JPH10294844A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent execution of a 2nd processing that obstructs a 1st processing or the like in advance. SOLUTION: In the case that a remote maintenance request is accepted (102), after the acceptance of other jobs is inhibited (104), the remote maintenance request is accepted and contents of the maintenance request are analyzed (106). Based on the contents of the analyzed remote maintenance request, whether or not the remote maintenance processing is obstructed depending on the processing according to the operation of a control panel 22 and then whether or not lock processing of the control pane 22 is required is discriminated (108). In the case that the lock processing of the control pane 22 is required (108; Y), a message of 'Control panel is locked' is displayed on the control panel so that entry of data instructing a processing in duplicate with the remote maintenance or obstructing the remote maintenance is inhibited (110).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, and more particularly, to a communication terminal device connected to a management device via a communication line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, communication terminal devices (facsimile machines, copiers, printers, multifunction machines, etc.) that are connected to a management center via a public line, communicate with the management center, and provide remote service have been proposed. Have been. For the remote service, a method is called from the management center to maintain the communication terminal device (remote maintenance), and various data of the communication terminal device are transmitted to the management center by calling from the communication terminal device. There are two methods (remote center call).

[0003] In a communication terminal device to be remotely maintained, predetermined data is registered by a management center writing data to a memory of the communication terminal device via a public line or reading data from a memory of the communication terminal device. There has been proposed a device that facilitates maintenance (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
-178029). In addition, a communication terminal that performs a remote center call includes a device that transmits information indicating that a failure has occurred from the communication terminal to the management center in order to call a serviceman when a failure occurs in the communication terminal. It has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-178767).

[0004]

However, the above communication terminal device can perform parallel processing (second processing) in accordance with the operation of the control panel during remote service processing (first processing). For example, when collecting and storing abnormal data indicating what part of the communication terminal device has an abnormality, when the control panel operation is performed, the stored abnormal data is erased and a remote center call cannot be performed. is there. During registration of the speed dial transmitted from the management center, the same speed dial may be registered twice according to an operation of the control panel.

[0005] Further, by remote service processing,
Information (for example, abbreviated numbers, etc.) is written to the memory of the communication terminal device. After a service (automatic call, etc.) that operates with reference to the written information starts, the information is subjected to remote maintenance such as batch change of abbreviated numbers. When information is deleted, automatic calling may not be possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to propose a communication terminal device capable of preventing the execution of a second process that obstructs the first process. Aim.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a first method is provided.
The present invention is a communication terminal device connected to a management device via a communication line, and receives command data for instructing execution of a predetermined first process from the management device via the communication line. Receiving means, instructing means for selectively instructing execution of a plurality of processings including a second processing overlapping with the first processing or inhibiting the first processing, and a second processing by the instructing means Is not instructed, and when the instruction data is received by the receiving means, the execution of the second processing is disabled and the first processing is executed, and the instruction data is not received, And executing means for executing the instructed processing when instructed.

That is, the communication terminal device according to the present invention is connected to the management device via a communication line, and the receiving means instructs the management device to execute a predetermined first process via the communication line. Command data to be received.

The instructing means selectively instructs execution of a plurality of processes including a second process which overlaps with the first process or obstructs the first process.

Here, if the instruction data is received by the receiving means and the execution of the second processing is instructed by the instruction means during the execution of the first processing, the first processing is overlapped with the first processing.
A second process that inhibits the above process is executed.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the execution of the second processing is not instructed by the instruction means and the instruction data is received by the receiving means, the execution of the second processing is disabled and the first processing is performed. Execute the process.

The execution means executes the specified processing when the instruction data is not received and the instruction is given.

As described above, when the instruction data for instructing the execution of the first process is received, the first process overlaps with the first process or the first process is executed.
In order to make the second process that hinders the process impossible to execute,
It is possible to prevent the execution of the second processing overlapping with the first processing or the execution of the second processing that inhibits the first processing.

