JPH11341209A - Method and system for facsimile communication and processing method for pattern/code conversion services - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to grasp communication processing results and to select succeeding processing in accordance with the communication processing result at the time of transmission in facsimile communication. SOLUTION: When a transmission of a succeeding guidance is necessary in accordance with contents of services, a network returns a file diagnosis message FDM after a procedure completion signal EOP is received from a terminal, transmits a guidance 1 for notifying the fact that it is under communication processing, and transmits a guidance 2 for notifying a communication result, succeeding processing and the like after the corresponding communication processing is completed. A transmitting user instructs a desired succeeding processing by a PB signal, the network transmits a guidance 3 with an intention to confirm after receiving the PB signal, and a transmitter disconnects (transmits a line disconnection instruction signal DCN) after guidance contents confirmation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile communication system for storing and exchanging various data through a facsimile communication procedure and performing services such as broadcast communication, data conversion, and protocol conversion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a facsimile communication method conventionally used, for example, in a facsimile communication network, a line is disconnected once after completion of facsimile paper transmission from a transmitting terminal, and after a communication process on the network is completed, a processing result is transmitted. The method of sending back to the terminal is adopted.

A signal sequence in a G3 service currently used in a facsimile communication network will be described with reference to FIG. The facsimile communication network uses a procedural concept called a facsimile call communication phase as an operation procedure between the terminal and the network (TTC standard). Starting from phase A for setting up a call, prior to message transmission of an image signal, phase B for performing pre-processing such as terminal function identification, transmission path state confirmation, communication mode determination, synchronization for message transmission, Phase C, which performs error detection and correction, monitors the transmission path and transmits the image signal PIX itself, ends the message, confirms reception, and handles the information of the subsequent message. The communication is terminated in phase E for restoring the call upon completion of the communication.

When there is no subsequent page (when transmission of all pages is completed),
The transmitting terminal transmits a procedure end signal EOP in phase D, transitions to phase E after receiving the message confirmation signal MCF from the network, and transmits a line disconnection command signal DCN to disconnect the line. If a message confirmation signal MCF from the network cannot be received, the terminal automatically transitions to phase E by an autonomous timer. Also,
In one-call fetch communication such as confidential fetch, the network is fax
After the transmission of the switching instruction, the process transits to the phase B of the procedure with the destination FAX.

[0005] Table 1 shows signal names of the signals in FIG.

[0006]

[Table 1]

[0007] By the way, when the mark sheet character recognition is performed in the facsimile communication network, the recognition may not be performed. At this time, the following various methods have been considered as a method of notifying the sender.

A. A method in which an unrecognizable character is replaced with a symbol such as "*" and returned to the caller for notification (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 56-1)
49168).

B. If there is an unrecognizable character, a method of transmitting both the code data after conversion and the pattern data before conversion to the information center (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-19355)
6).

C. A method of reducing the trouble at the time of retransmission by returning the unrecognizable portion as a blank to the caller and notifying the sender (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-37937).

However, in the methods a and c, since the sender transmits the data, the notification of the recognition result is returned after a while, so that the sender is separated from the FAX terminal. In the case of data transmission, etc., it has been very time-consuming to make correspondence between individual callers and notification texts later. Further, in the method b, since the operator at the information center responds by manually inputting unrecognizable characters based on the image information, the load on the operator is increased.

[0012]

In the facsimile communication system described above, once the fax transmission from the transmitting terminal is completed, the line is disconnected once, and after the result of the communication processing on the network has been found, a notification message is output to the transmitting terminal. The method is adopted. For this reason, the caller must go to the calling terminal some time after the call to find out the result of the communication, and search for the corresponding notification text, and in many cases, the calling terminal is shared by many users. This leads to the inconvenience that it takes a lot of time for terminals with high usage. Further, when a facsimile is used as the transmitting terminal, since a uniform notification is output regardless of the intention of the caller, there is also a problem that wasteful paper output is performed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile communication method and system that enable a user to grasp the result of communication processing and select a subsequent process according to the result of communication processing when making a call.

