JP2001069299A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide facsimile equipment for determining a paper eject tray to output image information corresponding to setting on the side of recipient concerning the facsimile equipment having an automatic output destination distributing mechanism. SOLUTION: A recipient previously sets a specified character string, a registration character string and a paper eject tray corresponding to the registration character string on an operation display part 8 and after image reception, image information is encoded by an OCR processing part 4. When the same character string as the specified character string is found out of the encoded image information by a character string extracting part 5 and the following character string is equal with the registration character string, the image information is outputted from the paper eject tray corresponding to the registration character string.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having an automatic output destination sorting mechanism, and more particularly to a facsimile apparatus which determines a discharge tray for outputting image information according to a setting of a receiver.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a cover letter for facsimile transmission, facsimile data in which a sender designates a discharge tray of a facsimile apparatus of a receiver side by a code to a discharge tray designated by the sender. Equipment is increasing. However, in such a technique, the sender determines the paper discharge tray of the facsimile machine on the receiver side, and the receiver is inconvenient.

[0003] As a conventional technique relating to a facsimile apparatus for outputting a facsimile data in which a sender specifies a discharge tray of a facsimile apparatus on a receiver side by a code in a cover letter for facsimile transmission to a discharge tray specified by the sender. And JP-A-6-209396.

In the conventional facsimile machine, the sender uses a pen or a pencil to write a cover letter.
Facsimile data is transmitted after coding a digit or two-digit bin number. After outputting the facsimile data, the facsimile apparatus reads the mark written on the cover letter by the optical sensor after outputting the facsimile data, and guides the output result to the paper discharge tray designated by the bin number.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a number of times is required in comparison with the prior art in which a mark coded by a bar code is added to the cover letter to determine the receiving tray on the receiver side. Is also copied, and even if the cover letter has distortion generated during copying, the possibility that the cover letter can be output to the specified output tray is increased.
No countermeasure is provided for the fact that the sender decides the receiving tray of the receiver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. In a facsimile apparatus with an automatic output destination sorting mechanism, a specified character string is recognized from a received text and a predetermined character string corresponding to a character string following the specified character string is recognized. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus in which a recipient side sorts a paper discharge tray by outputting facsimile data to the paper discharge tray.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge trays, the facsimile apparatus further recognizes a character string of the received image information. A first character string extracting means for extracting a predetermined character string from a character string of the image information recognized by the character recognizing means;
A second character string extracting means for extracting a character string following the predetermined character string extracted by the character string extracting means, and a predetermined discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by the second character string extracting means. And a discharge tray control means for outputting image information to the image forming apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the device of the first aspect, a character string setting means for setting a predetermined character string is further provided.

The invention described in claim 3 is the first or second invention.
Is characterized by further comprising a character number setting means for setting the number of characters of a character string extracted by the second character string extracting means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, a discharge tray for setting a predetermined discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by the second character string extracting means. A paper tray setting means is further provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the character recognition means recognizes only the first one of the received image information. .

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to FIG. 1, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention includes a system control unit 1, a scanner 2, a plotter 3, an OCR processing unit 4, a character string extraction unit 5, an image memory 6, an encoding / decoding unit 7, and an operation display unit 8. , NCU 9, modem 10, communication control unit 11, paper discharge tray determination unit 12, and paper discharge tray 13.

The system control unit 1 comprises a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The system control unit 1 includes a scanner 2, a plotter 3, an OCR processing unit 4, a character string extraction unit 5, an image memory 6, an encoding / decoding unit 7, an operation display unit 8,
The NCU 9, the modem 10, the communication control unit 11, the paper discharge tray determination unit 12, and the paper discharge tray 13 are controlled.

The system control unit 1 determines the page of the image information stored in the image memory 6. System control unit 1
Compares the registered character string with the character string following the specific character string of the image information stored in the character string buffer. The system control unit 1 determines a paper output tray for outputting image information.

The scanner 2 reads a document image and takes out image information of a predetermined resolution. The scanner 2 transmits the image information to the image memory 6 under the control of the system control unit 1. The plotter 3 controls the NCU 9 under the control of the communication control unit 11.
, And demodulated by the modem 10,
Receives the image information stored in the image memory 6 and prints out the received image information. OCR (Optial C
aracter Reader; optical character reading device) processing unit 4
Is received by the NCU 9 under the control of the communication control unit 11, demodulated by the modem 10, decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 7,
The code data is read from the image information stored in the image memory 6. The OCR processing unit 4 transmits the code data read from the image information to the character string extraction unit 5.

The character string extracting unit 5 receives the code data read by the OCR processing unit 4. The character string extraction unit 5 extracts a character string for determining a paper discharge tray from the code data. The character string extracting unit 5 extracts a character string following the control character string from the code data.