Here, the execution means does not execute the first processing or terminates the second processing if the second processing is being executed or is scheduled to be executed when the command data is received. Thereafter, the first processing may be executed.

As described above, when the instruction data is received and the second processing is being executed or is scheduled to be executed,
Since the first processing is not performed or the first processing is performed after the second processing is completed, the second processing being executed or scheduled to be executed based on the information obtained by the first processing is newly executed. By the first processing, it is possible to prevent the information from being erased or the like, so that the information cannot be executed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal device connected to a management device via a communication line, and determines whether a predetermined condition for executing the first process is satisfied. Determining means for selectively performing execution of a plurality of processings including a second processing which inhibits the first processing, and execution of the second processing is not instructed by the instruction means. And when it is determined by the determination means that the condition is satisfied, it is determined that the execution of the second process is disabled and the first process is performed, and that the condition is not satisfied, and An execution unit that executes the instructed process when the instruction is issued, and, when the first process is executed by the execution unit, sends an execution result of the first process to the management device via the communication line. Transmission means for transmitting via .

That is, the communication terminal device according to the present invention is connected to the management device via the communication line. The determining means determines whether or not a condition for executing the predetermined first process has been satisfied.

The instructing means selectively instructs execution of a plurality of processes including a second process which overlaps with the first process or inhibits the first process.

Here, it is determined by the determining means that a predetermined condition for executing the first processing has been satisfied, and during the execution of the first processing, the instruction means instructs the execution of the second processing. Then, a second process that inhibits the first process is executed.

Therefore, the present invention makes it impossible to execute the second processing when the execution of the second processing is not instructed by the instructing means and the condition is judged to be satisfied by the judging means. 1 is performed.

The execution means executes the specified processing when it is determined that the condition is not satisfied and when the instruction is given.

As described above, when the determining means determines that the predetermined condition for executing the first process is satisfied, the second process for inhibiting the first process is disabled. In addition, it is possible to prevent the execution of the second processing that inhibits the first processing.

Here, the execution means does not execute the first processing or terminates the second processing if the second processing is being executed or is scheduled to be executed when it is determined that the condition is satisfied. After that, the first processing may be executed.

As described above, if it is determined that the condition is satisfied and the second process is being executed or is scheduled to be executed, the first process is not executed or the second process is terminated after the second process is completed. Since the first process is executed, the second process which is being executed or is scheduled to be executed based on the information obtained by the first process,
By the new first processing, it is possible to prevent the information from being erased or the like, and the execution becomes impossible.

In the first and second aspects of the present invention, the execution means may disable the operation of the instruction means to disable execution of the second processing.

As described above, if the execution of the second process is disabled by disabling the instruction of the execution of the second process by the instruction means, complicated internal processing is not required. Therefore, the control can be simplified.

In the first and second inventions, the execution means determines whether or not the execution of the second process is disabled.
When it is determined that the execution of the second process is disabled, the execution of the second process may be disabled. Therefore, the execution of the second process is disabled only when necessary, so that it is possible to prevent the execution of the second process from being unnecessarily disabled.

Further, in the first and second inventions, the execution means determines whether or not to enable execution of the second process which has been disabled, and enables execution of the second process. When it is determined, the second process may be executed. Therefore, if it becomes unnecessary to perform the second processing, it becomes possible to execute the second processing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the execution of the second processing from being kept unnecessarily impossible. it can.

When the instruction means is a plurality of keys displayed on the control panel, the control means does not execute the second processing when the execution means disables the execution of the second processing. Control may be performed so that possible things are displayed on the control panel. This allows
The user can be made aware that the execution of the second process is impossible.

The control means makes the execution of the second processing impossible by the execution means, and displays that the execution of the second processing is impossible when the control panel is operated. You may. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent unnecessary execution of the second processing from being displayed.