[0014]

A facsimile communication method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: after receiving a procedure end signal from a calling terminal, a network sending a progress information signal for notifying a message confirmation and the presence of subsequent information; The transmitting terminal transits to a subsequent information reception waiting state when the progress information signal is received, and the network transmits guidance information to the transmitting terminal.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting terminal transmits the subsequent processing instruction signal after receiving the guidance information, and the network receives the subsequent processing instruction signal and performs processing according to the subsequent processing instruction signal. With steps.

According to another facsimile communication method of the present invention, there is provided a phase A for setting up a call between a calling terminal and a network by transmitting a calling signal from the calling terminal, and a terminal function identification and transmission after transmitting a FAX switching instruction signal from the network. Phase B for performing pre-processing including road state confirmation and communication mode determination, phase C for transmitting an image signal to the network by receiving a reception preparation confirmation signal from the network, and post-processing the message on the network after transmitting the image signal. When the message end signal is received from the calling terminal, the message confirmation signal is transmitted and the process transits to phase B, or when the multi-page signal is received from the calling terminal, the message confirmation signal is transmitted and the process transits to phase C. Or when receiving a procedure end signal from the calling terminal, transmitting a guidance information to the calling terminal in phase D; After receiving the scan information, having a phase E, which transmits a line disconnection signal.

A facsimile communication system according to the present invention terminates a service control unit for controlling various call processing services, an image information storage unit for storing received image information in an external storage device, and various communication protocols with a terminal. A line control unit for transmitting and receiving data, and a voice file for storing voice data, reading out data specified by the service control unit from the voice file, converting the data into voice guidance, and transmitting the voice response to the terminal. It has a processing unit and a conversion processing unit that performs various conversions including mode conversion, file conversion, and size conversion of various image information.

According to the present invention, by using the progress information signal as a new signal having the meaning of the presence of the message acknowledgment signal MCF and the following information, the network can respond to the service contents after receiving the procedure end signal EOP. The terminal returns the progress information signal, and upon receiving the progress information signal, the terminal receives the subsequent guidance information for notifying the communication processing result or the like in the phase D without transitioning to the phase E, and performs a transmission terminal as necessary. The network executes subsequent processing according to the instruction by the PB signal from the network.

Thus, the user can grasp the result of communication processing in the network at the time of transmission. For example, in the transmission service of the mark sheet original to the host computer, immediately after the original is transmitted, the character recognition result by the voice guidance is grasped, the subsequent processing is selected according to the character recognition result by the voice guidance, and the broadcast is performed at the designated time. In the time designation broadcast service to be performed, confirmation / change of the designated time by voice guidance immediately after the transmission becomes possible.

[0020]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

A new signal may be newly provided as the progress information signal. However, in this case, a standard file transfer (B) capable of transmitting and receiving a binary file by a facsimile communication procedure is used.
The FDM (file diagnostic message) used in the FT) service is used.

FIG. 1 shows a signal sequence of the present embodiment when FDM is used. If it is necessary to send subsequent guidance according to the service content, after receiving the procedure end signal EOP from the terminal, the network returns a final diagnostic message FDM and sends guidance 1 to notify that communication processing is in progress. Then, after the end of the corresponding communication processing, guidance 2 for notifying the communication result and the subsequent processing is transmitted. The calling user instructs the desired subsequent processing by the PB signal, the network sends guidance 3 for confirmation after receiving the PB signal, and the caller disconnects (transmits the line disconnection command signal DCN) after confirming the guidance content.

FIG. 2 shows a state transition on the terminal side. The terminal referred to here is a FAX terminal when sending paper.

