JP2005014373A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording apparatus which can prevent recording of junk mails in Internet printing. <P>SOLUTION: In the case where an IPP is received from a PC 2 via the Internet 10, origination party information described by an IP address and an IPP frame of its transmission party is acquired. It is judged whether or not the acquired origination party information on the IP address and IPP frame agree with origination party information on predetermined IP address and IPP frame registered in a registration memory 20. In the case where the information agree with each other, received IPP data is recorded. In the case where the information do not agree with each other, the received IPP data is deleted and is not subjected to a recording process. IPP data from such a recording requester without having the origination party information on the IP address and IPP frame registered is not recorded. When a mail address of the transmission party is present in the IPP although the information do not agree with each other, received IPP data is returned to the transmission party. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that is connectable to a computer communication network such as the Internet and records data received from another apparatus via the computer communication network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, computer communication networks that distribute electronic mail via the Internet in which local computer communication networks are connected by communication lines have become widespread. The computer communication network has an advantage of excellent error correction capability and low communication cost even at a long distance.
[0003]
A recording apparatus that can be connected to the Internet and receives print data from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) as a recording request source via the Internet and performs a recording process (Internet printing). Are known.
[0004]
As a technique related to the present invention, an ISDN apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) and a facsimile apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Documents 2 and 3) that disclose various measures when information unnecessary for the receiving side is transmitted. ) Has been proposed.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-1600917 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-240847 [Patent Document 3]
JP-A-7-162638 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Internet printing is a very convenient function because, for example, recording processing can be performed simply by transmitting print data from a PC that does not have a printer to a recording device (network printer) via the Internet. However, malicious businesses that abuse this Internet printing function to send advertisement information such as direct mail unnecessary for the recipient to the network printer and print out the information are also rampant. Accordingly, the emergence of effective prevention measures against junk mail in such Internet printing is desired.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and unnecessary data is transmitted by determining whether or not to record the received data based on information specifying the recording request source of the received data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of taking countermeasures against unscrupulous traders who send unnecessary information without having to record the data in the event of failure.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The recording apparatus according to claim 1 is a recording apparatus for recording data received from a recording request source via a computer communication network, a registration unit for registering information for specifying the recording request source, and recording of the received data And determining means for determining whether or not to record the received data based on the information specifying the request source and the registration contents of the registration means.
[0009]
In the recording apparatus according to claim 1, when data is received via a computer communication network, the data is recorded in an information (IP (Internet Protocol) address or IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) frame for specifying a recording request source of the data. Whether or not to record the received data by comparing the information for specifying the acquired recording request source with the information for specifying the predetermined recording request source registered in the registration means. Determine whether. For example, if the information specifying the authorized recording request source is registered in the registration means in advance, and the information specifying the recording request source of the received data matches the registered content of the registration means, the received data is recorded. Processing is performed, and when the information specifying the recording request source of the received data does not match the registered content of the registration means, the received data is not recorded. On the other hand, when information that specifies the recording request source that is a bad dealer is registered in advance in the registration means, and the information that specifies the recording request source of the received data matches the registration contents of the registration means May not perform the recording process of the received data, and may perform the recording process of the received data when the information specifying the recording request source of the received data does not match the registered content of the registration means. Therefore, it is possible to automatically determine whether the received data needs to be recorded, and it is possible to prevent unnecessary recording processing for unnecessary data. In addition, it is possible to prevent a delay in the necessary data recording process associated with the unnecessary data recording process.
[0010]
The recording apparatus according to claim 2 is a transmission that transmits a part or all of the received data to a recording request source of the data when the determination unit determines not to record the received data in claim 1 Means are provided.
[0011]
In the recording apparatus according to the second aspect, when it is determined that the received data is not to be recorded, a part or all of the received data is returned to the recording request source. Therefore, the warning process to the unscrupulous trader can be automatically performed.
[0012]
The recording apparatus according to claim 3 is the setting according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information specifying the recording request source registered in the registration unit is set based on the history of data reception from a plurality of recording request sources Means are provided.
[0013]
In the recording apparatus according to claim 3, information for identifying a regular recording request source or information for identifying a recording request source that is an unscrupulous trader is set based on the history of data reception from a plurality of recording request sources. And register with the registration means. Therefore, the registration content in the registration means can be freely set according to changes in the usage status of the recording apparatus.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a facsimile multifunction apparatus 1 as a recording apparatus according to the present invention and an overall structure of a network system including the facsimile multifunction apparatus 1. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes the Internet as a computer communication network. The Internet 10 has a reading function for reading a document to obtain image data, a recording function for recording the read image data or an image corresponding to the received data, and A facsimile composite apparatus 1 having a transmission function for transmitting the read image data or the received data by facsimile is connected.
