JPS62281661A - Automatic incoming call system for personal computer and facsimile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the transfer of picture information to a personal computer device by storing the received picture information once into a facsimile when a facsimile control program is not started when an incoming call is detected and then the facsimile control program is started. CONSTITUTION:A facsimile equipment 10 is provided with a transmission/ reception means for control signal, an automatic originating/incoming call detecting means 14, a transmission/reception means for picture signal, a scanning/recording means for picture signal, a picture signal storing means 22, and a connection means to a personal computer 30. When a facsimile control program is not stated in the computer 30 if an incoming call is detected in an automatic incoming call, the picture information is once stored by means of the means 22. When the facsimile control program is started in the computer 30, the picture information is transferred to its own device from the means 22 under the control of the computer 30. Thus an automatic incoming call system is attained for both the equipment 10 and the computer 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention (1) Technical Field to Which the Invention Pertains The present invention relates to an automatic call receiving system for personal computers and facsimiles that economically realizes high functionality of facsimile machines.

(2) Conventional Technology Facsimile has been developed as a communication device for transmitting existing manuscripts, but as it has become more widespread, it has become necessary to further increase the sophistication and diversification of communication functions. On the other hand, the development of personal computers has been remarkable, and it is now possible to perform simple administrative tasks and document creation.

In addition to using it as a game, it is possible to develop composite media into communication devices by enhancing the 2 communication functions and 1 peripheral devices.

In order to economically realize these demands, it is conceivable to combine the image input/output function and communication function of a facsimile with the information processing function of a personal computer, such as document creation.

As a result, whereas facsimile machines output hard copies of received communications in real time, it is now possible to store communications on a personal computer and then use the personal computer's display function to output soft copies of the communications. Search and display by display, etc., and change the hardware/display as necessary.
Communication services such as copy output become possible.

However, with a normal personal computer.

It does not have an operation system (O3) with real-time, multitasking capabilities.

Therefore, when a call is received from the other party's facsimile machine, the facsimile control program is not running on the personal computer, for example.

If the personal computer is powered off or other application programs such as document creation or games are running, there is a disadvantage that received communications cannot be stored in the personal computer.

In this case, 2. When a call arrives during normal facsimile reception operation, 2.
The disadvantage is that the correspondence is output in hard copy.

(3) Purpose of the Invention When a personal computer and a facsimile are connected to a personal computer and a facsimile machine, the facsimile control program is not running on the personal computer when a call is received. .

Even when an application program such as a game is running, the received image information is temporarily stored using the facsimile's image signal storage means, and then the facsimile control program is started and the information is controlled by the personal computer. This invention provides an automatic call receiving system for a personal computer/facsimile, which is characterized in that image information is transferred from a nine-image signal storage means to a personal computer device.

(4) Structure of the Invention (4-1) Differences between Features of the Invention and the Prior Art The present invention provides a means for transmitting and receiving control signals to the facsimile machine, and an automatic transmitter in a personal computer facsimile machine in which a personal computer and a facsimile machine are connected. automatic call detection means; means for transmitting and receiving two-picture signals; scanning and recording means for one-picture signals; two-picture signal storage means; If the facsimile control program is not activated in The most important feature is that image information is transferred from the image signal storage means to the device itself, thereby providing an automatic call receiving system for personal computers and facsimiles.

(4-2) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.
30 is a facsimile section, and 30 is a personal computer section, each of which is comprised of the following sections. That is, 11 is a telephone line, 12 is a network control circuit, 13 is a telephone circuit, 14 is an automatic incoming call detection and automatic origination circuit, 15 is a modulation/demodulation (modem) circuit, 16 is an input/output circuit (Ilo), 1
7 is a reading circuit, 18 is a recording circuit, 19 is a central processing circuit (CPU), and 20 is a memory circuit (ROM/RA).
M), 21 is an interface control circuit.

22 is an image signal storage circuit, and 31 is a personal computer system (PC system) section.

32 is a disk unit, 33 is a display unit, and 34 is an interface control circuit.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a sequence for operating the circuit shown in FIG. 1 according to the facsimile communication control procedure.
FIG. 2(B) corresponds to the facsimile reception mode, and FIG. 2(C) corresponds to the image information readout mode.

(1) Personal computer/facsimile reception mode■ Calling signals from the line include a 16Hz calling signal for a telephone line and a 1300Hz calling signal for a facsimile communication network. A calling signal input from the telephone line 11 is sent to the network control circuit 12.
The automatic incoming call detection and automatic origination circuit 14 detects the telephone line calling signal 161 (z) and the facsimile communication network calling signal 1300Hz.When the facsimile unit 10 detects the above calling signal, it outputs the two-person output circuit Cl10. )1
6 and the interface control circuit 21, a 5 status signal (STB
) to notify the detection of two incoming calls using the parameter (DATAL I NK).

■ The personal computer section 30
If the facsimile control program is not running on the computer (for example, the personal computer is turned off or other documents are being created).

If an application program such as a game is running), the facsimile reception mode sequence shown in FIG. 2(B) is entered.

On the other hand, when the facsimile control program is running on the personal computer, the following operations are performed as the personal computer/facsimile receiving mode sequence to shift to the personal computer/facsimile receiving mode sequence shown in FIG. 2(A). When a status signal (STB) is received, an initial identification signal (
C5I, NSF.

Parameter (DIS PARAM) corresponding to DIS)
ETER) is notified to the facsimile unit 10 using a command (CTB). Therefore, the facsimile unit 10 sends an initial identification signal (C5I).

NSF, DIS).

■ At this time, the status signal (S
TB), whereas the initial identification signal (C3I.