The terminal transmits an outgoing call signal from the empty state, and transitions to phase A. Call setting is performed in phase A, and the terminal receives a FAX switching instruction. The phase shifts to phase B. In phase B, the network performs terminal function identification, transmission path state confirmation, communication mode determination, and the like, and the terminal receives the reception preparation confirmation signal CFR. The terminal transits to the phase C and transmits the image signal PIX. Transition to phase D is performed for post-processing of the message. After transmitting the message end signal EOM, transition to phase B when receiving the message confirmation signal MCF, transition to phase C after receiving the message confirmation signal MCF after transmitting the multi-page signal MPS, and proceed to phase E after transmitting the procedure end signal EOP. Transitions to. However, when the file diagnostic message FDM is received, processing is performed so as not to transition to phase E but to remain in phase D. For example, a timer for about 2 minutes is operated, and transition to phase E is performed when timeout occurs.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the state transition, and does not correspond to the state transition diagram used at the actual program level. Also, as a process on the terminal side, FAX
The terminal or the modem needs to switch from the FAX mode to the telephone mode when receiving the file diagnostic message FDM.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of a facsimile communication network according to the present invention. The facsimile terminal 19, the computer terminal 1b, and the facsimile communication system 3 are connected to each other via the public network 2. The facsimile communication system 3 is configured by connecting three types of nodes, a control node 4, a conversion node 5, and a terminal node 6, on a LAN. The control system node 4 has a service control unit 4a for controlling various call processing services. The terminal node 6 stores an image information received by the image information storage unit 6a.
A line control unit 6b for transmitting and receiving data by terminating various communication protocols with the terminal; and a voice file for storing voice data. The voice data designated by the service control unit 4a is read out to provide voice guidance. It has a voice response processing unit 6c for converting and sending it to the terminal. The conversion system node 5 has a conversion processing unit 5a that performs mode conversion, size conversion, file conversion, and the like of various pieces of image information. For example, the image information storage unit 6a of the terminal node 6 may be provided in the conversion node 5, or a dedicated storage node may be provided for processing.

FIG. 4 shows the facsimile communication network of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing a series of processes of a pattern / code conversion service for converting character information of a mark sheet document transmitted from the terminal 1a to code information and transmitting the code information to a host computer.

In phase A, a call is set up with the line controller 6b triggered by a call signal from the FAX terminal 1a. The service control unit 4a is transmitted from the line control unit 6b.
Is notified of dial information and the like, and service analysis is performed. The content of the analysis result is notified to the line control unit 6b, whereby the line control 6b can determine whether to return the message confirmation signal MCF or the file diagnostic message FDM when receiving the procedure end signal EOP transmitted from the terminal 1a. In the case of this example, since the character recognition result of the mark sheet needs to be notified by voice guidance, the file diagnosis message is processed as an FDM transmission call.

After the phase B, the process transits to the phase C. In the phase C, the image signal data (mark sheet original) transmitted from the FAX terminal 1a is stored in the image information storage unit 6a, and the stored image information is read out in page units by the conversion processing unit 5a, and the image information of the mark sheet is read out. Is converted into code information, and the converted data is stored again as a converted image in the image information storage unit 6a, and the conversion result is notified to the service control unit 4a.

In phase D, when the procedure end signal EOP is transmitted from the terminal 1a, the line control unit 6b returns a file diagnostic message FDM to the facsimile terminal 1a, and notifies the FAX terminal 1a of the voice data number for notifying that the communication processing is being performed. Is notified to the voice response processing unit 6c and the service control unit 4a is notified of the reception of the procedure end signal EOP.

The voice response processing unit 6c responds to the guidance transmission instruction from the line control unit 6b,
For example, "Communication processing is in progress, so please wait for a while." (Guidance 1) is sent to the FAX terminal 1a.

The service control unit 4a firstly performs the conversion processing unit 4a
To the voice response processing unit 6c of the conversion result information and the appropriate voice data number notified from the.

The voice response processing unit 6c includes a service control unit 4a
Incorporates the conversion result information into the voice data specified by the guidance transmission instruction from, and recognizes the voice guidance, for example, "Could not recognize the 12th line of the first page. If the process is to be stopped as it is," 1 # "will be recognized. If you want to return the result, please dial "2 #". (Guidance 2) to the FAX terminal 1a. The sender who hears the guidance instructs the network to perform a desired process by transmitting a PB signal from the terminal 1a.

The PB receiving device of the line control unit 6b
It receives and identifies the PB signal transmitted from the terminal 1a, and notifies the service control unit 4a of the instruction number.

The service control unit 4a checks the validity of the notified instruction content, and if it can be processed, notifies the voice response processing unit 6c of an appropriate voice data number.
Start the instructed process.

