JPH084287B2 - Communication device line status monitoring method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a line state monitoring method for grasping the state of a line in order to change the mode of communication in a communication device using a public line such as facsimile.

[Background of technology]

Some public telephone lines are used for communication of data and the like. For example, in facsimile communication, a telephone is used to call a destination via a telephone line, and facsimile image data is communicated to the called destination via the telephone line.

On the other hand, the state of such public line is not always constant,
It is difficult to obtain a uniform communication mode because the other party's busy state continues depending on the call volume and the error probability increases depending on the connection path.

[Conventional technology and problems]

Conventionally, in response to such a non-constant line condition, in communication devices such as facsimiles, if the other party is busy, a recall control function for automatically re-calling after a predetermined time, and the other party. There is an automatic communication speed selection function that checks the error rate of the line when connected to the destination and selects the optimum communication speed.

On the other hand, it is desirable for the side using a communication device such as Facsimile to be able to reliably perform communication at the optimum communication speed without performing re-operation.

However, even when communicating with the same party on the public line, it changes depending on the call volume and the connection route. Therefore, even if the above-mentioned function is provided, the busy state is not canceled and unnecessary recall is performed. In addition, it takes time to establish the protocol for selecting the optimum communication speed, and there are problems that communication is interrupted due to too many errors to wastefully use the line.

Such a tendency is concentrated in a specific time zone, for example, the call volume is concentrated in a time zone called business hour such as 10 am in the morning, 12:00 just before noon, and 4-5 pm in the afternoon. It is easy to occur because the line condition deteriorates extremely.

For this reason, even if the above-mentioned function is used, for example, in the fax machine, unnecessary re-calling is performed when the connection is not established forever, the communication is terminated, or there are many errors, and it is necessary to re-transmit. There is also a problem that the use of the line is likely to be wasteful and re-operation is required.

This occurs because the conventional line status is grasped within one communication and is monitored only from limited information (status) within this communication.

[Object of the Invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a line state monitoring system for a communication device, which can statistically grasp the line state for each communication destination and can be used for determining a communication mode.

[Structure of Invention]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a communication device having a time management means and a control means for calling and communicating with a destination via a public line in accordance with a destination command, in which communication is performed in each time zone for each destination. Is provided with a memory for storing the state, and each time the control means makes the call, the communication state based on the communication result is stored in the memory according to the time of the time management means.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the communication result is stored as the communication state, and according to another embodiment, the communication result and statistics of the communication result are stored as the communication state. It is characterized by storing.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the communication result is busy or not, and according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the communication result is a communication speed. It is characterized by that.

Example of Invention

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication monitoring file stored in a memory according to an embodiment of the present invention. A file 1 is composed of a destination column 10, a transmission mode column 11, and communication state columns 12 to 1n. It Each destination name A, B, C, ... N is entered in the destination column 10, and the transmission mode (whether facsimile II GII mode or GIII mode) of each destination is entered in the transmission mode column 11. on the other hand,
The communication status columns 12 to 1n are for each time zone (for example, 8 am to 9 am ...
... 5 to 6 pm). This time zone may be provided for all the time zones of the day, if necessary, instead of providing only the problematic time zone as shown in FIG. 1, and may be one hour unit in addition to the two hour unit shown in the figure. .

The communication status columns 12 to 1n for each time zone are divided into a busy status column 12a and a communication speed column 12b as the communication status.

The busy column 12a stores a history column that stores the call status for a maximum of 10 calls (whether it was terminated during busy or terminated due to line connection instead of busy), and statistics of these histories. And the statistics column shown. In the history column, "1" if busy, otherwise "0" is stored and updated in the order of calls, and the statistics column stores the state based on these majority votes. For example, the history column of the destination A is “011101100
If it is 1 ", there is more" 1 ", that is, more busy, so" 1 "(busy) is added to the statistics column. These are updated for each call and the history column shows the most. The old communication status is removed, the new communication status is stored, and the statistics field is rewritten accordingly.

