JP2001136305A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal that can reasonably manage communication charges even for mail communication by dialup connection. SOLUTION: The communication terminal is provided with a mail confirmation communication charge accumulation means that adds a communication charge calculated by a communication charge calculation means, as to communication relating to a case that no electronic mail is received nor stored as a result of confirming whether or not the electronic mail is received and stored in a mail box of its own terminal in a mail server after dialing up and connection to a dialup connection destination, to an accumulated communication charge stored by a mail confirmation relating communication charge storage means and with a charge management report output means that generates and outputs report information of a form that their registered contents can be distinguished from each other on the basis of registered contents of a communication charge management table and of the mail confirmation relating communication charge storage means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, and more particularly to a communication terminal device connected to a public line for performing communication via the public line and connecting to a dial-up connection destination via the public line. The present invention relates to a communication terminal device that accesses the above mail server device and obtains e-mails received and stored in its own mailbox established in the mail server device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent development of the use of the Internet, communication using electronic mail has been widely used.

[0003] The contents of an electronic mail are basically text data.
ME (Multipurpose Internet)
Standard Extension for Message Extensions
Encoding / decoding into text data by the encoding / decoding method based on SE64 or the like enables exchange by electronic mail.

When a communication terminal connected to a network transmits and receives an electronic mail, for example, in the Internet, a mail is sent from a transmission side communication terminal to a transmission side mail server with the designation of a destination mail address via the Internet. The sent e-mail is SMTP (Sim
ple Mail Transfer Protocol
The data is transferred to the mail server on the receiving side via the Internet according to a predetermined electronic mail transfer protocol such as l), and is stored in the mailbox opened for the destination mail address of the mail server on the receiving side. The receiving-side communication terminal device periodically sends a POP (Post Office Protocol) to the receiving-side mail server device.
1) Access via the Internet using a mail receiving protocol such as three protocols to obtain the electronic mail received and stored in the mailbox of the own device.

In order for a communication terminal device not directly connected to the network to exchange e-mail via the network, an ISP (Internet service provider) directly connected to the network via a public line such as a telephone line. ) PPP (Po)
A dial-up connection mode is used in which a mail server device is accessed by connecting using an int to point protocol (into point protocol) or the like.

[0006] In such e-mail communication by dial-up connection via a public line, apart from the service charge of the provider, communication via the Internet can be performed free of charge. As for communication, a communication fee is charged not only when sending an e-mail but also when receiving an e-mail.

On the other hand, conventionally, in a communication terminal apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus which performs transmission / reception via a public line, an ID number is assigned to each department or user, and a communication charge is managed for each ID number. Some have.

[0008] The communication charge management function is a communication charge management function that can calculate the own station number reflecting the distance between the own apparatus and the destination apparatus, each area code of the destination number specified at the time of transmission, and the communication time. The required communication fee, the ID entered at the time of transmission
This function accumulates data in association with a number and outputs the charge management report periodically or in response to an operation input.

[0009] By performing such charge management, the use status of the communication terminal device for each department or user can be grasped, the communication charge burden for each department or user can be clarified, and the communication terminal device can be managed by many users. It is desirable to be able to easily grasp the usage status of the device when it is used, and to be able to perform charge management for e-mail communication by dial-up connection.

[0010]

However, when an e-mail is to be received through a dial-up connection, a specific user obtains the e-mail received and stored in his / her own mailbox of the mail server. For this reason, a call is made to the dial-up connection destination, dial-up connection is made, access to the mailbox of the own device, confirmation of the presence or absence of the received mail, and communication via the public line when the received mail is obtained, The communication is not always for the user.

In other words, whether or not there is a received mail in the mailbox of the own device and to whom the received mail is stored can be known only by dial-up connection. Therefore, the user who performed the call operation to the dial-up connection destination performed the operation for the benefit of all users who use the device, rather than for his own benefit. If the user who starts the communication should bear the communication fee, the communication fee management deviates from the original purpose.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal device capable of appropriately managing communication charges for mail communication through dial-up connection.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a communication terminal device is connected to a public line and performs communication via the public line, while connecting to a dial-up connection destination via the public line. A communication terminal device that accesses the mail server device on the network and obtains the e-mail received and stored in the mailbox of its own device opened in the mail server device, via the public line. Communication charge calculation means for calculating the communication charge according to the above, a communication charge management table for storing a total communication charge corresponding to each identification information, and a mail confirmation-related communication charge storage means for storing the mail confirmation-related cumulative communication charge, Is an e-mail received and stored in its own mailbox of the mail server device after calling / connecting to the dial-up connection destination? As a result of confirming, the communication related to the case where the e-mail is received and accumulated and the e-mail is obtained, or the identification information specified at the time of transmitting the communication to other than the dial-up connection destination, in the communication charge table A normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication to the corresponding cumulative communication charge, and a transmission / connection to the dial-up connection destination for the own device of the mail server device. As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is received and stored in the mailbox, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication in the case where the e-mail is not received and stored is reduced by the mail confirmation-related communication charge. A mail confirmation communication charge accumulating means for adding to the total communication charge stored in the storage means, the communication charge management table, Serial characterized by comprising a charge management report output means for outputting the generated report information distinguishable manner their registered contents from each other based on each registration content of the mail confirmation related communication charge storage means.

