JP2003228542A - Network equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a load on a mail server by transmission of a scan image, and deliver the scan image by mail to a user without causing the user any special consciousness. <P>SOLUTION: Network equipment connected to a LAN comprises a creating means for creating an email to which a file to be transmitted is attached, a determining means for determining whether the destination address of the transmitted file is a client with a mail server in the LAN or not, a saving means for creating mail to which the client-transmitted file is attached and saving it in a storing means if the determining means determines a client with a mail server in the LAN, and a mail transmitting means for fetching the mail to the client from the saving means and transmitting it when receiving a mail transmission request from the client. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to transmission of data attached to electronic mail.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A scanner or a peripheral device having a scanner function is used as a network device. In such a device, the image data obtained by scanning is directly attached to an electronic mail and transmitted. On the receiving side,
Using an ordinary mail software, receive the e-mail with the image file attached from the mail server.

[0003]

Generally, image data obtained by scanning has a considerably large data size as compared with electronic mail mainly composed of text. In the conventional network scanner, when image data is sent to a plurality of parties using the same mail server, the large image data is copied by the number of people in the mail server. For this reason, the mail server is heavily loaded. Further, in the above description, the scan image data is described, but other data may similarly place a great load on the mail server.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the load on a mail server when sending image data to a plurality of parties via a network.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems A network device according to the present invention is a network device connected to a LAN, and a creating means for creating an electronic mail to which a file to be sent is attached and a file to be sent. A determination unit that determines whether the destination address is a client of a mail server in the LAN, and a file that is transmitted to the client when the determination unit determines that the destination address is a client of the mail server in the LAN, or the creation unit. In the storage means for storing the mail with the file attached in the storage means and the reception request from the client, the file is taken out from the storage means and the mail attached to the file is transmitted by the creating means, Or, take out the mail for the client from the storage means and send it. And a Lumpur transmitting means. In the network device having the electronic mail transmission function, the mail server user in the LAN delivers the mail to the user without actually sending the file attachment mail to the mail server. The load of the mail server is reduced by storing the file itself, or creating and storing the file attachment mail and not sending it to the mail server.

[0006] In the above network device, preferably, the mail transmitting means further acquires a mail addressed to the client from a mail server, and stores the mail stored in the storage means or the storage means. Sent to the client together with the email. Since it has a mail receiving proxy function, the user can receive mail as usual using general mail software without being aware of anything special.

In the network device, the file is, for example, an image file.

[0008] The network device is preferably
The image file is a file of the image obtained by the scanner.

The program executable by the computer according to the present invention determines whether the destination address of the file to be transmitted is a mail server client in the LAN, and determines that it is a mail server client in the LAN. In the case of the above, a step of storing the file to be transmitted to the client, or creating and storing an email with the file attached, and receiving a reception request from the client, extracting the stored file And creating and sending a mail with a file attached, or extracting and storing the mail for the client that has been stored. A computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention records this program.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows the network (L
1 shows a multi-function peripheral device (multi-function peripheral MFP) 10 connected to an (AN) 20. Peripheral 1
0 is connected to a plurality of client computers 30 and a mail server 40 via a network (LAN) 20. Although not shown, the LAN 20 is further connected to an external network. Peripheral 1
In scan to e-mail mode, 0 operates as a network scanner having a scan image electronic mail transmission function.

The configuration of the multi-function peripheral device 10 is the same as the conventional one. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a scanner unit 100 that scans a document to read an image and a print engine that receives print data and prints it on paper. A unit 102, an interface unit (communication device) 104 for communicating with the outside,
An operation panel 106, a storage device 108, and a controller 110 that controls them are provided. The storage device 108 is
For example, it is a hard disk device and also functions as a data storage unit that stores scanned images, a list of mail addresses, print data, and the like. The controller 110 controls the scanner unit 100 to read a document, process the obtained scan image data, and process the interface unit 104.
Send as an attachment to an email via. Further, the controller 110 receives print data from the outside via the interface unit 104, creates raster data,
Printing is performed by controlling the print engine unit 102. The multi-function peripheral device 10 operates as a network scanner, a network printer, etc., but the operation as a network scanner will be mainly described below. The program for operating the controller 110 is stored in, for example, a ROM (not shown) or the storage device 108 in the controller 110. Further, the mail processing program 120 described below is stored in the storage device 108.

