JP3505833B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile device which can be connected to an external information processing device such as a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an interface (I / O port) capable of inputting and outputting signals (data) to and from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) is used in a facsimile machine.
Is installed, the personal computer and the interface of the facsimile device are connected by a cable, and image data such as characters and images input on the personal computer side (hereinafter the same) is once transmitted to the facsimile device, and the facsimile device telephone line, etc. Image data received from the other device is transmitted to another facsimile device (hereinafter referred to as the other device) via the device, and is stored in the memory part of the facsimile device once. There was a thing to transmit to.

By the way, a facsimile apparatus includes a scanner for reading characters and images printed on a document, and an image forming apparatus (printer unit) capable of decoding image data input or received from another apparatus and extracting it as a hard copy. ) Is transmitted, the image data read by the scanner is transmitted from the facsimile device to a personal computer, is temporarily stored in a storage unit (memory unit) in the personal computer, and the image data is processed in the personal computer. Alternatively, the image data input by the personal computer can be output by the printer unit of the facsimile apparatus.

In such a case, when transmitting / receiving the image data between the personal computer and the facsimile device, the facsimile device and the personal computer respectively transmit a command to the other party, and the transmitting side device receives the response command. I try to run the job after that.

[0005]

However, as described above, when the commands are output from the facsimile apparatus and the personal computer at substantially the same time, the following inconvenience occurs.

That is, the commands received by the facsimile apparatus from the personal computer include the response command and the command command that is output independently from the personal computer side. In order to prevent confusion between the two commands, the conventional technique is used. In the internal processing of the facsimile machine, if a command different from the corresponding response command is received immediately after the request command sent from the facsimile machine, it is judged as an error and the error signal is returned to the personal computer side. On the side, there is a problem that the job execution for the facsimile apparatus is interrupted because it is judged that the command command is inconvenient.

[0007] For example, once the image data received from the partner device is stored in the memory inside the facsimile device, the image data is temporarily stored in the memory, and if the PC is ready to receive the image data,
When transmitting the image data to the personal computer, a request command requesting execution of a job for receiving the image data is transmitted from the facsimile device to the personal computer at appropriate time intervals, and the response command output from the personal computer side is sent to the facsimile device. When is received, the image data transmission (output) is started.

On the other hand, while waiting for the response command, when the scanner of the facsimile apparatus wants to capture image data, the operator operates the scanner apparatus to issue an operation initialization command (command command). May be output to a facsimile machine.

In this case, as seen from the side of the facsimile, the command command is not the expected response command, so it is judged as an error and the error signal is returned to the personal computer side. It is judged that there is a problem, and execution of the job (scanner reading operation in this case) for the facsimile apparatus is interrupted.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and even when a facsimile apparatus and a personal computer are connected and commands are mutually output at approximately the same time,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus that allows the types of commands to be easily discriminated and gives priority to processing from the personal computer side to smoothly execute each job.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a facsimile apparatus having an I / O port which can be connected to an external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. in the device, the facsimile device and send a command from the external information processing apparatus to each other side, constitutes the response command such that each transmitting device receives, receives standby for receipt the response command to the facsimile apparatus A timer for setting the time is provided , and a discriminating means for discriminating the type of the command received within the reception waiting time is provided , and the discriminating means causes the received command to respond.
Command, check the command
While sending a signal to the effect that the external information processing device
The response command from the external information processing device
If the command is not sent, it will be
Time to send the command and set the waiting time for receipt.
It is configured to set a mask .

A facsimile machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is connected to an external information processing device such as a personal computer.
In a facsimile machine having a continuous I / O port , the facsimile machine and the external information
Each processing device sends a command to the other party , and
The sending device receives each response command.
The facsimile machine receives the response command.
A timer to set the receipt waiting time for
Determine the type of command received within the waiting time for receipt
A discriminating unit is provided, and while the facsimile apparatus transmits a command command requesting execution of a job to the external information processing apparatus to the external information processing apparatus, the facsimile machine receives the response command at a reception standby time period when the facsimile apparatus receives the response command. When the initialization command transmitted from the external information processing device for executing various functions of the device is received, the job execution by the initialization command is prioritized and processed.