A communication terminal device according to a second aspect is connected to a public line and performs communication via the public line.
A communication for connecting to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on the network, and to obtain an e-mail received and stored in a mailbox of the own device opened in the mail server device. In the terminal device, a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line, a communication fee management table for storing a cumulative communication fee corresponding to each identification information, E-mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means for storing the total communication charge, identification information specified at the time of originating communication to a destination other than the dial-up connection destination, and the total communication charge corresponding to the total communication charge in the communication charge table. A normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means, As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is received and stored in the mailbox of the mail server device by sending / connecting to the connection destination, the communication relating to the case where the e-mail is not received or stored, or ,
For communications relating to the case where an e-mail is received and stored and the e-mail is acquired, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means is added to the total communication charge stored in the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means. Based on the registered contents of the e-mail confirmation / reception communication charge accumulating means and the communication charge management table and the e-mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means, report information is created in such a manner that the registered contents can be distinguished from each other. And a charge management report output means for outputting the charge management report.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a communication terminal device is connected to a public line and performs communication via the public line.
A communication for connecting to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on the network, and to obtain an e-mail received and stored in a mailbox of the own device opened in the mail server device. In the terminal device, a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line, a communication fee management table for storing a cumulative communication fee corresponding to each identification information, E-mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means for storing a total communication charge, and identification information /
A mail address correspondence table, identification information specified when outgoing communication to a destination other than the dial-up connection destination, a cumulative communication charge corresponding to the communication charge table,
Normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication, and transmission / connection to the dial-up connection destination and reception of an e-mail in the mailbox of the mail server apparatus itself. As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is stored, the communication is performed when the e-mail is not received or stored, or the communication is performed when the e-mail is received and stored and the e-mail is obtained, and the obtained e-mail is obtained. For communication in which the source mail address obtained from the e-mail is not registered in the identification information / mail address correspondence table, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication is determined by the mail confirmation / While adding to the total communication charge stored by the reception-related communication charge storage means, Regarding the communication related to the case where the electronic mail is obtained and the mail address of the transmission source obtained from the obtained electronic mail is registered in the identification information / mail address correspondence table, The mail confirmation / addition unit adds the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means to the cumulative communication charge corresponding to the identification information corresponding to the mail address of the transmission source in the identification information / mail address correspondence table in the communication charge management table. Incoming communication charge accumulation means, the communication charge management table and the mail confirmation /
And charge management report output means for generating and outputting report information in a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the reception-related communication charge storage means.

A communication terminal device according to a fourth aspect is connected to a public line and performs communication via the public line.
A communication for connecting to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on the network, and to obtain an e-mail received and stored in a mailbox of the own device opened in the mail server device. In the terminal device, a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line, a communication fee management table for storing a cumulative communication fee corresponding to each identification information, E-mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means for storing a total communication charge, and identification information /
A mail address correspondence table, identification information specified when outgoing communication to a destination other than the dial-up connection destination, a cumulative communication charge corresponding to the communication charge table,
Normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication, and transmission / connection to the dial-up connection destination and reception of an e-mail in the mailbox of the mail server apparatus itself. As a result of confirming whether or not the communication is stored, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication when the electronic mail is not received and stored is stored in the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage. Means to be added to the total communication fee stored, while, for communication relating to the case where one or more e-mails are received and stored, the communication fee calculated by the communication fee calculating means for the communication is obtained. The apportioned charges allocated according to the size of each e-mail are calculated, and the calculated apportioned charges are added to the obtained e-mails. E-mail confirmation / reception communication charge accumulating means for adding to the total communication charges corresponding to the identification information corresponding to the respective transmission source mail addresses in the identification information / mail address correspondence table in the communication charge management table; A charge management report output unit that creates and outputs report information in a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the communication charge management table and the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage unit. It is characterized by having.

[0017]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

First, FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a network system including a facsimile apparatus 10 which is a communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the ISP server device 30 comprises:
Connected to the Internet 60 and the public network 5
Connected to 0. The facsimile machine 10 is connected to the public network 50.

The facsimile device 10 is connected to the ISP server device 30 via the public line network 50 by the PPP protocol.
And sends an e-mail via the mail server device 40 by the SMTP protocol over the TCP / IP protocol via the ISP server device 30 through the ISP server device 30, while using the self-device established in the mail server device 40. The e-mail received and stored in the mailbox is
Acquired by the P3 protocol.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the facsimile machine 10. In FIG. 1, a facsimile apparatus 10 includes a system control unit 11, a ROM 12, an RA 13, a scanner unit 14, a plotter unit 15, a clock circuit 16, and an operation display unit 1.
7, encoding / decoding unit 18, network control unit 19, fax
It comprises a data modem 20, a communication control unit 21, and a system bus 22.

Here, the system control unit 11 stores the ROM 1
2 This is a microcomputer that controls each unit of the apparatus according to the written control program while using the RAM 13 as a work area.

As described above, the ROM 12 is a read-only memory in which a control program for the system control unit 11 to control each unit of the apparatus is stored. RAM1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a random access memory used as a work area of the system control unit 11 as described above, and temporarily stores or receives image data read by the scanner unit 14 as a file for memory transmission. It is also used to temporarily store image data as a file until it is recorded by the plotter unit 15.

