JP2000307793A - Internet facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To enable confidentiality and classification processing when a plurality of persons use it. SOLUTION: An arbitrary mail address is designated (S
1), "ON" and "OFF" of the automatic print output at the time of reception are designated (S2). A dial-up connection is made to the access point (S3), and after the authentication procedure, the incoming mail in the mailbox is checked (S4). If there is no incoming mail in the mailbox (S5), the line is immediately disconnected (S12) and the process waits until the next process (S13).
If there is an incoming mail (S5), it is downloaded to the facsimile machine and stored in correspondence with the mail address (S6). The file in this state is called a received file and is stored in the received file storage. When the download is completed, the line is disconnected (S7). The automatic print output setting for the mail address of the received file is checked (S8). If "ON", the output is immediately printed (S9) and the output received file is deleted (S1).
0).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile apparatus, and more particularly, to the output of a received file of an Internet facsimile apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, the Internet has become widespread as an inexpensive, high-speed, and worldwide communication means. Among them, e-mail is becoming an indispensable part of daily life as well as corporate activities. In such an environment, each one has an individual e-mail address and uses e-mail like a telephone, as well as one person has multiple e-mail addresses and uses e-mail usage according to the purpose of use There is also. For this reason, it is not unusual for the number of e-mail addresses in an organization to be larger than the number of its users.

On the other hand, an Internet facsimile machine is emerging as a new communication terminal using electronic mail. The difference between an Internet facsimile machine and a normal facsimile machine is that a normal facsimile machine connects to the other party's facsimile machine by inputting a telephone number and transmits / receives data in real time.
An Internet facsimile device is to deliver an e-mail or image file to a facsimile device having a specified e-mail address via the Internet by inputting an e-mail address. Transmission and reception are performed only by communicating with the server.

[0004] A mail server has a function of temporarily storing a mail or an image file (hereinafter referred to as a mail) at the time of transmission and transmitting the mail to the Internet, and a function of receiving a mail sent from the Internet and receiving the mail at the time of reception. And store the mail until the user of the destination mail address accesses the server and receives the mail in the mailbox (downloads it to the facsimile machine). Storage device.

[0005] In general, as a connection form between an Internet terminal and a mail server, most are connected by a LAN (local area network), and an Internet connection company (a dial-up function) uses a general public line. In the following, a connection is made with a mail server managed by a provider. In any case, transmission / reception of an electronic mail can be performed by accessing a corresponding mail server for one mail address. In other words, at the time of transmission, the communication on the sending side is completed by passing the mail to the mail server, regardless of the destination anywhere in the world. There is no cost. Therefore, the Internet facsimile apparatus has an advantage that facsimile transmission can be performed at a very low rate.

However, an Internet facsimile machine is generally not automatically delivered from a destination (a mail server if the destination is an e-mail) unlike a normal facsimile device during reception. It is necessary to access the mail server from the facsimile machine. For this reason, cases such as dial-up connection cases
In some cases, communication costs are incurred. Normally, a terminal (= facsimile machine) has a so-called automatic reception confirmation function of performing a reception operation to a mail server at regular intervals. Depending on the setting of the reception operation interval, reception is performed with almost no time lag. It is also possible to reduce the communication cost associated with reception by extending the reception operation interval.

As described above, the operation of the Internet facsimile apparatus is significantly different from that of a general facsimile apparatus during reception. As described above, although there is a drawback that a connection operation to a mail server is necessary for reception, it also has an advantage that is difficult to realize with a general facsimile machine. The advantage is, as described above, that each person has their own e-mail address and multiple people use one facsimile machine, or
Only one person uses the facsimile machine, but this is effective in a case where it is desired to use a plurality of e-mail addresses depending on the purpose.

In a general facsimile apparatus, since a number (telephone number) is assigned to a line to be connected, it can only receive a signal sent to the number of the line to be connected.
However, since the Internet facsimile apparatus accesses and receives the mail server itself, if it can access the mailbox, it can receive all mail addressed to the corresponding mail address. That is, if the facsimile machine itself has a receiving operation function for a plurality of e-mail addresses, a plurality of persons can use each e-mail address to address a single facsimile apparatus having only one connection line. In addition to receiving e-mails, one person can use a plurality of e-mail addresses.

