JP2002032303A - Image reader and image communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader, capable of transmitting image data by e-mail with a simple operation by using a convenient operation panel. SOLUTION: When e-mail, including a destination address to which the image data should be transmitted, is received from a mail terminal, a destination ID is attached to the destination address and returned to the mail terminal by e-mail (step S1). Next, an image read part reads its original and prepares the image data (step S2). When the destination, to which the image data should be transmitted, is designated with the destination ID, the image data are attached to e-mail and transmitted to the designated destination (step S3). When a user instructs the destination to be registered, the destination address and the destination ID are stored (step S4).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus connected to a network, and more particularly to an improvement in operability of an image reading apparatus for transmitting image data by using an electronic mail and using the image reading apparatus. The present invention relates to an image communication system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of the Internet,
Various devices have been connected to networks. An image reading apparatus is no exception, and a so-called network scanner apparatus has been put to practical use.
Such a network scanner device has a function of sending image data by e-mail, and a user first reads a document into the network scanner device, and then sets a destination address to which the image data is transmitted on the operation panel. By inputting, the image data can be transmitted to a desired destination terminal.

[0003]

However, when the user inputs a mail address as described above, a special symbol such as "@" must be input in addition to the alphabet. On the panel, it is difficult to know which key the symbol is assigned to, so that there is a problem that the operation is complicated.

In fact, such a function is often mounted on a so-called multi-function peripheral (MFP), but the multi-function machine has many functions as its name suggests, and its operation panel is For example, it is very complicated as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the number of keys on the operation panel is increased, the cost increases in proportion to the increase, and there is also a problem that operability is not greatly improved when the number of keys is increased in the first place. In addition, since single-function devices have been miniaturized in recent years, there is no room for expanding the operation panel so that an e-mail address can be input. In addition, there is a strict demand for low-cost devices. Therefore, the operation panel cannot be expanded in terms of cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and does not require an operator to perform complicated input operations without enlarging an operation panel, and furthermore, transmits image data by e-mail. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading device capable of transmitting.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an image reading apparatus for reading an original image; and a client terminal for requesting the apparatus to transmit a read image. An image reading apparatus in an image communication system connected via a network, wherein destination information indicating a destination of image data is received from a client terminal via the network, Destination information storage means for storing, and destination information selection means for selecting, from the destination information storage means, destination information of a client terminal corresponding to a destination of the image data before transmitting the read original image data; Image data transmitting means for transmitting the image data to a destination indicated by the received destination information. As described above, by accepting the destination of the image data in advance via the network, the trouble of inputting the destination of the image data on the operation panel can be reduced.

Further, the image reading apparatus further includes a code assigning means for assigning a code to each destination information received by the destination information receiving means, and the code sending means via a network to a client terminal which has transmitted the destination information. And a receiving unit for receiving an input of a code from the apparatus itself in association with a document image reading operation instruction, wherein the destination information storage unit stores the destination information and the code assigned to the destination information. And the destination information selecting means specifies the destination to which the image data is to be transmitted by the code input from the receiving means. In this manner, by assigning a code to the destination information of the image data to be transmitted, the image data can be sent to a desired destination only by inputting the code from the operation panel.

The destination information receiving means receives one or a plurality of pieces of destination information, the code assigning means individually assigns a code to each destination information, and the destination information selecting means sets at least one of the received destination information. 1 is designated by the code. By doing so, it is possible to select a desired destination from a plurality of pieces of destination information previously sent together and send the image data, so that it is possible to reduce the trouble of sending the destination information.

[0009] Further, there is provided a destination information registration means for selecting whether to hold the destination information stored in the destination information storage means in the destination information storage means or to delete the destination information. In this way, if the destination information is sent only once for the same destination, the trouble of sending the destination information can be saved thereafter. Further, the destination information is an e-mail address, the destination information receiving means receives the e-mail address by e-mail, and the image data transmitting means transmits the image data by e-mail. I do.

