JPS62289027A - Data communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select a transmission line with advantageous communication cost by adopting the constitution that a charging amount in response to a transmission data quantity is calculated for each line based on charging information corresponding to a selected destination and a transmission line minimizing the charging amount is selected. CONSTITUTION:In a data communication equipment connected to plural lines with different charging system and sending a data while selecting either one line, a system control section 9 is provided with a destination information storage section 14 storing destination information such as a subscriber number in using charging information on the basis of charging and each transmission line at each destination and an operation display section 15 comprising operation keys required to operate the facsimile equipment and a display device displaying various information. The operator sets a transmission original to a picture read section 1, designates a destination from the operation display section 15 and turns on a start key, then the system control section 9 selects the line with the minimized communication cost calculated from the information of the section 14 and sets the line as the active line.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] 3. Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field] The present invention provides a system that connects to a plurality of transmission lines with different charging systems,
The present invention relates to a data communication device that can selectively use these transmission paths.

[Prior art] In recent years, digital public line networks (digital circuit switched networks, packet switched networks (digital storage and switching networks), etc.) have been constructed and are expanding, and as a result, existing analog public line networks and digital public line networks are being expanded. A data communication device that can be used as a transmission path has been proposed.

In such data communication equipment, the transmission path available to the destination can be selected as appropriate, so it is possible to use both terminal devices connected only to the analog public line network and terminal devices connected only to the digital public line network. more terminal devices can be used as terminal stations.

By the way, when a destination can be selectively connected to multiple transmission paths, it is necessary to select one of the transmission paths.In such cases, conventional methods have been to select a specific transmission path,
The operator had set it appropriately.

However, in such cases, the optimum transmission path may not always be set, and there is a risk that efficient data transmission may not be possible.

[Objective] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data communication device that can select an optimal transmission path.

[Configuration] In order to achieve this objective, the present invention stores charging information for each destination to calculate the charge when each transmission path is used, and stores charging information corresponding to the selected destination. Based on this, the charge amount corresponding to the amount of transmitted data is calculated for each transmission path, and the transmission path with the lowest charge amount is selected based on the calculation result.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. This facsimile machine is connected to an analog line network AX, a digital switching network DX, and a packet switching network DP as transmission paths, and selectively uses one of them.

In the figure, image information read by an image reading section 1 is compressed into a predetermined code by an encoding section 2, and the compressed image information is temporarily stored in an image storage section 3, or
Alternatively, it is directly output to the transmission control section 4°5.6.

Further, the encoding section 2 outputs the number of encoded bits of the line to the information amount accumulating section 7 and supplementary bit number accumulating section 8 every time the encoding process of image information for one line is completed.

The information amount accumulating section 7 is for accumulating the number of bits of transmission information in one transmission, and the supplementary bit number accumulating section 8 is for
Count the fill pits (replenishment bits) to satisfy the processing time for one line set from the system control unit 9,
This is to add up the number of bits of the fill pit in one transmission. In addition, this replenishment bit number accumulating unit 8 includes:
The transmission speed necessary for processing is also set from the system control unit 9.

The transmission control unit 4 executes a predetermined transmission control procedure process to be executed with the other party terminal when the analog line network AX is used, and receives the image information output from the encoding unit 2 or from the image storage unit 3. The read image information is output to the transmission path side, and the image information output from the transmission control unit 4 is modulated by a predetermined method by the modem 10, and has an automatic call/receive function and connects an analog line network AX to this facsimile machine. The data is sent out to the transmission path via the network control device 11 for the purpose of processing.

The transmission control unit 5 executes a predetermined transmission control procedure process to be executed with a partner terminal when the digital line network DX is used, and receives image information output from the encoding unit 2 or from the image storage unit 3. The image information that has been read out is output to the transmission path side, and the image information output from the transmission control section 5 is sent to the network control device 12, which has an automatic call/receive function and connects the digital line network DX to this facsimile device. is sent out to the transmission path via the

The transmission control unit 6 executes a predetermined transmission control procedure process to be executed with a partner terminal when the packet switching network DP is used, and receives image information output from the encoding unit 2 or from the image storage unit 3. The read image information = 4- information is output to the transmission line side, and the image information output from the transmission control section 6 is sent via the network control device 13 for connecting the packet switching network DP to this facsimile device. Sent to the transmission path.

The system control unit 9 is for controlling the entire facsimile machine, and stores billing information, which is the basis of billing, and destination information such as subscriber numbers when using each transmission path for each destination. The facsimile apparatus includes a destination information storage section 14, and an operation display section 15, which includes operation keys necessary for operating the facsimile machine and a display for displaying various information.

Further, the received information is once stored in the image storage section 3, and then decoded into the original image signal by the decoding section 16, and recorded and outputted as visible information by the image recording section 17.

Note that the system control unit 9 controls the operating conditions of the image reading unit 1;
The encoding method of the encoding section 2, the decoding (encoding) method of the decoding section 16, the operating conditions of the image recording section 17, etc. are set as appropriate.

An example of destination information is shown in the table below.

Table In this way, for the analog line network AX, the charge amount is determined by the time and charge per degree that corresponds to the distance to the destination, and for the digital line network Dx, it is determined by the amount of time charged per degree and the charge per degree, which corresponds to the distance to the destination. For the packet switching network DP, charges are charged for each transmitted document, and for the packet switching network DP, charges are charged for each packet.

Here, in the above table, bps is the unit of transmission speed, [
lls/1 is the time required to process one line, ms/f is the time required to process one frame, and yen/p is the amount charged for one packet. ing. Also, columns marked with an X indicate that the line in question cannot be used.

