JP2002190885A - Internet facsimile terminal and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an Internet facsimile terminal and its function that can set validation or invalidation of an Internet FAX function. SOLUTION: A user controls the Internet FAX function of the Internet facsimile terminal 205 on a setting menu to validate or invalidate the function. When the user invalidates the Internet FAX function, various functions corresponding to the Internet FAX function are invalidated and the Internet facsimile terminal outputs an execution wait job list and an abbreviation dial registration list that are set corresponding to the Internet FAX function. Thus, the user can confirm jobs whose execution is disabled and addresses of abbreviation dial whose use is disabled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile apparatus and a method of controlling the same, and more particularly, to an Internet facsimile apparatus and a method of controlling various functions of an Internet facsimile function which can be individually enabled or disabled independently. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, Local Area Network
or a public switched telephone network (hereinafter, referred to as PSTN) and an Internet FAX function for exchanging data on the Internet (hereinafter referred to as LAN) and with the Internet.
Internet facsimile apparatuses having a facsimile function for transmitting and receiving normal facsimile messages via the Internet.

[0003] Using such an Internet facsimile apparatus, image information can be exchanged between remote locations on the Internet, so that communication costs can be greatly reduced.

[0004]

By the way, in this type of Internet facsimile apparatus, 1) a Scan to Email function for converting image information obtained from a scanner into an electronic mail and transmitting the electronic mail to a destination 2) a received electronic mail Emai to print out
l to Print function 3) E-mail to FAX function to convert received e-mail to image information and send to destination 4) E-mail to FAX function to convert received image information to e-mail and send to destination Function can be realized.

[0005] However, there is a demand for enabling these functions to be independently enabled or disabled for reasons such as restrictions on use of the Internet facsimile machine and communication management.

Also, for example, an e-mail to FAX function, a FAX
When the Internet FAX function such as the to-Email function is disabled, if any of the jobs using the Internet FAX function are waiting to be executed, these jobs start execution once and terminate abnormally. In this case, the user can confirm in the job log or the like that abnormal termination has occurred due to the Internet FAX function being disabled, but the Internet FAX function is disabled. At this time, it is not possible to confirm information such as a job that has become unexecutable and speed dials related to the disabled function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an Internet facsimile apparatus in which various functions of the Internet facsimile apparatus can be individually enabled or disabled independently and a control method thereof.

Further, the present invention provides an Internet facsimile apparatus capable of confirming unusable or unusable information when various functions of the Internet facsimile apparatus are individually enabled or disabled. It is an object to provide a control method.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Internet facsimile apparatus connected to the Internet and connected to a public switched telephone network. A first function of converting the received mail to a destination via the Internet, a second function of printing out an e-mail received via the Internet, and an e-mail received via the Internet A third function of converting image information into image information and transmitting the image information to the other party via the public switched telephone network; converting image information received via the public switched telephone network into electronic mail via the Internet Of the fourth function to send to the destination
It is characterized by comprising control means for controlling at least two functions to be executed, and setting means for individually setting a plurality of functions to be executed by the control means to be enabled or disabled.

Here, it is not necessary that all of the first to fourth functions can be executed, and it is sufficient if at least two of the first to fourth functions can be executed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the function controlled by the control means is invalidated by the setting means, an operation input relating to the invalidated function is provided. Is further provided with a prohibition means for prohibiting.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the prohibiting means switches an operation button on an operation panel for performing an operation input relating to the disabled function to non-display. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the function controlled by the control means is invalidated by the setting means, the function corresponds to the invalidated function. When a speed dial is set, an address list output means for outputting an address list of the speed dial is further provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the function controlled by the control means is invalidated by the setting means, the function corresponds to the invalidated function. When there are jobs waiting to be executed,
The apparatus further comprises an execution waiting job list output unit that outputs the execution waiting job list.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an Internet facsimile apparatus connected to the Internet and to a public switched telephone network, comprising the steps of: converting image information obtained from a scanner into electronic mail; A first function of transmitting an e-mail received via the Internet via a first function, a second function of printing out an e-mail received via the Internet, and converting the e-mail received via the Internet into image information. A third function of transmitting image information received via the public switched telephone network to a destination via the public switched telephone network; and a third function of converting image information received via the public switched telephone network into an electronic mail and transmitting the electronic mail to the destination via the Internet. At least two of the four functions are independently enabled or disabled for each function.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, when an invalid function is present among the plurality of functions, operation input relating to the invalid function is prohibited. It is characterized by doing.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the seventh aspect, the prohibition of the operation input switches an operation button on an operation panel for performing an operation input relating to the disabled function to non-display. It is characterized by being performed by.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the sixth aspect, when a certain function among the plurality of functions is set to invalid, the speed dial corresponds to the invalidated function. Is set, the address list of the speed dial is output.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the sixth aspect, when a certain function among the plurality of functions is set to be invalid, execution is waited for in response to the invalidated function. When a job exists, a list of the waiting jobs is output.

