JP2002218104A - Facsimile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile terminal that allows a user to easily select a desired communication network. SOLUTION: A transmitter side facsimile terminal FAX 1a performs discrimination processing of a head number attached to a head of a destination number entered by the user (S104), and confirms which of a private line network K, a public switched telephone network PSTN and the Internet TW is used for transmission of image data. When the facsimile terminal discriminates the use of the Internet NTW (S104: '*'), the facsimile terminal acquires an IP address of a gateway GTW in the vicinity of a destination facsimile terminal FAX 2 (S106) and performs transmission processing of image data, a transmission original, and a destination number by designating the IP address for the destination (S107).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus for transmitting image data to a public communication network or a computer communication network such as the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a computer communication network capable of transmitting and receiving various data via the Internet, which is further connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) by a communication line, has been spread. When using such a computer communication network, the user only has to pay the communication cost (line usage fee and connection cost to the provider) up to the nearest provider (internet connection company) and not only in Japan but also in Japan. Can communicate with computers in the world.

[0003]

By the way, facsimile communication using electronic mail by the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) via the Internet has been conventionally performed, but there is a dislike for lack of real-time properties. On the other hand, in recent years, a protocol for performing facsimile communication on the Internet in real time, specifically, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Recommendation T.38 (ITU-T Recommendation) has been proposed.

[0004] Hereinafter, a process of transmitting and receiving image data between facsimile machines when performing facsimile communication using the T.38 or SMTP protocol via the Internet as a computer communication network will be described with reference to FIG. explain. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 100 denotes a facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side, and 200 denotes a facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. Reference numeral 300 denotes a transmission-side gateway device, and reference numeral 400 denotes a reception-side gateway device. Here, the gateway device is a device having a function of connecting the public line network PSTN and the Internet NTW, and is installed in the above-described provider or the like.
Each of these gateway apparatuses 300 and 400 has a real-time facsimile communication function using the above-described T.38 protocol or an e-mail communication function using SMTP.

First, a case where a communication function based on the T.38 protocol is used will be described. Facsimile machine 100
Modulates image data to be transmitted into an analog audio signal by a conventional facsimile communication procedure, and transmits the analog audio signal to the gateway device 300 via the public switched telephone network PSTN. Next, the gateway device 300 demodulates the analog audio signal of the image data received from the facsimile device 100 to a digital signal, and transmits the digital signal to the gateway device 400 via the Internet NTW according to the T.38 protocol. Then, the gateway device 400 modulates the digital signal received from the gateway device 300 into an analog voice signal, and performs a conventional facsimile communication procedure (T.30 protocol).
The data is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 200 via the public network PSTN. As a result, the facsimile apparatus 200 demodulates the analog audio signal transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 100 into image data, so that the facsimile apparatus 1
The image data transmitted from 00 is received in real time.

[0006] As described above, the facsimile apparatus 1
00 and the gateway device 300 and between the gateway device 400 and the facsimile device 200 are performed by an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that defines facsimile communication using a public line network.
mmunication Union) Recommendation T.30 (ITU-T Recommendati
on). Also, the gateway device 300
Communication between the communication device and the gateway device 400 is performed in accordance with ITU recommendation T.38, which specifies facsimile communication using a computer communication network.

Next, the case where the e-mail function by SMTP is used will be described with reference to the example shown in FIG. The facsimile apparatus 100 converts the image data to be transmitted into an analog audio signal by a conventional facsimile communication procedure, and converts the image data into an analog voice signal via the public line network PSTN.
Send to 00.

[0008] The gateway device 300 demodulates an analog audio signal received from the facsimile device 100 into image data, and converts it into a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format, which is a general image format used in computers. Note that the TIFF specification is published by Adobe Systems, and defines classes corresponding to various types of data such as black and white binary, multi-valued black and white, and full color. One of them, CLASS F, defines G3 format image data. Therefore, the image data received from the facsimile apparatus 100 can be converted to the TIFF format by performing relatively easy processing such as adding CLASS F TIFF header information to the head of the image data. Hereinafter, the facsimile image data to which the CLASS F TIFF header information is added is referred to as “TIFF image data”.

Next, the gateway device 300 converts the binary data of the TIFF image data into text data. This is because computers that cannot handle binary data e-mails are also connected to the Internet. For this reason, in order to ensure that the e-mail reaches the destination, when transmitting binary data such as TIFF image data, it is once converted to text data and then transmitted. Text data handled on the Internet is IETF (Internet Engineering Task Forc
e) is a document issued by RFC (Request For Com
ments) 822 specifies a 7-bit code.