[0031]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a communication terminal apparatus (facsimile apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a machine)) 12 according to the present embodiment is connected to a management center 10 having a management apparatus composed of a personal computer via a public line. It is connected to the. A registration device 16 for registering information in a memory described later is connected to the machine 12 via an interface 14 (see also FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the machine 12 has a system control unit 32. The system control unit 32
U, ROM, nonvolatile memory (for example, SRAM) and the like, and controls a remote service. In the SRAM, data necessary for the remote service,
System data for controlling the system is stored.
The system control unit 32 includes the interface 1 described above.
4, a registration device 16 is connected.

The system control unit 32 includes an operation display unit (hereinafter, referred to as a control panel) 22 for executing various service functions provided by the machine 12 by an operator, and a communication control for controlling a communication protocol of G3 or G4. The device (transmission / reception unit) 40 is connected to a line control unit 30 that detects connection, disconnection, and incoming call of a line, an MMU control unit 36 that controls acquisition / release of a memory, and an MMU control unit 36, A storage device 26 for storing document information and information notified by the remote service is connected.
The line controller 30 is also connected to the storage device 26.

Further, the system control unit 32 is instructed to read by the operation display unit 22 according to the instruction from the operation display unit 22, and reads out the image information in page units. The printer unit 28 for printing image information is connected. An image processing unit 34 connected to the system control unit and the line control unit 30 is connected to the printer unit 28 and the reading unit 24. The image processing unit 34 encodes the image information according to a predetermined rule and converts it into compressed data, and performs encoding and decoding for expanding the compressed data and decoding it to the original image information.

The system control unit 32 includes a character generator unit 3 that converts the information represented by the character code into report information that can be read by a human in a predetermined format.
8, and a time control unit 42 that monitors the time and detects that the set time has been reached.

The system control unit 32 includes the machine 1
2, a sensor (not shown) that detects the occurrence of each of a plurality of faults that may occur is connected. When detecting the occurrence of a fault, the sensor outputs a fault occurrence detection signal including information for identifying the fault.

Further, a sensor (not shown) for detecting that a consumable item has been replaced has been connected to the system control unit 32. This sensor is used when consumables are replaced
The consumables replacement detection signal is output.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 shows a remote maintenance processing routine that is started when a call is made from the management center 10 (N1 (see also FIG. 4)), a line is connected, and a remote maintenance request is received.

Here, in the remote maintenance processing,
Examples include writing data to the memory of the machine 12, reading data from the memory, extracting a communication management report such as a communication time, a communication destination, the number of communication, and a communication result, and requesting a self-diagnosis and reading a self-diagnosis result.

At step 102 in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not a remote maintenance request can be accepted by determining whether or not another job is being executed (N).
2).

If the remote maintenance request cannot be accepted, this routine ends. If the remote maintenance request can be accepted, the reception of another job is prohibited in step 104 (N3). The reception of another job is prohibited by setting a flag. Thus, when a request to execute another job is made, execution of the job is prohibited if the flag is set. If the flag is not set, another job can be executed. Other jobs include a case of a remote center call to be described later.

As described above, when the remote maintenance request is received, it is determined whether or not another job is being executed.
If it is determined that another job is being executed, the remote maintenance request is not accepted. Therefore, a service (other job) is started based on the information written based on the remote maintenance request, and a new remote maintenance is started. Thus, it is possible to prevent the information from being erased and the service from becoming inoperable.

When it is determined that the other job is being executed, the remote maintenance request may be put on standby, and when the execution of the other job is completed, the remote maintenance process may be executed. In this case, history information (processing time and the like) of the remote maintenance processing may be notified to the management center. Further, when it is determined that another job is being executed, it may be displayed on the control panel 22 that the remote maintenance request cannot be accepted or that the remote maintenance request is waiting.

In step 106, a remote maintenance request is accepted (N4), and the contents of the maintenance request are analyzed.

