JP3666454B2 - Internet facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile machine, and more particularly to an Internet facsimile machine having a function of saving transmission / reception image data in an external storage device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to store image data transmitted / received by facsimile or Internet facsimile in an external storage device or the like, an archive terminal device capable of receiving e-mail is arranged via a network, and the transmitted / received image data is attached to the e-mail. There is an Internet facsimile machine having a function of storing (archiving) data in the archive terminal device by transmitting it to the archive terminal device. According to this Internet facsimile apparatus, since transmission / reception image data is stored externally, transmission image data can be stored safely without squeezing the storage capacity of the own apparatus (Internet facsimile apparatus itself).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to such an Internet facsimile apparatus, immediately after transmission / reception of image data, regardless of whether or not a network serving as a transmission path to an archive terminal apparatus such as a LAN (local area network) or the Internet is congested. Since the above-described archiving is executed, when a network such as a LAN (local area network) or the Internet is congested, the congestion situation may be further deteriorated. If the network is a LAN or the like used in a company or the like, it may affect the business efficiency of the entire company.
[0004]
Further, in the archive terminal device, if there are about 10 or 20 transmission / reception image data received and stored from the Internet facsimile machine, it will not be a big problem, but if this is 1000 or 2000, there will be a burden on operation and management. Because of the increase, reduction of the burden has been eagerly desired.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and in an Internet facsimile apparatus that archives transmitted and received image data by transmitting it to a predetermined mail address, the communication line can be used more smoothly and stored. An object of the present invention is to provide an Internet facsimile machine that can improve the efficiency of manuscript operation and management.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, an Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 stores means for storing image data transmitted / received by facsimile or Internet facsimile in its own apparatus, and each of the stored plurality of transmitted / received image data as separate electronic devices. A means for setting whether to send by attaching to e-mail or to send and receive all sent / received image data to one e-mail, and e-mail of the transmitted / received image data accumulated based on the setting by the means And means for collectively transmitting to an archive mail address at a predetermined execution timing.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the Internet facsimile apparatus of the first aspect, the execution timing is a set date and time.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, the execution timing is a set data amount of transmission / reception image data stored in the own apparatus.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the Internet facsimile machine according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein a keyword for transmission / reception image data attached to the electronic mail is set in a keyword setting table. It further comprises means for determining and means for adding the keyword determined by the means to the electronic mail.
The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 5 is the Internet facsimile apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a communication management record file for storing communication history information of the stored transmitted / received image data and the electronic mail are stored in the electronic facsimile. The apparatus further comprises means for extracting communication history information about the transmitted / received image data to be attached from the communication management file, and means for adding the communication history information extracted by the means to the electronic mail.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an Internet facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A specific configuration example of the Internet facsimile machine is shown in FIG. That is, the Internet facsimile machine 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 2, a RAM (random access memory) 3, a ROM (read only memory) 4, a codec 5, a modem 6, an NCU (network control unit) 7, and a reading unit 8. , A recording unit 9, an operation unit 10, and a LAN I / F (local area network interface) 11, and the units 2 to 11 are connected by a bus 12 so as to communicate with each other.
[0010]
The CPU 2 controls each part constituting the Internet facsimile machine 1 according to a predetermined program.
[0011]
The RAM 3 functions as a storage unit for storing in advance a FAX number, a mail address, a communication management record file, which will be described later, and a storage unit for temporarily storing various data.
[0012]
The ROM 4 stores various programs for the CPU 2 to control the operation of each part of the Internet facsimile machine 1.
[0013]
The codec 5 performs encoding (encoding) and decoding (decoding) corresponding to a plurality of protocols. In other words, the image data of the read original is encoded by the MH, MR method or the like for transmission, and the image data received from the outside is decoded. In addition, encoding and decoding are also performed in correspondence with the TIFF method, which is an image format generally used as a file that can be attached to an e-mail.
[0014]
The modem 6 is, for example, an ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union) recommendation V.3. Modulate and demodulate transmitted / received data according to the 34 standard or the like.
[0015]
The NCU 7 is a line network control device that controls a telephone line to make or cut a call, and is connected to a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) 13.
[0016]
The reading unit 8 has a function of reading image data of a document, and outputs the read binarized data and the like to a predetermined output destination according to an instruction from the CPU 2.