A facsimile apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the facsimile apparatus according to the first or second aspect, in which a command received within the reception waiting time is temporarily stored in a buffer memory and the reception is performed. Each time the processing of the command is executed, the memory in the buffer memory is erased.

[0014]

EXAMPLES Next, examples embodying the present invention will be described. 1 is a perspective view of the facsimile machine 1 and the personal computer 2, FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the facsimile machine, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a personal computer as an external information processing device. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a facsimile apparatus (FAX apparatus) 1 (herein called a calling side for convenience) of the present invention is connected to a personal computer 2 via an input / output port (I / O port) 3 and a cable 4. It is connected.

The facsimile machine 1 on the calling side is connected to an external line 6a such as a telephone line via a network controller unit (NCU) 5 for controlling the line, and the external line 6a is on the calling side. The exchange 7 and the external line 6b such as a telephone line, the exchange 8 on the called side, and the external line 6c such as a telephone line are connected to the facsimile machine 9 on the called side.

The CPU 1 which is the core of the facsimile apparatus 1
Reference numeral 0 is connected to each unit of the following device via a signal bus line, and controls each unit of the device according to a predetermined communication control procedure to execute a facsimile operation, that is, data communication.

The modem 11 modulates image information as a digital signal into an analog signal and transmits the analog signal to the external line 6a via the NCU 5 or the NCU via the external line 6a.
The analog signal as image information sent from the signal 5 is demodulated into a digital signal and various signals for transmission control are transmitted and received.

The buffer memory 12 temporarily stores various data including coded image information transmitted / received to / from the called side facsimile apparatus 9, and receives a received command and a called side telephone number. It has a plurality of areas such as a transmission buffer memory 12a for temporarily storing data such as names and a reception buffer memory 12b.

A read only memory (ROM) 13 stores a control program. An EEPROM (nonvolatile memory) 14 is used to store the dialed number (telephone number) of the called side (destination) and the data of the destination name and the one-touch number, whether or not the name of the calling side facsimile device is registered, and the management report output. Various setting information such as presence / absence, presence / absence of output of transmission result report, volume of telephone ringing bell, volume of speaker in the facsimile apparatus, etc. are stored. This EE
The PROM (nonvolatile memory) 14 does not erase its contents even when the power of the facsimile apparatus 1 is turned off.

Also, a readable / writable memory (RAM) at any time
15 is for temporarily storing various data during the operation execution. The scanner 16 reads an image of a document. The scanner 16 encodes the read image data by the encoding unit 17, temporarily stores it in the buffer memory 12, and then transmits it. In this case, as a method for compressing (suppressing) the redundancy of the facsimile signal (redundancy suppression coding method), attention is paid to the continuous length of the white signal or the black signal of the facsimile signal, that is, the statistical property of the run length. The encoding method (Modified READ, MR method) is adopted.

On the other hand, the printer 18 records the received image data on recording paper as a hard copy.
A latent image is formed on the photoconductor drum by laser light, developed with toner, transferred to a recording paper, and fixed by an electrostatic electrophotographic recording method, or a thermal printer that prints an image on thermal paper with a thermal head. Adopt the method. The received image data (analog signal) and dot data for recording are stored in the image memory 19,
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) is often used.

In a normal receiving operation (performing recording in real time) in the facsimile apparatus 1, signals are transmitted and received between the facsimile apparatuses 1 and 9 according to a predetermined communication control procedure, and then the transmission image information is received and buffered. The image data (analog signal) is temporarily stored in the memory 12. This image data is decoded (decompressed) by the decoding unit 20.
Then, it is developed into a dot image for writing in page units in the bit image storage area of the image memory 19 and written. Then, bits are developed at a predetermined resolution, and this is sent to the printer 18 to be imaged (printed) page by page.

At the time of proxy reception, the received image data is temporarily stored as compressed data in the image memory 19, and at the time of recording (at the time of recording paper output), the same resolution is selected for the remaining area of the image memory 19. And expand the bit. Further, the image data once stored in the image memory 19 at the time of the proxy reception is stored in the external storage device 38 of the personal computer 2 described later.
It is also possible to process the received image data in the personal computer 2 by transmitting the image data to the computer or the like.

