JP3404507B2 - Data transmission device and data communication method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image data transmitting method using an electronic mail and a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving image data by a simple operation similar to a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency to connect office devices to a LAN (local network) in order to improve work efficiency. One of such uses is to connect a facsimile to a LAN and use it as a printer, or to send a document created by a personal computer to a destination facsimile via the LAN. JP-A-7-143309
Proposes a device for sending a text document created by e-mail on a personal computer to a destination facsimile device via a LAN.

FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus using electronic mail. 101 is a CPU
And controls the device. A ROM 102 stores a program. A RAM 103 is used for program data. Reference numeral 107 denotes a panel unit that gives a transmission instruction. 108 is a compression / expansion unit,
Compress or decompress image data. 109 is LA
The N control unit controls transmission of data to the LAN or reception of data from the LAN. A printer unit 110 prints data. 111 is a scanner unit,
Read the manuscript. Reference numeral 113 denotes a FAX communication unit, which transmits the compressed image data to or receives from the telephone line. A character / image conversion unit 120 is a LAN.
Converts the text of the email received from to image data.

The operation of receiving an electronic mail and transmitting it to a facsimile will be described below. LAN unit 10
When the e-mail is received from 9, the character / image conversion unit 12
0 will convert the text of the email into image data,
Further, the image data is compressed by the compression / expansion unit 108. The compressed image data is transmitted from the FAX communication unit 113 to the FAX number written in the destination section of the electronic mail.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional configuration, a text electronic mail is converted into image data and transmitted to a facsimile, and further, when the transmission device and the transmission device handle different paper sizes. , E-mail cannot negotiate this capability.

[0006]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to solve the above problems.

[0007] the data communication apparatus of the present invention, the transmission side smell
The original obtained by scanning the original with a scanner.
An electronic mail containing Nari image data and paper size information.
Sent via the Internet and sent at the receiving side.
The e-mail sent from the believer is received and the received
Compare the paper size information with the paper size that can be handled by the receiver
Then, the received paper size information is output by the receiving device.
If it is impossible, the binary image data is compressed.
Sending and receiving system used for small processing and printing
In the data transmission device on the receiving side, the paper size information and the compressed binary image data are in page units.
The image data as a pair in a format conversion means for converting e-mail format, the Internet the converted e-mail in this format conversion means
Comprising transmission means for transmitting via the said read by
Paper size information is matched to the obtained image data page by page.
And add the image data.
A series of files to be converted into
It is characterized by executing an operation. Further, the data communication apparatus of the present invention, on the transmitting side, reads the original with a scanner.
Binary image data and solution obtained by sampling
Send an email containing image information via the Internet
On the receiving side and the receiving side sends the electronic mail sent from the sending side.
Received, and the received resolution information can be handled by the receiving device.
The received resolution information is
If the receiving device cannot output, the binary image
Transmission / reception system for thinning and printing
The data transmission device that is the transmission side used for
Then, the image data in which the resolution information and the compressed binary image data are paired on a page- by- page basis is converted into an e-mail format, and the e-mail converted by the format conversion means is transferred via the Internet. And transmitting resolution information to the image data obtained by the reading.
Appends in association with a page-by-page basis, the added image de
Convert data to email format and
It is characterized by executing a series of operations for transmitting.

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the present invention, when the read image data is converted into an electronic mail format and then transmitted and received, the electronic mail format is converted into a facsimile format and then printed by a printer. To do. Furthermore, on the sending side, attribute information including the size and resolution of this image data is added to the read image data, converted into an e-mail format, and this is sent by e-mail. Based on the attribute information of the image data received by e-mail, it is converted so that it can be handled by its own machine, and printing processing is performed. With this configuration, communication between communication devices having different paper sizes and resolutions becomes possible.