[0017]
The recording unit 9 is made of, for example, an electrophotographic system, forms an image of the received image data on a recording sheet, and discharges the recording sheet. For example, the original image data read by the reading unit 8 and the received image data are printed on a recording sheet.
[0018]
The operation unit 10 displays information relating to the state of the Internet facsimile machine 1, a display 10a for displaying various operation instruction screens, input of a FAX number, designation of a destination by an abbreviated number, instruction to start a document reading operation, A plurality of operation keys 10b for performing reverse display movement and the like.
[0019]
The LAN I / F 11 has an interface with the LAN 14 and connects the LAN 14 and the Internet facsimile machine 1 so that they can communicate with each other.
[0020]
The Internet facsimile machine 1 having the above configuration is equipped with a facsimile function for transmitting and receiving image data encoded by the MR, MMR method, etc., and TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) which is an Internet standard protocol, TIFF, JPEG It has an Internet facsimile function for transmitting and receiving image data encoded by a method and attached to an e-mail, and is used in a network environment A as shown in FIG. 2, for example. That is, the Internet facsimile machine 1 is connected to the mail server 15, the router 16, the client PC 17, and the archive terminal device 18 capable of receiving and storing electronic mail through the LAN 14 so as to be able to communicate with each other. Image data can be transmitted / received to / from another Internet facsimile terminal device 19 through the server 15 or the Internet or from the G3 facsimile terminal device 20 through the PSTN 13.
[0021]
In addition, the Internet facsimile machine 1 attaches image data transmitted / received to / from the other Internet facsimile terminal device 19, the G3 facsimile device 20 and the like to an electronic mail, and transmits it to the archive terminal device 18, thereby transmitting the data. E-mail having a function (hereinafter referred to as “archiver function”) for saving (archiving) transmission / reception image data in the archive terminal device 18 (hereinafter referred to as “archiver function”). ("Email for archiving"). The Internet facsimile machine 1 accumulates information such as communication date / time, destination (or source), number of pages, document size, communication result, etc. as a communication record after transmitting / receiving the image data, and requests from the operator, etc. In response to the communication management record file (not shown) whose contents are displayed on the display, client PC 17 or the like, as shown in FIG. 3, in addition to the information similar to the above, in the “archive destination” column, the archive destination mail Each archive management recording file 21 for storing addresses is formed in a predetermined area of the RAM 3.
[0022]
Further, the Internet facsimile machine 1 accepts and stores various settings for the archive e-mail in advance by the operation of the operator 10 or an operator from the client PC 17, and generates and transmits the archive e-mail based on the settings. Execute. For example, the date and time, the amount of transmission / reception image data stored in the device itself, and the number of transmission / reception image data can be set as the execution timing of generation and transmission of the archive email. In addition, the archiver function can be enabled or disabled. In addition, as an attachment format of the e-mail for archiving transmission / reception image data, a plurality of stored transmission / reception image data is attached to each separate e-mail and transmitted, or all transmission / reception image data is sent to one e-mail It is possible to set whether to send with the attached.
[0023]
On the other hand, the Internet facsimile machine 1 has a function of adding history information about the transmitted / received image data to an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as “archive electronic mail”) to which the transmitted / received image data is attached and transmitted to the archive mail address. And a keyword adding function for adding a predetermined keyword.
[0024]
The keyword added to the archiving e-mail is described in “Subject:” of the archiving e-mail using the keyword determined based on the keyword setting table to be described later for the archiving e-mail for archiving the received image data. . On the other hand, for an archive e-mail for archiving transmission image data, a keyword input from the operation unit 10 or the like by the operator or the like at the time of transmission operation is adopted and described in “Subject:” of the archive e-mail. Note that the part where the keyword is described is not limited to “Subject:”, and may be, for example, the body or another part of the same mail header.
