JP2002215524A - Internet facsimile equipment and complementing method for mail address - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an Internet facsimile equipment and a complementing method which can complement the input of a mail address. SOLUTION: When a mail address inputted through an operation part 16 has no domain name, 'at mark' and the domain name of a FAX server 1 are added. Consequently, when Internet FAX transmission to a recipient's mail address having the same domain name, for example, in the same company is performed, the whole mail address need not be inputted. Therefore, even when the mail address inputted from the operation part 16 has no domain name, the mail address can be complemented and the Internet FAX transmission can be performed. Consequently, the part of the mail address after 'at mark' need not be inputted through the operation part 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile apparatus, and more particularly, to an Internet facsimile apparatus and a method for complementing an e-mail address, which are characterized by complementing a domain name of an input e-mail address.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an Internet facsimile machine, it is necessary to input a mail address from an operation unit in order to designate a destination. For this reason, the Internet facsimile apparatus is configured such that a mail address can be registered in the abbreviated number, telephone directory or one-touch key provided in the operation unit.

[0003]

However, the destination of the unregistered e-mail address is not sent to the Internet F
When performing AX transmission or registering e-mail addresses for abbreviated numbers or the like, all e-mail addresses must be accurately input from the operation unit. For this reason, when inputting an unregistered e-mail address or the like, it is necessary to input the e-mail address accurately, and it takes time to input the e-mail address.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an Internet facsimile apparatus capable of complementing the input of a mail address and a method of complementing a mail address. It is in.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Internet facsimile apparatus which handles image data as an attached file of an electronic mail. Means and control means for adding the domain name of the mail address of the own device when the mail address does not have a domain name.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of complementing a mail address in an Internet facsimile apparatus which handles image data as an attached file of an electronic mail. Add the domain name of the device's email address.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying an Internet facsimile apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a communication network system includes a facsimile server 1 having a telephone line L1, a gateway 2 connected to the Internet via a dedicated line L2, a mail server 3, a plurality of personal computers 4, and each device 1.
4 comprises a hub (HUB) 5, a transceiver 6, an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable 7, an AUI cable 8, and a twisted pair cable 9.

The FAX server 1, gateway 2, mail server 3 and personal computer 4 are connected to a hub 5 via a twisted pair cable 9. The hub 5 is connected to the transceiver 6 via the AUI cable 8. The transceiver 6 is connected to another transceiver 6 via an Ethernet cable 7. The FAX server 1, the gateway 2, the mail server 3 and the personal computer 4 have a built-in interface for connecting to the twisted pair cable 9. Hub 5 is twisted pair cable 9 and A
It is provided to connect to the UI cable 8 and functions as a concentrator in connection with the communication network T. The transceiver 6 is provided for connecting the AUI cable 8 and the Ethernet cable 7.

The FAX server 1 has a mail address as a client of the mail server 3. The gateway 2 includes a communication protocol for controlling communication with other devices other than the communication network T. The gateway 2 also has a firewall function for preventing unauthorized intrusion into the communication network T.

The mail server 3 has a communication protocol (SMTP, POP3, etc.) used for electronic mail. When you send the e-mail with the image data attached,
Internet FAX can be realized. Also,
The mail server 3 has a mailbox for each client.

A plurality of personal computers 4 includes a control unit for controlling the entire personal computer 4, and an LCD for displaying various information.
And a storage unit such as a keyboard and mouse for inputting predetermined characters and the like, and a hard disk, etc., for instructing various information displayed on the display unit. In addition, the plurality of personal computers 4
For sending and receiving between the AX server 1, the gateway 2, the mail server 3 and another personal computer 4, and between the FAX server 1 or the mail server 3 and the external device (for example, a personal computer) via the gateway 2. It has a communication protocol. The plurality of personal computers 4 have mail addresses as clients of the mail server 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the FAX server 1
PU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, reading unit 14, recording unit 15, operation unit 16, display unit 17, image memory 18, codec 19, modem 20, NCU 21, data conversion unit 22, communication protocol control unit 23, and network interface 24 And each part 11
To 23 are connected via a bus 25.

The MPU 11 controls each unit constituting the FAX server 1. The ROM 12 stores a program for controlling the FAX server 1. RAM 13 is an FA
Various information regarding the X server 1 is temporarily stored.

The reading section 14 reads image data on a document and outputs black and white binary image data. The recording unit 15 is formed of an electrophotographic printer, and records received image data or image data of a document read by the reading unit 14 on recording paper in a recording operation or a copying operation of received image data.

An operation unit 16 is a numeric keypad (including * and # keys) 16 for inputting a telephone number or a mail address.
a, a one-touch key for registering abbreviated numbers and e-mail addresses or for abbreviating keys 16b for transmitting from the abbreviated numbers, and for inputting the alphabet of the e-mail address and specifying a pre-registered telephone number, FAX number or e-mail address with one touch 16c, a start key 16d for starting a document reading operation, a "communication (FA
X) Communication for setting "operation" or "copy" operation /
Various operation keys such as a copy key 16e are provided. LC
D, etc., of the facsimile apparatus body 1a
Various information such as the operating state of the device is displayed.

