JP2002064534A - Fax server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide FAX servers that are configured to surely store image data into a shared folder when the FAX servers are connected to a communication network. SOLUTION: The FAX servers (network scanners) 1, 3 distribute image data received by a G3 FAX 6 or an Internet FAX(I-FAX) and image data read and formed by them to a shared folder set to a file server 2. Distribution destination terminals such as client PCs connected to an LAN 5 share this shared folder. The image data with a file name formed as an identification number specific to a communication network added thereto is distributed to the shared folder. The specific identification number consists of a combination with the identification number for each FAX server and the file identification number in the inside of each FAX server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fax server having a configuration in which, when a plurality of fax servers are connected to a communication network, image data can be reliably stored in a shared folder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent development of communication technology and computer technology, the use of image reading apparatuses (scanners) has been expanding. As an example, a local area network (Loc)
alArea Network, hereinafter abbreviated as LAN. 2. Description of the Related Art A network scanner is known in which a scanner and a destination terminal device are connected to a communication network such as that described above, and image data formed by the scanner is distributed to the destination terminal device.

As a scanner for distributing the image data,
For example, a communication terminal device such as a fax server (hereinafter, abbreviated as a facsimile server in the specification and the drawings) is used. In this case, the fax server functions as a network scanner. In addition, as a distribution destination terminal device, a client personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a client personal computer)
Abbreviated as client PC. ), A communication terminal device such as a client data processing device, a file server, or a printer operating on the network is connected to the communication network.

An FA acting as a network scanner
An original is read by an X server, and the formed image data is distributed to a folder shared by a communication terminal device connected to a communication network, for example, a folder set in a file server. is there. G3 FAX (group 3 facsimile transmission procedure) connected to the public line
Image data received from a facsimile machine that transmits and receives data, and an Internet fax (hereinafter, I-FAX).
Abbreviated. In some cases, the image data attached to the electronic mail received in step (1) is distributed to the shared folder.

[0005] Client data processing devices and networks
Each communication terminal device such as a printer operating on the network inputs the path of the shared folder set in the file server, accesses image data distributed from the facsimile server, and The image data can be taken into the own machine. As described above, by storing the image data in the shared folder set in the specific communication terminal device connected to the communication network, the other communication terminal device can store the image data as necessary. Memory resources can be saved.

[0006] Further, with the expansion of the scale of the communication network, a facsimile server acting as a network scanner is installed at a plurality of locations and connected by the communication network. In such a case, the file name is assigned to the image data formed by the respective facsimile servers in the shared folder set in the communication network, for example, the shared folder set in the file server. Grant and distribute.

[0007]

As described above, when image data is distributed from a plurality of FAX servers to a shared folder set in a communication network, the file name is changed. If the image data is duplicated, there is a problem that the image data previously stored in the shared folder is overwritten by the image data stored later and is lost.

[0008] Further, it is not clear from which facsimile server the image data stored in the shared folder has been distributed, and the image data stored in the shared folder cannot be smoothly arranged. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a fax server having a configuration in which, when a plurality of fax servers are connected to a communication network, image data can be reliably stored in a shared folder. With the goal.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the first aspect of the present invention, a fax server is connected to a communication network together with a destination terminal and another fax server. A fax server that delivers data to a shared folder set on a communication network,
This is achieved by providing a file name formed as a unique identification number in the communication network and distributing the image data to a shared folder.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fax server according to the first aspect, the unique identification number includes an identification number for each fax server connected to a communication network. It is characterized by.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the fax server according to the first aspect, the unique identification number includes an identification number of a file inside the fax server.

According to the feature of the invention according to claim 1,
The image data is distributed to the shared folder by giving a file name formed as a unique identification number in the communication network. For this reason, when a plurality of fax servers are connected to the communication network, and the image data is distributed from each fax server to the shared folder, the file name given to the image data may be duplicated. Therefore, the image data can be securely stored in the shared folder.

In the invention according to the second aspect, the file name given to the image data includes an identification number for each fax server connected to the communication network. Therefore, it is possible to specify the fax server from which the image data distributed to the shared folder is distributed.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3,
The file name given to the image data includes the identification number of the file inside the fax server. For this reason, the image data can be stored separately from the other data in the file, so that the image data can be managed smoothly.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile server according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a communication network in which a fax server according to the present invention is used. In FIG. 1, LA
N5 has a FAX acting as a network scanner
Servers 1 and 3 are connected to a file server 2 which is a terminal device to which image data is distributed, and a client PC 4.

