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Image communication apparatus wirelessly connectable to other apparatuses, system having the image communication apparatus, and method for controlling the same6785748
Abstract
A wireless mode between a scanner and an image communication apparatus is changed, in response to completion of image transmission from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, completion of print of the image sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, completion of transmission via a communication line connected to the image communication apparatus of the image sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, instructions to stop print of the image sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, instructions to stop transmission via the communication line connected to the image communication apparatus of the image sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, and states of the scanner and the image communication apparatus at a predetermined time and so on. For example, a low power consumption mode and communication mode of Bluetooth communication are switched to each other.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system including a scanner and an image communication apparatus that communicates with the scanner, and having a first mode in which the image communication apparatus executes a predetermined process to an image scanned by the scanner, comprising:
wireless communicating means for making a wireless connection between the image communication apparatus and the scanner, and having an image communication mode in which the image is communicated between the image communication apparatus and the scanner and a low-power consumption mode in which electrical power for communicating between the image communication apparatus and the scanner is reduced;
detecting means for detecting a completion of the predetermined process during operation in the first mode of the image communication apparatus; and
mode changing means for changing a mode of said wireless communicating means from the image communication mode to the low-power consumption mode, depending on a detection of said detecting means.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects a completion of an image communication between the image communication apparatus and the scanner.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects a completion of printing of image data sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, or a completion of transmission of the image via a communication line connected to the image communication apparatus.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means further detects instructions for a process of stopping printing of image data sent from the scanner to the image communication apparatus, or stopping transmission of the image via a communication line connected to the image communication apparatus.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means further detects an arrival of a predetermined time zone.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mode changing means changes a mode in response to a request from the image communication apparatus to the scanner.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mode changing means changes a mode in response to a request from the scanner to the image communication apparatus.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mode changing means stops a sending of radio waves by said wireless communicating means after a predetermined time period elapses from switching to the low-power consumption mode.
9. The system according to claim 1,
wherein said wireless communicating means establishes a wireless link by an initial connection procedure, and
wherein the low power consumption mode does not require the initial connection procedure at a time of establishing the wireless link again.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said mode changing means changes to a mode requiring the initial connection procedure at the time of establishing the wireless link again after a predetermined time period elapses from switching to the low-power consumption mode.
11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communicating means establishes a wireless link by an initial connection procedure when the low-power consumption mode is canceled and a wireless link between the image communication apparatus and the scanner is established.
12. An image communication apparatus that is wirelessly connectable to a scanner and has a first mode in which said image communication apparatus executes a predetermined process to an image scanned by the scanner, comprising:
wireless communicating means for making a wireless connection to the scanner and having an image communication mode in which the image is communicated between said image communication apparatus and the scanner and a low-power consumption mode in which electrical power for communicating between said image communication apparatus and the scanner is reduced;
detecting means for detecting a completion of the predetermined process during operation in the first mode of said image communication apparatus; and
mode changing means for changing a mode of said wireless communicating means from the image communication mode to the low-power consumption mode, depending on a detection by said detecting means.
13. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means detects a completion of an image communication between said image communication apparatus and the scanner.
14. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means detects a completion of printing of image data sent from the scanner to said image communication apparatus, or a completion of transmission of the image via a communication line connected to said image communication apparatus.
15. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means further detects instructions for a process of stopping printing of image data sent from the scanner to said image communication apparatus, or a process for stopping transmission of the image via a communication line connected to said image communication apparatus.
16. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means further detects an arrival of a predetermined time zone.
17. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said mode changing means changes a mode in response to a request from said image communication apparatus to the scanner.
18. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said mode changing means changes a mode in response to a request from the scanner to said image communication apparatus.
19. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said mode changing means stops a sending of radio waves by said wireless communicating means after a predetermined time period elapses from switching to the low-power consumption mode.
20. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein said wireless communicating means establishes a wireless link by an initiial connection procedure, and
wherein the low-power consumption mode does not require the initial connection procedure at a time of establishing the wireless link again.
21. The image communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said mode changing means changes to a mode requiring the initial connection procedure at the time of establishing wireless link again, after a predetermined period elapses from switching to the low-power consumption mode.
22. The image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communicating means establishes a wireless link by an initial connection procedure when the low-power consumption mode is canceled and a wireless link between said image communication apparatus and the scanner is established.
23. An image communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communicating means communicates based on a Bluetooth specification, and the low-power consumption mode is one of a park mode, a sniff mode, and a hold mode defined by the Bluetooth specification.
24. A method for controlling a system that includes a scanner and an image communication apparatus, which communicates with the scanner, the system having a first mode in which the image communication apparatus executes a predetermined process to an image scanned by the scanner, said method comprising:
a detecting step of detecting a completion of the predetermined process during operation in the first mode of the image communication apparatus; and
a mode changing step of changing a mode of wireless communicating means from an image communication mode to a low-power consumption mode, depending on a detection in said detecting step,
wherein the wireless communicating means makes a wireless connection between the image communication apparatus and the scanner, communicates the image between the image communication apparatus and the scanner in the image communication mode, and reduces electrical power for communication between the image communication apparatus and the scanner in the low-power consumption mode.
25. A method for controlling an image communication apparatus that is wirelessly connectable to a scanner and that has a first mode in which the image communication apparatus executes a predetermined process to an image scanned by the scanner, said method comprising:
a detecting step of detecting a completion of the predetermined process during operation in the first mode of the image communication apparatus; and
a mode changing step of changing a mode of wireless communicating means from an image communication mode to a low-power consumption mode, depending on a detection in said detecting step,
wherein the wireless communicating means makes a wireless connection between the image communication apparatus and the scanner, communicates the image between the image communication apparatus and the scanner in the image communication mode, and reduces electrical power for communication between the image communication apparatus and the scanner in the low-power consumption mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus that can be connected wirelessly to other apparatuses, a system having the image communication apparatus and a method for controlling the same.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, facsimile apparatuses have come into wide use at home, and particularly, it has been proposed that image data read by a detachable portable scanner is sent to a communication line, and copied.
In addition, it has been proposed that a connection is made between the facsimile apparatus and the scanner with a wireless line to send and receive data.
For the above described prior art, the facsimile apparatus is simply connected to the scanner by wireless, in which the facsimile apparatus and the scanner are always connected in a one-to-one relationship, and data can be sent at any time from the scanner to the facsimile apparatus by the operation of the facsimile apparatus. In other words, consideration is not given at all to power consumption of a battery when the scanner is driven on the battery.
Therefore, for the above described prior art, impractically power consumption increases and scanner's driving time is shortened.
Also, it is not assumed that communication is performed with any terminal of a plurality of terminals, like Bluetooth or the like that has been disseminated rapidly in recent years, and so on. Also, methods of using the function of Bluetooth efficiently have not been studied yet.
Also, conventionally, a wireless connection cannot be made from the scanner apparatus when the scanner apparatus and the facsimile apparatus are connected by wireless with infrared communication such as IrDA and used. Therefore, inconveniently an operator of the facsimile apparatus must make a wireless connection, and issue a command to the scanner apparatus after ensuring that the connection has been made.
The above described problems occur not only in the case of wireless connection between the facsimile apparatus and the scanner, but also in the case where an image input/output apparatus such as a scanner and printer and an information processing apparatus such as a PC is connected by wireless with IrDA, etc. and used. Since a wireless connection cannot be made from the image input/output apparatus, inconveniently the operator of the information processing apparatus must make a wireless connection after the operator sets an original in the image input/output side, and issue a command to the image input/output apparatus after ensuring that the connection has been made. Also in the case where the image input/output apparatus receives information of facsimile and E-MAIL via the communication line, existence of new information cannot be recognized unless the operator of the information processing apparatus makes a wireless connection and inquires the state of the image input/output apparatus after confirming the connection.
The above described problems also occur in the case where an image communication apparatuses other than the facsimile apparatus is used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to reduce power consumption when a wireless connection is made to another apparatus such as a scanner.
Also, another object of the present invention is to effectively use a frequency resource when a wireless connection is made to another apparatus such as a scanner.
Also, another object of the present invention is to prevent interference to communication with another apparatus when a wireless connection is made to another apparatus such as a scanner.
Also, another object of the present invention is to efficiently use functions based on the Bluetooth specification.
Also, another object of the present invention is to change wireless modes in optimum timing.