In step 108, based on the analyzed contents of the remote maintenance request, it is determined whether or not the remote maintenance processing is obstructed by the processing according to the operation of the control panel 22. It is determined whether lock processing is necessary (N5).

The remote maintenance request is simply to read out the data and the status of the machine 12, so that it is determined that there is no possibility that the remote maintenance processing is obstructed, and it is determined that the lock processing of the control panel 22 is not necessary. If so, the process proceeds to step 112. If the control panel needs to be locked, the process proceeds to step 110 where the lock process is performed.
Proceed to 6.

Here, the lock processing is performed by displaying "control panel locked" on the control panel as shown in FIG. 11 (2). Thereby, the user can recognize that the remote service process is being performed, and can further recognize that the control panel 22 cannot be operated. Therefore, it is not possible to input, from the control panel 22, data instructing a process overlapping with the remote maintenance or inhibiting the remote maintenance. Therefore, the duplicated processing is not processed in parallel, and the remote maintenance is not hindered.
Effective remote service.

In step 112, it is determined based on the content of the remote maintenance request whether or not a communication stop prohibition process is necessary (N6). If the communication stop prohibition process is not required, the process proceeds to step 116. If the communication stop prohibition process is required, the communication stop prohibition process is executed at step 114.

Here, usually, as shown in FIG. 11A, the control panel displays the communication destination, the number of communication, and the like.
A stop key 22A for instructing to stop the transmission is displayed. When the stop key 22A is touched, data for instructing the stop is input, thereby stopping the transmission. In the communication stop prohibition processing, the stop key 22A is not displayed. This allows the user to select the stop key 22
It is possible to prevent the transmission processing for remote maintenance from being disturbed without A being operated. Therefore, urgent and important information can be transmitted reliably.

It should be noted that the above operation may be performed by setting a communication stop prohibition flag. When the communication stop prohibition flag is set, even if the user operates the control panel to instruct communication stop as described above, internal processing is performed to prohibit acceptance of a processing request by the operation. .

In step 116, a service process according to the remote maintenance request is executed (N8), and in step 118, the lock is released and the prohibition is released (N12), and this routine ends. The release of the lock or the prohibition may be performed according to an instruction from the management center 10.

As described above, when the remote maintenance request is received, the control panel is locked,
Since the communication step instruction is prohibited, the data collected for remote maintenance is
It is possible to prevent deletion by operation of the control panel, and to execute a remote service.

FIG. 5 shows a remote center call processing routine that is started when a condition for performing a remote center call is satisfied.

The remote center call collects predetermined information and notifies the management center of the collected information. For example, it starts when a failure occurrence detection signal is input, automatically notifies the contents of the failure that has occurred, or starts when a predetermined time comes, and transmits the billing meter information (input from the printer unit 28). Automatically notify the user periodically, or input a consumables replacement detection signal to notify replacement of consumables, start when the set time has come, and print out the number of sheets used (input from the printer unit 28). It is started by being counted and notified for each size, is instructed by the operation of the control panel by the user, is notified of at least one request of inspection and repair, is started by being instructed by the operation of the control panel by the user, and is used. Notification of a request for collection of used consumables or a large portion of the product.

At step 122 in FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not a remote center call can be activated by determining whether or not another job is being executed (M1 (see also FIG. 6)). If the remote center call cannot be started, this routine ends. The other job includes the above-described remote maintenance processing.

When it is determined that another job is being executed, the remote center call process may be waited for, and when the execution of the other job is completed, the remote center call process may be executed. In this case, history information (processing time and the like) of the remote center call processing may be notified to the management center. Further, when it is determined that another job is being executed, it may be displayed on the control panel that the remote center call cannot be started or that the remote center call is waiting.

If the remote center call can be started, it is determined in step 124 whether or not it is necessary to notify the management center. If it is not necessary to notify the management center, for example, if a failure occurs and a remote center call is made, and the same failure occurs before a service person responds, the remote center call will be duplicated. If it is necessary to terminate this routine and notify the management center in order to prevent the job from being accepted, the reception of the job is prohibited in step 126 (M2).

