JPH08139750A - Facsimile apparatus communication system and communication method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a communication system of a facsimile device in which reception from the facsimile device can be recognized on the network terminal side. [Structure] The data from the facsimile apparatus 1A is transmitted via a general public telephone line network 6 to an N-type facsimile apparatus.
It is transmitted to the network server personal computer 10A to which the modem unit 7 with CU is connected. The network server personal computer 10A is connected to several network terminals under its control via an Ethernet cable 18, and when data is received from the facsimile apparatus 1A, the presence or absence of a terminal mail address is confirmed. Whether or not the terminal mail address is included in the mail address list of the network terminal is searched, and if it is included, the FAX data reception mail is transmitted to the network terminal of the received terminal mail address. Even if FAX data is received from the facsimile device 1A to the subordinate network terminal, the network server personal computer 10A immediately notifies the network terminal of the FAX data reception mail, so that the received data can be effectively utilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to communication between a facsimile device and a network server device of a local area network (LAN), and more particularly to a communication system of a facsimile device which constructs an electronic mail system in the LAN.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to advances in communication technology and information processing technology, it has become possible to perform communication between a character processing device, a communication terminal, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer), a workstation and the like and a facsimile device. Came.

In particular, A recommended by Microsoft
Although the T-WORK system realizes data transmission / reception between a personal computer or a workstation and a facsimile machine, it has not been linked with an electronic mail system constructed by a personal computer under the control of a network server.

Further, due to recent advances in information processing technology,
It has become possible to send and receive data between a personal computer or workstation and a facsimile machine.

[0005]

However, in these systems, there is a one-to-one correspondence such as a personal computer-to-facsimile device and a workstation-to-facsimile device.
Most of them had the form of, and were not intended for personal computers and workstations under the network.

Even if a personal computer or a workstation constructs an electronic mail system for a local area network, even if data is received from a facsimile device to a network terminal connected to the subordinate, it is not immediately understood on the network terminal side. It has been considered that the disk of the network server personal computer overflows the received facsimile data, and an extra file is stored for a long time.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication system of a facsimile machine which can recognize the reception from the facsimile machine on the network terminal side.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a communication system of a facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is connected with a network server apparatus and a network terminal to construct an electronic mail system. In a communication system of a facsimile device for transmitting data to a network, the facsimile device includes terminal mail address transmitting means for transmitting the address of the network terminal, and the network server device receives a terminal mail for receiving the address of the network terminal. Address receiving means, terminal mail address searching means for searching a subordinate network terminal connected to the network based on the received address of the network terminal, and the network in which the received network terminal address is the subordinate network If a match with end address, and a received mail notification means for notifying that data is received from the facsimile device to the network terminal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile machine in which a network server and a network terminal are connected and which transmits data to a network forming an electronic mail system. It is provided with a terminal mail address sending means for sending to.

A network server device according to a third aspect of the present invention is a network server device to which a network terminal is connected and which receives data from a facsimile device via a network forming an electronic mail system. Terminal email address receiving means for receiving the address of the network terminal, and a terminal email address searching means for searching a subordinate network terminal connected to the network based on the received address of the network terminal, and the received address of the network terminal And a received mail notification means for notifying the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication method for a facsimile device, wherein a network server device and a network terminal are connected to each other and data is transmitted to a network forming an electronic mail system. , Transmitting the address of the network terminal, the network server device receives the address of the network terminal, based on the address of the received network terminal, to search for a subordinate network terminal connected to the network, When the received address of the network terminal matches the address of the subordinate network terminal, the network terminal is notified that data has been received from the facsimile device.

[0012]

In the communication system of the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the network server apparatus and the network terminal are connected and the data is transmitted to the network constructing the electronic mail system, the terminal mail address transmitting means. The address of the network terminal is transmitted by the terminal mail address receiving means, and the address of the network terminal is received by the terminal mail address receiving means. Based on the received address of the network terminal, the subordinate connected to the network by the terminal mail address searching means. The network terminal is searched, and when the received address of the network terminal matches the address of the subordinate network terminal, the received mail notification means notifies the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device.

In the facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect, the network server apparatus and the network terminal are connected to each other, and when the data is transmitted to the network constructing the electronic mail system, the address of the network terminal is transmitted by the terminal mail address transmitting means. Is transmitted to the network server device.