Also, another object of the present invention will be apparent from the following examples and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a system configuration in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a software hierarchy in the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a software hierarchy in an intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows an operation when the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 are started up in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows a communication operation when an image is transferred by facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 shows an outlined operation of performing control of transfer of commands and data between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201, in reception data image transfer procedure in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart when the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 is turned on in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of power on process of a Bluetooth control task 409 in the intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a received image upload process of a Bluetooth control task 308 in the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a received image upload process of the Bluetooth control task 409 in intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an operation procedure of process of transferring a transmission image in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing an operation procedure of transfer redial process for the transmission image in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14 shows a procedure of the transmission image data transfer process in FIGS. 12, 13 and 30 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram of an operation procedure of process of transfer of the transmission image in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a procedure of transfer process of the intelligent terminal 202 being a transfer origination in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a procedure of transfer process of the facsimile apparatus 201 being a transfer destination in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing one example of system configurations in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19 shows a communication flow of scan data transfer process of transferring a scanned original from the facsimile apparatus 201 to the intelligent terminal 202a, in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 20 shows a brief overview of transfer process of the command and data between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202a in the scan image data transfer process, in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload procedure carried out by the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a procedure of scan process carried out by a CPU 101 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the case where the image is scanned is response to a scan request from the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload procedure carried out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202a in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24 shows a communication flow in the case where the intelligent terminal 202b has Piconet with the facsimile apparatus 201 canceled in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 25 shows a communication flow when an image processing system is started in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 26 shows a communication flow of scan data transfer process in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a power on process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202a in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload procedure carried out by the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload procedure carried out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202a in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 30 shows a process where the intelligent terminal 202 requests transition to a Park mode to the facsimile apparatus 201, after completion of redial process, in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 31 shows a process when the transmission image is transferred from the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 32 shows an operation unit 108 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 33 is a flowchart when the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 is turned on in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a received image upload procedure of the Bluetooth control task 308 in facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 35 shows a communication flow between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201 when the power of the intelligent terminal 202 is turned on, in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 36 shows a communication flow between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 when the operation state of the facsimile apparatus 201 is changed in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 37 shows a communication flow between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 when state information of the intelligent terminal 202 is changed in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 38 shows a communication flow between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 when the facsimile apparatus 201 performs facsimile transmission to a designated destination in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 39 is a flowchart showing a procedure of power on process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 40 is a flowchart showing a procedure of power on process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 41 is a flowchart showing a procedure of process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 42 is a flowchart showing a procedure of process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 43 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus FS1 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 44 is a perspective view showing the facsimile apparatus FS1 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 45 is a plan view showing an operation panel in main part 4324 of the facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 46 is a top view of a cordless hand scanner 430 of the facsimile apparatus FS1 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 47 is a bottom view showing the cordless hand scanner 430 of the facsimile apparatus FS1 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 48 is a flowchart showing initialization operation when the power of the cordless hand scanner 430 is turned on in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 49 is a flowchart illustrating operation for transition of the hand scanner 430 to the Park mode of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 50 is a flowchart showing initialization operation of a main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 51 shows the structure of a packet exchanged between the cordless hand scanner 430 and the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 52 shows an example of the packet in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 53 shows an example of the packet in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 54 is a chart showing a scanner interface initialization procedure in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 55 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the chart shown in FIG. 54 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 56 is a flowchart showing the operation of warning for no mounting of scanner in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 57 is an interface chart of sheet copy in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 58 is a flowchart showing operation of sheet copy in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 59 is a flowchart showing a procedure for transition of the cordless hand scanner 430 from the Park mode to the Active mode of the cordless hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 60 is a flowchart illustrating operation of performing facsimile transmission of a sheet original through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 61 shows an interface chart when the image read by the hand scanner is copied through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 62 shows a flowchart illustrating an operation when the image read by the hand scanner is copied through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 63 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing facsimile transmission of the image read by the hand scanner through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 64 shows an interface chart when the image read by the hand scanner 430 is copied through the operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 65 is a flow chart illustrating an operation when the image read by the hand scanner 430 is copied through the operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 66 shows an operation of the operation and a display of the hand scanner 430 when the image read by the hand scanner 430 is copied through the operation of the hand scanner 430, in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 67 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing facsimile transmission of the image read by the hand scanner 430 through the operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 68 is an operation of the operation and a display representation when facsimile transmission of the image read by the hand scanner 430 is performed through the operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 69 shows an operation of the operation and a display representation when facsimile transmission of the image read by the hand scanner 430 is performed through the operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 70 is a flowchart showing an operation of erasing a memory image in the hand scanner 430 through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 71 is an interface chart showing the relationship among the process of the cordless hand scanner 430, the process of the main part B and the like as to the operation of erasing the memory image in the hand scanner 430 through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 72 shows an operation of the operation and a display representation of the hand scanner 430 when the memory image in the hand scanner 430 is erased through the operation of the main part B in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 73 is a flowchart showing a battery detection operation of the hand scanner 430 in the embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 74 is a flowchart showing an operation between the facsimile apparatus and the hand scanner in the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus 201 being one embodiment of the present invention.
The facsimile apparatus 201 is one example of image formation apparatuses.
In the facsimile apparatus 201, a CPU 101 is a system control unit, which controls the entire facsimile apparatus 201. A ROM 102 stores a control program of the CPU 101, an operating system (OS) program, etc. RAM 103 is constituted by a SRAM, etc. and stores program control variables, etc. Also, set values, management data for apparatuses and the like registered by the operator and various kinds of work buffers are also stored in the RAM 103. An image memory 104 is constituted by a DRAM, etc., and accumulates therein image data.
In the above described embodiment, for each control program stored in the ROM 102, software control of scheduling, task switch and the like is performed under the management of the OS (operating system) stored in the ROM 102. An operation unit 108 is constituted by various kinds of keys, LEDs, LCDs, etc. and is to perform various input operations by the operator, display of operation states of the image formation apparatus and the like.
A read control unit 106 reads an original optically by a CS image sensor (contact type image sensor) in a reader unit 107, and subjects image signals converted into electrical image data to various kinds of image processing such as binarization process and intermediation process by an image processing control unit to output image data of high definition. Furthermore, the read control unit 106 in the above described embodiment corresponds to both of sheet read control in which the original is read while it is transported and book read control in which the original put on an original glass is scanned.
In a record control unit 113, image data to be recorded in a color printer 114 such as a laser beam printer and an inkjet printer is subjected to a various kinds of image processing such as smoothing processing and record density correction processing and color correction by the image processing control unit to convert the image data into image data of high definition and output the same to the color printer.
A communication control unit 109 is constituted by a MODEM (modulator/demodulator), a NCU (network control unit), etc. The communication control unit 109 in the above described embodiment is connected to an analog communication line (PSTN) 203, and performs communication control in T30 protocol, and line control of call-out and call-in, etc. for the communication line. Also, a message recorder control unit 110 is constituted by a voice IC, a voice record play back control unit, etc., and provides a phone answering function.
A code/decode processing unit 112 performs code/decode processing and scaling processing for image data treated by the image formation apparatus. Also, a resolution conversion processing unit 111 performs resolution conversion processing such as millimeter-inch resolution conversion of image data. Furthermore, scaling processing for image data can be performed also in the resolution conversion unit 111. In addition, a data conversion unit 105 performs conversion of image data such as analysis of page description language (PDL), etc. and CG development of character data.
A Bluetooth control unit 115 performs communication control of Bluetooth, performs protocol control in accordance with the specification of Bluetooth, and converts a command from a Bluetooth control task of the CPU into a packet to send the same to a Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116, and in contrast thereto, sends a packet as a command from the Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116 to the CPU.
The Bluetooth baseband processing unit 116 performs frequency hopping processing of Bluetooth and processing of assembly/decomposition of frames. Also, a 2.4 GHz high frequency unit 117 is provided therein for sending and receiving radio waves.
An extension slot 118 is a slot for inserting option boards in the facsimile apparatus 201 as the image formation apparatus, and allows a various kinds of option boards such as a extended image memory, a SCSI interface board and a video interface board to be mounted.
FIG. 2 shows a system configuration of the above described embodiment.
In this system, the facsimile apparatus 201, an intelligent terminal 202 such as a PC (personal computer), a communication line 203 such as a PSTN and an opposition terminal 204 are provided.
The facsimile apparatus 201, which is connected to the communication line 203, can perform facsimile communication, and can also be connected to the intelligent terminal 202 wirelessly. Also, in the above described embodiment, since the wireless part is defined as Bluetooth, the sending and receiving of images and the exchange of data and programs with the intelligent terminal 202 can be performed if a unit for Bluetooth communication is included in the intelligent terminal 202, or the unit for Bluetooth communication is connected to the intelligent terminal 202.
In addition, in the above described embodiment, for example, the image formation apparatus such as a multifunction apparatus having scanner and printer functions may be provided in place of the facsimile apparatus 201, or another image formation apparatus such as an E-MAIL terminal having scanner and printer functions may be provided.
FIG. 3 is a software hierarchy in the facsimile apparatus 201.
A scanner control task 301, a printer control task 302, a facsimile control task 303, an MMI (man/machine interface) control task 304 and a phone control task 305 are control tasks of the top layer of the facsimile apparatus 201, and perform device control and control of user operation ports of the facsimile.
A job control task 306 analyzes and allocates jobs from an event control task 307 representing a lower layer for queuing them in the above described control tasks of the top layer.
The event control task 307 analyzes an event received from the lower Bluetooth control task for queuing commands for corresponding to control tasks.
In a Bluetooth control task 308, when information to be sent to the intelligent terminal 202 is received from the upper event control task 307, the information is passed to a lower Bluetooth controller 309.
Also, when information to be sent to an upper layer is received from the lower Bluetooth controller 309, the information is passed to the upper event control task 307. In this way, an operation mode in which the Bluetooth control task 308 passes information to the lower Bluetooth controller 309 when receiving the information from the upper event control task 307, and it passes information to the upper event control task 307 when receiving the information from the lower Bluetooth controller 309 is hereinafter referred to as a command though mode.
Also, in the Bluetooth control task 308, even when information to be sent to the intelligent terminal 202 is received from the upper event control task 307, if it is determined by this task's own determination that the response is given back to the upper layer immediately, the response can be given back to the upper layer without passing the information to the lower layer. This operation mode is hereinafter referred to as a command return mode.
Information received from the upper layer of the Bluetooth controller 309, with respect to the Bluetooth controller 309 and a Bluetooth driver 310, is treated as wireless information to form an air interface, in accordance with the generic access profile of the Bluetooth and its lower concept that is the serial port profile.
An OS 311 is an embedded type operating system of the facsimile apparatus 201, and performs task switching, event management and memory management for the above described software hierarchy for use in this embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows a software hierarchy being an embodiment in the intelligent terminal 202.
By way of an interface module 408, a Bluetooth control task 409, a Bluetooth controller 410 and a Bluetooth driver 411, the operation structure between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201 is shown.
For control information between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201, the interface module 408 controls exchange of information of a facsimile manager 401, a printer application 404, a scanner application 406, etc. in the upper layer via an inbox 402, an outbox 403, a printer driver 405 and a scanner driver 407, as exchange of information between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201.
Regardless of whether the control is performed by the facsimile manager 410 or by one of the drivers, the interface module 408 manages transfer of facsimile images to be sent, images to be scanned, etc. read of facsimile received images and transfer of images to be printed.
