JP4123258B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication apparatus that transmits and receives image data for facsimile communication after being stored in an image memory, and particularly supports compressed image data even when the image data for transmission and reception is deleted when performing journal display. The present invention relates to a communication device that can be attached and displayed.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a communication device such as a facsimile machine reads image data to be transmitted using an image reading device such as a scanner, stores the read image data in an image memory, and stores the read image data in a predetermined timing, for example, the image memory. The image data stored in the image memory is transmitted to the transmission destination when the ratio of the image data capacity exceeds a predetermined value, or when a certain time has elapsed since the start of image reading. The communication device that has received the image data stores the received image data in the image memory, and receives the image data when the ratio of the image data capacity stored in the image memory exceeds a predetermined value, for example, at a predetermined timing. The image data stored in the image memory is printed out on a recording sheet when a certain time has elapsed since the start.

In addition, the facsimile apparatus stores, as transmission / reception history information, the time when image data was transmitted, the time when it was received, transmission destination information, reception source information, information regarding whether or not communication was normally completed, and the like. When displaying transmission / reception history information as a list, a predetermined page of image data related to transmission / reception, for example, image data of the first page is read from the image memory so that it is easy to visually check which image data each item corresponds to. Often displayed as thumbnail images associated with each item. As a result, it becomes easy to visually check which document is transmitted and received normally and abnormally terminated.
JP-A-11-250237

  However, when the transmission / reception history information is displayed as a list on the above-described conventional facsimile apparatus, the image data read by the image reading apparatus and stored in the image memory or the image data received and stored in the image memory is displayed for each item. Are displayed in association with each other. Therefore, when the corresponding image data is deleted from the image memory, even when the transmission / reception history information is displayed as a list, a thumbnail image is not displayed in the item corresponding to the deleted image data. It was.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a communication device capable of displaying thumbnail images when a list of transmission / reception history information is displayed even when image data is deleted from an image memory. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention sequentially stores the transmitted / received image data of one or a plurality of pages in the image memory, and corresponds to the transmission / reception history information including information on the transmission / reception destination and the transmission / reception time. In addition, in a communication apparatus for displaying and outputting image data, a generation unit that extracts only predetermined pages of each image data stored in the image memory and generates compressed image data, and compressed image data generated by the generation unit Is stored in a storage area different from the image data of the image memory, storage means for storing address information indicating the storage area in association with transmission / reception history information, and reception of receiving an instruction to display the transmission / reception history information And when the instruction is received by the receiving unit, the compressed image data corresponding to the transmission / reception history information related to the display is displayed. And reading means from the image memory based on less information, characterized by comprising a display means for displaying the compressed image data read out in association with the transceiver history information.

  In the communication apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, only predetermined pages of each image data stored in the image memory are extracted to generate compressed image data, which are stored in association with transmission / reception history information. For example, when displaying the transmission / reception history information as a list, the compressed image data is displayed in association with the transmission / reception history information. This makes it easy to visually confirm which item of the transmission / reception history information is information related to transmission / reception of which image data. Further, by using compressed image data stored separately from the image data stored in the image memory, for example, even when the image data is deleted from the image memory, the compressed image data is displayed in association with each other. It is possible to visually confirm which item of the transmission / reception history information is information related to transmission / reception of which image data.

  A communication apparatus according to a second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the generated compressed image data is deleted when a corresponding item is deleted from the transmission / reception history information.

  In the communication device of the second invention, the generated compressed image data is deleted when the corresponding item is deleted from the transmission / reception history information. Thus, since the corresponding compressed image data is stored unless the corresponding item of the transmission / reception history information is deleted, for example, even when the image data is deleted from the image memory, the compressed image data is correlated. It is possible to display, and it is possible to visually confirm which item of the transmission / reception history information is information related to transmission / reception of which image data.

  According to the present invention, it is easy to visually confirm which item of transmission / reception history information is information related to transmission / reception of which image data. Further, by using compressed image data stored separately from the image data stored in the image memory, for example, even when the image data is deleted from the image memory, the compressed image data is stored in a predetermined transmission / reception history information. It is possible to visually check which item of transmission / reception history information is information related to transmission / reception of which image data.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus as a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a facsimile machine, and the facsimile machine 1 includes a main control unit 11 composed of a CPU. The main control unit 11 is connected to the following hardware units via the bus 30 to control the operation of each hardware unit and execute various programs stored in the ROM 14.

  The modem 12 modulates / demodulates transmission / reception data, specifically, modulates transmission data, which is originally a digital signal, into an analog audio signal and sends it to the communication line 100 via the NCU 13 to be described later. An analog audio signal received via the NCU 13 is demodulated into a digital signal.

  The NCU 13 controls the connection between the communication line 100 and the facsimile apparatus 1 and has a function of sending a dial pulse corresponding to a telephone number (facsimile number) of a communication partner and a function of detecting an incoming call. The communication line 100 is connected to a general public line (not shown).

  The ROM 14 stores various software programs necessary for the operation of the facsimile apparatus 1. The RAM 15 is composed of, for example, an SRAM, a flash memory, or the like, and stores temporary data generated when the software is executed. In the case where a flash memory is used for the RAM 15, the stored contents are not lost even if a power failure occurs or the power is cut off due to movement of the facsimile machine 1 or the like.

  The RAM 15 stores transmission / reception history information 151 that is history information of image data transmission / reception. FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram of a data configuration of the transmission / reception history information 151 stored in the RAM 15. The transmission / reception history information 151 includes transmission destination information, transmission source information, transmission (reception) time, and address information of image data on the image memory 16. In the present embodiment, information related to the address where the compressed image data obtained by compressing the image data of a predetermined page of the image data is stored. In addition to the address information, the file name of the compressed image data, a pointer, and the like may be used.