At the next step 128, it is determined whether or not the remote center call processing is obstructed by the processing according to the operation of the control panel based on the contents of the remote center call to be executed. It is determined whether lock processing is necessary (M3).
For example, a remote center call to be executed inputs a consumables replacement detection signal and notifies the management center of replacement of consumables, or counts the number of sheets used for each paper size at a set time and notifies the management center. If it is determined that the control panel lock processing is not necessary, the process proceeds to step 132 and the control panel lock processing is required. If not, a lock process is performed in step 130 (M3, M4). Thereby, the locked state is displayed on the control panel (M5 (FIG. 11 (2)).
reference)).

In step 132, more detailed information for notification to the center (there is a case where there is an instruction of information to be collected from the management center) is collected (M6).

Here, during data collection, since consistency between data is necessary, lock processing is performed as described above, but data collection is terminated and other information (for example, error history information, etc.) When taking out, no lock is required. Thus, in step 134, it is determined whether or not to release the lock (M7). If the lock is not released, the process proceeds to step 138. If the lock is released, the lock is released in step 136 to prevent the operation of the control panel from being locked unnecessarily (M8). This can prevent the control panel from being locked unnecessarily long.

In the next step 138, it is determined whether or not a communication stop prohibition process is necessary (M7). For example, when the remote center call is a service request or a consumables delivery request according to a user instruction, for example, an incorrect number may be input. Therefore, there are cases where it is necessary to cancel this and make it possible to input again. Therefore,
If the remote center call is a service request or a consumable goods delivery request according to a user instruction, it is determined that the communication stop prohibition process is not necessary, and the process proceeds to step 142.
If it is determined that the communication stop prohibition process is necessary, the communication stop prohibition process is executed in step 140 (M
8).

At step 142, the collected information is notified to the management center. That is, a call is made to the management center (M
9) Notify the collected information to the management center (M1
0).

Then, in step 144, the lock is released and the prohibition is released (M12), and this routine ends. The lock and the release of the prohibition are performed by the management center 1
It may be performed according to an instruction from 0.

As described above, when a remote center call is made, the control panel is locked or the communication step instruction is prohibited, so that the data collected for the remote center call can be obtained by operating the control panel. The deletion can be prevented, and the remote service can be executed.

Next, a modified example will be described. When the consumables replacement detection signal is input, the control routine shown in FIG. 7 is started, and the above-described steps 122 and 124 are sequentially executed. Then, in step 132, information to be notified to the center is collected (M6 ( See also FIG. 8)). At step 138,
Based on the collected information, it is determined whether a communication stop prohibition process is necessary (M7). If the communication stop prohibition process is not required, the process proceeds to step 142. If the communication stop prohibition process is required, the communication stop prohibition process is executed (M8). In step 142, the collected information is notified to the management center. (M9, 10). In step 144, the prohibition is released (M12), and this routine ends.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the control routine that starts when an abnormality detection signal is input. This routine corresponds to steps 122, 124, and 126 described above.
Are sequentially executed, and in step 150, the management center is notified that an error has occurred. That is, a call is made to the management center (M21 (see FIG. 10)), and data for identifying the type of the remote maintenance call (information indicating that an abnormality has occurred) is notified to the management center (M22). The management center that has input this data determines whether or not the control panel needs to be locked based on the input data.
It is determined whether or not communication stop prohibition processing is necessary. If lock processing of the control panel is required or communication stop prohibition processing is required, each control signal is transmitted to the machine 1.
2 is notified (M23). Thereby, step 152 is performed.
Is affirmatively determined, and in step 154, lock processing and communication stop prohibition processing are executed based on the control signal (M2
4). In addition, after step 154, step 132,
Steps 142 and 144 are sequentially performed.

As described above, since the lock can be performed in response to the request from the management center, the control on the machine 12 side is simplified.