In the network server device according to the third aspect, when the network terminal is connected and the data from the facsimile device is received through the network constructing the electronic mail system, the facsimile is performed by the terminal mail address receiving means. The address of the network terminal is received from the device, and the subordinate network terminal connected to the network is searched by the terminal mail address searching means based on the received address of the network terminal, and the received address of the network terminal is subordinated. If it matches the address of the network terminal, the received mail notifying means notifies the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device.

[0015]

Next, an embodiment of a communication system of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication system of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment. In the figure, 1A is a facsimile machine, 10A is a network server personal computer, 7 is a modulator / demodulator with NCU (network control unit), 6 is a general public telephone network, and 18 is an Ethernet cable.

The data from the facsimile machine 1A is transmitted via the general public telephone line network 6 to the network server personal computer 10A to which the NCU-equipped modulator / demodulator 7 having a facsimile procedure is connected.

Under the control of the network server personal computer 10A, several network terminals are connected via an Ethernet cable 18.

Next, the internal structure of the facsimile apparatus 1A will be described. The facsimile machine 1A is a facsimile machine that supports the AT-WORK system of Microsoft Corporation.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a facsimile machine microprocessor (F-MPU) for controlling the entire facsimile machine 1A. Reference numeral 2 is a random access memory (F-RAM) of the facsimile machine, which is a temporary storage area for data to be transmitted and a terminal mail address described later. Other device configurations of the facsimile device, such as a scanner for reading transmission data, are known, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 3 is a ten-key (F-KB) for inputting a terminal mail address described later. A technique for inputting an alphabet from the ten-key pad 3 is already known, and therefore its explanation is omitted. Reference numeral 4 is a network control unit (F-NCU) for controlling connection and release procedures between the facsimile device 1A and the other party's communication device via the general public telephone line network 6. Each of the above-mentioned components 1 to 4 is F-
It is connected by the system bus 5.

Next, the network server personal computer 10
The device configuration of A will be described. Reference numeral 11 is a microprocessor (S-MPU) for controlling the entire apparatus of the network server personal computer 10A.

A random access memory (S-RAM) 12 stores a network terminal address, which will be described later, and temporarily stores a received terminal mail address.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a hard disk (S-H) for storing the system program of the network server personal computer 10A and data from the network terminal and the facsimile apparatus 1A.
D). 14 is a network server personal computer 10A
Is a keyboard (S-KB) for the operator to instruct the operation. Reference numeral 15 is a serial I / O (S-SIO) for controlling the input / output (I / O) of data with the NCU-equipped modem 7 via the general public telephone line network 15 by the network server personal computer 10A. Reference numeral 16 is a network interface board (S-NIC) for connecting the network server personal computer 10A and its subordinate network terminals by a local area network. Reference numeral 17 is a C for displaying the status of the network server personal computer 10A.
RT (S-CRT).

Each of the above 11 to 17 is a system bus (S
-System bus). FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system program loaded in the F-RAM 2 of the facsimile apparatus 1A. In the figure, the procedure for turning on the power and waiting for the facsimile apparatus 1A to receive an incoming call from the other party and to wait for a call is a well-known technique, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 21 is a terminal mail address input program for designating the address of the network terminal under the control of the network server personal computer 10A on the facsimile machine 1A from the F-KB 3. Reference numeral 22 denotes a communication control program for the facsimile machine 1A.
It performs basic control and status monitoring of the communication part of A. Since this communication control program is already known, its detailed description is omitted.

FIG. 3 shows a network server personal computer 10A.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system program expanded in S-RAM 12 of FIG. The procedure from turning on the power to starting the electronic mail system of the network server personal computer 10A and waiting for the incoming call from the facsimile machine 1A of the other party is already known, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

In the figure, reference numeral 31 is a communication control program for the network server personal computer 10A, which controls communication with the facsimile apparatus 1A and monitors the status. Since this communication control program is publicly known, its detailed description is omitted. Reference numeral 32 denotes a terminal mail address reception program, which checks the presence or absence of a terminal mail address in the received data when receiving data from the facsimile apparatus 1A, and calls the terminal mail address search program 35 if there is.