[0015]
Further, a plurality of PCs 2, 2,... For creating / editing various data are connected to the Internet 10. Various data created and edited by each PC 2 are transmitted to the facsimile multifunction apparatus 1 via the Internet 10, and the transmitted data is printed out by the facsimile multifunction apparatus 1 so that Internet printing is executed. It has become.
[0016]
The facsimile multifunction apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a control unit 11, a reading unit 12, a recording unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, an encoding / decoding unit 16, a ROM 17, a RAM 18, an image memory 19, a registration memory 20, and a modem. 21, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 22, a network interface unit 23, and the like. The facsimile multifunction device 1 has a facsimile function and a copy function in addition to a recording function for recording data sent from each PC 2 via the Internet 10.
[0017]
Specifically, the control unit 11 is configured by a CPU, and is connected to the hardware units as described above of the facsimile multifunction peripheral 1 via the bus 24. The control unit 11 controls them and is stored in the ROM 17. Various software functions are executed according to the control program. The reading unit 12 reads a document with a scanner using a CCD, for example, and outputs the read image data. The recording unit 13 is an electrophotographic printer, and prints out printing data sent from the PC 2, image data received by facsimile communication, image data of a document read by the reading unit 12, and the like.
[0018]
The display unit 14 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or a CRT display, displays the operating state of the facsimile multifunction device 1, displays a screen that prompts the user to input an operation, and sends data sent from the PC 2, The original image data read to be transmitted and the image data received from other facsimile machines are displayed.
[0019]
The operation unit 15 includes character keys, numeric keys, abbreviated dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for operating the facsimile multifunction peripheral 1. In addition, the operation unit 15 receives a user operation input for performing a setting process for setting information for specifying a regular recording request source registered in the registration memory 20. In addition, it is also possible to substitute a part or all of the various keys of the operation unit 15 by using the touch panel system for the display unit 14.
[0020]
The encoding / decoding unit 16 encodes and compresses the image data, and decodes the encoded and compressed data into the original image data. The ROM 17 stores in advance various software programs necessary for the operation of the facsimile multifunction peripheral 1. The RAM 18 is configured by SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and temporarily stores information for specifying a recording request source of data sent via the Internet 10, and also stores temporary data generated when the software is executed. To do. The image memory 19 is composed of a DRAM or the like, and stores print data received from the PC 2, image data read to be transmitted, image data received from another facsimile machine, and the like.
[0021]
The registration memory 20 is information set by the user based on the history of reception of print data from a plurality of PCs 2 for specifying a proper recording request source that may record the received data (in the IP address and IPP frame). The sender information listed) is registered. The registration contents in the registration memory 20 are added or changed by a setting process by a user operation input via the operation unit 15.
[0022]
The modem 21 is connected to the bus 24 and is constituted by a facsimile modem capable of facsimile communication. Similarly, the modem 21 is directly connected to the NCU 22 connected to the bus 24. The NCU 22 is hardware that performs the operation of closing and opening the line L with a PSTN (Public Switched Telephony Network), and connects the modem 21 to the PSTN as necessary. The network interface unit 23 controls data transmission / reception with each PC 2 via the Internet 10.
[0023]
The facsimile multifunction apparatus 1 of the present invention has the hardware configuration as described above, and performs Internet printing in which printing data sent from the PC 2 via the Internet 10 is recorded by the recording unit 13. In this Internet printing, when an IPP is received via the Internet 10, the IP address of the transmission source and the transmission source information contained in the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) IPP frame are acquired, and the print data (IPP data) Are received, and it is determined whether or not the acquired IP address and the source information on the IPP frame match the predetermined IP address and the source information on the IPP frame registered in the registration memory 20; If they match, the received IPP data is recorded, and if they do not match, the received IPP data is deleted and no recording process is performed. That is, the IPP data from the recording request source in which the source information on the IP address and the IPP frame is not registered is not recorded. If they do not match and the source mail address exists in the IPP, part or all of the received IPP data is returned to the source.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the Internet printing process in the facsimile multifunction machine 1 of the present invention.