Further, at the time of direct transmission, the transmission original is read by the scanner 16 and encoded by the encoder 17 before being transmitted. At the time of memory transmission, the transmission document is read by the scanner 16 and encoded data is temporarily stored in the image memory 19 and then automatically transmitted, or transmitted at a designated time. The time designated transmission is convenient when there is a time difference with the called facsimile machine or when group transmission (sending the same document to a plurality of destinations) is performed.

Further, since the image data input to the personal computer 2 is encoded data, this data can be transmitted after being temporarily stored in the image memory 19 of the calling side facsimile apparatus 1 described above.

Operation unit 2 provided in the facsimile machines 1 and 9
1 is provided with a display unit 22 such as a liquid crystal display unit for displaying the operation state of the facsimile machine, and also with a numeric keypad 23, a function key 24, a one-touch registration key 25 for an operator to perform various operations ( (See FIG. 1). For one-touch registration operation, use the numeric keypad 2
3 and input of the other party's telephone number, etc. by a predetermined operation of the function key 24, and the one-touch registration key 2
It is executed by the predetermined operation of 5.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the personal computer 2, which includes a CPU 30 including a microprocessor, a ROM 31 for storing control programs, a RAM 32 for storing various data, and an input / output port (interface) 33. That is, the keyboard 34 and the mouse 35 as an input unit, the display 36 and the printer 37 as an output unit, the facsimile device 1 as an input / output device, the external storage device 38 such as a hard disk device, and the like are connected.

Next, referring to the sequence of FIG. 4 and the flow chart of FIG. 5, a request command A for requesting the personal computer 2 to receive the image data received on behalf of the facsimile apparatus 1 and the scanner in the facsimile apparatus 1 will be described. A process in the case where the command command B from the personal computer 2 side is transmitted at substantially the same time so as to operate 16 to execute the operation of reading the document will be described.

FIG. 4A shows a sequence in which the facsimile apparatus 1 outputs the image data received on behalf of the facsimile apparatus 1 to the personal computer 2. In the embodiment, a request command [CMDA] 7 is sent.
Send to PC 2 at intervals of seconds. Since the personal computer 2 may not be activated, the request command [C
MDA] is always transmitted, but when the personal computer 2 is not connected to the facsimile apparatus 1, the request command [CMDA] is not transmitted, and the above-described proxy reception operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 is executed.

When a response command [CMDC] is returned from the activated personal computer 2 side to the facsimile device 1, after sending an OK command confirming from the facsimile device 1 to the personal computer 2, the image data received as a proxy is sent. Is sent to PC 2. When the facsimile apparatus 1 sends a transmission end signal to the personal computer 2, the personal computer 2 sends a reception OK signal back to the facsimile apparatus 1. The CR (carriage return) signal is a transmission control character.

On the other hand, FIG. 4B shows the facsimile machine 1.
First, the personal computer 2 is logged on, the application program for operating the scanner is activated to display an operation screen (not shown) on the display 36, and the input operation of the keyboard 34 or the mouse 35 is performed. Click the command to initialize the scanner operation [CMDI]
Is sent to the facsimile device 1. When an OK command from the facsimile device 1 enters the personal computer 2, a command command [CMDB] for a scanner reading command is sent to the facsimile device 1. An OK command is input to the personal computer 2 from the facsimile device 1. As a result, the reading of the image data is started, and the read data is transmitted to the personal computer 2. When the facsimile apparatus 1 sends a transmission end signal to the personal computer 2, the personal computer 2 sends a reception OK signal back to the facsimile apparatus 1.

FIG. 5 shows a received command discrimination process of the facsimile apparatus, and shows a flow chart of the processing when the image data received by the facsimile apparatus 1 as a proxy is transmitted to the personal computer 2 as an embodiment. Following the start of processing,
First, send a request command [CMDA] to the personal computer (S
1), response command to this request command [CMD
In order to wait for the return of C], a timer for setting a reception waiting time of seconds (2 seconds in the embodiment) is set appropriately (S
2). Before the timer times out (S4), the presence or absence of command reception sent from the personal computer 2 side is checked (S3). Since the command sent from the personal computer 2 side to the facsimile apparatus 1 is temporarily stored in the reception buffer memory 12b for each type, the above-mentioned check is to check the existence of the memory in the reception buffer memory 12b.