The terminal mail address search program 35 searches the network terminal list used by the network mail system program 33, and when the received terminal mail address is included in the network terminal list, F
The fact that facsimile (FAX) data has been received by the AX data reception mail notification program 34 is sent as a mail to the received terminal mail address.

A network mail system program 33 realizes exchange of messages by electronic mail with a network terminal connected under the control of the network server personal computer 10A. Since this network mail system program 33 is already known, its detailed description is omitted.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the function of the communication system of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment. The figure shows the functions processed by the F-MPU 1 and S-MPU 11 in accordance with the control procedure of the system program expanded in the F-RAM 2 and S-RAM 12.

In the figure, the terminal mail address transmitting means 41 designates the address of the network terminal connected under the control of the network server personal computer 10A by the facsimile machine 1A. After the designation, the facsimile machine 1A requests the network server personal computer 10A to make a call by the F-NCU 4, and transmits the terminal mail address together with the transmission data to the network server personal computer 10A.

In the present embodiment, the transmission / reception procedure between the facsimile apparatus 1A and the network server personal computer 10A is realized by the AT-WORK system of Microsoft Corporation. Since this transmission / reception procedure is already known, its detailed description is omitted.

When the network server personal computer 10A receives the data from the facsimile apparatus 10A, the terminal mail address receiving means 42 confirms the presence or absence of the terminal mail address. In the case of the data including the terminal mail address, the terminal mail address search means 43 searches whether the terminal mail address received is included in the mail address list of the subordinate network terminals. When the received terminal mail address is included in the subordinate network terminal mail address list, the FAX data reception mail notification means 44 sends a mail indicating that the FAX data has been received to the network terminal having the terminal mail address received.

As a result, even if the facsimile data is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 1A to the network terminal, the network server personal computer 10A can immediately notify the network terminal of the FAX data reception mail, and the FAX data received by the network terminal can be transmitted. Can be used efficiently.

Next, the operation of the communication system of the facsimile apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a facsimile machine 1.
7 is a flowchart showing a terminal mail address transmission program executed by A.

The procedure for turning on the power source, reading the original, making a call to the network server personal computer 10A, and shifting to the control of the terminal mail address transmission program will be omitted.

When the terminal mail address transmission program is started, the key input count of the work area is initialized on the F-RAM2, and the mail address is also "MAI".
LADDR = ”is initialized (step S51). Next, the key input from the F-KB3 is awaited, and the presence or absence of key input is checked (step S52).

If there is no key input, the key input is waited again. If a key input occurs, it is checked whether the type of the input key is the start key (step S53).

If the input key is the start key, the F-NCU 4 is requested to send the terminal mail address (step S56). In this embodiment, since the facsimile procedure is compatible with the AT-WORK system of Microsoft Corporation, the character string is transmitted as it is instead of converting the input character string into a bit pattern and transmitting it.

When the input key is not the start key, the character string of the input key is added to the end of "MAILADDR =", and the key count is incremented (step S54). The F-KB3 is a numeric keypad,
Since the alphabet can be input from the numeric keypad, the input character string includes the alphabet.

It is checked whether the key count is the maximum value of the terminal mail address (step S55). If it is not the maximum value, the process returns to step S52 and waits for the next key input. If it is the maximum value, the terminal mail address is transmitted to the F-NCU 4 (step S56).

According to the procedure shown above, the terminal mail address is transmitted to the network server personal computer 10A.

FIG. 6 shows a network server personal computer 10A.
It is a flowchart which shows the terminal mail address reception program executed by.

The terminal mail address receiving program is "M" from the facsimile data received by the communication control program 31 of the network server personal computer 10A.
The character string "AILADDR =" is searched, and the data following the character string is regarded as the terminal mail address. First, it is checked whether or not the first byte of the received data is "M" (step S61). If it is not "M", the return value is set to "no terminal mail address" (step S72), and the process ends.

When "M", the second byte is "A"
It is checked whether or not (step S62). ｀ A
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "A", the third byte is "I"
It is checked whether or not (step S63). ｀ I
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When it is "I", the 4th byte is "L".
Is checked (step S64). `L
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "L", the fifth byte is "A"
Is checked (step S65). ｀ A
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "A", the 6th byte is "D"
Is checked (step S66). `D
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "D", the 7th byte is "D"
Is checked (step S67). `D
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When it is "D", the 8th byte is "R"
Is checked (step S68). `R
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "R", the 9th byte is "="
It is checked whether or not (step S69). ｀ =
If not, similarly, no return terminal mail address is set in the return value (step S72), and the process ends.

