JPS5883466A - Facsimile communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To minimize the ineffective time of subscriber lines, relay lines and outgoing lines, by dividing the operation information request and information output. CONSTITUTION:Information at a sensor 13 is distributed from a terminal 2 to another terminal 2' by using a facsimile device. In this case, a subscriber A calls a relay exchange 6 via a telephone set 1, subscriber line 3, subscriber exchange 4 and relay line 5 and informs the information to be transmitted and terminal address information of the transmitted address B to the network. Then, the connection between the subscriber A and the network is disconnected. The exchange 6 operates a facsimile data converter 11 via a common line 14 and the converter 11 receives required information from an information center 13 via a data line 12. Further, a storage converter 9 calls the obtained information of the terminal 2' of the address B to be transmitted designated in advance from the network automatically with the normal procedure and outputs the converted information to the facsimile device as a screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile communication system that allows information to be delivered to a center using a facsimile machine.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a system configuration for realizing a service for transferring information stored in an information center from one subscriber to another in a facsimile communication network.

In FIG. 1, a subscriber's telephone 1 and facsimile terminal 2 are connected to a subscriber exchange 4 by a subscriber line 3. In FIG. Further, another subscriber's telephone 1' and 7-axis terminal 2' are connected to the subscriber exchange 4 by the subscriber line 3'.
'It is connected to the. Local exchanges 4 and 4' are connected to trunk exchange 6 by trunk lines 5 and 5', respectively. However, if the two subscribers are in the area of the same local exchange, telephone 1' and facsimile terminal 2' are connected to local exchange 4 via subscriber line 3'. The relay exchange 6 is connected to the storage and conversion device 9 through an incoming line 7 and an outgoing line 8.The storage and conversion device 9 is connected to an image information transfer path 10.
The facsimile data converter 1jK is connected to the facsimile data converter 1jK, and the facsimile data converter 11 is connected to the information center 13 via a data line 12iC. These are called a relay exchange 6 and a storage/conversion device 9.

An example of a conventional method for transferring information in the information center 13 from one subscriber A to another subscriber B using the system of FIG. 1 is shown as a sequence diagram in FIG.

To explain the conventional method using Figure 2, subscriber A
After telephone 1 is connected to multi-transit exchange 6 by dialing a special number, etc., dialing 9 notifies the information center number, the information that subscriber A wants to send, and the number of subscriber B to whom it is to be sent. do. The trunk exchange 6 holds the subscriber line 3, and after securing the outgoing line 8 to the storage and conversion device 9, connects it to the facsimile data conversion device 11 via the common line 14.
to obtain the relevant information from the information center 13. When the facsimile data conversion device 11 connects to the information center 13 via the data line 12, it obtains the information requested by subscriber A from the information center 13, and if the information is in code format, converts it into a facsimile signal and displays it. On the other hand, in the case of a facsimile signal format, the image information is simply relayed, and after transferring the image information to the storage and conversion device 9 via the image information transfer path 10, it is transferred to the relay exchange 6 via the common line 14.
Notify the readiness via.

The trunk exchange 6 instructs the local exchange 4' to call subscriber B via the trunk line 5', and when the route between the facsimile end 2' of subscriber B and the trunk exchange 6 is connected, , the relay exchange 6 instructs the storage/conversion device 9 to output the image information via the common line 14. When the output of the image information to subscriber B is completed, relay exchange 6 notifies subscriber A of the completion. Upon receiving this notification, subscriber A disconnects from the network. If this is achieved using the conventional method, ■ Since it takes time for subscriber A to access the information center and send the information obtained to subscriber BK, subscriber line 3, trunk line 5, and outgoing line 8 are put on hold during that time. , and subscriber A must also wait until receiving the notification of delivery completion, ■
There are drawbacks such as a call being lost if the outgoing line 8, trunk line 5' or subscriber ls3' is blocked.

In order to solve these drawbacks, the present invention is characterized in that the information request operation and the information output operation are separated, and will be described in detail below.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram of an embodiment of the facsimile communication system of the present invention. The outline of the configuration of the system used in this method is as shown in FIG. 1, and some details are shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 3, a case will be described in which information stored in the information center 13 is transferred from subscriber A to another subscriber B. Although there may be multiple recipients, the procedure is the same. Subscriber A
is subscriber line 3 by dialing a special number etc. from telephone 1.
, the subscriber exchange 4 and the trunk exchange 6 via the trunk line 5.
call out. In response to the response signal from the relay exchange 6, the subscriber A notifies the relay exchange 6 of the number of the information center, the information to be sent to the subscriber B, and the number of the destination subscriber B by dialing from the telephone 1. When the relay exchange 6 receives the above information, it notifies the subscriber A that the request has been accepted, and the subscriber A disconnects from the network.

