JPH0431461B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention provides facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX)
This is an automatic power control method for the data processing device connected to the device. Especially when the storage capacity of the data memory of the facsimile device is exhausted, the power to the data processing device is cut off, data transmission is stopped, and data is sent to the outside. By turning on the power of the data processing device and restarting data transmission when the storage capacity becomes available due to data transmission, recording output, etc., the power consumption of the data processing device can be saved.

[Industrial application field]

Regarding power control of a data processing device connected to a fax device when transmission is stopped according to the memory storage capacity of the fax device during data transmission,
In particular, the present invention relates to an automatic power control system that can prevent wasteful power consumption by turning off the power when data transmission is stopped and turning on the power when there is storage space in the memory.

In recent years, fax communication, which uses communication lines to transmit documents, figures, etc. to remote locations, has become popular.
Due to the high communication speed of fax machines, a method of connecting a data processing device, such as an office computer, to a fax machine and transferring data through the fax machine has become popular. This kind of transmission temporarily stops data transmission when the fax machine's memory capacity runs out of space to store the received data, but since this is often done at night, the power to the transmitting device is also turned off to reduce power consumption. A method to reduce waste is desired.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of essential parts of a communication system to which the present invention is applied.

In the figure, office computer 1a and
The fax machine 2a is connected via a line. Also
For example, the fax machine 2a sends a
It is connected to the fax machine 20.

Office computer 1a, data processing section 1
1. Data memory 12 and direct memory access (hereinafter referred to as DMA)
13.

The FAX device 2a also stores data sent from the main control unit 21, the reading unit 22, read data, or the office computer 1a, etc., and also sets a MIN setting amount and a MAX setting amount, which indicate the presence or absence of storage capacity. data storage capacity is increased to MAX
When the set amount is reached or when the data storage amount decreases.
FAX memory 23a and FAX memory 2 which respectively send signals to the memory control unit 24 when the MIN setting amount is reached.
Data access control to 3a and MAX/
A memory control unit 24, an operation display unit 25, a recording unit 26, a transmission control unit 27, and a modem that transmit a transmission stop command signal a/transmission enable signal b based on a signal sent from the FAX memory 23a when the MIN setting amount is reached. 28, a network control unit (hereinafter referred to as NCU) 29, and a line control unit 30.

With such a configuration, normally the FAX device 2a reads the original to be sent using the reading unit 22 and stores the image data in the FAX memory 23a before transmitting the data. When storing in
First, in the office computer 1a, the data processed by the data processing unit 11 is stored in the data memory 12 by the DMA unit 13, and then read out and received by the line control unit 30 of the FAX machine 2 that sent the data. Under the control of the control unit 24
It is stored in the FAX memory 23a.

When transferring this data to another FAX device 20, the memory control unit 24 transfers the data to the FAX memory 23a.
Output data according to destination information stored in the office computer 1b,
The transmission control unit 27 and modem 28 transmit the data from the NCU 29 to the fax machine 20 via the telephone network 3. Therefore, the data received by the FAX device 20 may be recorded or outputted depending on the purpose, or may be sent to another office computer (not shown) or the like.

Here, generally the office computer 1a
The storage capacity of data memory 12 is the same as that of fax memory 2.
The storage capacity is larger than that of 3a, and the fax memory 2
3a stores the data read by the fax machine 2a, and the office computer 1
I ran out of space to store the data sent from a.
When the MAX setting amount is reached, the memory control unit 2
A transmission stop command signal a is generated from 4 and sent to the office computer 1a, and the DMA section 13 stops reading data from the data memory 12 and stopping transmission.

Eventually, the fax memory 23a has some storage space.
When the MIN setting amount is reached, the memory control unit 24 issues a transmission enable signal b, and the DMA unit 13 resumes reading and transmitting data from the data memory 12.

The office computer 1a is kept powered on from the time the transmission is stopped until it is restarted.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above-mentioned conventional method, the office computer 1 waits until data transmission/reception is resumed after the fax memory 23a runs out of storage space and data transmission/reception is stopped.
A has the problem that the power remains on, and power consumption is wasted. Since such transmissions are often performed especially at night, improvements are desired.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a data processing device, 2 is a FAX device, 23 is a first storage means in which predetermined amounts of first and second storage data are set, and data transmitted from the data processing device is stored; 31 is a first storage means for storing data transmitted from the data processing device; a second storage unit that stores a power control request signal that is responded to when the storage data in the first storage unit 20 increases and reaches a first predetermined amount and notifies the data processing device 1 of a predetermined amount attainment signal; 14 is a command means for transmitting a power control request signal to the FAX machine 2 based on the predetermined amount arrival signal transmitted from the FAX machine 2; 15 is a command means for transmitting a power control request signal from the command means 14;
This is a power control means that turns off the power after transmitting the signal to the FAX machine 2, and turns on the power by returning a power control request signal.

Therefore, when the stored data in the first storage means 23 increases and reaches the first predetermined amount, the data processing device 1
At the same time, the data processing device 1
When the power is cut off and the stored data in the first storage means 23 decreases to a second predetermined amount, the second
The data processing apparatus 1 is configured to output a power control request signal stored in the storage means 31 to turn on the power to the data processing apparatus 1 and resume data transmission.

[Effect]

The data sent from data processing device 1 is faxed
The stored data is stored in the first storage means 23 of the device 2, and when the amount of stored data increases and reaches the first set amount, a predetermined amount reaching signal is sent to the data processing device 1 to notify that there is no storage margin. Then, data processing device 1 stops sending data to fax device 2, and
The command means 14 sends a power control request signal, and the power control means 15 automatically turns off the power.

