JP3062051B2 - 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 machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine which can be used by connecting to another computer such as a nearby personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in many offices where facsimile machines are installed, various information processing apparatuses such as personal computers, word processors, workstations and office computers (these are generally referred to as computers) are installed. Has been used. In particular, recently, a large number of computers in an office or in the same building are interconnected to form a LAN system, and this tendency has become a major trend in the computerization of offices.

Further, many of recent facsimile machines have an electrophotographic page printer called a laser printer. This page printer is extremely high-performance and uses plain paper, so it has sufficient performance as a personal computer or word processor.

In response to such circumstances, some facsimile apparatuses have a function of connecting to a personal computer or a word processor (this is called an external computer) and printing out image data from the external computer with a page printer of the facsimile apparatus. And a function of transmitting and outputting image data from an external computer to a facsimile communication network.

[0005] Many personal computers and word processors use RS-23.
A standard interface such as 2C or Centronics is provided, and the connection between the facsimile machine and an external computer uses this interface. In general,
A facsimile machine and an external computer are connected by Centronics, which is widely used as a printer interface.

[0006]

As described above, in a facsimile apparatus which can be used as a printer terminal or a facsimile terminal of an external computer, the operation of the facsimile apparatus as a single unit and the external computer interface as an additional function Harmony with function is an important point. The facsimile transmission operation and the facsimile reception operation must be given top priority, and this basic function must not be disturbed by the exchange with the external computer.

Therefore, even if image data to be printed is passed from an external computer to a facsimile apparatus, if there is a facsimile call before printing is completed, the facsimile call is given priority, and the process of printing facsimile-received image data is given priority. To do. In this case, the print request from the external computer has not been accepted, and it is necessary to re-transmit the image data from the external computer to the facsimile apparatus from the beginning and issue the print request when the facsimile reception processing is completed. there were. At this time, re-operation of the external computer is troublesome, and it takes time to retransmit the image data to be printed, so that efficient operation cannot be realized.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to provide a facsimile apparatus which can be used as a printer terminal or a facsimile terminal of an external computer without obstructing a basic facsimile function. Another object of the present invention is to realize a highly practical system that enables an external computer to efficiently use a facsimile machine.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

The above-mentioned object is achieved.
For this purpose, the invention according to claim 1 provides a connection unit for inputting information from an external terminal such as a personal computer, a reading unit for reading a document, a communication unit for communicating via a line, the connection unit, and the reading unit. Or a memory unit that stores information via the communication unit, and determines whether the information stored in the memory unit is information from the connection unit, the communication unit, or information from the reading unit, When it is determined that the information is from the communication unit, the information is erased from the memory unit after the processing of the information is completed, and when it is determined that the information is from the connection unit, the information is not erased even after the information is processed. , The communication unit,
Alternatively, when the reading unit is operating, the control unit sends a signal indicating that data transmission cannot be performed from the connection unit when receiving a connection command from the connection unit.

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

According to the present invention, a reading section and a communication section having the above-described configuration are provided.
The information obtained from the
As configuration information that can be temporarily held from connection part, it reads - section, the computer information transfer comes to whether a connection unit when the communication unit is operating, and notifies the effect that can not be performed data transmission to the PC is there.

[0020]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment includes an image reading unit 1 for reading an image of a document, a printer unit 2 including a laser printer for printing an image on a sheet, and an operation panel unit including input means and display means as a user interface. 3, a data storage unit 4 for temporarily storing image data and other various data, a compression / decompression unit 5 for encoding and decoding image data, and a network control unit 6 for controlling connection of a facsimile communication network. A Centronics interface unit 8 connected to a general personal computer 9 which is an external computer via a Centronics cable 10, and a main control unit (microprocessor) 7 which controls these units to perform overall sequence control and various data processing. And The image data read by the image reading unit 1 is transmitted directly or via the data storage unit 4 to the facsimile communication network, centering on the software processing by the main control unit 7, and the image data received from the facsimile communication network A facsimile communication control unit for printing by the printer unit 2 via the storage unit 4 is realized. Various additional functions of the facsimile apparatus and “data presence / examination means”, “data reception / storage means”, “data output processing means”, “flag attaching means” related to the main part of the present invention described in detail below. And the like, are realized mainly by software processing by the main control unit 7.

The operation of facsimile transmission / reception may be the same as that of a general facsimile apparatus. Here, a detailed description will be given focusing on the relationship with the external computer (personal computer 9) which is a feature of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the outline of the personal computer processing executed by the main control unit 7 of the facsimile machine. The communication between the two is started by connecting the Centronics interface unit 8 of the facsimile apparatus to the personal computer 9 with the Centronics cable 10 and issuing a predetermined request (command) from the personal computer 9 to the main control unit 7 of the facsimile apparatus.

When the main controller 7 receives the request from the personal computer 9, the process proceeds to steps 100 → 101, and waits for the file name of the data to be processed sent from the personal computer 9. When the file name is obtained, the process proceeds to step 102, and it is checked whether the file name is registered in a predetermined table area of the data storage unit 4. If the specified file name has been registered, a notification that the specified file exists is returned to the personal computer 9 (step 103). If the specified file name is not registered, a notification that the specified file does not exist is returned to the personal computer 9 (step 104).

When it is notified that there is no designated file,
Next, it is checked whether or not an instruction to delete the processed file has been issued from the personal computer 9 (step 110). Assuming that no erasure command has been issued, then step 1
Proceeding to step 12, the file entity (image data to be processed) having the file name notified earlier is urged to be transmitted from the personal computer 9, and the image data (hereinafter, referred to as a file) is received. And stores the file name in the table.