On the other hand, the same applies to the communication speed column 12b, which is composed of a history column that stores the communication speed when the line is connected as a history of up to 10 calls and a statistics column that shows statistics of these histories. In the history column, for example, the communication speed is 9.6kbps, 7.2kbps, 4.
Depending on four types of error rates of 8 kbps and 2.4 kbps, "1" is used when communicating at 9.6 kbps, "2" when communicating at 7.2 kbps, and "3" when communicating at 4.8 kbps. ", 2.4kbps
"4" is added when communicating with, and the data is updated and stored in the order
The statistical speed stores the communication speed determined by these majority votes. For example, if the history field of the destination A is "1233333332", "3", that is, 4.8 kbps is added to the statistic field by the majority vote. These are updated for each call, the oldest communication state (communication speed) is removed in the history field, the new communication speed is stored, and the statistics field is rewritten accordingly.

For the destination A, these communication states are stored in each time zone, and the same applies to the destinations B, C ... N.

As described above, in the present invention, the state of the communication (line) is not grasped within the communication, but is grasped from a large number of continuous communications, and it is possible to grasp it at each time zone.

For this reason, the state of communication to each destination in each time zone can be predicted in advance, which allows various controls.

That is, the number of times recalled is limited depending on whether the history is busy or not, and useless recall is not continued forever. In addition, the communication speed is determined by starting from the optimum communication speed, shortening the protocol establishment time, and enabling communication with few errors from the beginning. Further, depending on whether the history is busy or not, it is possible to communicate with the destination in another time zone without communicating in that time zone.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of a transmission / reception facsimile machine capable of both transmission and reception. In the figure, reference numeral 30 is a transmission mechanism section, 30a is a manuscript hopper thereof, on which a manuscript DS to be transmitted is set, and 30b is a feeding roller thereof, which is a stacker described later one by one from manuscript hopper 30a. 30c is a drive roller thereof, which is driven by a motor to drive the feed roller 30b via a feed belt 30d, 30e is an original irradiation lamp thereof, and an original sent by the feed roller 30b 30f is a stacker for the irradiation, and the feed roller 30b
The original document sent and read by is stored.
Reference numeral 31 is a reading unit, 31a and 31d are optical lenses thereof, which collect reflected light for irradiation of a lamp 30e from an original sent by a feed roller 30b, and 31b and 31e are photoelectric conversion elements thereof. There is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like, which scans an image of one line of an original and converts it into an electric signal (image signal).
a, the photoelectric conversion element 31b is for reading A4 size, and the optical lens 31d, the photoelectric conversion element 31e is for reading B4 size. The sensor amplifier 31c amplifies the output image signals of the photoelectric conversion elements 31b and 31e and selectively controls the reading operation of the photoelectric conversion elements 31b and 31e. Reference numeral 32 is a control circuit, 32a is its main processor, which is composed of a microprocessor, which controls transmission and control of the entire apparatus by executing a program, and 32b is its slave processor, which is a microprocessor. 32c is a shared memory that mainly compresses and restores image data by executing a program. It is composed of a random-access memory (RAM) that is backed up by a battery, and both processors 3
2a and 32b that operate as main memory, 32d is the address / data bus for connecting both processors 32a and 32b to the main memory, 32e is a mechanical driver, and each mechanical unit of the device (transmission mechanism) 32f is a timepiece, which drives the unit 30, the receiving mechanism unit, the recording unit, and the operation panel. Reference numeral 33 is a line control unit, 33a is a line control unit (NCU) thereof, and is an A-A (Automatic-Automatic) type NCU.
Configured to process incoming / outgoing calls to the line, 3
3b is a modem (modulator / demodulator) that modulates a transmission signal and demodulates a reception signal, and 33c is an automatic transmitter that performs an automatic transmission operation. The operation panel 34 has a transmission button, a ten-key pad, a broadcast transmission button, a capability registration switch, and the like. Reference numeral 35 is a receiving mechanism portion, 35a is a sending portion thereof for accommodating unrecorded recording paper, 35b is a recording unit, for example, a thermal recording head, and 35c is a first feeding roller. Yes, recording unit 35b
A sheet feeding recording paper, 35d is a cutter for cutting the recorded recording paper into a predetermined length, 35e is a second feeding roller, and a recorded record cut by the cutter 35d The paper is sent to the stacker 35f. 36 is a recording unit, which has a recording drive circuit for driving the recording unit 35b, 37 is a power supply, which supplies a power supply voltage to each part of the apparatus and a mechanical driver according to the ON / OFF of the power switch of the operation panel 34. What is turned on / off by 32e, and 38 is a telephone, which is connected to the line control unit 33a. Reference numeral 39 is an image memory device for storing image data, 39a is an extended interface circuit thereof, an interface circuit for connecting a floppy disk device described later to the bus 32d, and 39b is a flow circuit. This is a tuspy disk device, which stores image data in the floppy disk and reads the image data of the floppy disk.

