JPH01282956A - Control method of facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field] The present invention relates to a control method for a facsimile machine.

[Prior Art] When constructing a network system using a large number of facsimile machines, the facsimile machines are grouped by region, and broadcast transmission to each region is performed via a relay station set in each region. In this way, we aim to improve the efficiency of network system operation.

Furthermore, when transmitting information to a remote location, depending on the fee structure, it may be possible to reduce communication costs by passing through a relay station on the way.

In this way, when using the relay transmission function on a facsimile machine, conventional methods require operations such as setting the relay transmission mode, selecting a relay station, and inputting the destination, which is time-consuming for the operator. It was causing inconvenience.

In addition, in large networks, multiple relay stations may be installed in the same area, and in this case, there is the inconvenience that it is difficult to appropriately select the relay station that can reduce communication costs the most. there were.

[Objective] The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a control method for a facsimile machine that can automatically set a communication path.

[Configuration] In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes a storage means that stores a plurality of pieces of relay destination information representing the destinations of relay stations,
When destination information is input, a relay station with the lowest communication fee to that destination is selected based on the relay destination information, the destination information of the own terminal, and the input destination information.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. This facsimile device constitutes a facsimile network consisting of a large number of facsimile devices, and a plurality of relay stations are set up in each region of the facsimile network.

In the figure, a CPU (central processing unit) 1 performs internal processing of the facsimile machine, transmission control procedure processing, and control processing of each element, and its processing programs and work areas are stored in the system memory 2. Various types of information that are stored and created and that are unique to each facsimile machine are stored in the parameter memory 3.

The scanner 4 is for reading a document image at a predetermined resolution, and the plotter 5 is for recording and outputting a recorded image at a predetermined resolution.

The operation display unit 6 includes various operation keys and displays necessary for operating this facsimile machine, and the image storage device 7 is for storing a large amount of encoded and compressed image information. .

The encoding/decoding unit 8 encodes and compresses the image signal and decodes the encoded and compressed image information into the original image signal.

The modem 9 performs predetermined modulation and demodulation processing for transmitting and receiving digital data via a telephone line, and the network control device 10 connects this facsimile device to the telephone line. Furthermore, the network control device 10 is equipped with an automatic call/receive function.

Further, the CPU, system memory 2, parameter memory 3, scanner 4, plotter 5, operation display section 6, image storage device 7, encoding coding section 8, modem 9, and network control device 10 use the system bus 11. The necessary data is exchanged between them.

The parameter memory 3 includes a table of speed dials registered in this facsimile machine, a charge calculation table used to calculate telephone charges between two facsimile machines, and a relay information table used to select a relay station. Various information such as the following information is stored.

An example of the relay information table is shown in FIG. 2(a).

This relay information table shows the number of re-calling limits NCC1 for limiting the number of re-callings to the same relay station1 the number of transmission repetition limits NRC1 for limiting the number of transmission repetitions when transmission fails to the same relay station1 relay station selection It consists of standard charge differential information DTE and relay station information RCI to RCn representing respective destination information for all relay stations set in the facsimile network.

In addition, an example of transmission management information used during transmission is shown in Figure 2 (
Shown in b).

This transmission management information includes destination information DCL of the destination inputted by the operator, and a transmission file number FN for specifying the transmission file stored in the image storage device 7.
0, and a relay destination CRI-CRm indicating the destination of a relay station that can be set as a relay station when transmitting to that destination.

Here, the number of relay destinations CRI to CRa+ changes depending on the destination set at that time, and the number of relay destinations CRI to CRa+ changes depending on the destination set at that time.
rCR+++ is set as follows.

First, based on the destination information of the own terminal and the respective relay station information RCI to RCn in the relay information table, the communication charge from the own terminal to each relay station is calculated with reference to the charge calculation table. Next, based on the destination information of the set destination and the relay station information RCI to RCn, the communication fee from each relay station to the destination is calculated with reference to the fee calculation table.

Then, these charges are totaled for each relay station, and the total value of communication charges when each relay station is used is calculated.

Next, the relay station information is sorted in ascending order using the calculated communication fee total value as a key. Furthermore, select the relay station information whose difference in total communication charges with the first relay station with the smallest total communication charges in the sorting is up to the charge disparity set in the charge disparity information DTE. , thereby selecting one relay station.

In this way, the relay station information of the selected m relay stations is arranged in the order in which they are arranged, and thereby the relay destination CRI
~ Obtain CRn+.

With the above configuration, when the operator sets a transmission document on the scanner 4, inputs destination information from the operation display section 6, and presses the start key, the reading operation of the scanner 4 is started.

