JPS63274265A - Load decentralizing system for facsimile store and forward exchange system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow each store and forward exchange to attain effective load decentralization by allowing each store and forward exchange to generate management information representing the communication state of image information respectively so as to average the quantity of relayed information by each facsimile equipment based on the management information. CONSTITUTION:Central processing units 7-1...7-m in store and forward exchanges 4-1...4-m generate respectively the management information based on the quantity of information or the like corresponding to destination information groups and the retrieved destination information groups and store the management information to storage sections 8-1...8-m respectively. Then the destination information and image information are relayed mutually or in one-way between the store and forward exchanges 4-1 and 4-m and the quantity of information is averaged to the store and forward exchanges 4-1 and 4-m. Then the store and forward exchanges 4-1 and 4-m call a facsimile equipment being a communication destination commanded by the destination information and send respectively the image information corresponding to the destination information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Object of the Invention) (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a load distribution method for a facsimile store and forward system.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in this type of facsimile store-and-forward system, a plurality of facsimile devices are each assigned to one of a plurality of store-and-forward devices, and each store-and-forward device manages each assigned facsimile device. A load balancing method was used. In other words, when a facsimile device sends destination information along with image information to a storage/forwarding device without indicating the destination of this image information, the storage/forwarding device examines and stores the image information and destination information, and then determines which destination information corresponds to the destination information. The image information and the destination information are relayed to other storage and forwarding devices to which the facsimile device is assigned. When the other storage and forwarding devices receive and store the image information and the destination information, they transmit the image information to the facsimile device under management that corresponds to the destination information.

However, according to this load distribution method, each storage and forwarding device independently manages each facsimile device, so if there is an imbalance in the number of facsimile devices being managed, the amount of information communicated by each storage and forwarding device will increase. A bias occurred. For this reason, in each storage and exchange 8 units, the communication (
In some cases, the number of lines was increased to allow for a certain amount of margin, or the number of door comb devices (to be managed) was limited. Also, one '￥! When a failure occurs in the TV4 switching device, it is difficult to manage each facsimile device, which was independently managed by this storage and forwarding device, by another storage and forwarding device instead.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the load distribution method of the conventional facsimile "f!i" There was a problem in that the amount of information communicated by store-and-forward AM became uneven, making it impossible to expect effective load distribution.
In each storage and forwarding device, it was necessary to install an extra number of communication lines and information storage capacity in case the number of facsimile machines under management increased. Further, when a failure occurs in one storage and forwarding device, it is difficult to manage each facsimile machine under the control of this storage and forwarding device by using another storage and forwarding device instead.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a load distribution method for a facsimile storage and forwarding system, in which the amount of information relayed by a plurality of facsimile devices is averaged to a plurality of storage and forwarding devices, thereby effectively distributing the load. do.

(Coincidence of the Invention) (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a plurality of facsimile machines, receives and accumulates image information from these facsimile machines, and transmits the accumulated image information to each of the facsimile machines. In a load distribution method of a seven-house Kushimiri storage-and-forward system comprising a plurality of storage-and-forward devices, each of the storage-and-forward devices creates tube 3!I! information without indicating the communication status of the image information, and The present invention is characterized in that collusion management information is exchanged between each of the storage and forwarding devices, and based on the management information, the amount of information transmitted in each facsimile device is averaged.

(Operation) According to the present invention, management information indicating the communication status of image information is created in each storage and forwarding device, and these r11
3! I! Since the amount of information relayed by each facsimile device is averaged based on the information, it is possible to effectively distribute the load to each storage and forwarding device.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawing is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile storage and forwarding system to which the load distribution method according to the present invention is applied.

In this embodiment, a plurality of facsimile machines 1-1 to 1-
n to the communication line network 3 via respective communication lines 2-1 to 2-n, and a plurality of storage and forwarding devices 4-1.
4-m are connected to the communication line network 3 via respective communication line groups 5-1 to 5-m. Each storage and exchange device 4-1
~4-m controls each communication control unit 6-1 to 6-m connected to each communication line group 5-1 to 5-m, and each storage branch exchange device 4-1 to 4-m. Each central processing unit 7-1 to 7
-m, and each storage section 8-1 to 8-m that stores various information.
They each have the following.

Now, for example, without calling the storage and forwarding device 4-1 from the facsimile device 1-1, the facsimile device 1-1 and the storage and forwarding device +ffi 4-1 are connected via a communication line via the communication line network 3. After the facsimile procedure Shintan is sent and received between the facsimile machine 1-1 and the communication control unit 6-1 of the ¥ transfer device 4-1, the facsimile machine 1-1
first sends destination information, then image information. Note that the destination information indicates the facsimile device to which the image information is to be communicated.

The storage/forwarding device 4-1 sends the destination information and the image information to the central processing station J! via the communication control unit 6-1. I! The information is input to the device 7-1, and the central processing unit 7-1 stores the destination information and the image information in a corresponding manner in the storage section 8-1.

