JPH08336053A - Facsimile server - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To perform facsimile transmission from a public line to a client information processor inside a LAN as long as it is a facsimile equipment provided with a confidential transmission function. CONSTITUTION: This facsimile server connected to the public line and the LAN is provided with a confidential ID management part 5 for registering and managing confidential IDs made to correspond to the network addresses of the respective client information processors connected to the LAN, a confidential ID recognition part 6 for recognizing the received confidential ID at the time of facsimile reception from the facsimile equipment connected to the public line and a delivery part 7 for obtaining the network address of the client information processor corresponding to the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition part 6 from the confidential ID management part 5 and distributing received facsimile picture information to the client information processor of the network address.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile server connected to a public line and also to a LAN,
In particular, the present invention relates to a facsimile server that can deliver facsimile image information received from a facsimile device connected to a public line to a client information processing device connected to a LAN.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, networking of various information devices is progressing in buildings and premises of companies and schools. FIG. 9 shows an example of the prior art of such a network system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-64956, in which a facsimile communication is performed from a workstation 34 to a facsimile device on a public line via a facsimile server 31. Or from the above fax machine to the fax server 31
Facsimile communication is performed to the print server 33 via the, the workstation 34 prints out to the print server 33, and the workstation 34 files the file server 32. In addition, the symbol N shown in the figure
Is a transmission line for connecting each workstation and server to each other. As described above, in this system, although the facsimile communication from the workstation to the facsimile apparatus on the public line can be performed, the backward facsimile communication cannot be performed. That is, the facsimile server which receives the facsimile from the facsimile apparatus on the public line transfers all the received image information to only the print server.

In order to solve such a problem, when the facsimile transmission from the facsimile device on the public line to the facsimile server connected to the LAN and the public line thereafter, for example, the facsimile is performed by the signal of phase B of the G3 transmission procedure. A system configured such that the device specifies the network address of the destination workstation to the facsimile server, the facsimile server recognizes the network address, and the facsimile server delivers the received facsimile image information to the workstation of the network address. It has been provided.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a means for transmitting the destination workstation name or its network address by a predetermined signal of phase B is incorporated in the communication control unit of the facsimile apparatus connected to the public line. I have to. Therefore, it is impossible to perform the facsimile transmission from the already installed facsimile device to the workstation in the LAN.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile machine equipped with a confidential transmission function from a public line to a LAN. It is to provide a facsimile server capable of performing facsimile transmission to a client information processing device (workstation, personal computer, etc.).

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile server connected to a public line and also to a LAN, the network address of each client information processing device connected to the LAN is set. Confidential ID that registers and manages the associated confidential ID
A management unit and a confidential information recognition unit that recognizes a received confidential ID when receiving a facsimile from a facsimile device connected to a public line, and a network of client information processing devices corresponding to the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition unit. And a delivery unit which obtains an address from the confidential ID management unit and delivers the received facsimile image information to the client information processing apparatus having the network address.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile server according to the first aspect, the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognizing unit at the time of facsimile reception is registered in the confidential ID management unit in association with the network address. When not present, a facsimile receiving unit for immediately disconnecting a call set up with the facsimile device of the confidential ID transmission source and rejecting the subsequent reception is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile server according to the second aspect, when the facsimile receiving unit rejects the reception, the notification is sent to all the client information processing apparatuses connected to the LAN. It is characterized by having a section.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the facsimile server according to the third aspect, when a facsimile is received,
A name recognition unit for recognizing a recipient name or a sender name received together with a confidential ID, and a distribution unit for notifying all client information processing devices of the recipient name or sender name recognized by the name recognition unit. It is characterized by

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile server according to the first aspect, a plotter for outputting the received image information to a recording sheet is provided, and the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition unit at the time of facsimile reception is When the image information received is not registered in the confidential ID management unit in association with the network address, the received image information is output to the plotter.

[0011]

With the above-mentioned structure, firstly, the received document from the facsimile machine on the public line sent to the facsimile server is sent to the client information processing apparatus on the LAN according to the confidential ID received together. Can be delivered. Secondly, a received document that is not delivered due to an error such as a confidential ID is not left in the facsimile server. Further, the sender can know that the facsimile has not been delivered to the client information processing device on the LAN.