The FAX server 1 is connected to a G3 FAX 6 via a public line 7, and transmits and receives image data to and from each other. Further, the FAX server 1 is connected to the I-FAX 8 via the Internet 9, and mutually transmits and receives the image data attached to the electronic mail. The facsimile server 1 reads an original in a reading section and forms image data.

As described above, the fax server 1 has the G3F
Three types of image data are stored in the image memory: image data received from the AX 6, image data received from the I-FAX 8, and image data formed from a read original. Similarly, FA
The X server 3 also stores the three types of image data in the image memory.

In each distribution destination terminal device connected to the LAN 5, a folder path for inputting image data is set. It is assumed that the image data stored in the image memory of the FAX server 1 is distributed to the file server 2. In this case, the image data output from the FAX server 1 is
The data is input to the specified folder of the file server 2 via the LAN 5 and the path of Da. Also, client PC
Even when the distribution destination is 4, the image data is input to the specified folder.

In FIG. 1, a folder to be shared on a communication network is set in a specific destination terminal device connected to the LAN 5 as described above, and image data is sent from the FAX server 1.
Data to distribute the data and save the memory resources of the other destination terminals. For example, file server 2
To set a shared folder.

In this case, the image data is distributed from the FAX server 1 to the shared folder set in the file server 2 via the path of Da. The client PC 4 has D
The image data is transferred from the shared folder of the file server 2 via the route c.

Next, a case where the FAX server 3 operates as a network scanner will be described. In this case, the image data formed by the FAX server 3 is transmitted to the LAN.
5 through the Db route to the shared folder of the file server 2. The client PC 4 is a fax server 3
, The image data input to the shared folder of the file server 2 can be accessed through the route of Dc.

In the present invention, a plurality of FAX servers are stored in the shared folder set in the file server 2 as described above.
When distributing the image data from the servers 1 and 3, each of the FAX servers 1 and 3 assigns a file name having a different identification number to the image data, and securely transmits the image data to the shared folder. It can be stored in

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a file name given to image data. As shown in FIG. 2, the file name of the image data is formed by combining (a) information unique to each FAX server and (b) information unique to the FAX server. .

(A) The information unique to each facsimile server is for assigning an identification number to each of a plurality of facsimile servers connected to a communication network. In the FAX server 1, the identification number of the FAX server is “faxs
rv001 ”, and the identification number in the FAX server 2 (corresponding to the FAX server indicated by reference numeral 3 in FIG. 1) is
“Faxsrv002”. As described above, the identification number assigned to each FAX server can be formed by allocating the numbers in the order in which the FAX servers are installed.

Information unique to each FAX server (identification number)
Can be set by the administrator of each FAX server. Also, FA
The X server may set automatically. Thus, FA
Since the identification number of each X server is included in the file name of the image data, the FAX server that has distributed the image data to the shared folder can be specified based on the file name.

As information unique to each FAX server, an IP (Internet Pr) defined by a network layer is used.
(MAC) address or MAC (Media Access Control) defined by the data link layer.
rol) address can be used. When an IP address is used, information unique to each FAX server is displayed, for example, as “faxsrv191.1.1.1”.

By assigning such an IP address or a MAC address, a fax that distributes image data to a shared folder of the communication network among a large number of communication terminals connected to the communication network. The server can be distinguished and distinguished from other communication terminal devices.

(B) The information unique to the FAX server is the identification of a file which is set in each FAX server so that the image data can be uniquely managed separately from the other data. Number. In this manner, since the file name given to the image data includes the identification number of the file inside the FAX server, the image data can be managed smoothly.

When distributing image data from each FAX server to a shared folder set in a communication network, for example, a shared folder set in a file server, the FAX server is used. A file name obtained by combining the identification number (a) of the above and the identification number (b) of the file inside the FAX server is given to the image data.