  The image memory 16 includes, for example, a DRAM, a flash memory, and the like, stores image data read by a reading unit 19 described later, and stores image data received from the outside via the communication line 100 and the modem 12. Further, since the image data constitutes a set of data of one or a plurality of pages, compressed image data obtained by compressing image data of a predetermined page, for example, image data of the first page is generated and stored in the image memory 16 as well. To do.

  The display unit 17 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a CRT display. The display unit 17 displays the operation state of the facsimile apparatus 1 and image data of a document to be transmitted by facsimile communication, received image data, and communication information. Display usage status.

  The operation unit 18 includes character keys, numeric keys (numeric keys), one-touch dial keys, abbreviated keys, and various function keys necessary for operating the facsimile apparatus 1. The reading unit 19 reads an original image by an image reading device such as a scanner provided with a CCD image sensor or the like.

  The output unit 20 is an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer apparatus or an electrophotographic printer apparatus. The image data received by facsimile communication is used as a hard copy, and A3 portrait, B4 portrait, A4 portrait, B5 landscape, A5 landscape, etc. The recording paper having the optimum size is selected from the respective paper sizes, and the image data is output on the selected recording paper.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure after image data reception of main controller 11 of facsimile apparatus 1 as the communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the main control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 1 receives the image data, the main control unit 11 stores the received image data in the image memory 16 (step S301), and extracts the image data relating to the first page (step S302). ). The main control unit 11 compresses the extracted image data relating to the first page to generate compressed image data (step S303), and stores the compressed image data in a different storage area of the image memory (step S304). The main control unit 11 stores the address information indicating the storage area in which the compressed image data is stored in association with the reception information of the transmission / reception history information 151 of the RAM 15 (step S305).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for displaying a list of transmission / reception history information in main control unit 11 of facsimile apparatus 1 as a communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The main control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 1 determines whether or not a list display command for instructing to display a list of transmission / reception history information has been received from the operation unit 18 (step S401), and the main control unit 11 issues a list display command. When it is determined that it has been received (step S401: YES), the main control unit 11 inquires the transmission / reception history information 151 of the RAM 15 and extracts the address information of the compressed image data corresponding to the item of the transmission / reception history information related to the display (step) S402).

  The main control unit 11 reads the compressed image data stored in the extracted address information from the image memory 16 (step S403), and associates the read compressed image data with each item of the transmission / reception history information related to the display. 17 (step S404).

  FIG. 5 is an exemplary view of a list display screen of transmission / reception history information according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 shows an example in which a list of received image data is displayed. Corresponding to the received time, a predetermined page of received image data, for example, compressed image data obtained by compressing the first page is surrounded by a broken line. Displayed in the image data display area. As a result, it is possible to easily visually confirm which received image data is the history information when the received reception history is received.

  When deleting a predetermined item from the transmission / reception history information 151, the corresponding compressed image data is deleted from the image memory 16. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the deletion process of the transmission / reception history information 151 of the main control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 1 as the communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The main control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 1 determines whether or not a deletion request command for requesting deletion of a predetermined item of transmission / reception history information has been received from the operation unit 18 (step S601). If it is determined that a command has been received (step S601: YES), the main control unit 11 extracts address information stored in association with items to be deleted from the transmission / reception history information 151 (step S602).

  The main control unit 11 deletes the compressed image data stored in the extracted address information from the image memory 16 (step S603), and deletes the item to be deleted from the transmission / reception history information 151 (step S604).

  In the above-described example, the case where a facsimile image is received has been described. However, the same processing can be performed when a facsimile image is transmitted or when transmission / reception is collectively managed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is easy to visually confirm which item of transmission / reception history information 151 is information related to transmission / reception of which image data. Further, by using the compressed image data stored separately from the image data stored in the image memory 16, for example, even when the image data is deleted from the image memory 16, the compressed image data is transmitted and received history information. 151 can be displayed in association with a predetermined item 151, and it is possible to visually confirm which item of the transmission / reception history information 151 is information related to transmission / reception of which image data.

  In this embodiment, the facsimile apparatus is described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to all apparatuses that transmit and receive image data read from a document as facsimile data, such as a facsimile complex apparatus and a facsimile data relay apparatus. Needless to say.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the facsimile apparatus as a communication apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is an illustration figure of the data structure of the transmission / reception log | history information memorize | stored in RAM. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence after the image data reception of the main control part of the facsimile apparatus as a communication apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the list display of the transmission / reception log | history information of the main-control part of the facsimile apparatus as a communication apparatus based on embodiment of this invention. It is an illustration figure of the list display screen of the transmission / reception history information which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the deletion process of the transmission / reception log information of the main control part of the facsimile apparatus as a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Facsimile device (communication device)
11 Main control unit 12 Modem 13 NCU
14 ROM
15 RAM
16 Image memory 17 Display unit 18 Operation unit 19 Reading unit 20 Output unit 151 Transmission / reception history information

Claims (2)

In a communication device that sequentially stores image data consisting of one or a plurality of pages transmitted and received in an image memory, and displays and outputs image data in association with transmission / reception history information including information on transmission / reception destinations and transmission / reception times,
Generating means for extracting only a predetermined page of each image data stored in the image memory and generating compressed image data ;
Means for storing the compressed image data generated by the generating means in a storage area different from the image data of the image memory;
Storage means for storing address information indicating the storage area in association with transmission / reception history information; and reception means for receiving an instruction to display transmission / reception history information;
Means for reading compressed image data corresponding to transmission / reception history information related to display from the image memory based on the address information when the instruction is received by the receiving means;
Display means for displaying the read compressed image data in association with the transmission / reception history information ;
Communication device comprising: a.   2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated compressed image data is deleted when a corresponding item is deleted from the transmission / reception history information.

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