The scanner section 14 has 3.85 lines / mm,
This is for obtaining image data by reading a document image at a predetermined reading line density such as 7.7 lines / mm or 15.4 lines / mm. The plotter unit 15 records and outputs the received image data and text data, and records and outputs (copy operation) the image data read by the scanner unit 5.

The clock circuit 16 measures the current time, measures the elapse of the time set by the system control unit 11, and performs a timer operation to notify the system control unit 11 by an interrupt when the set time elapses. Is what you do. The operation display unit 17 is provided with various keys such as a numeric keypad, a start key, a one-touch dial key, and various setting keys for designating a destination telephone number. The operation display unit 17 receives various operations by a user and is configured by a liquid crystal display device or the like. The display is provided with a display for displaying the operating state of the device to be notified to the user and various messages.

The encoding / decoding section 18 converts the transmission image data into an MH encoding scheme or M
The encoding and compression is performed by a predetermined coding method such as the R coding method, and the received image data is decoded and decompressed by a predetermined decoding method corresponding to the MH coding method and the MR coding method. When data is transmitted and received as e-mail as described later, BASE64 or uuencod
Encoding / decoding processing based on e / udecode is also performed.

The network control unit 19 is connected to the public line network 50, and closes / releases a DC loop of the line, detects line reversal, detects line release, detects a dial tone, and outputs a busy tone (busy). ), Control of connection to a line such as detection of a call signal, generation of a dial pulse, and the like. Fax data modem 20 is 27
ter. 29, V.I. G3 facsimile modem function such as V.17, 32, V.I. 32ter, V.I. 34, which modulates data transmitted to the public line network 50 via the network control unit 19 and demodulates data received from the public line network 50 via the network control unit 19. is there. The fax / data modem 20
Also transmits a DTMF signal corresponding to the dialed number.

The communication control unit 21 uses the fax / data modem 20 as a fax modem and
It controls G facsimile communication by the G facsimile protocol based on Recommendation T-30. Further, the communication control unit 21 uses a PPP (Point to Point Prot) as a data link layer on the physical layer using the fax / data modem 20 as a data modem.
ocol), controls the dial-up IP connection to the ISP server device 30, and executes the SMTP (Si) on TCP / IP as a network transport layer.
Mple Mail Transfer Protocol
ol) to send an e-mail containing ordinary text, or MIME (Multipurpose Int)
ernet Message Extensions)
Transmission of an e-mail containing data obtained by encoding data such as images other than ordinary text into text data, and POP (Post Office Protocol)
ol) 3 to control the reception of e-mail and the like. The system bus 22 is a signal line through which the above components exchange data.

The RAM of the facsimile apparatus 1 having the above configuration
As shown in FIG. 3, reference numeral 13 denotes a local number 13a which is a subscriber number assigned to the facsimile apparatus 10 in the public network 50, a charge management table 13b described in detail later, and an ISP in the public network 50. Server device 3
A dial-up connection destination number 13c, which is a subscriber number assigned to 0, and an ID / mail address correspondence table 13d described in detail later are stored.

The ROM 12 of the facsimile machine 10
As shown in FIG. 4, the station number vs. station number charge table 12
a is stored in advance. Station number vs. station number charge table 12
“a” is a table in which communication charges corresponding to communication time divisions for each combination of the area code of the transmission source and the transmission destination are registered in accordance with the communication charge calculation rules in the public network 50.

The communication fee charged to the source device in the public network 50 is the distance specified by the area code of the subscriber number of the destination device and the area code of the subscriber number of the destination device, and the call. It is calculated according to time,
Also in the facsimile apparatus 10, information on the communication time is obtained by measuring the actual communication time and the subscriber number of the transmission source (own number 13a), the subscriber number of the transmission destination (designated at the time of transmission). Therefore, by referring to the station number-to-station number charge table 12a for the transmission of each communication, it is possible to roughly estimate the communication charge of each communication. The present invention relates to the management of the calculated communication fee, and is not limited by the method of calculating the communication fee.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an e-mail acquisition processing sequence between the facsimile machine 10 and the mail server device 40 based on the POP3 protocol.

In FIG. 1, a facsimile apparatus 10
After the dial-up connection to the SP server device 30 and the connection to the Internet, the mail server device 40 is accessed by the POP3 protocol and the mail server device 4 is accessed.
If there is a response (Greeting) from 0, USER
After performing a login procedure of notifying the user name “***” as a parameter of the command and notifying the password “####” as a parameter of the PASS command,
A LIST command without parameters is issued to receive notification of the message number and size (in units of bytes) of each e-mail currently received and stored in the mailbox of the own device (mail number / size confirmation procedure).

In this case, the size of the mail with the message number 1 is 1 Kbyte, the size of the mail with the number 2 is 1 Kbyte, the size of the mail with the number 3 is 2 Kbytes, the size of the mail with the number 4 is 1 Kbyte, and The size of the mail of No. 5 is 2 Kbytes.

The TOP command specifies the message number as the first parameter (in this case, the number “3”), and specifies the number of text lines (in this case, the “0” line) as the second parameter, thereby specifying the specified message. The header of the mail with the number and the body of the specified number of lines are acquired. By specifying “TOP 30”, the acquisition of the header of the mail with the message number 3 is requested, and the mail server device 40 , Header information is notified (header information acquisition procedure).