The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system conceptual diagram showing an environment in which the present apparatus operates. This device operates in an environment where electronic mail is available on the Internet. In other words, the mail gateway is connected to the Internet,
All e-mails in the LAN communicate with the Internet via this mail gateway. The email protocol is SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), but POP (Post Office Protocol) can also be used. This device can send and receive e-mail with both PC (personal computer) and devices with the same configuration as this device.
Except for the seventh embodiment, the following embodiments are premised on communication between the devices.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram in which the image size is reduced on the receiving side. Reference numeral 1 is a CPU, which controls the apparatus. A ROM 2 stores a program.
A RAM 3 is used for program data. A format conversion unit 4 converts image data into an electronic mail format. A format inverse conversion unit 5 converts the data of the electronic mail into the image data handled by the facsimile. Reference numeral 7 denotes a panel section for instructing transmission. A compression / expansion unit 8 compresses or expands image data. Reference numeral 9 denotes a LAN control unit, which controls transmission of data to the LAN or reception of data from the LAN. A printer unit 10 prints data. A scanner unit 11 reads a document.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for reducing an image on the receiving side. In step s1, this e-mail is received. This received e-mail is sent by e-mail with the size and resolution of the image data added to the image data read by the device on the sending side, as described later.

In s2, the format of the electronic mail is converted back into image data. Format conversion and inverse conversion will be described later. The paper size and resolution are obtained from the image data (data consisting of an attribute area and binary data described later) whose format is inversely converted in s3. Needless to say, this data is generated and transmitted on the transmission side. The procedure for generating the transmission data will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

The image data compressed in s4 is expanded. In s5, the paper size and resolution of the image data are compared with the paper size and resolution that can be handled by this apparatus. If it is determined in s6 that the capacity of the apparatus is lower, the image data is reduced to a paper size that can be handled by the apparatus in s7, and printing is performed in s8. Here, by associating the paper size with the resolution and obtaining both information, it is possible to process the image into a more legible image. For example, when the resolution is a high resolution such as 200 DPI and the paper size is small, it is possible to adjust to a small paper size by thinning out.

FIG. 4 shows the flow of conversion to and from the electronic mail format and the concept thereof.

The format conversion means converting the image data read by a scanner or the like and having the attribute information added thereto into a text code, adding a header, and converting it into electronic mail data.

The format reverse conversion means conversion of text-coded image data in electronic mail data into original image data.

This image data forms a pair of attribute information such as paper size, resolution, number of bytes for one page, pointer to the next page (address on memory), and compressed binary image data of the page. Are lined up on multiple pages. The e-mail has a format in which a header is added on the binary image data converted into a text code. SMTP, which is an e-mail protocol, cannot handle binary data, so image data (attribute area and binary data area) is converted into a text code according to a predetermined algorithm. It should be noted that although the electronic mail format is drawn smaller in FIG. 4, the electronic mail format is larger as information because the amount of information is actually larger when converted to a text code.

In the device on the transmission side, the image data to which the attribute information is read by a scanner or the like is converted into electronic mail data by format conversion.

The receiving side device can convert the received electronic mail into image data by performing format reverse conversion, and can obtain attribute information.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the mail header. What is MIME in the first line? The e-mail standard Multipurpose Internet
An abbreviation for Mail Extensions, this mail can handle not only text but also images and sounds. -----
The first part is the text part and the second part is the image part with the boundary as. The image data is added at the end.

Specifically, "Con" shown in FIG.
tent-Type: Text / plane: char
As can be seen from “aset = ISO-2022-jp”, the transmission data includes text data. Also,
"Content-Transfer-Encondi
As can be seen from "ng: base64", base64 is used to convert the image data into text data. In addition, "Content
As can be seen from "t-Type: Image / tiff", the transmission data includes image data, and the image data is in the form of a tiff file. The header information of these MIMEs is the same as that used in the conventional electronic mail of personal computers.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the difference in the paper size capability that the sender and the receiver can handle when the image data is transmitted and received as an electronic mail,
This is solved by reducing the image data on the receiving side.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic block diagram of FIG. 6 in which the image size is reduced on the transmission side. In the present embodiment, the reduction unit 6 is added to the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and an optical reduction unit 12 that optically reduces when reading an image from a scanner is added. Since the original is optically reduced, the quality of the reduced result may be improved as compared with the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart in which the image is reduced on the transmitting side by communicating with the destination before transmission. In s11, a sheet is set on the scanner unit 11, and the destination is designated on the panel unit 7. In s12, this apparatus communicates with the destination apparatus on the Internet to obtain the paper size and resolution that the destination apparatus can handle. This communication may be performed as long as the device can establish a one-to-one connection, but if there is a firewall between them and the connection is not established, e-mail using the TCP protocol may be used. However, it takes time for e-mail to acquire the ability of the other party. If the device of the other party has a lower capability than the present device in s13, the optical reduction unit 12 reduces the document in accordance with the other device when reading the document from the scanner unit 11. In s14, the image is compressed by the compression / expansion unit 8 and converted into the electronic mail format by the format conversion unit 4. An email is transmitted from the LAN control unit 9 in s15.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, since the destination paper size can be known before transmission,
The original can be reduced optically, and the quality of the reduced result may be improved as compared with the first embodiment.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 8 in which the destination paper size and resolution are registered by shortening registration. The block diagram is similar to that of FIG. In this embodiment, it takes time to obtain the capability of the destination device by e-mail. Therefore, the capability of the destination is acquired at the time of shortening registration, and the time for communicating with the destination by e-mail is saved when actually transmitting. It was what I had.

