JPH10224622A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the facsimile equipment that transmits original data even when a storage capacity of a storage means such as a storage memory is deficient. SOLUTION: In the transmission processing, at first lots of data are stored in a storage memory and whether or not execution of memory read is disable (memory full) is discriminated (S1), and in the case that memory full is not caused (S1: NO), the original data are once read and coded FAX data are stored in the storage memory, and the FAX transmission (memory transmission) is executed (S3). In the case of memory full (S1: YES), after the original data are coded, the data are directly sent via a transmission buffer without being stored in the storage memory (S5). Thus, even when lots of data are stored in the storage memory, the original data are transmitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus which reads original data, converts it into facsimile data, temporarily stores it in a storage means such as a memory, and transmits the stored facsimile data via a communication line. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a facsimile apparatus, a document image is read by a scanner or the like, and the read document data is encoded (compressed) and converted into communication fax data. In recent years, FAX after encoding
It is considered that data is stored in a predetermined storage memory, and when a line is connected to a facsimile machine of a transmission destination, FAX data stored in the storage memory is transmitted (memory transmission).

[0003] In such a transmission method, the time required for transmission can be shortened, and line usage fees and the like can be saved. The processing from reading the original data, converting it into FAX data, and storing it in the storage memory (hereinafter referred to as memory reading) can be executed in the facsimile apparatus without using a communication line. Therefore, it is conceivable to simultaneously execute memory reading and FAX data transmission / reception (so-called dual access).

[0004]

However, in such a facsimile apparatus that performs memory transmission, when various data are stored in the storage memory and the storage capacity is reduced, the memory cannot be read and the original data cannot be transmitted. . Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that can transmit document data even when the storage capacity of a storage unit such as a storage memory is insufficient.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises: original data conversion means for converting original data into fax data for communication; In a facsimile apparatus including storage means for storing various data including facsimile data, and transmission means for transmitting the converted facsimile data stored in the storage means, the storage capacity of the storage means is determined to be insufficient. When the capacity shortage detecting means and the capacity shortage detecting means detect the shortage of the storage capacity, the fax data converted by the document data converting means is stored in the storage means without being stored in the storage means. And transmission operation switching means for directly transmitting.

According to the present invention, the original data converting means converts the original data into communication facsimile data and the converted facsimile data is stored in the storage means.
Then, the transmitting means transmits the converted FAX data stored in the storing means. That is, memory transmission can be performed.

Here, in the present invention, the capacity shortage detecting means detects that the storage capacity of the storage means is insufficient, that is, that the storage means does not have sufficient storage capacity to execute memory transmission. When the capacity shortage detecting means detects the shortage of the storage capacity, the transmitting operation switching means causes the transmitting means to directly transmit the FAX data converted by the document data converting means without storing it in the storing means. As described above, if the converted fax data is directly transmitted without being stored in the storage unit, the original data can be transmitted even if the storage capacity of the storage unit is insufficient.

According to the present invention, since the fax data transmission operation is switched in accordance with the storage capacity of the storage means, the original data can be transmitted even when the storage capacity of the storage means is insufficient. . Further, when the storage means has sufficient storage capacity to execute the memory transmission, the memory transmission can be executed as described above. Can be saved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, at the time of receiving the FAX data, the reception data conversion means for converting the FAX data into image data for printing and storing the data in the storage means. When the storage means has a sufficient storage capacity, the original data conversion means converts the original data and stores the converted original data in the storage means; The operation of converting and storing in the storage means can be executed in parallel.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when FAX data is received, the FAX data can be converted into image data for printing by the reception data conversion means and stored in the storage means. Also, an operation in which the original data conversion means converts the original data and stores it in the storage means (hereinafter referred to as memory reading), and an operation in which the reception data conversion means converts the FAX data and stores it in the storage means (hereinafter FAX
When the storage means has a sufficient storage capacity to execute the processes in parallel, the two processes can be executed in parallel.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that dual access between memory reading and FAX reception can be executed. It should be noted that a transmission operation other than the memory transmission cannot be normally performed in the dual access type facsimile apparatus.
Therefore, when the storage capacity is insufficient, the original cannot transmit any data. On the other hand, in the present invention, claim 1
As described above, the original data can be transmitted even when the storage capacity is insufficient. Therefore, the effect of the invention described in claim 1 becomes more remarkable.

The invention described in claim 3 is the first or second invention.
In addition to the configuration described above, when transmitting the FAX data by the transmission means, data relating to the transmission status is transmitted to the communication FA.
Transmission data adding means for converting the data into X data and adding the data to the facsimile data. When a sufficient storage capacity is secured in the storage means, the original data conversion means converts the original data and outputs the converted data. It is characterized in that the operation of storing in the storage means and the operation of giving the FAX data by the transmission data giving means can be executed in parallel.