The header information includes various fields, and includes "F" indicating the mail address of the transmission source.
rom: "field.

By issuing the RETR command as a parameter with message numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 sequentially designated and issued, it is possible to obtain mails with message numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. In addition, the acquired mail is DEL
The message number of the acquired mail is specified as a parameter of the E command, and the message number is deleted from the mailbox of the own device established in the mail server device 40 (mail acquisition / deletion procedure). Finally, a QUIT command is issued to end the POP3 communication (end procedure).

According to such a sequence, the facsimile machine 10 can acquire an electronic mail from the mail server device 10.

Next, a processing procedure in the facsimile machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
In the processing procedure (1), the description of the incoming call via the public network 50 is omitted because the same facsimile reception processing as that of a normal facsimile apparatus is performed.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 10 monitors whether a document is set on the scanner unit 14 or whether a transmission mode for e-mail acquisition is activated (No in decision 101). , N in decision 102
o loop). In addition, activation of outgoing mode of mail acquisition,
This is performed by pressing a key (not shown) dedicated to acquiring and activating mail provided on the operation display unit 17 or performing a predetermined menu operation.

When the original is set on the scanner section 14 (Yes in the judgment 101), it is judged whether or not the charge management function is set to be effective (decision 103). The validity / invalidity setting of the charge management function is set in advance via the operation display unit 17, and the setting state is stored in the RAM 13 as a flag value.

If the charge management function is disabled in the judgment 103 (No in the judgment 103), the document image set in the scanner section 14 is read in the judgment 101 and the designated public network line network is read. A normal transmission process of transmitting the image data read based on the G3 facsimile protocol by transmitting to the destination on the F.50 (process 10)
4), end the process.

If the charge management function is set to be valid in the judgment 103 (Yes in the judgment 103), the display D0 shown in FIG.
1 is displayed, and the operation display unit 1 of the ID number as the identification information is displayed.
7 (process 105), and stores the input number and displays the input number sequence D01.
(Step 106), and repeats until the four digits of the ID number are input (No loop of determination 107).

When the four-digit ID number is inputted (Yes in decision 107), it is further monitored whether or not there is a designation input of the destination (No loop in decision 108).
When the destination is designated by direct input with ten keys (not shown) or by one-touch dialing or abbreviated dialing (Yes in decision 108), charge management facsimile transmission processing is performed (processing 109). The specific processing procedure of the charge management facsimile transmission processing of the processing 109 will be described later.

In the decision 102, when the mail acquisition is started (Yes in the decision 102), it is decided whether or not the charge management function is valid as in the decision 103 (decision 110).

If the charge management function is set to be invalid in the judgment 110 (No in the judgment 110), the dial-up connection destination number 13c is read out and transmitted, and
A dial-up connection is made to the SP server device 30, and the presence or absence of the received mail in the mailbox for the own device of the mail server device 40 is confirmed in the sequence shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. Then, a normal mail acquisition process of storing and holding in the RAM 13 or making it visible on the recording paper by the plotter unit 15 is performed (process 11).
1), end the process.

If the charge management function is set to be valid (Yes in decision 110), a charge management mail acquisition process is performed (process 112). Note that a specific processing procedure of the charge management mail acquisition processing of the processing 112 will be described later.

Next, a specific processing procedure of the fee management facsimile transmission processing of the processing 109 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, a call is made to the destination designated by the judgment 108 in FIG. 7 and a line connection is made with the facsimile machine of the destination via the public line network 50 (process 201). (Time 20)
2) Then, a facsimile transmission process of transmitting image data obtained by reading the original set in the determination 101 of FIG. 7 by the scanner unit 14 (process 203) is performed until the transmission is completed (No in the determination 203). When the transmission is completed (Yes in the determination 204), the line connected in the process 201 is disconnected to terminate the communication (process 205).
The measurement of the communication time started in the process 202 is ended to obtain the communication time in the current facsimile transmission (process 20).
6).

Then, the own station number 13a and the judgment 1 in FIG.
From the destination number specified in 08 and the communication time obtained in the process 206, a communication fee is calculated by referring to the station number-to-station number fee table 12a (process 207), and the calculated communication fee is shown in FIG. Specific charge management table 13b
, The fee corresponding to the ID number input in the determination 107 of FIG. 7 is added (step 208). In addition, in the fee management table 13b, the number of originals read and transmitted is added to the number corresponding to the ID number input in the determination 107 of FIG. 7 (Process 209).

In FIG. 10, the charge management table 13b
Is a table for managing communication charges for each department or user, and includes a "name" and a "number" corresponding to ID numbers assigned to each department or user,
It is composed of a "charge" field.

The “name” serves as information for clearly indicating the department or user corresponding to each ID number when a communication charge management report described later is output.
It is registered in advance corresponding to the number.

The "number of sheets" is the total number of documents transmitted by facsimile transmission with the designation of the corresponding ID number, and is added by the processing 209 in FIG.

The “fee” is the total of the communication fee for the communication related to the department or the user corresponding to the corresponding ID number, and is added by the processing 208 in FIG.

In the charge management table 13b of FIG. 10, the mail-related communication charges are added up as "charges" corresponding to the special ID number "9999". The storage and management of the mail-related communication charges are performed in the charge management table 1
3b may be performed separately, but in the present embodiment, it is handled as one of the items stored and managed in the fee management table 13b.

