JP2636093B2 - Multiple message management output method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for managing and outputting a plurality of messages in a communication network device or a communication terminal in a message communication system in which communication terminals such as facsimile terminals are connected via a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when performing message communication between facsimile terminals or the like, in order to extract necessary messages from a plurality of messages, in the prior art, many messages transmitted by a transmitting side are output to a receiving side as they are and used. Had to search for and retrieve the necessary message from them. Incidentally, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-85997
Japanese Patent Application No. 63-166541 discloses a multi-page message transmitted from a communication terminal on the transmitting side.
A method of outputting a page from a receiving facsimile terminal has been proposed.

[0003]

In the prior art, no consideration is given to a method of easily selecting and extracting only a required message from a plurality of messages in message communication, and a user is required to output many messages. There was a problem that it was necessary to select necessary and unnecessary messages from inside. The same applies to a method in which a message for a plurality of pages is reduced and output as one page. In this case, it is necessary to further enlarge a necessary message portion to the size before reduction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a message communication system in which facsimile terminals and the like are connected via a communication network so that a device in the communication network can quickly extract and output a necessary message from a plurality of messages. An object of the present invention is to provide a multiple message management output method that can be used.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above,
In the present invention, a means for storing a plurality of messages in a communication terminal such as a device in a communication network of a message communication system or a facsimile terminal, a means for managing the plurality of stored messages for each group, A means for retrieving a specific page from a plurality of messages, retrieving the specified page, assigning an identification number to the page, and reducing and editing one page is provided. It is. Further, the message is taken out from the stored plurality of messages by the identification number given to the page.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a device in a communication network or a communication terminal is provided with a function of storing and managing a plurality of messages in groups, extracting a specific page from the messages of each group, and reducing and editing the message to one page. At the same time, an identification number is added to each message in the one page and output. Then, when the user specifies a required message by the identification number, the corresponding message is extracted from the plurality of stored messages and output. As a result, the user can efficiently select necessary / unnecessary messages from a large number of messages.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a message communication system to which the present invention is applied.
Reference numerals 3 and 14 denote facsimile terminals, 15 a communication network device such as an exchange, and 16 a communication line connecting them. For example, the telephone 11 calls the other party, and the facsimile terminal 1
By transmitting a plurality of messages from 3 to the facsimile terminal 14, message communication is performed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a message fetch processing unit for fetching a necessary message from a plurality of messages, which is a means for realizing the present invention. In FIG. 1, a message retrieval processing unit 101 includes a message receiving unit 102, a message managing unit 103, a message writing / reading unit 104, a storage device 105, a message reducing unit 106, a reduced message display position determining unit 107, a message transmitting unit 108, And a message retrieval identification number receiving unit 109. This message extraction processing unit 101 can be provided in any of the transmission-side facsimile terminal, the communication network device, and the reception-side facsimile terminal. In the following description, it is assumed that the message extraction processing unit 101 is provided in the communication network device 15 of FIG. I do.

When a message consisting of a plurality of pages a1 to an and a group number (here, the group number is * 2 # 01 as an example) are input, the message extraction processing unit 101 receives the message and the group number. The data is received and stored by the unit 102. After a certain number of pages or all pages have been stored in the message receiving unit 102, the message receiving unit 102 activates the message management unit 103 and the message writing / reading unit 104, and the message management unit 103 receives the group number * 2.
# 01, and sends a message composed of a plurality of pages a1 to an to the message writing / reading unit 104.

The message management section 103 is a section for managing a plurality of messages by grouping them for each group number. . FIG. 3 shows an example of a message group management method. In this example, the message transmitted from the facsimile terminal 13 with the group number * 2 # 01 is registered and managed in the winning number guide of the treasure lottery. If the message transmitted as the group number * 2 is regarded as the same as * 2 # 99, it can be classified as other. As described above, the message management unit 103 manages the plurality of pages a1 to an received by the message extraction processing unit 101 by group based on the group number * 2 # 01. Further, the message management unit 103 manages messages by group and updates / updates messages.
Also controls and manages registration / deletion / addition. The message management unit 103 manages the messages by group, and notifies the message writing / reading unit 104 of the information.