For this reason, in the present invention, F
At the time of transmitting AX data, data relating to the transmission status (for example, the name of the transmission source and destination, transmission date and time: hereinafter referred to as transmission data) is converted into communication FAX data and added to the FAX data. Can be sent to When the storage unit has sufficient storage capacity to execute the operation of converting the transmission data and adding the FAX data to the FAX data for transmission (hereinafter referred to as FAX transmission) and reading the memory in parallel. Can execute both in parallel.

Therefore, in the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first or second aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that dual access between memory reading and FAX transmission can be executed. It should be noted that a transmission operation other than the memory transmission cannot be normally performed in the dual access type facsimile apparatus. Therefore, when the storage capacity is insufficient, the original cannot transmit any data. In contrast, in the present invention,
As described in relation to the first aspect, the original data can be transmitted even when the storage capacity is insufficient. Therefore, the effect of the invention described in claim 1 becomes more remarkable.

[0015]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applied. The facsimile machine 1 is a so-called dual-access facsimile machine that can simultaneously read original data into a memory and transmit and receive FAX data.

As shown in FIG. 1, a facsimile machine 1
Are connected to a telephone line via a network control unit (NCU) 2 for performing line control.
The CPU 3, which is the core of the facsimile apparatus 1, is connected to the following units including the NCU 2 via the bus line 4, and executes facsimile operation, that is, data communication according to a predetermined communication control procedure. .

The modem 5 modulates / demodulates and transmits FAX data and transmits and receives various procedure signals for transmission control. The ROM 7 is a memory in which various control programs described later, a cover page, a format of a transmission header, and the like are stored in a non-rewritable manner. The RAM 9 is a memory for temporarily storing various data at the time of execution of control, a transmission buffer 9a for temporarily storing data transmitted via a telephone line, and temporarily storing data received via a telephone line. Buffer 9b for temporarily storing, image buffer 9c for storing a bit image, and FA to be transmitted.
A storage memory 9d for storing X data is provided. The storage memory 9d has a storage capacity of, for example, 2 Mbytes, which is much larger than that of the transmission buffer 9a (for example, 16 Kbytes).

The operation panel 11 displays the operation state of the facsimile machine 1 on a display and allows the operator to perform various operations. Ten keys, function keys, and abbreviated dial registration keys (all not shown) are provided. Etc. are provided. The scanner 13 optically reads an image of a document to be transmitted. For example, a light emitting unit that sweeps and irradiates a laser beam toward the document, and receives a reflected light from the document to create a bit image of the document image And a light receiving section. The printer 15 receives the received FA.
An image corresponding to X data is recorded on a recording paper (not shown). For example, a latent image is formed on a photoreceptor by a laser beam, developed with toner, and transferred to the recording paper. A recording method is used.

The conversion unit 17 encodes data such as a bit image read through the scanner 13 and converts it into fax data for communication, or decodes received fax data and converts it into image data for printing. Or
For example, it is configured by using an encoding or decoding circuit for both.

As described above, the CPU 3 comprises the NCU 2, the modem 5, the ROM 7, the RAM 9, the operation panel 11, and the scanner 1.
3, connected to the printer 15, and the conversion unit 17, and performs operations such as memory reading, FAX transmission, and FAX reception by inputting and outputting signals to and from each unit. Hereinafter, these operations will be schematically described.
The processing described below is performed by the storage memory 9 as described later.
This is a process in a normal state in which a sufficient storage area is secured in d.

[0021] Memory Reading After setting a document on the scanner 13 and performing a predetermined operation on the operation panel 11 to specify a destination or the like, the CP
U3 executes the next memory read. First, a document image is read as a bit image in units of one page via the scanner 13 and stored in the image buffer 9c. Next, the stored image data (original data) is encoded via the conversion unit 17, converted into communication fax data, and stored in the storage memory 9d.

[0022] FAX transmission (memory transmission) FAX for communication is stored in the storage memory 9d by reading the memory.
When the data is stored, the CPU 3 executes the next fax transmission. First, the current date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, and second) are read from a clock (not shown) built in the CPU 3, and the names of the transmission source and transmission destination, the line number, etc. Read. next,
The read data (hereinafter referred to as transmission data) is encoded via the conversion unit 17 and is added to the FAX data in the storage memory 9d. Subsequently, after transmitting and receiving a signal according to a predetermined communication protocol (protocol) via the NCU 2 and the telephone line, the transmission data and the facsimile data are transmitted via the transmission buffer 9a. .

The transmission data is a so-called cover page using one page of the transmission image.
It is added to the AX data or in the form of a so-called transmission header described at the upper end of the transmission image corresponding to the FAX data. Which form to choose,
Alternatively, whether or not to add the transmission data can be set by the operation panel 11.