The voice response processing unit 6c sends out the corresponding voice guidance, for example, "Please hang up the receiver because the recognition result will be returned." (Guidance 3) to the terminal 1a.

The process proceeds to phase E, and the caller goes on-hook after confirming the guidance for which the process has been accepted. As a result, the line to the network is disconnected, and then the fax
The recognition result notice is delivered to the terminal 1a.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a recognition result notification sentence, and shows an example of notification of a result of inability to read and recognize a mark sheet. The unreadable portion is the portion surrounded by the middle square frame.

FIG. 6 does not require a subsequent instruction from the calling terminal.
In the sequence diagram in the case of only guidance, in the last phase D, after transmitting the procedure end signal EOP, the file diagnostic message FDM and the guidance are received by the calling terminal.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram when transmission of the file diagnostic message FDM becomes impossible due to a system abnormality or the like. After the procedure end signal EOP is transmitted from the terminal, time elapses (6 seconds), and a transition is made to phase E.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram when the caller leaves the terminal and no subsequent instruction signal is sent. In this case, the timeout of the timer set on the network side (20
(Second), the subsequent processing is interpreted as continuation, and the recognition result notification text (guidance) is delivered after the normal processing, that is, the communication processing.

In the above embodiment, since the network does not conform to the ITU-T recommendations, it is desirable that the network transmits the non-standard equipment signal (NSF) to the terminal in phase B.

Although the embodiment of the G3 service has been described above, the basic concept is the same for the communication service of the G4 protocol, and can be realized by the following method.

FIG. 9 shows a sequence diagram at the time of G4 communication.
The terminal and the facsimile communication network (F-net) directly transmit and receive signals, that is, the 7th (FLAG) in FIG. 9 to the 6th (UA) in FIG. 9 correspond to the INS Bch protocol (others). Is the Dch protocol). In FIG. 9, D corresponds to the data link layer, N corresponds to the network layer, T corresponds to the transport layer, and S corresponds to the session layer. All the signals conform to the TTC standard. As shown in FIG.

[0045]

[Table 2]

The progress information signal, the subsequent guidance information signal,
A new signal may be newly provided as a subsequent instruction signal,
Here, a document end acknowledgment (RDEP), a session user information command (CSUI), and a session user information response (RSUI) used in the existing facsimile communication procedure are used. An EOP equivalent in the G3 service is a document end command (CDE).

A flag for the presence or absence of subsequent information is provided in a predetermined empty field of the RDEP command, and when this flag is on, it is determined that there is subsequent information. Guidance information, for example, the content “P.1-L.
12 ninshikifunou. "Push → # 1, Ketchum # 2" is set, and # 2 is set in a predetermined empty field of the RSUI.

The operation generally follows the G3 service except that code information is returned instead of voice as guidance information. Therefore, also in the device configuration, this is realized by replacing the voice response processing unit with the text editing processing unit.

In G4, the message guidance based on the code information is performed instead of the voice guidance at G3, so that the sender confirms this message guidance by being displayed on the display of the transmitting terminal.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention, the communication processing result is notified to the caller by voice guidance or the like without disconnecting the line immediately after the completion of the data transmission of the facsimile or the like. Since the user can comprehend and instruct subsequent processing, it is possible to delete an invalid notification text and to improve the usability for the user (improve customizability).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a signal sequence diagram illustrating a facsimile communication method (G3 service) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state transition on a terminal side.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile communication network.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a series of processes of a pattern / code conversion service.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a notification message indicating a result of reading / recognition failure of a mark sheet.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram in a case where a subsequent instruction from a calling terminal is unnecessary and only guidance is provided.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram when transmission of an FDM signal becomes impossible due to a system abnormality or the like;

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram in a case where the caller leaves the terminal and a subsequent instruction signal is not transmitted.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram at the time of G4 communication.

FIG. 10 is a signal sequence diagram of conventional facsimile communication (G3 service).