The message writing / reading unit 104 is a part that performs management of a hierarchical structure and management such as a relational database on the basis of message management information, and also performs area management of the storage device 105 and the like. The message writing / reading unit 104 receives the plurality of messages received from the message receiving unit 102 and the management information received from the message management unit 103 (management information created by the group-by-group management method in FIG. 3). Are stored together in the storage device 105. If a message update / registration / deletion / addition request is received from the message management unit 103, the storage device 105 is activated and updates / registration / deletion / addition is performed, respectively. The storage device 105 can be composed of a magnetic DK, an optical DK, a semiconductor memory, or the like.

The message identification number receiving unit 10
9 receives a group number that the user wants to take out.
After reception, the message management unit 103 is activated and transmits the received group number.

Upon receiving the group number from the message retrieval identification number receiving unit 109, the message management unit 103 searches for a plurality of messages managed for each group number based on the group number, and searches for the first page of the plurality of messages in the same group. Alternatively, the message writing / reading unit 104 is notified that an identification number is assigned to the designated page. Further, the message management unit 103 determines the conversion ratio of the reduced size according to the number of the identification numbers, or based on the predetermined conversion ratio, the message reduction unit 106.
Start up. The identification number is a number given in the communication network, and is a number or a symbol for identifying a message selected by the user, and can be # 01 or # 03.

In the message writing / reading unit 104,
The first page or the specified page of the plurality of messages specified by the message management unit 103 is searched for and retrieved from the storage device 105. Further, an identification number is assigned to the plurality of extracted messages, and the message reducing unit 106
Send to

The message reduction section 106 performs reduction size conversion of a plurality of messages received from the message writing / reading section 104 at the reduction conversion ratio received from the message management section 103. The method of reduction size conversion processing is
Many methods have already been proposed, and by using these conversion methods, the reduced size conversion processing can be easily performed. As an example, a conversion method that prevents the disappearance of fine lines (Wakabayashi et al .: “Reduced conversion method that prevents the disappearance of fine lines”, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-7)
No. 42749). Message reduction unit 106
Each page of the message whose size has been reduced in step (1) is sent to the reduced message display device determining unit 107.

The reduced message display device determining unit 107 stores a plurality of pages whose size has been reduced in the memory. Next, in order to display and output the reduced plurality of pages in one page, the display position of each reduced page with respect to the output page is determined.

The message transmitting unit 108 receives a plurality of pages reduced and edited into one page from the reduced message display device determining unit 107, and transmits them to the facsimile terminal as one page.

[0019] As described above, the message extraction unit 101, such as by grouping the messages and a plurality of messages consisting of a plurality of pages transmitting facsimile terminal transmits, to extract the first page or the designated page, the identification It is possible to reduce the size by adding a number and output the reduced size to the receiving facsimile terminal.

FIGS. 4 to 8 show an example of a specific processing flow in the message extraction processing unit 101. FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a plurality of messages (one message usually includes a plurality of pages) and a group number received by the message receiving unit 102. A call is a1
a3 page, and its group number * 2 # 01. The E call includes pages e1 to e4, and * 4 indicates a group number. The same applies to other calls. The message receiving unit 102 transmits the received A call to
A plurality of messages up to the G call are sent to the message writing / reading unit 104, and each group number is sent to the message management unit 103.

FIG. 5 shows an example of group-by-group management of A to G calls in the message management unit 103. As shown in FIG. 3, the management method for each group is the first method.
* 1 to * 4 in the order of
1 to # 99. In Figure 5, for each segmentation, it is <br/> shown to correspond to the message of FIG. Although a two-layer structure is shown here, three or more layers can be used, and the number of layers can be determined as appropriate according to the type and amount of messages.

FIG. 6 shows an example of message extraction when * 2 is selected as the message extraction identification number. As shown in FIG. 5, * 2 is # 01 (A
Call), # 02 (B call), # 03 (F call), # 99 (G
Call), the first page or the specified page (for example, the last page) is extracted . FIG. 6 illustrates a case where the first page is extracted as an example. The fact that * 2 is designated by the user is received by the message retrieval identification number receiving unit 109, and the * 2 is transmitted to the message management unit 103, so that the * 2 message can be selected. .