The system control unit 2 determines whether there is a communication charge management report output request operation from the operation display unit 17 or that the clock circuit 16 determines that a predetermined period, for example, one month has elapsed. Charge management table 13b
Is read, and charge management report image information is created based on the read registration contents, and the plotter unit 1
5, the recording paper is output or displayed on the display unit of the operation display unit 17. The present invention is not limited by the output form of the fee management report.

FIG. 11 shows the charge management table 13 shown in FIG.
13 shows an example of a charge management report created and output based on the registered contents of b.

In FIG. 11, the charge management report includes
The total transmission "number" and the total communication "fee" for each department or user corresponding to each ID number are described, and clearly distinguished from the total communication "fee" for facsimile transmission for each department or user. , ID number "999
No. 9 "is described.

As a result, it is possible to manage / understand the mail-related total communication fee clearly separated from the total communication fee relating to facsimile transmission with designation of an ID number via the public line network 50. .

The total “fee” of the mail-related communication charges corresponding to the ID number “9999” is calculated by the processing 112 in FIG.
Is added in the fee management mail acquisition process of.

Next, a specific processing procedure of the fee management mail acquisition processing of the processing 112 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, a call is made to the dial-up connection destination number 13c, and the line is connected to the destination ISP server device 30 via the public line network 50 (process 301).
The clock circuit 16 starts measuring the communication time (process 3).
02) and connect to the mail server device 40 through dial-up IP connection (process 303), and as shown in the sequence shown in FIG.
An IST command is issued to confirm the presence or absence of a received mail in the mailbox of the own device (determination 305).

If the received mail is not in the mailbox (No in decision 305), a QUIT command is issued to terminate the POP protocol (process 306), and process 3
In step 307, the communication line is disconnected to terminate the communication (step 307), and the measurement of the communication time started in step 302 is ended to obtain the communication time for the current facsimile transmission (step 308).

Then, based on the own station number 13a, the destination number 13c of the dial-up connection called in the process 301, and the communication time obtained in the process 308, the communication fee is determined by referring to the station number to station number fee table 12a. Calculation (process 30
9) Then, the calculated communication fee is added corresponding to the ID number “9999” of the fee management table 13b shown in FIG. 10 (process 310).

Thus, the transmission for confirming the presence / absence of the received mail, which can be said to have been performed for all users using the facsimile machine 10, is performed by the user who performed the transmission operation or the department to which the user belongs. Is not charged, but is accumulated as a mail-related communication fee, so that unfair charging is not performed.

In the judgment 305, when the received mail is in the mailbox (Yes in the judgment 305), the processing when there is the received mail is performed (processing 311).

Next, first to fourth examples of the specific processing procedure of the processing when there is a received mail in the processing 311 will be described.

First, the processing procedure of the first example will be described with reference to FIG.
To explain

In the figure, first, as in the sequence shown in FIG. 6, a received mail is obtained by the RETR and DELT commands (process 401). Note that the e-mail acquired in the process 401 is temporarily stored in the RAM 13 and is appropriately processed by, for example, being recorded and output on recording paper by the plotter unit 15.

When the received mail is completely acquired by the process 401, a QUIT command is issued to terminate the POP protocol (process 402), disconnect the line connected in the process 301 of FIG. 12 to terminate the communication (process 403). 12), the measurement of the communication time started in the process 302 of FIG.
04).

Then, the own station number 13a and the destination number 13c of the dial-up connection called in the processing 301 of FIG.
From the communication time obtained in the process 404, the communication fee is calculated with reference to the station number-to-station number fee table 12a (process 405), and the calculated communication fee is calculated according to the figure in the fee management table 13b shown in FIG. It is added to the fee corresponding to the ID number input at the time of starting the mail acquisition in the judgment 102 of Step 7 (Step 406). That is, in the case of the first example,
At the time of starting mail acquisition in the judgment 102 of FIG. 7, the same procedure of the processing 105, the processing 106 and the judgment 107 of FIG. 7 is executed, and the ID number corresponding to the user who started the mail acquisition or the department to which the user belongs is input. Let it.

As a result, as a result of the confirmation, the received mail is stored in the mailbox, and for the transmission for actually obtaining the stored received mail, the user who performed the transmission operation or the user belongs to the transmission. A communication fee is charged to the department.

Next, the processing procedure of the second example will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, as in the sequence shown in FIG. 6, a received mail is obtained by the RETR and DELT commands (process 501). Note that the e-mail acquired in the process 501 is temporarily stored in the RAM 13 and is appropriately processed by, for example, being recorded and output on recording paper by the plotter unit 15.

When the reception mail acquisition is completed by the process 501, a QUIT command is issued to terminate the POP protocol (process 502), disconnect the line connected in the process 301 of FIG. 12 to terminate the communication (process 503). ), The measurement of the communication time started in the process 302 of FIG. 12 is ended, and the communication time for the current mail acquisition transmission is obtained (process 5).
04).

Then, the own station number 13a and the destination number 13c of the dial-up connection called in the processing 301 of FIG.
From the communication time obtained in the process 504, a communication fee is calculated by referring to the station number-to-station number fee table 12a (process 505), and the calculated communication fee is stored in the ID of the fee management table 13b shown in FIG. It is added to the fee corresponding to the number "9999" (process 506).