Therefore, as an example, MIME (Multipurpose In
When converting to text data using base64, which is one of the encoding types of Internet Mail Extensions, binary data is converted into 64 types of characters (upper and lower case alphabets, numbers,
By being replaced with one of +, /), it is converted to text data. Note that MIME is described in RFC
For example, besides the above base64, "7bi
Encoding types such as “t”, “8bit”, and “binary” are specified.

Next, gateway device 300 arranges the file to be transmitted in an electronic mail format. More specifically, the TIFF image data converted to text data is added with mail header information as communication management information and edited into an e-mail format. Such an operation by the gateway device 300 is indispensable because it is specified that predetermined header information is added to e-mail on the Internet, and at the time of transmission, as shown in FIG. "Date:" (the date and time the email was sent), "From:" (the sender of the email), "To:" (the destination of the email), and "Subject:" (the email Add header information consisting of items such as the title (specifically, the encoding method) and "Cc:" (the destination of the copy of the e-mail).

Next, the gateway device 300 transmits the e-mail created as described above to the gateway device 400 via the Internet NTW by SMTP.
Then, the gateway device 400 separates the main body and the communication management information (mail header) from the e-mail received from the gateway device 200, extracts only the TIFF image data converted into text data, and extracts this as binary data. Converts to TIFF format and further to normal facsimile image data.

As described above, by having the T.38 protocol or the SMTP function and passing through the gateway devices 300 and 400 connected by the Internet NTW, the facsimile device 100 and the facsimile device 200 can communicate with each other via the computer communication network ( Facsimile communication using Internet NTW becomes possible.

However, regardless of which protocol of T.38 or SMTP is used, when facsimile communication is performed using the Internet NTW, as described above, the facsimile apparatus 100 on the transmitting side is connected to the facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. Instead of calling 200, the gateway device 300 on the transmitting side is called via the PSTN PSTN. Therefore, in this case, the transmitting-side gateway device 300
Needs to be notified of the facsimile number (telephone number) of the facsimile machine 200 on the receiving side. Therefore, when transmitting image data from the facsimile apparatus 100 to the facsimile apparatus 200, the user needs
Since the telephone numbers of both the 00 and the facsimile machine 200 must be specified, the operation becomes complicated.

[0015] Further, since communication performed on the Internet is so-called connectionless communication, reliability is lower than that of connection-type communication. Therefore, when facsimile communication is performed via the Internet NTW, communication between the gateway devices 300 and 400 is not completed normally and the facsimile device 200 cannot receive image data as compared with the case where only the public line network is used. This situation is more likely to occur than in normal facsimile communication using only the public line network.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has means for connecting to a computer communication network, so that network information indicating which one of a public line network and a computer communication network is to be used is provided. When identification information such as a facsimile number of the attached destination is input, the image data is transmitted using the network indicated in the network information, so that the user is not forced to perform a complicated operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which can easily transmit image data using a desired network.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for connecting to a computer communication network so that identification information of a transmission destination and network information indicating which network to use are stored in association with each other. When the user selects the identification information, the image data is transmitted using the network indicated in the network information associated with the identification information, so that the user does not need to perform any special operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of automatically transmitting image data using an appropriate network.

[0018]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus for connecting to a public line network and a computer communication network, and image data provided with network information indicating which network is to be used. Means for transmitting image data to the destination using the network indicated in the network information when the identification information of the destination is input.

According to the first aspect, the image data is connected to each of a public line network and a computer communication network, and is provided with network information indicating which of these networks is to be used by a user. When the identification information of the destination is input, the image data is transmitted to the destination using the network indicated by the input network information.

As described above, by providing the means for connecting to the computer communication network, even when the computer communication network is used, it is necessary to go through a process of communicating with the gateway device via the public line network each time. And image data can be transmitted directly to a computer communication network.

The above-mentioned network information can be represented, for example, by adding a specific number or symbol (“*”, “#”, etc.) to the head of the facsimile number of the communication destination. In this case, the user can select a desired network only by specifying the facsimile number with these numbers or symbols, and does not need to perform any other special operation.

