JP2590637B2 - Facsimile machine with computer interlocking function - 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 apparatus having a computer interlocking function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a facsimile apparatus which transmits and receives image data via a telephone line has been developed and used. However, such a facsimile apparatus is capable of displaying figures which cannot be expressed in words. Since information can be easily transmitted to a distant place, efficient information exchange is enabled. However, such a facsimile machine has only a normal facsimile transmission / reception function that only transmits / receives image data to / from a facsimile machine of another station via a telephone line. However, it has not been possible to process image data and to systematically perform image processing under the control of a computer in cooperation with other devices.

Accordingly, the present applicant has provided a computer interlocking function having a new configuration in which a computer interlocking function is added to a function as a normal facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data via a telephone line and integrated. A facsimile machine was proposed. FIG. 5 shows an image transmission processing system incorporating a facsimile apparatus proposed by the present applicant. As shown in the figure, the facsimile machine 1 is connected to a normal facsimile machine F via a telephone line L, and is connected to a computer PC via a dedicated line L1.
It has a specific image memory called a mailbox 13 for transmitting and receiving image data between the normal facsimile machines F, and designates specific blocks (mailbox numbers # 0 to # 9) of the mailbox 13. The document read by the image reading unit 11 is also stored in the mailbox 13 after a predetermined conversion.

According to such a facsimile machine 1,
The received image data is transferred to a computer PC other than the place where the facsimile device 1 is installed and displayed, or the image data is taken into the computer PC and managed as a database, or the facsimile device 1 reads a transmission original from a transmission original. After the image data is transferred to the computer PC, processed and corrected, the image data can be transmitted to the facsimile apparatus F of another station. However, such a facsimile apparatus 1 and the computer PC are connected via a dedicated line L1. As shown in FIG. 6, bit data (digital signal) including a command of a predetermined data length is serially transmitted by a so-called asynchronous non-procedural system in a form in which a start bit and a stop bit are added before and after the command. Has become. Note that the parity bits are omitted in FIG.

[0005]

However, in such a facsimile apparatus, when a trouble occurs during data transmission with a computer, the cause of the trouble cannot be easily found, and the data transmission is not normally performed. It was not easy to determine whether it was operating. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances,
In a facsimile apparatus having a computer interlocking function, it is an object of the present invention to easily find a cause of a trouble occurring during data transmission with a computer in particular.

[0006]

The present invention proposed to solve the above-mentioned problem is connected to a computer by a dedicated line, and temporarily stores bit data including a command serially transmitted between the computer and the computer. A print output unit that has a send / receive buffer memory and a print switch, and when the print switch is operated, a bit output including the command stored in the send / receive buffer memory is printed on a recording sheet by monitor printing. It is characterized by having.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the bit data including the command serially transmitted between the computer and the dedicated line is transmitted and temporarily stored in the reception buffer memory before the signal processing. By operating the command, a predetermined amount of bit data including the command stored in the transmission / reception buffer memory can be monitored and printed on recording paper. Since the latest bit data transmitted to and from the computer is printed on the bit data printed on the recording paper in the monitor manner in this manner, the content of the bit data generated during the data transmission is observed by observing the contents. Error causes and program bugs can be easily found.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a facsimile apparatus A of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a signal processing unit composed of a microcomputer for performing signal processing of each unit, and a signal transmission unit 14 for transmitting and receiving data including a command to and from a computer PC.
Has a serial interface circuit 14a (for example, RS232C) connected to the end of the signal line L1, and a transmission buffer memory 14b and a reception buffer memory 14c connected to the interface circuit 14a. Reference numeral 16 denotes a key operation unit having various operation keys. Reference numeral 15 denotes a print output unit that prints bit data including commands on the recording paper P by monitoring.

FIG. 2 shows a transmission / reception buffer memory 14b,
The buffer memories 14b and 14c are adapted to temporarily store bit data serially transmitted to and from a computer PC, and the bit data is indicated by a write pointer. Is written from the written address, and the written data is read from the address specified by the read pointer. Then, the write pointer and the read pointer which move by writing and reading of data are stored in the memories 14b and 1b.
When it reaches the last address of 4c, it returns to the first address. Such a write pointer and a read pointer are both configured by storing a memory address in a pointer register provided in the signal processing unit 10, and these pointer registers are
The data is managed by the signal processing unit 10 when data is transmitted and transferred to the reception buffers 14b and 14c. According to the facsimile apparatus A of the present invention having such a configuration, the dedicated line L
When an error occurs during data transmission during operation while being connected to the computer PC via the PC 1 and operating the print switch 16a (for example, a copy key), the data stored in the send / receive buffers 14 and 14c is stored. Data, that is, the latest bit data transmitted to and received from the computer PC can be monitored and printed (steps 100 to 1 in FIG. 2).
02).