[0024] FAX Reception When FAX data is received from the telephone line via the NCU 2, the CPU 3 executes the next FAX reception. After transmitting and receiving signals to and from the transmission source facsimile apparatus by a predetermined communication device (protocol), the FA is transmitted via the reception buffer 9b.
Receive X data. Next, the FAX data is decrypted by the conversion unit 17, converted into image data for printing, and stored in the storage memory 9d. Subsequently, the image data is developed in the image buffer 9c as a bit image in units of one page and sent to the printer 15 for printing.

Here, the facsimile machine 1 performs the above-described memory reading, facsimile transmission or facsimile reception,
The processing of the CPU 3 can be executed in parallel, for example, by time division. However, this is the case where the storage memory 9d has a sufficient storage capacity to execute such processing. If a large amount of data is stored in the storage memory 9d and the storage capacity is insufficient, the above-described memory reading may not be executable. Therefore, the facsimile machine 1
Here, the transmission process is executed as follows based on the storage capacity of the storage memory 9d.

Next, the transmission process executed by the CPU 3 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When a predetermined operation is performed on the operation panel 11 after a document is set on the scanner 13 as in the case of starting the above-described memory reading, the CPU 3 executes the processing in FIG.

First, when the process is started, a large amount of data is stored in the storage memory 9d in S1 (S represents a step: the same applies hereinafter), and it is determined whether or not memory reading cannot be executed (memory full). to decide. If the memory is not full (S1: NO), as described above, the document data is once read into the memory, the encoded FAX data is stored in the storage memory 9d, and then the aforementioned FAX transmission (memory transmission) is executed. To end the processing. When memory is full (S
1: YES), the process proceeds to S5, and the encoded data is transmitted by facsimile at any time, and the process ends. That is, in S5, after transmitting and receiving a signal by a predetermined communication device (protocol) with the facsimile of the transmission destination, the original data is encoded in the same manner as in the above-described memory reading, and the data is stored in the storage memory 9d. Instead, the data is transmitted directly via the transmission buffer 9a.

As described above, in the facsimile apparatus 1, when the memory is full (S1: YES), the facsimile apparatus 1 facsimilely transmits the encoded data without storing it in the transmission buffer 9a (S5). Therefore, even when a large amount of data is stored in the storage memory 9d by facsimile reception or the like, original data can be transmitted satisfactorily. When the memory is not full (S1: NO), the memory transmission can be executed as described above, so that the time required for the transmission can be shortened and the line usage fee can be saved. Furthermore, in this case, FAX reception or F
AX transmission can be performed. That is, the facsimile machine 1 can execute the dual access when the memory is not full. Therefore, the work time required for transmitting and receiving FAX data can be further reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the processing of the CPU 3 relating to the above-described memory reading, the storage area of the ROM 7 storing the processing, and the conversion unit 17 are provided to the original data conversion means by the CPU 3 relating to the above-described facsimile transmission. The processing, the storage area of the ROM 7 storing the processing, and the conversion section 17 are provided to the transmission data providing means by the CPU 3 relating to the above-described FAX reception, the storage area of the ROM 7 storing the processing, and the conversion section 17 being provided with the reception data. Conversion means,
The storage memory 9d is used as storage means, the transmission buffer 9a and the NCU 2 are used as transmission means, the processing of S1 by the CPU 3 and the storage area of the ROM 7 storing the processing are used as capacity shortage detection means, the processing of S5 by the CPU 3, and the processing thereof. The storage area of the ROM 7 in which is stored corresponds to the transmission operation switching means.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be applied to almost all facsimile machines that can execute memory transmission,
The present invention can be applied to a facsimile apparatus which is not a dual access type.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a transmission process in the facsimile machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Facsimile machine 2. NCU
3 CPU 7 ROM 9 RAM
9a: transmission buffer 9b: reception buffer 9c: image buffer
9d: storage memory 13: scanner 15: printer
17 ... Conversion unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An original data conversion means for converting original data into fax data for communication, a storage means for storing various data including the converted facsimile data, A facsimile apparatus comprising: a facsimile apparatus that transmits facsimile data of the facsimile apparatus; and a capacity shortage detection means for detecting a shortage of storage capacity of the storage means. The facsimile converted by the manuscript data conversion means
A facsimile apparatus comprising: a transmission operation switching means for directly transmitting data to the transmission means without storing the data in the storage means. 2. A reception data conversion means for converting the FAX data into image data for printing upon receiving the FAX data and storing the converted data in the storage means, wherein a sufficient storage capacity is secured in the storage means. The document data conversion means converts the document data and stores it in the storage means, and the reception data conversion means converts FAX data and stores it in the storage means in parallel. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile apparatus can be executed. 3. A transmission data assigning means for converting data relating to the transmission status into fax data for communication and assigning the fax data to the fax data when the sending means sends the fax data. When a sufficient storage capacity is secured, the operation of converting the original data by the original data conversion unit and storing the converted original data in the storage unit, and the operation of the transmission data providing unit to add the FAX data are performed in parallel. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile apparatus can be executed.