[0009] However, when a single Internet facsimile machine is used by a plurality of persons, there is a problem of confidentiality and separation as in the case of a general facsimile machine. In other words, it is sufficiently conceivable that a received file that one does not want others to see is printed out without knowing it, or that a printed file of the received file addressed to another person is mistakenly brought back (here, receiving The file means a file in which the mail downloaded from the mail server is stored in a specific format by the facsimile machine.)

Hitherto, various methods have been considered for securing confidentiality of a facsimile apparatus and for specifying a recipient. For example, there are methods using a confidential reception function and a G4 subaddress. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-126443
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-216, "Internet facsimile apparatus" discloses an Internet facsimile apparatus that can easily manage received e-mails in a centralized manner. The Internet facsimile apparatus connected to a LAN transmits mail received on the LAN. It is also conceivable to use the function of transferring to another terminal.

[0011]

However, confidential reception and the like need to be set in advance by the transmitting side, and may not be available depending on the type of machine. Also, automatic distribution on a LAN requires a relatively well-equipped environment, for example, users who can enjoy the automatic distribution are limited to users having terminals connected to the LAN.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and makes use of the characteristics of the reception procedure of the Internet facsimile apparatus, so that the facsimile apparatus itself is not necessarily connected to the LAN, or the transmission side. The facsimile machine itself can access the mailbox in the mail server as a mail receiving procedure without special operation on the server, so that the destination (mail address) of the received mail can be recognized in advance. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an Internet facsimile apparatus that can perform confidentiality and classification when used by another person.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Internet facsimile apparatus capable of receiving an e-mail or a mail such as an image using the e-mail via the Internet. A receiving operation means for receiving and downloading the mail arriving at the mail address, and setting whether or not to print out a reception file for the incoming mail when the incoming mail is downloaded by the receiving operation means And print output setting means for storing the received file in a memory inside the facsimile apparatus without automatically printing the received file as in normal facsimile reception, thereby maintaining the confidentiality of the received file. It is something that can be done.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein an incoming mail for a specified mail address of the plurality of mail addresses is downloaded but not printed out yet. Are printed out so that the user can easily obtain the required files in a lump.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the first or second aspect, further comprising communication history output means for printing out a past communication history, and the communication being printed out by the communication history output means. It is characterized in that a display capable of identifying the unprinted output of the received file is attached to the received file that has not been printed yet output while the history is being downloaded, and the received file is kept confidential. It is intended to prevent a situation in which the information does not reach the user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, one type is selected from a plurality of types of recording paper for a designated received file and printed out. Recording paper selection printing output means for specifying the recording paper of the print output of the received file corresponding to the specified mail address, the reception file addressed to the specific mail address and the reception addressed to another The print output of the file can be easily identified by the user.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, one type is selected from a plurality of types of recording paper for a designated received file and printed out. Recording paper selection printing output means for distinguishing between a recording file of print output of a received file received by facsimile communication and a received file received via the Internet, and receiving a file received by normal facsimile communication. This allows a user to easily identify a received file received via the Internet.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main portion for explaining an embodiment of an installation environment to which an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 shows a case where an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a LAN (hereinafter, this configuration is referred to as “LAN connection configuration”). There is a mail server 4 having a transmission / reception function, and the Internet facsimile apparatus 5 accesses the Internet 1 and can transmit / receive by sending or receiving an e-mail.

The mail server 4 sends and receives electronic mail to and from the Internet 1 via the router 2 in the same LAN 3. The router 2 serves as a relay point to the Internet 1 and reads the destination (IP address) of the e-mail and transfers it to another router near the destination. By this repetition, the e-mail propagates on the Internet 1,
It reaches the router connected to the terminal that is the final destination, and is stored in the mail server.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part for explaining another embodiment of the apparatus environment to which the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied. An access point 7 provided by a provider using a general public line 6 is shown. 1 shows a case in which a connection is made to the Internet 1 by dial-up connection (hereinafter, this configuration is referred to as a “dial-up connection configuration”). First, the Internet facsimile machine 5 makes a call (dial-up) from the general public line 6 to the nearest access point 7.