The image memory 6 stores image information read from a document image by the scanner 2. The image memory 6 transmits image information read from the document image by the scanner 2 to the encoding / decoding unit. The image memory 6 stores the image information received by the modem 10 and decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 7. The image memory 6 transmits the decoded image information to the OCR processing unit 4. The image memory 6 transmits the decoded image information to the plotter 3.

The encoding / decoding section 7 encodes image information to be transmitted. The encoding / decoding unit 7 decodes the received image information. The operation display unit 8 displays an operation guidance building. The operation display unit 8 allows the user to perform various operations so that the facsimile apparatus performs a desired operation.

An NCU (Network Control Unit) 9 captures a line. NCU 9
The calling operation is performed by detecting the transmission of the selection signal which is the destination telephone number. The NCU 9 performs an incoming call operation by detecting an incoming call of a selection signal that is a destination telephone number.

The modem 10 modulates and demodulates the image information and transmits it. The modem 10 modulates and demodulates various information in the transmission control and transmits it. The communication control unit 11 controls the NCU 9 and the modem 10 to execute facsimile transmission. The paper discharge tray determination unit 12 sets a paper discharge tray for printing and outputting image information. The discharge tray 13 discharges the recording paper on which the image information is printed to the discharge tray set in the discharge tray determination unit 12.

When the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention receives image information from a line, the first page of the received image information is used to print and output the image information and determine a paper output tray to output. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.

Under the control of the communication control unit 11, the image information is
9 and is demodulated by the modem 10. The demodulated image information is transmitted to the encoding / decoding unit 7, where decoding is performed. The image information decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 7 is stored in the image memory 6.

The image information stored in the image memory 6 is determined by the system controller 1 as to whether it is the first page of the image information (step S100).

The image information determined as the first page of the image information by the system control unit 1 is (step S100 / YE).
S), under the control of the system control unit 1,
It is transmitted to the CR processing unit 4.

The first page of the image information transmitted to the OCR processing unit 4 is coded by the OCR processing unit 4 (step S101).

The first page of the image information encoded by the OCR processing section 4 is controlled by the OCR processing section 1 under the control of the system control section 1.
It is transmitted from the processing unit 4 to the character string extraction unit 5. The character string extracting unit 5 performs a discharge tray determination process from the data of the first page of the coded image information (step S102).

When the image information received by the modem 10 is judged by the system control unit 1 to be the second and subsequent pages (step S100 / NO), the system control unit 1 receives the image information for all pages. It is determined whether or not it has been performed (step S103).

The image information subjected to the paper discharge tray determination processing (step S102) is determined by the system control unit 1 as to whether all pages have been received (step S103).

When the system control unit 1 determines that the image information has not been received for all pages (step S103 / N)
O), and return to step S100.

When the system control unit 1 determines that the image information has been received for all pages (step S103 / YE)
S), the paper discharge tray determination unit 12 sets a paper discharge tray for outputting image information (step S104), and ends.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for performing the discharge tray determination process in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

FIG. 4 shows an example of image information received by the facsimile machine. According to FIG. 4, the first page of the image information is the first line, TO: Taro Riko, the second line, FROM: Riko.
It is described as Hanako.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a specific character string and a registered character string set in advance by the user on the operation display unit 8 and stored in the RAM of the system control unit 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the specific character string is TO :. The string following the specific string is
If it is a registered character string, Taro Riko is set to output to tray 1, if it is Ichiro Riko, it is set to output to tray 2, and if it is Jiro Riko, it is set to output to tray 3. In the case of Saburo Riko, it is set to output to tray 4.

The character string extracting unit 5 detects a specific character string specified by the user from the first page of the image information coded by the OCR processing unit 4 (step S201).

When a specific character string specified by the user is detected by the character string extracting unit 5 (step S202 / YE)
S), the character string extraction unit 5 stores the character string following the specific character string specified by the user in the character string buffer (step S).
202).

According to FIG. 4, a specific character string TO: designated by the user is on the first line and the first line of the image information. Therefore, the character string following the specific character string TO:
And save it in the string buffer.

The character string stored in the character string buffer following the specific character string may be a character string having a length limited by the number of characters, or a character string having a length limited by the number of lines. Is also good. The number of characters or the number of lines may be set by the user on the operation display unit 8 and stored in the RAM of the system control unit 1.

When the specific character string specified by the user is not detected by the character string extracting unit 5 (step S201 / N)
O), the character string extracting unit 5 returns to step S201, and detects whether or not the next character has a specific character string.

The system control unit 1 stores the character string following the specific character string specified by the user stored in the character string buffer and the RAM specified by the user in the operation display unit 8 and stored in the RAM of the system control unit 1 in advance. The registered character string is compared (step S203).

