JP2003044413A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To actualize a printing system which shows a user that electronic mail has an attached file and allows the user to freely select a method of handling the attached file. SOLUTION: The system is equipped with a printing part 17 which prints received electronic mail stored in a mailbox 11b of a utility 11 for mail reception and a display part 15 which displays the contents of the received electronic mail and various messages and further equipped with a display inquiry means 12 which displays a message showing that the received electronic mail has the attached file as a file attachment message in such the case at the display part 15 prior to the printing of the received electronic mail and inquires whether or not the contents of the attached file are expanded and displayed at the display part 15 or a printing inquiry means 12b which inquires whether or not the contents of the attached file are expanded and printed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly to a printing system having a function of connecting to a network such as the Internet and receiving an electronic mail. Further, it can be applied to a printing system in which an electronic mail received by the personal computer is printed on the printer by combining the Internet with a personal computer connectable to the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various techniques have been conventionally adopted as a technique for printing contents of received electronic mail by connecting to a network. In such printing technology, generally, when printing an e-mail in which a reference document, an image or the like is attached as an attachment file, the attachment file itself attached to the e-mail is not printed as it is. , Only a message or a symbol indicating that an attachment is attached in the body of the email is printed as the body of the email.

Therefore, when it is desired to print the attached file attached to the electronic mail, the program itself for handling the electronic mail or another appropriate application program corresponding to the attached file is separately activated, and After expanding the attached file attached to the e-mail, it was necessary to take a procedure for printing the attached file.

In order to simplify such a procedure, some inventions have proposed the implementation of means for automatically detecting the presence or absence of an attached file attached to an electronic mail and printing it. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-203076, “Image forming apparatus and storage medium”.
In this publication, when printing the content of a received e-mail, if an attachment file exists in the e-mail, the function that allows the content of the attachment file to be printed unconditionally is also mentioned. Further, there is disclosed a technique for realizing the function of detecting the existence of such an attached file and printing it without intervening another personal computer.

[0005]

However, unconditionally printing the attached file results in wasting printing paper. In the present invention, the content of the received e-mail is changed. When it is detected that an attachment file exists in the e-mail when printing is attempted, first, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit to display the content of the attachment file. The purpose is to enable the user to arbitrarily select whether to display on the display unit, print on the printing unit, or do nothing, and build a printing system with more flexibility. The purpose is to do.

That is, the invention according to claim 1 automatically detects whether or not a file is attached at the time of printing an electronic mail, and if the file is attached, notifies the user to that effect. In order to do so, it is an object of the present invention to provide an attached file attached message display means for displaying the attached file.

According to the invention described in claim 2, for the purpose of the invention described in claim 1, when it is detected that an attached file exists in the received electronic mail, the detected attached file is detected. Is it possible to confirm the content of the attached file by expanding the content of
Alternatively, it is an object to inquire the user whether the contents of the attached file should be left undisplayed, and to add a display inquiry unit that allows the user to arbitrarily select.

According to the invention of claim 3, for the purpose of the invention of claim 1, when it is detected that an attached file exists in the received electronic mail, the attached file detected. Is added to the print inquiring means that allows the user to arbitrarily select whether to expand the contents of the file and print it in the print section or whether to keep the contents of the attached file unprinted. The purpose is to

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving an electronic mail, a printing means for printing the received electronic mail on a printing section, contents of the received electronic mail, A display unit for displaying various messages on a display unit. When printing the received electronic mail on the printing unit, it is detected whether or not an attached file exists in the electronic mail, and the attached file is detected. When there is a message, the printing system is provided with a message indicating the message as an attached file attached message, and the display unit displays the attached file attached message display unit for displaying on the display unit. Is.

When an e-mail is received and printed, if the e-mail has an attached file, the fact is displayed to the user (that is, the operator), and the attached file attached. The user can freely select the processing method (that is, whether to expand the contents of the attached file and display it on the display unit, print it on the printing unit, or leave it as it is without expanding it). Can be made.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the printing system according to the first aspect, when it is detected that an attached file exists in the received electronic mail, the detected attached file is detected. The printing system is provided with a display inquiry unit that expands and inquires the user whether or not to display the content of the attached file on the display unit.

When the user gives an instruction to select the display on the display unit, the user can read and confirm the content of the detected attached file on the display unit. It is not important to output as, but it is effective for an attached file that has a good amount of information to read and check. Thus, there is an effect of preventing the situation in which the paper is unnecessarily consumed by the print output.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the first aspect, when it is detected that an attached file exists in the received electronic mail, the detected attached file is detected. The printing system is provided with a print inquiring unit that expands and inquires of the user whether to print the content of the attached file on the printing unit.

