JP2001337905A - Image communication device and image control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image communication device and an image control method capable of preventing an image file stored in the image communication device from continuously occupying a storage section unnecessarily and saving the data capacity of the image data stored in the storage section. SOLUTION: This image communication device is provided with an image data input means inputting image data, an image data storage means storing the image data inputted by the image data input means, an electronic mail transmitting means transmitting the data of the prescribed format on the image data inputted by the image data input means as an electronic mail, an image data distributing means distributing the desired image data to the addressee of the electronic mail transmitted from the electronic mail transmitting means, and an image data contraction processing means contraction-processing the image data stored in the image data storage means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data using an Internet technology such as an electronic mail system and a WWW (World Wide Web) system, and an image management method therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a WWW system using a computer communication network has been attracting attention as an image information communication system due to the spread of the Internet.

[0003] The WWW system is a client / server system based on a communication protocol called TCP / IP, similar to an Internet application such as an electronic mail, and includes a client application having a GUI (graphical user interface) called a WWW browser; A WWW server application develops as an information search / browsing system realized by communicating not only image information but also data handled on a computer, such as text, audio, and moving images, and such a WWW system. While various services using the Internet have been proposed and realized, new attempts have been made in the field of image communication using a facsimile apparatus and electronic mail.

As an example, an image communication system using a WWW system and electronic mail will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image communication device 10a used in a WWW system.

In the image communication device 10a, the CPU 1
1a controls each part of the apparatus. The display unit 12 performs various kinds of displays such as a display for prompting an operation of an apparatus and an operator, and the operation unit 13 inputs an instruction from the operator according to the display of the display unit 12, and operates a key input button, a mouse, It is composed of a pointing device, a touch panel, and the like.

The storage unit 14a stores data such as an input image as a file, the communication control unit 15 controls connection to a network outside the apparatus, and the image input unit 18 and the image output unit 19 These are connected to the output control unit 17 and are controlled according to instructions from the CPU unit 11a. Further, the image processing section 16 converts image quality such as resolution.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image communication system 100a including a conventional image communication device 10a.

In the image communication system 100a, the image communication device 10a includes an image input / output function, a TCP
/ IP network communication function, WWW server function, and e-mail transmission / reception function. Terminal 30
Is a terminal registered as a reply destination when an image is transmitted from the image communication device 10a.
0a is a terminal registered as an image transmission destination, and is a computer terminal (CP
U section, memory section, display section, etc.).

The mail server 20 is a server that provides an electronic mail service to each terminal connected to the network. Image communication device 10a, mail server 20,
The reply destination terminal 30 and the transmission destination terminal 40 are connected via a network 50, respectively.

Next, the operation of the conventional image communication device 10a will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the conventional image communication apparatus 10a until the transmission operator registers the image data and transmits the e-mail to the transmission destination.

First, the transmission operator sets the image communication device 10a.
The document to be transmitted is set in the image input unit 18 of (1).
1) According to the guide by the display unit 12, a transmission destination and a reply destination are set via the operation unit 13 (S12). At this time, the input of a fixed phrase or comment prepared in advance may be added by an operation of the operator or preliminary setting.

Next, a key input for starting transmission is waited for (S13), and when a transmission start instruction is given by the operator via the operation unit 13, the image data is read (S14) and stored in the storage unit 14a. Save as a file.

Then, the location of this image file is stored in the HTM
L (HyperText Markup Langua)
ge) (S15), and is stored in the storage unit 14a as an HTML file. Regarding the location of the HTML file, a URL (Uniform Resource) that represents information resources on the Internet in a unified manner is provided.
ce Locator).

[0016] Here, the URL is an integrated representation of information resources on the Internet, and its general format is shown below.

Resource_type: /// hos
t. domain / path resource_type represents a protocol or a service to be used.
(HyperText Transfer Proto
col). Others are gopher,
Although there are ftp, nntp, etc., the description of each is omitted. In addition, host. domain indicates the address of the server to be accessed on the Internet.
It is specified in the form of a P address or a domain name. Here, the IP address of a WWW server in the device is specified. Further, path indicates the position of the file on the server. For example, the location of the HTML file is represented as follows.

Http: // Server_ip_ad
dress / ▲▲▲ / ×××. html Next, the transmission destination and reply destination set in step S12,
A transmission document is created based on the format of an existing general-purpose e-mail, such as inputting a fixed phrase or a comment (S16). Attach.

