KR930010142B1 - Picture data receiving method for computer-fax system - Google Patents

Abstract

The method receives and stores image data on a hard disk using a facsimile equipped in a personal computer. The method comprises the steps of: (A) receiving image data through RSC-232C connector; (B) discriminating that input data is instruction data or image data; (C) processing the receiving process according to instruction data and returning to the step (A); (D) storing image data on a hard disk and returning to the step (A) and (E) executing the receive-end process and sending a receive-completion message provided that input data is instruction data and the instruction data is a file end instruction.

Description

How to Receive Image Data in Computer-Facsimile Connection System

1 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware embodiment of a computer-facsimile connection system to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a diagram illustrating a facsimile-side embodiment of a computer-facsimile connection system to which the present invention is applied.

3 is a flowchart illustrating image data reception for the RS232C interrupt of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart for performing time interruption in the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: Computer 11: RS232C Connection

12: computer main control unit 13: main memory unit

14 Hard Disk 15 Keyboard

16: monitor 20: facsimile

21: facsimile control unit 22: image scanner

23: modem and network control unit 24: image printer

25: serial connection 30: connection device

31: transmitting and receiving connection part 32: switching circuit part

33: connection control unit 34: connection memory unit

35: buffer unit 36: computer connection unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of receiving images in a computer-facsimile connection system (hereinafter simply referred to as "PC-FAX"), particularly from an external (relative) facsimile on a hard disk (HARD DISK) built into a computer (PC). An image data reception method in a PC-FAX for storing data to be transmitted.

Image data reception in the present invention means storing data transmitted from an external FAX on a PC-side hard disk of a PC-FAX.

The conventional facsimile is provided with an image scanning device, an image printer, a facsimile communication modem, and a peripheral circuit thereof to transmit and receive image information. However, when the receiving side facsimile lacks a thermal recording paper, or Various inconveniences have been exposed, such as interruption of communication between facsimile machines due to an inaccessible state when an output unit such as an image printer fails. In addition, there was a limitation in improving the communication efficiency and operation efficiency because the editing function of the received image data could not be implemented.In the trend of increasing the transmission speed of public communication networks, the communication time is limited due to the limitations caused by the facsimile heating and recording speed. There is a limit to shortening.

As another conventional technique, a technique for performing facsimile communication by mounting a separate facsimile card in an expansion slot in a PC (see Publication No. 91-5382) has been proposed. In this case, a separate scanning device or a conventional facsimile machine is further used. There is a problem that is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. The present invention stores the received image data in a hard disk of a PC by connecting FAX to a PC that is already widely used and controlling all functions of FAX on the PC. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of receiving image data of PC-FAX that can be used effectively.

Another object of the present invention is to be able to receive data transmitted from external FAX and store it on the hard disk without being restricted by the user even when doing other work through a PC (hereinafter simply referred to as "background processing"). The object of the present invention is to provide a method of receiving image data of PC-FAX.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a modem and network controller connected to a public communication network, an image printer, and an image printer connected to a public communication network to transmit and receive images with an external facsimile. A facsimile control unit (FAX) having a facsimile control unit for controlling, a serial connection unit connected to the control unit for connecting an external device, an RS232C connection unit for connecting to an external device, a main memory unit, a hard disk, and a keyboard. And the PC side of the PC-FAX connection system formed by connecting a monitor and a computer (PC) having the RS232C connection unit, the main memory unit, the hard disk, the keyboard, and a main controller connected to the monitor to perform overall control. In the method of receiving image data by control, the PC transmits data transmitted from a fax connected to a public communication network to the RS232C connection unit. A first step of receiving a solution, a second step of determining whether the received data is command data or image data, the determination result of the second step is command data, and the command data is a reception request command, a mode command, or an end-of-page command. If either is the third step proceeds to the first step after performing a process according to the command, if the determination result of the first step is image data, the data is stored in the hard disk and then proceeds to the first step And a fifth step of performing a process for ending reception and outputting a reception completion message to the user through the monitor if the determination result of the second step is command data and the command data is a file end command. Characterized in that it is carried out.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware configuration of a PC-FAX to which the present invention is applied, in which 10 is a computer, 20 is a facsimile, 30 is a connection device, 11 is a peripheral device connection, and 12 is a computer. Main control part, 13 is main memory part consisting of ROM and RAM, 14 is hard disk, 15 is keyboard, 16 is monitor, 21 is facsimile control part, 22 is image scanner, 23 is modem and network control part, 24 is image printer Denotes a serial connection portion, 31a denotes a reception connection portion, 31b a transmission connection portion, 32 a switching circuit portion, 33 a connection control portion, 34 a connection memory portion, and 35 a buffer portion.