FIG. 7 shows an example in which each page of FIG. 6 is reduced and converted. This is because the message writing / reading unit 104 receives the management information from the message management unit 103, and the corresponding message (message of A, B, F, G call)
Is read from the storage device 105, and the read page is reduced by the message reduction unit 106.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which an identification number is added after a reduced page. This is the message reduction unit 106
This is possible by receiving the reduced message (FIG. 7) and the identification number in the reduced message display device determining unit 107, determining the display position, and editing one page.

As described above, as shown in FIGS.
A plurality of messages are grouped, a specific page is extracted, an identification number is assigned, and the message is transmitted to the receiving facsimile terminal. This allows the user to easily select necessary information from many messages.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the received message. In example α, four genres are presented as received messages, and the user is allowed to select one of them. If * 2 is selected in Example α, the received message is presented as in Example β,
Selected again by the user. When # 01 is selected in Example β, all the pages of the group of * 2 # 01 or a predetermined fixed page are displayed on one page in a reduced size as in Example γ and sent to the user. If the user wants to know in more detail or know exactly, select 01 in example γ to output all pages of the message in the size of the original page transmitted from the transmission side as in example δ It becomes possible. From example α to example δ, the user only needs to specify three times, in other words,
It is possible to select only the message desired by the user from many messages only by outputting the message twice.

FIG. 10 shows a processing sequence of the facsimile terminal and the device in the communication network in the case of the example of FIG.

FIG. 10A is an example of a sequence when a user or an information provider registers a message (call A). A user calls, for example, 162 # XXX from a facsimile terminal or a telephone, and an OK signal is returned from a device in the communication network. * 2 # 01 is transmitted from the classification of the message information registered by the user. When this is received by the device in the communication network, the FAX pre-processing starts, the A-call including pages a1 to a is sent from the facsimile terminal on the transmitting side to the device in the communication network, and the post-FAX process is performed. Call A is registered and stored as a group number of * 2 # 01 in a device in the communication network.

FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a sequence for transmitting the example α in FIG. 9 to the user. An example is shown in which a specific user is registered in a device in a communication network and sent to the user. In this case, it is conceivable that a certain amount of information is transmitted when it accumulates in a device in the communication network, or a case where it is transmitted at a certain time every day. A call is made from a device in the communication network to the user's facsimile terminal, and a pre-FAX process is performed. Thereafter, the example α is sent to the user, the post-FAX process is performed, and the process ends. As a result, the example α reaches the user. Although the case where the user is registered in advance has been described here, the example α is obtained by calling an unspecified user to a certain number as shown in FIGS. Can also be realized as a sequence.

FIGS. 10 (c) to 10 (e) show processing sequence diagrams for a user who has viewed the example α to obtain the examples β, γ, and δ, respectively. In FIG. 10C, the user calls 162 # YYY to obtain the example β. After receiving the OK signal from the device in the communication network, the ID number and * 2 are transmitted to obtain example β. After the FAX preprocessing, the example β is transmitted from the device in the communication network to the user.
Example β can thus be obtained. Similarly, in FIG. 10D, 162 # YYY is called to obtain the example γ, and O
After receiving the K signal, for example, an ID number for specifying γ + # 0
1 is sent. Example γ is thus obtained.
Similarly, in FIG. 10E, in order to obtain the example δ,
After calling the call 1622 # YYY and receiving the OK signal, the ID number +01 is transmitted to obtain the example δ.

According to the sequences shown in FIGS. 10B to 10E, the user can obtain the examples α, β, γ, and δ, respectively, so that the information desired by the user can be easily and reliably obtained. It is possible to obtain. Here, an example is shown in which the identification numbers are sequentially specified in order to obtain the information desired by the user. However, when the type of information desired by the user is fixed, the identification number is not specified one by one. In the sequence of (b), it is also possible to provide the function in the communication network in advance with the function of transmitting the example α, the example β, the example γ, and the example δ.

FIG. 11 shows the message management unit 103 of FIG.
FIG. The message management unit 103 includes a group number storage unit 1031, an identification number storage unit 1032, a group number / message correspondence management unit 1033, a message correspondence management unit 1034, and a conversion ratio determination unit 1035.

The group number storage section 1031 receives and stores the group number sent from the message receiving section 102. The identification number storage unit 1032 receives and stores the identification number that the user wants to retrieve sent from the message retrieval identification number receiving unit 109.