In a Bluetooth control task 409, when information to be sent to the facsimile apparatus 201 is received from the interface module 408, the information is passed to the lower Bluetooth controller 410. Also, when information to be sent to the interface module 408 is received from the lower Bluetooth controller 410, the information is passed to the interface module 408. This operation mode is hereinafter referred to as a command though mode.
Also, in the Bluetooth control task 409, even when information to be sent to the facsimile apparatus 201 is received from the upper interface module, if it is determined by this task's own determination that the response is given back to the upper layer immediately, the response can be given back to the upper layer without passing the information to the lower layer, and this operation mode is hereinafter referred to as the command return mode.
Information received from the upper layer of the Bluetooth controller 410, with respect to the Bluetooth controller 410 and a Bluetooth driver 411, is treated as wireless information to form an air interface, in accordance with the generic access profile of the Bluetooth and its lower concept that is the serial port profile.
An OS 412 is an operating system in the intelligent terminal 202 and receives services of control of MMI and applications on the intelligent terminal 202, in a fundamental part of the service of control of the above described hierarchy MMI and applications for use in the above described embodiment.
FIG. 5 shows an operation at the start up of the above described embodiment, showing an initialization process for the facsimile apparatus 201 and a process until transmission to a stand-by state, when the power of the intelligent terminal 202 is turned on.
Assume that the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 is already turned on at this time.
When the power of the intelligent terminal 202 is turned on, the facsimile manager 401 corresponding to Bluetooth is started to perform processing to make connections with the facsimile apparatus 201.
To ensure that the facsimile apparatus 201 with which a connection is made can perform communication, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends an inquiry sending request to the Bluetooth controller 410. At this time, class of device information in an inquiry command is sent as a serial communication terminal. When receiving the inquiry sending request, the Bluetooth controller 410 carries out an inquiry procedure in accordance with a Bluetooth connection procedure, and notifies the Bluetooth control task 409 of the result thereof (inquiry result).
When receiving the inquiry result, the Bluetooth control task 409 determines from the contents whether or not a connection with the facsimile apparatus 201 can be made, and if it is determined that the connection can be made, it designates an address of the facsimile apparatus 201 and makes a connection request to the Bluetooth controller 410. If the connection is unsuccessful or the facsimile apparatus with which a connection is made is not found, from the contents of the inquiry result, a message showing that fact is displayed on a display unit of the intelligent terminal 202.
When receiving the connection request, the Bluetooth controller 410 establishes a connection using the serial port profile and forms a Piconet, based on the Bluetooth controller 309 of the facsimile apparatus 201 and the specification of Bluetooth.
When the connection is established, notification of the result is provided to the Bluetooth control task 409. When detecting the fact that the connection with the facsimile apparatus 201 could be established from the result of the connection, the Bluetooth control task 409 transmits a ready signal to the facsimile manager 401, and transits the state to the through mode in which the command from the facsimile manager 401 is directly passed to the Bluetooth controller 410.
Also, when receiving a massage showing the fact that establishment of the connection ended in failure from the result of the connection, the Bluetooth control task 409 displays the fact on the display unit of the intelligent terminal 202.
The Bluetooth controller 309 of the facsimile apparatus 201 notifies the Bluetooth control task 308 of the result of the procedure of establishment of the connection with the intelligent terminal 202. When ensuring from the result of the connection establishment that the connection has been established, the Bluetooth control task 308 enters the command through mode to wait for the command from the intelligent terminal 202 in order to pass the command from the intelligent terminal 202 directly to the event control task 307. If connection is unsuccessful, the Bluetooth control task 308 is a wait state until the connection is established.
When receiving the ready signal from the Bluetooth control task 409, the facsimile manager 401 sends to the Bluetooth control task 409 a command to transfer data such as dates of the intelligent terminal 202 and names registered in the facsimile manager 401 to the facsimile apparatus 201.
The Bluetooth control task 409 transfers the received command directly to the Bluetooth controller 410, and the Bluetooth controller 410 transfers it to the facsimile apparatus 201 using the serial port profile.
The Bluetooth controller 309 of the facsimile apparatus 201 sends to the Bluetooth control task 308 the command sent from the intelligent terminal 202 and the Bluetooth control task 308 passes the command directly to the event control task 307. The event control task 307 analyzes the received command and sends the result thereof to the Bluetooth control task 308.
When the initialization process is ended, the facsimile manager 401 issues a reception information acquirement command to check whether or not the facsimile apparatus 201 has a received image. The event control task 307, which receives the reception information acquirement command, searches an image management record stored in the RAM 103 as to whether or not the received image exists.
If the received image is present, a response of "image existed" is given back to the reception information acquirement command issued by the Bluetooth control task 308, and if the received image does not exist, a response of "image not existed" is given back.
When the facsimile manager 401 determines by the response of the reception information acquirement command that the image exists, it performs received image transfer processing in accordance with the process in FIG. 6.
If the image does not exist, the facsimile manager 401 issues a state information acquirement command to have the state of the facsimile apparatus 201 stored. The event control task 307, which receives the state information acquirement command, checks states as to the facsimile apparatus 201, such as the state of the printer, the state of the scanner and the state of the memory, and gives back the results.
If the facsimile manager 401 determines from the response of the state information acquirement command that the state of error is found, it displays a message showing the state of error on the display unit of the intelligent terminal 202 and issues periodically the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 until the error is corrected.
If the received image does not exist, and the state of the facsimile apparatus 201 is normal, the facsimile apparatus 201 makes transition to the Park mode since the communication between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201 does not need to be connected until reception occurs at the facsimile apparatus 201. The "Park mode" is a Park mode being a low power consumption mode based on the Bluetooth specification, in which the facsimile apparatus 201 that is a slave terminal of the intelligent terminal 202 being a master based on the Bluetooth specification receives a signal from the master only at a certain interval to maintain synchronization in the Piconet. Also, when the transition to the Park mode is made, data communication between the master and the slave cannot be performed, and if data communication is to be performed, the Park mode should be released to make transition to the active mode.
An operation of transition of the facsimile apparatus 201 to the Park mode (low power consumption mode) will now be described. This operation is shown in the latter part of FIG. 5.
First, the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 requests transition to the Park mode to the Bluetooth controller 309. The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for transition to the Park mode, carries out a procedure for transition to the Park mode based on the specification of the Bluetooth, in concert with the Bluetooth controller 410.
When the procedure for transition to the Park mode is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition of the facsimile apparatus 201 to the Park mode.
When notified of the transition to the Park mode, the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 go into command return modes, respectively.
The Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202, which goes into the command return mode, performs processing similar to the processing in the event control task 307 of the facsimile apparatus 201 connected with cables such as a serial interface such as RC232C and a parallel interface such as Centronics (a standard interface defined in IEEE 1284, etc.). The Bluetooth control task 409 gives back responses such as "image presence information" and "normal/abnormal states" to the information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command that are issued periodically from the facsimile manager 401, based on facsimile status information stored in the RAM 103 of the intelligent terminal 202.
The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 performs operation similar to the operation in the facsimile manager 401 in the intelligent terminal 202 when it is connected with the above described cable. The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 issues periodically the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 in order to monitor at every time changes of states of the facsimile apparatus 201 and whether or not the image has been received from some other facsimile apparatus via the communication line 203. When receiving the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command from the Bluetooth control task 308, the event control task 307 gives back reception information (for example, image "absent") and state information (for example, "normal state") as a response.
If it is defined that the received image is not transferred to the intelligent terminal 202 during initialization process or when registered data is changed with the intelligent terminal 202 and the registered data is transferred to the facsimile apparatus 201, the facsimile manager 401 and the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 do not issue the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command.
FIG. 6 shows a communication operation during reception image data transfer procedure in which the facsimile apparatus 201 receives an image from some other facsimile apparatus via the communication line 203, and transfers the image data to the intelligent terminal 202.
The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 is in the command return mode during stand-by, namely during the Park mode, and issues periodically the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command to the event control task 307 to monitor the state of the facsimile apparatus 201. The event control task 307 searches the image management record stored in the RAM 103 as to whether or not the received image exists. When the received image exists, a response of "image existed" is given back to the reception information acquirement command that is issued by the Bluetooth control task 308.
When receiving the response of "image existed", the Bluetooth control task 308 releases the Park mode to form the Piconet again, and recovers communication between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 in order to transfer the reception image to the intelligent terminal 202.
For recovering the communication, a request for return to Active is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309. The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for return to Active, communicates with the Bluetooth controller 410 of the intelligent terminal 202 in accordance with a communication recovering procedure of the Bluetooth. When the communication is recovered, the Bluetooth controller 309 gives mode change notification to the Bluetooth control task 308. If the Bluetooth control task 308, which receives the mode change notification, determines form the contents thereof that the communication has been recovered, it makes transition from the command return mode to the command through mode. If determining that the communication cannot be recovered, it keeps the state of the command return mode.
Similarly, the Bluetooth controller 410 of the intelligent terminal 202 gives mode change notification to the Bluetooth control task 409. If the Bluetooth control task 409, which receives the mode change notification, determines from the contents thereof that the communication has been recovered, it makes transition from the command return mode to the command through mode. If determining that the communication cannot be recovered, it keeps the state of the command return mode, and displays a message showing the fact on the display unit of the intelligent terminal 202.
When the communication is recovered, and each of the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 goes into the command though mode, the communication between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 is performed to carry out reception image data transfer procedure, based on the Bluetooth specification. Furthermore, for the command interface at this time, reception image data transfer procedure is performed with a command interface same as the command interface when connected with cables such as a serial interface such as RS232C and a parallel interface such as Centronics (standard interface defined in IEEE1284, etc.).
When the image data transfer processing is completed, the facsimile manager 401 issues the reception information acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201 to check whether or not the received image exists. The event control task 307, which receives the reception information acquirement command searches the image management record stored in the RAM 103 as to whether or not the received image exists. If the received image exists, a response of "image existed" is given back, and if the received image does not exist, a response of "image not existed" is given back.