In the access point 7, a general public line 6
The communication server 8 interposed between the communication server 8 and the LAN 9 in the access point 7 responds, and authenticates the user at the authentication server (authentication server) 15 managed by the provider 12 through the dedicated line 11. Authentication server 15
Performs a function of confirming / specifying a user based on a user name and a password, and also manages a communication fee. Upon receiving the authentication, the user can access the mail server 16 managed by the provider 12. Thereafter, transmission and reception of e-mail can be performed in the same procedure as in the case of the LAN connection configuration shown in FIG.

In general, an e-mail is composed of only text data, but a binary file such as an image can be transmitted as an attached file by encoding it into a text file, and re-converted on the receiving side. By performing (decompression), it can be used as an original binary file. The present invention has a function of transmitting image data of a document read by a reading unit by e-mail as an attached file, and developing and printing out an attached file sent by e-mail as an image. A facsimile machine is defined as a so-called Internet facsimile machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of an Internet facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and shows an example of an Internet facsimile apparatus which can be connected to the Internet by a dial-up connection environment. However, it should be noted that the range to which the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied does not include those limited to the dial-up connection environment.

An internet facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied is different from a general facsimile apparatus in that a modem is equipped not only with a FAX modem 27 but also with a data modem 28 having a data communication function. The data modem 28 is a modem that converts digital data into an analog modulated signal or vice versa based on a communication standard. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
An analog switch 26 is placed between the line I / F unit 25 and the two modems.
The line I / F unit 25 and the FAX modem 27 are connected during normal facsimile transmission and reception.
This makes it possible to use two lines for sending and receiving e-mail and sending and receiving facsimile.

Although it is possible to use one line properly in a system other than the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the scope of the present invention is not changed by this system. It is also conceivable to allocate a dedicated line for both transmission and reception of electronic mail and facsimile, but this does not change the range to which the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, while having the same function as a general facsimile apparatus,
The control system and the like are different from each other.
And a user information storage memory 36 for storing various information related to the user, and a compression / decompression unit 37. The operation / display unit 23 has input means for inputting a mail address as a destination, and is capable of inputting alphabets and @ (at mark). The user information storage memory 36 stores information necessary for dial-up connection (= dial-up connection information: at least a telephone number of an access point, a user name for authentication, a password, an address of a transmission mail server, The address of the receiving mail server is stored, and based on this information, a dial-up connection is performed at the time of sending / receiving an electronic mail.

The compression / decompression unit 37 is a standard coding system for normal facsimile communication (MH, MR, MMR, etc.).
In addition to the image data read as an attached file,
Follow the format when attaching to email. The attached file format is MH or MR
If it is possible to transmit and receive the data, a compression / decompression function dedicated to the attached file is unnecessary.

The storage / management of the received file in the received file storage section 38 has an important meaning in the present invention. Generally, a normal facsimile apparatus recognizes a special function (for example, confidential reception or the like) added at the time of communication, in addition to a function of storing the received files in the received file storage unit 38 in the order of reception, and performs other functions. It has the function of identifying and storing it as a received file,
The Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention requires a function for sorting received mail addresses and managing the received mails for managing received files.

That is, the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention has a specification in which, by designating a mail address, various processes such as printing and erasing can be executed only for a received file addressed to the mail address. is necessary. For example, it is conceivable that an Internet facsimile apparatus can manage a received file by providing a header portion in the received file and storing a code or the like for identifying a destination mail address in the header portion. .

The receiving operation procedure of the Internet facsimile apparatus includes (A) a dial-up connection to an access point of a provider based on dial-up connection information stored in a user information storage memory, and (B) an authentication server of the provider. The authentication is completed by transmitting the user name and password to (C) the predetermined communication procedure (protocol)
(D) checking the incoming mail to the receiving mail server (checking the mailbox), and (D) downloading the incoming mail to the facsimile machine side. If there is no incoming mail in the mailbox, the line is disconnected without downloading anything.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining an embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. It is assumed that dial-up connection information necessary for a receiving operation for an input mail address has already been registered. And First, by a dial-up connection, an arbitrary mail address is specified from among mail addresses that can be received (S1), and "ON" and "OFF" of automatic print output at the time of reception are specified (S2). How to establish the initial state for print output is not directly related to the claims of the present invention, but if either is set, the print processing after receiving operation is confirmed for all receivable mail addresses. Will do. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, “yasuda@aaa.ricoh.co.j
In addition, it is assumed that all inputs such as designation of a mail address are performed from the operation unit, and the set information is stored in the user information storage memory (36 in FIG. 3).