Further, the code notifying means notifies the code by electronic mail. Further, the image communication system according to the present invention is an image communication system in which at least one image reading device that transmits image data by using e-mail and at least one mail terminal are connected via a network, The terminal notifies the image reading device of a mail address by e-mail, the image reading device stores the notified mail address, and causes a destination to transmit image data to be selected from the stored mail address. And As described above, the use of the electronic mail is economical and user-friendly because the destination information can be set without adding a new dedicated device or software to the mail terminal.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described as a network scanner apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a network scanner apparatus).
It is simply called "scanner device". ) Will be described as an example. (Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows an image communication system 1 to which a flatbed scanner 2 according to this embodiment is connected. In FIG. 1, a scanner device 2, a mail terminal 3,
Numerals 5 are connected to each other via the communication network 4 so that electronic mail can be transmitted and received.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the scanner device 2. The scanner device 2 includes an image reading unit 6 that reads an original and sets image data under the condition that an operator operates a read key on an operation panel, an operation panel 9 that receives a command from a user, and a communication network 4. Via mail terminals 3, 5
Communication processing unit 11 for sending and receiving electronic mail, central processing unit 7 for executing various data processing, storage unit 1
0, which are interconnected by an internal bus 8. Further, the communication processing unit 11 is connected to the communication network 4.

FIG. 3 shows that the scanner device 2 has an image reading section 6.
5 is a flowchart showing a process up to transmission of image data read in step S1 to the mail terminal 3 via the communication network 4.
In FIG. 3, when the scanner device 2 first receives an e-mail including a destination address to which image data is to be transmitted from a mail terminal (here, temporarily referred to as a mail terminal 3),
Destination ID corresponding to the destination address in the mail terminal 3
Is also returned by e-mail (step S1).
Next, the scanner device 2 reads the original by the image reading unit 6 to create image data (step S2), and designates the destination to which the image data is transmitted on the operation panel 7 by the destination ID.
Then, the image data is transmitted to the destination by e-mail (step S3). Thereafter, when an instruction to register the destination is received from the user, the address of the destination is stored, or otherwise deleted (step S).
4).

The scanner device 2 has a counter on the storage unit 10 corresponding to the destination ID. This counter is an 8-bit counter that takes values from 0 to 255.
When the counter value increases to 255, the counter value becomes 0
Take. The scanner device 2 has an address buffer on the storage unit 10 for storing a mail address to which image data is sent. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the address buffer, where the address buffer is the destination ID.
, And each entry has a 255-byte data field for storing a mail address and a 1-byte check field. Each bit of the check field is a reply bit, a transmission bit, a new bit, and a registration bit from the least significant bit, and these bits are all cleared at initialization.