[0025]
The keyword setting table is a table 22 whose contents can be edited from the operation unit 10 and the client PC 24 as shown in FIG. The Internet facsimile machine 1 forms the keyword setting table 22 in a predetermined area of the RAM 3, determines a keyword based on the condition set in the “condition” field, and “Subject:” in the mail header of the archive email. It describes. For example, when the keyword setting table 22 as shown is formed, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 receives a facsimile or Internet facsimile, the FAX of the transmission source of the received image data acquired from the TSI (transmission terminal identification signal) is received. When the number is “075-1234-5678”, “Kyoto branch” is described in “Subject:” of the mail header of the archive e-mail, and the image data received from the Internet facsimile acquired from the “From:” column When the sender's email address is “aaa@***.com”, “Osaka branch” is described in “Subject:” and “circulation” is described in “Subject:” of the received Internet facsimile. "In-house circulation" is written in "Subject:" of archive email When subaddress due F code communication is "333", the "Confidential" the archive for email: described "Subject". Note that the F-code communication is a function of performing communication using a sub address and a password according to the ITU-T standard.
[0026]
Next, the operation when the original is transmitted using the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the present specification, the operation described based on the flowchart shown below is performed in accordance with a command issued by the CPU 2 based on a control program or the like stored in the ROM 4 of the Internet facsimile apparatus.
[0027]
A manuscript is set by an operator and the like. In addition to a destination (FAX number, mail address), a keyword to be described in the “Subject” column of the archive e-mail, a transmission instruction, a broadcast transmission function (once to a plurality of partners) When the transmission is performed by the function of transmitting by the above operation, the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 accepts these (S1), reads the image data from the document, encodes it in a predetermined format, and encodes the predetermined area in the RAM 3 (S2).
[0028]
Next, it is determined whether or not the destination specified by the operator or the like in S1 includes an Internet facsimile destination, that is, an e-mail address (S3). If included, the stored image data is converted into TIFF format or the like. To the image data that can be attached to the e-mail (S4), and sent to the designated transmission destination (all addresses designated for broadcast in the case of broadcast designation) by e-mail, The stored image data of the original is left without being deleted (S5), and the contents of the communication management record file (not shown) are updated (S6).
[0029]
If there is no Internet facsimile destination in S3, or after performing the processing in S6, it is determined in S1 whether the destination specified by the operator or the like includes a facsimile destination, that is, a FAX number. (S7) If a FAX number is included, facsimile transmission is sequentially performed for all designated FAX numbers, and the stored image data of the original is not deleted (S8), and is sent to all destinations. After the transmission is completed, the contents of the communication management record file (not shown) are updated (S9), and the series of transmission operations is terminated.
[0030]
Next, the operation when the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 receives a document will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0031]
When the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 receives image data by facsimile or Internet facsimile (S51, S52), the received image data is encoded and stored (S53), and the received image data is printed and transferred. A reception process is performed (S54), and a communication history file (not shown) is updated (S55). On the other hand, when it is determined in S52 that the image data is not attached to the data received by the Internet facsimile, processing corresponding to various received mails is appropriately executed (S56), and the operation is terminated. For example, in the case of an error mail indicating that the previously transmitted Internet facsimile did not reach the other party, an error message is printed and displayed.
[0032]
Next, the operation when the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 archives the image data transmitted and received as described above will be described. As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, when the setting of the archiver function described above is “valid” (S101), the archive mail address registered in advance by the device setting and the self-archive are set before executing the archive. It is determined whether or not the mail address of the device matches (S102). When the archive mail address matches the mail address of your own device, for example, "You cannot archive because this Internet facsimile machine is specified as the archive destination." A message to be displayed is output to the display 10a, the client PC 24, the recording unit 8, and the like, the message is displayed (S103), and the series of operations is terminated. This prevents an infinite loop of email transmission.
[0033]
On the other hand, if it is determined in S102 that the archive mail address is different from the mail address of the own apparatus, the process waits until the execution timing comes (S104). As the execution timing, any one of the date and time, the data amount of transmission / reception image data stored in the own device, and the number of transmission / reception image data stored in the own device is set in advance by an operator or the like. Is determined to be the execution timing. For example, if the date and time is set and the set date and time is December 1, 2001, it is determined that the set date and time is the execution timing, the data amount is set, and the set data amount is If it is 10 MB (megabytes), it is determined that the transmission / reception image data to be stored reaches 10 MB as the execution timing, and the number of cases is set. When the transmission / reception image data to be received reaches 100, it is determined that it is the execution timing, and the subsequent operation (S105) is performed.