A mail processing program 1 in the peripheral device 10
20 is a scan image storage function, as will be described later.
Equipped with a mail receiving proxy function and electronic mail composition function. The storage device 108 stores a mail address list of users in the LAN. When the image data is read by the scanner unit 100, the image file obtained by the scan is stored in the user mailbox (data storage unit) in the storage device 108 assigned to each address when the image file is transmitted to the user in the LAN. , Save the scanned image file as an email with an attachment. On the other hand, each computer 30 includes mail software 32. The user of the computer 30 changes the setting of the mail receiving server in the setting of the mail software 32 to the original mail server 4
Change from 0 to the peripheral device 10. Therefore, when the user requests mail reception using the mail software 32, the request is sent to the peripheral device 10. In response to this, the peripheral device 10 takes out the e-mail to which the stored scanned image file is attached and sends it to the user.
Further, the data to be stored may be only the file body. In this case, when the image data is read by the scanner unit 100, the image file obtained by the scan is stored in the user mailbox (data storage unit) in the storage device 108. When a user requests to receive a mail, the stored image file is taken out and attached to an e-mail. Then, the e-mail is transmitted.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, mail composition at the time of mail reception in the peripheral device 10 operating as a network scanner will be described. Controller 110
When transmitting the scanned image, the device analyzes the destination (destination address) of the scanned image and refers to the address list in the storage device 108 to check whether the other party is the user of the mail server 40 in the LAN 20. to decide. If it is determined that the user is the mail server 40, the mail with the image file obtained by the scan is combined and stored in the user mailbox (data storage unit) in the storage device 108 without transmitting the scanned image. Or store the image file itself (scan image storage function). This reduces the load on the mail server 40 in transmitting the scan image.

The transmission of the mail with the image file attached is as follows. The user of the computer 30 changes the setting of the mail receiving server from the original mail server 40 to the peripheral device 10 by setting the mail software 32. When the user causes the scanner 10 to perform a receiving operation, the peripheral device 10 goes to the mail server 40 on behalf of the user to retrieve a normal electronic mail sent to the mail server 40 (mail receiving proxy function). Furthermore, if there is an image mail for the user in the user mailbox for data storage assigned to each address in the storage device 108,
It is sent together with the electronic mail received from the mail server 40 (synchronization function with electronic mail). When the scanned image itself is stored, the file of the scanned image is taken out, an electronic mail with the file attached is created, and the electronic mail is sent together with the electronic mail received from the mail server 40. Therefore, from the perspective of the user of the computer 30, it is not an email that was in a separate location,
It seems that a plurality of mails have been received from the mail server 40 normally. That is, the user can receive the scanned image file by e-mail without being aware of anything special. These processes are processed according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5 described below.

FIG. 4 shows a flow of the image processing program at the time of transmitting the scanned image. When the scanning of the document by the scanner unit 100 is completed, first, the destination address of the electronic mail to which the image file obtained by the scanning is attached is checked (S100). According to the address list in the storage device 108, the partner is the mail server 40 in the LAN 20.
If it is determined that the user is (YES in S102)
S), without sending to the mail server 40, create an e-mail with the image file obtained by scanning and store the e-mail in the user mailbox assigned to each address in the storage device 108. Put (S10
4). Alternatively, when the image file obtained by scanning is stored, the image file is stored in the user mailbox. If you are a user outside the LAN 20,
As usual, the e-mail with the image attached is transmitted (S106).

FIG. 5 shows the flow of the image processing program when the user receives a mail reception request. When there is a reception request, the mail for the user is sent to the mail server 40.
(S200). That is, the mail is retrieved on behalf of the user. Next, it is determined whether or not there is a mail with the image file for that user attached to the storage device 108 for data storage (S202). If there is, the mail with the image file attached is taken out (S204). Alternatively, when the image file obtained by scanning is stored, the image file is taken out and an e-mail with the image file attached is created. Then, the mail with the image file attached is combined with the mail received from the mail server 40 (S206), and the mail is transmitted (S20).
8).

FIG. 6 shows POP3 as a mail receiving protocol.
An example of signal transmission / reception by the above-mentioned processing when using is shown. The setting of the mail receiving server in the setting of the mail software 32 of the computer 30 is the same as the original mail server 40.
Has been changed to the peripheral device 10. It is assumed that there is one mail in the mail server 40 and one mail with the scanned image attached in the scanner 10. First, the mail software 32 sends the mail server 40 via the peripheral device 10.
When a TCP connection request is sent to, the peripheral device correspondingly sends a TCP connection request to the mail server 40. In response to this, the mail server 40 sends the POP server name to the peripheral device, and the peripheral device 10 sends the POP to the mail software 32.
Send the server name. Further, the mail software 32 sends the password to the peripheral device 10, and the peripheral device sends the password to the mail server 40. In response to this, the mail server 40 sends a user confirmation response to the peripheral device 10, and the peripheral device 10 sends a user confirmation response to the mail software 32. Through the above processing, the connection between each device is established.

