JPH0817430B2 - Fax machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly, to an improvement of a man-machine interface for instructing a machine of an operation content (communication form) prior to communication.

2. Description of the Related Art A schematic configuration of a conventional facsimile machine is shown in FIG. In the figure, 104 is the main body of the facsimile apparatus, 100 is a telephone line, and 102 is a telephone attached to the main body.

In the facsimile apparatus 104, 118 is a line control unit for switching and connecting the telephone 102 and the facsimile communication unit to the line 100, 120 is a calling unit for outputting a dial signal to the line 100, 122 is a modem, and 106 is a document reading device. And a transmitting unit for converting the image signal into an image signal, a fourth storage unit for storing the image signal,
Is a receiver for recording the input image signal on paper, 128 is a modem 122
A switching unit that switches between the fourth storage unit 124 and the receiving unit 126,
130 is a timer, 112 is an operation unit, 110 is a display unit for visually displaying operation guidance and communication forms, 114 is a first storage unit that stores a plurality of communication form information, and 116 is a third storage unit that stores destination information.
The storage unit 108 receives the output of the operation unit 112 and receives the first storage unit 114.
Is a control unit for selecting a predetermined communication mode and controlling the entire apparatus.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Among a plurality of communication modes included in the facsimile apparatus, the user may use the transmitting unit 106 for the purpose of performing confidential transmission, for example.
It is assumed that the original is placed on the document and the communication menu switch (not shown) of the operation unit 112 is pressed.

Then, the control unit 108 extracts the predetermined communication form information of the first stage stored in the first storage unit 114, and supplies the display information in the extracted communication form information to the display unit 110. As a result, the display unit 110
For example, "Set timer?" [1: Yes 2:
The operation guidance display such as “High” is made. This dialogue step does not proceed unless the selection switch (not shown) is depressed as shown in FIG.

Next, it is assumed that the user looks at the above display and presses the selection switch corresponding to "No". Then, the control unit 108
The selection information is stored in the internal register in step (b), and the process proceeds to the second interactive stage. That is, the information is extracted from the first storage unit 114 and, for example, “1:
The operation guidance display prompts the user to select one of the four types of communication modes such as "2: polling, 3: Shinten, 4: Shudo".

Here, “Soushin” is a facsimile transmission, and “Polling” is a communication that is sent from the other device and received by the own device after calling from the own device and performing predetermined communication control. This is confidential transmission in which the number information and the image information are transmitted by facsimile, and the image information is recorded only when the user of the partner device inputs the correct personal identification number, and “Shudou” is the manual transmission.

As shown in FIG. 6 (c), if the user does not perform the step operation of selecting one of the four, the display is stopped at the above display step and the clear switch of the operation unit 112 is pressed ( ) To return to the first dialogue stage.

When the user first looks at the guidance display and key-in "3" corresponding to "Shinten", the control unit 108 stores the selection information in the internal register in step (e), and the next third dialogue stage. Control forward. In this way, the control unit 108 recognizes that the communication mode of confidential transmission in which the timer is not set is selected.

Further, in the third dialogue stage, the control unit 108 recognizes the communication partner, retrieves the dial information corresponding thereto from the third storage unit 116, passes it to the calling unit 120, and calls the calling unit 120 and the line control unit 118. Make the call move. After the other facsimile device responds to this call, the control unit 108,
The modem 122 and the transmission unit 106 cooperate to perform predetermined facsimile transmission.

In the confidential transmission when the timer is set in the first dialogue stage, the transmission unit 1 is operated based on the instruction of the control unit 108.
In 06, all the originals are read, converted into image signals and stored in the fourth storage section 124, and when the time set in the timer 130 comes, facsimile transmission is executed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, the interactive man-machine interface system that advances the setting operation by alternately combining the operation guidance display from the machine side and the input operation by the user side is unfamiliar with the apparatus. It is adopted with the intention of making it possible to operate even people who are new or who are new to it. However, this interactive system is not always convenient for those who are experienced in handling the device, and who use the device only in the same form all the time. It is very annoying to respond to each dialogue stage,
Moreover, it takes time.

On the other hand, returning to a simple function selection switch without using an interactive system makes it difficult for an unfamiliar person to understand the operation procedure, and it becomes necessary to operate while looking at the manual one by one. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a facsimile device capable of efficiently performing the setting operation when both a special function mode that is not used regularly and a function mode that is used regularly are used. The purpose is to provide.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stepwise input of input means for inputting a desired communication form from a plurality of communication forms and a stepwise input of the input communication form. And a communication control unit that performs image communication processing by sequentially executing the combination,
First storage means for storing, at each stage, first option information for selecting one communication mode from a plurality of communication modes, and second storage means for determining validity / invalidity of the first option information. Second storage means for storing each option information at each stage, and based on the first option information when the communication mode selection at each stage indicates that the second option information is valid. And a control means for selecting the communication mode input from the input means when the second option information indicates that the second option information is invalid.