[0020]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an Internet facsimile apparatus and a control method therefor according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the Internet facsimile apparatus has a CPU 10 for controlling the entire apparatus.
1. a storage device 102 for storing a control program for the device,
Operation display device 1 used by the user to operate the device
03, a reading device 104 for reading a transmission original, a printing device 105 for printing a received image or the like on recording paper, and an image processing device 1 for performing processing such as encoding, decoding, enlargement, and reduction on an image
06, image storage device 1 for storing received or transmitted images
07, a system control unit 108 having a program (ROM) for controlling the entire Internet facsimile, a communication control unit 109 for controlling communication suitable for a telephone network, a network control unit 110 for controlling communication connected to a network, Network controller 11 for connecting to a network
1. Modem 112, which is a modem having low-speed mode and high-speed mode functions, an Ethernet I / F 113 for connection to Ethernet, a system bus 114 for exchanging data between the devices, a plurality of external lines A line switching control device 115 for switching connection between the interface and the plurality of internal communication circuits is provided.

Of the above components, the CPU 101 to the network control device 111 and the line switching control device 115 are connected via the system bus 114, and mutually transmit and receive data. Further, it has a modem 12 for receiving data from a facsimile and an Ethernet I / F 113.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system including the Internet facsimile apparatus 205 according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the communication system is L
AN 201, router 202, mail server 203 connected as a network terminal to LAN 201, PC (personal computer) a 204 a, PC b 204 b,
It comprises an Internet facsimile machine 205.

The mail server 203 has a POP (Post Off) for the PCa 204a, PCb 204b, and Internet facsimile 205 of each network terminal.
As a server (ice protocol), it distributes e-mail addressed to the network terminal received and stored in response to a request from each network terminal, and relays the e-mail transmitted from the network terminal to the destination.

The LAN 201 is connected to the Internet 206 via the router 202, so that various data can be exchanged between host devices connected to another LAN or the like.

This Internet facsimile machine 20
5 is connected to the PSTN 207 and can transmit and receive normal facsimile messages to and from another normal facsimile apparatus a 208a or b 208b.

Next, four main functions provided by the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIGS. 4 to 6, parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in FIG. 3 for convenience of description.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the communication system includes a LAN 301, a router 302, a mail server 303 connected to the LAN 301 as a network terminal,
It comprises a PC 304 and an Internet facsimile machine 305.

The LAN 301 is connected to the Internet 306 via the router 302, and various kinds of data can be exchanged between host devices connected to another LAN or the like.

The Internet facsimile machine 3
Reference numeral 05 is connected to the PSTN 307, and normal facsimile message transmission / reception is possible.

FIG. 3 shows Scan To Ema included in the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 according to the present invention.
It is a figure showing composition of an il function.

The Scan To Email function is a function that converts a facsimile document 309 scanned by the Internet facsimile machine 305 into an Email 308 and sends
The transmission is via the AN 301 or the Internet 306.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing Email To Pr of the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an int function.

The Email To Print function is:
Various e-mails 308 that arrive via the LAN 301 or the Internet 306 are received, and the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 converts the e-mails 308 into facsimile documents 309 and prints out them.

FIG. 5 shows an Email To FA included in the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an X function.

The Email To FAX function is a function that allows the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 to send various E-mails via the LAN 301 or the Internet 306 or the like.
The e-mail 308 is received, and the e-mail 308 is transmitted to the facsimile
Is converted to the facsimile transmission instruction to the facsimile apparatus 310 via the PSTN 307 when the facsimile transmission instruction is attached.

FIG. 6 shows FAX To Emai of the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a l function.

The FAX To Email function means that the Internet facsimile apparatus 305 receives various facsimile documents 309 that arrive via the PSTN 307,
The Internet facsimile machine 305 converts the facsimile document 309 into Email 308 and sends it to Email 308.
When a transfer instruction is given, an e-mail is sent to the PC 304 via the LAN 301 or the Internet 306.
It is to transfer.