Next, the mail software 32 causes the peripheral device 10 to
To the mail server 40, and then the peripheral device 10 requests the mail server 40 to send the mail list. In response to this, the mail server 40 notifies the peripheral device 10 that there is one mail, and the peripheral device 10 notifies the mail software 32 that there are two mails. Also, the mail server 40 sends the first name (for example, 319) to the peripheral device 10, and the peripheral device 10 sends the first and second names (for example, 1200000) to the mail software 32.

Next, the mail software 32 replaces the peripheral device 10
Request to get the first e-mail, the peripheral device 10
Requests the mail server 40 to acquire a mail. In response to this, the mail server 40 notifies the peripheral device 10 of the transmission of the mail, and the peripheral device 10 notifies the mail server 40 of the transmission of the mail. Furthermore, the mail server 40
Sends the mail text to the peripheral device 10, and the peripheral device 10
Sends the first mail text to the mail software 32. Next, when the mail software 32 requests the peripheral device 10 to acquire the second mail, the peripheral device 10 notifies the transmission, and then sends the second mail text (with the scanned image) to the mail software. Send to 32.

Next, the mail software 32 causes the peripheral device 10 to
If you request to delete the first mail from
Requests the mail server 40 to delete the mail. As a result, the mail server 40 deletes the mail and reports it to the peripheral device 10, and the peripheral device 10 reports the deletion of the first mail to the mail software 32. Next, when the mail software 32 requests the peripheral device 10 to delete the second mail, the peripheral device 10 deletes the second mail,
Report it to the mail software 32.

Finally, when the mail software 32 notifies the peripheral device 10 of the end of the connection, the peripheral device 10 notifies the mail server 40 of the end of the connection. In response to this,
The mail server 40 notifies the peripheral device 10 of the approval, and the peripheral device 10 notifies the mail software 32 of the approval.

In the above-described embodiment, the transmission of the image read by the scanner unit 100 is described. However, in general, when an image file or a document file including the image is attached to an electronic mail and transmitted. Can be processed similarly.

Further, even when a file that is not an image file is attached to an e-mail and is sent, for example, when a print file is attached to an e-mail and sent, a mail storage function and a mail reception proxy function are provided. , Can be processed in the same way.

[0024]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since mails to which many files are attached are not simultaneously sent to the mail server in the LAN, the load on the mail server can be reduced.

Further, the user can receive the mail with the file attached in synchronization with the transmission of the reception request to the mail server by using the general mail software as in the past.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a network including a network scanner.

[Figure 2] Block diagram of multi-function peripherals

[Figure 3] Conceptual diagram of mail composition when receiving mail

FIG. 4 is a processing flowchart when transmitting a scanned image.

[Fig. 5] Processing flow chart when receiving mail

[Figure 6] Diagram of data transmission when POP3 is used as the mail reception protocol

[Explanation of symbols]

10 peripherals, 20 network, 30
Client computer, 32 mail software,
40 mail server, 100 scanner section,
108 storage means, 120 mail processing program.

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A network device connected to a LAN, and a creating means for creating an electronic mail with a file to be sent attached, and whether the destination address of the file to be sent is a client of a mail server in the LAN. And a storing means for storing a file to be transmitted to the client or a mail to which the file is attached by the creating means when the determining means determines that the client is a client of a mail server in the LAN. And a receiving means for receiving the reception request from the client, the file is taken out from the storing means, the creating means sends an email to which the file is attached, or an email for the client is sent from the storing means. A network device provided with a mail sending means for taking out and sending. 2. The mail transmitting means further acquires a mail addressed to the client from a mail server,
The network device according to claim 1, wherein the network device is transmitted together with the mail stored in the storage unit or the mail stored in the storage unit to the client. 3. The network device according to claim 1, wherein the file is an image file. 4. The scanner according to claim 1, further comprising a scanner that scans a document to obtain an image, and the image file is a file of an image obtained by the scanner. Network equipment. 5. A step of determining whether a destination address of a file to be transmitted is a client of a mail server in LAN, and transmitting to the client when it is determined to be a client of a mail server in LAN Storing a file, or creating and storing an email with the file attached, and when receiving a reception request from the client, takes out the stored file and creates and sends an email with the file attached Or a step of retrieving and transmitting the stored mail for the client, which is executable by a computer.