If determining by the response of the reception information acquirement command that the image existed, the facsimile manager 401 performs again received image transfer processing.
If the received image does not exist, the facsimile manager 401 issues the state information acquirement command to have the state of the facsimile apparatus 201 stored. The event control task 307, which receives the state information acquirement command, checks states as to the facsimile apparatus 201 such as the state of the printer, the state of the scanner and the state of the memory, and gives back the result thereof.
If the facsimile manager 401 determines based on the response of the state information acquirement command that the state of error is found, it displays a message showing the state of error on the display of the intelligent terminal 202 and issues periodically the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 until the error is corrected. When it is determined that the state of the facsimile apparatus 201 is normal, the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command are periodically issued until transition is made to the Park mode being a low power consumption mode again.
When determining that the state is normal, the facsimile apparatus 201 makes transition to the Park mode being a low power consumption mode.
The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 requests transition to the Park mode to the Bluetooth controller 309. The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for transition to the Park mode, carries out a procedure for transition to the Park mode based on the specification of the Bluetooth, with the Bluetooth controller 410.
When the procedure for transition to the Park mode is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode.
When notified of the transition to the Park mode, the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 go into command return modes, respectively.
Again, the command return mode is maintained until the user starts service such as facsimile transmission, scanning or print at the intelligent terminal 202, or reception occurs at the facsimile apparatus 201.
FIG. 7 shows an outlined operation of performing transfer control of the command and data between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201 in the reception image transfer data procedure.
In the operation of reception image data transfer service, a file ID acquirement command is first sent from the intelligent terminal 202. When receiving the file ID acquirement command, the facsimile apparatus 201 examines the RAM 103, sets a receipt number associated with reception image data to a parameter as a file ID, and sends the same to the intelligent terminal 202 along with the answer of "OK".
If the file ID is set with the answer parameter of the file ID acquirement command, the intelligent terminal 202 sets a file ID to be transferred, and sends a file information acquirement command. When receiving the file information acquirement command, the facsimile apparatus 201 sets a file attribute of a designated file ID and the number of pages to the parameter, and sends the above described parameter to the intelligent terminal 202 along with the answer of "OK". If the designated file ID do not exist, the answer of "NG" is given back.
Then, when receiving the page information acquirement command in which the file ID and the page number are designated, the facsimile apparatus 201 sets to the parameter information such as main/sub scan resolution of the page designated from management information of the RAM 103, and sends the answer of "OK". If the designated file ID and page do not exist, the answer of "NG" is given back.
When receiving the answer of "OK" for the page information acquirement command, the intelligent terminal 202 sends a page transfer request command, and subsequently sends a parameter to which the file ID and page number to be transferred are set. If the page of the designated file ID is accumulated in the image memory 104, the facsimile apparatus 201 sends the answer of "OK", and if they do not exist in the image memory 104, the facsimile apparatus 201 sends the answer of "NG".
When receiving the answer of "OK" to the page transfer request command, the intelligent terminal 202 sends a requested page designation command, and subsequently sends to the facsimile apparatus 201 a parameter to which the main/sub scan resolution and data format acquired with the page information acquirement command is set. The facsimile apparatus 201 examines whether or not the contents of the received parameter matches the contents of management information of the RAM 103, and sends the answer of "OK" if the contents match each other, and sends the answer of "NG" if the contents do not match each other.
Thereafter, the intelligent terminal 202 issues an image data transfer request. The facsimile apparatus 201 transfers image data of predetermined size to the intelligent terminal 202 from the image memory 104, and along therewith sends the answer of "OK".
After transfer of one page is completed, the intelligent terminal 202 puts the transferred reception image in the inbox 402, and displays the image so that the completion of the transfer of the received image and the contents of the received image can be recognized.
Then, a page erase command is issued. The facsimile apparatus 201 which receives the page erase command erases the image data of the designated page from the image memory 104, modifies the management information of the RAM 103, and sends the answer of "OK".
The above described operation is repeated until reception image data of all pages are transferred, and when reception image data of all pages are transferred, a file erase instruction command is accepted to erase the management information of the designated file, and the process is ended.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart when the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 is turned on.
In FIG. 8, when the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 is turned on, initialization process for the Bluetooth control task 308 is performed at step S701. At this time, the operation mode is taken as the "command through mode". Also, the variable for storing the existence/not existence of the received image managed by the Bluetooth control task 308 is taken as image absent.
The above described "command through mode" is an operation mode in which a command is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410 when this command is received from the facsimile manager 401, and a response is sent to the facsimile manager 401 when the response is received from the Bluetooth controller 410.
The above described process is carried out, and start-up of the intelligent terminal 202 is waited.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of power ON process of the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202.
When the power of the intelligent terminal 202 is turned on, the facsimile manager 401 is started, and the Bluetooth control task 409 sends an Inquiry to the facsimile apparatus 201 via the Bluetooth controller 410 at step S801.
At S802, whether or not the facsimile apparatus 201 has responded to the sent Inquiry, and if it has responded normally, the process proceeds to S804, and if it has not responded normally, the process proceeds to S803.
At S803, by displaying on the display unit of the intelligent terminal 202 the fact that there exists no connectable facsimile apparatus, notification is made and the process is ended.
At S804, a connection request is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and the process proceeds to S805.
At S805, a response to the connection request is waited, and the process proceeds to S806 if notification of failure in connection request is given from the facsimile apparatus 201 via the Bluetooth controller 410, and the process proceeds to S807 if notification of success in connection is given.
At S806, notification of the failure in connection to the facsimile apparatus 201 is made using the display unit of the intelligent terminal 202 and the process is ended.
At S807, the Bluetooth control task 409 notifies the facsimile manager 401 of Ready showing that connection to the facsimile apparatus could be established, and at S808, transition to the "command through mode" is made.
As described above, the "command through mode" is an operation mode in which a command is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410 when the Bluetooth control task 409 receives this command from the facsimile manager 401, and a response is sent to the facsimile manager 401 when the response is received from the Bluetooth controller 410.
When receiving the above described Ready signal, the facsimile manager 401 uses the Serial Port Profile to perform initialization process between the facsimile manager 401 and the event control task 307 of the facsimile apparatus 201.
When the initialization process is completed, the facsimile manager 401 periodically sends the reception information acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201 via the Bluetooth control task 409 and the Bluetooth controller 410, and monitors whether or not the facsimile apparatus 201 has the received image. At S809, whether or not a response to this reception information acquirement command has been received is determined, and if the response has been received from the facsimile apparatus 201 via the Bluetooth control task 409 and the Bluetooth controller 410, information of existence/not existence of received image therein is stored in the Bluetooth control task 409 at S810.
At S811, as described in the latter half of FIG. 5, whether or not the notification of transition to the Park mode led by the facsimile apparatus 201 has been received from the Bluetooth controller 410 is determined, and if the notification has not been received, the process proceeds to S809, where the command through mode is continued, and if the notification has been received, the process proceeds to S812, where transition to the command return mode is made, and power on process is completed.
The "command return mode of the Bluetooth control task 409" will now be described.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a received image upload process of the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 in the above described embodiment.
The Bluetooth control task 308 is in the command return mode in the sate where no received image exists.
At S901 of the command return mode, the reception information acquirement command is sent to the event control task 307, and at S902, a response from the event control task 307 is received. When the response is received, reception information (image existed/not existed) stored in the response is stored in the Bluetooth control task 308 at S903.
At S904, whether or not the image exists in the reception information is determined, and if the image exists, the process proceeds to S906, where transition is made from the command return mode to the command through mode. If the image does not exist, the process waits to send the reception information acquirement command periodically at S905, and then the process returns to S901.
At S906, an Active return request is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309, and at S907, whether or not the command has been received is determined. This command is an operation instruction command from the facsimile manager 401 to the event control task 307 as described with FIG. 7. If the command has been received, the process proceeds to S908, where the received command is sent to the event control task 307, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to S911.
At S911, whether or not the response has been received is determined. This response is a response from the event control task 307 to the facsimile manager 401 as described with FIG. 7. If the response has not been received, the process proceeds to S907, and if it has been received, whether or not the received response is a response to the reception information acquirement command is determined at S912, and if it is a response to the reception information acquirement command, reception information (image existed/not existed) is stored in the Bluetooth control task 308 at S913.
At S914, the received response is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309, and the Bluetooth control task 308 determines whether or not the image exists in the stored reception information at S915, and if the image does not exist, the process proceeds to S916, where transition to the command return mode is made, and if the image exists, the process returns to S907, where the command through mode is continued.
At S916, the request for transition to the Park mode is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309, and transition to the command return mode is made.
At S917, transition to the command return mode is made if notification of Mode transition from the intelligent terminal 202 is received.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a received image upload process of the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 in the above described embodiment.
The Bluetooth control task 409 is in the command return mode in the state where no received image exists.
At S1001 of the command return mode, whether or not the reception information acquirement command has been facsimile manager 401 is determined, and if the command has been received, the process proceeds to S1002, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to S1003.
At S1002, the reception information (image existed/not existed) stored in the Bluetooth control task 409 is sent to the facsimile manger 401 as a response.
At S1003, a procedure for return to Active (procedure for return to Active shown in FIG. 6) led by the facsimile apparatus 201 is carried out, and whether or not the Bluetooth control task 409 has received Mode transition notification from the Bluetooth controller 410 is determined, and if the notification has not been received, the process proceeds to S1001, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to S1004, where transition to the command through mode is made.
At S1004, transition to the Park mode led by the facsimile apparatus 201 is performed, and whether or not the Bluetooth control task 409 has received the Mode transition notification from the Bluetooth 410 is determined, and if the notification has not been received, the process proceeds to S1005, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to S1001, where transition to the command return mode is made.
