JPS61292467A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize the titled facsimile equipment as an input/output device of a computer by connecting the facsimile equipment and the computer with an external interface and providing a control means for decoding a command of the computer and executing the command. CONSTITUTION:A command inputted from an external equipment 9 is decoded by an external interface control section 17 and a main control section 10 controls each function to apply the following operation. In the remote print mode 1, the operator operates an external equipment 9 to input a remote print command, an opposite TEL number and destination compression information to the facsimile equipment 8. The external interface control section 17 of the facsimile equipment 8 decodes the said command and gives a command to the main control section 10. The main control section 10 ocntrols a network control section 24 and connects the opposite line, requests the transmission of data to the external equipment 9 and sends it to the opposite equipment through a communication control section 22 and a MODEM 23 according to the facsimile transmission control procedure.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention relates to a facsimile machine and an external device (computer).
To provide a facsimile device which is connected to an external interface and operates in an operation mode instructed by a computer.

The following operation modes are provided.

(1) Transfer the image data read as an image league of the external device to the external device.

(2) Outputs data transferred from an external device as a printer.

(3) Send and receive image data and code data as a means of communication.

(4) Functions as a normal facsimile machine.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a facsimile machine controlled by an external device such as a computer.

2. Description of the Related Art Facsimile machines that are equipped with document reading means and recording means and that transmit and receive documents via a line are well known.

These facsimile machines were operated by operators for the purpose of electronically transmitting documents between senders and receivers.

In recent years, personal computers, office coordination
With the spread of data, etc., centralized information management is progressing.
Even facsimile machines are controlled by computers as part of their systems.

It is desired to be managed.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional form of communication between a computer and a facsimile machine.

In the conventional communication mode, communication is carried out between a computer and a facsimile machine via a communication control device necessary for facsimile communication.When transmitting data from a computer to a facsimile machine, original data ( After subjecting the image data to the required degree of band compression, it is transmitted to the destination facsimile machine and recorded in accordance with the transmission control procedure of facsimile communication.

In FIG. 3, 1 is a host computer, 2 is a combiator-facsimile communication controller (CFC), 3 is a line, and 4 is a facsimile machine.

The CFC 2 has a network control unit (NCU), a transmission control unit that sends and receives image data according to a required transmission control procedure (for example, G3), an interface unit with the host computer 1, etc. The host computer 1 transmits image data and code data. It has the function of creating and input/output to a file.

In the above system, when the host computer 1 transmits the data of the file 1a to the facsimile machine 4, it notifies the other party's phone number etc. to the CFC 2 and connects the line, and then transfers the data from the file 1a every predetermined byte to the CF
If it is code data, it is sent to C2, and in the case of code data, CFC2 performs an image expansion number, compresses it in a predetermined compression mode, and transmits it according to a predetermined transmission control procedure.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As explained above, conventional communication between a computer and a facsimile device involves compressing and decompressing image data in a prescribed manner within the computer and via a transmission control device, which controls and manages the facsimile device. It wasn't something to do.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a means for directly connecting a computer and a facsimile machine through an external interface and controlling and managing the functions provided in the facsimile machine.

[Means for solving problems]

For the above purpose, the present invention includes the following means as shown in FIG.

An external interface (16) is provided, and an interface control means (17) for decoding the above-mentioned command of the first external device connected by the external interface, and a second external device of the other party's facsimile machine connected by the above-mentioned connecting means. means (18) for decoding said command transmitted by means of communication;
and a control means (10) for respectively operating the document reading means, the recording means, the compression/expansion means, and the communication means based on commands from the external device.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, a facsimile device and a computer are connected by an external ink interface such as R3232C, and the facsimile device is provided with a control means for decoding and executing commands from the computer, and the facsimile device is controlled by the computer. It operates the functions of the.

That is, the computer: (1) controls the facsimile machine as an image league;

The document reading means of the facsimile machine is operated to receive image data read from an external interface and stored in a file.

■ Control a facsimile device as a printer.

The recording means of the facsimile machine is operated to send data (image data, code data) from the computer and print it out.

■ Control the facsimile device as a communication device.

i) It is connected to the facsimile machine of the present invention and performs communication between X computers.

ii) Perform communication between the facsimile machine and the computer.

The image data read by the facsimile device is sent as is to the destination computer. It also outputs computer file data to the destination facsimile machine.

■ Control normal facsimile communication (between facsimile machines).

In addition to being able to use facsimile devices as input/output devices for computers as described above, facsimile communication can be used to communicate between computers and between computers and facsimile devices, and can also be used in simple information systems such as personal convenience stores. This has the effect of facilitating the centralization of information, management of facsimile machines, etc.

〔Example〕

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

[Configuration and functions of each part]

FIG. 2(a) is a block diagram of a facsimile machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, where 8 is the facsimile machine of the present invention, and 9 is an external device such as a personal convenience store.

