JPH0480586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image receiving device used, for example, in a facsimile device having a proxy reception function.

BACKGROUND ART A conventional device of this type includes a communication control means having an automatic call reception function, a recording section that prints and records image information received via the communication control means on recording paper, and a control device that controls whether or not the recording paper is present in the recording section. It has a recording paper presence sensor that detects the absence of recording paper, and an image information memory that stores the image information received when the recording paper presence sensor detects that there is no recording paper. When it becomes impossible to record image information, the image information is converted into a file and stored in memory as a substitute (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 198958/1983).

In this case, the image information stored in the memory is converted into a file every time new information is received. That is, one image information file is created for each reception and stored and registered in the memory. The stored image information is read out and recorded file by file after recording paper is loaded into the recording section.

As described above, when the recording section is unable to record the received image information, the received image information is stored in the memory instead of the recording section, so-called proxy reception is performed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with such a configuration, the management of image information stored in the memory due to proxy reception is complicated, and the storage capacity of the memory is not always fully utilized. There was a problem that the receiving capacity was easily insufficient.

The above problem arises for the following reasons.

That is, storage of image information performed during proxy reception is limited by two factors: the storage capacity of the image information memory and the file management capacity. When either the memory storage capacity or the file management capacity reaches its limit, no more image information can be stored, and therefore proxy reception is no longer possible.

In this way, the capacity for proxy reception is limited not only by the storage capacity of the image information memory, but also by the file management capacity, resulting in repeated proxy reception of image information with a small average number of pages per item. Sometimes, even though there is still plenty of room in the absolute storage capacity of the image information memory, it becomes impossible to store newly received image information due to file management capacity limitations. I had to put it away.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to simplify the management of image information stored in a memory for proxy reception, and to enable proxy reception by effectively utilizing the storage capacity of the memory. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image receiving device whose capacity can be expanded.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention incorporates image information that is received and stored in a memory when the recording unit cannot record the received image information into a specific image information file. This system has a configuration that allows the system to be managed by the user.

Effect: With the above-described configuration, the present invention can manage the image information stored in the memory for proxy reception, since the image information received by proxy is stored in the memory without increasing the number of files to be managed. Not only can this be simplified, but also the storage capacity of the memory can be effectively utilized to expand the receiving capacity that can be substituted.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image receiving device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a system control unit that controls the operation of the entire device, 2 is a communication control unit that has an automatic call receiving function, 3 is an image information control unit that manages image information; 4 is a management memory unit that provides an image information management area; 5 is an image information memory unit that stores the image information itself; and 6 is a unit that prints and records the image information on recording paper. 7 is a recording paper presence/absence sensor for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper in the recording unit 6; 8 is a public communication line such as a telephone line; 9 is an internal data bus; and 10 is an image information transmission path.

In FIG. 1, a system control section 1 is constructed using a general-purpose information processing device that is a microcircuit, so-called a microcomputer. The management memory section 4 and the image information memory section 5 are constituted by, for example, a large-capacity semiconductor RAM or a rewritable storage device such as a magnetic hard disk recording device. The image information control section 3 causes the image information memory section 5 to store the image information received when the recording paper presence/absence sensor 7 detects that there is no recording paper, and also causes the image information stored in the image information memory section 7 to be stored in the image information memory section 5. To manage information by incorporating it into a specific image information file. A specific image information file is a file that is registered only once for proxy reception,
The image information, which is the actual information, is stored in the image information memory section 5, and its management information is registered in the management memory section 4.

FIG. 2 shows a registration format of file management information registered in the management memory unit 4. As shown in FIG.

In the figure, file management information A consists of a file descriptor (file management table or file index) B created for each file and a page descriptor (page management table or page index) created for each page. It is registered separately with C.

File descriptor B includes the file number for identifying the file, the total number of pages of image information that constitutes the file, that is, the total number of pages indicating the number of registered page descriptors C, and the storage of the page descriptor for the first page. Organized by destination address.

Page descriptor C is the page number, 1
It is organized by an address indicating the storage location of the previous page descriptor, an address indicating the storage location of the next page descriptor, and an address indicating the storage location of the image information belonging to the page with the above page number.

The operation of the image receiving apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation of the image receiving apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 using a flowchart.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, when the communication control unit 2 detects an incoming call, the system control unit 1 checks the recording unit 6 to see if there is recording paper. The recording unit 6 notifies the system control unit 1 of the presence or absence of recording paper using the recording paper presence/absence sensor 7 (ST1).

