JPH0460388B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a facsimile device having an image data storage function and a polling function.

[Prior Art] In recent years, facsimile devices have been put into practical use that are equipped with various functions such as image data storage, polling (automatic response transmission), proxy reception, image data transfer, and time-specified automatic transmission.

This facsimile device combines a storage function and a polling function to enable a new form of communication in which one image information is received by multiple stations through polling (hereinafter referred to as multi-polling reception).

However, conventionally, when this multi-polling reception is performed, other forms of communication using the storage function are not possible, and retaining the same image information for too long is considered from the perspective of effective memory utilization. This caused problems that were not desirable.

[Objective] It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device that solves the above-mentioned problems and can effectively utilize memory by invalidating image data stored for polling communication at a certain time.

[Configuration] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile device according to the present invention.
An example of FAX is shown. This facsimile device FAX automatically sends and receives (including polling)
It has a configuration in which a storage and playback section 2 is added to a facsimile section 1 having functions, and is capable of carrying out the above-mentioned multi-polling reception.

In the facsimile section 1, 1a is a scanner that plane-scans a transmission document and photoelectrically converts it to form a transmission image signal, 1b is a printer that prints a dot pattern, and 1c is a scanner that converts the output signal of scanner 1a into an 8-bit parallel signal. At the same time, it is a buffer that converts the output of the code compression/decompression circuit (DCR) 1d into a serial signal and outputs it to the printer 1b.The code compression/decompression circuit 1d encodes and compresses the data added from the buffer 1c, and sends it to the modem 1e. At the same time, the received data added from the modem 1e is decoded, expanded, and outputted to the buffer 1c.

1f is a network control device for controlling a transmission line network such as a telephone line network to establish and disconnect a transmission line, 1g is a clock circuit, and 1h is the above-described scanner 1a, printer 1b, buffer 1c, and code compression/expansion circuit 1d. ,
Modem 1e, network control device 1f and clock circuit 1g
CPU (Central Processing Unit), 1i that controls each
has memorized the program executed by CPU1h.
ROM (read only memory), 1j is CPU1
1k is a SAF interface circuit that exchanges data between the facsimile section 1 and storage/reproduction section 2, and 1l is a facsimile device.
This is an operation input section for operating a fax.

Further, SB is a system bus line that connects each of the elements 1a to 1l of the facsimile section 1 described above.

Note that data transfer between the buffer 1c and the code compression/expansion circuit 1d is not limited to parallel transfer as described above, but may be serial transfer.

In the storage and playback unit 2, 2a is the above-mentioned SAF
A facsimile interface circuit 2b connects to the interface circuit 1k to exchange data between the facsimile section 1 and the storage/reproduction section 2, and a facsimile interface circuit 2b connects to the facsimile interface circuit 2a to suppress the capacity of the image memory 2c. This is a code compression/decompression circuit that code-compresses the image data added to the image memory 2c and decodes and decompresses the data stored in the image memory 2c to restore the original image data.

2e is facsimile interface circuit 2
a, code compression/expansion circuit 2b and image memory 2c
2f is a ROM that stores the program executed by CPU2e, and 2g is a CPU that controls
This RAM serves as a work area for the CPU 2e and also stores memory management information, etc., which will be described later.

In addition, the facsimile interface circuit 2
a, code compression/expansion circuit 2b, image memory 2c,
CPU2e, ROM2f and RAM2g are connected to internal bus line 2d.

FIG. 2 shows the above-mentioned operation input section 1l in detail. In the figure, OP is the operation panel, K1 is the automatic transmission key, K2 is the time specified transmission key, K3 is the polling transmission key, K4 is the copy key, 10K is the numeric keypad for inputting numbers and time, etc., and SK is the start key. The key and CK are stop/clear keys. The contact outputs of these keys are judged by the CPU 1h and the mode is set. Note that other operation keys and various displays are provided on the operation panel OP, but since they are not directly related to the present invention, their explanations will be omitted.

FIG. 3 shows a file management table FMT that manages image data stored in the image memory 2c.
Figure 4 shows a page management table for managing each page forming one image data file.
PMT, and FIG. 5a shows a memory management table MMT indicating that valid data is stored in each block (described later) of the image data 2c.

Of these tables, the number of file management tables FMT and page management tables PMT corresponds to the number of files and pages (number of originals) that can be stored in the image memory 2c, respectively.
Set to RAM2g, memory management table
MMT is the number of image memories 2c (in this case, 1
) is set in RAM2g.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5b, the image memory 2
The storage area of c is 2K (kilo) bytes (1 byte is 8
It is divided into blocks (consisting of bits),
A block address is assigned to each block to manage its storage contents. Note that the size of this block is not limited to 2K bytes.