In the figure, IO is a main control unit composed of a microprocessor, etc., which controls each functional part based on commands from the external device 9, commands from the destination device, and commands input from the operation panel 20; 12 is a compression/expansion section that performs predetermined compression and expansion on transmitted and received image data; 13 is a recording section that records and outputs the expanded data; 14 is a memory that includes a transmission/reception buffer 142, etc. 14a is a sending/receiving buffer which has functions such as a sending buffer and a receiving buffer; 16 is an external interface, for example, R5232.
17 is an external interface control unit that deciphers commands from the external device 9 and notifies the main control unit 10. , which controls the external interface 16 according to instructions from the main control unit 10 to exchange data with the external device 9; 22 is a communication control unit; 23 is a modem; 24 is a fine control unit, which communicates with the destination facsimile machine; 20 is an operation panel of a conventional facsimile machine,
This is for normal facsimile communication.

[Operation explanation]

An example of the operation sequence between the facsimile machine 8 and the external device 9 having the above configuration is shown in FIG. 2(b). Hit ■Control information (operation mode, position number, compression information, etc.) ■Data (lk bytes, page unit) ■End signal.

It is composed of

Note that when data is transferred to a destination facsimile machine, communication between the facsimile machines follows a predetermined transmission control procedure. Further, if no data is transferred between the facsimile device 8 and the external device 9, the data is omitted.

Commands input from the external device 9 are decoded by the external ink face control section 17, and the main control section 10 controls each functional section to perform the following operations.

(1) Print output mode The facsimile device 8 stores the data stored in the external device transferred from the external interface 16 in the recording unit 1″3.
Print out.

That is, if the data is compressed, the main control section 10 decompresses it using the compression/expansion section and then outputs it from the recording section 13.

Note that if the data is character information, the pattern generation section 19 develops the pattern and outputs it.

(2) Image read mode The reading unit 11 is operated and the read image data is transferred to the external device 9 via the external interface 16.

In this case, the presence or absence of data compression and the compression method can be specified.

(3) Remote print mode 1 A line is connected to the destination device, a command is sent, the data sent from the external device 9 is compressed to the optimum mode, and the data is transferred to the destination device for recording and output.

(4) Remote read mode 1 Data received by polling from the partner device is transferred to the external device 9.

(5) Facsimile transmission mode The image data read by the reading section 11 is transmitted to the other party's facsimile machine for output.

Note that the command sent from the destination device is decoded by the external command decoder 18, and after preparation for reception, the following operations are performed.

(6) Remote Print Mode 2 When receiving this command from the destination device, the main control section 10 prints out the received data to the recording section 13.

(7) Remote read mode 2 The reading unit 11 is operated, and the read image data is transmitted to the destination device and stored in the destination external device.

The details of the operation will be explained below using remote print mode 1 as an example. (See Figure 2 (C1)) The operator
and enter the remote print command, the destination device number,
The compressed information of the other party is input to the facsimile machine 8.

In the facsimile machine 8, the external interface control unit 17
decodes the above command and issues an instruction to the main control section 10. The main control unit 10 controls the network control unit 24, connects the line with the other party, requests the external device 9 to send data, and
After receiving data in units of k bytes and performing predetermined compression in the compression/decompression unit 12, and storing it in the transmission/reception buffer 14a, the communication control unit 2
2. Transmit to the destination device via the modem 23.

The destination device prints out the received data from the recording unit.

The other operations are similar, with the external ink face control section 17 and the external command decoding section 18 decoding the command, and the main control section 10 controlling each functional section to perform the above-mentioned operations.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, each functional part of a facsimile IJ device can be controlled by an external device such as a computer, thereby facilitating information management of an information system.

This has the effect of facilitating facsimile management.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1+8) is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention, Figure 1 (bl is a data flow diagram according to the present invention, Figure 2 (
2(a) is a block diagram of the facsimile machine of the embodiment; FIG. 2(b) is a diagram representing the operational sequence of data transfer between the facsimile and an external device; FIG. 2(C) is an operational flowchart of remote print mode; The figure shows a conventional facsimile-computer connection configuration. In Fig. 3, 1 is a host computer, 2 is a computer facsimile communication control device (CF
C), 3 is the line, 4 is the facsimile machine, 5 is the interface, 6 is the transmission control section, 7 is the network control section (N
CU), in FIGS. 1 and 2, 8 is a facsimile device of the present invention, 9 is an external device, 10 is a main control section, II is a reading section, 12 is a compression/expansion section, 13 is a recording section,
14 is a memory, 14a is a buffer, I6 is an external interface, 17 is an external interface control unit, 22 is a communication control unit, 23 is a modem, and 24 is a network control unit NCU. It is. Horakorou's H & Risouya June Shiba Ko Implementation P]/) 7 A7 Shimiwa Kumi 1 A゛ Tips 70 Hanging 2 Kuni (＾) Bowl 2 Akira (Shi) Kaya 2 Kuchi (0)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A document reading means, a recording means for printing out data,
In a facsimile machine equipped with image data compression/decompression means and communication means for communicating with a destination facsimile machine, a connection means (16) for connecting the facsimile machine and a first external device is provided. means (17) for decoding commands to be sent; and means (17) for decoding commands transmitted by the communication means from a second external device connected to the destination facsimile machine;
18); and a control means (10) for respectively operating the document reading means, the recording means, the compression/expansion means, and the communication means based on commands from the first and second external devices, A facsimile device that operates in an operation mode specified by first and second external devices.