When "=", it is checked whether there is data in the 10th byte (step S70). When there is no data of the 10th byte, the return value is set to "no terminal mail address" (step S72), and the process ends.

When the data of the 10th byte is present, it is assumed that the terminal mail address has been received, and the return value is set to have the terminal mail address (step S71), and the process ends.

FIG. 7 shows a network server personal computer 10A.
6 is a flow chart showing a terminal mail address search program executed by. The terminal mail address search program is continuously called when there is a return value of the terminal mail address reception program shown in FIG.

First, it is checked whether the received terminal mail address is registered in the terminal mail address list used by the network mail system program 33 preloaded in the S-RAM 2 of the network server personal computer 10A.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a list of terminal mail addresses. This terminal mail address list is well known in each network mail system program, and therefore its detailed description is omitted. The terminal mail address list is generally composed of 100 terminal mail address registrations and terminal mail addresses 101 for the number of registrations.

In the terminal mail address search program, the terminal mail address search program first initializes a counter (step S81).

Subsequently, the counter is compared with the terminal mail address registration count of 100 (step S82). If the counter and the number of registered terminal mail addresses 100 are the same, it is considered that the received terminal mail address is not registered in the terminal mail address list used by the network mail system program 33 that is currently operating, and the process returns. Set No registration to the value (step S87)
finish.

On the other hand, if the counter and the terminal mail address registration number 100 are different, a character string search is performed between the received terminal mail address and the terminal mail address in the terminal mail address list corresponding to the counter value (step S83). . Since the character string search is already known,
Detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Subsequently, the result of the character string search is checked (step S84). If there is a hit as a result of the character string search, it is assumed that the received terminal mail address is registered in the terminal mail address list, the registered value is set as the return value (step S86), and the process ends.

On the other hand, when there is no hit, the counter is incremented (step S85) and the step S is performed again.
Returning to 82, it is compared with the registered number in the terminal email address list.

FIG. 8 shows a network server personal computer 10A.
6 is a flowchart showing a FAX data reception mail notification program executed by The FAX data reception mail notification program is continuously called and executed when the terminal mail address received from the facsimile apparatus by the terminal mail address search program is registered in the terminal mail address list of the network system 33 which is currently operating. .

In the FAX data reception mail notification program, the ID of the sender facsimile is acquired (step S
91), a message "Facsimile data has been received" is generated (step S92), and a reception notification message is transmitted to the received terminal mail address (step S93).

The method of obtaining the facsimile ID of the sender is known in the AT-WORK system of Microsoft Corporation, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the method of notifying the mail in step S93 is also known by the interface of, for example, a mail software that is in operation (mail transmission of Novell Net Net).
The description is omitted.

[Modification] In the above embodiment, the effective use of the system in the facsimile machine supporting the AT-WORK system of Microsoft Corporation was explained, but it can be realized also in the conventional G3 facsimile machine.

For example, the terminal mail address under the network is set as the subaddress in the sender address, and the facsimile is transmitted to the network server personal computer, and the terminal server mail address is converted into a character by utilizing the character recognition technology by OCR on the network server personal computer side. It is possible to convert to the above, search a list of operating terminal mail address in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and send the mail to the corresponding network terminal.

[0067]

According to the communication system of the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the network server apparatus and the network terminal are connected and the data is transmitted to the network constructing the electronic mail system,
The address of the network terminal is transmitted by the terminal mail address transmitting means, the address of the network terminal is received by the terminal mail address receiving means, and the terminal mail address retrieving means transfers the network address to the network based on the received network terminal address. A search is made for the subordinate network terminals connected, and if the received address of the network terminal matches the address of the subordinate network terminal, the received mail notifying means informs the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device. Since the notification is sent, if you specify the mail address of the network terminal under the network server device in the sender's facsimile machine, the network terminal will immediately receive the data from the facsimile machine by the existing electronic mail system. It can be identified. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the facsimile data received from the disk of the network server personal computer from overflowing, and to prevent an extra file from being stored for a long time, so that the received data can be effectively used and the hard disk on the network server device, RAM can be effectively used.