A facsimile apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention uses a means for connecting to a public line network and a computer communication network, identification information of a destination of image data, and either a public line network or a computer communication network. Means for storing in association with network information indicating whether or not the identification information is selected, and when the identification information is selected, the image data is transmitted to the destination using the network indicated in the network information associated with the identification information. And means for transmitting

In the case of the second invention, it is connected to each of the public line network and the computer communication network, and the identification information of the transmission destination of the image data and the network information indicating which of these networks is to be used. Are stored in association with each other. When the identification information of the transmission destination of the image data is selected by the user, the transmission destination is referred to by referring to the network information stored in association with the identification information and using the network indicated in the network information. The image data is transmitted to.

As described above, whether to use the public line network or the computer communication network is automatically determined as appropriate based on the identification information of the transmission destination and the network information stored in association with each other in advance. The image data is transmitted using the determined network. Therefore, the user does not need to be particularly conscious of which network to use, and only needs to input the identification information of the transmission destination and does not need to perform any special operation.

Further, by providing a means for connecting to a computer communication network, even if a computer communication network is used, communication with a gateway device via a public line network is not performed each time. Image data can be transmitted directly to a computer communication network.

The facsimile apparatus according to the third invention has a first
In the facsimile apparatus according to the invention or the second invention, the means for connecting to the public line network is adapted to connect to the public line network via a private branch exchange connected to the private line network, and the network information includes: It is characterized by indicating which one of a private line network, a public line network and a computer communication network is used.

According to the third aspect, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention is a private branch exchange (PB) connected to a private line network.
X: Private Branch eXchange) and connected to a public line network. Then, the image data is transmitted to the transmission destination using any one of the private line network, the public line network, and the computer communication network indicated in the network information.

Thus, the user can transmit the image data to the facsimile machine connected to the private line network or the public line network via the private branch exchange only by inputting the identification information.

The facsimile apparatus according to the fourth invention has a first
In the facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, transmission of image data to the computer communication network is performed by T.38.
It is characterized by further comprising means for performing real-time communication by a protocol.

According to the fourth aspect, the transmission of the image data to the computer communication network is performed in real time by the T.38 protocol.

A facsimile apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has a first
In the facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, transmission of the image data to the computer
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

In the case of the fifth invention, the communication of the image data to the computer communication network is performed by SMTP in an electronic mail system.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention according to Embodiment 1 and a private line network, a public line network, and a computer communication network to which the facsimile apparatus is connected. is there. In FIG. 1, FAX1
a indicates a facsimile machine. The facsimile machine FAX1a is connected to a private line network K and the Internet NTW, respectively, and is connected to a public line network PSTN via a private branch exchange P described later.

The above-mentioned private branch exchange P includes facsimile machines FAX1a, FAX1b and FA connected to the private line network K.
X1b ... Only when the communication is performed, or when these facsimile machines FAX1a and FAX1b, FAX1b ... communicate with the facsimile machine FAX2 connected to the PSTN PSTN An exchange having: Communication between the respective facsimile apparatuses is performed in accordance with ITU recommendation T.30.

GTW indicates a gateway device having a function of connecting the public line network PSTN and the Internet NTW.
Facsimile machines FAX1a and FAX via GTW
2 can send and receive image data using the Internet NTW. The facsimile machine FA
Between the X1a and the gateway device GTW, either real-time facsimile communication based on the ITU recommendation T.38 protocol that specifies facsimile communication using a computer communication network or electronic mail facsimile communication using SMTP is possible.

As described above, in this embodiment, the facsimile machine FAX1a is connected to the public line network via the private branch exchange P.
Although it is connected to the PSTN, a configuration in which it is directly connected to the PSTN PSTN may be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the facsimile apparatus FAX1a according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a main control unit constituted by a CPU. The main control unit 1 is connected to the following hardware units via a bus 2 to control them and To execute various programs stored in.

The leased line interface 3 is a communication interface for controlling the connection between the leased line used to connect to the Internet NTW and the facsimile machine FAX1a. Via this communication interface, data that has been protocol-converted by the T.38 converter 12 and the SMTP converter 14 can be communicated with a communication device such as a gateway device GTW connected to the Internet NTW.

The T.38 converter 12 and the SMTP converter 14
Since the protocol conversion according to is known, its description is omitted. However, Internet NTW by SMTP conversion unit 14
In the case of performing communication via the Internet, it is necessary to convert facsimile image data into an e-mail format by the e-mail conversion unit 13 and vice versa, and vice versa. The description is omitted because it is well known.