At S1005, whether or not the command has been received is determined. This command is an operation instruction command from the facsimile manager 401 to the event control task 307 as described with FIG. 7. If the command has been received, the process proceeds to S1006, where the received command is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to S1009. At S1009, whether or not the response has been received is determined, and if the response has been received, the process proceeds to S1010, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to S1004. This response is a response from the event control task 307 to the facsimile manager 401 as described with FIG. 7.
At S1010, whether or not the above described response is a response of the reception information acquirement command is determined, and if it is the response of the reception information acquirement command, the process proceeds to S1011, and if not, the process proceeds to S1012. The reception information (image existed/not existed) included in the response is stored in the Bluetooth control task 409 at S1011, and the response is sent to the facsimile manager 401 at S1012.
Timeout is reached when no effective data is available within a predetermined time period in the command through mode at S1013, and a request for transition to the Park mode is sent to the facsimile apparatus at S1014.
FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an operation procedure during transmission image transfer process, and shows the case where this sequence transfers image data stored in the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201, and the facsimile apparatus 201 performs facsimile transmission to the designated opposite terminal 204.
That is, the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 is in the command return mode H at the time of stand-by that is in the Park mode, and though not shown, gives answers to the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command sent from the facsimile manager 401 periodically.
Similarly, the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 is also in the command return mode J at the time of stand-by that is in the Park mode, and issues periodically the reception information command, and the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 to monitor the state of the facsimile apparatus 201.
Then, when the user operates the operation unit of the intelligent terminal 202 to select a transmission service, the facsimile manager 401 sends to the Bluetooth control task 409 the transmission instruction command and a parameter in which the facsimile number of the opposite terminal 204 is designated.
Then, the Bluetooth control task 409, which receives the transmission instruction command and the parameter (facsimile number), returns the mode between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202 to the Active mode (normal operation mode) in which data communication is possible to provide a transmission service.
That is, the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 sends to the Bluetooth controller 410 a command of request for return to Active, and the Bluetooth controller 410 which receives the command of request for return to Active performs procedure for return to Active in conformity of the Bluetooth specification, with the Bluetooth controller 309, and returns the mode to the Active mode. And thereafter, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of mode change notification, and transition of the operation mode from command return modes H and J to command through modes I and K is made.
Furthermore, if the communication could not be recovered, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 of the fact that the communication could not be recovered. At this time, the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 keep the sate of the command return mode. Also, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends the answer: NG to the facsimile manager 401, and the facsimile manger 401 displays a message that transmission service cannot be performed, when receiving the answer: NG.
Also, if the communication could be recovered, the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 sends directly to the event control task 307 of the facsimile apparatus 201 the transmission instruction command and the parameter (facsimile number) received from the facsimile manager 401.
Then, when the event control task 307 which receives the transmission instruction command and the parameter ensures that the facsimile apparatus 201 is not currently under communication, and is not full of reservations for transmission, it sends the response of "OK" to the facsimile manager 401 of the intelligent terminal 202. Furthermore, when the facsimile apparatus 201 is under communication or full of reservations for transmission, the response of "NG" is sent to the facsimile manager 401.
Then, when receiving the response of "OK" from the event control task 307, the facsimile manager 401 performs transmission image data transfer procedure G with a command interface similar to the cable I/F.
Then, when the transmission image data transfer procedure G is completed, the facsimile manager 401 issues to the facsimile apparatus 201 a transmission result acquirement command and a parameter in which the receipt number is designated to know the transmission result. Then, the event control task 307, which receives the transmission result acquirement command, searches the management information stored in the RAM 103, and checks the transmission result of the indicated receipt number. Thereafter, the event control task 307 sends to the facsimile manager 401 a response showing the completion of transmission together with the transmission result.
Furthermore, the facsimile manager 401 issues the transmission result acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201 until it is known from the response to the transmission result acquirement command that transmission is completed.
Then, when the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 determines that transmission has been completed, the wireless communication line goes into the Park mode again.
That is, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends to the Bluetooth controller 410 the command of request for transition to the Park mode. The Bluetooth controller 410, which receives the command of request for transition to the Park mode, carries out procedure for transition to the Park mode, with the Bluetooth controller 309, and when the transition procedure is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode.
Then, when the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 receive the notification of the transition to the Park mode, the operation modes become command return modes H and J again. That is, the command return modes H and J are continued until the user starts a service such as facsimile transmission, image reading process or printing process at the intelligent terminal 202, or the facsimile apparatus 201 receives image data. Then, in this command return mode, the command and response are exchanged only between the facsimile manager 401 and the Bluetooth control task 409, and between the Bluetooth control task 308 and the event control task 307, the command and response are not exchanged between the intelligent terminal 202 and the facsimile apparatus 201.
FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing an operation procedure during transfer redial process for the above described transmission image, and this sequence shows an operation during redial process for the transmission service.
That is, as in the case of FIG. 12, transmission modes make transition from command return modes J and H to command through modes K and I, whereby the reception image data transfer procedure G is carried out.
Then, when the transmission image data transfer procedure G is completed, the facsimile manager 401 issues to the facsimile apparatus 201 the transmission result acquirement command and a parameter in which the receipt number is designated to know the transmission result. Then, the event control task 307, which receives the transmission result acquirement command and the above described parameter, searches the management information stored in the RAM 103, and acquires the transmission result of the indicated receipt number to send a response. The facsimile manager 401 of the intelligent terminal 202 is notified of this response. When determining from the response that it is in the redial stand-by state, the facsimile manager 401 displays the fact to notify the user thereof.
Also, when the Bluetooth control task 308 determines that it is in the redial stand-by state from the response sent to the facsimile manager 401 from the event control task 307, it sends to the Bluetooth controller 309 the command of request for transition to the Park mode. Then, the Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the command of request for transition to the Park mode, carries out procedure for transition to the Park mode with the Bluetooth controller 410, and when the procedure for transition is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode, and after the transition to the Park mode, transition of the operation mode to command return modes J and H is made.
Thereafter, the facsimile manager 401 sends periodically the transmission result acquirement command and the parameter to the Bluetooth control task 409, the Bluetooth task 409 sends to the facsimile manager 401 a response showing that it is in the state of redial standby.
Also, the Bluetooth control task 308 sends periodically the transmission result acquirement and the parameter to the event control task 307, and continues to store transmission results. Then, the event control task 307 sends to the Bluetooth control task 308 a response showing that it is in the state of redial standby.
And thereafter, when the transmission image that was in the state of redial standby is sent to the opposite normally, the event control task 307 gives back the completion of transmission as a response to the transmission result acquirement command and parameter from the Bluetooth control task 308. When the Bluetooth control task 308 determines from the response from the event control task 307 that the transmission process has been completed normally, it returns the mode with intelligent terminal 202 to the Active mode, and waits until the transmission result acquirement command and parameter from the facsimile manager 401 are received.
At this time, the Bluetooth control task 308 and the Bluetooth control task 409 recognize the return to the Active mode, and make transition to the command through node. When the Bluetooth control task 308 receives the transmission result acquirement command and parameter from the facsimile manager 401, it sends the transmission result acquirement command and parameter to the event control task 307. The event control task 307 receives the transmission result acquirement command and parameter, and if there exists a parameter showing the result of the above described transmission process that was in the state of redial standby, it gives back a response showing that the transmission process has been completed normally.
When the facsimile manager 401 recognizes from the response from the event control task 307 that the transmission process that was in the sate of redial standby has been completed normally, it displays the fact to notify the user thereof.
Also, when the Bluetooth control task 308 recognizes from the contents of the response sent from the event control task 307 that the transmission process that was in the sate of redial standby has been completed normally, it lets the mode with the intelligent terminal 202 make transition to the Park mode again. Then, the Bluetooth control task 308 and the Bluetooth control task 409 make transition to the command return mode.
Furthermore, as the above described operation during transfer redial process for the transmission image in FIG. 13, a request for transition to the Park mode is made from the facsimile apparatus 201 to the intelligent terminal 202 after the transfer process, but as in the case of FIG. 30, a request for transition to the Park mode may be made from the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201.
The case where a request for transition to the Park mode is made from the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201 after completion of the transfer redial process for the transmission image will now be described below, using FIG. 30.
In FIG. 30, as in the case of FIG. 12, transition of the operation mode make from command return modes J and H to command through modes K and I is made, whereby the reception image data transfer procedure G is carried out.
Then, when the transmission image data transfer procedure G is completed, the facsimile manager 401 issues to the facsimile apparatus 201 the transmission result acquirement command and a parameter in which a receipt number is designated to know the transmission result. The event control task 307, which receives the transmission result acquirement command and the above described parameter, searches the management information stored in the RAM 103, and acquires the transmission result of the designated number to send a response.
Then, when the Bluetooth control task 409 determines from the response from the event control task 307 that it is in the state of redial standby, it sends to the Bluetooth controller 410 the command of request for transition to the Park mode. Then, the Bluetooth controller 410, which receives the command of request for transition to the Park mode, carries out a procedure for transition to the Park mode with the Bluetooth controller 309, and when the procedure for transition is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode, and after the transition to the Park mode, transition of the operation mode to command return modes J and H is made.
Thereafter, the facsimile manager 401 sends periodically the transmission result acquirement command and the parameter to the Bluetooth control task 409, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends to the facsimile manager 401 a response showing that it is in the state of redial standby.
Also, the Bluetooth control task 308 sends periodically the transmission result acquirement command and the parameter to the event control task 307, and continues to store transmission results in the RAM 103. Then, the event control task 307 sends to the Bluetooth control task 308 a response showing that it is in the state of redial standby.
Furthermore, if the transmission image that was in the state of redial standby can be sent normally, the same process as described above is applied.
FIG. 14 shows a process procedure of the transmission image data transfer procedure G in FIGS. 12, 13 and 30.
First, the intelligent terminal 202 sends a receipt number acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201 (step S1401). When the facsimile apparatus 201 receives the receipt number acquirement command, it sends to the intelligent terminal 202 the receipt number stored in the RAM 103 together with the answer of "OK" (step S1402).