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a FAX terminal 1b Computer terminal 2 Public network 3 Facsimile communication system 4 Control system node 4a Service control unit 5 Conversion system node 5a Conversion processing unit 6 Terminal system node 6a Image information storage unit 6b Line control unit 6c Voice response processing unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile communication method, wherein a network sends a progress information signal for notifying that there is a message confirmation and subsequent information after receiving a procedure end signal from a calling terminal; A facsimile communication method, comprising: transiting to a subsequent information reception wait state upon reception; and transmitting the guidance information to the transmission terminal by the network. 2. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting terminal transmits a subsequent processing instruction signal after receiving the guidance information, and the network receives the subsequent processing instruction signal and performs processing according to the subsequent processing instruction signal. The facsimile communication method according to claim 1. 3. A phase A in which a call is set up between the calling terminal and the network by transmitting a calling signal from the calling terminal, and after transmitting a FAX switching instruction signal from the network, the terminal function identification, the transmission path state confirmation, and the communication mode determination are performed. Phase B for performing pre-processing including the following; phase C for transmitting an image signal to the network upon reception of a reception preparation confirmation signal from the network; post-processing of the message on the network after transmitting the image signal; When receiving the signal, the message confirmation signal is transmitted and the process transitions to phase B, or when the multi-page signal is received from the calling terminal, the message confirmation signal is transmitted and the process transitions to phase C.
A facsimile communication method comprising: a phase D for transmitting guidance information to the transmitting terminal when receiving a procedure end signal from the transmitting terminal; and a phase E for transmitting a line disconnection signal after the transmitting terminal receives the guidance information. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, in the phase D, the transmitting terminal transmits a subsequent processing instruction signal after receiving the guidance information, and the network performs processing according to the subsequent processing instruction signal. Communication method. 5. In the phase D, the network interprets that the subsequent processing is to be continued due to a set timer timeout,
The facsimile communication method according to claim 3, wherein after the communication processing, a recognition result notification sentence is delivered to the calling terminal. 6. A service control unit for controlling various call processing services, an image information storage unit for storing received image information, and a line control unit for transmitting and receiving data by terminating various communication protocols with a terminal. A voice response processing unit that has a voice file for storing voice data, reads data specified by the service control unit from the voice file, converts the data into voice guidance, and sends the voice guidance to the terminal; A facsimile communication system having a conversion processing unit for performing various conversions including file conversion and size conversion. 7. A facsimile communication network including a facsimile terminal and a facsimile communication system according to claim 6, wherein
A pattern / code conversion service processing method for converting character information of a mark sheet document transmitted from an AX terminal into code information and transmitting the code information to a host computer, wherein the line control unit and the line control unit are triggered by a call signal from a FAX terminal. Setting the call between: the service control unit is notified of the dial information from the line control unit, performs a service analysis, and notifies the line control unit of the analysis result, transmitted from the FAX terminal Storing the image signal data in the image information storage unit; and the conversion processing unit reads the stored image information, converts the image information into code information, and stores the converted data again in the image information storage unit. And notifying the service control unit of the conversion result, and the line control unit transmits a procedure end signal from the facsimile terminal. When receiving the notification, a step of notifying the voice response processing unit of the voice data number for notifying that the communication processing is being performed and returning a file diagnosis message, and then notifying the service control unit of the reception of a procedure end signal. Transmitting the corresponding first voice guidance in accordance with a guidance transmission instruction from the line control unit, and the service control unit notifying the voice response processing unit of the voice response processing unit from the conversion processing unit. Notifying the voice response processing unit of the obtained conversion result information and an appropriate voice data number; and incorporating the conversion result information into the voice data instructed by the voice response processing unit to transmit a second voice guidance to the FAX terminal. Sending a PB signal from the terminal to the terminal, performing a process desired by the caller who has heard the second voice guidance. Instructing the line control unit to receive and identify the PB signal, and notifying the service control unit of the instruction signal; and the service control unit checks the validity of the notified instruction signal. Notifying the voice response processing unit of an appropriate voice data number if processing is possible, and starting the instructed process; and transmitting the third voice guidance to the FAX terminal by the voice response processing unit. Performing a pattern / code conversion service, wherein the caller goes off-hook after confirming the third voice guidance, and the line control unit delivers a recognition result notification to a FAX terminal.