Here, if the recording paper exists, that is, if it is in a recordable state, the image information received via the communication control unit 2 after receiving the call is printed and recorded on the recording paper by the recording unit 6. (ST11).

On the other hand, if there is no recording paper, that is, if it is in a state where recording is not possible, the system control unit 1
asks the image information control unit 3 whether or not a proxy reception file has already been registered (ST2).

If the proxy reception file has not been registered, a new proxy reception file is created and registered in the management memory section 4 (ST3). To register the file for proxy reception, use file descriptor B.
This is done by creating and registering it in the management memory unit 4. The number of substitute reception files is limited to one, and if there is already a registered substitute reception file, no new registration will be performed.

When the registration of the substitute reception file is confirmed, the system control unit 1 notifies the communication control unit 2 that reception preparation is complete, and also sends the image information control unit 3 a page-by-page file of the received image information. The page descriptor C representing the management information is commanded to be created (ST4).

The created page descriptor C is the second
According to the registration format shown in the figure, it is registered as a page descriptor belonging to file descriptor B of the file for proxy reception that has already been created (ST5).

Thereafter, the image information control section 3 instructs the communication control section 2 to start receiving image information. As a result, the received image information is stored in the image information memory section 5 (ST6).

The communication control unit 3 monitors a page end signal transmitted for each page of image information. When this page end signal is detected, it notifies the image information control section 3 that reception of image information for one page has ended. Image information control unit 3 that received this notification
writes the image information storage address to the page descriptor C that was registered earlier (ST7).

At the same time, the communication control unit 3 rewrites the total number of pages in file descriptor B to the number of pages increased by one page (ST8).

In the manner described above, storage of one page of received image information and registration of its management information are completed.

After this, if the image information of the next page is successively received, the above-mentioned creation of the page descriptor C, storage of the image information, and file descriptor B are performed until the communication control unit 2 finishes the reception. The total number of pages is updated repeatedly (ST4 to ST8).

When a new reception operation is started after a reception operation has been completed, a new file descriptor B is not created, that is, a new file is not created, and the page belonging to the already created proxy reception file is created. - By newly creating only descriptor C, management information for newly received and stored image information is created. In other words, no new files are registered even if the number of received items increases. The image information for each received item is merged into the already registered proxy reception file and stored and managed.

As described above, the image information that has been received by proxy is stored in the memory without increasing the number of files to be managed, thereby greatly simplifying the management of the image information stored in the memory for the purpose of proxy reception.
As a result, the only factor that limits the receiving capacity that can be substituted is the storage capacity of the image information memory section 5. Even if image information with a small number of pages is repeatedly received, the image information memory section 5 can store the received image information to its full storage capacity without being limited by the file management capacity. As a result, the storage capacity of the image information memory section 5 is effectively utilized, and the receiving capacity that can be substituted is expanded.

In the above-described embodiment, the number of proxy reception files is limited to one, but it may be limited to two or several files as long as the burden of file management is not increased too much. .

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention incorporates image information that is received and stored in memory when the recording unit cannot record the received image information into a specific image information file. By managing the image information that has been received as an agent, it is stored in the memory without increasing the number of files to be managed, which simplifies the management of the image information that is stored in the memory for the purpose of agent reception. This has the effect that the receiving capacity that can be substituted can be expanded by effectively utilizing the storage capacity of .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image receiving device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing management information of a proxy reception file, and FIG. 3 is an example of the operation of the main part of the image receiving device. This is a flowchart. 1... A system control unit that manages the operation of the entire device, 2... A communication control unit that has an automatic call receiving function, 3
...An image information control unit that manages image information, 4...A management memory unit that provides an image information management area, 5
. . . Image information memory section that stores the image information itself, 6 . . . Recording section that prints and records the image information on recording paper, 7 . For example, public communication lines such as telephone lines, 9... data bus within the system, 10... image information transmission path, A... file management information, B... file descriptor, C
...Page descriptor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A communication control means having an automatic call receiving function, a recording section that prints and records the received image information on recording paper,
An image information memory stores image information received when the recording unit is unable to record, and the image information stored in this image information memory is managed by incorporating it into a specific image information file. An image receiving device comprising an image information control means.