JP3347580B2 - Information processing device and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an information processing device such as a personal computer and a storage medium storing a program for operating the information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a personal computer has a function of connecting to a facsimile machine,
In some cases, data received by facsimile communication can be received from a facsimile machine. Such a personal computer is provided with an interface having a buffer memory for storing received data called a reception queue, for example. When predetermined data is transmitted from a facsimile apparatus, this interface Are sequentially stored in a buffer memory and accumulated. In a personal computer having such a configuration, a processor provided in the personal computer sequentially retrieves data stored in the buffer memory and executes desired processing. If the speed is higher, the free memory capacity of the buffer memory is exhausted. This makes it impossible to properly receive data from the facsimile machine.

Therefore, conventionally, as a flow control method of a buffer memory to solve such a problem,
When the data storage amount of the buffer memory increases to a predetermined first set amount or more, the data transmission to the facsimile apparatus is stopped under the control of the communication control unit provided in the interface. It was configured to output a signal. Further, when the data storage amount is reduced to a predetermined second predetermined amount or less, under the control of the communication control unit, a signal output requesting data transmission to the facsimile apparatus is made. Was configured to. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the data transmission from the facsimile apparatus to the personal computer from being performed continuously when the free memory capacity of the buffer memory becomes small. When the free memory capacity of the buffer memory subsequently increases, data transmission from the facsimile apparatus to the personal computer can be resumed.

[0004]

However, in the conventional personal computer, the flow control of the buffer memory is performed by the communication control section of the interface, and the control operation of the communication control section is performed by the hard disk drive of the personal computer. In fact, the system is configured to be executed by an OS (Operating System) installed in the OS. Conventionally, the output of a signal requesting to stop data transmission or data transmission has been performed by turning off / off a predetermined switching member.

[0005] Therefore, conventionally, the standard of the interface is a predetermined OS for driving a personal computer.
In the case where S is not suitable, the communication control unit of the interface cannot be operated properly, and the flow control of the buffer memory as described above cannot be performed. In addition, conventionally, a data transmission request or a signal requesting a stop of data transmission is output by turning off / off a switching member, which may cause a hardware failure in the communication control unit. In some cases, the above-described flow control of the buffer memory cannot be performed. Therefore, conventionally, there was a problem in the reliability of the flow control of the buffer memory at the time of data reception.

In the case where data transmitted from a desired device is received by a personal computer as described above, the situation in which the flow control of the buffer memory cannot be performed properly is caused when a facsimile apparatus is connected to the personal computer. Not only this, but also when, for example, a scanner device or the like is connected to a personal computer and data transmitted from the scanner device is taken into the personal computer, the same occurs.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points. When an information processing device such as a personal computer is to receive data from a desired device, the data communication means of the information processing device is provided with information. It is an object of the present invention to ensure that flow control of a storage unit for storing received data can be performed reliably and that data reception processing can be appropriately performed even when the OS is not compatible with an OS for driving a processing device. And

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention stores data transmitted from a desired device in a first storage means for storing received data. Data communication means for receiving while storing, and control for executing processing based on an application program operating on an OS stored in a second storage means different from the first storage means Means and
The data communication means operates based on the OS.
Te, the first detecting the data storage amount of the storage means, and the effect of the signal for requesting the stopping of a signal indicating that a data transmission requesting data transmission in accordance with the detected amount of accumulated data in the device An information processing apparatus comprising a communication control unit for performing a flow control operation to output, wherein the control unit requests data transmission according to a data storage amount of the first storage unit. flow control operation processing to output to the device via the data communication means a signal requesting a stop signal and data transmission, the applique
Based on Shon program by the communication control unit
Execute when the flow control operation is not performed
Or the flow control operation by the communication control unit
It is configured to be executed in preference to .

An information processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein
Means is that the communication control unit is not compatible with the OS
If the flow control operation is not performed,
It runs a low-control operation process are sea urchin configuration.

An information processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to the second aspect , wherein the control unit determines that the data storage amount of the first storage unit is the communication control unit. Has been set to a value larger than the first set amount to be output a signal to request the stop of data transmission from
Executing a process of outputting a signal requesting a stop of data transmission when the data amount becomes equal to or more than a third set amount, and when the data storage amount of the first storage means indicates that data transmission is to be performed by the communication control unit; When the request signal becomes equal to or smaller than a fourth set amount which is set to a value smaller than the second set amount to be output, a process for outputting a signal requesting data transmission is executed. Is configured.