Group number / message correspondence management unit 10
At 33, the group number is received from the group number storage unit 1031 and a plurality of messages are allocated and managed for each group number. It also manages messages by group and controls and manages update, registration, deletion, and addition of messages. The management information managed for each group is notified to the message writing / reading unit 104.

Identification number / message correspondence management unit 1034
Then, the identification number is received from the identification number storage unit 1032,
The received identification number is associated with the message and managed. It also manages identification numbers for each user, and manages correspondence between identification numbers and messages for each user. This allows
For example, when a different user designates * 1, it can be recognized as a different identification number corresponding to the user, and each user can determine an easy-to-use identification number. Further, the identification number / message correspondence management unit 1034 includes the group number / message correspondence management unit 1
033 is started, the group number is associated with the identification number, and a plurality of messages corresponding to the identification number are managed. Thus, the identification number / message correspondence management unit 10
By associating the group number with the identification number in 34, it is possible to flexibly search for a message or page of a certain group number by the identification number selected by the user. As an example of the search, as shown in FIG.
Call, F call, G call, one page from * 1 to * 4, # 03 from * 1 to * 4
And selecting only ones. The identification number / message correspondence management unit 103 indicates that the identification number is assigned to the information managed for each identification number and the first page or the designated page of a plurality of messages within the same identification number.
4 notifies the message writing / reading unit 104.

The conversion ratio determination unit 1035 determines the identification number
The number of identification numbers or the predetermined conversion ratio is received from the message correspondence management unit 1034, and the conversion ratio of the reduced size is determined. After determining the conversion ratio, the message reduction unit 1
06 to that effect.

Such processing is performed by the message management unit 103
By doing so, the messages managed by the group can be searched by the identification number, and the message desired by the user can be flexibly retrieved. It should be noted that by setting the group number and the identification number to different numbers, it is possible to make the number form easy for the user to use, but it is also possible to use the same number. At this time, each of the group number storage unit 1031 and the identification number storage unit 1032, and the group number / message correspondence management unit 1033 and the identification number / message correspondence management unit 1034 can be one functional block.

In the above description of the embodiment, a function of managing and storing a plurality of messages for each group, a function of selecting a specific page, a function of reducing and editing a plurality of specific pages into one page, It has been described that all the functions in the communication network for the user to retrieve the message by the identification number are provided in the communication network device, but it is also possible to provide the function in the transmitting communication terminal or the receiving terminal. Further, all the functions can be provided separately for each device, instead of being provided in any one of the communication network device, the transmitting terminal, and the receiving terminal.

In the embodiment, the facsimile terminal has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to various types of communication terminals such as a personal computer, a videotex, and a telex.

[0041]

According to the present invention, a plurality of messages are stored and managed for each group by a device or a communication terminal in a communication network, a specific page of each group is collected based on a user's instruction, and one page is collected. By reducing and delivering,
The user can obtain information of a plurality of pages in one page. In addition, since the information of the multiple pages includes information requested by the user, only the user specifies the message identification number, and only the necessary message from many messages can be quickly and reliably confirmed. It can be obtained, and selection of necessary / unnecessary information from many pieces of information can be easily realized. Taking an example of applying this to newspapers,
By designating and storing the information desired by the user in advance on the transmission terminal side or the device in the communication network, it is possible to deliver only the information designated by the user every day.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a message retrieval processing unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a message communication system to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a message group-by-group management method.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a plurality of messages and a group number.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of management by group with respect to the example of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of extracting a message.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which each page in FIG. 6 is reduced and converted.

8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which each page in FIG. 7 is edited into one page and an identification number is assigned.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example of a message received by a user.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a message registration and transmission sequence.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration example of a message management unit in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 Message retrieval processing unit 102 Message reception unit 103 Message management unit 104 Message writing / reading unit 105 Storage device 106 Message reduction unit 107 Reduced message display device determination unit 108 Message transmission unit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] In a message communication system in which communication terminals are connected via a communication line, means for storing a plurality of messages in a device in a communication network or a communication terminal; Means for managing by group; and searching for messages in a specified group from among the plurality of stored messages, and
Retrieve a specific page for each message of our group ,
A multiple message management output method, characterized in that a means for assigning an identification number to the page and reducing and editing the output to one page is provided. 2. The multiple message management output method according to claim 1, wherein a corresponding message is extracted from the plurality of stored messages by designating the identification number.