According to the facsimile apparatus of the second aspect, the network server apparatus and the network terminal are connected to each other, and when the data is transmitted to the network constructing the electronic mail system, the network terminal is transmitted by the terminal mail address transmitting means. Since the address is sent to the network server device, it is possible to contribute to the fact that the network terminal immediately recognizes the data reception from the facsimile device by the electronic mail system.

According to the network server device of the third aspect, when the network terminal is connected and the data from the facsimile device is received through the network constructing the electronic mail system, the terminal mail address receiving means is used. The address of the network terminal is received from the facsimile device, the subordinate network terminal connected to the network is searched by the terminal mail address searching means based on the received address of the network terminal, and the address of the received network terminal is searched. If the address matches the address of the subordinate network terminal, the received mail notifying means notifies the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device. It can contribute to recognizing data received from.

According to a communication method of a facsimile apparatus according to a fourth aspect, in the communication method of the facsimile apparatus, which is connected to a network server apparatus and a network terminal, and transmits data to a network forming an electronic mail system, The device sends the address of the network terminal, the network server device receives the address of the network terminal,
If the subordinate network terminal connected to the network is searched based on the received address of the network terminal and the address of the received network terminal matches the address of the subordinate network terminal,
Since the network terminal is notified that the data has been received from the facsimile apparatus, if the sender's facsimile apparatus specifies the mail address of the network terminal under the network server apparatus, the network terminal immediately uses the existing electronic mail system to facsimile the data. It can recognize the reception of data from the device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the facsimile data received from the disk of the network server personal computer from overflowing, and to prevent an extra file from being stored for a long time, so that the received data can be effectively used and the hard disk on the network server device, RAM can be effectively used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a system program loaded in an F-RAM 2 of the facsimile apparatus 1A.

[Fig. 3] S-RA of network server personal computer 10A
It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the system program expanded in M12.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the function of the communication system of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a terminal mail address transmission program executed by the facsimile apparatus 1A.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a terminal mail address receiving program executed by the network server personal computer 10A.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a terminal mail address search program executed by the network server personal computer 10A.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a FAX data reception mail notification program executed by the network server personal computer 10A.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a list of terminal email addresses.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1A ... Facsimile device 7 ... Modulation / demodulation device 10A ... Network server personal computer 18 ... Ethernet cable 21 ... Terminal mail address input program 32 ... Terminal mail address reception program 34 ... FAX data reception mail notification program 35 ... Terminal mail address search program

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A communication system of a facsimile device, which is connected to a network server device and a network terminal and transmits data to a network forming an electronic mail system, wherein the facsimile device is a terminal for transmitting an address of the network terminal. The network server device includes a terminal mail address receiving means for receiving the address of the network terminal, and a subordinate network terminal connected to the network based on the received address of the network terminal. A terminal e-mail address searching means for searching, and when the received address of the network terminal matches the address of the subordinate network terminal, the network terminal indicates that data has been received from the facsimile device. A communication system for a facsimile machine, comprising: a received mail notifying means for notifying. 2. A facsimile device, which is connected to a network server device and a network terminal and transmits data to a network forming an electronic mail system, wherein a terminal mail address is transmitted to transmit the address of the network terminal to the network server device. A facsimile machine comprising means. 3. A network server device to which a network terminal is connected and which receives data from a facsimile device via a network constructing an electronic mail system, wherein a terminal mail address for receiving the address of the network terminal from the facsimile device. Receiving means, terminal mail address searching means for searching a subordinate network terminal connected to the network based on the received address of the network terminal, and the received network terminal address being an address of the subordinate network terminal A network server device, comprising: a received mail notifying means for notifying the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device when they match. 4. A communication method of a facsimile device, wherein a network server device and a network terminal are connected to each other, and which transmits data to a network forming an electronic mail system, wherein the facsimile device transmits an address of the network terminal, The network server device receives the address of the network terminal, searches for a subordinate network terminal connected to the network based on the received address of the network terminal, and the received network terminal address is the subordinate. Communication method of the facsimile device, which notifies the network terminal that the data has been received from the facsimile device when the address matches the address of the network terminal.