JP2003264667A - Internet facsimile equipment and internet facsimile communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily and surely transmit picture information while effectively utilizing the merit of electronic mail. <P>SOLUTION: When error mail is received from an SMTP server 4, an Internet facsimile equipment (IFAX)1 immediately transmits picture information to a recipient by a facsimile transmission. Therefore, even when abnormality occurs in the transmission of the picture information due to electronic mail because of a factor on a transmitting side such as an error of a destination mail address or any other factor such as the down of a server 7 of a POP3, the picture information can be speedily and surely transmitted to the recipient while effectively utilizing the merit of electronic mail. <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 an internet facsimile machine and an internet facsimile communication method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-242326.
Publication and corresponding US Pat. No. 5,881,2
An electronic mail type Internet facsimile machine (hereinafter referred to as IFAX) for transmitting and receiving data on the Internet using electronic mail as disclosed in No. 33 has been put into practical use.

In a communication system using IFAX, a sender sends an electronic mail message to which image information is attached to a mail server on the receiver side via a mail server on the sender side. In the case of POP3, the e-mail message is stored in the mail server, the terminal on the receiver side inquires whether the e-mail message has arrived at the mail server at regular time intervals, and receives the e-mail message from the mail server. In the case of SMTP, when a mail server receives an electronic mail message, it delivers it directly to the recipient's terminal. P
The receiver side terminal does not need to make an inquiry to the mail server as in the case of OP3.

Since the IFAX communication system uses the Internet to transmit image information, the normal G3 / G4
E-mail transfer protocols (SMTP, PO) that can significantly reduce communication costs compared to facsimile communication systems
(P3 etc.) is used, there is an advantage that communication over a firewall is possible.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, IFA
In an e-mail system including the X communication system, a plurality of mail servers relay the e-mail message to the final destination. Therefore, the delivery time depends on the processing time and operating status of the mail server.
For example, if an abnormal overload is applied to a mail server at a relay point, it may take several hours before the message is delivered to the next relay point. In addition, when the power supply of the mail server is temporarily turned off, the e-mail delivery may be delayed by the time until the power supply is cut off due to the repeated retransmission to the mail server. As described above, in the IFAX communication system, the delivery delay of the electronic mail message occurs, so that the real-time property is not guaranteed.

Further, in the IFAX communication system, it has been proposed that the IFAX on the receiver side notifies the sender of an electronic mail message (delivery confirmation mail) for notifying the sender of the delivery result of the transmitted electronic mail message. . Even in a normal e-mail system, when the destination mail address is incorrect or the recipient's mail server is down, the sender's mail server etc. sends error mail to the sender. There is. When the sender's IFAX receives the delivery confirmation mail or the error mail, the delivery confirmation mail or the like is printed to inform the sender of the contents.

As described above, although it is known that the transmission has failed, the image information does not reach the other party unless the sender retransmits it. Also in this respect, real-time performance is not guaranteed in the IFAX communication system.

In the G3 / G4 facsimile communication system, since the communication is carried out while negotiating with each other, the real-time property is guaranteed. Even in the IFAX communication system, it is strongly desired to secure real-time property while taking advantage of the advantage of electronic mail.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an internet facsimile apparatus and an internet facsimile communication method capable of ensuring real-time performance while taking advantage of the advantages of electronic mail.

[0010]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a mail sending means for sending image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and an electronic mail transfer protocol on the computer network. A mail receiving means for receiving an electronic mail message; and a facsimile transmitting means for transmitting the image information by a facsimile communication protocol. After the mail transmitting means transmits the image information to a recipient, the mail receiving means When the error mail is received, the facsimile transmission means retransmits the image information to the same person as the recipient.

Thus, if an error mail is received even though the image information is sent by e-mail, the image information is sent again to the recipient by facsimile, so that the advantages of the e-mail can be utilized to ensure reliable transmission. Can be secured.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An internet facsimile apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a mail transmitting means for transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and transmits the image information by a facsimile communication protocol. A facsimile transmission means, and if the recipient does not normally receive the image information within a predetermined time after the mail transmission means transmits the image information to the recipient, the facsimile transmission means The image information is transmitted again to the same person as the recipient.

With this configuration, if the image information is sent by e-mail but the recipient does not receive the image information normally within a predetermined time, the image information is sent again to the recipient by facsimile. It is possible to stop the delay of image information transmission by email within a predetermined time.

An Internet facsimile apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is a mail sending means for sending image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and an electronic mail message on the computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol. A mail receiving unit for receiving and a facsimile transmitting unit for transmitting the image information by a facsimile communication protocol, the mail transmitting unit transmitting the image information to a recipient, and the mail receiving unit receiving an error mail. If so, the facsimile transmission means retransmits the image information to the same person as the recipient.