Operation According to the present invention, when the special function mode which is not normally used is used, the setting operation can be performed by the setting operation of the input means and the input operation can be omitted when the normal function mode is used. As a result, it is possible to efficiently set the communication mode. Further, not only in the regular function mode, but those who are accustomed to handling the device can omit the input operation by the dialogue related to the predetermined operation (registering in the storage means), and see the operation guidance display. It is also possible to avoid the hassle of performing a response operation.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the conventional device in the figure, and different components will be described below.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a second storage section for storing the command information, 11 is an operating section, and 12 is a control section for controlling the entire apparatus.

The command information stored in the second storage unit 10 is 5-bit information, and each bit has a meaning as shown in FIG.

As will be made clear below, if Bit4 of the command information is set to "1", the first dialogue stage concerning the timer function is omitted, and the contents to be set in the first dialogue stage are set in Bit3. Similarly, if Bit2 of the command information is set to "1", the second dialogue stage relating to the transmission mode selection is omitted, and the contents to be set in the second dialogue stage are set in Bit0 and Bit1. Arbitrary operation of 5 bits of the command information can be performed by pressing a predetermined key of the operation unit 11.

The facsimile apparatus of the present invention configured as above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

For example, when a user who has been treated sets confidential transmission (transmission mode that is used repeatedly on a daily basis), first, the operation unit 11
Operate the predetermined key of to set Bit4 of the command information to "1", Bit3 to "0", Bit2 to "1", Bit1 to "1", Bit0 to "0" and press the set key. The command information is now stored in the second storage unit 10.

Next, the user places the document on the transmission unit 106 and presses the communication menu key, for example. Then, the control unit 12 checks the command information Bit4 of the second storage unit 10 in step (g) of FIG. 2, and since it is “1”, it skips the process of the first dialogue stage and proceeds to step (re). The command information Bit3 = "0" (no timer communication) of the second storage unit 10 is fetched into the internal register as the information to be set in the first dialogue stage (whether or not there is timer communication).

Next, proceed to the second dialogue stage, but before that, check the command information Bit2 in step (h), and since it is "1", skip the process of the second dialogue stage and step (nu)
Then, as the information to be set in the second dialogue stage (choose one from the above four communication modes), the command information Bit =
Take "1" and Bit0 = "0" (confidential transmission mode) in the internal register.

In this way, the first dialogue stage and the second dialogue stage are not executed, and the control unit 12 recognizes the confidential transmission mode without a timer based on the command information previously keyed in. The operation from the third stage onward is the same as the conventional one.

Also, as shown in FIG. 2D, every time the clear key of the operation unit 11 is pressed after the second step, the dialog step returns to the previous interactive step. In this case, if the clear key is pressed twice, the process returns to (a) in FIG. 2, so that the selection operation of the first stage and the second stage can be performed as in the conventional example.

As in the conventional case, the control unit 12 includes a calling unit 120, a line control unit 118, a modem 122, a switching unit 128, a fourth storage unit 124, and a transmission unit.
Coordinates with 106 etc. to perform predetermined facsimile transmission.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The command information setting unit 13 here has both the function of the second storage unit 10 in the first embodiment and the operation system for storing arbitrary command information therein. The setting unit 13 has five setting switches SW0 to SW4, which enable Bit0 to Bit4 of command information.
"0" and "1" are set. Other parts and functions are the same as those in the first embodiment.

It should be noted that in the present embodiment, two dialogue stages are configured to be omissible, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is easy for a person skilled in the art to increase the number of stages without violating the spirit of the present invention. is there.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As is apparent from the above description, the present invention sequentially executes the input means for stepwise inputting a desired communication mode from a plurality of communication modes and the input communication mode stepwise. Communication control means for performing image communication processing by doing so, first storage means for storing, at each stage, first option information for selecting one communication mode from a plurality of communication modes; A second storage unit that stores, for each stage, second option information that determines whether the first option information is valid or invalid; and that the second option information is valid for selecting the communication mode at each stage. And a control means for selecting the communication form input from the input means when the second option information is invalid and the second option information is invalid. Due to When using a special function mode that is not used regularly, the setting operation can be performed by the setting operation of the input means, and when using the function mode that is normally used, the input operation can be omitted. As a result, an efficient communication mode You can configure the settings.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a control procedure of the apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a meaning of each bit of command information in the apparatus. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the conventional apparatus. . 10 ... Second storage unit, 11 ... Operating unit, 12 ... Control unit, 13 ...
… Setting section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input unit for inputting a desired communication form stepwise from a plurality of communication forms, and a communication control for performing image communication processing by stepwise combining the input communication forms and sequentially executing them. Means, first storage means for storing first option information for selecting one communication mode from a plurality of communication modes for each stage, and determining validity / invalidity of the first option information. The second storage means for storing the second option information for each step, and the first option information when the selection of the communication form at each step indicates that the second option information is valid. And a control means for selecting the communication mode input from the input means when the second option information indicates that the second option information is invalid.