An information processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects , wherein the device is capable of performing facsimile communication and receiving by facsimile communication. A communication device for transmitting the obtained data to the data communication means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an example in which a personal computer as a specific example of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is used in combination with a multifunctional peripheral device.

The personal computer 1 employs a GUI using a so-called multi-window, and can simultaneously activate a plurality of application software. The multifunction peripheral device 2 has a plurality of functions such as a facsimile, a printer, an image scanner, and a copier, as described later.

The personal computer 1 comprises a processor 1
1, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a gate array 14, an interface 15, a hard disk drive 16, a flexible disk drive 17, and an operation unit 18. The processor 11, the ROM 12, the RAM 13, the gate array 14, and the interface 15 are mutually connected by a bus line. The bus line includes a data bus, an address bus, and a control signal line, and the same applies to a bus line of the multifunction peripheral device 2 described later.

The processor 11 includes a hard disk drive 16
It operates based on a program such as an OS or various application software installed in the PC and performs information processing. The ROM 12 and the RAM 13 are used to store various data and programs. The gate array 14 includes the hard disk device 16, the flexible disk drive 17, and the operation unit 18 and the processor 1
It functions as an interface between the two. The hard disk device 16 stores various application software programs and the like. The flexible disk drive 17 reads the contents of the flexible disk.
The operation unit 18 includes a plurality of operation key switches and the like.

The interface 15 is a multifunctional peripheral device 2
, And controls transmission and reception of data between the personal computer 1 and the multi-function peripheral device 2 based on a standard such as RS-232C, for example. Specifically, the interface 15 includes a buffer memory 15a for storing received data called a reception queue, a buffer memory 15b for storing transmission data called a transmission queue, and a communication control unit called a communication driver. 15A is built in. At the time of data transmission, the communication control unit 15A synchronizes the data transferred and stored in the buffer memory 15b for storing transmission data with a clock signal of a predetermined frequency, and serially transmits the multifunction peripheral device 2 by a fixed amount at a time. To control the operation of sending to On the other hand, at the time of data reception, operation control is performed to receive data transmitted as serial signals from the interface 25 of the multi-function peripheral device 2 while sequentially storing the data in the buffer memory 15a for storing received data.

When the communication control unit 15A is compatible with the OS installed in the hard disk device 16, the communication control unit 15A also performs the following operation control based on the OS.
That is, when data is received from the multifunctional peripheral device 2, the communication control unit 15 </ b> A
a, the data transmission amount is requested to the multi-function peripheral device 2 when the detected data storage amount becomes equal to or more than a predetermined first set amount determined by the OS. The operation of continuously outputting this signal from the interface 15 is performed. When the data storage amount is equal to or less than a second predetermined amount set by the OS, the communication control unit 15A sends a signal from the interface 15 to the multifunction peripheral device 2 to request data transmission. An operation for continuously outputting is performed.

The multifunctional peripheral device 2 has a CPU 21, a RAM 22, a ROM,
23, gate array 24, scanner 26, printer 2
7 and a modem 28. CPU21, RAM
The ROM 22, the ROM 23, the gate array 24, and the interface 25 are mutually connected by a bus line. The interface 25 has a built-in buffer memory (not shown) that can stop data transmission to the personal computer 1 when receiving a signal to stop data transmission from the personal computer 1.

The CPU 21 controls the entire multifunctional peripheral device 2. The RAM 22 and the ROM 23 store data, programs, and the like for controlling each unit of the multi-function peripheral device 2. The gate array 24 functions as an interface between each of the scanner 26, the printer 27, and the modem 28 and the CPU 21. The scanner 26 reads an image of a document and converts it into an image signal. Printer 27
Prints out image data on desired recording paper.
The modem 28 is capable of executing facsimile communication. When transmitting and receiving facsimile communication, the modem 28 modulates a carrier with transmission data and demodulates a received carrier to extract received data. The modem 28 is connected to a communication line 32 such as a telephone line.