Then, the intelligent terminal 202 sends a page information acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201, and sends to the facsimile apparatus 201 a parameter in which the main/sub scan resolution and the image size of image data to be sent is set (step S1403). The facsimile apparatus 201 determines based on the received parameter whether or not transmission is possible, and if transmission is possible, it sets each parameter to the management information of the RAM 103 and sends the answer of "OK" to the intelligent terminal 202 (step S1404). On the other hand, if transmission is not possible, the answer of "NG" is sent to the intelligent terminal 202.
Then, when the intelligent terminal 202 receives the answer of "OK" to the page information acquirement command, it sends an image data transfer instruction command, and image data and the image data size to the facsimile apparatus 201 (step S1405).
Then, the facsimile apparatus 201 receives image data by the image data transfer instruction command, accumulates the same in the image memory 104, and sends the answer of "OK" to the intelligent terminal 202 (step S1406). Furthermore, in this case, if there is no free space in the image memory 104, the answer of "NG" is sent to end the process.
Then, the intelligent terminal 202 sends image data of one page to the facsimile apparatus 201 during reception of the answer of "OK" to the image data transfer instruction command. Also, when the answer of "OK" is received to the image data transfer instruction command, transmission of the image data is stopped, and the abnormal end is displayed on the display unit.
Then, when a predetermined amount of transmission image data is accumulated in the image memory 104, the facsimile apparatus 201 originates a call to the destination facsimile number received with the transmission instruction command and performs facsimile transmission. Furthermore, each time facsimile transmission of one page is completed, the corresponding region of the image memory 104 is erased.
Then, whether or not image data transmission of one page has been completed is determined (step S1407), and if it has been completed, whether or not image data transmission of all pages has been completed is determined (step S1408), and if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process returns to S1403 to repeat the above described process, and if the answer thereto is positive (Yes), the process is ended.
FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram showing another embodiment of operation procedure during transmission process for the transmission image, and in this embodiment, when the transmission image data transfer procedure G is completed, the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202 makes transition to the Park mode immediately after storing the receipt number and the transmission result: sending state, without inquiring the facsimile apparatus 201 of the transmission result.
That is, as in the case of FIG. 12, after the operation modes are made to make transition from command return modes J and H to command through modes K and I, the transmission image data transfer procedure G similar to that in FIG. 14 is carried out.
Then, when the transmission image data transfer procedure G is completed, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends to the Bluetooth controller 410 a command of request for transition to the Park mode, and the Bluetooth controller 410, which receives the command of request for transition to the Park mode, carries out a procedure for transition to the Park mode with the Bluetooth controller 309, and when the transition procedure is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth controller 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode, and the operation modes become command return modes J and H.
Then, when the operation modes become command return modes J and H, the Bluetooth control task 409 reads the transmission information (the transmission result acquirement command, the receipt number, etc.) stored in a RAM (not shown) of the intelligent terminal 202 and sends a response to the facsimile manager 401.
Also, the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 periodically sends to the event control task 307 the transmission result acquirement command and the receipt number of the transmission result that it wants to acquire. Then, the event control task 307 retrieves the transmission result of the corresponding receipt number from the management information stored in the RAM 103, and gives back the same as a response. The Bluetooth control task 308 continues this process until it is determined that the image data transmission process is completed.
Then, when the Bluetooth control task 308 receives from the event control task 307 a transmission completion response showing the completion of transmission of image data, the Bluetooth control task 308 sends to the Bluetooth controller 309 the command of request for return to Active to recover communication with the intelligent terminal 202.
The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for return to Active, carries out the procedure for return to Active with the Bluetooth controller 410, and when the Active communication is returned, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 give mode change notification to the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, and make transition to command through modes K and I.
When transition to command through modes K and I is made in this way, the Bluetooth control task 409 sends directly to the Bluetooth controller 410 the transmission result acquirement command from the facsimile manager 401 and a parameter in which the receipt number of the transmission result that it wants to acquire is set, which are sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 via the Bluetooth controller 410, and are sent to the event control task 307 via the Bluetooth control task 308. Also, the event control task 307 sends the transmission result of the designated receipt number to the facsimile manager 401 as a response, and ends the process.
The process procedure during the above described transmission image transfer will now be described for the intelligent terminal 202 from which the image is transferred and the facsimile apparatus 201 to which the image is transferred, separately.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a process procedure during transfer for the intelligent terminal 202 from which the image is transferred, and this program is executed with the Bluetooth control task 409.
The Bluetooth control task 409 is in the command return mode H, when no received image exists, or in the state where the transmission instruction command from the facsimile manager 401 is not received.
Then, when the command from the facsimile manager 401 is received at step S1601, whether or not the received command is a transmission instruction command is determined at subsequent step S1602, and if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process proceeds to step S1603, where a needed response out of the information stored in the RAM is sent to the facsimile manager 401 in accordance with the received command, and the process returns to step S1601 to wait a command from the facsimile manager 401.
On the other hand, if the command from the facsimile manager 401 is a transmission instruction command, the answer at step S1602 is positive (Yes), and the process proceeds to step S1604, where the transmission instruction command and parameter received from the facsimile manager 401 are stored in the RAM, and thereafter the request for return to Active is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410. Then, at subsequent step S1615, whether or not mode transition notification could be received to perform return to Active is determined, and if the answer thereto is negative (No), a "NG" response is sent to the facsimile manager 401 and the process returns to step S1601 to execute the above described command return mode.
Also, when the answer at step S1615 is positive (Yes), namely if return to Active could be performed and mode transition notification was received, transition of the operation mode to the command through mode I, and the process proceeds to step S1605.
Then, at step S1605, the transmission instruction command and parameter from the facsimile manager 401, stored in the RAM, is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and the process proceeds to step S1606.
At step S1606, whether or not the command has been received is determined, and if the command has been received, the process proceeds to step S1607, where the command is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and thereafter the process returns to step S1606 to repeat the above described process. On the other hand, if the reception of the command has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S1610 to determine whether or not a response has been received from the Bluetooth controller 410. Then, when the answer thereto is negative (No), the process returns to step S1606 to repeat the above described process, while when the answer is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to step S1611, where the received response is sent to the facsimile manager 401, and at subsequent step S1612, whether or not the above described response is a response to the transmission result acquirement command is determined. Then, if the answer is negative (No), the process returns to step S1606 to repeat the above described process, while if the answer is positive (Yes), the response is stored in the RAM, and the process proceeds to step S1613.
Then, at step S1613, whether the transmission state is of redial standby or completion is determined based on the transmission result stored in the RAM, and if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process returns to step S1606, where the command through mode I is continued, while if the answer is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to step S1614, where the command of request for transition to the Park mode is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and thereafter the process returns to step S1601 to make transition to the command return mode H.
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a process procedure during transfer for the facsimile apparatus 201 to which the image is transferred, and this program is executed with the Bluetooth control task 308.
The Bluetooth control task 308 is in the command return mode J in the state where neither a received image nor transmission instruction request from the intelligent terminal 202 exists.
That is, at step S1701, whether or not the intelligent terminal 202 has been already notified of the transmission result is determined, and if the answer thereto is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to step S1705, while if the answer is negative (No), the process proceeds to step S1702, where the transmission information acquirement command is sent to the event control task 307, and at subsequent step S1703, the response to the transmission information acquirement command from the event control task 307 is stored in the RAM 103, and the contents of the response are analyzed to determine whether or not the transmission state has changed to completion of transmission is determined. Then, if the transmission state has not changed, the process proceeds to step S1705, where transition to the Active mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 is performed, and whether or not notification of the mode transition has been made is determined. Then, if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process waits for a predetermined time period to send a command such as the transmission information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command periodically to the event control task 307, and thereafter the process the process returns to step S1701 to continue the command return mode J. On the other hand, if the answer is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to step S1707, where transition to the command return mode K is made.
Also, if the answer at step S1703 is positive (Yes) and thus the transmission state has changed, the process proceeds to step S1704, where the command of request for return to Active is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309, and connection to the intelligent terminal 202 is recovered, and the process proceeds to step S1707, where transition to the command return mode K is made.
That is, whether or not notification of the transition to the Park mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 has been made is determined at step S1707, and if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process proceeds to step S1708 to determine whether or not the command has been received, and if the command has been received, the process proceeds to step S1709 to send the command to the event control task 307, and thereafter the process returns to step S1707 to repeat the above described process. On the other hand, if the command has not been received, the process proceeds to step S1710, where whether or not a response from the event control task 307 has been received is determined. Then, when the answer thereto is negative (No), the process returns to step S1707 to repeat the above described process, while when the answer is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to subsequent step S1711. At step S1711, the received response is stored in the RAM 103 and is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309, and the process proceeds to step S1712.
At step S1712, the transmission result state stored in the RAM 103 is observed to whether or not the transmission is in the sate of redial standby, and when it is not in the sate of redial standby, the process returns to step S1707 to repeat the above described process. In this case, when it is completion of transmission, for example, the process of transition to the Park mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 is carried out and notification of the transition to the Park mode is given from the Bluetooth controller 309 to the Bluetooth control task 308, and therefore the answer at step S1707 is positive (Yes) and the process returns to step S1701, transition to the command return mode J is made for the operation mode.
Also, if the answer at step S1712 is positive (Yes), namely if it is determined that the transmission is in the state of redial standby, the process proceeds to step S1713, where the command of request for transition to the Park mode is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 to perform transition to the Park mode led by the facsimile apparatus 201, and when the transition to the Park mode is confirmed, the process returns to step S1701, and transition to the command return mode J is made for the operation mode.
In the above described FIG. 17, the case where transmission result information of the facsimile apparatus 201 is acquired has been described, but a process for transferring a transmission image from the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201 will be described, using FIG. 31.
FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a process for transferring the transmission image from the intelligent terminal 202 to the facsimile apparatus 201, and this program is executed with the Bluetooth control task 308.
