JPH1098597A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate necessity to execute a reverse poling procedure in order to obtain machine kind information and to shorten a time required for communication by giving machine kind identifying information from a second device to the first device as a DTMF signal. SOLUTION: A terminal station transmits a machine kind identifying information signal to a center station during the first reverse poling procedure through the use of the DTMF signal, the center station detects the signal by using a modem and the machine kind of the terminal station is identified. Then, the terminal station transmits the machine kind identifying signal(three-digit numerals, for example) to the center station through the use of the DTMF signal in a step <=34 before the terminal station transmits a CFR signal being a reception preparation recognizing signal in the step #4 after the training check of the center station in the step #3. Therefore, the center station can identify the machine kind of the terminal station so that data to be collected is requested in DATA 1 of the step #5. Then, the data is transmitted from the terminal station to the center station as the DATA 2 in the step #12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device having a remote operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Communication devices such as facsimile machines include:
Some have a remote operation function. The remote operation function means that the first facsimile device (P
C may be used to collect data of the second facsimile machine or rewrite data. Hereinafter, with respect to the remote operation, the center station indicates the first facsimile apparatus performing the remote operation, and the terminal station indicates the second facsimile apparatus performing the remote operation.

In remote operation, the types and amounts of data handled differ depending on the model of the terminal station, and there are also models that cannot be remotely operated. Therefore, the center station needs to obtain model information of the terminal station. Then, a remote operation is performed based on the information.

Conventionally, the model information of a terminal station has been obtained in advance by a center station, or first obtained by using a reverse polling procedure in a communication procedure. Reverse polling is a communication in which a calling facsimile machine transmits data to a called facsimile machine and receives data from the called facsimile machine.

In other words, the method of obtaining model information using the reverse polling procedure is that the center station first transmits a signal requesting model identification information to the terminal station, and the terminal station responds to the signal by requesting the model information. The identification information is returned as a signal. In this case, for example, when the center station collects data of the terminal station by remote operation, the reverse polling procedure is repeated twice. The first is a procedure for acquiring the model identification information of the terminal station, and the second is a reverse polling procedure for collecting necessary data.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, in the method of obtaining the model information of the terminal station in advance, even if this information is wrong, the center station cannot judge this and the remote operation is not possible. Mistakes such as working on the wrong terminal station. Also, in the method of obtaining the model information of the terminal station by using the reverse polling procedure in the communication procedure, for example, when collecting data, it is necessary to repeat the reverse polling procedure twice, and communication takes time. There is a problem that.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication apparatus which can reduce the time required for a center station to obtain model information of a terminal station and can perform an appropriate remote operation based on accurate model information. And

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a communication device in which a first device remotely controls a second device through a telephone line, wherein the second device is self-contained. Is given to the first device as a DTMF signal. Therefore, the center station, which is the first communication device, is unilaterally provided with the model identification signal from the terminal station, which is the second communication device, so that it is not necessary to perform a reverse polling procedure for obtaining model information, and The time required for is reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the first device performs a remote operation according to the model of the second device, so that unnecessary communication is not performed, and the time required for communication is reduced. , Leading to cost savings.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as a means for surely expecting the effect of the second aspect of the present invention, the first device is a model in which the second device cannot be remotely operated or is not a target model. Has a means for promptly interrupting communication.

[0011]

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile apparatus 7 employing the present invention. The present invention relates to a communication apparatus including two facsimile apparatuses, a center station and a terminal station, which transmit and receive signals through a telephone line. Here, there is no difference in the basic configuration between the facsimile apparatus of the center station and the facsimile apparatus of the terminal station, as shown in FIG. As for the functions, the facsimile machine of the center station has a remote operation function of collecting data of a common type of facsimile machine and rewriting data.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU for controlling the entire apparatus. 2 is a ROM for storing programs and the like of the CPU 1, and 3 is a RAM for storing data and date and time of transmission and reception
It is. This RAM 3 is assumed to be backed up by a power supply. In addition, instead of RAM3, EPROM or EEP
It may be a ROM.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an operation unit for inputting various operation instructions to the apparatus. Reference numeral 5 denotes a printing unit that prints out received data and the like, and 6 denotes a scanner that reads a transmission original and the like. Reference numeral 8 denotes a modem that modulates a coded digital signal into an analog signal during transmission and demodulates an analog signal received from a line into a digital signal during reception. Reference numeral 9 denotes an NCU which transmits a dial signal to a telephone line during transmission to establish a call line for a called station, and detects a call signal upon reception to notify the CPU 1 that a call has been received.

In the remote operation of the communication apparatus according to the present embodiment, the terminal station transmits a DTMF signal as a model identification information signal to the center station, and the center station identifies the model of the terminal station based on this signal and collects data. Or rewrite. In order to easily explain the communication procedure in the remote operation according to the present embodiment, the procedure of the reverse polling of the conventional example will be described first with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a signal sequence of a single reverse polling procedure of the prior art in non-standard communication between facsimile machines of a common model.
In the figure, a thick solid line represents a high-speed signal. The thin solid line indicates a low speed signal or a single tone signal.