The e-mail transmission document created in this way is transmitted as an e-mail to the specified transmission destination by the e-mail transmission function of the image communication apparatus 10a (S17), and is transmitted via the mail server 20. , To the destination terminal 40.

Next, the recipient of the destination is the destination terminal 40
Then, the contents of the e-mail document received by the e-mail client application are confirmed, and an access requesting a desired HTML file to the image communication device 10a is made by the WWW browser from the URL described in the e-mail text.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of managing images after transmitting an e-mail in the conventional image communication apparatus 10a.

Image communication device 10 having WWW server function
a waits for a predetermined access from the destination terminal 40 (S
21) When receiving this, the HTML file specified in response to the request from the destination terminal 40 and the image file described in the HTML file are distributed (S22). As a result, the recipient of the e-mail can confirm the image transmitted from the image communication device 10a as a visible image on the display unit of the destination terminal 40. The image communication device 10a
After distributing the desired image data, this image file is deleted from the storage unit (S23), thereby ending a series of operations.

[0023]

However, in the above-described conventional image communication apparatus, after storing the image file in the storage unit and sending the electronic mail to the destination computer terminal,
Receives predetermined access from the destination computer terminal,
Until the image file is distributed, it is necessary to store the image file, and there is a problem that the storage unit having a limited capacity cannot be used efficiently.

For example, when the electronic mail transmitted from the image communication device does not reach the receiver correctly, or when the recipient of the transmission destination cannot receive the electronic mail for some reason, the storage portion of the image communication device is used. The stored image file does not receive the distribution request of the image file from the receiver, and thus continuously occupies a predetermined data capacity of the storage unit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent an image file stored in an image communication apparatus from continuously occupying the storage unit unnecessarily, and to reduce an amount of image data stored in the storage unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device and an image management method therefor.

[0026]

According to the present invention, there is provided image data input means for inputting image data, image data storage means for storing image data input by the image data input means, and image data input means. E-mail transmitting means for transmitting, as an e-mail, data in a predetermined format relating to the input image data, and distributing desired image data in response to access from a destination of the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmitting means. An image communication apparatus comprising: an image data distribution unit; and an image data reduction processing unit configured to reduce image data stored in the image data storage unit.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image communication apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the image communication apparatus 10 is basically the same as that of the image communication apparatus 10a shown in FIG.
The image communication device 10a is different from the image communication device 10a only in that a CPU unit 11 is provided instead of the unit 11a and a storage unit 14 is provided instead of the storage unit 14a.

The operation section 13 is an example of image data input means for inputting image data, and the storage section 14 is an example of image data storage means for storing the image data input by the image data input means.

The CPU section 11 is an example of an electronic mail transmitting means for transmitting, as an electronic mail, data of a predetermined format relating to the image data input by the image data inputting means, and transmitting the electronic mail transmitted by the electronic mail transmitting means. This is an example of image data distribution means for distributing desired image data in response to an access from the beginning.

The image processing section 16 is an example of image data reduction processing means for performing reduction processing on image data stored in the image data storage means.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image communication system 100 including the image communication device 10.

The image communication system 100 is basically the same as the image communication system 100a.
The difference from the image communication system 100a is that an image communication device 10 is provided instead of 0a.

Further, in the image communication apparatus 10, in the image communication operation, from the operation of registering the image data to the operation of notifying the transmission to the destination of the transmission using the e-mail,
This is the same as the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of image management after sending an electronic mail notifying of image transmission in the above embodiment.

After transmitting an e-mail notifying that an image is to be transmitted to the destination terminal 40, the image communication apparatus 10 waits for a predetermined access from the destination terminal 40 (S1). HTM specified for the request of
The L file and the image file described in the HTML file are distributed (S8).

After distributing the image file (S8), the image communication device 10 deletes the distributed image file from the storage unit 14 (S7). Here, if there is no access from the destination terminal (S1), step S
Move to 2. If the image communication device 10 does not perform the image distribution operation between the storage period of the image file stored in the storage unit 14 and the predetermined period, the image communication device 10 performs a predetermined time period for performing the reduction process on the image data in the image file. Is set in advance.

The CPU section 11 determines from the file information of the image file whether or not the storage period has expired (S2). Here, if it is determined that the storage period has not ended, it is determined whether a predetermined time for performing the reduction process on the image data has elapsed (S3). If the CPU unit 11 determines that the predetermined time has not elapsed (S3), the process returns to step S1.

