JPH0884239A - Facsimile receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile receiving apparatus capable of printing a received image which has been interrupted during reception by the same processing when a communication line is interrupted or a power supply is interrupted. . [Structure] A bit pattern that does not occur in normal code data is used as data to be overwritten to erase past image data stored in a storage memory, and this bit pattern is defined as a "page break code". Then, in the decoding process, the RTC which is a normal page end code is used.
By providing the function of detecting the error and the function of detecting the page break code, it is possible to reliably print out even the received portion of the image that has been interrupted during the reception.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to handling of an image in the middle of reception in a facsimile apparatus when an abnormal interruption of a communication line during image reception or an abnormal stop of the receiving apparatus occurs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus using roll paper, printing is sequentially performed in parallel with image reception. Therefore, even if communication is interrupted, even the most recently received image can be printed. It was

However, in plain paper recording in recent years, since cut sheets are used, the received image is temporarily stored in the storage memory, and printing is started after the length of one received page is determined.

In such an apparatus, when an abnormal interruption of the communication line occurs, the final address stored in the storage memory is stored so that the received code up to the address can be decoded and printed out. it can.

As described above, since a time lag occurs between the receiving operation and the printing operation, the storage memory is backed up by a battery for the purpose of protecting data against a sudden power failure.

[0006]

However, when the storage memory is backed up and used, the receiving device suddenly stops. Therefore, unlike when the communication line is interrupted as described above, the image in the middle of reception can be stored up to where in the storage memory. It becomes difficult to remember whether or not it is stored.

Then, if decoding processing is performed and printing is performed in this state, there arises a problem that the end position of the page cannot be known.

Further, in some cases, control may be confused and past accumulated data may not be continuously decoded and printed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile receiving apparatus capable of printing a received image which has been interrupted during reception by the same processing when the communication line is interrupted or the power source is interrupted.

[0010]

In general, when it becomes unnecessary to store the image data stored in the storage memory due to the printout or transmission of the image data, not only the management data is deleted but the actual data is not deleted. The encoded image data itself is erased by overwriting predetermined data.
This is done for the purpose of security protection to prevent the transmission of an erroneous image due to some device abnormality.

Therefore, in the present invention, a bit pattern that does not occur in normal code data is used as the data to be overwritten for erasing the past image data, and this bit pattern is defined as a "page break code".

In the decoding process, the function of detecting the RTC, which is a normal page end code, and the function of detecting the page break code (hereinafter referred to as ABORT) are provided, so that there is a break in the middle of reception. It is possible to reliably print out at least the received portion of the damaged image.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a modem 1 modulates / demodulates data to be transmitted to a line to perform data communication.
The storage memory 2 is a memory for storing the coded image data received by the modem 1.

The decoding unit 3 decodes the coded image signal stored in the storage memory 2 and restores it to pixel data. The pixel decoding processing unit 31 restores the pixel data by the decoding process. It has an RTC detector 32 for detecting a page end code RTC in the encoded image data and an ABORT detector 33 for detecting a page break code ABORT defined by the present invention.

Further, the printing section 4 includes the decoding processing section 31.
The received image (print data) restored to the pixel data is printed by the control unit 5, and the control unit 5 sets a predetermined area of the storage memory 2 in order to initialize and discard the stored image data.
This is for performing an initialization process for filling with a BORT code and controlling the operation of this device.

The secondary battery circuit 21 can be charged and discharged,
The backup power supply is supplied to the storage memory 2 while the main power supply (not shown) is stopped (during a power failure). While the main power supply is stopped, the storage contents of the storage memory 2 are retained by the supply of this backup power supply. It should be noted that whether or not the backup power supply was normally supplied while the main power supply was stopped is determined by detecting the output voltage of the secondary battery circuit 21 when the main power supply is turned on (restored).

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the page end code RTC and the page break code ABORT used in this embodiment.

The page end code RTC in the MH code according to the ITU-T recommendation is defined as 6 consecutive times with 11 units of 0s and 1s as one unit.

On the other hand, in the ABORT code of this embodiment, in consideration of easiness of handling by a microcomputer, one consisting of 15 0s and 1 1 is defined as one unit, and this is made continuous 6 times. .

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing the state of the data stored in the storage memory 2. The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

First, in the initial state, the control section 5 writes the ABORT code in all areas of the storage memory 2 (state (1) in FIG. 3).

Next, when the facsimile reception is started, the coded image data demodulated by the modem 1 and received is sequentially stored in the storage memory 2 (in FIG. 3, the coded image data is represented by * mark). ). When storing this received data,
The control unit 5 performs a decoding process in parallel to grasp the reception state.

When the reception is normally completed, the RTC code is included at the end of the received data (state (2) in FIG. 3).

On the other hand, if the communication is interrupted during the reception or the power of the receiving apparatus is cut off during the reception, only the image data during the reception which is not terminated by the RTC is stored in the storage memory 2 ( State (3) of FIG. 3).

Next, when printing out the received image,
First, the control unit 5 instructs the printing unit 4 to start printing. Then, the decoding unit 3 sequentially inputs the encoded data in the storage memory, performs the decoding process, and outputs the print pixel data to the printing unit 4.

In parallel with this, the RTC of the decoding unit 3
The detection unit 32 and the ABORT detection unit 33 detect the codes that are detection targets of the detection unit 32 and the ABORT detection unit 33.

Here, in the case of the state shown in (2) of FIG. 3 in which the reception is normally completed, the RTC detection section 32 detects the page end and notifies the control section 5 of it.