Next, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the processing flow chart of FIG.

The operator sets the original DS to be transmitted to the hopper 30a, and then inputs the shortened number or telephone number of the destination using the ten keys on the operation panel 34. This is the mechanical driver 32e
It is given to the CPU 32a via the and is stored in the destination area of the RAM 32c. When performing the broadcast communication, each destination to be broadcast is input, and when performing the time designation communication, the designated time is input.

Next, the CPU 32a starts the document reading operation. That is, CP
The U32a turns on the lamp 30e through the mechanical driver 32e, drives the driving roller 30c, and sends out the originals DS set on the hopper 30a one by one by the feeding roller 30b, and at a predetermined sub-scanning speed, the stacker 30f Send to. On the other hand, the CPU 32a causes the sensor amplifier 31c to selectively operate the photoelectric conversion element 31b or 31e through the CPU 32b according to the partner capability (A4 size or B4 size). The reflected light from the original corresponding to the irradiation position of the lamp 30e is input to the photoelectric conversion element 31b or 31e via the optical lens 31a or 31d and read, and the image of each line of the original is output to the sensor amplifier 31c as an image signal, It is amplified by the sensor amplifier 31c and input to the CPU 32b. The CPU 32b converts this image signal to a data compression method of the other party's ability specified by the CPU 32a, that is, in the case of a GIII machine, it is compressed by the MH (Modified Eyed Hoffman) or MR (Modified Eyed Read) method and converted into a facsimile image signal (image data). To do.

This partner capability is obtained by the CPU 32a by referring to the transmission mode column of the communication monitoring file AT shown in FIG. 1 in which the RAM 32c is provided.

The CPU 32b performs compression processing using the RAM 32c, and the compressed facsimile image signal is given to the CPU 32a. The CPU 32a sends this FAX to the extended interface circuit 39a via the bus 32d.
Image data is sequentially sent and stored in the transmission file of the floppy disk of the floppy disk device 39b.

In this way, the originals are sequentially read and scanned, and when the image data of the originals of the first page are accumulated, the originals of the second page are then sent out by the feed roller 30b, and the images of the originals are similarly read. Then, the image data of the original on the second page is accumulated, and the originals set in the hopper 30a are sequentially sent out in the same manner as described above, successively read, converted into image data, and accumulated in the transmission file.

On the other hand, the CPU 32a outputs the detection output of the document sensor provided in the hopper 30a via the mechanical driver 32e every time when the reading of one page of the original is completed and the converted image data of one page is stored in the transmission file. Then, it is detected whether or not there is a document on the hopper 30a. If there is no document, the reading for one communication is completed.

When the reading for one communication is completed in this way, the CPU 32a detects whether there is a ringer (call) from the line through the NCU 33a, and if there is a call, the receiving operation is performed. That is, if there is a facsimile communication call after the transmission file is created but before the transmission is started, if this call is ignored and the transmission is started, the calling station is kept waiting until the transmission is completed. The receiving operation is performed according to. In this receiving operation, the received signal from the line is received by the NCU33a and the modem
After being demodulated by 33b, it is stored in RAM32c via CPU32a,
Further, after being subjected to decoding processing by the CPU 32b and converted from a compressed image signal into an image signal, it is given to the recording unit 36, and the mechanical driver 32e drives the receiving mechanism unit 35 in response to a command from the CPU 32a to operate at a predetermined sub-scanning speed. The recording unit 35b records the image signal received while feeding the recording paper.

When the ringer is not detected in the step or after the automatic reception operation is completed after the ringer is detected, the CPU 32a checks whether or not the designated time is set in the designated time area of the RAM 32c to detect the presence or absence of the designated time.

If the designated time has been set, the CPU 32a compares it with the time of the clock 32f and waits until the designated time is reached.