As a result, as a result of the confirmation, the received mail is stored in the mailbox, and the transmission for actually obtaining the stored received mail is not always limited to the destination of the received mail. The communication fee is not charged to the user who performed the calling operation or the department to which the user belongs, but is accumulated as a mail-related communication fee, so that unfair charging is not performed.

Next, a description will be given of third and fourth examples of a specific processing procedure of the processing when there is a received mail in the processing 311 in FIG. 12. ID / mail address correspondence table 13d shown in FIG.
Is stored and registered in the RAM 13 in advance.

In FIG. 15, the ID / mail address correspondence table 13d corresponds to the charge management table 13b in FIG.
A source mail address corresponding to each ID number registered in the third party is stored and registered.
In the processing procedure of the example, it is referred to for determining the charge of the communication fee according to the source of the received mail.

Next, the processing procedure of the third example will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, as in the sequence shown in FIG. 6, a received mail is obtained by a RETR and a DELT command (process 601). Note that the e-mail acquired in the process 601 is temporarily stored in the RAM 13 and is appropriately processed such as being recorded on a recording paper by the plotter unit 15 and the like.

When acquisition of the received mail is completed by the process 601, a QUIT command is issued to end the POP protocol (process 602), and the line connected in the process 301 of FIG. 12 is disconnected to terminate the communication (process 603). ), The measurement of the communication time started in the process 302 of FIG. 12 is ended, and the communication time for the current mail acquisition transmission is obtained (process 6).
04).

Then, the own station number 13a and the destination number 13c of the dial-up connection called in the process 301 of FIG.
From the communication time obtained in the process 604, the communication fee is calculated by referring to the station number-to-station number fee table 12a (process 605).

Then, the sender's mail address is extracted from the “From:” field of the header part of the received mail obtained in the process 601 (process 606), and the extracted mail address is stored in the ID / mail address correspondence table 13d. Collation is performed (process 607), and it is determined whether the corresponding ID number is registered (determination 608).

If the corresponding ID number has not been registered (No in decision 608), it is determined that the received mail is unknown for the destination department or user, and the communication charge calculated in process 605 is shown in FIG. Charge management table 1 shown
3b corresponding to the ID number "9999" is added (process 610).

If the corresponding ID number is registered (Yes in decision 608), the communication charge calculated in process 605 is assumed to be a received mail whose destination department or user is clear, and the charge shown in FIG. Management table 13b
Is added to the fee corresponding to the corresponding ID number (process 609).

Thus, when the received mail is stored in the mailbox and the destination specified from the transmission source of the received mail is unknown, the transmission for actually acquiring the stored received mail is performed. Is not always charged to the destination of the received mail, and the communication fee is not charged to the user who performed the sending operation or the department to which the user belongs, but is accumulated as a mail-related communication fee. There is no fair billing.
In addition, as a result of the confirmation, if the received mail is stored in the mailbox and the destination specified from the source of the received mail is clear, the transmission for actually obtaining the stored received mail Means that the communication fee is charged not to the user who made the call or the department to which the user belongs, but to the user who is the destination of the received mail or the department to which the user belongs. it can.

Next, the processing procedure of the fourth example will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, the processing 304 in FIG.
The size of the received mail of each message number obtained as shown in the sequence shown in FIG. 5 by the issuance of the LIST instruction is stored (process 701).

Then, as in the sequence shown in FIG. 6, each received mail is obtained by the RETR and DELT commands (process 702). Note that the e-mail obtained in the process 702 is temporarily stored in the RAM 13, and is appropriately processed by, for example, being recorded and output on recording paper by the plotter unit 15.

When the reception mail acquisition is completed by the process 702, a QUIT command is issued to terminate the POP protocol (process 703), and the line connected in the process 301 of FIG. 12 is disconnected to terminate communication (process 704). ), The measurement of the communication time started in the process 302 of FIG. 12 is ended, and the communication time for the current mail acquisition transmission is obtained (process 7).
05).

Then, the own station number 13a and the destination number 13c of the dial-up connection called in the processing 301 of FIG.
The communication fee is calculated from the communication time obtained in the process 705 and the station number-to-station number charge table 12a (step 706).

Then, an allotment charge for each received mail is calculated according to the size of the received mail of each message number (step 707), and “From:” in the header part of the received mail of each message number obtained in step 702 is obtained. The sender's mail address is extracted from the field (step 70
8) The source mail address of each of the extracted received mails is stored in the ID / mail address correspondence table 13 in FIG.
d to identify the corresponding ID number (step 70
9) Add the charge calculated for each received mail calculated in process 707 to the ID number corresponding to the source mail address of each received mail to the corresponding fee in the fee management table 13b shown in FIG. 10 (process 710) ).

FIG. 18 schematically shows distribution of communication charges in the processing when there is a received mail in the fourth example of FIG.

