JP2001156975A - Image transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve practical usefulness by performing the high-quality transmission of a facsimile image corresponding to the ability of a transmission party. SOLUTION: An image transmitter 18 is provided with a data receiving part for receiving print data transmitted from terminals 20 and 28 and the address data of transmission destination facsimile equipment 27 and separating these respective data, a print data interpreting part for expanding the received print data into picture image on the basis of the paper size and resolution of the transmission destination facsimile equipment, an image converting part for converting the expanded picture image to the facsimile image of a format matched to the transmission destination facsimile equipment, and an image transmitting part for transmitting the converted facsimile image to the facsimile equipment designated by the transmission destination address data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transmitting apparatus for transmitting a facsimile image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a small notebook or sub-notebook personal computer or PDA (personal d
Many portable small personal computers such as digital assistants) do not have a facsimile modem due to cost reduction. However, there is a problem that a facsimile image cannot be transmitted unless a facsimile modem is provided.

For this reason, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-69064 provides a facsimile information communication apparatus for enabling a small personal computer without a facsimile modem to transmit a facsimile image. That is, as shown in FIG. 17, the facsimile information communication apparatus 1 is installed between a terminal 2 which is a portable small personal computer without a facsimile modem and a facsimile apparatus 3 which is a destination of a facsimile image.

[0004] The facsimile information communication device 1 includes a CPU 4 for performing arithmetic processing, a communication unit 5 connected to a line such as a public line, an image data conversion unit 6 for facsimile for converting facsimile image data into a standard image file format, It has a storage device 7 provided with a template data file or the like in which a plurality of fax transmission forms are registered in HTML format. Also, the facsimile information communication device 1 has WW
W (World Wide Web) is installed.

[0005] The terminal 2 has a function of performing data communication with the facsimile information communication apparatus 1 via a public line and a WWW browser. The terminal 2 can be, for example, an H prepared by the facsimile information communication apparatus 1 from a place of going out via a public line.
The URL of the TML file is specified by a WWW browser, and the URL is communicated with the WWW server of the communication unit 5 of the facsimile information communication device 1 by HTTP (Hyper Text Transport Protocol), and the HTML format in the storage device 7 of the facsimile information communication device 1 is used. Read the template FAX transmittal form. Then, while viewing the template on the display of the terminal 2, additional input of the transmission content is performed therein, and the facsimile information communication device 1 is again input.
Send to The facsimile information communication device 1 converts the HTML data to which the contents have been input into a facsimile image by the facsimile image data conversion unit 6, and the communication unit 5.
The image is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 3 through the public line by the facsimile procedure.

[0006]

However, as described above,
In the case where the data created in the HTML format without transmitting the image data from the terminal 2 is transmitted to the facsimile information communication device 1, the facsimile information communication device 1 converts the data into facsimile data and transmits the data to the facsimile device 3, the HTML
Lacks the document function to represent images, so HTML
There will be restrictions on image data obtained by converting the data created in step (1).

In general, a document expressing an image described in HTML is prepared at a fixed resolution depending on the terminal that has created the image data or in a bitmap format depending on the display device. HT prepared with such a fixed resolution
If the model of the ML is used, there is a problem that if the capability of the facsimile machine 3 of the transmission destination has printing and display capabilities higher than the resolution of the model, the capability cannot be utilized. Further, it was not possible to edit the image by changing the size and position of the image in accordance with the request of the transmission destination.

