JPS62105576A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently transfer information without storing a lot of data relating to a network by transmitting/receiving transmission request inquiry information and transmission request reply information or transmission non-reply information as its reply so as to send picture information only to a facsimile equipment not receiving the picture information. CONSTITUTION:An original is inputted from a reader 1 and its picture information is informed to a controller 8, the address is inputted from an input device 5 and informed to a controller 6 and the name of the original is informed from the input device 5 to the controller 6. The controller 6 uses plural destinations all as non-sending destinations and stored in a memory device 4 together with the name of original and the picture information. The controller 6 controls a transmitter 3 so as to send the transmission request information and receives the reply information from an opposite facsimile equipment. While the received non-transmission designation information exists, the controller 6 reads the picture information from the memory device 4, prints out it on a printer 2 and sends the picture information to a facsimile equipment only not receiving the picture information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine having a broadcast function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In broadcast communication using a facsimile machine, there are two known methods: one in which the network controls the order and transfer route of information, and the other in which the facsimile machine controls the information.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the former method has the disadvantage of requiring a dedicated network or dedicated 117 equipment, and the latter method does not improve information transfer efficiency (for example, call charges). To do this, there is a drawback that the facsimile machine must have a large amount of data for evaluating the efficiency of transmission of information, such as call charges between the machines.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new facsimile machine which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional facsimile machines having a device-controlled broadcasting function and which enables efficient information transfer without storing a large amount of network data. The goal is to provide equipment.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the facsimile device according to the present invention mainly includes a control device, an image information reading device, an image information printing device, a transmitting/receiving device, an input device, and a storage device. Prior to sending and receiving image information between facsimile machines, the system sends information on whether or not transmission is required, including information on sent destinations and unsent destinations, and transmission necessity response information as a response, or information on sent destinations and unsent destinations. The image information is transmitted only to facsimile machines that have not received the image information by exchanging transmission rejection information including the information.

Embodiment Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

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

One embodiment of a facsimile device to which the present invention is applied is a first
As shown in the figure, it includes a reading device 1, a printing device 2, a transmitting/receiving device 3, a storage device 4, an input device 5, and a control device 6,
The control device 6 and each other device are connected through various information lines.

First, a case in which a manuscript is input and sent to multiple destinations will be explained. The document is input from the reading device 1 and its image information is notified to the control device 6, the destination is input from the input device 5 and notified to the control device 6, and the document name that identifies the document is input from the input device 5. Input to control device 6
or automatically generated by the control device 6.

The control device 6 stores all of the plurality of destinations as untransmitted destinations in the storage device 4 together with the document name and image information. next,
The control device 6 controls the transmitting/receiving device 3 to transmit transmission necessity inquiry information consisting of the document name, transmitted destination information, and untransmitted destination information to one of a plurality of destinations. The control device 8 receives from the transmitting/receiving device 3 response information from the destination fax machine that has received this transmission necessity inquiry information. Furthermore, if this response information is transmission-required response information, the control device 6 transmits the manuscript name, sent destination information, unsent destination information, and image information to the destination through the transmitting/receiving device 3, and marks the destination as sent. Move from unsent destination information to sent destination information. In addition, if this response 1h report is transmission failure response information that includes sent destination information and unsent destination information, the control device 6 also sends a message to the destination included in the unsent destination information of the own device in the received sent destination information. If there is, the destination is marked as sent and moved to the sent destination information. This process is repeated until the unsent destination information is empty.

Next, a case will be described in which transmission necessity inquiry information is received. The transmission necessity inquiry information is notified from the transmitting/receiving device 3 to the control device 6. If the manuscript name indicated in the transmission necessity inquiry information is stored in the storage device 4, transmission refusal response information is transmitted to the sender of the transmission necessity inquiry information, and
If the received sent destination information includes a destination included in the unsent destination information stored in the storage device 4, the destination is moved to the sent destination information and stored again in the storage device 4. If the document name indicated in the transmission necessity inquiry information is not stored in the storage device 4, transmission necessity response information is transmitted to the sender of the transmission necessity inquiry information through the transmitting/receiving device 3. When the sending response information is returned, the sender sends the document name, sent destination information, unsent destination information, and image information, so the control device 6 receives these with the transmitting/receiving device 3, The destination of the own device included in the destination information is transferred to the transmitted destination information, and this information is stored in the storage device 4. Next, the received image information is printed out by the printing device 2, and as long as there are addresses included in the unsent address information, the transmission necessity inquiry information is transmitted and the information is Perform the following series of processing.

Through the operations described above, a document inputted by one facsimile device is sent (3) only once to a plurality of specified destinations, and then printed out.

In the facsimile devices described above, if the destination facsimile device has already received the document, the unsent destination information can be efficiently reduced by exchanging sent destination information between the same devices. It has the characteristic that it can be done.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus described above, by transmitting the transmission necessity inquiry information in order of destinations with the lowest communication charges, it is possible to communicate the document to all destinations with lower communication charges. In this case, the data to be stored in each device is only information on communication charges between that device and the destination device. Therefore, compared to the conventional method in which the source device determines the transfer order and route, this method has the advantage that the amount of data to be stored can be reduced. Now, if the number of facsimile gfils related to broadcasting is N, then in the conventional device, N
- It was necessary to store (N-1)/2 inter-device information (for example, communication charges per unit time) in each device, but in the facsimile machine to which the present invention is applied, (N-1) inter-device information All you have to do is remember.

As described in detail, by applying the present invention, it is possible to realize a facsimile machine having an efficient broadcasting function with a small storage capacity.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. 11. , reading device, 2. ,,printing device,3. . , transmitting/receiving device, 498. storage device, 561. input device,
611. Control device

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a facsimile machine comprising an image information reading device, an image information printing device, a transmitting/receiving device, an input device, a control device, and a storage device, the control device reads destination information notified from the input device as unsent destination information. It is stored in the storage device together with the image information notified from the device and the document name notified from the input device or generated by the control device, and consists of the document name, sent destination information, and unsent destination information from the transmitting/receiving device. If the transmission necessity inquiry information is notified and the name of the manuscript is stored in the storage device, the destination information shown in the sent destination information of the transmission necessity inquiry information is stored together with the manuscript name that has not been sent. The destination information is transferred to the sent destination information and stored in the storage device, and transmission refusal response information consisting of the sent destination information, unsent destination information, and the manuscript name is transmitted to the sender of the transmission necessity inquiry information. If the name of the manuscript is not stored in the storage device, the transmitter/receiver is instructed to transmit transmission necessity response information consisting of the manuscript name to the source of the transmission necessity inquiry information. The image information, manuscript name, sent destination information, and unsent destination information notified from the transmitting/receiving device are transferred from the own device information in the unsent destination information to the sent destination information, and then the storage device The document name, sent destination information, unsent destination information, and image information are read from the storage device, and transmission necessity inquiry information consisting of the document name, sent destination information, and unsent destination information is sent to the unsent destinations. If the sending/receiving device is notified to send a message to the sender/receiver and the sender/receiver is notified of sending response information as a response to the sending request information, the document name, sent destination information, unsent destination information, and image information are sent to the sending/receiving device. When the transmitting/receiving device is notified to transmit to the destination, and transmission refusal response information is notified as a response to the transmission necessity inquiry information, it is indicated by the sent destination information notified in the transmission refusal response information. Continuing to shift the destination from the unsent destination information to the already sent destination information while the unsent destination information exists, and notify the printing device to read image information from the storage device and print the image information. A facsimile machine characterized by the following.