JPH0767134B2 - Fax machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus.

(B) Conventional technology In a facsimile machine, reception cannot be performed when the recording paper is exhausted. Therefore, at that time, a facsimile machine having a so-called substitute reception function for storing received data has been developed (for example, (See JP-A-59-89074).

(C) Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, even if it has an alternate reception function, there is a limit to the received data that can be stored in the memory, so there is a problem that subsequent reception cannot be performed when the memory is full. It was

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and determines whether or not a proxy reception memory that stores received data and the remaining capacity of the memory is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Means, means for setting dial number data of a destination facsimile device for transmitting the data stored in the memory, means for automatically dialing based on the dial number data of the means, and the judging means. When it is detected that the remaining capacity of the memory has become less than a predetermined value, the dial transmitting means is controlled, and after dialing, the data stored in the memory is controlled to be transmitted. .

(E) Operation Since the present invention is configured as described above, when the remaining capacity of the memory becomes small at the time of proxy reception, a dial transmission is automatically made to the adjacent facsimile machine, the reception data stored in the memory is transmitted, and the reception recording is performed. After that, the memory is cleared, so that it is possible to continue the proxy reception.

(F) Example An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile machine. (1) is a control device for controlling the entire facsimile machine, which is composed of a microprocessor and has a program stored in a program memory (2) of a program memory (2). Each part is controlled according to. Further, the control device (1) performs signal processing of the read transmission original data and processing of the received signal, and also generates various control signals. A reading unit (3) optically reads a transmission original, converts the read black and white data into an electric signal, and supplies the electric signal to the control device (1). The reading unit includes a document transfer mechanism, a lens mechanism, an illumination mechanism, and an image sensor. Has been done. A recording unit (4) drives a recording head such as a thermal head under the control of the control unit (1) based on a received signal to perform printing, and is composed of a recording paper, a recording paper transfer mechanism and a recording head. Further, the recording section (4) is provided with means for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper, and supplies a detection signal (So) to the control device (1).
Reference numeral (5) is a data memory for storing the original data read by the reading unit (3) or the signal-processed data, and the writing and reading of the data are controlled by the control device (1). The data memory (5) is provided with an area for storing dial number data of an adjacent facsimile machine. (6) is a proxy reception memory that stores received data during proxy reception, and data is written and read under the control of the control device (1).

Reference numeral (7) is a keyboard composed of a transmission key, a reception key, a mode key, a ten-key pad, etc. The control device (1) which takes in the key signal controls according to the program of the program memory (2) according to the key signal. Reference numeral (8) is a display for displaying data and the like input by the keyboard (7).

A line switching circuit (9) is connected to the telephone line (L) by switching between the telephone (10) and the control device (1) of the facsimile machine. The circuit is composed of a relay circuit and is controlled by the control device (1). . (11) is an automatic dial device that automatically generates a dial signal based on the dial number data transmitted from the control device (1), and is a line switching circuit (9).
A dial signal is sent to the telephone line (L) via the.

Next, the operation of the present invention having a slashing configuration will be described.

First, before the use of the facsimile machine, the dial number of the adjacent facsimile machine is input from the keyboard (7) and set in a predetermined area of the data memory (5).

Therefore, in the standby state, the facsimile machine repeats the processing of steps (S1) to (S6) shown in FIG. 2, and when the transmission key is operated on the keyboard (7), it is processed in step (S1). The control device (1) which has detected the key signal proceeds to the transmission processing routine of step (S7) and performs the transmission processing operation. When the copy key is operated on the keyboard (7), the control device (1) also causes the step (S
From step 2), the process proceeds to step (S8) to perform the copy processing operation. Since the present invention is characterized by the reception operation, the reception operation will be described in detail, and the description of the transmission and copy operations will be omitted.

First, the control device (1) that has received an incoming call and has detected the incoming call in step (S3) proceeds to the receiving processing routine of step (S9). In the reception processing routine, as shown in FIG. 3, the line switching circuit (9) is controlled in step (S301) to connect the telephone line (L), and then the recording unit (4) is operated in step (S302). It is determined by checking the detection signal (So) of whether or not there is recording paper, and if there is recording paper, proceed to step (S303) and perform signal processing such as decoding of received data, and then at step (S304). The recording head of the recording unit (4) is controlled to perform reception recording on recording paper. Until the end of reception is detected in step (S305), the processes of steps (S303) and (S304) are repeatedly performed and reception recording is performed.

