JP2834128B

PURPOSE:To effectively utilize the storage area of limited size so as to realize the smooth operation of communication through a storage system by splitting and releasing the storage area of a part having been transmitted from the storage area which a communication information file in the course of transmission occupies. CONSTITUTION:Picture information read by a picture reading part 20 is inputted to a storage part 28 through a second compressing part 30, and is stored in a space area in an information area A. The stored picture information is stored as a picture information file in which one communication unit is considered to be one item. The picture information read out after being stored once in the storage part 28 is transmitted to a communication line 12 from a second expanding part 34 and a first switching part 40 through a first compressing part 16 and a MODEM 14. At this time, as for the storage part 28, only the picture information part of one page portion having been transmitted is split and deleted from the file by rewriting the contents of a page control table B3 and a sector control table B4, and the storage area of the released part is registered as the space area.