Therefore, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is possible to develop print data into image data based on the capability information of the facsimile apparatus of the transmission destination and to transmit the image data, and to increase the print data according to the capability of the transmission destination. Provided is an image transmission device capable of transmitting a high-quality facsimile image and improving practicality. Further, the invention according to claims 3 and 4 is an image transmitting apparatus which can edit print data in various ways, develop it into image data and transmit it, transmit various facsimile images to a transmission destination, and improve practicality. I will provide a.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Data reception means for receiving print data transmitted from the information processing apparatus of the transmission source and transmission destination address data of the print data; print data interpretation means for expanding the print data received by the data reception means into image data; An image conversion unit that converts the image data expanded by the print data interpretation unit into image data in a format that matches the destination facsimile apparatus specified by the destination address data received by the data reception unit; Image transmission means for transmitting the image data to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data reception means, wherein the print data interpretation means converts the print data into an image using the capability information of the destination facsimile apparatus. To expand on data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source and destination address data of the print data, and transmitting the print data received by the data reception means. A print data interpreting unit for expanding the image data, and an image for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting unit into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus specified by the destination address data received by the data receiving unit. Converting means, image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and capability information transmitted from the destination facsimile apparatus. And a print data interpreting unit. It is to expand the print data into image data by using the capability information of Shinsaki facsimile apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus as a transmission source and destination address data of the print data, and transmitting the print data received by the data reception means. A print data interpreting unit for expanding the image data, and an image for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting unit into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus specified by the destination address data received by the data receiving unit. Converting means, image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and image storing editing information of the image data to be transmitted Editing data storage means, wherein the print data interpretation means is stored in the image editing information storage means. It is to expand the print data into image data by using the editing information are.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source, destination address data of the print data, and print data received by the data reception means. A print data interpreting unit for expanding the image data, and an image for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting unit into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus specified by the destination address data received by the data receiving unit. Converting means, image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and editing for acquiring editing information from the destination facsimile apparatus Information acquisition means, and image editing for storing the edit information acquired by the edit information acquisition means And a distribution storage means, print data interpreting means is to deploy the print data into image data by using the editing information stored in the image editing information storage unit.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a network in which a LAN 13 is connected to the Internet 11 via a router 12, a LAN 15 is connected via a router 14, and a router 16 is connected to the Internet 11. Is connected to the LAN 17 via.

The LAN 13 includes an image transmission device 18, an e-mail server 19, a terminal 20,
The proxy server 21 and the like are connected, and the LAN
An e-mail server 22, an Internet facsimile 23, and the like are connected to 15; a proxy server 24, a public line 25, and the like are connected to the LAN 17; The image transmission device 18 is connected to the public line 26.
And a terminal 28 is connected to the public line 25.

The terminals 20 and 28 are portable terminals such as small personal computers that do not have a facsimile communication function as a standard, such as a facsimile modem. However, application programs for creating print data and WWW (World Wide) are available. Web (HTTP) (Hyper Text Transport Protocol) used in browsers
Has implemented. Note that, other than HTTP, any protocol for communicating information such as files used on the Internet may be used.

In this network, the terminal 2
When the print data created by the facsimile machine 27 or the Internet facsimile machine 23 is transmitted as a facsimile image by the facsimile apparatus 27 or the Internet facsimile apparatus 23, the image transmitting apparatus 18 is interposed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image transmitting device 18 comprises a data receiving unit 31, a print data storing unit 32, a print data interpreting unit 33, an image converting unit 34, an image transmitting unit 35, and a capability obtaining unit 38. . The data receiving section 31 has a function of separating the print data and the address data when receiving the format shown in FIG. 4, that is, the data including the print data and the destination address data from the terminals 20 and 28.

As a protocol for the data receiving unit 31 to receive print data, as shown in FIG. 3, HTTP used by a WWW server or a WWW browser is used. Therefore, the terminals 20 and 28 create print data using application software, specify the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the image transmission device 18, and print data created using HTTP and the address of the destination facsimile. What is necessary is just to transmit data.

The print data created by the terminals 20 and 28 is composed of PostScript or PCL (Printer Control Language).
e) This is print data that can develop command-format data such as a page description language independent of an OS (Operating System) such as e) into an image. The transmission destination address data is a facsimile number capable of performing image communication via a public line, an e-mail address of an Internet facsimile, and the like. Therefore,
If the destination is the facsimile machine 27, the destination is a facsimile number. If the destination is the Internet facsimile 23, the destination is an e-mail address.