On the other hand, the control device (1), which has detected that there is no recording paper in step (S302) when receiving the incoming call, displays in step (S307) that the reception is being performed on the display unit (8), and then in step ( In step S308, the received data is stored in the intercept memory (6). Then, the control device (1), which has detected the end of reception in step (S309), disconnects the telephone line (L) in step (S306) and returns to the standby state of reception standby.

Next, in the standby state, the control device (1) checks the remaining capacity of the proxy reception memory (6) in step (S4) to detect whether it is equal to or less than a preset predetermined value.
As a result, if the value is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the standby state is returned, but the control device (1) that has detected that the value is equal to or less than the predetermined value proceeds to the transfer processing routine of step (S10). In the transfer processing routine, as shown in FIG. 4, the telephone line (L) is connected in step (S401), and then the dial of the adjacent facsimile machine preset in the data memory (5) in step (S402). The number data is read and supplied to the automatic dial device (11). As a result, the automatic dialing device (11) automatically makes a dial call based on the dial number data in step (S403). Subsequently, the control device (1) detects in step (S404) whether or not the adjacent facsimile device has responded to the dial transmission, and the control device (1) which has detected the response is in step (S405). After the transfer flag is set in (), the flow proceeds to step (S406) to read the data stored in the alternate reception memory (6), and the transmission process is performed in step (S407). Step until the transmission of all the data stored in the reception memory (6) is completed (S406)
When the process of (S407) is repeated and the transmission of all data is completed, the control device (1) proceeds to step (S409) to clear the substitute reception memory (6), and then the display device at step (S410). In (8), a message indicating that the data has been transferred to the adjacent facsimile apparatus is displayed, and the line is disconnected in step (S411) to return to the standby state.

As a result, the received data stored in the proxy reception memory (6) is transmitted to the adjacent facsimile machine and received and recorded by the adjacent facsimile machine. Therefore, the proxy reception can be continuously performed in the cleared proxy reception memory.

Next, when the operator notices that the recording sheets are exhausted and is receiving on behalf of him, the recording sheets are replenished, and the control device (1) which detects the setting of the recording sheets in step (S5) Proceeding to the notification processing routine, it is checked in step (S501) shown in FIG. 5 whether or not the transfer flag is set. If the flag is set, the flow proceeds to step (S502) to record based on the program in the program memory (2). The section (4) is controlled to print and inform the operator that the data is being transferred to the adjacent facsimile machine. Therefore, by going to the adjacent facsimile machine and looking at the recording paper, it is possible to know the content of the received reception. When a predetermined key operation is performed on the keyboard (7), the control device (1) which has detected the key signal reads the received data stored in the substitute reception memory (6) and controls the recording unit (4). As a result, the received data which was received by the proxy is recorded. As a result, the content of the proxy reception stored in the proxy reception memory (6) can be confirmed.

(G) Effect of the Invention As described above, in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, when the reception recording paper is used up, when the reception data is stored in the memory and the proxy reception is performed, if the remaining capacity of the memory becomes small, the preset adjacent Since the received data in the memory is transmitted to the facsimile machine, the memory capacity is limited and the reception becomes impossible, which is a very practical effect. Further, when there is data that is once stored in the memory and then transmitted to another facsimile apparatus, the user can be notified of that fact, so that the data can be reliably delivered to the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operating state of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are detailed processing routines of FIG. It is a flowchart shown in. (1) ... Control device, (3) ... reading unit, (4) ... recording unit, (5) ... data memory, (6) ... reception reception memory, (7) ... keyboard, (8 )……display,
(9) …… line switching circuit, (10) …… telephone, (11)…
… Automatic dialing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substitute reception memory for storing received data,
Means for determining whether or not the remaining capacity of the memory is less than or equal to a predetermined value, means for setting dial number data of a destination facsimile machine transmitting the data stored in the memory, and dial number data for the means. When the fact that the remaining capacity of the memory becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value is detected by the means for automatically dialing based on the above, the display means, and the judging means, the dial sending means is controlled to dial the memory, 2. A facsimile apparatus comprising a control means for transmitting the received data stored in the control means and controlling the display means to display the fact of the transmission.