[0034]
When it is determined that the execution timing is reached, an archive e-mail is generated based on an archive e-mail attachment format preset by an operator or the like. That is, when the image data attachment format is set to “send a plurality of transmission / reception image data to separate e-mails” (S105), as shown in FIG. The data 24 is attached to each separate e-mail, and the same number of archive e-mails 23A as the accumulated image data is generated. That is, for each stored transmission / reception image data 24, communication history information regarding the transmission or reception is extracted from the communication management record file 25 and described in the body 26, and the keyword is entered in the “Subject:” column of the mail header 27. A keyword determined based on the setting table 22 or a keyword input and designated in S1 is described, and the image data 24 transmitted in S5 or S8 or the TIFF file to which the image data 24 received in S51 can be attached by e-mail, etc. Are converted and attached to the body 26, and the pre-registered archive e-mail addresses are written in the “To:” field of the mail header 27 to generate the same number of archive e-mails 23A as the number of transmitted / received image data. (S106). When only one transmission / reception image data is stored, only one archive email 23A is generated.
[0035]
On the other hand, in S105, when the image data attachment format is set to "send all transmitted / received image data to one e-mail", the image data 24 transmitted in S5 or S8 or the A different file name is assigned to each of the image data 24 received in S51 (S107). As the file name, for example, a file name capable of identifying communication date / time, transmission / reception, and success / failure of transmission / reception is given. For example, for image data transmitted and received at 10:15:25 on October 10, 2001, information indicating the communication date and time such as “20011010 — 1525” and information identifying transmission and reception such as “SEND” and “REC” And a file name including information indicating success and failure (error code) of communication such as “OK” and “T23”. For example, the file name “200101010-1525_SEND_OK” is attached to the image data successfully transmitted at 10:15:25 on October 10, 2001. Thus, it is possible to know the history information of the image data only by looking at the file name of the image data attached to the archive email stored in the archive terminal device.
[0036]
Then, after assigning different file names, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), one archival e-mail 23B in which all the transmission / reception image data 24 is attached to one e-mail is generated. That is, the communication history information for all the stored image data is extracted from the communication management record file 25 and described in the text 26, and is determined based on the keyword setting table 22 in the “Subject:” column of the mail header 27. The keyword and the keyword input and designated in S1 are described, and all the stored transmission / reception image data 24 is converted into a TIFF file or the like that can be attached to an e-mail, attached to the body 25, and for a pre-registered archive The mail address is described in the “To:” field of the mail header 26 to generate the archive electronic mail 23B (S108).
[0037]
Finally, the transmission / reception image data accumulated by transmitting the archive e-mail 23A or 23B generated in S106 or S108 to the archive terminal device 18 (S109) is collectively archived and stored in S2 and S53. The deleted image data is deleted (S110), and the archive management recording file 21 (FIG. 3) is updated (S111).
[0038]
When a plurality of transmission / reception image data are attached to one e-mail like the archiving e-mail 23B, as shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of transmission / reception image data 24 is, for example, in the “LZH” format or the like. And may be attached to the text 26 as one compressed file 24A. As a result, the storage resource consumption capacity of the archive terminal device 18 can be saved.
[0039]
According to the Internet facsimile apparatus 1 described above, a large number of transmission / reception image data can be archived at a predetermined execution timing in the archiving terminal apparatus. It is possible to improve the efficiency of the operation and management of the image data stored in the storage.
[0040]
For example, when a set date and time is selected as the execution timing, if the date and time is set in units of one day, one week, or one month, the archive terminal device is used for archiving every day, week, or month. As a result, the e-mail is accumulated, and as a result, the transmission / reception image data can be operated and managed in the set date and time. Further, by selecting the setting “send all transmitted / received image data to one e-mail and send it”, the archive terminal device has a plurality of archive e-mails sent in one batch. Therefore, the operation and management described above are further simplified.
[0041]
In addition to the operational and management advantages, the traffic on the communication line can be increased by setting the set date and time at night while avoiding daytime and other times when LAN 14 and Internet communications are likely to be congested. There is also an advantage that the daytime congestion situation can be improved.