Here, the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is configured to enable or disable various Internet FAX functions provided by the Internet facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a password input screen for setting the validity or invalidity of various Internet FAX functions provided by the Internet facsimile apparatus.

Here, the Internet facsimile machine administrator or user must input a password in order to enable or disable various Internet FAX functions provided by the Internet facsimile machine.

This is to prevent other users from setting the Internet FAX function without permission. The management of the password is performed by the system control unit 108 in FIG. Then, when the correct administrator password is input, a setting screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which the Internet FAX function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is set to be valid.

On this screen, the Internet FAX
When the function is enabled, the setting can be enabled by pressing the valid display section. When the Internet FAX function is set to be valid, the valid display section is highlighted. Then, the validity of the Internet FAX function is recorded in the system control unit 108 in FIG.

Here, when the Internet FAX function is enabled, the Scan To Ema described above is used.
il function, Email To Print function, Ema
The ilTo FAX function and the FAX To Email function can be individually enabled or disabled.

For example, here, Scan To Em
e-mail function, Email To FAX function, FAX
Because the To Email function is enabled, this 3
The display of the three functions is highlighted. Also, since the Email To Print function is disabled, the display of the Email To Print function is grayed out.

If the user wants to enable the Email To Print function, the user presses the Email To Print display area to display a highlight.
The To Print function is enabled. Conversely, Scan
If you want to disable the To Email function, use the Scan
When the To Email display section is pressed, the display becomes gray and the Scan To Email function is disabled. The settings made on this screen are recorded in the system control unit 108 in FIG.

Further, by pressing the next page of the setting screen, a setting screen for inputting other settings of the Internet FAX function is developed.

When the Internet FAX function is set to be invalid, the setting screen shown in FIG. 9 is displayed by pressing the invalid display section.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which the Internet FAX function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is set to be invalid.

When the Internet FAX function is invalidated, the Scan To To which the Internet FAX function has
E-mail function, E-mail To Print function, E-mail To FAX function, FAX To E
Since the mail function cannot be executed, it is not displayed on the setting screen. As a result, when the Internet FAX function is disabled, the above four functions cannot be enabled or disabled.

Here, when the Internet FAX function is invalidated, the speed dial corresponding to the Internet FAX function cannot be used.

Therefore, the system control unit 108 shown in FIG.
An instruction is issued to output a registration list of speed dials corresponding to the Internet FAX function.

FIG. 10 is an example of the output of the registration list of the abbreviated dial corresponding to the Internet FAX function output by the above processing.

In this registration list, the destination name and the electronic mail address of the destination corresponding to each speed dial are recorded.

When the Internet FAX function is disabled, the registration list of the speed dial shown in FIG.
It is possible to confirm the address of the speed dial corresponding to the Internet FAX function which has been disabled by setting the X function to invalid.

When the Internet FAX function is invalidated, a job waiting for execution corresponding to the Internet FAX function cannot be executed.

Therefore, the system control unit 108 shown in FIG.
Instructs to output a job list waiting to be executed.

FIG. 11 is an output example of an execution waiting job list corresponding to the Internet FAX function output by the above processing.

The waiting job list includes the date, time, destination name, communication function,
The number of transmissions, the communication result, and the document number are recorded.

When the Internet FAX function is disabled, the job waiting list shown in FIG. 11 is output, so that the administrator and the user can confirm the job that cannot be executed due to the invalid setting.

Further, the user operates the display unit 103 of the operation display device of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.
Thus, the settings of the Internet FAX function and the settings of the four functions of the Internet FAX function can be confirmed.

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of the configuration of a setting screen for the FAX function displayed on the operation display device of the Internet facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.

This configuration example shows that the user can set the image quality, the type of the original, and the transmission density on this setting screen. By pressing the next page of the setting screen, a setting screen in which other settings of the FAX function can be input is developed.

When the user presses the Internet FAX function display section on the FAX function setting screen shown in FIG.
The setting screen of the Internet FAX function indicated by is displayed.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration screen of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention when the Internet FAX function is enabled.

In this configuration example, the Internet FAX function is enabled, and the ScanTo Email function, the Email To FAX function, and the FAX To E
Since the display of the mail function is grayed out,
These three functions indicate that they are enabled. In addition, since the display section of the Email To Print function is not grayed out, the Email To Print function is not displayed.
The Print function has been disabled.

