JP2004046901A - Communication equipment, and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To edit and print an abbreviation dial list consisting of telephone numbers when a facsimile machine is used and mail addresses when an E-mail is used. <P>SOLUTION: A template generating part generates the form of the abbreviation dial list to be generated, and the generated form of the list is registered in a template memory. The registered form is selected when used. When it is printed, a user selects the registered form, extracts prescribed data from abbreviation dial data, synthesizes the form with the extracted data, and print it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The present invention relates to a communication device such as a network facsimile device and a cover page creating method using the communication device.

(4) Internet facsimile machines that transmit and receive image data using a network such as the Internet to facsimile machines that transmit and receive images and characters using telephone lines are already in practical use.

In this Internet facsimile apparatus, when sending and receiving image data to be transmitted by e-mail, usually, the sender writes a message or other communication contents in a text portion, and transmits a related sample or the like in an attached file.

By the way, in general, when sending an e-mail, if the other party already knows the message to be sent, or if it is just providing information, the sender does not create a cover page, leaving the text part blank and only the attached file It is often done to send. Also, even when a cover page is created, the attached file may be transmitted with the cover page included, with the text portion left blank.

(4) When the electronic mail transmitted in this way is received and printed by the Internet facsimile machine, a text portion and an attached file portion are usually extracted from the data of the received electronic mail and printed. The printing order is as follows. First, the text part is printed, and then the attached file part is printed.

In addition, when printing system setting information such as a pre-registered speed dial list in a conventional Internet facsimile apparatus, the printing is usually performed in a fixed format set in the apparatus.

However, in some mail software, if you send an email with an attached file without writing anything in the text section and leave it blank, the text section will only have a line feed, and the attached file section will be added to the blank text section It will be transmitted as a multipart of the configuration. When this is received by the Internet facsimile machine, the attached file may be printed after first printing a blank page. Therefore, the text portion cannot serve as a cover page, and a wasteful printing operation is performed.

As another type of e-mail software, there is one that takes in a text registered in advance as a signature as an attached file and transmits it. However, if the signature is not registered, a blank text is similarly received and a blank page is printed. Even if the signature is registered, the signature is simply printed to the sender, but it is possible to know who the mail sender is, but the role as the cover page is insufficient.

In addition, the sender may create a cover page in the text part, or simply enter only the address and signature, but when these are received and the text part is printed, it may be difficult to see even if the characters are small and printed. In many cases, the function of the cover page is insufficient.

On the other hand, when printing system setting information, only one fixed type set in the apparatus can be printed, so that it is not always easy for a user to use.

As described above, in the conventional Internet facsimile apparatus, when an e-mail to be transmitted and received and system setting information are printed, there are various inconveniences for the user because the printing mode is fixed.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and a first object is to create a cover page of a form set by a user regardless of the transmission mode of an e-mail transmitted by a sender. It is to provide a communication device capable of printing.

  A second object of the present invention is to provide a communication device that does not print a blank page even when a text portion is blank.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a communication device that can edit system setting information and print it as a form that matches the needs of the user.

The present invention has a configuration of a unit for registering system information in a communication device and a unit for creating a list in which the system information is arranged according to a predetermined form.

According to the present invention, system setting information such as a speed dial list can be freely edited and printed as a form that matches the needs of the user.

According to an aspect of the first invention, there is provided means for analyzing a text portion of a received e-mail to extract data for creating a cover page, and means for creating a cover page in which the data is arranged according to a predetermined form. Is a communication device having: With this configuration, a cover page of a predetermined form can be created and printed regardless of the transmission mode of the e-mail transmitted by the sender.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising: means for setting a form of a cover page; and a memory for storing the set form, and one form read from the memory. Is a predetermined form. With this configuration, the user can freely set and select the form of the cover page.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the second aspect, the memory is a rewritable memory built in the communication device. With this configuration, it is possible to easily add or delete the form of the cover page on the communication device side.