In addition, the destination information storage unit 14 also stores a subscriber number corresponding to the analog line network AX, a subscriber number corresponding to the digital line network DX, and a subscriber number corresponding to the packet switching network of the destination corresponding to the destination number. It also includes a subscriber number information table that stores subscriber numbers. In this subscriber number information table as well, data (x) indicating that the line cannot be used is inserted in the column of the line that cannot be used.

Note that this destination information, etc. is stored for all terminal devices designated as destinations by this facsimile machine, and the information shown above is only a part of it. Furthermore, what is shown in this table is an example of what can be set as the functions of this facsimile machine, and the functions are not limited to these.

With the above configuration, when the operator sets a transmission document on the image reading section 1, specifies the destination from the operation display section 15, and turns on the start key, the system control section 9 executes the process shown in FIG. to select one of the transmission paths.

First, the destination information of the selected destination is read from the destination information storage section 14, an encoding method that can be used at the destination is set according to a preset priority order, and it is specified to the encoding section 2 (process 101). ), and 102) set the processing time and transmission speed of the line in the replenishment bit number accumulating unit 8, clear the internally set page number counter to O, and start the image reading unit 1. Image reading is started (process 103).

Next, the page number counter is incremented to increase its value by one (process 104), and the read and encoded image information is stored in the image storage section 3 (process 105). In parallel with this, the number of bits of image information for one page is accumulated in the information amount accumulating section 7, and the amount of fill pits is accumulated in the supplementary bit number accumulating section 8.

Then, judgment 106 monitors whether or not reading of all the set transmission originals has been completed.
When the result of step 06 is NO, return to process 104,
Processing is performed for each page in sequence.

When the result of the judgment 106 becomes '/BS, the system control unit 9 judges whether the analog line network AX can be used or not (a judgment 107), and when the result of this judgment 107 becomes YES, the system control unit 9 adds the information to the accumulated image information. The amount of control data to be transmitted is calculated and added to the accumulated value of the information amount accumulating section 7, and further, the counted value of the supplementary bit number accumulating section 8 is added (processes 108, 109), and in this way. The time required for message transmission is calculated by dividing the amount of data at the time of message transmission calculated by the transmission speed (process 110).
.

Then, a process 111) for calculating the time when the line is used for purposes other than message transmission, that is, the time used for transmission control procedures before and after message transmission;
Next, the sum of the times calculated in processing 110 and processing 111 is
The communication cost when using the analog line network AX is calculated by multiplying the frequency of the destination information and further by the line usage fee in units of frequency (processing 112).

Note that when the result of judgment 107 is NO, processing 108 is performed.
-112 are not executed.

When the process 112 is completed, the system control unit 9 makes a judgment 113 to determine whether or not the digital line network DP can be used.
), when the result of this judgment 113 is YES, the page number counter is multiplied by the usage fee per page to calculate the communication cost when using the Digimol line DX (process 11
4).

Note that when the result of judgment 113 is No, processing 114 is performed.
do not execute.

Next, the system control unit 9 determines whether or not the packet switching network DP can be used (decision 115), and this determination 11
When the result of step 5 is YES, processes 116 and 117 calculate the amount of control data to be transmitted in addition to the accumulated image information and add this to the integrated value of the information amount integrating section 7.
), the data amount for message transmission calculated in this way is divided by the number of bits per packet to calculate the number of packets for message transmission118), and the charge per packet is added to this number of packets. Calculate the communication cost when using the packet switching network DP by multiplying the
9).

Note that when the result of judgment 115 is NO, processing 116 is performed.
-119 are not executed.

After calculating the communication cost for each transmission path in this way, the system control unit 9 selects the one with the lowest calculated communication cost and sets it as the transmission path to be used (process 120).

Then, the network control device 14.1 corresponding to the selected transmission path
2, 1.3, transfer the subscriber number of the destination to make a call to the destination (process 121), and notify the transmission control unit 4, 5.6 corresponding to the transmission path to start transmitting image information. Then, the transmission control procedure by each transmission control section 4, 5.6 is started, and the image information is thereby transmitted to the destination.

In this way, each time image information is transmitted, the transmission path with the lowest communication cost is selected, so that highly economical data transmission can be performed.

By the way, although the facsimile machine in the above-described embodiment has the image storage section 3 built-in, the present invention can also be applied to a facsimile machine that has an image storage means connected to the outside.

Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to a facsimile machine that serves as a center station for a plurality of facsimile machines. For example, it is a facsimile center device having a plurality of terminal devices within the same premises.

In the above-described embodiments, a facsimile machine that can be selectively connected to an analog line network, a digital line network, a packet switching network, and a public telephone line network has been described; however, facsimile machines having other system configurations,
Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to data communication devices other than facsimile devices.

[Effects] As explained above, according to the present invention, billing information for calculating the billing amount when each transmission path is used is stored for each destination, and billing information corresponding to the selected destination is stored. Based on this, the charge amount corresponding to the amount of data transmitted is calculated for each transmission route, and the transmission route with the lowest charge amount is selected based on the calculation result, so the transmission route with the advantageous communication cost is selected appropriately. You can get the effect of being able to choose.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are flow charts showing processing examples. 2... Encoding unit, 3... Image storage unit, 4, 5.6.
. . . Transmission control section, 7. Information amount integration section, 8. Supplementary bit number integration section, 9.. System control section, 14.
Destination information storage section, 15... operation display section. 1. - One agent Patent attorney Crest 1) ←Vinegar! Also -1'

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a data communication device that connects to multiple transmission paths with different charging systems and selects one transmission path to transmit data, the charging information for calculating the amount of charges when using each transmission path is sent to the destination. a storage means for each transmission path, a charging calculating means for calculating a charging amount corresponding to the amount of transmitted data for each transmission path based on the charging information corresponding to the selected destination, and a charging amount calculated by this calculation means. A data communication device comprising selection means for selecting the lowest transmission path, and using the transmission path selected by the selection means.