Further, in the case of the state shown in (3) of FIG. 3 which is the case where the processing is ended in an abnormal receiving state, the ABORT detection unit 33 detects the end of the page and notifies the control unit 5.

In this way, both the normal received image and the abnormal received image are printed out. Then, when the print output is completed, the control unit 5 sets the memory area used for storage to A in order to return the content of the storage memory 2 to the state of (1) in FIG.
Fill with BORT code.

The ABORT code shown in the above embodiment is an example, and it may be a bit pattern that does not appear in a normal code or an RTC code.

However, when the RTC code is used as the ABORT code, it cannot be recognized that the image has been interrupted during the decoding process for printing, but the printing itself can be performed in the same manner.

Further, in the above embodiment, the RTC code detecting section and the ABORT code detecting section are provided independently of each other. 1 ”or“ 12 or more consecutive 0s
It is possible to configure with one circuit by configuring so as to identify "1" after ".

Further, in the above embodiment, the case of the MH code is taken as an example, but the RTC code in the case of the MR code and the MMR code may be the code shown in FIG.
Recommended by

As shown in the figure, the MMR code has almost MH.
Although it has the same configuration as the code but only the number of repetitions,
In the R code, tag bits indicating one-dimensional coding are added to each.

However, since the compression code used for the image stored in the storage memory has been clarified at the time of reception, the same ABORT code can be obtained by switching only the RTC detection reference for each code format. There is no problem in using it.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an initialization routine of the storage memory 2 when the main power source of this apparatus is turned on.

As described above, the storage memory 2 is supplied with backup power from the rechargeable secondary battery circuit 21 while the main power supply is stopped (during power failure), and retains the stored contents even during power failure. .

In FIG. 5, in S51, while the main power supply is stopped, the backup power supply is normally supplied, and the storage memory 2
It is determined whether the memory content of is stored. This is 2
It is determined whether the output terminal voltage of the secondary battery circuit 21 is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage.

Here, if the backup function works effectively, the data in the storage memory 2 is not initialized,
This routine ends.

If the backup function is invalid, that is, the data in the storage memory 2 is indefinite (a state in which the stored contents are not guaranteed to be correct), the process proceeds to S52.

In S52, the entire area of the storage memory 2 is set to "A
Fill with BORT "code.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the receiving operation in this apparatus.

The receiving operation of this embodiment is similar to the operation of a general facsimile apparatus. First, when a calling signal (CI) from the communication line is detected in S61, the line is captured and the apparatus is connected to the line. Connect to. Then, in S62, a reception procedure according to the facsimile protocol is executed, and negotiation for image communication is performed.

Next, in S63, the encoded image data is received and sequentially stored in the storage memory 2, and a decoding process for confirming the reception quality is performed in parallel.

Then, in S64, the post-reception procedure according to the facsimile protocol is executed, and in S65, the above-mentioned S64 is executed.
In the procedure, if the partner transmitter instructs that the next page is transmitted, the process returns to S62. If there is no next page, the communication is terminated and the line is released.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation when printing the encoded image data stored in the storage memory 2. This operation is executed for each image printing process of one reception, and when the storage memory 2 has received image data a plurality of times, it is re-executed for each printing.

First, in S71, the coded image data stored in the storage memory 2 is decoded until one line or an ABORT code is detected, and the restored pixel data is output to the printing unit 4.

In S72, it is determined whether or not the ABORT code is detected. If it is detected, the process proceeds to S74, and if not, the process proceeds to S73.

At S73, RTC which is the page end code
It is determined whether or not the code is detected, and if it is detected, S7
If not, the process returns to S71 to re-execute the decoding and printing process for the next line.

Further, in S74, the printed image data is not terminated by the RTC but is terminated by the ABORT code. It is determined that the reception has been interrupted, and some image message indicating "interruption of reception" is added to the image data already printed and the image data is printed. After this, the process proceeds to S76.

In S75, it is determined whether or not there is an image to be printed continuously. If there is a next page, the process returns to S71 and the print process for the next page is re-executed.
If there is no next page, the process proceeds to S76.

In S76, the ABORT code is written in the area of the storage memory 2 in which the printed image data is stored, so that the printed image data is erased and the reception interruption is detected when the next received image data is stored. Prepare for

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With a simple configuration that fills the empty area of the storage memory with ABORT code in advance, it receives images that are interrupted during reception after a sudden abnormality such as a communication line interruption or power failure There is an effect that it is possible to reliably print out even the completed portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a page end code RTC and a page break code ABORT used in the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state of data stored in a storage memory in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a page end code used in the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an initialization routine of the storage memory 2 in the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation for printing image data in the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Modem, 2 ... Storage memory, 3 ... Decoding part, 4 ... Printing part, 5 ... Control part, 31 ... Pixel decoding process part, 32 ... RTC detection part, 33 ... ABORT detection part.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A communication means for receiving an encoded facsimile image signal via a communication line, a storage memory for storing the encoded image signal received by the communication means, and a predetermined area of the storage memory, Initializing means for writing a predetermined page break code, decoding processing means for decoding the coded image signal in the storage memory, first detecting means for detecting a regular page end code in the code signal, and the It has a decoding means having a second detection means for detecting a page break code, and a printing means for printing out the image signal decoded by this decoding means, and the initialization means initializes the storage memory. If
And when discarding the stored encoded image data, the page interruption code is written, and the decoding means recognizes that the page ends when the first detection means or the second detection means detects the code. A facsimile receiving apparatus characterized by: 2. The facsimile receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the page break code is the same code as the page end code.