FIG. 3 shows a transmission / reception buffer memory 14b,
An example in which the bit data stored in 14c is printed on a monitor is shown. In column (a), 8-bit data serially transmitted to and from a computer is displayed in hexadecimal code. , (B) show numbers and characters obtained by character-converting the 8-bit data. Therefore, when the facsimile apparatus A causes a trouble during data transmission and the operation is stopped, for example, if the monitor printing is performed, the computer PC is operated as shown in FIG.
The latest bit data transmitted and received between the printer and the printer is printed.By analyzing these bit data, data problems such as data corruption during transmission and control program bugs can be caused. Easy to find. Further, if the monitor switch is operated by periodically operating the print switch, it is possible to diagnose whether the facsimile apparatus A is operating normally even during operation.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the facsimile apparatus A of the present invention more specifically. In the figure, 10
Is a signal processing unit, 17 is a facsimile transmission / reception control unit for performing facsimile transmission / reception via the telephone line L, and 14 is a transmission / reception of image data and command signals to / from a separately installed computer via a signal line L1. Signal transmission units for transmitting and receiving data to and from a facsimile machine and a computer. An image reading unit 11 reads image information from a transmission original and converts the image data into image data. A signal conversion unit 12 converts the image data into a plurality of encoded data. A mailbox 13 stores the image data. Reference numeral 16 denotes a key operation unit. Here, the signal conversion unit 12 converts the image data read by the image reading unit 11 into a CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee).
MH-encoded data specified in the above, MH-encoded data with tag bits uniquely set (the MH-encoded data is obtained by adding bit 1 to the beginning of every 7 bits, or) The data is freely converted into RL (run length) encoded data with tag bits, and encoded data suitable for a connected computer can be transmitted. Further, the mailbox 13 can store the image data read by the image reading unit 11, the received image data, or the image data transmitted from the computer side, after being MH-encoded by the signal conversion unit 12. ing. Further, the facsimile transmission / reception control unit 17
Comprises a protocol control signal detection circuit 17a transmitted via the telephone line L, a protocol signal generation circuit 17b, a modem 17c, and a line control unit 17d. The protocol signal detection circuit 17a uses a normal facsimile apparatus. A control signal transmitted via the telephone line L to execute the facsimile communication procedure between the control signal and the control signal is detected, and the protocol signal generation circuit 17b generates a necessary protocol signal to execute the facsimile communication procedure. The modem 17c modulates and demodulates image data transmitted and received via the telephone line L. The line controller 17d detects a call signal from a caller and, when detecting a call signal from a caller, communicates with the communication circuit (telephone side) and the modem 17c. The connection is automatically established. The signal transmission unit 14 has the serial interface circuit 14a, the transmission buffer memory 14b, and the reception buffer memory 14c as described above.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a trouble occurs during data transmission or the like, the print switch is operated to transmit / receive data to / from the computer stored in the send / receive buffer. Since the latest bit data set can be monitored and printed, the cause of a data error or the like can be easily found, and maintenance can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a transmission and reception buffer memory.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of monitor printing.

FIG. 4 is an example diagram of monitor printing.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention in more detail.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a facsimile apparatus having a computer interlocking function.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing bit data transmitted to and from a computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A: facsimile apparatus of the present invention 10: signal processing unit 13: mailbox 14: signal transmission unit 14a: serial I / F circuit 14b: transmission buffer memory 14c: reception Buffer memory 15 Print output unit 16 Key operation unit 16c Print switch PC Computer L1 Telephone line L1 Signal line P Recording paper

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Tanaka 136 Takeda Mukodai-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Murata Machinery Co., Ltd. Headquarters factory (56) References JP-A-62-115958 (JP, A) JP-A Sho 59-122279 (JP, A) JP-A-60-218961 (JP, A) JP-A-1-147949 (JP, A) JP-A-60-39975 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transmission / reception buffer memory which is connected to a computer via a dedicated line and temporarily stores bit data including a command serially transmitted to / from the computer, and a print switch. A facsimile apparatus having a computer interlocking function, comprising: a print output unit for monitoring and printing bit data including commands stored in the sending and receiving buffer memories by operation on recording paper.