JPH11355505A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve efficiency of information transfer by detecting the congestion of LAN so as to lower receiving ability according to the degree of the congestion. SOLUTION: According to a prescribed program, at the time of receiving facsimile through a telephone PSTN, a control circuit 20 declares high receiving ability such as A3, 400 dpi to receive a subaddress signal and transmits data on the occurrence of call incoming to a designated personal computer terminal by way of local area network LAN. When signals do not collide with each other on LAN, reception is executed by the receiving ability as it is. If collision of signals with each other on LAN is recognized, the control circuit 20 transmits a primary identification signal again, declares receiving ability obtained by properly lowering receiving ability such as A4, 200 dpi to receive and displays received information to a personal computer by way of LAN according to the personal computer terminal or prints it by a facsimile equipment. Thus, the congestion of LAN is reduced to transfer data without troubles.

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 can be connected to a local area network (LAN).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional facsimile apparatus which can be connected to a LAN, a facsimile information received via a PSTN is notified to a specific terminal on the LAN, and the received information is transmitted to the terminal via the LAN according to an instruction from the terminal. It is known to send a message and display it on a terminal.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the reception capability of the facsimile apparatus is not changed according to the degree of LAN congestion, and the facsimile reception is performed at a high resolution in a state where the LAN is congested. The transferred information is transferred to the terminal via the LAN and displayed.
There is a disadvantage that data transfer on N is greatly hindered.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of efficiently transferring received information depending on the degree of LAN congestion.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The first invention of the present application is:
In a facsimile apparatus connectable to a LAN,
Detecting means for detecting the congestion of L, and L
A control unit for lowering the reception capability of the facsimile machine when it is detected that the AN is congested.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a connection means for connecting to the PSTN is provided.
The information received via the LAN is displayed on a specific terminal via the LAN.

In a third aspect of the present invention, in the first and second aspects, a local area network is provided when it is specified by a transmitter to print out received information with a facsimile machine at the time of facsimile reception. Irrespective of traffic congestion, reception is performed without deteriorating the reception capability.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a method for controlling a facsimile apparatus connectable to a LAN, congestion of the LAN is detected, and when it is detected that the LAN is congested, the facsimile apparatus is controlled. It is characterized by lowering the receiving ability.

According to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, when facsimile reception is performed when the LAN is congested, the resolution at the time of reception can be reduced, for example, when this is displayed on the terminal via the LAN. Therefore, congestion of the LAN can be alleviated, and trouble-free data transfer can be realized.

Further, in the third invention, when facsimile reception information is not displayed on a terminal via a LAN but is printed out by a facsimile apparatus, congestion on the LAN is not increased. And can print out and obtain a clear output of the received image.

[0011]

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

An NCU (network control unit) 2 is a telephone network (PS).
In order to use TN) for data communication or the like, it is connected to a terminal of the line to control connection of a telephone exchange network, switch to a data communication path, or maintain a loop. The NCU 2 connects the telephone line 2a to the telephone 4 when the signal level (signal line 20a) from the control circuit 20 is “0”, and connects the telephone line 2a when the signal level is “1”. It is connected to the facsimile machine side. In a normal state, the telephone line 2a is connected to the telephone 4 side.

The hybrid circuit 6 separates the transmission system signal and the reception system signal, sends the transmission signal from the addition circuit 12 to the telephone line 2a via the NCU 2, and transmits the signal from the other party via the NCU 2. The signal is received and sent to the modem 8 via the signal line 6a.

The modem 8 is based on ITU-T Recommendation V. 8,
V. 21, V.I. 27ter, V.I. 29, V.I. 17, V.I.
34, and performs modulation and demodulation based on
Each transmission mode is designated by the signal line 20c. The modulator / demodulator 8 receives a signal output on a signal line 20b, outputs modulated data on a signal line 8a, receives a received signal output on a signal line 6a, and outputs demodulated data on a signal line 8b. Output.

