JP2000076154A - Communication terminal device with electronic mail function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal device with an electronic mail function capable of facilitating setting even when there are a large number of opposite equipment to set information and eliminating the need of confirming whether or not the opposite equipment is in a communicable state in setting the information. SOLUTION: From the header, message text and subject, etc., of a mail arriving at a mailbox, whether or not the received mail is a setting request mail for requesting the setting change of the device is judged. In the case of the setting request mail, a main control part 1 executes a program for setting the information of a telephone number, an e-mail address, a modem speed and TTI (transmission origin information), etc. included in the contents of the received mail to the RAM 7 of the own device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a function of transmitting image data of a document by e-mail.
The present invention relates to a communication terminal device such as a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a computer communication network which connects a local computer communication network with a communication line and distributes e-mail via a networked Internet or the like has become widespread. The computer communication network has an excellent error correction function and can communicate with computers not only in Japan but also abroad simply by paying the communication cost to the nearest provider (a connection company to the computer communication network).

[0003] The communication procedure and communication system of the conventional G3 facsimile apparatus are different from those of the computer communication network.
Cannot directly connect to computer communication network. However, even image data such as a transmission original can be transmitted to a computer communication network by converting the image data into an electronic mail format.

When replacing a facsimile machine having a function of registering a telephone number, an e-mail address and the like in a speed dial key and a one-touch dial key with a new machine, the registration data of the original machine is registered in the new machine. When a user requests a service, the service center downloads registration information of the original device, and a service person operates a computer of the center to set registration data in a new device via a telephone line.

[0005]

However, when the same registration data must be set in a plurality of devices, it takes a long time to set. Further, the setting cannot be performed unless it is confirmed that the partner device is not using the line for facsimile reception or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. The present invention receives an e-mail requesting a setting, sets information included in the contents of the e-mail in its own device, and sends it to another device. By transmitting the information to be set by e-mail, the setting is easy even if there are many partner devices to which the information is to be set, and the partner device is in a communicable state when setting the information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal device with an e-mail function that does not need to confirm whether or not the communication terminal device has an electronic mail function.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a communication terminal device having an e-mail receiving function, it is determined whether or not a received mail is a setting request mail including information to be set in its own device. Means for setting information included in the content of the received mail to the own device when the received mail is the setting request mail.

In the first invention, it is determined from the header, the message body, the subject, etc. of the mail arriving at the mailbox whether or not the received mail is a setting request mail for requesting a change of the apparatus settings, and the setting request mail is determined. If
The information such as the telephone number, e-mail address, modem speed, and TTI (source information) included in the contents of the received mail is set in the own device. This makes it easy to set information even when there are a large number of partner devices for which information should be set, and can set the device at any time, such as when the own device is not performing communication.

In a second aspect, in addition to the first aspect, a means for printing the received mail and, if the received mail is a setting request mail, controlling the means so as not to print the received mail. Means.

In the second invention, if the received mail is a normal mail, it is printed, but if it is a setting request mail, it is not printed. As a result, the setting request mail does not enter the normal mail.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a communication terminal device having an electronic mail transmission function, means for creating an electronic mail for a setting request including information to be set in a device of a designated destination, And means for transmitting the device as a destination.

In the third invention, one or a plurality of other devices,
Or phone number, e-mail address, modem speed, TTI (source information) to be set for a new device to be exchanged with its own device
Then, an e-mail for the setting request including information such as the information is created, and the e-mail for the setting request is transmitted to the specified device. This makes it easy to set information even when there are a large number of partner devices to which information should be set, and it is not necessary to check whether the partner device is in a communicable state when setting information.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus with an electronic mail function according to the present invention. In the embodiment of the present invention, the Internet is used as a computer communication network. The main control unit 1 not only controls each part of the hardware of the facsimile apparatus through the bus, but also encodes the image data of the manuscript based on the software stored in the ROM 6 by an encoding method such as MH, MR, MMR. Encoding / decoding to convert or decode, image (TIFF) conversion described later,
Execute software such as binary / text conversion, mail editing, communication procedure including control of RS232C by AT command, etc.

The main control unit 1 determines whether or not the received mail is a setting request mail for requesting a change of the setting of the apparatus from the header, the message body, the subject, etc. of the mail arriving at the mail box. If it is a request email, the phone number and e-ma included in the received email
Executes software that sets information such as the il address, modem speed, and TTI (source information) in its own device.