The Bluetooth control task 308 is in the command return mode J in the state where neither a received image nor transmission instruction request from the intelligent terminal 202 exists.
That is, the reception information acquirement command is sent to the event control task 307 at step S3101, and when a response from the event control task 307 is received at step S3102, the received image information (information of existence/not existence of image) in the response is stored in the RAM 103 at subsequent step S3103, and then the process proceeds to step S3104.
At step S3104, transition to the Active mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 is performed, and whether or not notification of the mode transition has been made is determined. Then, if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process waits for a predetermined time period to send periodically a command such as the transmission information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command to the event control task 307, and thereafter the process returns to step S3101 to continue the command return mode J. On the other hand, if the answer at step S3104 is positive (Yes), the process proceeds to step S3106, where transition to the command through mode K is made.
That is, whether or not notification of the transition to the Park mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 has been made is determined at step S3106, and if the answer thereto is negative (No), the process proceeds to step S3107 to determine the command has been received, and if the command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3108 to send the command to the event control task 307, and thereafter the process returns to step S3106 to repeat the above described process. On the other hand, if the command has not been received, the process proceeds to step S3109, where whether or not a response from the event control task 307 has been received is determined. Then, when the answer thereto is negative (No), the process returns to step S3106 to repeat the above described process, while when the answer is positive (Yes), the received response is stored in a RAM 103 and is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 at subsequent step S3110, and the process returns to step S3106.
And thereafter, when due to the case where no transmission image exists and so on, transition to the Park mode led by the intelligent terminal 202 is performed, and consequently notification of the transition to the Park mode is made from the Bluetooth controller 309, the answer at step S3106 is positive (Yes), and the process returns to step S3101, where transition to the command return mode J is made for the operation mode.
Furthermore, the present invention should not be limited to the above described embodiment, and the wireless state at the above described command return mode is not limited to the Park mode, but may be a Standby mode in which the wireless link is opened, and other low power consumption modes such as Sniff Mode and Hold Mode in the Bluetooth specification.
Also, instead of facsimile apparatuses, other image formation apparatuses such as personal computers having image communication functions may be applied to the above described embodiment.
Also, for example, the image formation apparatus may comprise an electronic mail send/receive function in addition to the above described functions.
According to the above described embodiment, in the standby state, consumption of electric power and also occupation of the wireless channel, due to send/receive of a command to poll the state of the image formation apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus and a response thereto, is eliminated.
Also, since the state of low power consumption occurs automatically in the state where no service carries out, a wireless connection processing unit goes into the low power consumption state even without depending on an arrangement and command for transition to the low power consumption state, thus making it possible to reduce traffic of wireless communication, alleviate limitation for performing other services with other apparatuses through wireless communication, and reduce power consumption during the standby state.
(Second Embodiment)
The configuration of the facsimile apparatus in this embodiment is same as that of the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing one example of the system configuration of this embodiment. Furthermore, for configurations same as those in FIG. 2, symbols same as those in FIG. 2 are assigned.
As shown in FIG. 18, the system of this embodiment is constituted by a facsimile apparatus 201, a plurality of intelligent terminals 202a to 202c (three intelligent terminals in this embodiment) represented by personal computers (PC), the above described communication line 203, and an opposite terminal 204 (for example, facsimile apparatus, PC, etc.) connected to this communication line 203.
The facsimile apparatus 201 is connected to the communication line 203, and can communicate with the opposite terminal 204. Also, the facsimile apparatus 201 can be wirelessly connected to respective intelligent terminals 202a to 202c. In this embodiment, since the wireless part is treated as Bluetooth, send/receive of image data and exchange of various kinds of data and programs can be performed with the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c if units for Bluetooth communication are included in the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c, respectively, or units for Bluetooth communication are connected to the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c. In addition, in this embodiment, a facsimile apparatus is employed as an image processing apparatus 201, but the image processing apparatus is not limited the facsimile apparatus, and it may be, for example, a multifunction apparatus comprising a scanner function and printer function, or it may be some other image processing apparatus such as an E-Mail terminal with a scanner or printer function added thereto, not causing departure from the nature of the present invention.
Also, the hierarchy of software for the facsimile apparatus 201 and the hierarchy of software for the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c are similar to the hierarchy of software described with FIGS. 3 and 4, and description thereof is thus omitted.
In addition, the process at the time of turning on the power of the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c, respectively, and the process at the time of turning on the power of the facsimile apparatus 201 are also similar to those of the embodiment described above, and thus description thereof is omitted.
Furthermore, in the following description, the process at the time of turning on the power of the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c is completed, and each of the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c is in the Park mode.
FIG. 19 shows a communication flow during scan data transfer process in the facsimile apparatus 201 in which the user sets an original and presses a scan key to transfer the scanned original to the intelligent terminal 202a.
The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 is in the command return mode during standby, and issues periodically the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 to monitor the state of the facsimile apparatus 201.
The event control task 307 checks whether or not the state of the facsimile apparatus has changed. In the facsimile apparatus 201, if the original is set in the reader unit 107, and the scan key is pressed, display is provided for selecting a transfer destination to which the scanned image is uploaded, and the user is asked to input a transfer destination. If the user selects, for example, PC (a) (intelligent terminal 202a) being a transfer destination, a flag indicating the existence of an image to be scanned and PC (a) as a destination to which the scanned image is uploaded are stored in the RAM 103. The event control task 307 checks this area to recognize that there exists an image to be transferred to PC (a), and gives back a response of existence of an original for scanning and a parameter to the state information acquirement command.
When receiving the response of existence of an original for scanning, the Bluetooth control task 308 recovers communication between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202a to transfer the scanned image data to the intelligent terminal 202a. At this time, commands of request for return to Active, etc. from the intelligent terminals 202b and 202c are ignored.
The Bluetooth control task 308 sends a request for return to Active to the Bluetooth controller 309 to recover the communication. The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for return to Active, communicates with the Bluetooth controller 410 of the intelligent terminal 202a, in accordance with the communication recovery procedure of Bluetooth. When the communication is recovered, the Bluetooth controller 309 gives mode change notification to the Bluetooth control task 308. The Bluetooth control task 308, which receives the mode change notification, makes transition from the command return mode to the command through mode when it determines from the contents of the notification that the communication has been recovered, while the Bluetooth task 308 maintains the state of the command return mode when it determines that the communication cannot be recovered.
Similarly, the Bluetooth controller 410 of the intelligent terminal 202a gives mode change notification to the Bluetooth control task 409. The Bluetooth control task 409, which makes transition from the command return mode to the command though mode when it determines from the contents of the notification that the communication has been recovered, while the Bluetooth control task 409 maintains the state of the command return mode and displays a message as such on the above described display unit of the intelligent terminal 202a when it determines that the communication cannot be recovered.
When the communication is recovered, each of the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 goes into the command though mode, scan image data transfer process is carried out with a command interface same as the interface for connection with cables such as a parallel interface such as Centronics (standard interface defined in IEEE 1284, etc.). The scan image data transfer process will be described later.
When the scan image data transfer process is completed, the facsimile manager 401 issues the state information acquirement command to the facsimile apparatus 201. The event control task 307, which receives the state information acquirement command, makes a search as to whether or not a scan image exists with the flag, etc. stored in the RAM 103, and when the scan image exists, it gives back a response of "scan image existed".
When the facsimile manager 401 determines from the response to the state information acquirement command that a scan image exists, it carries out the scan image data transfer process again, in accordance with the scan image data transfer process described later.
If no scan image exists, the event control task 307 that receives the state information acquirement command checks states associated with the facsimile apparatus 201 such as the state of the printer, the state of the scanner and the state of the memory, and gives back a response of normal state.
If the facsimile manager 401 determines from the response to the state information acquirement command that the state of error occurs, it displays a message showing the state of error on the above described display unit of the intelligent terminal 202a, and issues periodically the reception information acquirement command and the state information acquirement command to the event control task 307 until the state of error is corrected. On the other hand, when the facsimile manager 401 determines that the state of the facsimile apparatus 201 is normal, it issues periodically the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command again until it makes transition to the Park mode being a power consumption mode.
The facsimile apparatus 201 makes again transition to the Park mode being a power consumption mode when it determines that the state is normal.
Then, the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 requests transition to the Park mode to the Bluetooth controller 309. The Bluetooth controller 309, which receives the request for transition to the Park mode carries out procedure of transfer to the Park mode with the Bluetooth controller 410 in accordance with the specification of Bluetooth.
When the transition procedure is completed, the Bluetooth controllers 309 and 410 notify the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409, respectively, of the transition to the Park mode.
When receiving the notification of the transition to the Park mode, the Bluetooth control tasks 308 and 409 go into command return modes, respectively.
Then, again, the command return mode is maintained until the user starts a service such as facsimile transmission, scan instruction or print in the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c, or scan operation and facsimile reception occur in the facsimile apparatus 201.
FIG. 20 shows an outline of control of transfer of commands and data between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202a in the scan image data transfer process of FIG. 19.
In the facsimile apparatus 201, when an original to be scanned is set on the reader unit 107, and the scan key is pressed, a flag showing that an original for scanning exists is set. Then, display is provided on the display unit of the operation unit 108 for selecting a transfer destination to which data is uploaded and the user is asked to select the transfer destination. When the transfer destination is selected, the transfer destination is stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 103 as in the case of the above described flag.
If it is known that an original for scanning exists from the above described area, a response of "original for scanning existed" is given back to the state information acquirement command from the intelligent terminal 202a.
Then, a scan instruction command is sent from the intelligent terminal 202a, and the facsimile apparatus 201 that receives this command gives back the answer of "OK" when the reader unit 107 is operable, and gives back the answer of "NG" when the reader unit 107 is not operable. When the answer to the scan instruction command is "OK", the intelligent terminal 202a sends a scan setup instruction command, and subsequently a setup parameter such as read main/sub scan resolution. The facsimile apparatus 201 that receives those sends the answer of "OK" if read control in accordance with the parameter is possible, while it sends the answer of "NG" if read control in accordance with the parameter is impossible.