A third aspect of the present invention employs a configuration in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect, for extracting a message ID from an error mail and transmitting image information corresponding to the message ID to a facsimile transmission means. .

With these configurations, the image information is sent by electronic mail, but if an error mail is received from a mail server or the like, the image information is sent again by facsimile to the recipient. Can be minimized.

An internet facsimile apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a mail sending means for sending image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and an electronic mail message on the computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol. A mail receiving unit for receiving the image information, and a facsimile transmitting unit for transmitting the image information by a facsimile communication protocol, wherein the mail receiving unit transmits the image information to the recipient within a predetermined time. If the delivery confirmation mail is not received from the recipient, the facsimile transmission means retransmits the image information to the same person as the recipient.

With this configuration, if the delivery confirmation mail is not received from the recipient within a predetermined time after transmitting the image information to the recipient, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by the facsimile communication protocol. The delay of image information transmission by e-mail can be stopped within a predetermined time.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the internet facsimile apparatus according to the fourth aspect, when the mail receiving means receives a delivery confirmation mail indicating a normal reception, the transmission data stored in the memory is erased. Take.

With this configuration, when the delivery confirmation mail indicating the normal reception is received, the transmission data accumulated in the memory is deleted, so that the memory can be effectively used.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is an internet facsimile apparatus according to the fourth or fifth aspect,
When the mail receiving means receives the delivery confirmation mail indicating the abnormal reception, the facsimile transmitting means again sends the image information to the same person as the recipient.

With this configuration, when the delivery confirmation mail indicating the abnormal reception is received, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by the facsimile communication protocol. Therefore, the delay of the image information transmission by the electronic mail is about a predetermined time. You can stop at.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is the internet facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a memory for accumulating the image information transmitted by the mail transmitting means, and the mail transmitting means. The image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to the recipient.

With this configuration, the image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to the receiver, so that the memory can be effectively used.

An internet facsimile apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention comprises a mail transmitting means for transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and a memory for accumulating the image information transmitted by the mail transmitting means. Facsimile transmitting means for transmitting the image information by a facsimile communication protocol, and deleting the image information from the memory if a predetermined time has elapsed after the mail transmitting means transmitted the image information to the recipient. Adopt a configuration that does.

With this configuration, the image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to the receiver, so that the memory can be effectively used.

In a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the internet facsimile apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the mail address of the recipient and the presence / absence of the delivery confirmation mail transmission function of the terminal device on the recipient side are determined. When the mail receiving means receives a delivery confirmation mail from the recipient, the memory further stores a recipient information table that holds the identification information shown in association with each other, and delivers the identification information corresponding to the recipient. Adopt a configuration with the function to send confirmation email.

With this configuration, since the identification information is automatically updated according to the result after the image information is actually transmitted to the receiver side terminal device, the operator does not have to change the identification information and the user can save the time. A friendly IFAX can be provided.

An Internet facsimile communication method according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the step of transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and the step of transmitting the image information to a receiver, and then the receiver concerned. If the image information is not normally received within a predetermined time, the image information is transmitted again to the same person as the recipient by the facsimile communication protocol.

According to this method, if the image information is sent by e-mail but the recipient does not normally receive the image information within the predetermined time, the image information is sent again to the recipient by facsimile. It is possible to stop the delay of image information transmission by email within a predetermined time.

In the internet facsimile communication method according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the step of transmitting the image information by an electronic mail transfer protocol on a computer network, and the step of transmitting the image information to the recipient after the mail receiving means If an error mail is received, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by a facsimile communication protocol.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is, in the internet facsimile communication method according to the eleventh aspect, extracting the message ID from the error mail and transmitting the image information corresponding to the message ID in the step of transmitting the image information again. To send.

According to these methods, image information is sent by e-mail, but if an error mail is received from a mail server or the like, the image information is sent again to the recipient by facsimile. Can be minimized.

An internet facsimile communication method according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the step of transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and after the mail transmitting means transmits the image information to a recipient. If the mail receiving means does not receive a delivery confirmation mail from the recipient within a predetermined time, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by a facsimile communication protocol.

According to this method, if the delivery confirmation mail is not received from the recipient within a predetermined time after transmitting the image information to the recipient, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by the facsimile communication protocol. The delay of image information transmission by e-mail can be stopped within a predetermined time.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the internet facsimile communication method according to the thirteenth aspect, when a delivery confirmation mail indicating a normal reception is received, the transmission data accumulated in the memory is erased.