Hereinafter, the operation of the scanner device 2 will be described in more detail. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the details of the address receiving process in step S1. Upon receiving the e-mail from the mail terminal 3 (step S5), the scanner device 2 scrutinizes the e-mail from the beginning and sequentially searches for an e-mail address (step S6). When the scanner device 2 detects the mail address (step S
7) After increasing the counter value of the counter previously held in the storage unit 10 by 1 (step S8), the counter value is set as the destination ID and corresponds to the destination ID in the address buffer on the storage unit 10. The detected mail address is stored in the entry, and the reply bit and the new bit of the entry are set (step S9). At this time, if the registration bit or the new bit of the entry corresponding to the counter value in the address buffer is set, the counter value is further increased, and the process proceeds to the entry where the bit is not set. Thereafter, if the inspection of the e-mail has not been completed (step S10), the scanner device 2 proceeds to step S6 and searches for an e-mail address again. In this way, when the e-mail is scrutinized to the end, the e-mail address stored in the entry in which the reply bit is set is read by examining the address buffer on the storage unit 10 and the reply bit of the entry is changed. While clearing, an e-mail displaying a set of the mail address and the destination ID is created (step S1).
1), the electronic mail is returned to the mail terminal 3 (step S12).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the details of the image reading process in step S2. In FIG.
When the scanner device 2 receives an instruction to read a document from the operation panel 7 (step S13), the image reading unit 6 reads the document and generates image data (step S1).
4). The scanner device 2 creates an e-mail with the generated image data attached (step S15), and stores the e-mail in the storage unit 10 (step S16).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of the destination receiving process in step S3. In FIG. 7, the scanner device 2 first requests the operator to input the destination ID, receives the ID via the operation panel (step S17), and stores the entry corresponding to the destination ID in the address buffer of the storage unit 10. It is searched whether any of the registered bits or the new bits are set (step 18). If any of the above bits is set, the transmission bit of the entry is set, then the destination mail address is displayed on the operation panel, and a transmission instruction is awaited. Then, when a transmission instruction is input from the operator (step S19), the electronic mail with the image data attached is attached with the mail address of the entry in which the transmission bit is set, and transmitted (step S20). On the other hand, if the operator gives an instruction to cancel transmission (step S19), a new destination I
Wait for D input operation.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the address registration processing in step S4. In FIG. 8, when the scanner device 2 receives an instruction to register the destination address of the e-mail from the user (step S21), the registration bit of the entry in which both the new bit and the transmission bit are set in the address buffer is set. Is set (step S22). Thereafter, regardless of the instruction, the new bits and the transmission bits of all entries are cleared (step S23).

In this manner, image data can be sent to the mail terminal without providing a complicated and expensive operation panel in the scanner device 2 or requiring complicated operations. In addition, if the e-mail transmitted from the e-mail terminal 3 is given the e-mail address of the e-mail terminal 5, the e-mail can be extremely transmitted to e-mail terminals other than the e-mail terminal 3 that previously sent the e-mail to the scanner 2. Image data can be sent easily. With this configuration, when specifying the destination to which the image data is transmitted by the scanner device 2, only the destination ID needs to be input.
The operation for specifying the destination is extremely simple, and the operation panel for performing the operation can also be simplified. Therefore, the cost required for the operation panel can be reduced. In addition, since the network scanner device is originally assumed to use a mail terminal, the operation can be simplified without adding any new device in that sense.
Further, since a plurality of destinations can be designated by a simple operation, it is very easy to transmit image data to a plurality of destinations including a remote place. Therefore, it is suitable for distributing a handwritten document by e-mail.

Although the present invention has been described based on the embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the following modifications can be made. (Modification) In the above embodiment, when the scanner device 2 receives an e-mail including a mail address from a mail terminal, the scanner device 2 adds a code to each mail address and notifies the mail terminal of the code. The following can also be performed without notifying. That is, the scanner device 2 stores the mail address included in the electronic mail received from the mail terminal in the storage unit 10. However, the mail address to be newly stored is already in the storage unit 10
If it does not match the e-mail address stored in, it is not stored. After the image reading process (step S2), the mail address stored in the storage unit 10 at the time of the image data transmission process (step S3) is displayed on the operation panel 8. The user is allowed to select a destination to which the image data is to be transmitted from the displayed mail address. As described above, if only a desired item is selected from a plurality of candidates, a key for scrolling the display screen and a key for designating the selected item can be realized, so that the operation panel can be simplified. .

2. In the above-described embodiment, a flatbed type network scanner has been described as an example. However, the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the apparatus, and may be a copy, facsimile, printer, network scanner, internet facsimile, or the like. A multifunction device having a function may be used. 3. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the entire text of the e-mail is scrutinized and the e-mail address is detected has been described. The effect of the present invention can be achieved even with only a part of the e-mail, such as a combination of. For example, Fr by default
Only the om field may be referred to, and only when a specific character string is added to the Subject field, the body may be examined.