The ANSam sending circuit 10 is a circuit for sending an ANSam signal. When a signal of signal level "1" is output to the signal line 20d, the ANSam sending circuit 10 sends an ANSam signal to the signal line 10a and sends it to the signal line 20d. When the signal of the signal level “0” is being output, no signal is output to the signal line 10a.

The addition circuit 12 receives the information of the signal line 8a and the information of the signal line 10a, and adds the result of the addition to the signal line 12a.
a. The reading circuit 14 reads an image of a document and outputs the read image data to a signal line 14a. The recording circuit 16 is for sequentially recording information output to the signal line 20e line by line.

The memory circuit 18 is used for storing raw information of read data or encoded information, and also for storing received information or decoded information.

The operation unit 22 has a one-touch dial, a speed dial, a numeric keypad, a * / # key, a set key, a start key, a registration key for the circuit 24, and other function keys. Is output to

The registration circuit 24 corresponds to a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer terminal (PC)) connected to the LAN and registers a subaddress. For example, the PC1 is connected to the subaddress 00 via a signal line 24a.
01, PC2 is subaddress 0002, PC3 is subaddress 0003, PC4 is subaddress 0004, PC
5 is registered as a sub address 0005.

The signal line 20f is an interface based on Vicentronics, and the signal line 26a is a 10BaseS
And is connected via a network card 26. PCs 28 to 36 are connected to the LAN 26a.
(PC1 to PC5) are connected.

In the present embodiment, the CSMA / CD system (Carr
ier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detect method) LAN is used. In this method, when several personal computers simultaneously transmit data on a coaxial cable, a collision occurs. If the data is corrupted, the collision is detected, a predetermined time is waited, and the data is retransmitted again.

The control circuit 20 controls the entire facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment, and has a high reception capability (for example, A3, 400d) when receiving a facsimile via the PSTN.
pi), and when a sub-address signal is received and a personal computer terminal is designated, data indicating that there is an incoming call is transmitted to the personal computer terminal via the LAN.

Here, if there is no signal collision on the LAN, reception is performed with the same reception capability. On the other hand, if there is a signal collision on the LAN, the initial identification signal is transmitted again,
Decrease the receiving capability (for example, A4, 200 dpi), declare the receiving capability, and receive. Thereafter, the received information is displayed on the personal computer terminal via the LAN according to the designation from the personal computer terminal, or printed by a facsimile machine. If no sub-address signal is received or a sub-address signal is received but the PC terminal is not specified,
The reception is performed without retransmitting the initial identification signal, and the received information is printed out.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are flowcharts showing the control flow of the control circuit 20 in this embodiment.

In FIG. 2, the operation starts at S0 and S2
Then, the information of the registration circuit 24 is cleared via the signal line 24a. In S4, a signal of the signal level "0" is output to the signal line 20a to turn off the CML.
A signal of signal level “0” is output to d, and the ANSam signal is not transmitted.

In S8, information on the signal line 28a is input, and
It is determined whether or not registration in the registration circuit 24 has been selected. When the registration has been selected, the process proceeds to S10, where the sub-address corresponds to the personal computer terminal via the signal line 24a and the sub-address is, for example, 000.
1, PC2 is 0002, PC3 is 0003, PC4 is 0
004, the PC 5 registers 0005 in the registration circuit 24, and then proceeds to S12. If not selected, the process directly proceeds to S12.

In S12, it is determined whether or not reception is selected. If reception is selected, the process proceeds to S18, and if reception is not selected, the process proceeds to S14.

At S14, it is determined whether or not there is a print instruction from the personal computer terminal via the network. If there is a print instruction, the process proceeds to S16, where the reception information designated by the personal computer terminal is printed, and the process proceeds to S4. If there is no print instruction, the process proceeds to S48.

At S18, a signal of signal level "1" is output to the signal line 20a to turn on the CML. S20
Now, perform the pre-procedure. Here, A3 reception and 400 dpi reception are notified.