Next, the relay exchange 6 notifies the facsimile data conversion device 11 of the center number, the destination number, and the sending designation information via the common line 14, and instructs it to obtain the necessary information from the information center 13. Here, the information center 13 is identified from the information center number entered by the subscriber A, and this identification is done by an in-network device such as the relay exchange 6 or the facsimile data converter 11. An example in which the data conversion device 11 performs identification will be shown.

When the facsimile data conversion device 11 receives information specified by subscriber A from the information center 13 via the data line 12, if it is in code format, it converts it into a facsimile signal to generate image information; In the case of a signal format, the image information is transferred to the storage/conversion device 9 via the image information transfer path 10t (via the relay only), and the destination of the image information is sent to the storage/conversion device 9 via the common line 14, i.e., the subscriber. The storage and conversion device 9 notifies subscriber B of the number.The storage and conversion device 9 delivers the image information to the subscriber B using the same procedure as for delivering normal facsimile messages.In other words, the storage and conversion device 9
requests the relay exchange 6 to call subscriber B's terminal via the common line 14. The trunk exchange 6 connects the facsimile terminal 2' to the outgoing line 8, the trunk line 5', and the subscriber line 3' using a special ring tone via the trunk line 5', the subscriber exchange 4', and the subscriber line 3'. The image information is sent to subscriber B's facsimile.

When delivering to multiple recipient subscribers, the following operations are repeated for each recipient subscriber. By the way, among the devices that make up this system, FIG. This will be explained in detail using . From trunk exchange 6 to common line 14
When receiving the center number, partner number, and sending designation information through the common line interface unit 23, the control unit 21 stores the partner number among these in the system memory 22, and selects the information center to be connected from the center number,
The information center 13 is connected via the corresponding information center interface section 24 and the data line 12, and the information designated to be sent to the friend is transferred to the information center 13. Information center 13
When the specified information is transferred via the data line 12 and the information center interface section 24, the information center interface section 24 stores the information in the image information memory 25 and sends a response signal back to the information center 13 to connect the data line. Cut 12.

The information received from the information center 13 is composed of a header part and a data part as shown in FIG. Decode whether it is information or facsimile image information. In the case of code information, the control unit 21 transfers the information from the image information memory 25 to the conversion unit 26 and converts the code information into ノ(tan information, that is, facsimile image information. When the conversion is completed, the control unit 21 transfers the information to the image information memory 25. is returned to the image information memory 25, and the control unit 21 is notified of completion.If the information received from the information center 13 in the header section is image information, the control unit 21 sends this conversion unit 2
Step 6 is omitted.

Next, the control unit 21 reads out the destination number of the information from the system memory 22 and transfers it to the storage and conversion device 9 via the common line interface unit 23 and the common line 14, and also transfers the image information. interface section 27,
The image information is also transferred to the storage and conversion device 9 via the image information transfer path 10.

In this case, the information center 13 is connected to the data line 12 by the network.
Although the present invention will be described with reference to a configuration in which connections are made in 6.9., the present invention is not limited to this configuration.
11.13 each device may be one device.

In addition, as described above, the information center 13 and the network are connected to the data line 1.
2 or the like, it is possible to temporarily disconnect the information center 13 from the network, and an example of the operation in this case will be explained with reference to FIG. That is, after the network receives a request from subscriber A and disconnects from subscriber A, the network connects the information center 13, and the network sends the terminal number of subscriber B to the information center 13. After transferring the information to be sent, the connection between the network and the information center 13 is temporarily cut off, and when the information center 13 is ready to send, it reconnects to the network and returns the terminal number of subscriber B and the sending information to the network. . Thereafter, the image information is transferred to subscriber B in the same manner as described above. In this case as well, the operation of the facsimile data conversion device 11 will be explained in detail for the reasons mentioned above. However, in this case as well, the basic configuration of the device 11 remains the same, so it will be explained using FIG.