The hard disk device 16 of the personal computer 1 performs facsimile communication using the modem 28 of the multi-function peripheral device 2 or prints out a document or image created by the personal computer 1 using the printer 27. Alternatively, various application software for realizing various functions such as capturing an image signal of a document read by using the scanner 26 into the personal computer 1 is installed. The application software is installed in the hard disk device 16 by inserting a flexible disk into the flexible disk drive 17 and performing a predetermined operation on the operation unit 18. As these application software,
Software for performing data conversion such as converting text data into image data that can be transmitted by facsimile, software for managing and displaying communication history,
And software called a status monitor that manages the transmission and reception of data between the personal computer 1 and the multifunction peripheral device 2.

The processor 11 performs data processing and operation control according to the program contents of the above-described various software. When data is received from the multi-function peripheral device 2, the processor 11 uses application software called a status monitor to execute the data processing and operation control. The following control is performed.

That is, when the processor 11 selects to receive predetermined data from the multi-function peripheral device 2 by a specific key operation on the operation unit 18, the processor 11 sends a command to the multi-function peripheral device 2 to the interface, which will be described later. 15, a buffer memory 15 a for storing received data.
The flow control of is executed. The flow control performed by the processor 11 is basically performed by the communication control unit 15.
A is the same as the flow control performed by A. When the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a becomes equal to or more than a predetermined third set amount, a signal requesting stop of data transmission is output from the interface 15 and the data When the storage amount becomes equal to or less than a predetermined fourth set amount, a signal to request data transmission is output from the interface 15.

However, specific numerical values of the third set amount and the fourth set amount are different from the first set amount and the second set amount described above. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, in the buffer memory 15 a having the memory capacity of S, the first set amount as a threshold for outputting a signal indicating that the communication control unit 15 </ b> A requests stop of data transmission is represented by X Then, the third set amount X ′ as a threshold value at which the processor 11 outputs a signal to request the stop of data transmission is set to a value larger than the first set amount X. When the second set amount as the threshold value at which the communication control unit 15A outputs a signal requesting data transmission is Y, the fourth threshold value at which the processor 11 outputs a signal requesting data transmission is set as Y. Is a smaller value than the second set amount Y.

The processor 11 has a buffer memory 15a.
As a means for referring to the data of the data accumulation amount, a means by which the processor 11 directly accesses the buffer memory 15a can be adopted. In addition, processor 1
As means for causing the interface 1 to output a signal requesting data transmission or stop of data transmission from the interface 15, the communication control unit 15A may be operated by a command from the processor 11 to output the predetermined signal. it can. Alternatively, the processor 11 transfers to the interface 15 a control command requesting the multifunction peripheral device 2 to transmit data or stop data transmission,
This control command may be transmitted to the multi-function peripheral device 2, and may be any means in the present invention.

Next, an example of a specific operation procedure of the personal computer 1 when the personal computer 1 configured as described above receives data from the multifunctional peripheral device 2 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

When using the personal computer 1, for example, data obtained by executing facsimile communication using the modem 28 of the multi-function peripheral device 2,
Alternatively, there may be a case where desired data such as data obtained by reading a document image with the scanner 26 is to be taken into the personal computer 1. In such a case, when a predetermined key operation for instructing data reception from the multi-function peripheral device 2 is performed on the operation unit 18 (S1: YE).
S), the processor 11 sets a predetermined flag to “0” (S2), and sends a control command for instructing the multifunction peripheral device 2 to execute data transmission from the interface 15 (S2). S3). Thereby, the multi-function peripheral device 2 is ready to transmit predetermined data from the interface 25 to the interface 15 of the personal computer 1.

Next, when the standard of the interface 15 conforms to the OS installed in the hard disk device 16, and the communication control unit 15A of the interface 15 performs an appropriate operation based on the OS, the communication control unit 15A Performs data reception while performing the flow control of the buffer memory 15a. Therefore, in this case, the processor 11 does not execute the flow control of the buffer memory 15a described later.

However, differently from the above, the type of the OS installed in the hard disk device 16 is often determined by the user, and the installed OS may not conform to the standard of the interface 15. In this case, the communication control unit 15A does not execute the flow control of the buffer memory 15a based on the OS. Therefore, in such a case, the following operation processing is performed.

First, at the time of starting data reception, there is a free space in the buffer memory 15a.
If the data storage amount is equal to or smaller than the second set amount Y, the communication control unit 15A should output a signal to the multifunction peripheral device 2 requesting data transmission (S4). : YES). However, when the communication control unit 15A does not perform such an operation and the data storage amount of the buffer memory 15a is equal to or smaller than the fourth set amount Y ′ (S5: YES), the processor 11 transmits data. Is output to the multi-function peripheral device 2 via the interface 15 (S6). Then, the flag is set to "1". This flag “1” indicates that the multifunction peripheral device 2
In response to the request for data transmission.