{A fourth aspect of the present invention} is the communication device according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the memory is a server connected to the Internet. With this configuration, it is possible to easily select from many types of cover page forms stored in the server through the Internet.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the data for creating the cover page is a portion having a predetermined character string in a text portion of an e-mail. . With this configuration, data for creating a cover page can be automatically acquired from the text part of the e-mail.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the data for creating the cover page is a portion having a predetermined character structure in a text portion of the e-mail. . With this configuration, data for creating a cover page can be automatically acquired from the text part of the e-mail.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the data for creating the cover page is a portion sandwiched between predetermined command characters in a text portion of the e-mail. ing. With this configuration, data for creating a cover page according to the intention of the sender can be automatically acquired from the e-mail text part of the sender.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device of the first aspect, the sender transmits a command for creating a cover page, and the receiving side creates a cover page in accordance with the command. . With this configuration, the receiving side can create a cover page according to the intention of the sender.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the first aspect, the cover page created on the receiving side is returned to the sender. With this configuration, the sender can obtain a cover page created on the receiving side according to the intention of the sender.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is a communication device having means for registering system information in the communication device, and means for creating a list in which the system information is arranged according to a predetermined form. With this configuration, the system information registered in the communication device can be created in a predetermined form.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, further comprising means for setting a form of system information, and a memory for storing the set form. It is a predetermined form. With this configuration, the user can freely set and select the print form of the system information.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the tenth aspect, wherein the system information is abbreviated dial information. As a result, a speed dial list that can only perform standard printing can be printed in a form set by the user.

According to a thirteenth aspect, in the communication apparatus according to the tenth aspect, a predetermined form is designated by e-mail and transmitted, and a list is created on the receiving side according to the form. With this configuration, the receiving side can create system information in a form according to the intention of the sender.

According to a fourteenth aspect, a procedure for analyzing a text portion of data received by e-mail, a procedure for extracting data for creating a cover page according to the analysis result, and an arrangement of the extracted data according to a predetermined form And a cover page creating method. With this configuration, a cover page of a predetermined form can be created and printed on the e-mail receiving side regardless of the transmission mode of the e-mail transmitted by the sender.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
As Embodiment 1, an example in which a cover page is created will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the communication device of the present invention. The basic configuration of the communication device is obtained by adding an Internet communication unit to a normal facsimile device. In FIG. 2, a LAN (local area network) control unit 21 is network-connected by a LAN line or the like and controls transmission and reception of electronic mail data via the Internet. The modem unit 22 performs facsimile transmission and reception via the PSTN. The CPU 23 controls the operation of the entire communication apparatus. The CPU 23 controls the transmission and reception operation of the entire communication apparatus using a RAM 24 storing image data to be transmitted and received and a ROM 25 storing an operation program of the apparatus. The scanner 26 captures image data of a document to be transmitted as an electric signal. The captured image data is stored in the RAM 25. The printer 27 records the received data taken into the RAM 24 on recording paper.

Next, a basic operation of transmitting and receiving image data in the present embodiment will be described. First, a case where image data is transmitted by e-mail will be described. When a document to be transmitted is set on the scanner 26 and the start button is pressed, the CPU 23 operates according to the program stored in the ROM 25, and the scanner 26 reads the document, and the read image data is encoded into binary data and stored in the RAM 24. Is stored in the file storage area. The stored image data is converted to a 7-bit text code in accordance with the Internet electronic mail standard called MIM.

(5) The mail information stored in the RAM 24 is transmitted to the destination according to a message transfer protocol of the e-mail, such as SMTP, as an Internet e-mail under LAN control.

When the image data read by the scanner 26 is transmitted by a normal facsimile, the image data is transmitted to the partner facsimile apparatus by the PSTN via the modem unit 22.

On the other hand, when the image data is received by e-mail from the other party via the Internet, the image data received by the LAN control unit 21 is stored in the RAM 24. The e-mail screen can be viewed on a CRT or liquid crystal display screen. When recording on a recording sheet as facsimile data, the image data stored in the RAM 24 is inverse-converted into a form, converted into binary data which is a facsimile form, inverse-encoded and converted into data which can be printed as a visible image. Printer 27 to print on recording paper. Thus, it is received as a visible image.

When the image data is received by the modem unit 21 directly as facsimile reception data without using the Internet, the reception data is stored in the RAM 24 by a normal facsimile reception operation and printed by the printer 27.
These series of controls are controlled by the CPU 23 in accordance with an operation program stored in the ROM 25.

Next, creation of a cover page will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the basic concept of creating a cover page. First, a form of a cover page to be created is created by the template creating section 11 (step 1). This form is for automatically creating a cover page when image data is received by e-mail from the received e-mail data, and can be set freely by the recipient. FIG. 3 shows an example of a cover page form. In the example of FIG. 3, a transmission destination (e-mail recipient) 31, a transmission destination (e-mail sender) 32, a task (e-mail title) 33, and a text 34 are arranged from the top.

(4) A template of such a form is created and registered in the template memory 12 (step 2). If a plurality of types of templates are created in advance, and they are registered in the template memory 12 with codes for classifying them, a desired one can be selected from them when used. When receiving the e-mail, the e-mail receiver 13 requests the cover page creation device 14 to create a cover page of a desired form (step 3). The cover page creation device 14 requests the form from the template memory 12 (step 4), and extracts a template of a predetermined form from the template memory 12 (step 5). The cover page creation device 14 further analyzes the text content of the received e-mail, extracts data for creating a cover page of the extracted template form, combines the content with a corresponding part of the template form, and prints it. I do.