4. Further, when the image data to be transmitted covers a plurality of originals, the destination may be individually specified,
It may be specified collectively. 5. In the above description, the destination ID is individually assigned to each mail address. However, it is also possible to assign the destination ID to a plurality of mail addresses collectively. In this way, image data can be easily distributed to a plurality of destinations. The network system 1 is a LAN (Local Area)
The present invention can be implemented as long as a network capable of transmitting e-mail, whether a network or a WAN (Wide Area Network).

6. In the above description, the size of the address buffer is 256 entries, and the destination ID is set to 0 in accordance with the size.
To 255, it is not necessary to match the buffer size with the value range of the destination ID, and the effect of the present invention can be obtained by selecting a different buffer structure and a different number of buffers when storing the mail address. Obtainable. The smaller the number of digits of the destination ID, the easier the operation is. However, when the number of destinations and the number of users are large, it is desirable to set the number of digits according to these numbers. This is because it is possible that the destination ID is insufficient. Also, the destination ID
Is preferably a number, and in this case, there is no need to provide a key other than the number keys, so that the operation panel can be simplified. In the above description, a desired destination ID among a plurality of destination IDs is input from the operation panel. However, a registered destination ID can be displayed on the operation panel and a desired destination ID can be selected. This method is effective in simplifying the operation when the number of registered destination IDs is not so large.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the destination information indicating the destination to which the image data is to be transmitted is selected by the destination selection means from the destination information previously received by electronic mail. The operation for the user to specify the destination can be simplified. At the same time, the operation panel used for the operation can be simplified, so that the cost required for the operation panel can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a network system to which a scanner device according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a device configuration of a scanner device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the scanner device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a structure of an address buffer stored in a storage unit of the scanner device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an address receiving process of the scanner device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an image reading process of the scanner device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating image data transmission processing of the scanner device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an address registration process of the scanner device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an operation panel of the multifunction peripheral.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 network system 2 flatbed type network scanner device 3, 5 mail terminal 4 communication network 6 image reading section 7 central processing section 8 internal bus 9 operation panel 10 storage section 11 communication processing section

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C062 AA02 AA05 AA13 AA33 AB16 AB17 AB20 AB42 AC02 AC22 AC38 AF02 5C075 AB90 BA05 BA08

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus in an image communication system in which an image reading apparatus for reading an original image and a client terminal for requesting the apparatus to transmit a read image are connected via a network. Destination information receiving means for receiving, from a client terminal via a network, destination information indicating a destination of the destination, destination information storing means for storing the received destination information, and transmitting the read original image data. Destination information selecting means for selecting destination information of a client terminal corresponding to a destination of image data from the destination information storage means; and image data transmitting means for transmitting the image data to a destination indicated by the selected destination information. An image reading device comprising: 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a code assigning unit that assigns a code to each destination information received by the destination information receiving unit; and a code via a network to a client terminal that has transmitted the destination information. And a receiving unit for receiving a code input from the apparatus itself in connection with a document image reading operation instruction, wherein the destination information storage unit includes destination information and a code assigned to the destination information. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the destination information selecting unit causes the destination to which the image data is transmitted to be designated by a code input from the receiving unit. 3. The destination information receiving unit receives one or a plurality of destination information, the code assigning unit individually assigns a code to each destination information, and the destination information selecting unit determines at least one of the received destination information. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein 1 is designated by the code. 4. A destination information registering means for selecting whether to hold the destination information stored in the destination information storage means in the destination information storage means or to delete the destination information. The image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination information is an electronic mail address, the destination information receiving unit receives the electronic mail address by electronic mail, and the image data transmitting unit transmits the image data by electronic mail. The image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the code notifying unit notifies the code by electronic mail. 7. An image communication system in which at least one image reading device for transmitting image data by using an electronic mail and at least one mail terminal are connected via a network, wherein the mail terminal transmits the electronic mail. An image reading device that notifies the image reading device of a mail address, stores the notified mail address, and causes a destination for transmitting image data to be selected from the stored mail addresses.