Thirdly, it is possible for all the client information processing devices on the LAN to know that the facsimile reception from the facsimile device on the public line is rejected due to an error such as a confidential ID indicating the delivery destination. Fourthly, in addition to the above-mentioned third action, all client information processing devices on the LAN can know the recipient name or sender name of the facsimile communication whose reception is rejected. Fifth, even if the received facsimile cannot be delivered to the client information processing device due to an error in the confidential ID or the like, it can be output to the plotter of the facsimile server.

[0013]

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

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a LAN system including the facsimile server of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this LAN system includes a facsimile server 1, a file server 2, a print server 3, and the like, and a plurality of client information processing devices 4 such as personal computers share each of the above servers.
That is, each of the servers and each of the client information processing devices 4 includes a LAN control unit and is communicably connected via the transmission line N. The client information processing device is an information processing device in which a user shares various servers and executes various application jobs.
A personal computer or workstation corresponds to this.

FIG. 8 is a configuration block diagram of the facsimile server 1 in which the present invention is implemented. As shown in the figure, the facsimile server 1 includes a control unit 11 for managing and controlling the entire apparatus according to a built-in program, a keyboard for an operator to give instructions to the facsimile server, and a facsimile server for sending messages to the operator. An operation display unit 12 including a display unit for giving, transmission image information data compressed by the encoding / decoding unit (DCR) 18, received compressed image information data, image information expanded by the DCR 18 and the like are temporarily stored. RAM13, DCR
A plotter 15 for outputting the received image information expanded by 18 via the RAM 13 and a network control device (NC for setting up a call with a remote facsimile machine via the public telephone network).
U) 16, a communication control unit 17 for performing facsimile transmission / reception according to G3 transmission procedures, a modem 19, an image memory 20 for storing image information, and a LAN control for performing communication with the client information processing device 4 and the like via a transmission line N It is composed of parts 21 and the like.

L via such a facsimile server
A case of transmitting a facsimile from the client information processing device on the AN will be described. First, image information is sent from the client information processing device 4 to the image memory 20 via the transmission line N. Then, the control unit 11 sends the image information in the image memory 20 received from the client information processing apparatus 4 to the RA.
Read in M13. The image information is compressed by the DCR 18 and stored again in the RAM 13. Also, when the image information is received from the client information processing device 4, the control unit 11 also receives the call designation information, such as the destination, which is received by the control unit 11.
The CU 16 sets up a call with a designated destination. Subsequently, the communication control unit 17 executes the phase B via the low speed modem, then moves to the phase C, the compressed image information data in the RAM 13 is modulated by the high speed modem in the modem 19, and the NCU 16 is executed. Sent out.

Upon reception, after the call is set up by the NCU 16, the phase B is entered, predetermined communication is performed via the low speed modem, and the phase C is entered to receive the compressed image information data. The image information data is NCU16, communication control unit
It is stored in the RAM 13 via 17 and further expanded by the DCR 18 and output to the plotter 15 via the RAM 13,
As will be described later, it is distributed to the client information processing device on the LAN.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the essential parts of a facsimile server showing a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the facsimile server of this embodiment includes a confidential ID management unit 5 that registers and manages confidential IDs associated with the network addresses of the client information processing apparatuses 4, and a facsimile apparatus connected to a public line. A confidential ID recognition unit 6 for recognizing a confidential ID from the received signal, and a network address of the client information processing device 4 corresponding to the confidential ID is acquired from the confidential ID management unit 5.
A delivery unit 7 is provided for delivering the received facsimile image information to the client information processing device 4 having the network address.

As shown in FIG. 1, the confidential ID management unit 5
Is composed of a control unit 11 and a RAM 13, and a confidential ID recognition unit 6
Is composed of a control unit 11 and a facsimile communication control unit 17,
The distribution unit 7 includes a control unit 11 and a LAN control unit 21.
In this embodiment, the network address of each client information processing device 4 and the corresponding confidential ID are registered in advance in the confidential ID management unit 5. As a result, one confidential ID is assigned to one client information processing device 4.