Next, when the command is received (S3: yes), the type of the command is determined in S5. In the embodiment, it is determined whether it is the response command [CMDC] or another type of command (S).
5). Other types of commands include:
There is a command to activate the scanner 16 in the facsimile apparatus 1 in response to a command from the activated personal computer 2 side, and to take in image data obtained by reading a document or the like into the computer 2.

If it is a reply command [CMDC] (S5: yes), an OK signal indicating confirmation is sent to the personal computer 2.
To (S6). Using this signal as a signal, the proxy-received image data stored in the facsimile device 1 is transmitted to the personal computer 2 (S7), and the data in the command storage area of the data stored in the reception buffer memory 12b is transmitted. Are all cleared (erased) (S8), and the process ends.

By the way, if another type of command is received while the facsimile apparatus 1 is waiting for the return of the reply command [CMDC] (S5: no), the scanner 16 is operated next. It is determined whether or not it is an initialization command [CMDI] of the scanner 16 for executing (S).
9). Then, the initialization command [CMDI] der Ru if (S9: yes), executes the processing of the initialization preferentially (see the flowchart of FIG. 6).

If it is not the initialization command [CMDI] (S9: no), an error signal is sent from the facsimile apparatus 1 side to the personal computer 2 (S10), and the command storage area stored in the reception buffer memory 12b is stored. All the data is cleared (erased) (S8), and the process ends.

As described above, the request command [CMDA]
Since transmitted from the facsimile device 1 to the personal computer 2 at 7 second intervals, the timer of the receiving waiting time is 2 seconds, 5
In the embodiment, the time cycle from the start to the end of the process of the flowchart is executed at 5 second intervals.

In the reception command processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, following the start of processing, it is judged whether or not a command is received in the command storage area in the reception buffer memory 12b (S61). S
61: yes), determine what kind of command the command is (S62), and if the command is the initialization command [CMDI], execute the initialization process (S63), and Reception buffer memory 12b
After clearing (erasing) all the data in the command storage area inside (S64), send an OK signal indicating that processing has been performed to the PC 2
To (S65).

As described above, the facsimile machine 1 transmits to the personal computer 2 a command command for requesting the personal computer 2 to execute a job, while the facsimile machine 1 receives the response command in the reception waiting time zone. ,
When the initialization command transmitted from the personal computer 2 for executing various functions such as the operation of the scanner 16 of the facsimile apparatus 1 is received, the job (initialization process) execution by the initialization command is processed with priority. It is a thing.

In this way, when another initialization command is received by the facsimile device while overlapping with the reception waiting time for waiting for the reception of the response command, the other initialization command is different from the response command. The device is
There is a problem that an error signal is output and the initialization process execution by the initialization command from the personal computer side is hindered. However, by executing the process of determining the type of the received command as in the present invention, Even when the response command to the request command and the instruction command from the personal computer side overlap in time, it operates normally without giving an error to the personal computer side, and various functions on the facsimile machine side are also smoothly executed. Produce an effect.

Since the type discrimination process of the received command shown in the flow chart of FIG. 5 is executed at a predetermined time interval (5 seconds interval in the embodiment), one command, for example, a command command (initialization command) has been received. After confirming and executing the processing, the processing of the other command (response command) is executed in the next cycle, so that the processing of a plurality of commands can be surely executed.

As another embodiment of the instruction command from the personal computer side, one-touch for registering the paired data of the one-touch number, the destination dial number and the destination name by inputting from the keyboard of the personal computer. An initialization command at the time of dial registration operation may be considered.

[0043]

As described above, claim 1
The facsimile apparatus of the invention described in 1. can be connected to an external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer.
A facsimile apparatus having a / O ports, and transmits the facsimile device and a command from the external information processing apparatus to each other side, constitutes the response command such that each transmitting device receives, the facsimile apparatus A timer for setting a reception waiting time for receiving the response command is provided , and a discriminating means for discriminating the type of command received within the reception waiting time is provided .
If the received command is a response command,
When judged, give a signal that the command has been confirmed.
While sending to the external information processing device, while waiting for the receipt
The response command from the external information processing device is transmitted within the interval
If not, reissue the command at the specified time interval.
Set a timer to send and set the receipt waiting time
It is configured to .