If the answer of "OK" is sent, the facsimile apparatus 201 reads the original with the reader unit 107, accumulates encoded data in the image memory (DRAM) 104, and transfers image data of predetermined size from the image memory (DRAM) 104 to the intelligent terminal 202 together with the answer of "OK" if a request for transfer of image data is made from the intelligent terminal 202a. If meanwhile, an interruption by a stop key (not shown) from the operation unit 108 or an error of the read system such as an original jam occurs, the facsimile apparatus 201 sends the answer of "NG". Then, the facsimile apparatus 201 transfers original read image data of one page, examines whether or not a next original for reading exists after transfer of one page is completed, notifies the intelligent terminal 202a thereof, and waits for the scan setup instruction command from the intelligent terminal 202a if a next original for reading exists. On the other hand, if a next original for reading does not exist, the process is ended.
FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload process carried out by the Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201. Furthermore, the mode between the facsimile apparatus 201 and the intelligent terminal 202a is the Park mode, and the Bluetooth control task 308 is in the command return mode.
In FIG. 21, at step S2101, whether or not Piconet with the intelligent terminal 202a has been eliminated by the mode change notification from the Bluetooth controller 309 is determined. If the Piconet has been eliminated, sending of the command to the event control task 307 is stopped, and this scan image upload process is ended.
On the other hand, if the Piconet has not been eliminated, the process proceeds to step S2102, where whether or not a request for transition to Active is made is determined by the mode change notification from the Bluetooth controller 309. If the request for return to Active is made, the process proceeds to step S2110, where transition to the command through mode is made, while if the request for return to Active is not made, the process proceeds to step S2103.
The state information acquirement command is sent to the event control task 307 at step S2103, and a response is received at step S2104.
When the response is received, the state information included in the response is stored in the Bluetooth control task 308 at step S2105.
Whether or not a request for scanning is made is determined from the stored state information at step S2106, and if the request for scanning is not made, the process proceeds to S2107, where the process waits to send the information acquirement command periodically, and thereafter the process returns to step S2101. On the other hand, if the request for scanning is made, the process proceeds to step S2108, where the intelligent terminal (for example, intelligent terminal 202a) that is a transfer destination is read from the stored state information, and at step S2109, in order to make a request for return to Active to the intelligent terminal that is a transfer destination, such a request for return to Active is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309. Then, the process proceeds to step S2110, where transition is made from the command return mode to the command through mode.
At step S2110, whether or not a command has been received is determined, and the process proceeds to step S2116, where the command is sent to the event control task 307 if the command has been received, and the process proceeds to step S2111 if the command has not been received.
Whether or not an image has been received is determined at step S2111, and the process proceeds to step S2117, where the image is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 if the image has been received, and the process proceeds to step S2112 if the image has not been received.
Whether or not a response has been received is determined at step S2112, and the process returns to step S2110 id the response has not been received, while the process proceeds to step S2113 if the response has been received.
When the response is received, the state information included in the response is stored in the Bluetooth control task 308 at step S2114. Then, the response received from the event control task 307 is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 at step S2115.
Then, whether or not upload of the scanned image has been completed is determined at step S2118, and the process returns to step S2110 if it has not been completed yet, and the process proceeds to step S2119 if it has been completed.
At step S2119, a request for transition to the Park mode is sent to the Bluetooth controller 309 to make transition to the Park mode, and transition to the command return mode is made, and the process returns to step S2101.
FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a procedure of scan process that the CPU 101 of the facsimile apparatus 201 carries out when the image is scanned upon request for scanning from the facsimile apparatus 201.
In FIG. 22, whether or not an original exists in the reader unit 107 is first detected at step S2201, and step S2201 is repeated if the original does not exist, and the process proceeds to S2202 if the original exists.
Whether or not a scan key (not shown) existing in the operation unit 108 has been pressed is determined at step S2202, and the process returns to step S2201 if it has not been pressed, and the process proceeds to step S2203 if it has been pressed.
At step S2203, whether or not intelligent terminals connected with Bluetooth exist is determined from the connection destination list stored in the RAM 103. If no connection destinations exist, the process proceeds to step S2204, where display of "transfer impossible" is provided on the LCD display unit (not shown) of the operation unit 108, and this image scan process is ended. Furthermore, display showing that a connection destination does not exist is not limited to display by the LCD display unit, but may be the light of an error lamp, for example.
If connection destinations exist at step S2203, the process proceeds to step S2205, where whether or not there exists only one connection destination is determined. If there exists a plurality of connection destinations, the process proceeds to step S2207, where the current connection destinations are displayed on the LCD display unit of the operation unit 108, and the user is prompted to select which intelligent terminal the scanned image is to be sent to.
Then, whether or not the intelligent terminal being a transfer destination has been selected with the operation in the operation unit 108 is checked at step S2208, and the process returns to step S2207 if the intelligent terminal being a transfer destination has not been selected, while if the intelligent terminal being a transfer destination has been selected, the process proceeds to step S2209, where the selected intelligent terminal being a transfer destination is registered being a transfer destination.
Then, the state information acquirement command from the Bluetooth control task 308 is waited at step S2210, and when the state information acquirement command is received, the process proceeds to step S2211, where "scan request existed" and the information of the intelligent terminal being a transfer destination are given back to the Bluetooth control task 308 as a response to the state information acquirement command, and the above described FAX scan service process (scan image data transfer process) is carried out.
If there exists only one connection destination at the above described step S2205, the process proceeds to step S2206, where the intelligent terminal that the current transfer destination is registered being a transfer destination without carrying out processes such as display of a connection destination, and the process proceeds to step S2210, where the aforesaid process is carried out.
FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a scan image upload process carries out by the Bluetooth control task 409 of the intelligent terminal 202a. Furthermore, the Bluetooth control task 409 is in the command return mode in the state where no received image exists (step S2301 to step S2303).
In FIG. 23, whether or not the state information acquirement command has been received from the facsimile manager 401 is determined at step S2301, and the process proceeds to step S2302 if it has been received, while the process proceeds to step S2303 if it has not been received.
The state information stored in the Bluetooth control task 409 is sent to the facsimile manager 401 as a response at step S2302.
At step S2303, transition to the Active mode led by the facsimile apparatus 201 is performed, and whether or not mode transition notification has been received is determined, and if it has not been received, the process returns to step S2301, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to step S2304, where transition to the command through mode is made.
At step S2304, transition to the Park mode led by the facsimile apparatus 201 is performed, and whether or not mode transition notification has been received is determined, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step S2305, and if it has been received, the process returns to step S2301, where transition to the command return mode is made.
At step S2305, whether or not a command has been received is determined, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to step S2306, where the command is sent to the Bluetooth controller 410, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step S2307.
At step S2307, whether or not an image has been received is determined, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to step S2308, where the image is sent to the facsimile manager 401, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step S2309.
At step S2309, whether or not a response has been received is determined, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to step S2310, and if it has not been received, the process returns to step S2304.
At step S2310, whether or not the response is a response to the state information acquirement command is determined, and if it is a response to the state information acquirement command, the process proceeds to step S2311, and if it is not a response to the state information acquirement command, the process proceeds to step S2312.
At step S2311, the state information included in the response is stored in the Bluetooth control task 409, and the process proceeds to step S2312.
At step S2312, the response is sent to the facsimile manager 401.
FIG. 24 shows a communication flow in the case where Piconet with the intelligent terminal 202b of the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c to which the facsimile apparatus 210 is connected with Bluetooth to establish Piconet is eliminated, for example because the power of intelligent terminal 202b is turned off, it moves to a dead spot outside the space to which the radio wave reaches or the like. Furthermore, when transition to the Park mode is made, the facsimile apparatus 201 maintains Piconet synchronization by receiving beacons sent from each of the intelligent terminals 202a to 202c being master terminals.
The Bluetooth control task 308 of the facsimile apparatus 201 is in the command return mode during standby, and issues periodically the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command to the event control task 307 to monitor the state of the facsimile apparatus 201. The event control task 307, which receives the state information acquirement command, checks states associated with the facsimile apparatus 201 such as the state of the printer, the state of the scanner and the state of the memory, and sends back a response as such. Also, for the reception information acquirement command issued by the Bluetooth control task 308, the event control task 307 makes a search as to whether the received image exists in the image management record stored in the RAM 103, and sends a response as such.
Similarly, the facsimile manager 401 of the intelligent terminal 202b is in the command return mode during standby, and issues periodically the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command to the Bluetooth control task 409. The Bluetooth control task 409, which receives the state information acquirement command, sends back the stored state associated with the facsimile apparatus 201 as a response. For the reception information acquirement command, a search is made as to whether the received image exists in the stored image management record, and sends back a response as such.
By the way, in the case where reception of beacons becomes impossible and the Park mode cannot be maintained because the power of the intelligent terminal 202b is turned off, it moves to a dead spot outside a space to which the radio wave reaches, and so on, the Bluetooth controller 309 of the facsimile apparatus 201 sends mode change notification of elimination of Piconet to the Bluetooth control task 308.
The Bluetooth control task 308 receives the notification, and deletes the intelligent terminal 202b from the connection destination list in the RAM 103. At this time, if other connection destination intelligent terminals (the intelligent terminal 202a or 202c in this embodiment), the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command are sent periodically to the event control task 307 as ever. On the other hand, in the case where the intelligent terminal 202b is deleted from the connection destination list, whereby connection destinations no longer exist, the Bluetooth control task 308 stops sending the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command.
Also, the Bluetooth controller 410 in the intelligent terminal sends mode change notification of elimination of Piconet to the Bluetooth control task 409, and thereafter stops sending the state information acquirement command and the reception information acquirement command. However, in the case where Piconet is eliminated because the power of the intelligent terminal is turned off, this process is not (cannot be) carried out.
The present invention should not be limited to the above described embodiment, and the wireless state |