FIG. 2 is an operation flow chart at the time of facsimile reception in the above embodiment. The operation flow of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, the transmission side facsimile machine connected to the public line sets up a call with the facsimile server 1 to communicate, for example, in phase B of the G3 transmission procedure. In this communication, a confidential ID (identification code) is set as necessary, for example, in the NSS signal transmitted by the transmitting side (calling side). The facsimile server that has received the confidential ID stores the received image information in the image memory without outputting it to the recording paper, and displays on the display unit 12 that the confidential information has arrived. Then, when the user inputs the confidential ID from the operation unit in response thereto, the confidential ID is compared with the received confidential ID, and if they match, the normally stored image information is output to the recording paper. In this embodiment, the client information processing device 4 to which the received image information is distributed can be determined from the received confidential ID.

Next, regarding the operation in the case of confidential reception,
A description will be given according to the flowchart of FIG. The confidential ID recognition unit 6 in the facsimile communication control unit 17 passes the information set at the predetermined position of the NSS signal to the confidential ID recognition unit 6 in the control unit 11. The confidential ID recognition unit 6 determines whether this information is a confidential ID (S1), and if it is a confidential ID, the image information received in phase C is temporarily stored in the image memory 20 (S2). Subsequently, the confidential ID management unit 5 which has acquired the confidential ID from the confidential ID recognition unit 6 (S3) refers to the confidential ID management table in the strange RAM 13 shown in FIG. 3 and associates it with the confidential ID. The network address of the client information processing device 4 is searched (S4). Then, the distribution unit 7 acquires the searched network address, and the distribution unit 7 gives the acquired network address to the LAN control unit 21 to form a logical link with the client information processing device 4 of the network address. The image information stored in the image memory 20 received from the facsimile apparatus on the public line via the logical link is delivered to the client information processing apparatus 4 (S5). When the reception from the facsimile device is not confidential reception in S1, the received image information is output to the recording paper by the plotter 15 of the facsimile server 1 (S6).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the essential parts of a facsimile server showing a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in addition to the first embodiment, the facsimile server of the second embodiment disconnects the call when the received confidential ID is not associated with the network address and registered in the confidential ID management unit 5. The facsimile receiver 8 is provided for rejecting the subsequent reception.

FIG. 6 shows the operation flow of the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, when the confidential ID is acquired (S11) and the confidential ID is acquired (S12), the confidential ID management unit 5 searches the client information processing device 4 corresponding to the confidential ID (S13). ), If there is no corresponding client information processing device (S14), the call to the facsimile device that has transmitted confidentially is disconnected, and the subsequent reception is rejected (S15). That is, the facsimile receiving unit 8
When the management unit 5 notifies that there is no corresponding client information processing device 4, the facsimile communication control unit 17 is instructed to send a disconnection signal DCN to the partner facsimile device.

In the second embodiment, the disconnection signal is sent as described above to end the processing. However, as the third embodiment, the delivery unit 7a is provided, and the delivery unit 7a allows the relevant client information processing device 4 to operate. LA notification that the reception was rejected
The notification may be sent to all the client information processing devices 4 connected to N (S16). For this notification, the broadcast communication function provided in the data link layer of the LAN control unit 21 may be used to send the notification message once to receive the message at all broadcast destinations.

When the client information processing apparatus 4 waiting for an urgent reception receives the above-mentioned reception refusal notification, it judges that the confidential reception for itself may have been rejected due to a designation error of the confidential ID or the like. , It becomes possible to confirm with the other party by telephone.

In the third embodiment, for example, it is possible to receive not only the confidential ID but also the recipient name or sender name by the NSS signal. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the confidential ID recognition is performed. The name recognition unit 9 for recognizing the recipient name or the sender name together with the unit 6 and the distribution unit 7b are provided, and the recipient name recognized by the name recognition unit 9 when notifying reception refusal to all the client information processing apparatuses 4. Alternatively, the name of the sender is also notified by the distribution unit 7b. In such a configuration, not only the notification that the reception is rejected,
Since the recipient name or sender name is notified to all the client information processing devices 4, it is possible to more accurately know whether or not the rejected received facsimile is addressed to itself.