The user can confirm whether each function is enabled or disabled by checking whether the display section of each function is displayed in gray. However, since this setting screen only displays the setting of each function, the user cannot set the validity or invalidity of each function from this setting screen.

If the Internet FAX function is disabled and the Internet FAX function display section is pressed on the FAX function setting screen shown in FIG. 12, an Internet FAX function setting confirmation screen shown in FIG. 14 is displayed. .

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration screen of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention when the Internet FAX function is disabled.

In this configuration example, “Internet FAX
"Function is disabled" is displayed, and the user can confirm that the Internet FAX function is disabled.

[0074]

As described above, according to the present invention, various functions of the Internet facsimile apparatus can be individually set to be enabled or disabled, so that the apparatus can be easily managed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system including an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a Scan To Email function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of an Email ToPrint function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of an Email ToFAX function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a FAX To Email function included in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a screen in which an Internet facsimile function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is set to be valid;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a screen in which an Internet FAX function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is set to be valid;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a screen in which the Internet FAX function of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is set to be invalid.

FIG. 10 is an output example of a registration list of abbreviated dialing which is set so as to correspond to the Internet FAX function.

FIG. 11 is an output example of a job list waiting for execution in which settings corresponding to the Internet FAX function are set.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration screen of a facsimile function displayed on the operation display device of the Internet facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a setting screen when an Internet facsimile function is enabled in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a setting screen when the Internet FAX function is disabled in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 CPU 102 Storage device 103 Operation display device 104 Reading device 105 Printing device 106 Image processing device 107 Image storage device 108 System control unit 109 Communication control unit 110 Network control unit 111 Network control device 112 Modem 113 Ethernet I / F 114 System bus 115 Line switching control device 201 LAN 202 Router 203 Mail server 204a PCa 204b PCb 205 Internet facsimile device 206 Internet 207 PSTN 208a Facsimile device a 208b Facsimile device b 301 LAN 302 Router 303 Mail server 304 PC 305 Internet facsimile device 306 Internet 307 PSN 309 Facsimile Document 3 0 facsimile machine

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An Internet facsimile apparatus connected to the Internet and connected to a public switched telephone network, wherein image information obtained from a scanner is converted into electronic mail and transmitted to a destination via the Internet. A second function of printing out an e-mail received via the Internet, a second function of converting an e-mail received via the Internet into image information, and a destination via the public switched telephone network At least two of a third function of transmitting image information received via the public switched telephone network to an electronic mail and transmitting the image information to the destination via the Internet. And a plurality of functions executed by the control unit are individually enabled or disabled. Internet facsimile apparatus characterized by comprising a constant section. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a prohibition unit for prohibiting an operation input relating to the disabled function when the function controlled by the control unit is invalidated by the setting unit. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the prohibition unit switches an operation button on an operation panel for performing an operation input relating to the disabled function to non-display. 4. When a function controlled by said control means is disabled by said setting means, and a speed dial is set corresponding to the disabled function, said speed dial is used. 2. An Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an address list output means for outputting an address list. 5. When the function controlled by the control unit is disabled by the setting unit, and there is a job waiting to be executed corresponding to the disabled function, the job is executed 2. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an execution waiting job list output unit that outputs a list of the jobs. 6. A method for controlling an Internet facsimile apparatus connected to the Internet and to a public switched telephone network, wherein image information obtained from a scanner is converted into electronic mail and transmitted to a destination via the Internet. A first function to print out an e-mail received via the Internet, a second function to convert an e-mail received via the Internet into image information, and At least one of a third function of transmitting image information received via the public switched telephone network to an electronic mail and transmitting the image information to the destination via the Internet. An Internet facsimile apparatus characterized in that two functions are independently enabled or disabled for each function. Your way. 7. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when there is a function set to be invalid among the plurality of functions, an operation input relating to the function set to be invalid is prohibited. Control method. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the prohibition of the operation input is performed by switching an operation button on an operation panel for performing an operation input relating to the disabled function to non-display. A control method for an Internet facsimile machine. 9. An abbreviated dialing address list, wherein when a certain function among the plurality of functions is set to be invalid and a speed dial is set corresponding to the invalid function, 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein
A method for controlling an Internet facsimile apparatus as described in the above. 10. When a certain function of the plurality of functions is set to be invalid, and there is a job waiting to be executed corresponding to the function set to be invalid, the list of the job waiting to be executed is set. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the output is performed.