According to this method, the transmission data accumulated in the memory is deleted when the delivery confirmation mail indicating the normal reception is received, so that the memory can be effectively used.

In a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the internet facsimile communication method according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, when a delivery confirmation mail indicating an abnormal reception is received, the image information is sent to the recipient by a facsimile communication protocol. And send again to the same person.

According to this method, when the delivery confirmation mail indicating the abnormal reception is received, the image information is retransmitted to the same person as the recipient by the facsimile communication protocol. Therefore, the delay of the image information transmission should be minimized. You can

The sixteenth aspect of the present invention is based on the tenth to first aspects.
In the internet facsimile communication method according to any one of the fifth aspect, the image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to the recipient by the electronic mail transfer protocol.

According to this method, the image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has passed after the image information was transmitted to the receiver, so that the memory can be effectively used.

An internet facsimile communication method according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is the step of transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol; the step of storing the transmitted image information in a memory; Deleting the image information from the memory if a predetermined time has elapsed after sending the information to the recipient by the electronic mail transfer protocol.

According to this method, the image information is deleted from the memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to the receiver, so that the memory can be effectively used.

The eighteenth aspect of the present invention is based on the tenth to first aspects.
In the Internet facsimile communication method according to any one of the seventh aspect, a recipient information table that holds the recipient's mail address and the identification information indicating the presence / absence of the delivery confirmation mail transmission function of the recipient terminal device in association with each other. The method further comprises the steps of storing and, when the mail receiving means receives a delivery confirmation mail from the recipient, making the identification information corresponding to the recipient have a delivery confirmation mail transmission function.

With this method, since the identification information is automatically updated according to the result after the image information is actually transmitted to the receiver side terminal device, the operator does not have to change the identification information and the user can save the time. A friendly IFAX can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a network in which an internet facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention operates.

The IFAX 1 according to the first embodiment is connected to the local area network (LAN) 2. In addition to LAN2, a personal computer (P
C) 3 etc. are connected. Also, for LAN2, SM
The TP server 4 is connected. The SMTP server 4
SMTP (Simple Mail), which is one of the mail transfer protocols between client and server and between servers
In accordance with the Transfer Protocol), the electronic mail message from the client such as IFAX1 or PC3 is transferred to the receiving POP3 server or the like.

This LAN 2 is connected to the Internet 5, and another LAN 6 is connected to the Internet 5. The LAN 6 has a POP3 server 7 and an IF.
AX8,9 and PC10 etc. are connected. PO
The P (Post Office Protocol) 3 server 7 transfers the electronic mail to and from the SMTP server 4 by SMTP and stores the electronic mail in the mailbox of each client.
Then, according to POP3, IFAX8, 9 and PC
Forward the email to a client such as 10. POP
3 is one of the protocols for transferring the mail from the server to the client, and there are also APOP, IMAP4 and the like.

The IFAXes 8 and 9 can also directly send to the other party's SMTP server (the SMTP server 4 shown in FIG. 1 or the SMTP server installed in the LAN 6) using SMTP. In this case, the SMTP server
SM email messages received by IFAX 8 and 9
Deliver directly by TP

With this configuration, the IFAX 1 can transmit image information to the IFAX 8, 9 or the PC 10 via the Internet 5 by electronic mail.

In this case, IFAX 1, 8 and 9 are LANs.
The Internet 5 is connected via the Internet 2, but the connection is not particularly limited, and dial-up connection may be made via an Internet provider, for example.

The IFAX 1 is connected to the telephone network 11 and is capable of transmitting image information to the IFAXes 8 and 9 by a facsimile procedure. The telephone network 11 includes, for example, a public telephone line network (PSTN), an integrated service digital network (ISDN), a wireless telephone network, and the like.

Further, in this network system, the computer network for exchanging electronic mails is constructed by the LANs 2, 6 and the Internet 5, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the wireless LA
N, WAN, VAN, etc. are widely included. From another point of view, this computer network is sufficient if it can realize transmission / reception of image information by an electronic mail transfer protocol described later, for example, a TCP / IP network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment. The CPU 21 executes a program and controls the entire device. The ROM 22 stores the program executed by the CPU 21.

The RAM 23 has a work area for executing a program and a buffer area for temporarily storing various data such as electronic mails and image files.

The FAX processing section 24 is a FAX modem or IS.
A device that performs G3 or G4 facsimile procedures, such as a DN interface.

The scanner 25 reads a document and obtains image information. The printer 26 prints various data including the received image information.

The LAN interface 27 is the LAN 2
Perform the steps required to send and receive data above.