In the above-described embodiment, when the control panel is locked, "control panel locked" is displayed uniformly, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the control panel is locked. In such a case, when the control panel is operated, “control panel locked” may be displayed.

In the embodiment described above, the control panel is locked. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the registration device may be locked together with the control panel.

In the above-described embodiment, a facsimile machine has been described as an example of a machine. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same applies to printers, copiers, multifunctional machines, and the like having communication means. Can be appropriate.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the instruction data for instructing the execution of the first process is received, the second process which overlaps with the first process or inhibits the first process is executed. This makes it impossible to prevent the execution of the second process overlapping with the first process or the execution of the second process that inhibits the first process. Having.

Further, according to the present invention, when the determination means determines that the predetermined condition for executing the first process is satisfied, the second process which inhibits the first process cannot be executed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the execution of the second processing that inhibits the first processing from being executed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a communication terminal device and a management center according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication terminal device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a remote maintenance processing routine.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart when a remote maintenance process is executed.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a remote center call processing routine.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart when a remote center call process is executed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a consumables replacement transmission processing routine in a modified example.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart when a consumables replacement transmission process is executed.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an abnormality detection signal transmission processing routine in a modified example.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart when an abnormality detection signal transmission process is executed.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a normal state, a locked state, and a communication stop prohibited state of the control panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Management Center 12 Communication Terminal Device 30 Line Control Unit 32 System Control Unit 22 Operation Display Unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04Q 9/00 311 H04Q 9/00 311L

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A communication terminal device connected to a management device via a communication line, receiving command data for instructing execution of a predetermined first process from the management device via the communication line. Receiving means for performing, a commanding means for selectively instructing execution of a plurality of processes including a second process which overlaps with the first process or inhibits the first process, and a second process performed by the commanding means. When the execution of the process is not instructed, and when the instruction data is received by the receiving unit,
Executing means for disabling execution of the second processing and executing the first processing, and executing the specified processing when the instruction data is not received and the instruction is given; Communication terminal device provided. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit does not execute the first process or the second process if the second process is being executed or is scheduled to be executed when the command data is received. 2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first process is executed after the communication is completed. 3. A communication terminal device connected to a management device via a communication line, comprising: a determination unit configured to determine whether a condition for executing a predetermined first process is satisfied; Instructing means for selectively instructing execution of a plurality of processes including a second process which obstructs the first process; and execution of the second process is not instructed by the instructing device, and the judging means When it is determined that the condition is satisfied, the execution of the second processing is disabled and the first processing is executed, and it is determined that the condition is not satisfied, and the instruction is issued. Executing means for executing the instructed processing, and when the first processing is executed by the executing means,
A transmission unit for transmitting an execution result of the first processing to the management device via the communication line. 4. The execution means does not execute the first processing or executes the second processing when it is determined that the condition is satisfied and the second processing is being executed or is scheduled to be executed. The communication terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the first process is executed after the process of (1) is completed. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit disables the execution of the second process by disabling the instruction of the execution of the second process by the instruction unit. The communication terminal device according to claim 4. 6. The execution means determines whether or not execution of the second processing is disabled. When determining that execution of the second processing is disabled, execution of the second processing is performed. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein
The communication terminal device according to item. 7. The execution means determines whether or not to enable execution of a second process whose execution has been disabled, and determines whether to enable execution of the second process, The communication terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the communication terminal device can execute the processing of (1). 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said instruction means is a plurality of keys displayed on a control panel.
The communication terminal device according to claim 7. 9. A control means for controlling the execution of the second processing to be disabled by the execution means so as to display on the control panel that the execution of the second processing is impossible. 9. The communication terminal device according to claim 8, further comprising: 10. The control means, wherein execution of the second processing is disabled by the execution means, and execution of the second processing is disabled when the control panel is operated. 10. The communication terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the communication terminal device is controlled so as to display.