First, in the first reverse polling procedure, when the center station calls the terminal station in step # 1, a CNG signal, which is a ring tone, is sent to the terminal station. Upon receiving the CNG signal, the terminal station receives a CED signal as a called station identification signal, an NSF signal as a non-standard function identification signal, a CSI signal as a called terminal identification signal, and a DIS as a digital identification signal in step # 2. Return the signal to the center station. The center station receiving these signals from the terminal station transmits an NSS signal, which is a non-standard function setting signal, and a TCF signal for performing a training check in step # 3.

When the training check of the center station is completed, the terminal station returns a CFR signal, which is a reception preparation confirmation signal, in step # 4, thereby giving a message transmission permission. The center station receiving this CFR signal sends a model identification information request signal as DATA1 in step # 5, and sends a PPS-EOM signal indicating the end of the page of the facsimile message in step # 6.

Then, after receiving the MCF signal indicating that the message signal transmitted from the terminal station is completely received in step # 7, the same non-standard signal as the signal transmitted from the terminal station in step # 2 is received again. An NSF signal as a function identification signal, a CSI signal as a called terminal identification signal, and a DIS signal as a digital identification signal are sent in step # 8. On the other hand, the center station determines in step # 9 the NSC signal which is a non-standard function command signal and the C which is a calling terminal identification signal.
An IG signal and a DTC signal, which is a digital transmission command signal indicating that the right to transmit a message is transferred to a partner terminal, are sent to the terminal station.

In the following steps, the terminal station transmits data to the center station, and signals are exchanged in substantially the same manner as in steps # 3 to # 7. First, in step # 9, the terminal station that has received the signal from the center station determines in step # 10 that the non-standard function setting signal NS
An S signal and a TCF signal for performing a training check are transmitted.

When the terminal station has completed the training check,
In step # 11, the center station returns a CFR signal, which is a reception preparation confirmation signal, whereby a message transmission permission is issued. In the terminal station receiving this CFR signal,
In step # 12, DATA2 is used first, and in step # 5
In step # 13, a signal indicating the requested model identification information is sent, and in step # 13, a PPS-EOP signal indicating that there is no document to be transmitted and no other document to send is sent.

After the terminal station receives the MCF signal indicating that the message sent from the center station has been completely received in step # 14, the terminal station sends the disconnection command signal DCN signal to the center station in step # 15. The first reverse polling procedure is completed.

Next, the procedure of the second reverse polling is entered. Here, the procedure from the first step # 1 to step # 15 is repeated in the same manner. At this time, in step # 5, the center station sends a signal requesting data to be collected to the terminal station as DATA1. In response to this, in step # 12, the data requested from the terminal station to the center station is sent as DATA2.

As described above, conventionally, in remote operation of a facsimile apparatus between common models, collection of model identification information and data of a terminal station requires two reverse polling procedures.
It was done by repeating it many times.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the terminal station transmits a model identification information signal to the center station using a DTMF signal during the first reverse polling procedure of FIG. 2, and the center station uses a modem. By detecting this signal, the model of the terminal station is identified. FIG. 3 shows a signal sequence at this time. The same steps as those in FIG. 2 use the same numbers.

In FIG. 3, after the training check of the center station is completed in step # 3 and before the terminal station sends the CFR signal which is the reception preparation confirmation signal in step # 4, the terminal station sends the center station to the center station in step # 34. A model identification signal (for example, a three-digit number) is transmitted using the DTMF signal.

Therefore, the center station can identify the model of the terminal station here, so that the data of DATA1 in step # 5 is obtained.
Now request the data to be collected. And Step # 1
In step 2, the terminal station transmits the data requested in step # 5 to the center station as DATA2. The same effect can be obtained even if the DTMF signal is transmitted immediately before the terminal station transmits the NSF signal in step # 2.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when data is collected by remote operation, during the reverse polling procedure in which the conventional center station obtains the model identification information of the terminal station, the model identification from the terminal station is performed. The information is sent as a DTMF signal. In other words, the first reverse poll,
In the conventional example, the procedure of requesting and obtaining data to be collected, which is performed in the procedure of the second reverse polling, is applied.

The center station receives the DTMF signal and detects it using a modem to identify the model. At this time, the terminal station determines that the terminal station cannot be remotely operated or is not subject to remote operation. If so, the DCN signal, which is the disconnection command signal, is transmitted in step # 45, and the communication is immediately interrupted (see FIG. 4). Of course, if it is determined that the model is a model that can be remotely operated and that it is a target model, as shown in FIG. Continue the operation.

[0029]

In the remote operation of the communication apparatus according to the present invention, the center station unilaterally sends the model identification information as a DTMF signal from the terminal station, so that a special procedure for obtaining the model information is not required. . Furthermore, the model identification information is accurate since it is obtained after starting communication for performing a remote operation. That is, an appropriate remote operation can be performed in a short time. In addition, since the remote operation to the wrong terminal station is immediately interrupted, the time can be reduced in this case as well.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a signal sequence of a reverse polling procedure in the related art.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a signal sequence of a remote operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a signal sequence of a remote operation according to the embodiment of the present invention when the terminal station is not a target model.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Operation part 7 Facsimile device 8 Modem

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Koichi Matsuo 1-2-28 Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Inside Mita Industries Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshihiro Mori 1-2-28 Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication device in which a first device remotely controls a second device via a telephone line, wherein the second device provides its own model identification information as a DTMF signal to the first device. Characteristic communication device. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first device performs a remote operation according to a model of the second device. 3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the first device interrupts communication promptly when the second device is a model that cannot be remotely operated or is not a target model.