As a result, the image information read from the scanner 4 is
The image is encoded and compressed by the encoder/decoder 8 and stored in the image storage device 7.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, first, the above-mentioned transmission management information is created (process 101). In this process 101,
The destination information inputted at that time is set to the destination information DCL, the file number set when storing the image information read from the scanner 4 in the image storage device 7 is set to the transmission file number FNO, and Relay destinations CRI to CR+++ are formed as described above.

Then, based on the destination information DCL and the destination information of the own terminal,
Calculate the communication charge when calling the destination directly with reference to the charge calculation table, and check whether the communication charge is greater than the total communication charge of the first relay destination CRI in the transmission management information (determination 102 ).

When the result of this judgment 102 is No, the communication fee will be cheaper if the call is made directly to the destination, so normal transmission processing (process 103) is executed.

When the result of the first judgment 102 is YES, the counter BC for storing the number of calls and the counter FC for storing the number of transmissions are each set to "0" with the relay station of the relay destination CRI selected. Initial setting process 1
04), call the relay station of the relay destination CRI (process 10
5).

At this time, if the relay station is busy and the line is not connected (the result of judgment 106 is No), the counter BC is incremented (process 107), and as a result, the value of counter BC becomes equal to or greater than the re-call limit number NCC. It is checked whether or not there is one (decision 108).

When the result of judgment 108 is NO, the process returns to process 105 and calls the relay station again after the waiting time for re-calling has elapsed (process 109).

When the result of decision 108 is YIES, the re-calling to that relay station is terminated and it is checked whether there is a next relay destination (decision 110). The result of judgment 110 is YES.
When the next relay destination relay station is selected (process 111), the process returns to process 105 and calls the primary relay station.

When the result of judgment 110 is NO, relay transmission was not possible, so a report indicating this is generated and recorded and output from plotter 5, and transmission failure processing 112 is performed to delete the transmitted file from image storage device 7. Execute and end this process.

Also, if the line is connected to the relay station and the result of judgment 106 is Y.
In the case of ES, a predetermined relay transmission process (process 113) is executed to transmit the destination information and transmission image information to the relay station, and when the transmission ends normally (the result of judgment 114 is NO), Ends the relay transmission operation.

Also, if the relay transmission does not end normally and the result of judgment 114 is YES, the counter FC is incremented (step 115), and as a result, whether or not the value of the counter FC is equal to or greater than the transmission repetition limit number NRC. (Judgment 116).

When the result of judgment 116 is NO, in order to call the same relay station again, the counter BC is initialized to "0", and then the process waits for the time until the call is called again (process 117), and returns to process 105.

If the result of decision 116 is YES, the process advances to decision 110 in order to switch to the next relay station.

In this way, in this embodiment, if calling the destination entered by the operator will be the cheapest, the call will be made directly, and if it will be cheaper to call the destination via a relay station, the call will be sent via relay. is being carried out.

In addition, if the first candidate relay station indicated by the relay destination CRI is busy and connection cannot be established even after re-calling for the limited number of re-calls NCC, the second candidate relay station indicated by the relay destination CR2 If it is not possible to connect to the second candidate relay station, select the third candidate relay station, and in the same manner, connect to the m-th candidate relay station indicated by relay destination CRm. The relay stations are sequentially selected so that one of the relay stations can be selected.

Furthermore, for example, if the line condition is poor and normal transmission is not possible even after repeating the transmission repetition limit number of times NRC, the next candidate relay station will be selected in order to ensure that the image information transmission is as successful as possible. I have to.

In this way, in this embodiment, since the communication path to the specified destination is set, there is no need for the operator to perform any special operations, and the communication path can be set according to the situation at that time. .

In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment explained the case where one destination is set, the present invention can be applied in the same way even when a plurality of destinations are set.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the communication path is always set by the process shown in FIG. 3, but the automatic setting operation of the communication path may be canceled by an operator's operation.

[Effects] As explained above, according to the present invention, the present invention includes a storage means that stores a plurality of pieces of relay destination information representing destinations of relay stations,
When destination information is input, select the relay station that minimizes communication charges to that destination.

Since the selection is made based on the relay destination information, the destination information of the own terminal, and the input destination information, the communication path can be automatically set, and the effort of the operator is reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a relay information table, and FIG. 2(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of transmission management information. 3 are flowcharts showing an example of processing at the time of transmission. 1... CPU (central processing bag M), 2... system memory, 3... parameter memory. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a control method for a facsimile machine equipped with a relay transmission setting function, the facsimile machine is equipped with a storage means that stores a plurality of pieces of relay destination information representing the destination of a relay station, and when the destination information is inputted, the communication charge to that destination is minimized. A control method for a facsimile apparatus, characterized in that a relay station is selected based on the relay destination information, the destination information of the own terminal, and the input destination information.