JPH0556708B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a facsimile response device that converts a message received from a host computer into a facsimile signal and outputs it to a facsimile terminal. The invention relates to a facsimile answering device whose faults are diagnosed.

[Conventional technology]

Traditionally, this type of facsimile answering device is connected to a host computer via a high-speed communication line.
The facsimile terminal is connected to the telephone network. In this case, facsimile response devices are usually installed in scattered locations. In addition, in order to realize complex functions, most facsimile response devices are composed of firmware using a microprocessor, and in order to know the operating status of the firmware for fault diagnosis, the contents are read into the control memory. It is essential that Therefore, if a facsimile response device malfunctions, a maintenance person must go to the location where the device is installed, and in order to investigate the cause of the failure, it is necessary to bring a device for analyzing the operation of the facsimile hardware. Ta.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

With the above-mentioned conventional devices, when the facsimile answering device breaks down, a maintenance person has to go to the location where the device is installed, so there is a problem in that it takes a lot of time and money to investigate the cause of the fault.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve these problems, the present invention
received when communicating with a facsimile terminal.
An identification means for identifying the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode assigned to 1 bit of the extension field of the FIF of the DIS in accordance with the control procedure of the binary code signaling system of CCITT Recommendation T.4, and a response signal when the presence or absence of the diagnostic mode is detected. A setting means for setting the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode in one bit of the extended field of the FIF of the DCS, and a transmitting means for transmitting the memory contents of the control information storage area of a specific microprocessor as an image signal to a facsimile terminal. The device is equipped with the following.

[Effect]

In the present invention, microprocessor control information representing the operating status of the facsimile answering device can be received at a remote location.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram functionally showing an overview of an embodiment of a facsimile response device according to the present invention. In Figure 1, 1 is the DIS (Digital Identification Signal) received when communicating with a facsimile terminal.
Identification means for identifying the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode assigned to one bit of an extended field of a FIF (Facsimil Information Field) in accordance with the binary code signaling control procedure of CCITT Recommendation T.4; 2 is the FIF of the DCS (Digital Cammand Signal) response signal when detecting the presence or absence of diagnostic mode.
3 is a transmitting means for transmitting the memory contents of the control information storage area of a specific microprocessor as an image signal to the facsimile terminal 4 as is. .

FIG. 2 is a block system diagram specifically showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, T1 is an input terminal, 5 is an interface circuit with the host computer, 6 is a microprocessor having identification means 1 and setting means 2, and 7 is a read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as "ROM") in which a microprogram is written. ), 8 is a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as "RAM") for storing control data and image signals for the microprocessor 6, 9 is an image signal conversion circuit,
10 is a bus, 11a to 11d are modem control circuits,
12a to 12d are CCITT recommendations V21, V29,
V27ter facsimile signal modem, Ta~
Td is an output terminal. Modem control circuit 11a~
11d and modems 12a to 12d constitute a transmitting means 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of this device.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained using FIGS. 2 and 3. The microprocessor 6 reads the microprogram from the ROM 7 and controls the operations of each section as shown below.

First, in step 21 of FIG. 3, the message created by the host computer is sent to the input terminal T1 and the interface circuit 2 with the host computer.
The data is stored in RAM8 via . Next, step
At 22, the message is sequentially read into the image signal conversion circuit 9, converted into a facsimile signal (for example, a modified Huffman code), and then sent to the RAM 8 again.
is accumulated in

Thereafter, as shown in step 23, the microprocessor 6 instructs the modem control circuits 11a to 11d to start communication with the facsimile terminal. First, as shown in step 24, the modem control circuits 11a to 11d receive the DIS from the facsimile terminal and notify the microprocessor 6 of the signal. In step 25, the microprocessor 6 analyzes the FIF of the DIS, examines the functions of the facsimile terminal, sets the function selected from the functions to the FIF of the DCS, and controls the modem control circuits 11a to 11a.
11d to transmit. At this time, step 26
In this step, it is determined whether or not there is a diagnostic mode assigned to one bit of the extended field of the FIF of the DIS.

The facsimile terminal for remotely diagnosing this facsimile response device may be one that has, in addition to the facsimile communication function, a diagnostic function that receives information indicating the operating status of the device itself from the facsimile response device and outputs it to a personal computer or the like. A remote diagnostic device, etc. is used, and the FIF of the DIS signal that is sent is
The presence or absence of the diagnostic mode is notified by setting 1 bit in the extension field.