The print data storage unit 32 stores, for example, page description language print data in the print data interpretation unit 33.
Is stored until requested. The print data interpreting unit 33 develops print data into image images. The features of the page description language make it easy to rotate image images and to develop image data at specified positions on a page and at specified resolutions. Can be performed.

The image conversion unit 34 converts the image developed by the print data interpretation unit 33 into a format suitable for the destination device, and the destination device is the facsimile machine 27 connected to the public line. If MH, MMR, J
The data is converted to a compression method such as BIG, and if the transmission destination device is the Internet facsimile 23,
The file data is converted into FF (Tag Image File Format) format file data.

The image transmitting section 35 has a public line facsimile communication function, and transmits the image converted by the image converting section 34. The capability acquisition unit 38 receives transmission data sent from the transmission destination device, and acquires the paper size and resolution of the transmission destination device that can be printed out.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an image transmission process by the image transmission device 18 using a facsimile communication function. Facsimile communication is large, communication establishment phase,
It is divided into three phases, a capacity exchange phase and an image transmission phase, and each process is performed in each phase.

First, when the data receiving section 31 receives the destination address data and the print data from the terminals 20 and 28 in S1, it separates them and stores the print data in the print data storage section 32 in S2. .

Subsequently, in S3, the image transmitting unit 35 starts communication with the facsimile machine 27 or the Internet facsimile 23 which is the destination device. (Communication Establishment Phase) Subsequently, in S4, the capability acquisition unit 38 acquires the paper size and resolution of the destination device that can be printed out according to the facsimile communication procedure. (Capacity Exchange Phase) Subsequently, the transmission phases of S5 to S8 are executed. First, S5
The print data is extracted from the print data storage unit 32 at
In S6, the print data is developed into an image according to the paper size and resolution acquired by the print data interpretation unit 33. Then, in S7, the image conversion unit 34 converts the image into a facsimile format, and in S8, the image transmission unit 35 transmits the facsimile image to the destination apparatus.

In such a configuration, for example, when the terminal 20 transmits print data to the facsimile apparatus 27, first, the terminal 20 creates print data in a page description language, and the print data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 27. An address is attached to the image and transmitted to the image transmitting device 18.

In the image transmitting device 18, the data receiving unit 31
Receives the print data and the address data, separates them, and stores the print data in the print data storage unit 32. Then, the image transmitting unit 35 starts communication with the facsimile machine 27 via the public line 26 according to the address data,
The capability acquisition unit 38 acquires information on the paper size and resolution that the facsimile machine 27 can print.

The print data interpreter 33 develops the print data stored in the print data storage 32 into an image based on the acquired paper size and resolution. Further, the image converter 34 converts the image into a facsimile image by a predetermined compression method. Then, the image transmitting unit 35 transmits the converted facsimile image to the facsimile device 27 via the public line 26. In this case, for example, if the print data consists of four pages, the facsimile image transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 27 has four pages as shown in FIG.

As described above, the image transmitting device 18 receives the print data created by the terminal 20 which does not have the facsimile communication function as a standard, and transmits the print data to the printable paper size of the facsimile device 27 which is the transmission partner. Since the image can be converted into a facsimile image based on the resolution and further converted to a facsimile image and transmitted to the facsimile device 27, a high-quality facsimile image according to the capability of the facsimile device 27 can be transmitted, and the practicability can be improved.
Further, the print data in the page description language is stored in the print data storage unit 32, and thereafter, when the capability obtaining unit 38 obtains information on the paper size and resolution from the facsimile apparatus 27, the print data is extracted from the print data storage unit 32. Since it is developed into an image, the print data storage unit 3
The print data stored in the print data storage unit 2 is code-format print data, and the print data storage unit 32 requires a small capacity.
Further, the destination facsimile machine 27 directly prints the print data.
Since the image data is developed into image data in accordance with the resolution, the resolution conversion processing can be omitted.

Although the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 20 to the facsimile apparatus 27 has been described as an example, the same applies to the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 28 to the facsimile apparatus 27.