The template creation unit 11, the template memory 12, and the cover page creation device 14 are incorporated in the communication device of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 or configured by a personal computer coupled to the communication device. Further, the template memory 12 may be configured as a server separately provided in the Internet or a LAN.

Next, the template creation process will be described in detail with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a cover page creation function when an e-mail is received in the communication device shown in FIG. Since the e-mail transmission function is not directly related to the present invention, its illustration and description are omitted.

The LAN control unit 11 includes a server access unit 41 for accessing the template server 12 and an e-mail receiving unit 42. The CPU 13 combines the mail header analysis unit 43 for analyzing the contents of the mail header portion of the e-mail received by the mail reception unit 42, the form acquisition unit 44 for acquiring the form of the cover page from the template server 12, and a predetermined cover page. An image forming unit 45 is provided.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for creating a cover page when the template form is taken out of the memory unit of the communication device. When the e-mail message is received by the mail receiving section 42 in step 51, the received e-mail message is stored in the memory section 14 and supplied to the mail header analyzing section 43 of the CPU 13. The mail header analyzer 43 analyzes the mail header of the received e-mail message in step 52, and determines in step 53 whether or not the received mail data has a multipart structure. If the analysis result is a multi-part configuration, the sub-header, which is the head part of each part, is analyzed in step 54, and in step 55, it is determined whether or not there is a cover page definition part defining a cover page. Details of the cover page definition part will be described later. If there is a cover page definition part, the form acquisition unit 44 acquires the form of the predetermined template from the memory unit 14 storing the cover page template in step 56 and supplies the acquired form to the image forming unit 45.

(4) When a plurality of templates are stored in the memory unit 14, they can be selected by designating a template number. If the template is to be retrieved from the template server 12 instead of from the memory unit 14, the server access unit 14 accesses the template server 12 and retrieves the template.

The image forming unit 45 fetches the data of the cover page definition part from the mail receiving unit 42 and the memory unit 14 in step 56, analyzes the contents, and converts the data into a template form such as the sender's address, name, telephone number, and message. Also extract necessary data. In step 57, a cover page is created by combining the template and the extracted data extracted in step 56. The created cover page is printed at step 58. In step 59, it is determined whether or not there is a part following the multi-part of the mail header. If there is, the process returns to step 54 to repeat the same operation. When there is no cover page, the creation of the cover page ends.

If the mail header does not have a multi-part configuration in step 53, and if there is no cover page definition part in step 55, the process proceeds to step 60, where the cover page creation process is not performed and printing is not performed. Therefore, no blank paper is printed.

In the case where the template is taken out of the template server 12 instead of the memory unit 14, the server access unit 14 accesses the template server 12 to take out the template.

Next, the cover page definition part will be described. In order to determine which part of the received e-mail data is the cover page definition part, it is necessary to determine in advance how to identify the cover page definition part. As this method, for example, there is the following method.

(1) A part having a predetermined character string structure is defined as a cover page definition part.

Example: "Date", "From", "To" in the email header
(2) A part having a predetermined character structure is defined as a cover page definition part.

Example: In the text part of the e-mail, "Sender", "Sender",
"Send to", "Title", "Date", "Address", "Name",
"Phone number", "Facsimile number", "E-mail address"
The part expressed as "business".

(3) A range sandwiched by predetermined commands is defined as a cover page definition part.

Example: 部分 Part between Cover Page and @End.

(4) Text part consisting of blanks, tabs, and line feeds is not judged as a cover page definition part.

(5) In the text section, lines starting with “#”, lines starting with “//”, “/ *” and “* /”
The part enclosed by is not determined as a cover page definition part.