In FIG. 18, the communication fee calculated by the process 706 in FIG.
The received e-mails acquired in step 02 are five corresponding to message numbers 1 to 5, and the source e-mail addresses extracted in step 708 are as shown in FIG. The ID numbers registered in the fee management table 13b of FIG. 15 corresponding to the respective source mail addresses specified by the process 709 are as shown in FIG. However, it is determined that a source mail address that is not registered in the charge management table 13b in FIG. 15 corresponds to the number “9999”, which is a special mail-related ID number. The size of each received mail acquired in the process 701 is as shown in FIG. 18, and the total number of bytes is 10,000 bytes. In other words, a total of 10,000
A communication charge of 100 yen was required to receive the mail for bytes, so for a received mail of 1000 bytes, the communication charge for 10 yen should be shared,
It can be said that for a received mail of 2000 bytes, a communication charge of 20 yen should be shared, and for a received mail of 3000 bytes, a communication charge of 20 yen should be shared. In each ID number,
An allotment fee corresponding to the size of the received mail addressed to each ID number (user or department corresponding to) will be charged.

Thus, when one or a plurality of received mails are stored in the mailbox, the outgoing operation is performed to actually obtain the stored received mails. Since the user or the department to which the user belongs is charged a shared fee according to the size of each received mail, not the user or the department to which the user belongs, but a fair charge is charged. It can be carried out.

In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a facsimile apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to the contents of data exchanged by e-mail. The present invention can be similarly applied to a communication terminal device that transmits and receives a dial-up connection by mail.
Further, the network to be dial-up connected is not limited to the Internet.

[0098]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the case of a transmission for acquiring a mail, and as a result only a confirmation of the presence / absence of a received mail, a transmission operation with designation of the identification information is performed. Communication charges are not charged to the user who performed the service or the department to which the user belongs, but are accumulated as mail-related communication charges, so that unfair charges are not made and reasonable communication charge management is performed. The effect that can be performed is obtained.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, for a transmission for acquiring a mail, and consequently only for confirming the presence / absence of a received mail, a transmission operation with designation of the identification information is performed. Communication charges are not charged to the user or the department to which the user belongs, but are accumulated as mail-related communication charges, so that unfair charges are not made and transmission for mail acquisition Therefore, for the transmission that actually obtained the received mail, the communication charge is not necessarily charged to the user who performed the transmission operation or the department to which the user belongs, not necessarily the destination of the received mail, Since the charges are accumulated as mail-related communication charges, unfair charges are not made. Therefore, an effect is obtained in which more appropriate communication charge management can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a transmission for obtaining a mail and consequently a transmission for which only the confirmation of the presence or absence of the received mail is completed, or a transmission for obtaining the mail and the received mail is transmitted. Even if it is an actually acquired outgoing call, if the destination user or department of the received mail is unknown, the communication fee is not charged to the user who performed the outgoing operation or the department to which the user belongs, Since the charges are accumulated as mail-related communication charges, unfair charges are not made. In addition, a transmission for acquiring a mail and a transmission in which the received mail is actually obtained, and for which the user or department of the destination of the received mail is clear is not limited to the destination of the received mail. Since the communication fee is not charged to the user who performed the operation or the department to which the user belongs, but is accumulated as the communication fee for the user or department to which the received mail is addressed, a fair billing can be performed. it can. Therefore, an effect is obtained in which more appropriate communication charge management can be performed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, for a transmission for acquiring a mail, and consequently only for confirming the presence or absence of the received mail, the user who performed the transmission operation or the user to which the user belongs does not belong. The communication fee is not charged to the department in charge, but is accumulated as a communication fee related to mail, so that unfair charging is not performed. In addition, regarding the transmission for acquiring the mail, the transmission in which one or a plurality of received mails are actually obtained is not limited to the destination of each received mail, and the user who performed the transmission operation or the user belongs to the transmission. The communication fee is not charged to the department, but is accumulated as the communication fee for the user or the department to which each received mail is addressed, so that a fair charge can be performed. Further, the communication usage fee charged to the user or department of each destination is shared and allocated according to the size of the received mail addressed to each destination, so that a fair charging can be performed.
Therefore, an effect is obtained in which more appropriate communication charge management can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network system including a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents stored in a RAM of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing contents stored in a ROM of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an electronic mail acquisition processing sequence based on the POP3 protocol between the facsimile apparatus and the mail server apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram showing an e-mail acquisition processing sequence based on the POP3 protocol between the facsimile apparatus and the mail server apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, together with FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example in the processing procedure of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a specific processing procedure of a fee management facsimile transmission process.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing specific contents of a fee management table.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fee management report.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a specific processing procedure of a fee management mail acquisition process.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific processing procedure of a first example of processing when there is a received mail;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a specific processing procedure of a second example of processing when there is a received mail;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing specific contents of an ID / mail address correspondence table.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure of a third example of processing when there is a received mail;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a specific processing procedure of a fourth example of processing when there is a received mail;

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining charge sharing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Facsimile apparatus 11 System control part 12 ROM 12a Local number body station number charge table 13 RAM 13a Own station number 13b Charge management table 13c Dial-up connection destination number 13d ID / mail address correspondence table 14 Scanner part 15 Plotter part 16 Clock circuit 17 Operation display Unit 18 encoding / decoding unit 19 network control unit 20 fax / data modem 21 communication control unit 22 system bus 30 ISP server device 40 mail server device 50 public network 60 internet