Next, in S22, it is determined whether or not a sub-address signal has been received. If the sub-address signal has been received, the process proceeds to S24. If not, the process proceeds to S44. In S24, the information of the signal line 24a is input, and it is determined whether or not the personal computer terminal is specified by the sub-address signal. If the personal computer terminal is specified, the process proceeds to S26. If the personal computer terminal is not specified, the process proceeds to S44.

At S26, a reception notification is sent to the personal computer terminal designated by the sub-address signal via the LAN. S
At 28, it is determined whether or not a signal collision on the LAN has occurred based on the notification of S26.

At S30, the remaining pre-procedure is performed, at S32 the image signal is received in the memory, and at S34, the post-procedure is performed, and the process proceeds to S4.

In S36, it is determined whether or not the transmission information is A4. If the transmission information is A4, the process proceeds to S38. If not, the process proceeds to S42.

In S38, it is determined whether or not the transmission resolution is less than 200 dpi.
The process proceeds to S40, and if not less than 200 dpi, the process proceeds to S42.

In step S40, the reception is notified to the personal computer terminal designated by the sub address signal via the LAN.
Here, the notification is made until the personal computer terminal can receive. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S30.

In S42, a pre-procedure is performed. Where A
4 Reception Notifies that 200 dpi reception is possible. After this, S2
Proceed to 2.

In step S44, the image signal is received / recorded.
At 46, a post-procedure is performed, and the process proceeds to S4.

In S48, it is determined whether or not there is a display instruction on the personal computer terminal from the personal computer terminal via the LAN, and if there is a display instruction, the process proceeds to S50, and the reception information specified by the personal computer terminal is transmitted. The information is displayed on the personal computer terminal via the LAN, and the process proceeds to S4. If there is no display instruction, S52
Then, the other processing is performed, and the processing proceeds to S4.

Although the above-described operation of the control circuit has been described as being performed by the CPU in the control circuit based on a program stored in the ROM, RAM, or the like in the control circuit, the present invention provides such a control. The program is stored in an external storage medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a CD-ROM, or a memory card, and is loaded into a control circuit by a dedicated reading device, and is executed by a CPU in the control circuit. It may be.

In the above embodiment, an example in which a stand-alone type facsimile apparatus is connected to a LAN has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a facsimile communication apparatus separated from a reading apparatus and a recording apparatus. Is also applicable.

[0041]

As described above, according to the first to fourth inventions of the present application, when a facsimile reception is received when the LAN is congested, when the facsimile reception is displayed on the terminal via the LAN. For example, since the resolution at the time of reception can be reduced, congestion of the LAN can be reduced, and data transfer without trouble can be realized.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when facsimile reception information is not displayed on a terminal via a LAN but is printed out by a facsimile apparatus, L
Since congestion on the AN does not increase, it is possible to receive and print out, for example, with high resolution, and obtain a clear output of the received image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... NCU, 4 ... telephone, 6 ... hybrid circuit, 8 ... modulator / demodulator, 10 ... ANSam transmission circuit, 12 ... addition circuit, 14 ... read circuit, 16 ... recording circuit, 18 ... memory circuit, 20 ... control circuit, 22 ... operation unit, 24 ... registration circuit.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus connectable to a local area network, comprising: detecting means for detecting congestion in the local area network; and facsimile when the detecting means detects that the local area network is congested. A facsimile apparatus comprising: control means for lowering the receiving capability of the apparatus. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising connection means for connecting to the PSTN, wherein information received via the PSTN is displayed on a specific terminal via a local area network. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at the time of facsimile reception, when it is specified by the transmitter that the reception information is printed out by the facsimile apparatus, regardless of congestion of the local area network,
A facsimile apparatus wherein reception is performed without deteriorating reception capability. 4. A method for controlling a facsimile apparatus connectable to a local area network, comprising detecting congestion in the local area network and, when detecting that the local area network is congested, receiving capability of the facsimile apparatus. A method for controlling a facsimile machine, characterized in that the facsimile device is dropped.