In s21, the shortened registration of the destination is designated from the panel section 7. In s22, communication is made with the destination by e-mail to obtain the paper size and resolution that the destination device can handle. In s33, the capabilities such as paper size and resolution that can be handled by the destination are registered in the shortened number of the destination. This data is stored in the RAM 3 and backed up by the battery. The transmission is performed according to the flowchart of FIG. 9 in which the image is reduced according to the paper size registered in the shortened number. The scanner unit 11 at s31
The original is set on and the abbreviated number of the destination is designated from the panel section 7. In s31, the paper size and resolution that can be handled by the destination device registered in the abbreviated number are acquired, and if the original size is smaller than the original to be read, the original size is optically reduced when reading the original from the scanner in s33. The image is converted into an e-mail format in s34, and the e-mail is transmitted from the LAN control unit 9 in s35.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the capability of the destination is acquired at the time of shortening registration, so that the time for communicating with the destination by e-mail can be omitted when actually transmitting. .

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic block diagram of FIG. The present invention has a relay function of receiving an electronic mail having image data and transmitting it to a facsimile. At this time, a password is provided in the relay device so that an unspecified third party does not disadvantage the owner of the device by using the device. In this embodiment, a FAX communication unit 13 that controls communication with a facsimile and an encryption / decryption unit 14 that encrypts and decrypts a password of a repeater are added to the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. It is a thing.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of transmission to the relay device. At s41, set the original on the scanner unit 11,
The relay device and the destination are designated from the panel unit 7. In s42, a character string instructing facsimile transmission is added to the electronic mail. In s43, the password corresponding to the relay device is retrieved from the relay device list of FIG. 12, encrypted and added to the e-mail. The repeater list of FIG. 12 is registered in advance by the owner of this apparatus. The character string for instructing the facsimile transmission and the encrypted password are 5 from the top of the mail header in Fig. 5,
It is added to the 6th line. An email is sent in s44.

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart for analyzing a character string by the relay device. In S51, the electronic mail with the character string instructing the facsimile transmission is received. When the character string added to the e-mail is analyzed in s52 and the character string "relay" on the fifth line of FIG. 5 is found, it is interpreted that this e-mail instructs the transmission to the facsimile.
If it is determined in s53 that the facsimile transmission is instructed, the encrypted password in the sixth line of FIG. 5 is decrypted in s55. If the password decrypted in s56 matches the password previously registered in the device by the owner of the device, in s57, the format of the e-mail is inversely converted into the facsimile number following the relay in the fifth line of FIG. And transmits from the FAX communication unit 13. If it is determined in s53 that it is not a facsimile transmission, the format of the e-mail is inversely converted in s54 and printed from the printer unit 10. If the passwords do not match in s56, s5
In step 8, the error message is sent by e-mail to the sender of the e-mail.