When it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed (S
3) The CPU unit 11 instructs the image processing unit 16 to reduce the image data (S4). Image processing unit 16
Reads the image file stored in the storage unit 14,
The image data is reduced. Then, a reduced image file is generated and stored in the storage unit 14, and the original image file is deleted to reduce the data capacity of the image data stored in the storage unit 14. After the image data reduction processing is completed, the process returns to step S1.

Next, when the CPU unit 11 determines that the storage period of the image file has expired (S2), the CPU unit 11 determines that the image file registered in the flowchart of FIG. Create an e-mail document to notify you that it was not delivered to
The image file stored in the storage unit 14 is attached to the electronic mail document (S5).

Then, the electronic mail is transmitted to the reply destination set in step S2 (S6). Subsequently, the image file stored in the storage unit 14 is deleted (S
7).

The determination of the end of the storage period of the image file in step S2 is not based on the preset time, but is performed in steps S3 and S4 every time a predetermined time elapses. The data amount of the data may be used as the criterion in step S2.

According to the above embodiment, in an image communication apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data using an electronic mail system and an Internet technology such as a WWW system,
If the image distribution operation is not performed for a predetermined time after the image file to be transmitted is registered in the storage unit, the image data in the image file is reduced, and the image file registered in the storage unit is stored in the storage unit. If the image distribution operation is not performed during the storage period, the image file is returned to the sender, and the image file stored in the image communication device is not required by deleting the image file in the storage unit. It is possible to prevent the storage unit from being occupied continuously, and to save the data capacity of the image data stored in the storage unit.

[0044]

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the image file stored in the image communication apparatus from unnecessarily occupying the storage unit, and to save the data capacity of the image data stored in the storage unit. It has the effect of being able to do so.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image communication device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an image communication system 10 including the image communication device 10.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a 0.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an image management operation after transmitting an electronic mail notifying of image transmission in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image communication device 10a used in a WWW system.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image communication system 100a including a conventional image communication device 10a.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the conventional image communication apparatus 10a in which the transmission operator registers image data and transmits an e-mail to a transmission destination.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of managing an image after transmitting an e-mail in the conventional image communication apparatus 10a.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image communication apparatus, 11 ... CPU part, 12 ... Display part, 13 ... Operation part, 14 ... Storage part, 15 ... Communication control part, 16 ... Image processing part, 17 ... Image input / output control part, 18 ... Image input Unit, 19 ... Image output unit.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B082 AA13 5C062 AA05 AB02 AB42 AC23 AC29 AF02 AF11 AF13 BA01 BC01 BD09 5C073 AA06 BB02 BC04 BD03 CD05 CD13 CE10 5C075 BA08 CA07 CA90 CF01 FF90

Claims (6)

[Claims] An image data input unit for inputting image data; an image data storage unit for storing image data input by the image data input unit; a predetermined format relating to the image data input by the image data input unit E-mail transmitting means for transmitting the data as an e-mail; image data distributing means for distributing desired image data in response to access from the transmission destination of the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmitting means; Image data reduction processing means for reducing image data stored in the data storage means. 2. An image data inputting step of inputting image data; an image data storing step of storing the image data input in the image data inputting step; a predetermined format relating to the image data input in the image data inputting step Sending an e-mail as an e-mail;
An image data distribution step of distributing desired image data in response to an access from a transmission destination of the e-mail transmitted in the e-mail transmission step; and image data for reducing the image data stored in the image data storage step An image management method for an image communication device, comprising: 3. The image data reduction processing step according to claim 2, wherein the image data stored in the image data storage step is not distributed in the image data distribution step for a predetermined time. An image management method for an image communication device, comprising: 4. The electronic mail transmission according to claim 2, wherein the image data stored in the image data storage step is not distributed in the image data distribution step during a predetermined storage period. An image management method for an image communication apparatus, comprising: attaching an image data to an e-mail document notifying that the image data has not been delivered, and returning the image data to a sender. 5. The electronic mail sending step according to claim 3, wherein, if the image data reduced in the image data reduction processing step is smaller than a predetermined data amount, the electronic mail sending step notifies that the image data has not been delivered. An image management method for an image communication apparatus, wherein the image data is attached to an e-mail document to be sent back to the sender. 6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image data to be returned to the sender is deleted from the image data stored in the image data storage step. Image management method.