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04M 15/00 H04L 11/20 101B 9A001 H04N 1/00 107 F-term (Reference) 5B089 GA11 GA21 GB02 HA01 JA31 JB22 KA15 KB12 LB14 5C062 AA13 AA29 AA30 AF00 AF08 BA00 BC02 BD00 5K025 CC01 DD05 GG04 JJ10 JJ18 5K030 GA11 HA06 HB04 HB08 HC02 HD05 JT05 5K101 KK02 NN48 9A001 CC02 JJ14 JJ27 JZ25

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. While connected to a public line and performing communication via the public line, a connection is made to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on a network, and to the mail server device A communication terminal device for acquiring an electronic mail received and stored in a mailbox of the established own device; a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line; A communication charge management table for storing a total communication charge corresponding to information; a mail confirmation-related communication charge storage means for storing a total communication charge related to mail confirmation; and the mail server device for transmitting and connecting to the dial-up connection destination As a result of confirming whether the e-mail has been received and stored in the mailbox of the own device, the e-mail has not been received and stored. Communication according to when acquiring the electronic mail, or the identification information specified when calling the communication to other dial-up connection destination, to the cumulative communication charge corresponding in the communication charge table,
Normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication, and transmission / connection to the dial-up connection destination and reception of an e-mail in the mailbox of the mail server apparatus itself. As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is stored, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means is stored in the e-mail-related communication charge storage means for the communication when the e-mail is not received and stored. A mail confirmation communication charge accumulating means to be added to the charge, and report information in a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the communication charge management table and the mail confirmation related communication charge storage means. A communication terminal device comprising: a charge management report output unit that outputs the charge management report. 2. While connected to a public line and performing communication via the public line, a connection is made to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on a network, and to the mail server device. A communication terminal device for acquiring an electronic mail received and stored in a mailbox of the established own device; a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line; A communication charge management table that stores the total communication charge corresponding to the information, and a mail confirmation /
The communication charge calculating means calculates the reception-related communication charge storage means, the identification information specified at the time of transmitting the communication other than the dial-up connection destination, the cumulative communication charge corresponding to the communication charge table, and the communication charge calculation means for the communication. A normal communication charge accumulating means for adding a communication charge, and as a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is received and stored in the mailbox of the mail server device by sending / connecting to the dial-up connection destination, The communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication in the case where the electronic mail is not received and stored, or the communication in the case where the electronic mail is received and stored and the electronic mail is acquired, is confirmed by the mail confirmation. A mail confirmation to be added to the total communication charge stored in the reception-related communication charge storage means; A charge management report output means for creating and outputting report information in a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the charge management table and the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means; A communication terminal device characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. While connected to a public line and performing communication via the public line, a connection is made to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on a network and to the mail server device. A communication terminal device for acquiring an electronic mail received and stored in a mailbox of the established own device; a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line; A communication charge management table that stores the total communication charge corresponding to the information, and a mail confirmation /
A reception-related communication charge storage means, an identification information / e-mail address correspondence table in which each identification information and an e-mail address are stored in association with each other, and A normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication to the corresponding total communication charge in the charge table; As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is received and stored in the mailbox of the device, the communication related to the case where the e-mail is not received or stored, or the e-mail is obtained when the e-mail is received and stored. In the communication according to the case, the sender's mail address obtained from the obtained electronic mail is the identification information / For the communication that is not registered in the address correspondence table, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication is added to the total communication charge stored in the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means. A communication in which an e-mail is received and accumulated and the e-mail is acquired, and a transmission mail address obtained from the acquired e-mail is registered in the identification information / e-mail address correspondence table. , The communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication corresponds to the identification information corresponding to the transmission source mail address in the identification information / mail address correspondence table in the communication charge management table. E-mail confirmation / reception communication charges to be added to the total communication charges And charge management report output means for creating and outputting report information in a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the communication charge management table and the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means. A communication terminal device comprising: 4. While connected to a public line and performing communication via the public line, a connection is made to a dial-up connection destination via the public line to access a mail server device on the network and to the mail server device. A communication terminal device for acquiring an electronic mail received and stored in a mailbox of the established own device; a communication fee calculating means for calculating a communication fee for communication originated via the public line; A communication charge management table that stores the total communication charge corresponding to the information, and a mail confirmation /
A reception-related communication charge storage means, an identification information / e-mail address correspondence table in which each identification information and an e-mail address are stored in association with each other, and the identification information specified at the time of transmitting the communication to a destination other than the dial-up connection destination; A normal communication charge accumulation means for adding the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication to the corresponding total communication charge in the charge table; As a result of confirming whether or not the e-mail is received and stored in the mailbox for the device, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication when the e-mail is not received and stored is determined. , While adding to the total communication fee stored in the mail confirmation / reception-related communication fee storage means, For communication relating to the case where a number of e-mails are received and accumulated, the communication charge calculated by the communication charge calculation means for the communication is calculated as a shared charge distributed according to the size of each of the obtained e-mails. In the communication fee management table, each of the calculated sharing charges corresponds to each identification information corresponding to each transmission source mail address obtained from each of the obtained electronic mails in the identification information / mail address correspondence table. A mail confirmation / reception communication charge accumulation means to be added to the total communication charge, and a form in which the registered contents can be distinguished from each other based on the registered contents of the communication charge management table and the mail confirmation / reception-related communication charge storage means. A communication terminal comprising: charge management report output means for generating and outputting report information Apparatus.