At the start of data reception, if the free memory space in the buffer memory 15a is small and the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a exceeds the fourth set amount Y ', a signal to request data transmission is issued. Not output immediately. However, in this case, the processor 11 retrieves data from the buffer memory 15a (S
5: NO, S14), and the data storage amount gradually decreases. Therefore, even in this case, the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a becomes equal to or less than the fourth set amount Y ', and a signal indicating that data transmission is requested to the multifunction peripheral device 2 under the control of the processor 11. Is output (S6).

As described above, when the signal to request data transmission is output to the multi-function peripheral device 2, the multi-function peripheral device 2 outputs a predetermined signal as long as the multi-function peripheral device 2 does not interfere. Data is transmitted as a serial signal (S
8: YES). Then, since the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a increases, the communication control unit 15 should normally store the data when the amount of data exceeds the first set amount X.
A should output a signal requesting the stop of data transmission (S10: YES), but as described above, if the communication control unit 15A cannot be controlled by the OS, such processing cannot be expected. (S10: NO). However, even in such a case, the buffer memory 1
When the data storage amount of 5a increases and becomes equal to or more than the third set amount X ′, the processor 11 causes the multifunction peripheral device 2 to output a signal requesting stop of data transmission to the multifunction peripheral device 2 via the interface 15 at that time. (S11: YES, S12).
Then, the flag is returned to "0" (S13).
This flag “0” indicates that the multifunction peripheral device 2 is not requesting data transmission.

The data transmitted from the multi-function peripheral device 2 and stored in the buffer memory 15a as described above is
The desired processing is performed by taking out the data by the processor 11 and transferring it to an appropriate storage means such as the RAM 13 (S14). The processor 11 performs the above-described flow control of the buffer memory 15a until receiving the entire amount of the predetermined data from the multi-function peripheral device 2 (S15: NO). In this case, if the stop of the data transmission is requested first, the flag is set to “0” (S16: N
O) After that, when the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a becomes equal to or less than the fourth set amount Y ', a signal requesting data transmission is output (S16: NO, S4 to S6),
Data reception is restarted (S8). On the other hand, when the stop of the data transmission is not requested first, the flag is “1”, and in this case, the data reception is continuously performed from the multi-function peripheral device 2 as it is. (S1
6: YES, S8).

As described above, when the communication control unit 15A does not execute the flow control of the buffer memory 15a based on the OS, the processor 11 appropriately performs the flow control of the buffer memory 15a instead of the communication control unit 15A. Execute. Therefore, data reception from the multi-function peripheral device 2 can be appropriately performed without the buffer memory 15a becoming full.

The timing at which the processor 11 outputs a signal requesting that data transmission be stopped is determined by the communication control unit 15.
Due to A, the data storage amount of the buffer memory 15a is larger than the first set amount X from which the signal should be output, and becomes larger than the third set amount X 'which is larger than the first set amount X. It is when it became. Also, when the processor 11 outputs a signal requesting data transmission, the communication control unit 15A reduces the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 15a from the second set amount Y from which the signal should be output. , When the value becomes equal to or less than the fourth set amount Y ′ which is smaller than the second set amount Y. Accordingly, the flow control of the buffer memory 15a by the processor 11 is executed only when the flow control by the communication control unit 15A is not executed to the last, and this flow control is performed based on the flow control by the communication control unit 15A. Can be appropriately complemented by the processor 11.

However, according to the present invention, the set amounts X, Y,
The relationship between X ′ and Y ′ is not limited to the relationship described in the above embodiment. In the present invention, for example, the values of the third set amount X ′ and the fourth set amount Y ′, which are output conditions of the signal requesting the processor 11 to perform data transmission or stop data transmission,
The values may be the same as the values of the first set amount X and the second set amount Y, which are the conditions under which the communication control unit 15A outputs a signal. Further, the flow control by the communication control unit 15A is not assisted by the processor 11 while the flow control by the communication control unit 15A is used as a basis. The values of the set amounts X, Y, X ', Y' may be set to assist.