Thereafter, a receiving operation is started to receive an incoming mail of the corresponding mail address. There is no significant difference in control between the reception operation performed automatically by the Internet facsimile apparatus itself and the operation performed by the user. Dial-up connection is made to the access point of the provider that manages the mail server of “yasuda@aaa.ricoh.co.jp” (S3), and after the authentication procedure, the incoming mail in the mailbox is checked (S4). A series of control procedures are realized by a protocol corresponding to the mail server such as POP (Post Office Protocol). If there is no incoming mail in the mailbox (S5), the line is immediately disconnected (S12), and the process waits for the next process (S1).
3) The receiving operation ends.

If there is an incoming mail (S5), the incoming mail is downloaded to the facsimile machine and stored in correspondence with the mail address (S6). In the present invention, the file in this state is called a received file, and is stored in the received file storage unit 38 shown in FIG. When the download is completed, disconnect the line (S
7). The reception operation itself is completed up to this point, and thereafter, the Internet facsimile apparatus itself becomes a stand-alone operation. Whether the automatic print output setting for the mail address (“yasuda@aaa.ricoh.co.jp” in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4) which is the destination of the received file created by the receiving operation is “ON” or not. It is determined whether it is OFF or not (S8). If it is ON, the received file is immediately printed out (S9) and the output received file is deleted (S10).

At this time, if there is an attached file such as an image, the attached file is developed and output as an image (S9). Further, if there is a function that allows the user to recognize that the printout has been made without erasing the printout received file, it is possible to prevent the printout from being performed again in the embodiment described later. If the automatic print output setting is "OFF" in step S2, the received file is stored as it is without printing (S11). The stored received file is printed out according to the control procedure of the embodiment described below.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. In the case where there are a plurality of unoutput received files, whether or not to print out each one is determined. This is a procedure for judging whether or not there is no change. However, it is not always necessary to perform such a control procedure, and a printout may be performed on a plurality of received files at once.

First, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a mail address is designated by the operation unit (S21). After the incoming mail is downloaded, it is checked whether the setting to automatically print out the received file to the specified mail address is made (S22). If the setting is to automatically print out the received file, the received file is already printed. Since it should have been output, it waits until the next processing (S30). If the mail address is "OFF" for automatic print output,
The received file storage unit is searched for whether there is a received file addressed to the mail address (S23).

If there is no received file, the process waits until the next process (S30). If there is a received file, the fact is notified to the user by displaying it on the display unit or the like, and the user is determined whether to immediately print out the retrieved received file (S25). If the user inputs that printing is to be performed immediately by operating the operation unit,
After the corresponding received file is printed out (S26), the received file is deleted (S27). Step S25
In step S29, if the printout is not to be performed immediately, the received file is stored as it is, and the printer waits for printout (S29). The print output control is completed for all the received files stored in the received file storage unit when the above determination is completed (S2).
8)

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, and shows a print example of a communication history report. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the operation of deleting the received file after printing out the received file is performed. However, according to this procedure, all the received files remaining in the received file storage unit are not stored. This is the print output reception file.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, whether or not a printout has been made can be determined by "not" or "done" shown in the "print" column. By applying a marking to the communication history report that allows you to determine that it has been printed out without erasing the file,
It is designed to be able to recognize a non-printed output received file. If any of the means can recognize the received file that has not been printed, the presence or absence of the printed output can be easily realized by referring to the information at the time of printing the communication history report.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. As a condition for realizing the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of paper feed units 31 shown in FIG. It is necessary to have a function of selecting a kind of recording paper. For example, a function is conceivable in which there are a plurality of recording paper storage trays, and one of the trays is selected and used for print output. It is desirable that the plurality of recording paper storage trays be used for the purpose of setting recording papers having different sizes, colors, and orientations. Alternatively, it is possible to enable identification by direction.