Transmission and reception of image data between the facsimile apparatus FAX1a and the gateway apparatus GTW by facsimile communication via the Internet NTW is performed by the real-time Internet according to the T.38 protocol or by e-mail using SMTP. Either or both can be selectively used.
Therefore, it goes without saying that the gateway device GTW also has the same T.38 converter 12, email converter 13 and SMTP converter 14 as the facsimile device FAX1a described above.

The ROM 4 stores various software programs necessary for the operation of the facsimile machine FAX1a. The RAM 5 is configured by, for example, an SRAM or a flash memory, and stores temporary data generated when executing software. If a flash memory is used as the RAM 5, the stored contents will not be lost even if the power is cut off due to a power failure, movement of the facsimile machine, or the like.

In an appropriate area of the RAM 5, two correspondence tables described later are stored. These correspondence tables can be deleted, updated, or added by a user operation.

The first correspondence table, like the correspondence table 5a shown in FIG. 3, is a table showing the correspondence between the area code and the IP address of the gateway device GTW installed in the area corresponding to the area code. is there. Facsimile machine FA
X1a refers to this correspondence table 5a,
It is possible to confirm the IP address of the gateway device GTW as the transmission destination.

The second correspondence table, like the correspondence table 5b shown in FIG. 4, is a table showing the correspondence between the number attached to the head of the facsimile number of the transmission destination (hereinafter referred to as the head number) and the communication network to be used. is there. As shown in FIG. 4, in the correspondence table 5b, if there is no head number, the private line network K is used, and if the head number is "0", the public line network PSTN is used.
However, if the first number is "*", the Internet NTW
Are associated with each other.

The image memory 6 is composed of, for example, a DRAM or the like, and stores image data read by a reading unit 9, which will be described later, and stores image data received from the outside via a public line network PSTN or the like.

The display unit 7 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a CRT display, and displays the operation state of the facsimile machine FAX1a, image data of a document to be transmitted, received image data, and communication. The usage status etc. of the is displayed.

The operation unit 8 is provided with character keys, numeric keys (numerical keys), and character keys necessary for operating the facsimile machine FAX1a.
It has one-touch dial keys, speed keys, and various function keys. The reading unit 9 reads a document image using a scanner such as a CCD image sensor.

The recording unit 10 is, for example, a printer device of an electrophotographic system or the like, and converts the received image data into a hard copy of recording paper of each size such as A3 length, B4 length, A4 length, B5 width, and A5 width. Select the optimal size of recording paper from and record.

Next, the operation of the facsimile machine FAX1a according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the facsimile apparatus FAX1a of the present invention when transmitting image data.

The user uses the facsimile machine FAX1a to
Enter the extension number of the facsimile machine FAX1b of the transmission destination or the destination number which is the facsimile number of the facsimile machine FAX2. At this point, the facsimile machine FA uses only the public line network PSTN via the private line network K and the private branch exchange P.
When performing facsimile communication with X2, "0" as the head number
When facsimile communication is performed with the facsimile apparatus FAX2 using the Internet NTW, the destination number with "*" is also input. Facsimile machines FAX1b, FAX1b using only the private line network K
When performing facsimile communication with any one of..., The extension number is used as the destination number. In this case, the user inputs the extension number as it is without adding the head number.

The facsimile machine FAX1a accepts the input of the destination number input by the user as described above (S
101), and further receives an input of a transmission instruction which is an instruction to transmit image data to the destination number (S102). Then, the image data as the transmission original is read by the reading unit 9 (S103), and the read image data is stored in the image memory 6.

Next, the facsimile machine FAX1a refers to the destination number received in step S101, and performs a process of determining the start number (S104). Here, if it is determined that the head number is not assigned, or if it is determined that the head number is “0” (S104: none or “0”), the destination number (head number “0”) is sent to the private branch exchange P. If "" is added, "0" is added) and the image data is transmitted (S105).