In the capacity exchange phase executed by the capacity obtaining section 38, the paper size and resolution are obtained from the facsimile device 27, developed into an image based on the obtained size, and further converted into a facsimile image and transmitted. In addition, if the paper size and resolution obtained from the facsimile apparatus 27 are stored in the storage unit with address data attached thereto, the next time there is a transmission request to the facsimile apparatus 27, the corresponding paper size and resolution will be read from the storage unit. Can be read out and used, so that the capability exchange phase can be omitted in the communication with the facsimile machine 27 from the next time. Also, if known in advance, the printable paper size and resolution of the facsimile apparatus 27 may be input with address data from the outside, such as by key operation, and stored in the storage unit.

In this embodiment, in the capability exchange phase, the capability acquisition unit 38 acquires the paper size and resolution from the facsimile device 27, develops the image based on the acquired paper size and resolution, further converts the image into a facsimile image, and transmits the image. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and a standard paper size and resolution may be set in the storage unit in advance and used. This eliminates the need for the capability exchange phase of the capability acquisition unit 38 in communication with the facsimile machine 27, and thus the capability acquisition unit 38 can be omitted.

(Second Embodiment) The same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. This is, as shown in FIG.
Further, an image editing information storage unit 36 is provided. The image editing information storage unit 36 stores, as image editing information,
For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the print direction information 36a, the reduction ratio information 36b, the position information 36c, and the like in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction are stored. The position information 36a is, for example, 1
Position coordinates (Xs1, Ys1), (Xs2, Ys2), (Xs3, Y) of each page when reducing and printing a plurality of pages on a sheet of paper.
s3), (Xs4, Ys4),.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an image transmission process by the facsimile communication function by the image transmission device 18. First, in S11, the data receiving unit 31 sets the terminal 20,
When the destination address data and the print data are received from the server 28, they are separated, and in S12, the image editing information storage unit 3
6, the reduction ratio information 36b and the position information 36c are taken out,
In S13, the print data is stored in the print data storage unit 32.

Subsequently, in S14, the image transmitting unit 35 starts communication with the facsimile machine 27 or the Internet facsimile 23 which is the destination device. (Communication Establishment Phase) Subsequently, in S15, the capability acquisition unit 38 acquires the paper size and resolution of the destination device that can be printed out according to the facsimile communication procedure. (Capacity Exchange Phase) Subsequently, the transmission phases of S16 to S19 are executed. First, in step S16, print data is extracted from the print data storage unit 32. In step S17, print data is extracted according to the sheet size and resolution acquired by the print data interpretation unit 33, the extracted reduction ratio information, and the position coordinates of the position information. Expand to image. Then, in step S18, the image conversion unit 34 converts the image into a facsimile format.
, The image transmitting unit 35 transmits the facsimile image to the destination device.

In such a configuration, for example, when the terminal 20 transmits print data to the facsimile machine 27, first, the terminal 20 creates print data in a page description language, and transmits the print data to the facsimile machine 27. An address is attached to the image and transmitted to the image transmitting device 18.

In the image transmitting device 18, the data receiving unit 31
Receives the print data and the address data, separates them, extracts the position coordinates of the reduction ratio information 36b and the position information 36c from the image editing information storage unit 36, and stores the print data in the print data storage unit 32. Then, the image transmission unit 35
Starts communication with the facsimile machine 27 via the public line 26 in accordance with the address data, and the capability acquisition unit 38 acquires information on the paper size and resolution that the facsimile machine 27 can print.

The print data interpretation unit 33 develops the print data stored in the print data storage unit 32 into an image according to the acquired paper size, resolution, extracted reduction ratio information, and position coordinates of the position information. Further, the image converter 34 converts the image into a facsimile image by a predetermined compression method. Then, the image transmitting unit 35 transmits the converted facsimile image to the facsimile device 27 via the public line 26.

