JPH099035A - Image communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] It is an object to provide an image communication apparatus that allows a transmitting side to easily and effectively know whether or not a transmitted image is reliably received. [Structure] By providing a function to send back the received image to the sender again, the sent text can be used for replying from the receiving side so that the sending side can easily check the sending status. I chose In addition, at the time of this reply, the characters sent in advance are added to the transmitted text, or the image read at the time of reply is added to enable more effective confirmation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication device such as a facsimile device for transmitting image information using a public line or a private line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image communication apparatus represented by a facsimile apparatus, direct communication and memory communication are known as methods for transmitting image information.

Among them, the direct communication is to read a document to be transmitted line by line in the main scanning direction, compress image information of one line or a plurality of lines of 5 lines or less, and use a communication means typified by MR or MMR system. The document is conveyed at every line transmission, and the transmission is completed when all the documents are conveyed.

On the other hand, in the memory communication, all the image information of a document is read, the information is stored in a memory, and the information is transmitted later by the same communication means as the direct communication.

In this memory communication, the transmitting worker is
While communicating, it is not necessary to be near the facsimile device, and the manuscript can be brought back immediately, which is an advantage that the working efficiency of the worker is good.

[0006] Also, in the case of receiving, in many cases, after receiving the memory, it is printed on paper and output, and the output image is also stored in the memory.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus and the like, when transmitting, the communication result is O.
Whether it is K or NG can be confirmed on the sending side, but it is often unclear whether or not the sent manuscript has reached the recipient accurately. There are many cases to confirm.

However, this is also the case in foreign countries where there is a time difference, and in many cases there is no other party, and there is the fact that there is no confirmation method.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image communication apparatus which allows a transmitting side to easily and effectively know whether or not a transmitted image has been reliably received.

[0010]

According to the present invention, by providing means for returning a received image to the sender again, the received text can be used to make a reply from the receiving side. The status can be easily confirmed on the sending side.

Further, at the time of this reply, it is possible to add a prepared character or the like to the transmitted text, or add an image read at the time of reply to make more effective confirmation. I did it.

[0012]

As a specific example, by providing a one-touch return button on the operation unit, the following processing is executed. The receiver issues a reception number for the received image. The recipient presses the return button and inputs the reception number. In the internal memory of the receiver, the received number is T
The telephone number of the other party sent by TL is entered, and the call is automatically made to that number. The image to be returned is only the first page of the received image, and "Received" in the memory is added on the image.

[0013]

1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an image communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus of this embodiment has a CPU 1 for controlling the entire apparatus, a ROM 2 storing a control program for the CPU 1, a RAM 3 used as a work area for the CPU 1, and a scanner for reading an original and converting it into an electric signal. 4 and a printer 5 for outputting an image on recording paper
And an operation unit 6 including various operation keys for the operator to perform various inputs and a display unit for displaying various information,
It has a modem 7 that modulates / demodulates transmitted / received data, an NCU 8 that connects a line to the telephone or the modem 7, and an image memory 9 that stores image data.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the key arrangement of the operation unit 6 and the display screen.

As shown in the figure, the operation unit 6 includes a ten-key pad 61 for dial input, a copy key 62 for making a copy, and a FAX for giving an instruction for facsimile transmission.
It has a key 63, a printer key 64 for instructing printout, and an LCD display section 65.

In this embodiment, the LCD display unit 6
A part of 5 is configured as a touch panel, and a return button 66 is provided on this touch panel. The return button 66 is for setting a reply mode for replying the received image.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a reception number (12345 after # in the example of FIG. 3) is added to the upper portion of the received image for printing. There is.

In the above structure, when replying the received image, the operator first presses the return button 66. As a result, the screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display unit 65. Here, the worker recognizes the reception number from the received original document to be returned and inputs the reception number using the ten keys 61. Then, by pressing the reply button 67, the facsimile apparatus causes the facsimile number corresponding to the reception number to be stored in the memory of the other party's telephone number (TTL).
Read), and the received image is automatically returned to this destination.

At this time, the image to be used is only the first page of the image sent from the other party, and "RECIVED" or "reception" stored in the device in advance on the image.
Characters such as are added (overlapped) and the other party is notified of the reception. FIG. 5 shows an example of the reply image in this case.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the first embodiment, the operation of adding the receipt stamp or the like by inputting only the reception number has been described, but in the second embodiment, as shown in the display screen of FIG. When the reception number and the personal number are input, the personal number can be input in and the image corresponding to the personal number (for example, the image shown in FIG. 6) is registered in advance. As shown, the image showing the individual in FIG. 6 is added on.

As a third embodiment of the present invention, the same reply operation as in the first embodiment is automatically started by first inputting the reception number and pressing the return button 66 without placing the original. You may do it.

As a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the first,
When the original is placed by the method used in the second embodiment, the original prepared after the reply image with add-on described above may be sent to the other party at the same time.

As described above, by using the one-touch return button 66, the fact that the receiver has received the image can be surely notified to the transmitting side, and the work efficiency can be improved.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing the reply function of the received image, it is possible to surely inform the sender that the image has been received by the receiver, so that the work efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operation unit of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a received image of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a reply screen of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a reply image of the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an add-on image according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a reply image of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... CPU, 2 ... ROM, 3 ... RAM, 4 ... Scanner, 5 ... Printer, 6 ... Operation part, 7 ... Modem, 8 ... NCU, 9 ... Image memory, 61 ... Numeric keypad, 62 ... Copy key, 63 ... FAX Keys, 64 ... Printer key, 65 ... LCD display section, 66 ... Return button, 67 ... Reply button.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus comprising means for returning a received image to a sender again. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reply destination number is read from the TTL transmission destination number. 3. The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein only one of the received pages is used for the reply. 4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the received image is combined with an image input in advance and / or an image read from a document placed on a document reading unit. 5. The image communication device according to claim 4, wherein the image to be combined is overwritten on the received image at the time of the reply. 6. The image communication device according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising means for selecting an image to be combined in response to an operator's instruction when combining images input in advance at the time of replying. . 7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the original is placed in the original reading unit at the time of replying, the original is read, the read image is added after the received image, and the reply is returned. Image communication device. 8. The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein a dedicated button for instructing the reply is provided on the operation unit.