For reference, in relation to the hardware configuration to which the present invention is applied, it has already been filed by the applicant of the Patent Application Nos. 90-16399 and 90-16410.

As shown in the figure, the present invention is connected to a facsimile 20 connected to a public communication network (PSTN), a known personal computer 10 which is generally widely used, and a connection device connected to the facsimile and personal computer (INTERFACE). It applies to a system consisting of a) 30, the facsimile 20 is a general facsimile with a serial interface (25) or a known receive-only facsimile.

The personal computer 10 is a general-purpose computer having a hard disk (HARD DISK) 14 and an RS232C connection portion 11 or more as an extended memory. It is preferable to comprise the compatible model.

In addition, the connection device 30 is connected to the serial connection 25 of the facsimile 20, the transmission and reception connection portion 31, the switching circuit portion 32 connected to the transmission and reception connection portion and the computer 10 A computer connection portion 36 connected to an RS232C connection portion 11, a connection control portion 33 connected to the switching circuit portion and a computer connection portion, a connection memory portion 34 connected to the switching circuit portion, a computer connection portion and a connection control portion, respectively; The buffer 35 is provided, and the transmission / reception connection unit 31 inputs the image information and the control signal encoded from the facsimile 20 to the switching circuit unit 32, or switches from the computer 10 side. The image information and control signal input through the circuit unit 32 are applied to the facsimile 20 side. As shown in the drawing, it comprises a reception connection unit 31a and a transmission connection unit 31b.

The switching circuit part 32 selects and switches the transmission connection part 31b or the reception connection part 31a according to the control signal of the computer 10, and determines the input / output direction of image information.

Then, the connection control unit 33, the connection memory unit 34, and the buffer unit 35 temporarily store the document information among the signals inputted through the computer connection unit 36, and then expand the image information into image information to transmit the fax. Encoding is made into image information which can be directly transmitted from the apparatus 10. In addition, it is responsible for determining and controlling an internal information processing procedure such as temporarily storing image information transmitted from a facsimile transmitting apparatus or a facsimile receiving apparatus and transmitting the image information to the computer through the computer connection unit 36.

The connection control unit 33 is a microprocessor, and the connection memory unit 34 is configured by using a font storing ROM and a program storing ROM. The buffer unit 35 is composed of RAM.

The computer connection unit 36 is responsible for an interface function for RS232C communication with the computer 3.

However, in executing the present invention on a PC-FAX system, if the data storage speed of the computer 10 is faster than the data transfer speed from the facsimile 20, the connection device 30 is removed and the facsimile of the facsimile is removed. The serial connection 25 and the RS232C connection 11 of the computer can be directly connected.

At this time, an embodiment connection structure of the facsimile side is shown in FIG. In the figure, 21a is a CPU, 21b is a ROM for program storage and font storage, 21c is a RAM which is a buffer memory, 21d is a component of a facsimile control unit as an address decoder, 23a is a component of a modem and a network control unit as a modem, 25a UART (Universal Asyncronous Receiver Transmitter) is a component of the computer system connection.

The CPU 21a is a processor that controls the overall operation of the facsimile, and the ROM 21b is connected to an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus, and is expandable, and separates a program storage ROM and a font storage ROM. In this embodiment, however, one EPROM is used. The RAM 21c is also connected to the address bus, data bus, and control bus, and is expandable and constructed using 256K SRAM in this embodiment. Here, the CPU 20a, the ROM 21b, and the RAM 21c may be replaced by a one-chip CPU including these functions. In this case, when the capacity of the buffer memory is insufficient, the RAM as described above is externally present. The capacity can be extended by adding.