[0042]
When the execution timing is the set data amount, the archive terminal device stores the archive e-mail attached with the set data amount of the transmission / reception image data at one time. It becomes easy to operate and manage. For example, when creating backup media of transmission / reception image data stored in the archive terminal device, if 100 MB of media is used, the set data amount is set to 100 MB, and the image data stored all at once is selected. Then, the backup operation can be performed without worrying about how much the total data amount of the selected image data is. Further, by selecting the setting “send all transmitted / received image data to one e-mail and send it”, a plurality of archive e-mails are collectively sent to the archive terminal device. Therefore, the management and operation described above are further simplified.
[0043]
When the execution timing is the set number, the archive terminal device collectively stores archive emails with the set number of transmission / reception image data attached, and manages and operates each communication number. It becomes easy. Further, by selecting the setting “send all transmitted / received image data to one e-mail and send it”, a plurality of archive e-mails are collectively sent to the archive terminal device. Therefore, the management and operation described above are further simplified.
[0044]
As another embodiment, when the setting is “send all transmission / reception image data to one e-mail and send”, the transmission image data and the reception image data are transmitted by separate archiving e-mails. You may make it archive. That is, in S105, when the image data attachment format is set to “send all transmitted / received image data to one e-mail,” instead of the archive e-mail 23B generated in S108. As shown in FIG. 10, separate e-mails 23D and 23E for archiving are generated separately from the e-mail to which the transmission image data 24A is attached and the e-mail to which the reception image data 24B is attached. It transmits to the terminal device 18. In this way, in the archive terminal device 18, the transmission image data and the reception image data are stored by being attached to separate e-mail files, so that the transmission image data and the reception image data can be easily identified. As a result, the convenience of operation and management of the stored image data is improved.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means for storing image data transmitted / received by facsimile or Internet facsimile is stored in the apparatus, and the plurality of stored transmitted / received image data are each attached to a separate e-mail and transmitted. Or a means for setting all transmission / reception image data to be transmitted in one e-mail, and transmission / reception image data accumulated based on the setting by the means attached to the e-mail at a predetermined execution timing And a means for collectively sending to the archive mail address, the archive terminal device accumulates e-mails collected at each execution timing, thereby improving the efficiency of the operation and management of the transmission / reception image data. Is planned.
[0046]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the Internet facsimile apparatus of the first aspect, since the execution timing is a set date and time, an archive electronic mail is stored in the archive terminal device at regular intervals. As a result, when sending and receiving image data is divided and managed at regular intervals, or when searching for a target manuscript, it is possible to narrow the search from the stored e-mail to those corresponding to the communication date and time, etc. Operation and management of stored transmission / reception image data can be made more efficient.
[0047]
The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 3 is the Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the execution timing is a set data amount of transmission / reception image data stored in the apparatus itself. The transmitted / received image data is accumulated for each set data amount, which is convenient when operating and managing them collectively for each data amount.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a network environment in which the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an archive management recording file.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a keyword setting table.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention transmits a document (image data).
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention receives a document (image data).
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation when the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention performs archiving.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for generating an archive email.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram in the case of generating an archive e-mail attached with compressed image data.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram when a separate archiving e-mail is generated for each transmission or reception.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Internet facsimile machine 2 CPU
3 RAM
4 ROM
21 Archive management record file 22 Keyword setting table 23A, 23B E-mail for archive 24A Transmission image data 24B Reception image data 24 Transmission / reception image data (transmission or reception image data)
25 Communication management record file 26 Text 27 Mail header

Claims (5)

  Means for accumulating image data transmitted / received by facsimile or Internet facsimile in its own apparatus and transmitting the accumulated plural transmitted / received image data as separate e-mails, or transmitting / receiving all of them to one e-mail A means for setting one of image data to be attached and transmitted, and transmission / reception image data accumulated based on the setting by the means are attached to an e-mail and sent to an archive e-mail address at a predetermined execution timing. And an internet facsimile machine.   2. The Internet facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein the execution timing is a set date and time.   2. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the execution timing is a set data amount of transmission / reception image data stored in the apparatus.   4. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means for determining a keyword for transmission / reception image data attached to the electronic mail based on a condition set in a keyword setting table is determined by the means. Means for adding a keyword to the e-mail;   5. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication management record file for storing communication history information of the stored transmission / reception image data and communication history information for transmission / reception image data attached to the e-mail. An Internet facsimile apparatus, further comprising: means for extracting the communication history file from the communication management file; and means for adding the communication history information extracted by the means to the electronic mail.

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