[0025]
When the reception of IPP is detected via the Internet 10 (step S1: YES), the control unit 11 stores the IP address of the transmission source in the RAM 18 (step S2), and the transmission source information included in the IPP frame. It memorize | stores in RAM18 (step S3). Next, the control unit 11 accumulates the received IPP data in the image memory 19 (step S4). The control unit 11 determines whether or not the accumulation of all IPP data in the image memory 19 is completed (step S5). If the accumulation is not completed (S5: NO), the operation returns to S4 to return to the IPP. Continue the data accumulation process.
[0026]
When all the IPP data is accumulated in the image memory 19 (S5: YES), the control unit 11 determines whether or not the junk mail prevention function of the present invention is turned on in Internet printing (step S6). If it is not turned on (S6: NO), the IPP data received and stored in the image memory 19 is recorded in the recording unit 13 (step S13), and the operation is terminated.
[0027]
When the junk mail prevention function is on (S6: YES), the control unit 11 has registered in the registration memory 20 the IP address received and stored in the RAM 18 and the source information on the IPP frame. It is determined whether or not it matches the registered contents (IP address and source information on the IPP frame) (step S7). If they match (S7: YES), the IPP data received and stored in the image memory 19 is recorded in the recording unit 13 (step S8), and the operation is terminated.
[0028]
On the other hand, when they do not match (S7: NO), the control unit 11 determines whether or not a mail address exists in the received IPP (step S9). If it exists (S9: YES), after a part or all of the IPP data received and stored in the image memory 19 is transmitted to the mail address (step S10), it is stored in the image memory 19 The IPP data is deleted (step S11) and the operation is terminated. If the mail address does not exist (S9: NO), the IPP data received and stored in the image memory 19 is deleted (step S12), and the operation is terminated.
[0029]
In the above-described example, whether or not the recording process is executed is determined according to whether both the IP address and the source information on the IPP frame match. Whether or not to execute the recording process may be determined according to whether or not one of them matches.
[0030]
For example, in the case of determining whether or not to execute the recording process depending on whether or not the IP addresses match, it is possible to cope with the unscrupulous traders who send unnecessary information from the plurality of PCs 2 with the same IP address. Even if the unscrupulous trader adds a new PC 2, it can be dealt with as long as the IP address is the same.
[0031]
On the other hand, when it is determined whether or not to execute the recording process according to whether or not the source information on the IPP frame matches, the IP address is periodically used by using a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server. Can deal with unscrupulous traders who change.
[0032]
In the above-described example, information for specifying a proper recording request source that may record the received data is registered in the registration memory 20, but on the contrary, it is desired to record the received data. Information for identifying a recording request source that does not exist may be registered in the registration memory 20. In such a case, the information for specifying the recording request source of the received data is not performed when the information for specifying the recording request source of the received data matches the registered content of the registration memory 20. May be recorded on the received data when it does not match the registered content of the registration memory 20. Moreover, what is necessary is just to set the registration content to the registration memory 20 in this case based on the history of the past data reception from unscrupulous traders.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, whether or not to record the received data by comparing the information specifying the recording request source of the received data with the information specifying the recording request source registered in advance in the registration means. Therefore, when unnecessary data is transmitted, it is not necessary to record the data, and it is possible to take measures against unnecessary information transmission from unscrupulous traders. E-mail recording can be prevented.
[0034]
Further, in the present invention, when it is determined that the received data is not recorded, a part or all of the received data is returned to the recording request source, so that the unscrupulous trader who has sent unnecessary information is warned. Can be issued.
[0035]
Furthermore, in the present invention, based on the history of data reception from a plurality of recording request sources, information for specifying a regular recording request source to be registered in the registration means or information for specifying a recording request source that is an unscrupulous trader is set. Thus, the registration contents in the registration means can be freely set according to changes in the usage status of the recording apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a facsimile multifunction peripheral according to the present invention and an overall configuration of a network system including the facsimile multifunction peripheral.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of Internet printing processing in the facsimile multifunction machine according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Facsimile multifunction device 2 PC
10 Internet 11 Control unit 13 Recording unit 15 Operation unit 17 ROM
18 RAM
19 Image memory 20 Registration memory 23 Net interface section

Claims (3)

In a recording apparatus for recording data received from a recording request source via a computer communication network, registration means for registering information for specifying a recording request source, information for specifying a recording request source of the received data, and the registration A recording apparatus comprising: determination means for determining whether or not to record the received data based on the registered contents of the means. 2. The recording according to claim 1, further comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits a part or all of the received data to a recording request source of the data when the determining unit determines that the received data is not recorded. apparatus. 3. The recording according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting information for identifying the recording request source registered in the registration means based on a history of data reception from a plurality of recording request sources. apparatus.

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