The modem 23a is connected to the data bus and the control bus and is connected to the line of the public communication network. The UART 25a is connected to the data bus and the control bus and is connected to the computer side. The address decoder 21d has an input connected to the address bus, and an output connected to the ROM, RAM, modem, and UART.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an RS232C interrupt according to the present invention, which shows a process in which the main controller 12 of the PC stores the image data transmitted from the external FAX through the RS232C connection 11 to the hard disk 14. will be.

When the facsimile 20 receives a request from the public communication network (PSTN), it immediately transmits the signal to the computer 10 (40). The computer 10 then determines whether the received signal is command data or image data (41), and if it is command data, first determines whether it is a receive request command (42), and if a receive request command, is the current state of the computer side receivable? That is, it is determined whether or not the capacity of the hard disk is sufficient (43), and if it is unreceivable state, it transmits a signal (hereinafter referred to simply as "abort") for recognizing that it is incapable of receiving, "No reception" message is outputted (45) and terminated.

However, if the reception is possible, the reception permission signal is transmitted to the FAX 20 side connected to the user (PC), the reception bit and the timer are set, the file to be stored is opened, and a "reception" message is output to the user. After 44, the process transitions to the first data reception waiting step 40 again.

On the other hand, if the received data is mode request data rather than receive request command data (48), the mode is stored, the mode recognition signal is transmitted to the FAX side, and the time and mode receive bits are set (49).

However, if the received data is not command data (41), that is, if it is image data, check whether the receive bit is set (46). If the received data is set, it is possible to receive the data. (47).

If the reception bit is not set, it is recognized as an incapable reception state and the process returns to the initial data reception waiting step 30.

If the received data is the end-of-page command data (50), the end-of-page recognition signal is transmitted to the FAX 20 side, the file assigned to the existing page is closed, and then the page is incremented by 1 to allocate a new file. Open the file and set a new time. At this time, the mode reception bit is cleared (51). Each page image information transmitted thereby is stored in a different file.

If the received data is file end command data (52), the file end recognition signal is transmitted to the FAX 20 to end reception, and then the reception bit is cleared, the open file is closed, and the reception completion message is output to the user ( 53).

If the received data is neither image data nor any of the above command data, check whether it is an abort command sent from the FAX 20 (54). If it is an abbott, clear the set reception bit and close the file. (55) The execution ends, and the command is recognized as a command that has no relation to the reception function or the reception function is ignored, and the process then returns to the initial data reception waiting step 40.

As one embodiment of image data reception by the control flow on the PC side as described above, a case of receiving three pages of image information from an external fax is as follows.

First, when the FAX 20 enters the reception state and transmits a reception request to the PC 10 side (40), the PC checks what command the input data is.

If it is confirmed that it is a reception request (42), it is checked whether it is in a reception possible state (43), and if it is possible to perform the necessary performance, such as setting a reception bit (44). At this time, a reception permission signal is sent from the PC to the FAX side, and the received FAX passes the information on the mode to the PC. When the mode recognition signal from the PC is received, image data is continuously sent afterwards to be opened in the PC hard disk. The image data of the first page is stored in the first file (File. 001) that has been created (47).

In the embodiment of the present invention, as described above, three digits of the extension file name are allocated to page divisions, so that a document amount of up to 99 pages can be easily stored.

At this time, when one page is finished, the FAX 20 receives a signal of "End of Page" from the external FAX. When this signal is applied to the PC, the PC increases the page in the file name and opens a new file (File.002). (51), it prepares to receive the image data of the next page.

Then, the mode is exchanged in the same manner as described above, and the image data of the second page is stored in the hard disk.

Similarly, after storing the image data received up to the third page (the last page) in a new file (File.003), the external FAX sends out a file end signal, and the received FAX 20 is sent to the PC side. send. The PC 10 then performs appropriate execution of releasing the reception bit and ending the reception operation (53).

4 is a flowchart illustrating a timer interrupt performed by the PC main control unit 12 according to the present invention. The timer is always checked at the time of reception, and appropriate action is taken when a time error occurs.

In more detail, when a time interrupt occurs periodically, the current time of the updated timer is checked according to the reception state (61, 62).