If no time is specified or the specified time is reached, C
The PU 32a performs a calling operation. At this time, the CPU 32a refers to the communication monitoring file AT of the RAM 32c, checks the statistics column in the busy column corresponding to the relevant time zone of the destination (stored in the RAM 32c), and if busy, 1 times If it is not in the middle, 2l times is set as the call limit count. That is, if busy, the calls to that time zone tend to be concentrated at that destination, so there is a low possibility of being called even if the call is re-triggered, so the number of times the call is restricted is reduced, and the number of calls is kept constant. Do not make more than the number of calls, and if not busy, conversely, the number of calls to the destination is not concentrated, so there is a high possibility that it will be called, so the number of calls is limited. are doing.

The CPU 32a automatically dials and calls the partner station. That is, the CPU 32a extracts the shortened number or telephone number of the destination stored in the destination area of the RAM 32c, indexes the corresponding telephone number if it is the shortened number, activates the automatic transmitter 33c with the telephone number,
It automatically dials the number of the other party, executes the calling operation, and sends it to the line via the NCU33a.

Next, the NCU33a detects whether the other party is busy or not, and b
If it is not usy, proceed to step. If it is busy, CPU32
"a" adds "1" to the number n of calls made to the corresponding station in the RAM 32c, and detects whether the number n of calls has reached the limit number (for example, 20). If the number of calls n is less than or equal to the limit, the timer is started, and after 3 minutes, the automatic dialing operation for the relevant station is performed again. When the number of times of calling n reaches the limit number of times or more,
Since it is continuously busy (for example, the other station is out of order or the power is off) and transmission is not possible, the transmission file of the floppy disk is released and the image data is cleared.

Furthermore, in order to leave this as the communication result, the CPU32a
Stores a flag "1" indicating that it is busy based on the time of the clock 32f in the history column of the busy column 12a of the relevant time zone of the destination of the communication monitoring file AT of the RAM 32c. The oldest state is removed and updated, the statistics of the majority vote are obtained from the updated history, the statistics column is rewritten, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if not busy, the CPU 32a displays the communication speed column 12 of the corresponding time zone of the destination of the communication monitoring file AT of the RAM 32c.
Refer to the statistics column of b, obtain the optimum communication speed in the past, and set.

It is connected to the destination by the connection of this line, NCU33
The connection between a and the automatic transmitter 33c is switched to the connection between the NCU 33a and the modem 33b, and data transmission becomes possible. First, CPU32
In accordance with a predetermined pre-procedure control, a transmits and receives control signals to and from the partner station via the modems 33b and NCU 33a, and transmits image data after completion of the pre-procedure sequence.

To explain this with reference to FIG. 4, the sender side of the fax machine inputs the call, the call is made, and the receiving side of the fax machine receives the incoming call by calling the other party. Reception capability notification signal NSF
/ DIS is sent to the sender. This reception capability notification signal NSF /
DIS includes the compression method on the receiving side, scanning line density, and recording paper size. Based on this, the transmission side determines whether or not transmission is possible to the reception side, and if transmission is possible, sends a transmission mode notification signal (NSS) DCS to the reception side.

Next, the transmitting side sends a training signal at the past optimum speed in order to determine the optimum communication speed. This is used on the receiving side for initial setting of the equalizer and the like, and the error rate is also calculated. If the error rate is small, the reception side issues a reception preparation completion signal CFR to the reception side. As a result, the pre-procedure control is completed, and thereafter the transmitting side transmits the image data page by page to the receiving side at the above-described optimum speed and causes the receiving side to record the image data. When the transmission of the image data for one page is completed, the post-procedure control is started, the page end signal EOP is given from the transmission side to the reception side, and the reception good signal MCF is issued to the reception side. Is completed.

Due to this transmission, the CPU 32a uses the extended interface circuit 3
9a is controlled, the floppy disk device 39b is driven, the fax image data stored is read from the transmission file of the floppy disk, sent to the modem 33b, modulated, and NCU33a
To the destination fax machine. CP
The U32a repeats this for the number of pages of the general manuscript DS, and when the transmission for all the pages is completed, the transmission operation for the transmission file is ended.

To transmit the image data on the next page, the training signal is transmitted at the optimum speed on the previous page in order to find the optimum speed again. At this time, when the error rate is high as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the receiving side does not return a response. Therefore, if there is no response within a predetermined time after sending the training signal, the transmitting side determines that the error rate is high,
The training signal is sent at a slower communication speed. For example, a training signal is sent at 7.2 kbps, and there is no response of 4.8k.
Send out the training signal again at bps. As a result, if the error rate is small, the completion signal CFR is sent from the receiving side,
The optimum speed is 4.8kbps, and image data is transmitted at this speed.