The system control unit 1 determines that the two character strings match as a result of the comparison of the character strings (step S203 / YE).
S), the system control unit 1 determines the character string stored in the character string buffer as a character string corresponding to image information.

From the determined character string, the system controller 1 determines a paper discharge tray corresponding to the registered character string set in advance by the user as a paper discharge tray from which image information is discharged (step S204).

According to FIG. 5, when the registered character string is Taro Riko, it is set to output from the tray 1. Therefore, the output tray for outputting the image information shown in FIG. It is determined.

The system control unit 1 deletes the character string following the specific character string specified by the user, stored in the character string buffer (step S205), and the paper discharge tray determination processing ends.

If a character string following the specific character string specified by the same user as the registered character string cannot be found (step S203 / NO), the character following the user-specified specific character string stored in the character string buffer The row is deleted (step S205), and the discharge tray determination process ends. In such a case, the image information is discharged from the default tray.

When no specific character string is detected from the first page of the coded image information (step S201 /
YES), the paper discharge tray determination process ends. In such a case, the image information is discharged from the default tray.

According to the above embodiment, the receiver can set the paper discharge tray, and the usability for the user is improved.

In the facsimile apparatus, when a conventional cover letter is transmitted from the sender, the processing for determining the discharge tray according to the embodiment of the present invention is prioritized, or the conventional discharge letter based on the cover letter is used. The user may set in the operation display unit 8 in advance whether to give priority to the determination processing, and may store the set conditions. Further, the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the discharge tray determination processing of the embodiment of the present invention has failed to determine the image information discharge tray, uses the conventional cover letter discharge tray determination processing. May be set in the operation display unit 8 in advance, and the set conditions may be stored. This makes it possible to use the conventional paper discharge tray determination processing using a cover letter.

Although not shown, the facsimile apparatus is connected to another image forming apparatus via a network, and the user can set a discharge tray corresponding to the registered character string instead of setting the discharge tray corresponding to the registered character string. The image forming apparatus may be set. As a result, since the image information is output to the image forming apparatus corresponding to the registered character string, the image information can be applied to a facsimile apparatus which does not have a plurality of paper output trays. , And the usability of the user is improved.

Although not shown, if the image information has a registered character string, the facsimile apparatus stores the received image information in the image memory 6 and then the user operates the operation display unit 8 to change the registered character string of the image information. The printing may not be performed by the plotter 3 until a corresponding predetermined password is input.
According to this, since printing and paper ejection are not performed until the user inputs the password, it is possible to protect the security of the image information.

[0051]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus having a plurality of discharge trays, the facsimile apparatus further recognizes a character string of the received image information. Character recognition means, first character string extraction means for extracting a predetermined character string from the character string of the image information recognized by the character recognition means, and a predetermined character string extracted by the first character string extraction means. Second character string extracting means for extracting a subsequent character string, and a discharge tray control means for outputting image information to a predetermined discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by the second character string extracting means. Thereby, a receiving tray for outputting image information received on the receiving side can be set, and efficient sorting can be performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus according to the first aspect further includes a character string setting means for setting a predetermined character string, thereby performing efficient sorting suited to the user's environment. It becomes possible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus of the first or second aspect, the apparatus further comprises a character number setting means for setting the number of characters of the character string extracted by the second character string extracting means. It is possible to perform efficient sorting according to the user's environment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, a discharge tray for setting a discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by the second character string extracting means is set. By further having a paper tray setting means,
It is possible to perform paper discharge that is appropriate for the user's environment.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the character recognition means includes:
By recognizing only the first piece of received image information, unnecessary processing time is not required and the time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the facsimile apparatus when receiving image information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of determining a paper output tray for image information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of image information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a setting example of a search character string and a registered character string in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of capturing data in a character string buffer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 System control part 2 Scanner 3 Plotter 4 OCR processing part 5 Character string extraction part 6 Image memory 7 Encoding / decoding part 8 Operation display part 9 NCU 10 Modem 11 Communication control part 12 Output tray determination part 13 Output tray

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having a plurality of discharge trays, wherein the facsimile apparatus further comprises: a character recognition unit for recognizing a character string of the received image information; and a character of the image information recognized by the character recognition unit. First character string extracting means for extracting a predetermined character string from a string; second character string extracting means for extracting a character string following the predetermined character string extracted by the first character string extracting means; A facsimile apparatus comprising a paper discharge tray control means for outputting the image information to a predetermined paper discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by the second character string extraction means. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a character string setting means for setting said predetermined character string. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a number-of-characters setting means for setting the number of characters of a character string extracted by said second character string extracting means. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge tray setting means for setting a predetermined discharge tray corresponding to the character string extracted by said second character string extracting means. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. 5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character recognizing means recognizes only the first one of the received image information.