First, as a pre-setting, similarly to the control of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a mail address is specified and a recording paper to be printed out is selected for a received file corresponding to a specific mail address (S31, S32). Thereafter, the incoming mail is downloaded by dial-up connection (in the flowchart, the flow from the dial-up connection to the completion of the download and the line disconnection is omitted). When the received file is created in the received file storage memory in the facsimile machine (S33), it is determined whether or not the recording paper for printing is specified for the mail address addressed to the received file (S33). S3
4). If it is not specified, the received file is printed out on the default recording paper (selected when not specified), and the received file is deleted (S36). If it has been specified, it is printed out on the specified recording paper (S3
5).

[0042]

(1) Effect of the invention of claim 1 The Internet facsimile apparatus itself can recognize a mail address which is a destination of a received file, and a user can send a mail to an arbitrary mail address. It is possible to specify whether to print out automatically at the time of receiving operation, so received files that you do not want others to see,
It is possible to prevent a situation in which printout is performed without permission.

(2) Advantageous Effects of the Invention According to the Second Embodiment As for a mail that has not been printed out to an arbitrary mail address, the mail can be printed out by a user's operation. And can be obtained collectively for each destination.

(3) Advantageous Effects of the Third Embodiment When printing out a communication history report, a received file that has been received but has not been printed out is identified. It is possible to reliably obtain the received file.

(4) Effects of the Invention of Claim 4 Since the recording paper at the time of printing out the received file to the mail address can be switched, the reception addressed to a specific mail address can be changed by changing the type of the recording paper. Files and received files addressed to other mail addresses can be easily identified.

(5) Effects of the Invention of Claim 5 Since the recording paper at the time of printing out the received file with respect to the mail address can be switched, by changing the type of the recording paper, the received file by the normal facsimile communication and the Internet can be switched. It is possible to easily identify a file received via the Internet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of an installation environment to which an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram for explaining another embodiment of the apparatus environment to which the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a main part configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of an Internet facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining another embodiment of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Internet, 2, 10, 13, 17 router
3, 9, 14 LAN, 4 mail server, 5 Internet facsimile machine, 6 general public line, 7 access point, 8 communication server, 11
... Dedicated line, 12 ... Provider, 15 ... Authentication server, 1
6 mail server, 21 document reading unit, 22 image processing unit, 23 operation / display unit, 24 operation / display control unit, 25 line I / F unit, 26 analog switch, 2
7 FAX modem, 28 Data modem, 29 Print output unit, 30 Sensor / drive system, 31 Paper feed unit, 3
2 Print control unit, 33 CPU, 34 program storage memory, 35 data storage memory, 36 user information storage memory, 37 compression / decompression unit, 38 received file storage unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) JJ12 JJ14 JJ25 JJ27 KK42 LL03

Claims (5)

[Claims] An Internet facsimile apparatus capable of receiving an e-mail or an e-mail such as an image using the e-mail via the Internet, receiving a plurality of mail addresses and receiving the mail arriving at the plurality of mail addresses. Receiving operation means for downloading the received mail, and print output setting means for setting whether to print out a received file for the incoming mail when the received mail is downloaded by the receiving operation means. Internet facsimile machine. 2. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all the received files which have been downloaded but not yet printed out have been downloaded to the specified mail address of the plurality of mail addresses. An Internet facsimile machine characterized by the above. 3. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising communication history output means for printing and outputting past communication history, wherein said communication history printed and output by said communication history output means is downloaded. An internet facsimile apparatus, characterized in that a display is provided for a received file which has not been printed out yet but which can identify the unprinted output of the received file. 4. An internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of a plurality of types of recording paper is selected and printed out for a specified received file. An internet facsimile machine having output means for specifying recording paper for printing out a received file for a specified mail address. 5. An Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of a plurality of types of recording paper is selected and printed out for a specified received file. An internet facsimile apparatus, comprising output means, for distinguishing printout recording paper between a received file received by facsimile communication and a received file received via the Internet.