When the transmission of the image data for all pages is completed, the transmission side sends a line disconnection signal DCN to the reception side, the line is disconnected, and facsimile communication is completed.

Further, the CPU 32a stores, as a communication result, what has not been busy and the optimum speed of the last page in the communication monitoring file AT of the RAM 32c based on the time of the clock 32f. That is, the busy column 12 of the relevant time zone of the relevant destination of the communication monitoring file AT
Store the busy column (“0”) in the history column of a, remove the oldest state in that column and update it, then obtain the majority statistic from the updated history and rewrite the statistics column. Along with this, the code of the relevant communication speed in the history column of the communication rate column 12b of the relevant time zone of the relevant destination (for example, “2” for 4.8 kbps, 4.8 kbps
If so, "3") is stored, the oldest state in the column is removed and updated, and the majority statistic is obtained from the updated history, and the statistic column is rewritten to the past optimum speed. This rewriting ends the process.

In this way, the communication monitoring file AT of the RAM 32c is updated every time communication is made to the specified destination by updating the column corresponding to the specified time zone of the specified destination according to the communication result.
The communication result is stored in the AT as a history for each destination and each time zone.

Therefore, if the communication monitoring file AT is viewed, the tendency of past communication can be known, and it can be used for changing the communication mode.

In this example, the limit number of recalls is changed from the past communication tendency. In a busy destination or time zone, the limit number is set to be small, the recall is terminated early, and the recall operation with a low possibility of being called is performed. On the contrary, the number of times of re-calling has a large possibility of success in calling, and the number of times of re-calling is large in order to increase the limit number of times in a destination and a time zone with less busy.

Also, since the optimum communication speed is not found by starting from the maximum speed (9.6 kbps) as in the past, it is starting from the past optimum speed, so the time required to determine the optimum speed is shortened and the error probability increases. This reduces the risk of frequent errors during image data transmission.

Further, the communication monitoring file AT is output by the receiving mechanism unit 35 so that the operator can understand the communication tendency, and when the operator specifies the time, the time zone with less possibility of connection is removed with reference to this. It can also be used for specifying the time. It is also possible to automatically shift the designated time according to the contents of the monitoring file AT.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the facsimile has been described as an example.
Other communication devices may be used, and the content of the communication monitoring file AT may be only in the history column, or in the communication speed column or the busy column.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention can be variously modified according to the gist of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in the communication device having the time management means and the control means for calling and communicating the destination via the public line according to the destination command, the communication in each time zone for each destination Is provided with a memory for storing the status of each communication, and each time the control means makes the call, the communication status based on the communication result is stored in the memory according to the time of the time management means. Since the state can be stored in the memory as a history, the past communication state can be grasped as a tendency, which can be used for determining the optimum communication mode. Further, since this history is also divided and stored for each destination and each time zone, the effect that the communication state can be finely monitored can be obtained, and the history can be used for more detailed determination of the communication mode. Furthermore, since the monitoring file is automatically created and updated for each communication, there is an effect that the communication status can be accurately monitored without having to obtain it.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a block diagram of a communication monitoring file according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a processing flow chart of the structure of FIG. 2, and FIG. It is a procedure explanatory drawing for communication speed determination in a figure. In the figure, 1, AT ... communication monitoring file, 32 ... control unit, 32c ... memory, 32f ... clock.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A communication device having a time management means and a control means for calling and communicating with a destination via a public line in accordance with a destination command, in which a memory for storing a communication state of each time zone for each destination is provided. A line status monitoring system for a communication device, wherein a communication status based on a communication result is stored in the memory according to the time of the time management means each time the control means makes the call. 2. The line state monitoring system for a communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication result is stored as the communication state. 3. The line state monitoring method for a communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication result and the statistics of the communication result are stored as the communication state. 4. The line status monitoring method for a communication device according to claim (2) or (3), wherein the communication result is whether the communication result is busy or not. 5. The line state monitoring system for a communication device according to claim 2, wherein the communication result is a communication speed.