In this way, each 71 kushimi devices 1-1 to 1-n to f5
Destination information and image information are sent (ffl) to the storage and forwarding devices 4-1 to 4-rrt, and each storage and forwarding device 4
-1 to 4-m, destination information and image information are stored in each storage section 8-1 to 8-m in J3 in correspondence with each other.

On the other hand, each central processing unit 7-1 to 7-m in each storage/exchange unit W14-1 to W14-4 is responsible for communication of one image group stored in each storage unit 8-1 to Q-m, respectively. The destination information group indicating the destination and the information m of the image information group corresponding to the nine destination information groups are searched for. Each central processing unit 7
-1 to 7-m respectively create management information based on the searched destination information group and information m corresponding to the destination information group, and store the respective management information in each storage unit 8-1 to 8-
m respectively.

Here, for example, from the storage/forwarding device ff4-1 to the storage/forwarding 8
When the device 4-rn is called, the storage and forwarding devices 4-1 and 4-rn are connected via the communication line network 3 via a communication line. The central processing unit 7-1 in the storage and forwarding device 4-1 is
From the storage unit 8-1 to the storage/exchange device? It calls up the management information of ff4-1 and transmits this management information through the communication control unit 6-1. The storage and forwarding device 4-m inputs this management information to the central processing unit 7-m via the communication control unit 5-m,
In response to this, the central processing unit fi7-m
Reads the management information of the storage and forwarding device t\4-m from m,
Management information of the storage and forwarding device 4-m and the storage and forwarding device 4
-Compare the management information of 1. The central processing unit 7-'n controls each storage and forwarding device 4-m and 4- based on the management information of both.
All the destination information indicated by each of the management information is newly distributed to each of the storage and forwarding devices 4-m and 4-1 so that the respective pieces of information m to be borne by 1 are averaged. The central processing unit 7-m reads image information corresponding to the destination information given from the storage/exchange bag [4-m to 4-1 from the storage section 8-m, and sends these destination information and image information to the communication control section 67m. Send through. In the storage/forwarding device 4-1, these destination information and image information are input to the central processing unit 7-1 via the communication control unit 6-1.
1 stores these destination information and image information in correspondence with each other in the storage section 8-1.

Furthermore, the central processing unit 7- in the storage/exchange bag R4-m
m transmits relay information regarding the destination information given to storage and forwarding device 4-1 from storage and forwarding device 4-1 to storage and forwarding device 4-1. In response to this relay information, the central processing unit 7-1 in the storage/exchange device 4-1 reads image information corresponding to the destination information from the stored fiQ group 8-1, and stores and exchanges the destination information and image information. Send to device 4-m.

The central processing unit 7-m in the storage/exchange bag [4-m] associates these destination information and image information and stores them in the storage section 8-m.

Therefore, destination information and image information are relayed mutually or unilaterally between each storage and forwarding device 4-1 and 4-m based on each management information of both storage and forwarding devices 4-1.4-m, Each accumulation exchange! The amount of information is averaged between the 14 devices 4-1 and 4-m. After this, each storage/forwarding device 4-1 and 4-m receives the destination information from each storage section 8-1 and 8-m.
The image information corresponding to the destination information is read, the facsimile device of the communication destination indicated by the destination information is called, and the image information corresponding to the destination information is transmitted.

In addition, each storage section! 1ivte14-1 to 4-rnt'c, systematically and regularly transmit and receive respective management information,
The image information is relayed so that the information m is averaged based on each other's management information.

In this way, in this embodiment, each facsimile machine 1-1 to
The amount of information relayed in 1-r1 is
Since it is averaged to -1 to 4-m, effective load distribution is achieved. Therefore, each storage and forwarding device 4-
1 to 47 With rTl, there is no need to install extra communication lines or information storage capacity.

Furthermore, if a failure occurs in one storage and forwarding device, the work of this storage and forwarding device can easily be performed by another storage and forwarding device Vi in its place.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, information relayed by a plurality of facsimile devices is averaged, thereby effectively distributing the load to each storage and forwarding device. A load balancing method of the switching system can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile 'vg+ exchange system to which the load distribution method according to the present invention is applied. 1-1 to 1-n...Facsimile machine, 2-1 to 2-
n... Communication line, 3... Communication line network, 4-1 to 4-
rn... Storage and forwarding device, 5-1 to 5-m... Communication line group, 6-1 to 6-m... Communication control unit, 7-1 to
7-m...Central Office]! l! Equipment, 8-1 to 8-m・
...Accumulation section. −ε

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A facsimile machine comprising a plurality of facsimile devices and a plurality of storage and forwarding devices that receive and store image information from these facsimile devices and transmit the stored image information to each of the facsimile devices. In the load distribution method of the store and forward system, each of the storage and forwarding devices creates management information indicating the communication status of the image information, each of the management information is exchanged between the storage and forwarding devices, and each of the management information is exchanged between the storage and forwarding devices. A load distribution method for a facsimile storage and forwarding system, characterized in that the amount of information relayed by each facsimile device is averaged based on the following.