For example, the print data consists of four pages, and the reduction ratio xx% and the position coordinates (Xs1, Ys1), (Xs2, Ys)
2) If (Xs3, Ys3) and (Xs4, Ys4) are information that causes the print data of the four pages to be printed on one sheet of paper, the facsimile image transmitted to the facsimile device 27 is shown in FIG. As shown, an image to be printed on one sheet of four pages is obtained.

As described above, the image transmitting device 18 receives the print data created by the terminal 20 which does not have the facsimile communication function as a standard, and transmits the print data to the facsimile device 27 which is the transmission destination. Based on the resolution, further, the image is developed into an image based on the set reduction ratio and position coordinates, which can be further converted to a facsimile image and transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 27. Facsimile machine 2 that can convert to images with few pages and send
7 can transmit a high-quality facsimile image according to the capability of the computer 7 and improve the practicality. Since the print data composed of a plurality of pages can be converted into an image of a smaller number of pages and transmitted, the data amount and transmission time of facsimile communication can be reduced, and the facsimile device 27 can reduce the amount of print paper used. Can be.

In other respects, the same functions and effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. Although the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 20 to the facsimile apparatus 27 has been described as an example, the same applies to the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 28 to the facsimile apparatus 27.

In this embodiment, in the capacity exchange phase, the capacity acquisition unit 38 acquires the paper size and resolution from the facsimile machine 27, develops the image based on the acquired paper size and resolution, further converts the image into a facsimile image, and transmits the image. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and a standard paper size and resolution may be set in the storage unit in advance and used. This eliminates the need for the capability exchange phase of the capability acquisition unit 38 in communication with the facsimile machine 27, and thus the capability acquisition unit 38 can be omitted.

(Third Embodiment) The same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. This embodiment is directed to an Internet facsimile machine 2 in which a destination device attaches an image to an e-mail and transmits the image.
Case 3 will be described.

If the destination device is an Internet facsimile, the data is compressed and converted to TIFF file data and transmitted. IETF (Internet Engineering Task Forc)
e) When sending an image to the destination device for the first time in the Internet facsimile, send the destination device an e-mail to confirm the arrival of the image. The returned e-mail contains a paper size and resolution that can be processed by the destination. There is a communication method that requires the addition of such information. Then, the transmission source device that has received the response e-mail receives and stores the paper size and resolution added to the e-mail, and develops and transmits an image based on the stored paper size and resolution when transmitting thereafter. become.

As shown in FIG. 11, the image transmitting device 18
In addition, an electronic mail communication unit 37 is provided in place of the image transmission unit 35, and an editing information acquisition unit 39 is newly provided. The editing information acquiring section 39 receives an e-mail from the Internet facsimile, which indicates an incoming call confirmation, and acquires, as image editing information, printing direction information, reduction ratio information, position information, a destination address, and the like.

Further, the image editing information storage unit 36
As shown in FIG. 3, the print direction information 36
a, reduction rate information 36b, position information 36c, transmission destination address information 36d, and the like.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a transmission process when the image transmission device 18 transmits an incoming request electronic mail to the Internet facsimile machine 23. First, S21
When the data receiving unit 31 receives the destination address data and the print data from the terminals 20 and 28, the data receiving unit 31 separates them and stores the print data in the print data storage unit 32 in S22.

Subsequently, in S22, the print data interpreter 3
Reference numeral 3 develops print data into an image in accordance with a specified paper size and resolution. And in S23,
The image conversion unit 34 converts the image into the format of the Internet facsimile 23, and in S24, the e-mail communication unit 37 attaches the facsimile image to the e-mail, requests reception confirmation, and transmits it.

FIG. 14 shows an e-mail receiving process for confirming the incoming call from the Internet facsimile 23 when the image transmitting apparatus 18 requests the Internet facsimile 23 to confirm the incoming call. When an e-mail indicating the arrival confirmation as shown in FIG. 15 is received from the facsimile machine 23, the e-mail is analyzed, and from this e-mail, reduction rate information (image-reduction-rate 50%) d1 and printing direction information (image) -rotate-landscape) d2, page position coordinate information ｛1
st-page-coordinate (Xs1, Ys1), 2nd-page-coordinate (X
s2, Ys2), 3rd-page-coordinate (Xs3, Ys3), 4th-page-co
ordinate (Xs4, Ys4)} d3, destination e-mail address d4, paper size (paper-size = A4) d5, resolution (dp
i = 300, dpi-xyratio = 1) Take out d6. Subsequently, S32
Then, the extracted reduction ratio, page position coordinates, printing direction, and e-mail address are stored in the image editing information storage unit 36.

FIG. 16 shows that the image transmitting device 18 is the terminal 2
0, 28, the print data is received, edited, developed, and transmitted to the Internet facsimile machine 23. At S41, the data receiving unit 31 transmits the print data from the terminals 20, 28 to the destination address data. When print data is received, it is separated and taken out. And S42
It is determined whether or not the extracted e-mail address as the destination address is stored in the image editing information storage unit 36.

If the electronic mail address of the transmission destination is stored, in S43, each information of the resolution, the paper size, the printing direction, the reduction ratio, and the printing coordinates of the page is extracted from the image editing information storage unit 36, and the process proceeds to S44. The print data interpretation unit 33 develops the image into an image based on the resolution, paper size, reduction ratio, page print coordinates, and print direction. And S45
, The image image developed by the image conversion unit 34 is converted into the format of the Internet facsimile 23,
In S46, the e-mail communication unit 37 attaches the facsimile image to the e-mail, requests reception confirmation, and transmits it.

If the destination e-mail address is not stored in the image editing information storage section 36, the print data interpreting section 33 converts the print data based on only the specified paper size and resolution in S47. Expand to image. Then, in S45, the image image developed by the image conversion unit 34 is converted into the format of the Internet facsimile 23, and in S46, the facsimile image is attached to the e-mail by the e-mail communication unit 37, and the incoming confirmation request is transmitted. I do.

In such a configuration, for example, when the terminal 20 transmits print data to the Internet facsimile machine 23, first, the terminal 20 creates print data in a page description language, and transmits the print data to the Internet facsimile machine 23. An e-mail address, which is an address, is sent to the image transmitting device 18.

In the image transmitting device 18, the data receiving unit 31
Receives the print data and the e-mail address and separates them, and this e-mail address is stored in the image editing information storage unit 3.
It is checked whether it is stored in 6. If the transmission of the print data from the terminal 20 to the Internet facsimile machine 23 is the first time, since the electronic mail address is not stored in the image editing information storage unit 36, the paper size specified by the print data interpretation unit 33 The image conversion unit 34 converts the developed image image into a format of the Internet facsimile 23, and further, the e-mail communication unit 37 attaches the facsimile image to the e-mail and requests reception confirmation. Send.

By this transmission, an e-mail indicating the arrival confirmation is transmitted from the Internet facsimile machine 23, so that the image transmitting device 18 starts the e-mail reception processing indicating the arrival confirmation shown in FIG. The paper size, resolution, reduction ratio, printing direction, page position coordinates, and e-mail address are read and stored in the image editing information storage unit 36.

Therefore, when the terminal 20 next transmits print data to the Internet facsimile machine 23, the paper size, resolution, reduction ratio, print direction, page position coordinates and e-mail address are already stored in the image editing information storage section 36. Since the information is stored, each information of the paper size, resolution, reduction ratio, printing direction, and page position coordinate is extracted from the image editing information storage unit 36, and the paper size, resolution, reduction ratio,
The print data interpreting unit 33 develops the print data into an image based on each information of the print direction and the position coordinates of the page.

As described above, when transmitting the print data created by the terminal 20 which does not have the facsimile communication function as a standard to the Internet facsimile 23, the image transmission device 18 first defines the print data for the Internet facsimile 23. Is converted to a facsimile image and sent to an e-mail with the paper size and resolution being transmitted.
3 will receive an e-mail indicating an incoming call confirmation. The e-mail includes the information required by the Internet facsimile 23 such as the resolution, paper size, reduction ratio, printing direction, and page position coordinates, and the e-mail address. By storing the data in the storage unit 36, when the print data is transmitted to the Internet facsimile 23 from the next time onward, the print data is developed into an image based on the stored information, and further converted to a facsimile image and transmitted.

Therefore, various facsimile images edited according to the request from the Internet facsimile can be transmitted, and the practicality can be improved. In addition, since print data composed of a plurality of pages can be converted into an image of a smaller number of pages and transmitted, the data amount and transmission time during communication can be reduced. Further, it is possible to reduce a print amount when a facsimile image is printed by the Internet facsimile 23. In other respects, the same function and effect as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Although the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 20 to the Internet facsimile 23 has been described as an example, the same applies to the case where the print data is transmitted from the terminal 28 to the Internet facsimile 23.

[0060]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, print data can be developed into image data and transmitted based on the capability information of the facsimile apparatus of the transmission destination, and can be transmitted in accordance with the capabilities of the transmission destination. High-quality facsimile images can be transmitted, and practicability can be improved. According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, print data can be variously edited and developed into image data and transmitted, and various facsimile images can be transmitted to a transmission destination, thereby improving the practicality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image transmitting apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view for explaining a protocol when a data receiving unit of the image transmitting apparatus according to the embodiment receives print data from a terminal;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format of data received from a terminal by a data receiving unit of the image transmitting apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing image transmission processing by a facsimile communication function of the image transmission device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a facsimile image transmitted from the image transmitting apparatus to the facsimile apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image transmission device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing image transmission processing by a facsimile communication function of the image transmission device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of information stored in an image editing information storage unit of the image transmitting apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of a facsimile image transmitted from the image transmitting apparatus to the facsimile apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image transmission device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in an image editing information storage unit of the image transmitting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a transmission process when the image transmitting apparatus transmits an incoming request e-mail to the Internet facsimile in the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a reception process from the Internet facsimile when the image transmission apparatus according to the embodiment requests the Internet facsimile to confirm an incoming call;

FIG. 15 is a view showing an example of an e-mail indicating an incoming call confirmation received by the image transmitting apparatus from the Internet facsimile in the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an e-mail transmission process of the image transmitting apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 18 image transmitting device 20, 28 terminal 23 Internet facsimile 27 facsimile device 31 data receiving unit 33 print data interpreting unit 34 image converting unit 35 image transmitting unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source and transmission destination address data of the print data, and printing for expanding the print data received by the data reception means into image data. Data interpreting means, image converting means for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting means into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, Image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to a destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, wherein the print data interpreting means has a capability of the destination facsimile apparatus. An image transmitting apparatus for developing print data into image data using information. 2. A data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source and transmission destination address data of the print data, and printing for expanding the print data received by the data reception means into image data. Data interpreting means, image converting means for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting means into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, Image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and capability acquisition for acquiring capability information transmitted from the destination facsimile apparatus Means, and the print data interpreting means includes a transmission destination acquired by the capability acquiring means. An image transmitting apparatus for developing print data into image data using capability information of a facsimile apparatus. 3. A data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source and destination address data of the print data, and a print for expanding the print data received by the data reception means into image data. Data interpreting means, image converting means for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting means into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, Image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to a destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and image editing information storing means for storing editing information of the image data to be transmitted Wherein the print data interpretation means is stored in the image editing information storage means. An image transmitting apparatus for developing print data into image data using editing information. 4. A data receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus of a transmission source and transmission destination address data of the print data, and printing for expanding the print data received by the data reception means into image data. Data interpreting means, image converting means for converting the image data expanded by the print data interpreting means into image data in a format matching the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, Image transmitting means for transmitting the image data converted by the image converting means to the destination facsimile apparatus designated by the destination address data received by the data receiving means, and editing information obtaining means for obtaining editing information from the destination facsimile apparatus And an image editing information storage means for storing the editing information obtained by the editing information obtaining means. An image transmitting apparatus, wherein the print data interpreting means expands the print data into image data using the editing information stored in the image editing information storage means.