal number list (S5). Since the own terminal number is registered in a predetermined area of the parameter memory 21 in advance, the terminal number erasing means 11c acquires the terminal number,
The terminal number is compared with each terminal number in the received terminal number list, and the corresponding terminal number is deleted. As a result of this deletion, the terminal number list becomes, for example, as shown in FIG. At this time, the user knows that the circulation has arrived by turning on the circulation reception lamp, and waits for the circulation image information to be output to the recording paper (S6 → S6). Circulation relay means 11d
When the circulation information is output (Yes in S6),
It is determined that the circulation has been accepted, and the RAM 1 shown in FIG.
The terminal number list in 3 and the circulation image information in the RAM 13 or the image memory 20 are transmitted to the next circulation destination facsimile apparatus, that is, the facsimile apparatus C (S7). At the time of this transmission, the circulation relay unit 11d acquires the terminal number for calling from the terminal number list shown in FIG.

Similarly, the facsimile machine C stores the received terminal number list and circulation picture information in the RAM 13 or the like, turns on the circulation reception lamp (S8), and erases its own terminal number (S9). When the circulation information is output to the recording paper (Yes in S10), the terminal number remaining in the terminal number list is only the terminal number of the circulation source as shown in FIG. The number is acquired and a call is made, and the terminal number list and the circulation information shown in FIG. 6 are transmitted to the facsimile machine A (S11). If the received facsimile apparatus A has only its own terminal number in the received terminal number list as shown in FIG. 6, it is determined that circulation has been accepted by all of the member facsimile apparatuses, and the received circulation image information is output to recording paper. I do. At this time, a message indicating that the circulation has been completed is also output to the recording paper (S12).

On the other hand, in step S3, if the facsimile apparatus B is in the reception disabled state (No in S3), the terminal number list and the circulation information are transmitted to the facsimile apparatus C which is the next circulation destination of the terminal number list. (S13).
Then, the received circulation is processed in the facsimile machine C in the same manner (S14 to S16), and subsequently the circulation is performed to the facsimile apparatus B (S17). Thereafter, the circulation is similarly processed in the facsimile machine B (S18 to S18).
20), it is returned to the facsimile machine A (S11). When the circulation is returned to the circulation source facsimile apparatus A, if a terminal number other than the terminal number of the terminal remains in the terminal number list, the facsimile apparatus A transmits It is also possible to transmit a plurality of times in a predetermined cycle (when connection is not possible at one time) and to transmit only circulation picture information (that is, not including a terminal number list). If a member facsimile machine that could not be circulated occurs despite such an attempt, a message to that effect is output on a recording sheet and the processing is terminated.

[0012]

As described above, the present invention has the following excellent effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a circular transmission is instructed by designating one group identification code, the terminal number list and the circulation image information of the member facsimile apparatuses belonging to the circulation group of the group identification code are first circulation destination facsimile apparatuses. , The automatic circulation of the circulation becomes possible without burdening the circulation source user. According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus that relays the circulation, when the circulation image information is output, the terminal number of the next circulation destination is automatically extracted from the remaining terminal number list from which the terminal number is deleted. And the terminal number list and the circulation information are automatically transmitted to the circulation destination facsimile machine of the terminal number, so that the operation of the circulation relay is simplified and the circulation is output by the user. You can check at the original. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the connection to the predetermined next circulation destination facsimile machine is not successful, the circulation order can be changed and the circulation image information can be transmitted. Can be turned. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the terminal number of the circulation source can be known in the facsimile apparatus that has received the circulation, the terminal number list can be transmitted to the circulation source when there are no unreachable destinations that can be connected. If there is a circulation destination, you can know it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data configuration example of a group information storage unit of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing another example of the data configuration of the main part of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another data configuration example of a main part of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of the data configuration of the main part of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an example of an embodiment of a facsimile system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of facsimile information showing an example of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 group information storage unit, 11 control unit, 11a group information registration unit, 11b circulation transmission unit, 11c terminal number deletion unit, 11d circulation relay unit, 12 operation display unit, 13 RAM, 20 image memory, 21 parameter memory.

Claims (4)

[Claims] In a facsimile apparatus having a facsimile circulation function, a terminal number of a member facsimile apparatus belonging to the circulation group is stored in association with a group identification code assigned to each of the plurality of circulation groups. A group information storage unit, a group information registration unit that registers the group identification code and the terminal number in the group information storage unit,
Circular transmission means for transmitting a terminal number list of member facsimile devices belonging to the circulation group of the group identification code to the first circulation destination facsimile device together with the circulation image information when a circulation transmission specifying one group identification code is instructed; A facsimile machine comprising: 2. A facsimile apparatus for receiving a facsimile circulation using the facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 as a circulation source, terminal number erasing means for erasing own terminal number from a received terminal number list, and circulation picture information. When the terminal number erasing unit obtains the terminal number of the next circulation destination from the remaining terminal number list from which the terminal number of the terminal number has been erased by the terminal number erasing means, the terminal number list is transmitted to the circulation destination facsimile apparatus of the acquired terminal number. A facsimile apparatus comprising a circulation relay unit for transmitting circulation information. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when connection to a predetermined next circulation destination facsimile apparatus is not successful, the circulation order is changed and the circulation picture information is transmitted. A facsimile apparatus characterized by being configured as described above. 4. A facsimile system comprising the facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 and claim 2, wherein the facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 is a circulation source in association with its own terminal number in a terminal number list. When the facsimile apparatus according to claim 2 confirms that only the circulation source is a connectable destination among the facsimile apparatuses of the terminal numbers left in the terminal number list, A facsimile system that transmits a terminal number list to a circulation source.