In the above embodiment, the communication control unit 15A for executing the flow control of the buffer memory 15a is used.
Although the personal computer 1 provided in the interface 15 has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to a personal computer having an interface that does not exhibit a flow control function regardless of the type of the OS. In this case, the flow control of the buffer memory 15a is executed by only the processor 11 regardless of the type of the OS.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where desired data is received from the multi-function peripheral device 2 has been described as an example. However, the information processing device according to the present invention is not necessarily used in combination with the multi-function peripheral device 2. It is not limited to the use to be performed. In the present invention, it goes without saying that the multifunction peripheral device 2 may be used in combination with a peripheral device having a different configuration. Also, the present invention provides a personal computer with a built-in modem, in which data transmitted from an external communication terminal to a modem via a communication line is transmitted from the modem to an interface. It can also be applied to the case where the flow control is performed. As described above, the present invention can be applied not only to data communication between an information processing device and a peripheral device but also to data communication inside the information processing device.

In addition, the specific configuration of each part of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention can be variously changed in design. Also,
The storage medium according to the present invention may be a flexible disk, but is not limited thereto.
-It may be a ROM or another form of storage medium.

[0040]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, unlike the prior art, the first control unit for storing received data is provided by the communication control unit provided in the data communication means. Control not only to execute the flow control of the storage means, but also to execute processing based on a predetermined program stored in a second storage means different from the first storage means. The flow control of the first storage means can also be executed by means. Therefore, if the communication control unit of the data communication unit cannot properly execute the flow control of the first storage unit due to, for example, the standard of the data communication unit not conforming to the OS, By this means, the flow control of the first storage means can be performed, and a special effect that data reception from a desired device can be appropriately executed can be obtained.

In particular, according to the information processing apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, proper flow control is not performed by this communication control unit while the flow control of the first storage unit is basically performed by the communication control unit. Only in such a case, the flow control of the first storage unit can be performed by the control of the control unit. Therefore, the flow control of the first storage means can be executed in a so-called two-stage manner by the communication control unit and the control means, and the advantage that the reliability of the flow control can be further improved can be obtained.

[0042] According to the information processing apparatus of the invention described in claim 4, in the case of executing the facsimile communication using the communication device, appropriate data obtained by the facsimile communication from the communication device to the information processing apparatus Can be sent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an example of a case where a personal computer as a specific example of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is used in combination with a multifunctional peripheral device.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram showing a set amount of a data storage amount of a buffer memory.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure when data is received by the personal computer shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 personal computer (information processing device) 2 multifunctional peripheral device (equipment, communication device) 11 processor (control means) 15 interface 15A communication control unit 15a buffer memory (first storage means for storing received data) 16 hard disk device ( Second storage means) 17 Flexible disk drive 18 Operation unit 28 Modem

Continuation of the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 29/00 G06F 13/00 H04L 13/00 H04N 1/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data communication means for receiving data transmitted from a desired device while storing the data in a first storage means for storing received data, and a second storage different from the first storage means. Application running on the OS stored in the means
Control means for executing a process based on the application program, wherein the data communication means operates based on the OS.
Te, the first detecting the data storage amount of the storage means, and the effect of the signal for requesting the stopping of a signal indicating that a data transmission requesting data transmission in accordance with the detected amount of accumulated data in the device An information processing apparatus provided with a communication control unit for performing a flow control operation to be output, wherein the control unit requests data transmission according to a data storage amount of the first storage unit. flow control operation processing to output to the device via the data communication means a signal requesting a stop signal and data transmission, the Apu
The communication control unit based on the application program.
To be executed when the above-mentioned flow control operation is not performed.
Or the flow control operation by the communication control unit.
An information processing apparatus characterized in that the information processing apparatus is configured to be executed prior to a work . 2. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication control unit includes
Performs the flow control operation due to incompatibility with the OS
If not, execute the flow control operation process,
The information processing device according to claim 1. 3. The control means, wherein the data storage amount of the first storage means is larger than a first set amount to which a signal indicating a request to stop data transmission is to be output from the communication control unit. Performing a process of outputting a signal requesting stop of data transmission when the data amount becomes equal to or more than the third set amount set to the value, and when the data storage amount of the first storage means is equal to the communication control amount; A signal for requesting data transmission is output when the signal for requesting data transmission is less than or equal to a fourth set amount smaller than the second set amount to be output from the unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to execute a process. Wherein said device is capable of facsimile communication, and information processing according to any one of claims 1 to 3 data received by facsimile communication is transmitted to come communication device to said communication means apparatus.