If the diagnostic mode is available, as shown in step 27, set 1 bit of the FIF extension field of the DCS to indicate that the diagnostic mode is available, and then as shown in step 28, set the image signal to be transmitted to the memory contents. do. If there is no diagnostic mode, set 1 bit of the extended field of the DCS FIF to no diagnostic mode as shown in step 29, and then set the diagnostic mode to 1 bit as shown in step 30.
As shown in , the image signal to be transmitted is a converted image signal.

Next, in step 31, the microprocessor 6 instructs the modem control circuits 11a to 11d to train the modem. Modem control circuit 11
a to 11d have completed the modem training and sent the CFR (reception readiness confirmation signal) from the facsimile terminal.
Confirmation to Receive), the microprocessor 6 is notified of the signal.

Next, in step 32, the microprocessor 6
instructs to send out the image signal, but if it is notified by DIS that there is no diagnostic mode, RAM5
The facsimile image signal converted into an image signal is sent to the facsimile terminal via modem control circuits 11a to 11d. On the other hand, if it has been notified that the diagnostic mode is available, it instructs to output the contents of the RAM 5, which is the control information storage area of the specific microprocessor 6, instead of the facsimile image signal. As a result, the modem control circuits 11a to 1
1d to the facsimile terminal, and indicates the operating status of this facsimile response device.
After the contents are received by the facsimile terminal, they are output to the personal computer according to the diagnosis mode setting, and the operating status is diagnosed by the maintenance person.

After sending out the image signal, the microprocessor 6 controls the modem control circuit 1 in step 33.
EOP (procedure end signal, End of procedure signal) for 1a to 11d
EON when sending or transmitting Procedures)
(Message end signal, End of Message) or
Instructs to send MPS (Multipage Signal).

Next, in step 34, the modem control circuit 11
A to 11d receive an MCF (Message Confirmation) from a facsimile terminal and notify the microprocessor 6 of the signal. If the microprocessor 6 is transmitting the EOP, the microprocessor 6 instructs the modem control circuits 11a to 11d to send a DCN (disconnect command signal, Disconnect) to terminate the communication, as shown in step 35, and terminates the communication. finish. In other cases, the above procedure is repeated and the next message is sent.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention identifies the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode assigned to one bit of the extension field of the FIF of the DIS in accordance with the control procedure of the binary code signaling system of CCITT Recommendation T.4, and detects the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode. In this case, set 1 bit of the extension field of the FIF of the DCS of the response signal to indicate the presence or absence of the diagnostic mode.
By transmitting the memory contents of the control information storage area of a specific microprocessor as an image signal to the facsimile terminal as is, the microprocessor control information representing the operating status of the device can be received by the facsimile terminal at a remote location. This eliminates the need for maintenance personnel to go to the trouble of visiting the scattered devices, and has the effect of enabling quick failure analysis and recovery in the event of a failure. Also,
Installing equipment such as automatic analysis equipment also has the effect of making unattended maintenance and centralized management of the equipment possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block system diagram functionally showing an overview of an embodiment of a facsimile response device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block system diagram specifically showing the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2. 5...Interface circuit, 6...Microprocessor, 7...ROM, 8...RAM, 9...
Image signal conversion circuit, 10...Bus, 11a to 11d
...Modem control circuit, 12a-12d...Facsimile signal modem, T1...Input terminal, Ta-
Td...Output terminal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A microprocessor that controls the entire device,
A read-only memory that stores programs, a random access memory that stores control data and image signals, an image signal conversion circuit that converts data received from a host computer into facsimile signals, and a facsimile signal modem that sends out facsimile signals. , a modem control circuit for controlling the facsimile signal modem, an interface circuit for interfacing with the host computer, and a bus for connecting each component, converting the output of the computer into a facsimile signal, CCITT recommends that in a facsimile answering device that outputs this facsimile signal to a facsimile terminal via the telephone network, it is necessary to identify the presence or absence of a diagnostic mode assigned to one bit of the FIF extension field of the received DIS when communicating with the facsimile terminal. T.4
a setting means for setting the presence/absence of the diagnostic mode in one bit of the extended field of the FIF of the DCS of the response signal when the presence/absence of the diagnostic mode is detected; 1. A facsimile response device comprising: transmitting means for transmitting the memory contents of the control information storage area of the microprocessor as is as an image signal to a facsimile terminal.