Parameters corresponding to (NSF, Dis)
If the facsimile unit 10 does not receive a command (CTB) with ARAMETER), the personal computer unit 30 is not connected, or the personal computer unit 30 is not connected to another application.
Assuming that the program module is in operation and the received image signal cannot be stored in the personal computer section 30, the receiving operation is performed as a normal facsimile in order to output a hard copy to the recording circuit 18 of the facsimile section 10.

■ The facsimile unit 10 receives initial identification signals (C3I, N
After sending the receive command signal (SF, DIS), the receive command signal (
TSI, DC3),) Receives the laning signal (TCP) and inspects the status of the three lines. If the line condition is good and reception is possible with the capability indicated by the reception command signal (TSI, DO3), a pre-message response signal (CFR) is returned.

■ At this time, when the facsimile unit 10 transmits the message pre-sage response signal (CFR),
B) to the input/output circuit (
Ilo) 16. The status signal (STB) indicates a transmission request to the other party's device, and requests the personal computer unit 30 to receive a 9-picture signal (PIX R
EQUEST) parameters. Also.

Parameters corresponding to the reception command signal (TSI, DO3) are notified to the personal computer unit 30 using a command (CTB). This information represents the presentation attributes of the received message.

It can be used as management information when storing correspondence in the personal computer section 30. That is.

When once stored facsimile messages are transferred again to another facsimile machine, this is used as the reception capability required of the other party's machine.

■ The received signal from the partner device is a 1-picture signal reception request (PI
Following the command (CTB) to notify the parameters of
The signal is transferred to the input/output circuit (Ilo) 16.

(2) When the reception of the image signal is completed, the facsimile unit 10 receives a post-message command (E○P) signal from the other party's device, and transmits a post-message response signal (MCF), which is a response signal to the post-message command signal. Facsimile part 1
0 is a status signal (S) indicating that the image signal has been successfully received.
TB) and the parameter (MESSAGE END
) to notify the personal computer section 30.

Through the above-described operations, after the facsimile unit 10 automatically detects an incoming call, the personal computer unit 30 is activated, and the network control unit (NCU) of the facsimile unit 10 and the communication control unit of the modem unit 1 are controlled by the personal computer unit 30. By making it possible.

Automatic reception by personal computer control.

It enables facsimile communication procedures, stores correspondence from the other party's facsimile device on a personal computer, and provides search services using soft copy display, retransmission of correspondence, etc. without deterioration of image quality.

(2) Facsimile reception mode As shown in Figure 2 (B), when the facsimile control program is not running on the personal computer 1 For example, the power of the personal computer is turned off, or other applications such as document creation, games, etc. - If the program is running, etc., the two-image information reception operation is performed according to the normal facsimile procedure, and the received image signal is stored in the image signal storage circuit 22.

(3) Image signal readout mode when starting the facsimile control application on the personal computer When the facsimile control program is started on the personal computer, the image signal is accumulated using the following procedure as shown in Figure 2 (C). The received image signal stored in the circuit 22 is written to the disk section 32 of the personal computer section 30.

(2) The personal computer section 30 activates the image signal storage circuit 22 of the facsimile section 10.

The facsimile image signal is sent to the personal computer section 30.
For input, resolution and encoding method as parameters to specify the readout mode.

Reception date and time, number of received sheets, etc. (READ PARAMET)
ER) command (CTB) to the facsimile unit 1.
The image signal storage circuit 22 of 0 is notified.

■ The image signal storage circuit 22 of the facsimile unit 10 transmits the status signal (STB) to the personal computer unit 3 when the corresponding received image information exists in the image signal storage circuit 22.
0 and subsequently transfers the image signal (PIX) to the personal computer section 30. When the image information transfer is completed, a status signal (STB) is sent to the personal computer section 30 to notify the personal computer section 30 that there is no subsequent received image information.

Through the above-described operations, the image signal storage circuit 22 in the facsimile unit 10 can be controlled from the personal computer unit 30, so that when the facsimile control program is started on the personal computer, the image signal storage circuit 22 in the facsimile unit 10 can be controlled from the personal computer. With this control, image information can be transferred from the facsimile's image signal storage means to its own device.

(5) Detailed Description of the Invention According to the present invention, in a personal computer/facsimile device in which a personal computer and a facsimile are connected, incoming calls can be handled when the facsimile control program is not running on the personal computer. At times, the received image information is temporarily stored using the image signal storage means, and when the personal computer is started, the image information is transferred from the two-image signal storage means to its own device under control from the personal computer. This has the advantage of being able to automatically receive calls from computers and facsimiles.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a personal computer/facsimile machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram of an automatic call reception sequence of the personal computer/facsimile machine. In the figure, 10 is a facsimile section, 30 is a personal computer section, 11 is a telephone line, 12 is a network control circuit, and 14 is a
15 is a modem circuit, 21 is an interface control circuit, 22 is an image signal storage circuit, and 31 is a personal computer system (PC system) section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a personal computer/facsimile device in which a personal computer and a facsimile are connected, the facsimile device includes a control signal transmitting/receiving means, an automatic calling means, an automatic call detection means, an image signal transmitting/receiving means, an image signal scanning/recording means,
An image signal storage means and a connection means with a personal computer are provided, and when a call is automatically received, if the facsimile control program is not started on the personal computer when an incoming call is detected, the received image information is temporarily stored in the image signal storage means of the facsimile. When a facsimile control program is activated on the personal computer, image information is transferred from the image signal storage means of the facsimile to its own device under control from the personal computer.・Automatic facsimile reception method.