If the set time of the timer is 0, it is determined whether it is being received (receive bit set) (63). If the determination result is being received, it is determined that a time error has occurred during reception, and an appropriate action is taken (e.g. ).

In addition, the present invention is applied to a general-purpose PC, so that the software according to the present invention resides in the RAM of the main memory unit 13 so as to be continuously executed by interrupt processing of the main control unit 12. GROUND), so that no matter what task the user performs on the PC, the receiving task is performed, and only the appropriate message is displayed to the user through the monitor screen 16 as needed.

As described above, the present invention allows the image data received via FAX to be directly stored on a PC's hard disk, thereby printing as many sheets as desired, transmitting to another FAX, and using an editing function on a PC. This erases unnecessary image data and makes it possible to efficiently use the reception data.

Claims (9)

Modem and network control means 23 connected to the public telecommunication network for image transmission and reception with an external facsimile, an image printer 24, and the modem and network control means 23 and an image printer 24, A facsimile apparatus (FAX) 20 having a facsimile control means 21 for controlling input and output of image data, a serial connection means 25 connected to the control means 21 and connecting an external device, and an external device. RS232C connection means 11, main memory means 13, hard disk 14, keyboard 15, monitor 16, RS232C connection means, main memory, hard A method of receiving image data by PC side control in a PC-FAX connection system formed by connecting a computer (PC) 10 having main control means 12 connected to a disk, a keyboard, and a monitor to perform overall control. The data transmitted from the FAX 20 connected to the public communication network A first step (40) of being received by the PC (10) via the RS232C connection means (11); A second step of determining (41) whether the received data is command data or image data; If the determination result of the second step is command data and the command data is any one of a request request command, a mode command, or an end-of-page command, the processing according to the command is performed (42 to 45, 48 to 51). A third step proceeding to the first step; A fourth step of storing the data on the hard disk 14 (46, 47) and proceeding to the first step if the determination result of the first step is image data; And if the determination result of the second step is command data and the command data is a file end command (52), perform processing for terminating reception and output a reception completion message to the user via the monitor 16 (53). The image data receiving method in the PC-FAX access system, characterized in that performed by the fifth step. 6. The sixth step according to claim 1, wherein if the determination result of the second step is command data and the command data is an abbot command sent from the FAX 20 (54), a process for terminating the reception is performed (55). Image data receiving method in a PC-FAX connection system, characterized in that it further comprises. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination result of the second step is command data and the command data is any one of a request request command, a mode command, an end of page command, an end of file command, or an abort command sent from the FAX 20. If it does not correspond to the command further comprises the seventh step of proceeding to the first step ignoring the command data, characterized in that it further comprises the image data receiving method in a PC-FAX access system. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third step further comprises: if the input command data is a reception request command (42), determining whether the reception is possible (43); And setting a reception bit and time, transmitting a reception permission signal to the FAX 20 side, opening a file to be stored, outputting a "reception" message to the user (44), and proceeding to the first step. And image data reception method in a PC-FAX connection system. The method of claim 1, wherein the third step comprises: if the input command data is a mode command (48), storing the mode, transmitting a mode recognition signal to the FAX 20 side, and setting the time (49); The image data receiving method in the PC-FAX access system, characterized in that performed by the tenth step proceeding to step. The method of claim 1, wherein the third step comprises: an eleventh step of transmitting a page end recognition signal to the FAX 20 side and closing a file assigned to an existing page if the input command data is a page end command (50); And a twelfth step of proceeding to the first step after opening a new page-assigned new file, setting a new time and clearing the mode reception bit (51). Image data receiving method. 7. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fourth step comprises: checking (46) whether a reception bit is set (46); And storing the input image data on the hard disk 14 and setting a new time (47), followed by a fourteenth step proceeding to the first step. How to receive data. 8. The PC of claim 7, further comprising a fifteenth step of periodically checking the time of the timer recorded in each step according to the reception state to determine whether or not a time error has occurred (63). -Image data reception method in the FAX connection system. 7. The image data receiving method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the performing of each step is performed by the interrupt processing of the main control means 12 of the PC. .