The main control unit 1 executes software for controlling the recording unit 3 to print the received mail when the received mail is a normal mail, but not to print the received mail when the received mail is a setting request mail. In addition, the main control unit 1 includes a telephone number, an e-mail address, a modem speed, and a TTI (transmission source information) to be set in one or more other devices or a new other device to be exchanged with the own device. Create a configuration request email with information,
The software for transmitting the setting request e-mail to another device is executed.

In image conversion, at the time of transmission, G3 format image data is converted into TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), which is a general image format used in computers, and at the time of reception, TIFF to G3 format image data is converted. Convert to TIFF is published by Adobe Systems, and defines various classes that handle not only black and white binary but also black and white multi-valued and full color. One of them
CLASS F defines image data in the G3 format, which is image data of a document in which image data of the document is encoded by an encoding method such as MH, MR, or MMR. Therefore, G3
It can be converted to TIFF by adding CLASS F TIFF header information to the beginning of the format image data.

In the binary text conversion, binary data is converted to text data at the time of transmission, and text data is converted to binary data at the time of reception. There are computers on the Internet that cannot handle binary data e-mail. When transmitting binary data such as TIFF image data, the data is first converted to text data so that the e-mail reaches the destination. Text data handled on the Internet is defined as a 7-bit code in RFC (Request For Comments) 822, which is a document issued by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).

Therefore, MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mai)
l Extensions) Use base64 etc. for conversion.
According to this, 6-bit binary data is 64 characters (uppercase, lowercase alphabet, numbers, +, /)
And can be converted to text data. MIME is specified in RFC1521.

In the mail editing, at the time of transmission, mail header information is added to the text data of the message selected by the user, the text data of the device setting data, and the TIFF image data converted into the text data to edit the data into an electronic mail format. Upon reception, the mail header information is removed from the data in the electronic mail format, and only the text data of the message, the text data of the device setting data, and the TIFF image data converted into the text data are taken out. Since it is specified that predetermined header information is added to e-mail on the Internet as e-mail management information, the "From: (user's Internet e-mail address) ) ”,“ To: (Internet e-mail address of the other party) ”,“ Subject: (title) ”, etc.

The reading section 2 reads a document by a CCD or the like and outputs image data of a black and white binary document. The recording unit 3 includes an electrophotographic printer or the like, and records image data of a document received from another G3 facsimile apparatus or the Internet. The display unit 4 includes a liquid crystal display device and the like, and displays an operation state of the facsimile apparatus, image data of a document, a message for changing the setting of the apparatus, and the like.

The operation unit 5 includes various function keys such as ten keys, speed dial keys, one-touch dial keys, a maintenance mode, and a setting key for transmitting a setting request mail necessary for operating the facsimile machine. The RAM 7 is composed of an SRAM, a flash memory, or the like, and stores temporary data generated when executing software. In a predetermined storage area of the RAM 7, a telephone number, an e-mail address, a modem speed, a TTI, and the like registered in the speed dial key and the one-touch dial key are set.

The modem 9 is connected to a bus and has a function as a normal FAX modem for facsimile communication of image data of a document read by the reading unit 2, and a data communication modem capable of Internet communication. Also works as The modem 9 is connected to the NCU 11 similarly connected to the bus. The NCU 11 closes and opens the analog line, converts the telephone number of the destination specified by the auto dial into a dial signal, and connects the modem 9 to the analog line.

The external medium reading unit 13 reads a computer program from a recording medium such as a flexible disk, a magnetic disk, and a CD-ROM loaded in the drive, and
7 is stored.

Next, an example of the operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention when receiving a mail will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this example, whether or not the received mail is the setting request mail can be recognized by the header or the message body. The system checks whether there is a received mail in the mailbox of its own device periodically or according to a user's request (step S2-1). If there is a received mail in the mailbox, the mail is downloaded (step S2-2).

The header or message body of the downloaded mail is analyzed (step S2-3), and it is determined whether or not data indicating that the mail is a request for changing the device settings is embedded in the header or message body. (Step S2-4). If it is not a setting request mail, the recording unit 3 prints out as usual or automatically in response to a user request (step S2-5). On the other hand, if it is a setting request email,
The setting data stored in the RAM 7 is changed (step S2-6).

As a result of analyzing the mail in step S2-3, it is determined whether or not the setting change is notified to the user (step S2-7). If the notification is not set, the process ends. If the notification is set, the message of the setting change is printed out or displayed on the screen (step S2-
8).