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, since the relay function is provided in the first embodiment, the communication cost can be saved as compared with the ordinary facsimile communication (the Internet is used by the fixed monthly fee system). If there is). Also,
Since the password of the relay machine is encrypted and added to the e-mail, an unspecified third party can use the device and bring a disadvantage to the owner of the device while using the conventional e-mail mechanism. There is no.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the encryption using the image data in FIG. 14 as a key. When the password is encrypted and added to the e-mail as a character string, this character string can be read by a third party. The encrypted password can be added to an electronic mail using a personal computer or the like to abuse the relay device. Therefore, the present invention encrypts a password using image data that is a part of transmission information of an electronic mail, and even if the encrypted password is read by another person, the password encrypted for each manuscript to be transmitted. Since it changes, I made it impossible to use this device as a repeater. The block diagram is the same as in FIG.

In FIG. 14, as an example, the data of the 5th, 50th, and 100th bytes from the end of the image data are used as the encryption key. Which data to choose is determined when setting up the device. When the password is "123ABC", the code (ASCII code) is "313233414243". If the encryption keys are 01, 7E, and 10, respectively, this data is repeated to match the length of the password (repeated twice in the figure). Next, the data of the password in which the bit of the encryption key is 1 is bit-inverted. The result is "304C2340
It becomes 3C53 ". When decrypting, the original password can be obtained by bit-reversing based on the encryption key. Details of the inversion processing are shown in FIG. In the figure, when the encryption key is expanded to a binary number, "01" becomes "000000".
01 ”. Similarly, the password "31" is changed to "001
10001 ". Here, invert the encryption key for the digit represented by "1" in the password (0 → 1, 1 → 0)
Then, it becomes "00110000", which becomes 30 when converted into ASCII code. When such an inversion process is performed, the above-mentioned result is obtained.

As the encryption key, not the image data but a variable one of the information transmitted such as the date and time added to the electronic mail may be used.

As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the password is encrypted by using the image data which is a part of the transmission information of the electronic mail, so that the encrypted password can be read by another person. Even if this happens, the encrypted password changes for each document to be sent, so a third party who does not know the password cannot use this apparatus as a relay machine.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 16 when an error occurs in facsimile transmission. The block diagram of the device is similar to FIG. The present invention enables a sender of an electronic mail to know a transmission error when an electronic mail of image data is received and transmitted to a facsimile.

It is the same as the fourth embodiment until the electronic mail is received from the LAN control unit 9 in s51 of FIG. 16 and is transmitted to the destination facsimile in s57. When an error occurs in facsimile transmission in s61, the sender in the header of the email is notified of the error by email in s62.

As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, the sender of the electronic mail can know from the electronic mail that the relay has failed in the facsimile transmission. Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic block diagram of FIG. 17 for receiving a print instruction and transmitting it by facsimile. In FIG. 17, a print data analysis unit 20 for analyzing print data received from the LAN control unit 9 is added except for the format conversion unit 5 and the format inverse conversion unit 6 of the schematic block diagram for relaying to the facsimile in FIG. is there.

A program for inserting the destination of facsimile transmission and the electronic mail address of error notification destination in the print data is installed in advance in the terminal (personal computer) that outputs the print data. When the user of the personal computer gives an instruction to print from an application such as a word processor, this program is activated and prompts the user to enter the destination for facsimile transmission. When the destination is input, print data obtained by converting data of an application such as a word processor into image data is transmitted to this apparatus through the LAN. The e-mail address of the error notification destination is registered in advance by starting this program.

FIG. 18 shows a flowchart for accepting a print instruction and transmitting it by facsimile. LPD in s71
Print data is received by a protocol (LAN print protocol). Next, the print data analysis unit 20 analyzes the print data received in s72, and extracts the destination facsimile number. If an error occurs in facsimile transmission in s73, the print data analysis unit 20 extracts the electronic mail address of the error notification destination from the print data, and notifies the electronic mail address of the error.

As described above, according to the seventh embodiment, the data can be transmitted to the destination facsimile by the print instruction from the personal computer, and when an error occurs in the facsimile transmission, the user who gives the print instruction outputs the data. You can know the error via email.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the difference in the paper size capabilities that the sender and the receiver can handle when image data is transmitted and received as an electronic mail is solved by reducing the image data on the receiver. is doing.