The file management table FMT consists of 7 bytes of data, and the 8th, 7th, and 6th bits of the first byte each contain automatic data that indicates which mode is selected: automatic transmission, time-specified transmission, or polling transmission. A transmission flag FAT, a time specified transmission flag FTT, and a polling transmission flag FPT are set, and the first bit of the first byte contains a valid file flag indicating that the image data of the file is valid data to be transmitted. FET is set.

In addition, the second and third bytes contain the file number (4 digits BCD (binary coded decimal)) for indexing, and the fourth byte contains the "day" data (2 digits BCD) of the polling accumulation retention time. The 5th byte stores the same "hour" data (2 digits BCD), the 6th byte stores the same "minute" data (2 digits BCD),
A page management table number TN1 corresponding to the first page of the file is stored in the seventh byte. Note that when the transmission mode is time-specified transmission, the designated transmission time is stored in the fourth, fifth, and sixth bytes.

The page management table PMT consists of 10 bytes of data, and the first bit of the first byte contains a valid page flag indicating that the image data stored in the page is valid data to be transmitted.
FEP is set, data indicating the linear density of the image data is stored in the second byte, and data indicating the paper size is stored in the third byte.

Furthermore, the fourth, fifth and sixth bytes store a start address (block address) representing the beginning of the storage area where the page is stored in the image memory 2c, and the seventh, eighth and sixth bytes store The end address (block address) of the storage area mentioned above is stored in the 9th byte, and the 10th byte
A page management table number TN2 corresponding to the page following the page is stored in the byte. Note that if the page is the final page of the file, FFH (H indicates hexadecimal) representing the final page is stored in the page management table number TN2.

As described above, the memory management table MMT includes 1-byte data indicating that data is stored in each block of the image memory 2c, corresponding to the number of blocks. Each byte is associated with each block, and when data is stored in the corresponding block, FFH is stored, and when no data is stored, OOH is stored as data indicating each case.

The size L (bytes) of this memory management table MMT is expressed by the following equation, assuming that the storage capacity of the image memory 2c is M bytes and the block length is B (bytes).

L=M/B Therefore, the storage capacity of the image memory 2c is 1M.
(mega) bytes, and the block length is 2K bytes, the size of the memory management table MMT is 500.
Become a part-time worker.

The procedure for performing polling transmission with the above configuration will be described below.

Figure 6 shows the operation key scan flow for detecting that any operation key is turned on;
The figure shows a polling transmission accumulation flow for accumulating image data used for polling transmission in the image memory 2c, and FIG. 8 shows a transmission flow for transmitting and invalidating the accumulated data. In addition, the CPU
Since 1h and CPU2e work in cooperation with each other,
In the following explanation, explanation of data exchange between CPU1h and CPU2e will be omitted.

When the operator turns on the polling transmission key K3, the results of judgments 10 and 11 in the operation key scan flow become YES, and control moves to the polling transmission accumulation flow.

In the polling transmission accumulation flow, the CPU 2e searches for one free file management table FMT (decision 12), and uses this file management table FMT.
Turn on the flag FPT (process 13). Next, when the operator operates the numeric keypad 10K and inputs the designated storage time, the time data is stored in the 4th, 5th, and 6th bytes of the file management table FMT (judgment 14, process 15).

Then, when the operator sets the document on the scanner 1a and turns on the start key (YES in judgment 16), the CPU 2e searches for an empty page management table PMT (decision 17), and determines the number of this page management table PMT. File management table
Enter the FMT table number TN1 (process
18), the document mode of the facsimile section 1 is set to 2 or 3 bytes of the page management table PMT (process 19).

Next, the CPU 2e searches for an empty area in the image memory 2c (decision 20), and uses the block address of the empty area as the starting address in the page management table.
The CPU 1h operates the scanner 1a to read the image of the document, and this image data is stored in the image memory 2c by the CPU 2e (processing 22). ).

Once the image of one page of the manuscript has been scanned (Judgment 23),
The CPU 2e stores the block address of the image memory 2c at this time as the end address in bytes 7, 8, and 9 of the page management table PMT (processing
24), then set the page management table PMT flag
Turn on FEP (process 25). Then, FFH is set in the memory management table MMT corresponding to the block storing the image data (processing 26).

If there is the next manuscript, the result of judgment 27 is YES, so the CPU 2e searches the empty page management table PMT for the next page (judgment 30),
The table number of the searched page management table PMT is set to the table number TN2 of the page management table PMT of the page whose storage has been completed (process 31), and the process returns to process 19 to process the next page.

When all the manuscripts are finished, the result of judgment 27 becomes NO, so CPU2e saves the last page management table PMT.
Set FFH to table number TN2 (process
28), turns on flag FEF (process 29) and ends image accumulation.

After this, the facsimile device FAX enters a standby state waiting for a request for polling transmission.