Thus, when the user has instructed to print on the printing section, it is possible to easily output and utilize the attached file of the electronic mail as a printed matter at the same time as printing the text of the electronic mail. There is.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2 or claim 3, even if an attached file exists in the e-mail, the user gives an instruction to take a measure not to display or print the attached file. Since it is possible to select, if the user (that is, operator) on the receiving side can understand the content of the attached file only by looking at the file name and title of the attached file, display or print. It is possible to save the time required for, and it is effective when it is not necessary to display or print the attached file.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a printing system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a general mail server 2 connected to the Internet 3 has a SM
TP (Simple Mail Transfer P)
The e-mail sent from the mail terminal on the sending side is temporarily spooled (that is, temporarily stored) in the mail spool 22 by the SMTP server 21, while the e-mail sent from the mail terminal on the sending side is temporarily stored. From a mail terminal, for example, the mail terminal 1 with a printer function,
Via the Internet 3, POP3 (PostOffi
ce Protocol 3) When an inquiry about the arrival of an electronic mail is made by the protocol, in the POP server 23 of the mail server 2, if the electronic mail addressed to the receiving mail terminal is spooled in the mail spool 22: The spooled electronic mail is delivered to the mail terminal on the receiving side where the inquiry is made, for example, the mail terminal 1 with a printer function.

On the other hand, on the receiving mail terminal, for example, the mail terminal 1 with a printer function, the electronic mail delivered from the mail server 2 is received by the electronic mail receiving utility 11 and stored in a predetermined memory. (That is, the delivered email is
The mailbox 11 is received by the client 11a.
accumulated on b).

The system configuration of the printing system for receiving the e-mail is almost the same as that shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-203076, which is disclosed in the existing technology. However, in the printing system according to the present invention, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
Unlike the case of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-203076, as shown in FIG. 1, in the mail terminal on the receiving side, for example, the mail terminal 1 with a printer function, the input driver 12, the input unit 13, and the display driver 14 are further provided. And a circuit block of the display unit 15 are added.

The display unit 15 provides the user with a means for displaying various messages. For example, the print driver 16 displays the text of the received electronic mail.
Is driven to drive the display driver 14 with a message for notifying the user (that is, the operator) of the presence or absence of the attached file attached to the electronic mail before the printing is performed by the printing unit 17. To be displayed. That is, when the attached file exists, the attached file attached message display means 14a for displaying a message indicating that to the display unit 15 as an attached file attached message is displayed by the display driver 14
Is equipped with.

Further, if the attached file exists, the display driver 14 develops the processing method of the attached file (that is, expands the content of the attached file and displays it on the display unit 15 or the printing unit 17). The display unit 15 has a function of displaying a message for inquiring the user whether to print the image on the screen or to leave the image on the screen without displaying or printing the image. That is, the input driver 12 includes a display inquiry unit 12a and a print inquiry unit 12b which inquire the user of the processing method of the attached file. When the attached file exists, the display inquiry unit of the input driver 12 is included. 12a or the display inquiry unit 12b based on the instruction.
Is controlled to expand the contents of the attached file and display the contents on the display unit 15, or expand the contents of the attached file and print the contents of the e-mail together with the printing unit 1.
A message asking whether to print on page 7 is displayed on the display unit 15. In response to the inquiry message displayed on the display unit 15, the information input by the user (that is, the operator) from the input unit 13 and instructed to select is the display inquiry unit 12a or the print inquiry unit 12b of the input driver 12. And the processing method for the content of the attached file is determined based on the determination.

Thus, in response to a display inquiry or a print inquiry inquiring about the processing method of the attached file displayed on the display unit 15, the user (that is, the operator).
The display inquiry unit 12a of the input driver 12 by inputting an instruction of the processing method for an attached file relating to display or printing through the input unit 13.
Alternatively, the mail terminal 1 with a printer function is sent to the user (that is, operator) via the print inquiry unit 12b.
It is possible to execute the operation based on the processing method instructed from.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing another example of the system configuration of the printing system according to the present invention. The function of the entire printing system shown in FIG.
This is equivalent to the case of the printing system shown in. However, in the mail terminal 1'with a printer function of the printing system shown in FIG. 2, the block that has been grouped together as the control unit 1a of the mail terminal 1 with a printer function in FIG. 1 is replaced by a personal computer 1b. . Thus, in the mail terminal 1'with a printer function of the printing system shown in FIG. 2, the input unit is the mouse / keyboard 1
3a, the display unit is configured by the display device 15a, and the printing unit is a general printer device 1
It does not matter even if it is composed of 7a. As described above, the hardware configuration of the mail terminal 1'with a printer function in the printing system according to the present invention is also characterized in that it can be easily constructed by a general personal computer and a printer device. .

Next, the flow of operation of the printing system according to the present invention will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining an example of the flow of operations relating to the printing system according to the present invention. The mail terminal 1 or 1'with a printer function, which constitutes the mail terminal on the receiving side of the electronic mail, receives the mail addressed to itself to the mail server 2 on the receiving side in which the mail terminal 1 or 1'with a printer function is registered. Inquire whether the mail is spooled (step S
1). If the electronic mail addressed to itself exists (there is step S1), the received electronic mail is, for example, according to the POP3 protocol, the mail box 11b in the mail terminal 1 or 1'with a printer function which is the mail terminal.
(Step S2).