When the file sent from the personal computer 9 is stored in the data storage section 4 together with the file name, the process proceeds from step 112 to step 120 to wait for a processing command for the file. If a facsimile transmission command is given from the personal computer 9, the process proceeds from step 121 to step 122, a designated communication partner is called by the network control unit 6, and the file (image data) is processed by the same processing as ordinary memory transmission.
To the facsimile communication network. If a print command is given from the personal computer 9, step 123 → 1
Proceeding to 24, the file (image data) is supplied to the printer unit 2 for printing.

If either the facsimile transmission processing in step 122 or the printing processing in step 124 has been completed, the process proceeds to step 125, where the current processing in the file name registered in the table of the data storage unit 4 is performed. Set the processed flag to the finished file name. This completes a series of processing for the personal computer.

In step 110 described above, it is checked whether or not an instruction to delete the processed file has been issued from the personal computer 9. If it is recognized that the instruction to delete the processed file has been issued, the process proceeds to step 111 and the above-described table is deleted. Is deleted from the data storage unit 4 (the file name is also deleted from the table).

Steps 102 → 103 explained above
Then, the file name specified from the personal computer 9 exists in the table, and the fact is notified to the personal computer 9. In this case, as is clear from the following description, a file (image data) having the designated name is stored in the data storage unit 4.
Means that it exists. Therefore, there is no need to have the file retransmitted from the personal computer 9, and the process proceeds to step 120 and thereafter to immediately execute the facsimile transmission process or the print process.

The priority of the above-mentioned processing to the personal computer is lower than that of the facsimile transmission / reception processing, and the request from the personal computer 9 is not accepted during the facsimile transmission processing or the facsimile reception processing. The main control unit 7 sets a predetermined signal line of the Centronics interface unit 8 to a predetermined signal state when the above-described processing for the personal computer cannot be executed. Prior to issuing a request to the facsimile machine, the personal computer 9 checks the state of a predetermined signal line of the Centronics cable 10 and can independently determine whether the facsimile machine can respond. Therefore,
The efficient operation of the personal computer 9 can be achieved without generating a waiting time due to unnecessary questions.

Also, when there is an incoming facsimile communication during the above-described personal computer processing, priority is given to the receiving process for the incoming facsimile as shown in the flowchart of FIG. In other words, when there is an incoming facsimile,
First, it is checked whether or not the personal computer process is being executed (step 200). If the personal computer process is being executed, the process is appropriately interrupted (step 201). If not, the process immediately proceeds to step 202. . In step 202, the file in which the processed flag in the table is set is deleted from the data storage unit 4 (the file name is also deleted from the table). As a result, the area in which the processed file is stored becomes an empty area, and the empty area of the data storage unit 4 can be used freely in the next reception processing of step 203.

In this embodiment, all the processed files in the data storage unit 4 are deleted immediately before the facsimile receiving process, but the present invention is not limited to this method. For example, if data with the processed flag set is erased in chronological order, the probability of having the external computer resend the data to be processed is reduced. In this case, the processing time information is added when the processed flag is set in the name of the processed file.

Further, information is identified for each type, such as information from a reading unit, information from a communication unit, and information from a connection unit,
The erasure criterion may be determined based on this. In the present invention, it is desirable not to delete the information from the connection unit which takes a long time for the information communication from the personal computer. Also, by assigning priorities to information from the communication unit, when the communicated information is not printed for any reason, it can be read out from the memory unit and printed again by an instruction. It is desirable that the information from the reading unit has the lowest priority. Further, information from the connection unit can be further classified into types. This can be done by instructions from a personal computer.Specifically, since the format of the destination etc. is likely to be used many times, do not delete it and send it only once like a document. Things are given lower priority (that is, they are preferentially erased when they are erased).

As described above, in order to effectively use the memory unit, it is desirable to identify, select, and delete information.

[0034]

According to the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, the information stored in the memory unit can be output any number of times in response to an instruction from the personal computer, and the communication time between the personal computer and the facsimile apparatus can be omitted. Can be.

Further, since the information from the reading unit and the communication unit and the information from the personal computer are identified and it is determined whether the information is stored in the memory unit or deleted according to the information, efficient processing is performed. And the memory unit is not wasted.

When the memory section is full, information from the personal computer is selected, erased, and stored in the memory section. Therefore, even when the memory section is full, there is no problem.
Can be processed.

Further, by erasing old information and putting it into the memory unit, when the memory unit is full, information that is not likely to be used in the future can be processed without any problem.

Also, the fact that data cannot be transmitted is transmitted from the connection unit, so that the personal computer can immediately recognize that the data cannot be responded, so that the personal computer can move to another job without creating unnecessary waiting time. it can. Therefore, operability and practicality are further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of processing for a personal computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a facsimile incoming call interruption process in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading part 2 Printer part 3 Operation panel part 4 Data storage part 5 Compression / expansion part 6 Network control part 7 Main control part 8 Centronics interface part (external computer interface part) 9 Personal computer (external computer) 10 Centronics cable ( Data transmission path)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/21 H04N 1/00 107

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1) receiving information from an external terminal such as a personal computer;
Connection section, and a reading section to read the original,
A communication unit that communicates with the connection unit, the reading unit, or
A memory unit for storing information via the communication unit;
Whether the information stored in the memory unit is information from the connection unit,
The communication unit determines whether the information is from the reading unit.
When it is determined that the information is from the communication unit and the reading unit,
After the processing of the report, it is deleted from the memory unit and
When it is determined that the information is
Control not to leave, and the communication unit or the reading unit
Receive a connection command from the connection unit when operating
And a signal indicating that data transmission cannot be performed from the connection
A facsimile machine comprising: a sending unit;