The image memory 18 is read by the received image data and read by the reading unit 14 and is binarized.
The image data encoded according to the R system is temporarily stored. The image memory 18 temporarily stores image data sent from the personal computer 4 via the communication protocol control unit 23.

The codec 19 encodes the image data read by the reading unit 14 in accordance with the MH, MR, MMR system or the like for transmission. The codec 19 decodes the received image data.

The modem 20 modulates and demodulates a facsimile transmission control procedure signal and image data. NCU21
Has a function of closing and opening the telephone line L1, detecting transmission and reception of a dial signal corresponding to the fax number of the other party, and the like.

The data conversion unit 22 includes TIFF, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX, DC transmitted from the mail server 3 or the personal computer 4 via the communication network T.
X and other image data can be stored in MH, MR, MMR format or TIFF
-Convert to image data of MH, TIFF-MR, TIFF-MMR, etc. Conversely, MH, MR, MMR or TIFF-M received via telephone line L1
H, TIFF-MR, TIFF-MMR and other image data are converted into a format that can be easily handled by the mail server 3 and the plurality of personal computers 4 by using TIFF, BMP, GIF, J
The image data is converted into image data such as PEG, PCX, and DCX.

The communication protocol control unit 23 has a communication protocol for controlling communication with another device on the communication network T via the network interface 24. Specifically, for example, it includes SMTP (mail transmission protocol), POP3 (mail reception protocol), and a salutation communication protocol specified by the Salutation Consortium.

Next, the operation of the FAX server 1 for Internet FAX transmission will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This operation is
Based on the program stored in the ROM 12, the MPU 1
1 is executed.

In step S 1, an original is placed on the reading unit 14, and the mail address of the other party is input character by character based on an operation from the operation unit 16. In step S2, it is determined whether start key 16d has been operated. If the start key 16d has been operated, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the above-mentioned step S
It is determined whether the mail address input in step 1 has a domain name (the part after the "@" in the mail address). If there is a domain name, step S
Move to 5. On the other hand, if there is no domain name, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the aforementioned step S
Since the domain name has not been input to the mail address input in step 1, "@" and the domain name assigned to the own device, that is, the FAX server 1, are added to the mail address input in step S1. .

In step S5, the step S5
1, the original placed on the reading unit 14 is read, and the image data of the read original is transmitted to the codec 19.
After that, it is converted to an e-mail format as an attached file.

In step S6, the electronic mail is transmitted to the mail server 3. Then, the e-mail is transmitted from the mail server 3 to the destination via the gateway 2.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following operations and effects can be obtained. (1) When there is no domain name in the mail address input from the operation unit 16, "@" and the domain name of the FAX server 1 are added. For this reason, when performing Internet FAX transmission to a mail address of a partner having the same domain name, such as in a company, it is not necessary to input all mail addresses. Therefore, the operation unit 1
Even if there is no domain name in the mail address input from 6, the mail address can be complemented and Internet FAX transmission can be performed. As a result, the operation unit 1 displays the part of the mail address after "@".
There is no need to enter from 6. Therefore, the Internet F
When sending by AX, user ID of mail address
It is only necessary to input (the part before "@" in the e-mail address).

(2) In addition, since "@" and the domain name of the FAX server 1 are automatically added, it is possible to prevent an input error from the operation unit 16 and shorten the input time of the mail address. You can also. As a result, it is possible to prevent the Internet FAX transmission from causing an error as an erroneous transmission.

(3) In addition, when sending an Internet FAX to a mail address of the other party having the same domain name, "@" and the domain name of the FAX server 1 are automatically added. The sender need only store the user ID of the mail address. Therefore, it is not necessary to store all mail addresses.

The above embodiment can be modified and embodied as follows. In the above-described embodiment, when there is no domain name in the input e-mail address, “＠” and the domain name of the FAX server 1 are added to the input e-mail address. If there is no domain name in the input e-mail address, the display unit 17 sequentially displays the domain name registered in the abbreviated number, the one-touch key, or the like. Then, when a mail address displayed on the display unit 17 is selected from the operation unit 16, “＠” and the domain name of the selected mail address may be added to the input mail address. .

The mail address may be complemented using a so-called auto-complete function based on the mail address input from the operation unit 16 or the like. That is, the domain name input in the past is stored in the RAM 13, and the mail address input from the operation unit 16 is complemented based on the mail address input from the operation unit 16 and the mail address stored in the RAM 13. The configuration may be such that:

[0033]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. According to the invention described in claim 1 or 2, it is possible to supplement the input of the mail address.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication network system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a FAX server.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of Internet FAX transmission.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... FAX server as an Internet facsimile apparatus, 11 ... MPU which comprises a control means, 12 ... ROM which comprises a control means, 13 ... RA which comprises a control means
M, 16: Operation unit as input means.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An Internet facsimile apparatus for handling image data as an attached file of an electronic mail, an input means for inputting a mail address, and, when the mail address does not have a domain name, a domain name of the mail address of the own apparatus. An Internet facsimile machine having a control means for adding a character string. 2. A method for complementing a mail address in an Internet facsimile apparatus which handles image data as an attached file of an electronic mail. Completion method of the email address to add.