Further, in the first embodiment, when the confidential ID associated with the client information processing device 4 is not registered, the received image information can be output to the plotter 15 of the facsimile server 1. Further, the output on the recording paper as described above may be limited to only the first page. In this way, the reception is not rejected even when the confidential ID is incorrectly specified, and it is possible to know that the facsimile reception was made to the user by the limited output of only the first page, and confidentially. You can get a good second-best effect.
It should be noted that the plotter output can be limited to when the confidentiality instruction is not given by the NSS signal or the like. The case where the facsimile machine on the public line is provided with the G3 transmission procedure has been described above, but when the G4 transmission procedure is provided, the confidential ID, the recipient name, the sender name, and the like can be notified more easily.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
First, since the received document from the facsimile machine on the public line sent to the facsimile server can be distributed to the client information processing apparatus on the LAN according to the confidential ID received together, the facsimile having the confidential transmission function. If it is an apparatus, it is possible to perform facsimile transmission from the public line to the client information processing apparatus in the LAN.

Secondly, a received document that is not delivered due to an error such as a confidential ID is not left in the facsimile server. Further, since the sender can know that the facsimile has not been delivered to the client information processing device on the LAN, the sender can take appropriate action.

Thirdly, since it is possible for all the client information processing devices on the LAN to know that the facsimile reception from the facsimile device on the public line is rejected due to an error in the confidential ID or the like, it is memorable. The user can take appropriate measures.

Fourth, since all the client information processing devices on the LAN can know the recipient name or sender name of the rejected facsimile communication, whether or not the rejected received facsimile is addressed to itself. It is possible to know more accurately whether or not there is no needless correspondence.

Fifth, even if the received facsimile cannot be delivered to the client information processing apparatus due to an error such as a confidential ID, it can be output to the plotter of the facsimile server, so that the recipient can receive the received document.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a main part of a facsimile server showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flow diagram of a main part of a facsimile server showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a confidential ID management table of a main part of a facsimile server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another configuration of the main part of the facsimile server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration block diagram of a main part of a facsimile server showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another operational flowchart of the main part of the facsimile server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a LAN system including a facsimile server of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration block diagram of a facsimile server in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram of a LAN system showing an example of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Facsimile server, 2 ... File server, 3 ... Print server, 4 ... Client information processing device, 5 ... Confidential ID management unit, 6 ... Confidential ID recognition unit, 7 ... Distribution unit, 8 ...
Facsimile receiver, 9 ... Name recognition unit, 11 ... Control unit, 12
... operation display section, 13 ... RAM, 15 ... plotter, 16 ... rope control unit (NCU), 17 ... facsimile communication control section, 18 ... encoding / decoding section (DCR), 19 ... modem, 20 ... image memory, 21 ... LAN controller.

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location H04L 12/58 9466-5K H04L 11/20 101C H04N 1/21 1/32

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile server connected to a public line as well as to a LAN, which registers and manages a confidential ID associated with a network address of each client information processing device connected to the LAN. Confidential ID received at the time of facsimile reception from the confidential ID management unit and the facsimile device connected to the public line
And the network address of the client information processing device corresponding to the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition unit and the confidential ID management unit are acquired from the confidential ID management unit and received by the client information processing device having the network address. A facsimile server, comprising: a distribution unit for distributing facsimile image information. 2. When the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition unit at the time of facsimile reception is not registered in the confidential ID management unit in association with the network address, the confidential ID is set between the confidential ID transmission source facsimile device. 2. The facsimile server according to claim 1, further comprising a facsimile receiving unit for immediately disconnecting an established call and rejecting subsequent reception. 3. The facsimile server according to claim 2, further comprising a delivery unit for notifying all the client information processing devices connected to the LAN when the facsimile receiving unit rejects the reception. . 4. A name recognition unit for recognizing a recipient name or a sender name received together with a confidential ID when receiving a facsimile, and a recipient name or a sender name recognized by the name recognition unit for all client information processing devices. 4. The facsimile server according to claim 3, further comprising a delivery unit for notifying the user. 5. A plotter for outputting the received image information to a recording sheet, wherein the confidential ID recognized by the confidential ID recognition unit at the time of facsimile reception is not registered in the confidential ID management unit in association with the network address, The facsimile server according to claim 1, wherein the received image information is output to the plotter.