In the example of FIG. 2, the file name "faxsrv
001. fail0000. It can be seen that the image data of "tif" has been distributed from the FAX server 1 in FIG. As described above, since the image data is given the file name of the identification number as described above, the image data is reliably distributed from a plurality of FAX servers to a folder shared by the communication network. can do. Further, the file name can be copied by another communication terminal device to hold the image data.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a control device 20 provided in a facsimile server applied to the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an ultra-compact processing device (hereinafter abbreviated as MPU) for processing various signals and data;
A ROM 22 stores data and programs necessary for various operations of the FAX server, and a RAM 23 stores management data and the like.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a printer for outputting image data on recording paper; 25, a reading unit for reading an original and outputting image data as binary black and white image data; 26, a keyboard; This is an operation unit including a mouse and a mouse. The FAX server is connected to the LA via the network interface (I / F) 27.
Connected to N5. The fax server is an interface (I / F) 2 of an integrated services digital network (ISDN).
8. IS via digital line termination unit (DSU) 29
Connected to DN. Also, it is connected to the PSTN via a line control unit (NCU) 30.

Numeral 31 modulates image data transmitted / received to / from the facsimile machine of the other party via the PSTN. This is a modem for demodulation, and the modem 31 and the NCU 30 are connected by an analog signal line 31a.

The encoding / decoding section 32 encodes and decodes image data. The graphic character generation unit 33 outputs a character code.
The data is converted into image data. Reference numeral 34 denotes a display unit using a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD);
Reference numeral 5 denotes a clock unit used for writing the date and time on image data;
6 is a hard disk (HD) for storing communication management records and image data, and 37 is an internal bus. If the storage capacity is not so required, a hard disk (HD)
Is replaced by an image memory.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the present invention. Next, this flowchart will be described. In the example of FIG. 4, it is assumed that a printer, a file server, and a client PC are connected to a communication network as distribution destination terminal devices.

(1) In step S1, the processing program of the FAX server is started, and in step S2, the G3FA
Image data is received from X or I-FAX. Alternatively, the image of the document is read by a facsimile server.

(2) Next, in step S3, the rule
Aging process (delivery destination determination). Next, step S
In the process of 4, it is determined which communication terminal device the distribution destination is. In the process of step S4, the distribution destination is a file server.
If it is determined that the image data is
A file name to be given to the data is generated.
The image data is distributed to the file server in the processing of (1).

(3) If it is determined in step S4 that the distribution destination is a printer, the image data is distributed to the printer in step S7. The printer prints the distributed image data as appropriate. If it is determined in step S4 that the distribution destination is the client PC, the process proceeds to step S4.
The image data is distributed to the client PC in the process of step 7. Upon completion of each of the processes, the process program ends in step S9.

In FIG. 1, the image data may be distributed from the facsimile server 1 to the facsimile server 3. In this case, the FAX server 3
From the viewpoint of the server 1, it corresponds to a distribution destination terminal device. FAX server
The image data of the read image can be formed by the server 3 and the image data can be distributed to the respective destination terminal devices.

[0041]

As described in detail above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a file name formed as a unique identification number in a communication network is added, and image data is stored in a shared folder. Has been delivered. For this reason, when a plurality of fax servers are connected to the communication network, and the image data is distributed from each fax server to the shared folder, the file name given to the image data may be duplicated. Therefore, the image data can be securely stored in the shared folder.

In the invention according to claim 2, the file name given to the image data includes the identification number of each fax server connected to the communication network. Therefore, it is possible to specify the fax server from which the image data distributed to the shared folder is distributed.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3,
The file name given to the image data includes the identification number of the file inside the fax server. For this reason, the image data can be stored separately from the other data in the file, so that the image data can be managed smoothly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of connecting a facsimile server according to an embodiment of the present invention to a communication network.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a file name given to a facsimile server.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control device of the facsimile server.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 FAX server (network scanner) 2 File server 3 Printer 4 Client personal computer (PC) 5 User local communication network (LAN) 6 G3 FAX 7 Public line 8 Internet fax (I -FAX) 9 Internet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A fax server connected to a communication network together with a destination terminal device and another fax server, and delivering image data to a shared folder set in the communication network. A fax server, wherein a file name formed as a unique identification number in a network is assigned, and the image data is distributed to a shared folder. 2. The communication network according to claim 1, wherein the unique identification number is a communication network.
The fax server according to claim 1, further comprising an identification number for each fax server connected to the network. 3. The fax server according to claim 1, wherein the unique identification number includes an identification number of a file inside the fax server.