When there is a request for polling transmission, the result of the transmission flow judgment 41 becomes YES, and the CPU 2e performs processing 42,
Flagged by loop of judgment 43, judgment 44, judgment 45
Search for the file management table FMT in which FPT and FEF are turned on. Then, the flag FEP of the page management table PMT indicated by the table number TN1 of this file management table FMT
is on (judgment 46), the CPU 2e reads one page of image data corresponding to this page management table PMT from the image memory 2c and transfers it to the CPU 1h, thereby saving one page of image data. is transmitted to the receiving station (loop of processing 47 and judgment 48).

Determined that image data transfer for all pages has been completed.
The result of decision 49 is YES, and the result of decision 50 is usually
Since the answer is NO, when polling transmission to one receiving station is completed, the process returns to decision 41 and enters the standby state where a polling transmission request is received from the next receiving station.

Now, if we consider the case where the storage hold time has come in this idle state, the results of both judgments 51 and 52 will be YES, so the CPU 2e will flag the
File management table with FPT turned on
Turn off FMT flags FPT and FEF (process 53),
The flag FEP of the page management table PMT indicated by the table number TN1 of this file management table FMT is turned off (processing 54), and the data of the memory management table MMT corresponding to the block managed by this page management table PMT is
Reset from FFH to OOH (process 55) and execute this for all pages of the file (judgment
56 loops).

In this way, when the time specified by the operator is reached, the accumulated data of the polling transmission is invalidated, thus making the area where it was stored available for other purposes and freeing up the memory. Utilization efficiency will improve.

In the above-described embodiment, the operator is allowed to input the accumulated holding time data through judgment 14 and processing 15 in FIG. 7, but if the operator forgets to input the accumulated holding time data, judgment 14 I can't get out of the loop. Therefore, another embodiment that solves such inconvenience will be described next.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the loop of judgment 14 is for a period of time T ₁ (for example, 10 seconds) in which it is determined in judgment 60 that there is no key input;
If the result of step 60 is YES, the value obtained by adding a predetermined time T ₂ (for example, 12 hours) to the output value of the clock circuit 1g at that point is set as the accumulation holding time (process 61),
Based on this value, 4, 5, and 6 byte data of the file management table FMT is set in process 15.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, if the operator first turns on the start key SK without inputting the accumulated holding time data, the process 61 is performed in the same manner as described above.
is executed to forcibly set the accumulated and held time data, and in process 15, this time data is set in bytes 4, 5, and 6 of the file management table FMT.

In this way, even if the operator forgets to set the accumulation/holding time, the accumulation/holding time data will be stored in the file management table FMT.

Furthermore, an embodiment in which the accumulation holding time is uniquely set to a certain time (for example, 0:00) is also possible.
In this case, the fourth,
The fifth and sixth bytes are no longer necessary, and the judgment 14 and processing 15 in FIG. 7 are also no longer necessary.

Incidentally, in the embodiment described above, the facsimile device FAX is composed of the facsimile section 1 and the storage/reproduction section 2, each having a control means consisting of a CPU, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the device configuration is shown in Fig. 10. Fax machine like
The same process as described above can be performed with FAX'. In addition, CPU1h′ in this case is the CPU mentioned above.
1h and CPU2e, ROM
1i' has the contents of both ROM1i and ROM2f as storage contents, and RAM1j' has a storage capacity equivalent to the sum of RAM1j and RAM2g. In addition, image memory PD
may be the same as the image memory 2c.

In the above embodiment, the operation input section and the clock circuit are provided in the facsimile section, but they may be provided in the storage and playback section.

[Effects] As described above, according to the present invention, since the storage stored during polling transmission can be invalidated at a predetermined time, there is an advantage that the image storage memory can be used effectively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial diagram illustrating an operation panel, Fig. 3 is a memory map illustrating a file management table, and Fig. 4 is a page management table. 5a and 5b are memory maps showing a memory management table and block divisions of image memory, respectively. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a key scan flow, and FIG. 7 is a polling transmission accumulation flow. 8 is a flowchart showing a part of the transmission flow, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another example of the polling transmission accumulation flow, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing yet another example of the polling transmission accumulation flow. 1h, 1h', 2e...CPU (central processing unit),
1i, 1i', 2f...ROM (read only memory), 1k, 1k', 2g...RAM (random memory)
access memory), 1l...operation input, K3...
...Polling transmission key, 10K...numeric keypad.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile device equipped with a memory for storing transmitted image data and a polling function,
What is claimed is: 1. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a clock circuit; and a time designation means for designating a time at which the transmitted image data is to be held valid; the facsimile apparatus is characterized in that the transmitted image data is invalidated at the time designated by the time designation means. 2. The facsimile device according to claim 1, wherein the time designation means includes operation keys for designating the day, hour, and minute, respectively. 3. In claim 1, the time specifying means obtains the specified time by adding a predetermined time value to the output value of the clock circuit at the time when the transmitted image data is accumulated. Fax machine. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time designation means is a storage means for storing a preset time.