The private branch exchange P is a facsimile machine FAX1a.
When receiving the destination number and the image data from the server, according to the destination number (extension number or facsimile number), specifically, when it is determined that the start number is not assigned, the extension is connected to the facsimile apparatus FAX1b and If it is determined that the number is "0", an external line connection is made and the facsimile apparatus FAX2 is called, and the facsimile apparatus FAX1 is called.
b or when there is a response from the facsimile machine FAX2, the image data is transmitted to the facsimile machine FAX1b or the facsimile machine FAX2 using the private network K or the public line network PSTN.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S104 that the head number is "*" (S104: "*"), the Internet is referred to by referring to the correspondence table 5b.
Confirm that transmission processing using NTW is performed. Then, referring to the area code of the destination number (facsimile number) received in step S101 and the correspondence table 5a, the IP address of the gateway device GTW installed in the area related to the area code is acquired (S106). . By specifying the obtained IP address as a destination, the image data and the destination number stored in the image memory 6 are transmitted to the gateway device GTW using the Internet NTW in accordance with ITU recommendation T.38 or SMTP. (S107).

At this time, when the communication by the T.38 protocol is performed between the facsimile apparatus FAX1a and the gateway apparatus GTW, the facsimile apparatus FAX1a converts the image data into a digital signal according to the specification of the T.38 protocol and transmits the digital signal. . When the communication is performed by the SMTP, the facsimile machine FAX1a converts the image data into the e-mail format as described above and transmits it. Thus T.38 or SM
Regardless of which communication is performed by the TP, the image data is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus FAX1a to the gateway apparatus GTW via the Internet NTW.

When the image data transmitted in this way is received by the gateway device GTW, and when communication is performed according to the T.38 protocol, the gateway device GTW modulates the received digital signal into an analog audio signal. Based on the received destination number, the data is transmitted to the facsimile machine FAX2 via the public switched telephone network PSTN in accordance with T.30 described above.
Also, when the communication by SMTP is performed, the gateway device GTW converts the text data of the received e-mail into binary data, further converts it into facsimile image data, modulates it into an analog voice signal, and receives the destination number. T.30 described above to the facsimile machine FAX2 based on
And transmits via the public switched telephone network PSTN. As a result, the facsimile machine FAX2, which is the final destination, can receive the image data.

Next, the facsimile machine FAX1a determines whether or not the image data has been successfully transmitted (S108). This determination is performed, for example, by receiving information indicating that the transmission processing has been normally completed (or information indicating that transmission processing has not been normally completed) from the gateway device GTW after executing step S108. If it is determined that the transmission has been successful (S108: YES), the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that the transmission has failed (S108: NO), step S10
"*" Of the first number of the destination number accepted in 1 is changed to "0"
To the destination number (S10).
After performing step 9), step S105 described above is executed. As a result, the facsimile machine FA using only the public line network PSTN via the private line network K and the private branch exchange P
Image data is retransmitted to X2.

As described above, the user does not need to perform any complicated operation, and only determines whether or not to add “0” or “*” as the head number, and determines whether the private line network K, the public line network PSTN, or the Internet NTW. It is possible to easily select whether to use the communication network. If the Internet NTW is selected, the facsimile machine FAX1a
Internet directly by any protocol of SMTP
Image data can be sent to NTW.

Further, since communication performed on the Internet NTW has low reliability, the image data transmission processing is not completed normally when using the Internet NTW as compared with the case where only the public switched telephone network PSTN is used. There is a high probability that a situation will occur. However, as described above, the facsimile apparatus FAX1a according to the first embodiment of the present invention automatically switches to the public switched telephone network PSTN when image data cannot be transmitted normally using the Internet NTW. Is used to perform the image data retransmission process, so that the transmission process can be surely completed.

(Embodiment 2) A facsimile apparatus FAX1a of the present invention according to Embodiment 2 has a correspondence table 5c as shown in FIG. 6 instead of the correspondence table 5b of Embodiment 1 in an appropriate area of the RAM 5. Is stored. The correspondence table 5c indicates the relationship between the abbreviated number or one-touch dialle, the destination number corresponding to the abbreviated number or one-touch dialle, the name of the destination corresponding to the destination number, and the communication network to be used. This correspondence table 5c, like the correspondence tables 5a and 5b in the first embodiment, is deleted by a user operation.
It can be updated or added.

The other components are the same as those in the first embodiment, and their illustration and description are omitted.

Next, the operation of the facsimile machine FAX1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Embodiment 1
In step S101, the extension number or the facsimile number is received from the user as the destination number of the facsimile apparatus FAX2 in the case of the second embodiment. May be accepted. Also, in the case of the first embodiment, the destination number may be prefixed with “0” or “*”, but in the case of the second embodiment, such a leading number may not be appended. Absent.