Next, another example of the operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention when receiving a mail will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this example, the subject can recognize whether or not the received mail is a setting request mail. The system checks whether there is a received mail in the mailbox of its own device periodically or according to a user's request (step S3-1). If there is a received mail in the mailbox, the subject of the received mail is checked (step S3-2). The received mail that does not indicate that the subject is a mail requesting a change in device settings is downloaded as usual and stored in the RAM 7 (step S3-
Four).

The received mail indicating that the subject is a mail requesting a change in device settings is downloaded, the contents of the mail are analyzed (step S3-5), and the RAM 7 is written as described in the mail. Change the setting data stored in (step S3-6).

As a result of analyzing the mail in step S3-5, it is determined whether or not the setting change is notified to the user (step S3-7). If the notification is not set, the process ends. If the notification is set, the message of the setting change is printed out or displayed on the screen (step S3-
8).

Next, the operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention at the time of mail transmission will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. With this function, the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention can be used, for example, to send a setting request e-mail from a service center to a facsimile device. It is applied to a case where information or the like is copied to one or a plurality of other facsimile devices, or a case where information registered in the original device is copied to a new device when exchanging with a new facsimile device. be able to.

The user selects the maintenance mode (step S4-1), and selects the transmission mode of the setting request mail requesting the setting of the registration information of the own apparatus to another apparatus (step S4-2). Or specify multiple destinations (step
S4-3). When copying the information registered in the original facsimile apparatus to a new facsimile apparatus to be exchanged with this apparatus, the user designates the own apparatus as a destination. The device reads the setting data to be set in the other device from a predetermined storage area of the RAM 7 (step S4-4), and creates an e-mail for a setting request including the read data in the body (step S4-5). ), And sends a setting request mail to the specified destination (step S4-6).

The facsimile apparatus having the function of receiving the setting request mail as described above has its destination set to copy the information registered in its own apparatus to a new facsimile apparatus to be exchanged with this apparatus. When a setting request mail is transmitted, it is necessary to provide a means for preventing the original facsimile apparatus from receiving this mail until a new facsimile apparatus is connected to the line. For example, after transmitting a setting request mail addressed to the own device, the setting request mail transmission completed flag provided in the RAM 7 is turned on. If this flag is on during mail reception processing, mail reception is performed. Do not do.

Note that the above-described computer program for receiving and transmitting the setting mail can be provided by being preinstalled in the communication terminal device, or can be provided on a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or MO. is there. It can also be provided online.

[0034]

According to the communication terminal device with the electronic mail function of the first invention, the received mail is a setting request mail for requesting a change of the setting of the device from the header, the message body, the subject, etc. of the mail arriving at the mailbox. Judge whether it is a setting request mail, if it is a setting request mail, the telephone number, e-mail address, modem speed,
Since information such as TTI is set in the own device, setting is easy even if there are many partner devices for which information should be set, and setting of the device can be performed at any time such as when the own device is not performing communication. It has an excellent effect that it can be performed.

The communication terminal device with the electronic mail function of the second invention prints the received mail if it is a normal mail, but does not print it if it is a setting request mail, so that the setting request mail falls into the normal mail. It has an excellent effect that it does not occur.

The communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the third aspect of the present invention includes a telephone number, an e-mail address, and a modem speed to be set in one or more other devices or a new other device exchanged with the own device. , Create a setting request email containing information such as TTI (source information), and send the setting request email
Because other devices are transmitted as destinations, setting is easy even if there are many partner devices to set information. When setting information, check whether the partner device is in a communicable state. There is an excellent effect that there is no need to perform.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus with an e-mail function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention when receiving a mail.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the present invention when receiving a mail.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an operation of the communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the present invention when transmitting a mail.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 2 Reading part 3 Recording part 4 Display part 5 Operation part 6 ROM 7 RAM 8 Image memory 9 Modem 11 NCU 13 External medium reading part

Claims (3)

[Claims] A communication terminal device having an e-mail receiving function, a means for determining whether or not the received mail is a setting request mail including information to be set in the communication terminal device; Means for setting the information contained in the content of the received mail to its own device. 2. A means for printing a received mail, and when the received mail is a setting request mail, the means includes:
2. A communication terminal device with an electronic mail function according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling not to print the received mail. 3. A communication terminal device having an e-mail transmission function, comprising: means for creating an e-mail for a setting request including information to be set in a device of a designated destination; A communication terminal device with an e-mail function.