Thereafter, in the conventional normal printing system, when the user (that is, the operator) gives an instruction to print the received electronic mail stored in the mailbox, the text of the received electronic mail is printed as usual. However, if there is an attached file attached to the received e-mail, only the fact that the attached file is attached is printed as a message or symbol in the printed body of the received e-mail. , The contents of the attached file itself cannot be confirmed on the spot. Therefore, when it is desired to know the contents of the attached file, the contents of the attached file can be read by using an appropriate application corresponding to the attached file on the conventional mail terminal with a printer function. A procedure for unpacking, displaying and printing is required.

According to the printing system of the present invention, in the mail terminal 1 or 1'with a printer function, when the user (that is, the operator) instructs the printing unit 17 to print the received e-mail ( YE in step S3
S), if there is an attached file in the received e-mail that is not printed (YES in step S4),
To that effect, the user (that is, operator) is notified, and the processing method of the attached file (that is, the content of the attached file is expanded and displayed on the display unit 15, printed on the printing unit 17, or The print inquiring unit 12a or the display inquiring unit 12b provided in the input driver 12 inquires whether the image may be left undeveloped (step S5).

The user (ie, operator) operates the display unit 1
With respect to the processing method of the attached file inquired via 5, it is possible to display the content of the attached file on the display unit 15 and select a treatment to confirm.
Alternatively, it is possible to select a procedure for printing the content of the attached file on the printing unit 17 together with the body of the electronic mail. Further, it is possible to select to print only the body of the e-mail while leaving nothing to expand the attached file.

The user (that is, the operator) uses the input unit 1
When the instruction to display the content of the attached file on the display unit 15 is selected via 3 (YE in step S6)
S), the contents of the attached file are expanded and displayed on the display unit 15
To be displayed (step S7). On the other hand, the user (ie,
When the operator has selected, via the input unit 13, an instruction to print the content of the attached file together with the text of the received e-mail in the printing unit 17 (YE in step S8).
S), the contents of the attached file are expanded, and the text of the received e-mail is printed on the same printing unit 17 (step S).
9). Finally, the email body is printed on the printing unit 17 (step S10).

In step S6 and step S8, when it is instructed that neither the content of the attached file is displayed on the display unit 15 nor the printing unit 17 is required to print (step S6). NO and NO in step S8), when the user can understand the content of the attached file only by looking at the file name or title of the attached file, or when it is not necessary to know the content of the attached file for the time being, No processing is performed on the file, and only the body of the e-mail is printed in step S10.

[0030]

According to the printing system of the present invention, when an electronic mail is received and printed, if the electronic mail has an attached file, the fact is displayed to the user (that is, the operator). The processing method of the attached file (that is, whether the content of the attached file is expanded and displayed on the display unit, printed on the print unit, or may be left unexpanded). , The user can freely select.

Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, when the user selects and instructs the display on the display unit,
Since the user can read and confirm the content of the detected attached file on the display unit, it is not important enough to output it as a printed matter, but it is good to read it and confirm it. It is valid for attached files that have information. Thus, there is an effect of preventing the situation in which the paper is unnecessarily consumed by the print output.

Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, when the user selects and instructs to print on the printing unit,
At the same time as printing the text of the electronic mail, it is possible to easily output and utilize the attached file of the electronic mail as a printed matter.

Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, even if the attached file exists in the electronic mail, the user can instruct and select a treatment for not displaying or printing the attached file. Therefore, if the user on the receiving side (ie, the operator) can understand the contents of the attached file just by looking at the file name, title, etc. of the attached file, the time required for displaying and printing will also increase. It is possible to save, and it is effective when there is no need to display or print the attached file.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a system configuration of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing another example of the system configuration of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an operation flow regarding a printing system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1 '... Mail terminal with printer function, 1a ... Control unit, 1b ... Personal computer, 2 ... Mail server, 3 ... Internet, 11 ... Utility for receiving e-mail, 11a ... POP client, 11b ... Mail box, 12 ... Input driver, 12a ... Display inquiry section, 12b ... Print inquiry section, 13 ... Input section,
13a ... Mouse / keyboard, 14 ... Display driver, 1
4a ... Attached file attached message display means, 15 ... Display unit, 15a ... Display device, 16 ... Print driver, 17 ... Printing unit, 17a ... Printer device, 21 ... SM
TP server, 22 ... Mail spool, 23 ... POP server.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving an electronic mail, a printing means for printing the received electronic mail on a printing section, and a display means for displaying the contents of the received electronic mail and various messages on a display section. When printing the received e-mail on the printing unit, it is detected whether or not an attachment file exists in the e-mail, and if the attachment file exists, a message indicating that fact is displayed. A printing system characterized in that the display means includes an attached file attached message display means for displaying the attached file attached message on the display unit. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when it is detected that an attached file exists in the received electronic mail, the detected attached file is expanded and the attached file is extracted. A printing system comprising display inquiry means for inquiring a user whether or not to display the contents of the above on the display unit. 3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when it is detected that an attachment file exists in the received electronic mail, the detected attachment file is expanded and the attachment file is extracted. A printing system, comprising: a printing inquiring unit that inquires of a user whether or not to print the contents of the above in the printing unit.