Further, in the case of the first embodiment, step S1
At 04, it is determined which of the private line network K, the public line network PSTN and the Internet NTW is to be used by performing the process of determining the head number. Correspondence table 5c stored
To determine which communication network to use by confirming the communication network associated with the received destination number, which is the abbreviated number or one-touch dial. Note that other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus illustration and description are omitted.

As described above, the user simply selects the abbreviated number, extension number or facsimile number in the same manner as in a normal case without performing any special operation, and automatically uses an appropriate communication network. Image data can be transmitted.

In both of the above embodiments, the communication performed on the computer communication network (Internet) between the facsimile machine FAX1b and the gateway device GTW is based on T.30.
Although the protocol is based on either the 38 or SMTP protocol, the present invention is not limited thereto, and other protocols may be used as long as facsimile image data can be transmitted and received.

[0067]

As described above in detail, according to the facsimile apparatus of the first aspect, by having the means for connecting to the computer communication network, which of the public network and the computer communication network is used. When identification information such as the facsimile number of the destination with the network information indicating is input, the image data is transmitted using the network indicated in the network information, and the user can perform complicated operations. This makes it possible to easily transmit image data using a desired network without being forced to do so.

Further, according to the facsimile apparatus of the second aspect, by providing means for connecting to a computer communication network, the identification information of the transmission destination is associated with the network information indicating which network is to be used. When the identification information is input, the user performs a special operation by transmitting the image data by using the network indicated by the network information associated with the identification information. Even without this, image data can be automatically transmitted using an appropriate network.

Further, according to the facsimile apparatus of the third aspect, the facsimile apparatus is connected to the public line network via the private branch exchange connected to the private line network, and the user inputs identification information of the transmission destination. The present invention achieves excellent effects, such as that image data can be easily transmitted using any one of a private line network, a public line network, and a computer communication network.

Further, according to the facsimile apparatus of the fourth aspect, since the communication of the image data to the computer communication network is performed by the T.38 protocol, the facsimile communication can be performed at low cost and in real time using the computer communication network. Is achieved.

Further, according to the facsimile apparatus of the fifth aspect, since the communication of the image data to the computer communication network is performed by the e-mail method by the SMTP, the facsimile communication can be performed at a low cost using the computer communication network. It has an excellent effect that it can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and a private line network, a public line network, and a computer communication network to which the facsimile apparatus is connected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a correspondence table.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a correspondence table.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention according to Embodiment 1 when transmitting image data.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a correspondence table.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a process of transmitting and receiving image data between facsimile apparatuses when performing facsimile communication using either the T.38 or SMTP protocol via the Internet as a computer communication network.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the contents of an e-mail header when facsimile communication is performed using SMTP via the Internet as a computer communication network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 3 Dedicated line interface 4 ROM 5 RAM 6 Image memory 7 Display part 8 Operation part 9 Reading part 10 Recording part 12 T.38 conversion part 13 E-mail conversion part 14 SMTP conversion part FAX1a, FAX1b, FAX2 Fax machine GTW Gateway device K Private line network PSTN Public line network NTW Internet

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/32 H04N 1/32 L Z F term (Reference) 5C062 AA02 AA29 AA30 AB38 AB42 AC22 AC40 AE02 AF02 AF03 AF04 BD09 5C075 AB90 BA04 BA08 CA90 CD90 FF02 5K033 AA04 AA09 CB08 DA05 5K101 KK01 LL01 MM02 NN21 RR11 SS07 UU17 UU19

Claims (5)

[Claims] And a means for connecting to each of a public line network and a computer communication network, and when identification information of a transmission destination of image data to which network information indicating which network is to be used is input. Means for transmitting image data to the destination using a network indicated in the network information. 2. A means for connecting to each of a public line network and a computer communication network, and identification information of a destination of image data and network information indicating which one of a public line network and a computer communication network is to be used. Means for storing the image data in association with each other, and means for transmitting image data to the destination using the network indicated by the network information associated with the identification information when the identification information is selected. A facsimile machine characterized by the above. 3. The means for connecting to the public line network is adapted to connect to the public line network via a private branch exchange connected to the private line network.
3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile apparatus indicates which one of a public line network and a computer communication network is used. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting image data to said computer communication network by real-time communication using a T.38 protocol. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting image data to the computer communication network by e-mail communication using SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). Facsimile machine.