[0054]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system conceptual diagram showing an environment in which this device operates.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram in which the image size is reduced on the receiving side.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of image reduction on the receiving side.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing conversion to and from an e-mail format.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an email header.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of image size reduction on the transmission side.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart in which an image is reduced on the transmission side by communicating with a destination before transmission.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for registering a destination paper size and resolution by abbreviated registration.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for reducing an image according to the paper size registered in the abbreviated number.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of relaying to a facsimile.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of transmission to a relay device.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a relay device list.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for analyzing a character string by the relay device.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of encryption using image data as a key.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram for explaining reversal of encryption using image data as a key.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart when a facsimile transmission has an error.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of receiving a print instruction and transmitting it by facsimile.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart for accepting a print instruction and transmitting by facsimile.

FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a facsimile device using a conventional electronic mail.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 format converter 5 format inverse converter 6 Reduction section 9 LAN control unit 20 Print data analysis unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification Code FI H04M 11/00 302 H04M 11/00 302 H04N 1/00 107 H04N 1/00 107A 1/393 1/393 (72) Inventor Bando Tatsuo 2-3-8 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Matsushita Electric Transmission System Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-3-289756 (JP, A) JP-A-2-190371 (JP, A) JP-A 3-247164 (JP, A) JP-A-3-233626 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00 H04N 1/32 H04L 12/28 H04L 12 / 54 H04M 13/00 640 G06F 13/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sender reads a manuscript with a scanner.
Binary image data and paper obtained by taking
E-mail with size information and via internet
The electronic mail sent from the sending side is sent to the receiving side.
Device and receives the received paper size information.
The received paper size compared to the paper size that can be handled by
If the information cannot be output by the receiving device, the
Send and receive to reduce and print the original image data
In the data transmitter, which is the sender used in the system
In the above, the image data in which the paper size information and the compressed binary image data are paired on a page- by- page basis are converted into an e-mail format, and an e-mail converted by this format conversion means A transmission means for transmitting via the Internet, and paper size information is added to the image data obtained by reading.
Images are added by associating them on a page-by-page basis.
Convert data to email format and
A data transmission device characterized by executing a series of transmission operations . 2. On the transmitting side, the original is read by a scanner.
Binary image data and resolution obtained by taking
E-mail containing information about
Then, at the receiving side, the email sent from the sending side
And the received resolution information can be handled by the receiving device.
Compared with the paper size, the received resolution information
If the communication device cannot output, the binary image
A transmission / reception system that thins out data and prints
In the data transmission device, which is the transmission side used for, the image data in which the resolution information and the compressed binary image data are paired in page units, and format conversion means for converting to the format of electronic mail,
The converted e-mail in this format conversion means Lee
And a resolution means for transmitting the resolution information to the image data obtained by the reading.
Image data added and associated in units of
To email format and send by email
A data transmission device characterized by executing a series of operations for 3. A data transmitting device for transmitting an electronic mail including binary image data and paper size information obtained by scanning an original with a scanner via the Internet , and the paper size received by the electronic mail and received. A receiving device that compares the information with a paper size that can be handled by the receiving device, and if the received paper size information cannot be output by the receiving device, reduces the binary image data and prints it. In a data communication method in a data transmission device used for a communication system, the paper size information compared with the paper size that can be handled by the reception device and the compressed binary image data are paired.
The image data obtained by reading the image data obtained by reading the image data paired in image units, and the step of converting the image data into an electronic mail format and the step of transmitting the format-converted electronic mail via the Internet. Paper size information
Images are added by associating them on a page-by-page basis.
Convert data to email format and
A data communication method characterized by executing a series of operations for transmission . 4. A data transmitting device for transmitting an electronic mail including binary image data and resolution information obtained by reading an original with a scanner via the Internet, and a data transmission device which receives the electronic mail and displays the received resolution information. If the received resolution information cannot be output by the receiving device as compared with the resolution that can be handled by the receiving device, a receiving device that performs reduction processing by performing thinning processing of the binary image data and prints In a data communication method in a data transmission device used for a communication system including a communication device, image data in which resolution information that is compared with the resolution that can be handled by the reception device and compressed binary image data are paired in page units are sent by e-mail. Converting to this format and this format converted electronic Transmitting a Lumpur via the Internet,
, And the resolution information is added to the image data obtained by scanning.
Image data added and associated in units of
It is converted to an e-mail format, sent by e-mail
A data communication method characterized by executing a series of operations such as the following .