In the above description, the case where the cover page of the form selected on the receiving side is created when the electronic mail data is received has been described. According to the present invention, it is also possible to send an e-mail without creating a cover page on the transmitting side, and to have the receiving side create a cover page using a template form designated by the transmitting side. In this case, the sender may send an e-mail as shown in FIG. That is, a command for printing a cover page is described in a "Subject" column 61 for describing a normal task, and the receiving side instructs to create and print the cover page. At this time, the cover page data is transmitted with a description 62 indicating the beginning of the cover page data and a description 63 indicating the end of the cover page data. When specifying a template form, the form field 64 is used. The contents of the form column 64 shown in FIG. 6 indicate that the contents should be extracted from the template server 12 via the Internet. When the sender sends such an e-mail for creating a cover page, the receiver can create the cover page according to the flow of FIG. Therefore, the receiver can receive the cover page intended by the sender without creating the cover page on the transmission side. In this case, if the sender puts a command to send back the created cover page in the outgoing mail, the cover page created on the receiving side can be transmitted to the sender.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for creating a cover page when the template form is taken out through a server on the Internet. The process proceeds from step 71, which is a waiting state for receiving an e-mail, to step 72, and determines whether an e-mail has arrived. If no incoming call has been received, the process returns to step 71 and enters a standby state. If an e-mail is received in step 72, it is determined in step 73 whether or not a cover page creation is requested. This determination is made based on the presence or absence of the cover page creation command 61 described with reference to FIG. If the cover page creation has not been requested, the process proceeds to step 83 and another process is started. If the cover page creation is requested in step 73, the requested template form is checked in step 74. It is determined in step 75 whether or not the checked template form has an error. If there is an error, the process proceeds to step 84, where an error message is transmitted to the caller. If there is no error, information necessary for creating the template, for example, information such as a source and a destination is stored in step 76.

Next, it is determined in step 77 whether the requested template is stored in the template server 12 on the Internet, and is stored in the memory unit 14 of the receiving device instead of being stored in the template server 12. If so, the operation proceeds to the step in FIG. On the other hand, if it is stored in the template server 12, the process proceeds to step 78 to access the template server 12. As a result of the access, if there is no predetermined template in the template server 12, an error is determined in step 79, and an error message is transmitted to the caller in step 84. If there is a predetermined template form in the template server 12, the template form is acquired in step 80, a cover page is created in step 81 in the same manner as step 57 in FIG. 5, and printed in step 82.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, as a second embodiment, an example in which the speed dial list is edited and printed will be described. The configuration of the device is basically the same as in FIG. Here, the abbreviated dialing covers both a telephone number when the communication device is used as a facsimile and a mail address when the communication device is used as an electronic mail transmitting / receiving device. The speed dial is stored in the RAM 14 of the communication device in advance.

First, the template creating unit 11 creates a form of the speed dial list to be created (step 1). This form can be freely set by the user. FIG. 8 shows an example of a speed dial list form. FIG. 8A shows an example in which abbreviated dial numbers, addresses, telephone numbers or mail addresses are created in a table format, and FIG. 8B shows an example in which only addresses are listed. The form of the created speed dial list is registered in the template memory 12 (step 2). If a plurality of types of templates are created in advance, and they are registered in the template memory 12 with codes for classifying them, a desired one can be selected from them when used.

If the user wishes to print a speed dial list, the user requests the system information generating device (also used for the cover page generating device 14 in FIG. 1) to generate a speed dial list of a desired form (step 3). The system information creation device requests the form from the template memory 12 (step 4), and extracts a template of a predetermined form from the template memory 12 (step 5). The system information creation device extracts predetermined data from the speed dial data stored in the RAM of FIG. 2 at a corresponding location of the extracted template form, synthesizes the content, and prints the combined data.

When the desired form of the speed dial list is retrieved from the template memory, instead of being set by the user, the creation requester specifies the form by e-mail, requests the user, reads the e-mail information, and automatically retrieves the e-mail information. It is also possible to take out a predetermined form.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a basic configuration of creating a cover page of a communication device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a communication device according to the present invention. A conceptual diagram showing an example of a cover page form used in the present invention. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a cover page creation function when an electronic mail is received in the communication device of the present invention. In the communication device of the present invention, a flowchart for creating a cover page when a template form is taken out of the memory unit of the communication device FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data in a header portion of an e-mail transmitted by a sender in the communication device of the present invention. In the communication device of the present invention, a flow diagram of creating a cover page when a template form is taken out through a server on the Internet FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a speed dial list in the communication device according to the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

11 Template Creation Unit 12 Template Memory 14 Cover Page Creation Device 21 LAN Control Unit 22 Modem Unit 23 CPU
24 RAM
25 ROM
26 scanner 27 printer 41 server access unit 42 mail reception unit 43 mail header analysis unit 44 form acquisition unit 45 image formation unit

Claims (5)

A communication device comprising: a storage unit for storing system information; a generation unit for generating a list in which the system information is arranged according to a predetermined form; and a printing unit for printing the list. 2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit for setting a form of system information, and a memory for storing a plurality of the set forms, wherein one form read from the memory is a predetermined form. . 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the system information is speed dial information. Receiving means for receiving an e-mail, extracting system information from the received e-mail, and when a form is designated, the creating means creates a list according to the designated form The communication device according to claim 1. A printing method comprising: creating a list in which stored system information is arranged according to a predetermined form; and printing the list.

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