Upon receiving the center number, partner number, and sending designation information from the trunk exchange 6 via the common line 14 and the common line interface unit 23, the control unit 21 selects the information center to be connected from the center number and connects the corresponding information center interface unit 24. Then, the corresponding information center 13 is connected via the data line 12, and the destination number and sending designation information are immediately transferred to the information center 13. Upon receiving notification from the information center 13 that the information has been received, the information center interface 1 section 24 disconnects the data line 12. Later, the information center interface unit 24 receives a line connection request from the information center 13 and connects the data line 12 to the information center 13.
Reconnect. The information specified by the facsimile data conversion device 11 and the destination number to which the information is to be sent are transferred from the information center 13 to the information center interface section 24, which stores the destination number and the information in the image information memory 25. and sends a response signal back to the information center 13, and upon receiving the signal, the information center 13 disconnects the data line 12. The information center interface unit 24 determines that the above information has been stored in the image information memory 25. When this is notified to the control section 21, the control section 21 reads out the other party's number from the image information memory 25 and transfers it to the system memory 22. Next, the control section 21 reads out the header section from the image information memory 25, but the subsequent operation is the same as that described above.

In this case, after the connection between the network and the information center is once disconnected, the information center 13 can independently select the opportunity to connect with the network. Reservation-based information delivery service at the information center where bank contents are updated, etc.
etc. become possible.

In addition, among the above explanations, facsimile data conversion device 1
1 and the information center 13 includes not only disconnection using a switch or the like in an electrical and physical sense, but also the disconnection of a logical connection while remaining electrically and physically connected.

As explained above, there are calls in which subscriber A sends information stored in the information center to subscriber B or multiple subscribers, calls in which subscriber A requests delivery of information, and calls in which subscriber A sends requested information to subscriber B. By dividing calls into calls to be delivered to other subscribers, it becomes possible to minimize the inactive holding time of subscriber lines, trunk lines, and outgoing lines, and therefore the network can efficiently use these facilities for other subscribers. It becomes possible to use it. In addition, even if the outgoing line is blocked, it is possible to retry and send the message when it is free. On the other hand, subscriber A and the other subscriber B
If you notify the network of the number and the information you want to send, you can leave the subsequent processing to the network and immediately disconnect from the network, which has the advantage of shortening the time you are tied to the network.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a general configuration for realizing a service in which information stored at an information center is transferred from one subscriber to another in a facsimile communication network. FIG. 2 shows an operation sequence assuming implementation using the conventional method, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show operation sequences according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a facsimile data conversion device. Figure 6 shows the format of the information sent from the information center% 1.1'...Telephone, 2.2'...
...Facsimile terminal, 3,3' ...
...Subscriber line, 4.4' ...Subscriber exchange, 5.5' ...... Trunk line, 6
・・・・・・・・・Relay exchange, 7・・・・・・・・・
・Incoming line, 8... Outgoing line, 9...
...Storage conversion device, 10... Image information transfer path, 11...Facsimile data conversion device, 12... Data line , 13...
・・・・・・Information center, 14・・・・・・・・・
Common line, 21... Control section, 22...
・・・・・・System memory, 23・・・・・・・・・
Common line interface section, 24, 24'...
...Information center interface section, 25...-
...Image information memory, 26...Conversion section, 2
7... Image information transfer interface section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (]) A call for accessing a center from a terminal in a facsimile communication network in which a facsimile device can be used to send messages to other terminal devices and receive information at a center. means for notifying the network of information that the subscriber wants to send and terminal address information of one or more destinations; and means for disconnecting the call between the network and the terminal after receiving the information on the network; A means for accessing a center from a network, receiving necessary information, and converting it into a signal that can be received by a facsimile machine; and a means for automatically calling a destination terminal specified by the notifying means from the network to receive the converted information. A facsimile communication method characterized by having means for outputting the image to a facsimile device as a screen. (2) In a facsimile communication network in which it is possible to use a facsimile device to send messages to other terminal devices and receive information at the center, subscribers set up a call to access the center from their terminal. A method for notifying the network of the information that the user wants to send and terminal address information of singular or multiple destinations, and after receiving the information on the network,
means for temporarily terminating the call connection between the network and the terminal, means for connecting the network and the center and notifying the center of the information obtained by the notifying means, and then terminating the connection between the network and the center; means for reconnecting the network and the center in response to a request from the center and receiving the information and destination terminal address information, and means for receiving the received information and converting it into a signal that can be received by the facsimile machine; A facsimile communication system comprising means for automatically calling a designated destination terminal from a network and outputting the converted information as a screen to a facsimile machine.