Therefore, even if the response command and another type of command from the external information processing device temporally overlap with each other during the reception waiting time period in which the facsimile device waits for the reception of the response command, the reception command by executing the kind discriminating process may be executed by type of treatment, factory
When the Simili device receives the response command, the determination means
A signal indicating that the response command is confirmed by the external information processing device
Image signal transmission as a signal.
It is possible to reliably execute processing (job) such as. Or more
Exhibits al, with an external information processing apparatus operates normally, the effect of various functions of the facsimile apparatus side Ru can smoothly run.

The invention according to claim 2 is a personal computer.
Can be connected to an external information processing device such as a computer
In the facsimile apparatus having an I / O port, the
Each of the facsimile machine and the external information processing device
The command is sent to the other party and the response command is
Each sending device is configured to receive the
The device has a reception waiting time for receiving the response command.
Provide a timer to set, and within the waiting time for receipt
A discrimination means for discriminating the type of the received command is provided, and the facsimile device transmits a command command requesting the external information processing device to execute the job to the external information processing device, while the facsimile device receives the response command. When receiving the initialization command transmitted from the external information processing device for executing various functions of the facsimile device during the reception waiting time period, the job execution by the initialization command is prioritized and processed. is there.

According to this processing, when the response command is received during the reception waiting time period when the facsimile device receives the response command, the job for the response command is executed and the various functions of the facsimile device are executed. When receiving the initialization command transmitted from the external information processing device, the job may be executed by the initialization command. In particular, when the initialization command is received, the initialization process is executed with priority. Therefore, there is an effect that the problem that the initialization process execution by the initialization command from the external information processing device side is hindered does not occur.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the command received within the reception waiting time is temporarily stored in a buffer memory and the received command is stored. Since the memory in the buffer memory is erased each time the process is executed, the type determination process of the received command is executed at a predetermined time interval. It is possible to reliably execute the processing of a plurality of commands, for example, after confirming that a command has been received and executing the processing, the processing of the other command (response command) is executed in the next cycle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facsimile device and a personal computer.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a facsimile device.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a personal computer.

FIG. 4A is a sequence of outputting image data that has been received as a substitute, and FIG. 4B is a sequence of scanner processing.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a received command determination process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of received command processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Facsimile machine 2 PC 5 NCU 10,30 CPU 11 modem 12 buffer memory 12b Receive buffer memory 13,31 ROM 14 EEPROM 15,32 RAM 16 scanner 34 keyboard 36 display

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having an I / O port that can be connected to an external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, which sends commands to the other party from the facsimile apparatus and the external information processing apparatus, respectively. The sending side device is configured to receive each response command, the facsimile device is provided with a timer for setting a reception waiting time for receiving the response command, and the type of the command received within the reception waiting time is determined. the determination means is provided, the command thus received by該判by means response command to
If it is determined that the command is confirmed
Signal to the external information processing device while the response from the external information processing device is received within the reception waiting time.
If the command is not sent, the
Send the command again and set the waiting time for receipt.
A facsimile machine characterized by being configured to set an image. 2. An external information processing unit such as a personal computer.
With an I / O port that can be connected to a processing device
In the facsimile device, the facsimile device and the external information processing device
Send a command to the other party and send the response command
Each sending device is configured to receive and fax
When waiting for receipt of the response command for the millimeter device
In addition to providing a timer to set the interval, the waiting time for receipt
A discrimination means for discriminating the type of command received
While transmitting a command command requesting execution of a job to the external information processing device from the facsimile device to the external information processing device, various types of facsimile devices are received during the reception waiting time when the response command is received by the facsimile device. said external information processing apparatus when receiving the initialization command transmitted from the full Akushimiri device you <br/> comprising treating give preference to a job execution by the initialization command to perform the functions . 3. A structure in which a command received during the reception waiting time is temporarily stored in a buffer memory and the memory in the buffer memory is erased each time the processing of the received command is executed. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: