JP2001285652A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal that can sufficiently keep the secrecy in image communication. SOLUTION: When a line number of a station sending image data is registered, facsimile machine 1 does not print out the received image data but stores the data to an image memory 6, and prints out the data when printing is instructed. However, the facsimile machine 1 does not execute the printing without the entry of a proper password. Thus, the contents of image communication are prevented from being known to others and the secrecy of communication can be kept.

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 for receiving and printing an image transmitted from a station connected via a public line network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a communication terminal device for receiving an image transmitted from a station connected via a public line network and printing the image on a sheet, that is, a so-called FAX device. A general facsimile apparatus includes an image memory for storing an image transmitted from a station connected via a public line network, temporarily stores a received image in the image memory, and stores the image stored in the image memory. It is printed. As described above, once the received image is stored in the image memory, the printing speed is slower than the communication speed. Therefore, if the communication speed is adjusted to the printing speed, the line connection time becomes longer and the line usage fee is increased. Because it is bulky.

[0003]

However, although the conventional FAX apparatus temporarily stores the received image in the image memory as described above, it prints immediately after the start of the reception of the image data or the disconnection of the line. I was For this reason,
The transmitted image is also seen by a person who is not the recipient, and there is a problem that the secret of the communication is not kept.

To solve the above problem, there has been proposed an apparatus which stores a received image in an image memory and executes printing of the image stored in the image memory when a password is input (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 1-1-1). No. 190079). In this device, the received image cannot be seen by another person (a person who is not the recipient) who does not know the password, and the secret of the communication can be protected. However, the above publication discloses the identification code (such as the name or code of the recipient) from the protocol received first.
It is disclosed that the name of the recipient is stored in the image memory as the file name of the received image, but the name of the recipient is not transmitted in the ordinary FAX communication using the public line network. The device was applied only to the communication system. In addition, since the password input when printing the image stored in the image memory is also received, there is a problem of how to make the transmitted password recognized by the recipient, which is a recipient. It was not feasible.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal device capable of sufficiently protecting the secret in image data communication.

[0006]

A communication terminal device according to the present invention has the following arrangement to solve the above-mentioned problems.

(1) Communication means for acquiring a line number of a station when a line connection is requested from an arbitrary station via a public line network and receiving image data transmitted after the line connection. Printing means for printing the image data received by the communication means, image storage means for storing the image data received by the communication means, line number storage means for storing a previously registered line number, If the line number of the connected station is stored in the line number storage means, there is provided a print restricting means for restricting the printing of the image data received by the communication means.

(2) The print means is provided with a print instruction means for instructing execution of printing of the image data stored in the image storage means.

(3) The line number storage means has a storage area for storing a plurality of line numbers in association with a specific code, and the print instruction means, when a specific code is inputted, The image data received from the station of the line number associated with the specific code inputted in the image data stored in the image storage means is extracted, and printing of the extracted image data is instructed.

(4) The line number storage means has a storage area for storing information in which a plurality of line numbers are associated with the specific code for each identification name.

(5) There is provided a display means for displaying the number of image data stored in the image storage means.

(6) The line number storage means requests the input of the specific code when the registered content is changed.

(7) If the image data for instructing printing is not stored in the image storage means, the print instructing means instructs the output to that effect.

In the above arrangement, the communication means acquires the line number of the station that has transmitted the connection request via the public line network, and connects the line with the station to receive image data. The method of acquiring the line number of the station that has transmitted the connection request can be easily realized by using a known caller ID notification service. The caller ID notification service is a service in which an exchange arranged in a public line network notifies a receiver of a line number of a caller.

The print restricting means restricts the printing of the received image data if the acquired transmission side line number is stored in the line number storage means, and holds the received image data in the image data storage section.

Therefore, if the line number of the partner whose communication is desired to be kept secret is stored in the line number storage means, the image data transmitted from the station of this line number is not printed at the time of reception. The contents of the communication are not seen by others, and the secret of the communication can be kept. In addition, if there is no problem even if the contents of the communication are known to another person, image data has been transmitted as in the related art unless the line number of the other party is stored in the line number storage means. Since printing is sometimes performed, it is not necessary to keep the received image data in the image storage means forever, and the storage capacity of the image storage means can be reduced, thereby preventing an increase in the cost of the apparatus main body.

For the image data stored in the image storage means, printing can be instructed by the print instructing means.

Further, in order to instruct the execution of printing, a specific code, a so-called password, must be input, so that another person who does not know the specific code cannot perform printing without permission.

Further, since information in which a line number is associated with a specific code for each identification name can be stored, the apparatus main body can be shared by a plurality of persons while sufficiently keeping the communication secret.

Further, since the number of image data stored in the image data storage section is displayed, the presence or absence of unprinted image data can be easily determined. Further, the line number storage means requires the input of the specific code even when the registered content is changed, so that another person cannot change the registered code without permission.

Furthermore, if there is no image data to be printed in the image data storage section, an instruction to that effect is issued, so that the user can easily determine the presence or absence of image data.

[0022]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The facsimile apparatus 1 includes a control unit 2 for controlling the operation of the main body, an input unit 3 in which keys for performing an input operation are arranged, a display unit 4 for performing a display corresponding to the input operation on the input unit 3, and a public device. A communication section 5 for controlling communication with a station (another facsimile apparatus) connected via a network 10; an image memory 6 for storing received image data; and a printing section 7 for printing a received image
And an image reading section 8 for reading an image drawn on the document. The control unit 2 is provided with a ROM that stores an operation control program and a RAM that stores control data and the like generated during operation. The image reading section 8 reads an image to be transmitted from a document when transmitting the image.

The FAX apparatus 1 of this embodiment can transmit and receive image data to and from a station connected via the public line network 10, similarly to a known apparatus. The line number table 11 shown in FIG. 2 is stored in the RAM provided in the control unit 2. This line number table 11
Each user has a storage area for storing an identification name for identifying the user, a password of the user, and a plurality of line numbers in association with each other. The identification name may be a user's name, a handle name, or the like. Further, the information stored in the line number table 11 can be freely changed by the user, but at the time of the change, it is necessary to input a password as described later, and only the information corresponding to the input password is required. Can be changed. At this time, the password can be changed.

Hereinafter, the operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The description of the operation at the time of transmission is omitted here. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation at the time of reception. When a connection request is transmitted from the public line network 10, the FAX machine 1 shifts to the reception mode shown in FIG. 3 and executes the following processing. The line number of the station requesting the line connection is obtained, and the line connection with the station is made (s1, s2). The line number of the station requesting the line connection has been notified immediately before from the exchange provided in the public line network 10 by a known caller number notification service. Further, in this caller ID notification service, the caller does not have to perform any special operation to notify the line number of the own station to the receiving side, so that the caller does not feel troublesome.

When the line with the station requesting the line connection is connected, the facsimile device 1 performs a receiving process of receiving an image transmitted through the public line network 10 (s3,
s4). The receiving process is a process of storing the transmitted image data in the image memory 6. Note that the fax apparatus 1 of this embodiment prints an image received after the line is disconnected. When the communication with the station connected to the line is completed, the facsimile device 1 disconnects the line with the station (s5).

The facsimile apparatus 1 determines whether or not a line number that matches the line number obtained in s1 after the line is disconnected is stored in the line number table 11 (s6). s
In step 6, it is not determined whether there is a line number corresponding only to the line number associated with the specific identification name stored in the line number table 11, but the line number is stored in the line number table 11. It is determined whether there is a matching line number for all line numbers. If a matching line number is not stored in the line number table 11, a printing process for printing the image received by the printing unit 7 is executed (s7), and image data related to the printed image stored in the image memory 6 is executed. Is deleted and the present process is terminated (s8).

On the other hand, if the line number obtained in s1 is stored in the line number table 11, it is received in s4, a file name is given to the image data stored in the image memory 6, and the process is terminated (s9). ). The file name given to the image data in s9 is obtained by adding the serial number to the identification name of the user whose line number corresponding to the line number table 11 is stored. For example, if the matching line number is associated with the identification name "Yamada Ichiro" in the line number table 11, a file name "Yamada Ichiro n" is assigned (n is a serial number). In s9, the same file name as the file name of the image data already stored in the image memory 6 is not assigned.

As described above, the facsimile apparatus 1 of this embodiment
When an image is transmitted from a station whose line number is stored in the line number table 11, the image is not printed at the time of reception, so that the image can be prevented from being seen by others.
Further, an image transmitted from a station whose line number is not stored in the line number table 11 is printed at the time of reception, and is deleted from the image memory 6. Therefore, if you have a problem with others knowing your communication,
If the line number of the other party is stored in the line number table 11, the secrecy of the communication can be kept. If the other party has no problem even if the contents of the communication are known to others, unless the line number of the other party is stored in the line number table 11, the image transmitted at the time of reception is printed and the received Since the image is deleted from the image memory 6, the storage capacity of the image memory 6 can be reduced, and as a result, the cost of the apparatus main body can be reduced.

Next, the operation of printing the image data stored in the image memory 6 will be described. The user operates the print key provided on the input unit 3 to shift the FAX machine 1 to the print mode. FIG.
9 is a flowchart showing a print mode process. F
The AX device 1 receives the input of the password (s11),
It is determined whether the input password matches one of the user passwords registered in the line number table 11 (whether the password is an appropriate password) (s12). When a password that does not match the passwords of all users registered in the line number table 11 is input, the FAX machine 1 performs an error process and ends the process (s13). In this case, the image stored in the image memory 6 is not printed.

On the other hand, if the password matches one of the user passwords registered in the line number table 11,
It is determined whether or not the image transmitted to the user whose password matches is stored in the image memory 6 (s14). In s14, it is determined whether or not image data of a file name including the identification name of the user (the user whose password matches) is stored in the image memory 6. If the image data addressed to the user is not stored in the image memory 6, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 4 and the process is terminated (s15). In s15, for example, as shown in FIG. Is displayed so that the user can recognize that the fax addressed to the user has not arrived.

If the image data for the user is stored in the image memory 6, the fact is displayed on the display unit 4 (s16). In s16, for example, as shown in FIG. Is displayed, and the user is notified that the facsimile addressed to the user has arrived and the number of cases. Further, the facsimile apparatus 1 causes the printing unit 7 to execute a printing process of all the image data addressed to the user stored in the image memory 6 and deletes the image data printed here from the image memory 6 (s17). To s19).

As described above, the facsimile apparatus 1 of this embodiment
Since the display unit 4 is used to inform the user of the number of receptions, it is possible to prevent forgetting to take out the printed paper. Also, since you need to enter a password,
The secret of the communication can be protected without being printed without permission by others who do not know the password.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the user can freely change the information stored in the line number table 11. The user operates the registration / change key provided on the input unit 3 to shift the main body to the registration / change mode. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing in the registration / change mode. The facsimile apparatus 1 receives the input of the password or the new registration (s21, s2
2). When the password is input, it is determined whether the input password matches any one of the passwords of the users registered in the line number table 11 (s23). Here, if the password does not match any user's password, error processing is performed and this processing ends (s24).

On the other hand, if the password matches any one of the passwords,
The changed contents of the identification name, the password, and the line number are received (s25). In s25, the identification name, password, and line number of the corresponding user are displayed on the display unit 4 (see FIG. 7), and the user operates the input unit 3 to move the cursor.
Perform the change input operation. Then, when the update key provided on the input unit 3 is operated, the facsimile apparatus 1 operates (s2).
6) The identification name, password, and line number of the user are updated based on the content of the change received in s25 (s2).
7), end this processing. Step s27 is processing for updating the storage content of the line number storage table 11.

On the other hand, when the new registration key is operated instead of the password, the facsimile apparatus 1 proceeds to s25 to accept the registered contents, and executes the processing of s26 and s27.

As described above, the facsimile apparatus 1 of this embodiment
Thus, even when updating the line number table 11, it is necessary to input a password, so that others cannot change the password without permission, and the secret of communication can be protected.

Further, the number of image data stored in the image memory 6 (the number of received data) is always displayed on the display unit 4 for each user whose identification name is registered in the line number storage table 11. May be. For example, the display unit 4
May be configured to display the screen shown in FIG.
With this configuration, the user can judge the presence or absence of the fax transmitted to the user only by checking the display of the display unit 4 without performing any operation on the fax device 1 body. Operability can be further improved.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, when image data is transmitted from a station whose line number is stored in the line number storage means, the printing of the image data is regulated. Therefore, the secret of communication can be kept. In addition, if the other party has no problem even if the communication contents are known to another person, the image transmitted at the time of reception is printed unless the other party's line number is stored in the line number storage means. There is no problem even if the image is deleted from the image storage unit, the storage capacity of the image storage unit is reduced, and as a result, the cost of the apparatus main body can be suppressed.

Further, when printing image data stored in the image storage means or changing the registered contents of the line number storage means, a password must be entered. There is no problem that the registered contents are changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a line number table provided in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing in a reception mode of the FAX apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a print mode process of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example on a display unit of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing in a registration / change mode of the FAX apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a display unit of the FAX apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example on a display unit of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-FAX device 2-Control unit 3-Input unit 4-Display unit 5-Communication unit 6-Image memory 7-Print unit 8-Image reading unit 10-Public line network 11-Line number table

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A communication means for acquiring a line number of a station when a line connection is requested from an arbitrary station via a public line network, and receiving image data transmitted after the line connection. A printing unit for printing the image data received by the communication unit; an image storage unit for storing the image data received by the communication unit; a line number storage unit for storing a line number registered in advance; A communication control unit for controlling printing of the image data received by the communication unit, if the line number of the selected station is stored in the line number storage unit. 2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising print instruction means for instructing said printing means to execute printing of image data stored in said image storage means. 3. The line number storage means has a storage area for storing a plurality of line numbers in association with a specific code, and the print instructing means stores the image when a specific code is input. A method for extracting image data received from a station having a line number associated with a specific code input in image data stored in a storage means, and instructing execution of printing of the extracted image data. 1 or 2
A communication terminal device according to claim 1. 4. The communication terminal device according to claim 3, wherein said line number storage means has a storage area for storing information in which a plurality of line numbers are associated with said specific code for each identification name. 5. A display unit for displaying the number of image data stored in said image storage unit.
The communication terminal device according to any one of the above. 6. The line number storage means requests the input of the specific code when a registration content is changed.
The communication terminal device according to any one of the above. 7. The printing instruction means, if image data for instructing printing is not stored in the image storage means,
The communication terminal device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein an instruction to output the effect is given.