Further, the FAX device 2 stores the power control request signal in the second storage means 31.

When the data stored in the first storage means 23 of the FAX device 2 decreases due to external transmission or recording output, a storage margin is created and the second set value is reached.
A power control request signal is output from the second storage means 23 and transmitted to the data processing device 1.

When the data processing device 1 receives the power control request signal, it automatically turns on the power and resumes data transmission.

In this way, by turning off the power while the data processing device 1 suspends data transmission, it is possible to prevent wasted power consumption.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of FIG. 2. The corresponding figure in Figure 2 to Figure 1 is 1.
It is shown surrounded by a dotted chain line. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures. In FIG. 2, the command section 14a of the data processing device 1b is
Predetermined amount arrival signal a sent from FAX device 2b
It is a command means that first stops data transmission based on the above, then outputs a power control request signal b, causes it to be transmitted to the fax machine 2b, and then sends a power cut command signal c to the power ON/OFF control section 15a. .

The power ON/OFF control section 15a is the command section 3
This is a power control means that is activated and automatically turns off the power in response to a power cut-off command signal d sent from the fax machine 1a, and automatically turns on the power in response to a power control request signal c returned from the FAX machine 2b.

The command memory 31a of the fax machine 2b is
The data stored in the FAX memory 23a increases to MAX.
This storage means stores a power control request signal c that is responded to when a predetermined amount is reached and a transmission stop command signal a is transmitted to the office computer 1b.

The command memory control unit 32 has a function of controlling access to the power control request signal c stored in the command memory 31a.

Since it has such a configuration and function, the operation of stopping/resuming data transmission will be explained using the flowchart shown in Fig. 3.
The data sent to b is stored in the FAX memory 23a.

When the amount of data stored in the FAX memory 23a increases and reaches the MAX set amount, a predetermined amount reaching signal a is sent to the office computer 1b to notify that there is no storage space left.

Then, the data processing device 1b becomes the fax device 2b.
Stop sending data to.

Next, the command section 14 transmits a power control request signal c to the FAX device 2b.

The FAX device 2b stores the received power control request signal c in the command memory 31a.

On the other hand, a power cut command signal d is sent from the command section 14a to the power ON/OFF control section 15a to turn off the power.

As time passes, the amount of data stored in the FAX memory 23a of the FAX device 2b decreases due to transmission to other FAX devices 20 via the telephone network 3 or recording output of the recording unit 26, and reaches the MIN setting value. Then, a transmittable signal b is sent to the command memory control section 32, and a power control request signal c is output from the command memory 31a and sent to the office computer 1b.

When the office computer 1b receives the power control request signal c, the office computer 1b turns on the power ON/OFF control unit 15.
A power control request signal c is sent to a to instruct the power to be turned on, and the power is turned on.

Then, the DMA 13 resumes sending data to the FAX 2b.

In this way, by turning off the power while the office computer 1b suspends data transmission, it is possible to prevent wasted power consumption.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the power to the data processing device is turned off during the time when data transmission from the data processing device is stopped due to lack of storage space in the memory of the fax machine. When this happens, the power is turned on and data transmission is restarted, which has the effect of preventing wasted power consumption.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a block diagram of main parts showing a conventional example. . In the figure, 1 is a data processing device, 1a, 1b
are office computers, 2, 2a, 2b, 20
is a fax machine, 3 is a telephone network, 11 is a data processing unit,
12 is a data memory, 13 is a DMA section, 14 is a command means, 14a is a command section, 15 is a power supply control means, 15a is a power ON/OFF control section, 21 is a main control section, 22 is a reading section, 23 is a first storage means, 2
3a is a fax memory, 24 is a memory control unit, 25
is an operation display section, 26 is a recording section, 27 is a transmission control section, 28 is a modem, 29 is an NCU, 30 is a line control section, 31 is a second storage section, 31a is a command memory, a is a predetermined amount arrival signal, b is a transmittable signal,
c indicates a power control request signal, and d indicates a power cutoff command signal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data processing device 1, which is connected to the data processing device 1 and receives data transmitted from the data processing device 1, and sets a first predetermined amount and a second predetermined amount. a facsimile device 2 stored in a first storage means 23;
In a system that stops transmitting data when stored data increases and reaches a first predetermined amount, and resumes transmitting data when the stored data decreases and reaches a second predetermined amount. , a power control request signal that is responded to by the facsimile device 2 when the data stored in the first storage means 23 increases and reaches a first predetermined amount and a predetermined amount attainment signal is notified to the data processing device 1; a second storage means 31 for storing, a command means 14 for transmitting a power control request signal to the facsimile device 2 based on the predetermined amount arrival signal transmitted from the facsimile device 2 to the data processing device 1; and a power supply control means 15 that automatically turns off the power supply and automatically turns on the power supply upon reception of a power supply control request signal, when the data stored in the first storage means 23 increases and reaches a first predetermined amount. The data processing device 1
After stopping the transmission from the data processing device 1, the power of the data processing device 1 is automatically cut off, and when the data stored in the first storage device 23 decreases and reaches a second predetermined amount, the second storage device 31 An automatic power supply control method characterized in that the data processing apparatus 1 is automatically powered on by outputting a power supply control request signal stored in the data processing apparatus 1, thereby restarting data transmission.