The panel operation unit 28 is provided with dial keys and a touch panel, and receives operations by the operator such as designation of the other party and transmission start instruction. The timer 29 measures time.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment. Hereinafter, a case where the IFAX 1 is viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 3 will be described. Scanner 2 in IFAX1
5 and the printer 26 have another component, namely C
PU21, ROM22, RAM23, FAX processing unit 2
4, LAN interface 27 and panel operation unit 2
8 is integrated in the housing 30 together. IFAX
A panel operation unit 28 is provided on the left side surface of the upper surface of the unit 1. On the right side of the panel operation unit 28, a document placing table 31 for supplying a document to the scanner 25 is provided. On the left side surface of the IFAX 1, paper ejection trays 32 and 33 for receiving printed matter ejected from the printer 26 are vertically arranged. A paper feed unit 34 that supplies printing paper to the printer 26 is provided on the bottom surface of the IFAX 1.

A program is stored in the ROM 22 shown in FIG. 2, and the CPU 21 executes the program. The functions realized as a result will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functions of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

The IFAX 1 comprises a FAX control section 100, a scanner control section 200 and a printer control section 300,
It controls each processing unit of the FAX processing unit 24, the scanner 25, and the printer 26.

Further, the IFAX 1 is provided with an IFAX processing section 400 which realizes the function as the IFAX. Figure 5
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing basic functions of an IFAX processing unit of the internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

The IFAX 1 uses the LAN interface 27 to send and receive electronic mail via a computer network such as the LAN 2. More specifically, the image compression unit 51 compresses the raw image information (for example, bitmap data) read by the scanner 25 in a compression format such as MH to obtain a compressed file. The compression is performed for each page of the original document. Next, the TIFF conversion unit 52 converts these compressed files into one TIFF.
(Tagged Image File Format) Convert to file. The e-mail creation unit 53 converts this TIFF file into, for example, MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension).
Follow the instructions to attach to a multipart email. By the processing up to this point, the image information is converted into the electronic mail format. This e-mail is sent to the L
It is transmitted using the mail transfer protocol via the AN interface 27.

On the other hand, the mail receiving section 55 receives an electronic mail via the LAN interface 27. This e-mail is a multipart mail, and the TIFF file is converted into character data, that is, a text code, and attached to the attached file part. The binary converter 56 binary-converts the text code of the image information part (attachment file part) of the multipart mail to obtain a TIFF file. The binary conversion refers to converting text code data into binary data, that is, converting data coded by base64 into binary (binary) and returning to original image information.

The TIFF developing unit 57 opens this TIFF file. The image decompression unit 58 decompresses the compressed file included in this TIFF file to obtain raw image information. By the processing up to this point, the electronic mail is converted into the image information format. The image information obtained in this way is input to the printer 26 via the printer control unit 300 and printed.

Next, the image information transmission procedure in the IFAX 1 according to the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing an image information transmission control unit in the internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

The image information transmission control unit is the received mail determination unit 6
01, a transmission switching unit 602, an image information file management unit 603, and a timer monitoring unit 604. The received mail determination unit 601 is the IFAX processing unit 400.
The e-mail received in (hereinafter referred to as the received mail) is analyzed to determine whether this received mail is an error mail.
Also, it is determined whether the received mail is a delivery confirmation mail, and whether the content indicates normal or abnormal. Further, the correspondence relation between the received mail and the image information file is determined by referring to the transmission job management table described later.

The transmission switching unit 602 performs the image information transmission method by the IFAX processing unit 400 in accordance with the electronic mail transfer protocol (hereinafter referred to as IFAX transmission).
And the method (hereinafter referred to as FAX transmission) performed by the FAX control unit 100 according to the facsimile communication protocol.

The image information file management unit 603 has a RAM 2
The image information file stored in the image information file storage area 605 of No. 3 is read or deleted. The reading and deletion of the image information file follows the instruction of the transmission switching unit 602.

The timer monitoring unit 604 monitors the timer 29 and determines whether or not the count value of the timer from the start of the transmission job has reached the timer value of the transmission job set in the transmission job table.

Further, in the RAM 23, an image information file storage area 605, a one-touch / abbreviated number registration table area 606 and a transmission job table area 607 are provided.

In the image information file storage area 605, I
The image information transmitted by the FAX processing unit 400 is accumulated in, for example, a compressed file format. A file name is individually assigned to the image information.

A one-touch / abbreviated number registration table area 606 stores a one-touch / abbreviated number registration table. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a one-touch / abbreviated number registration table of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment. In this one-touch / abbreviated number registration table, as shown in FIG. 7, a one-touch / abbreviated number registration number 701, a destination email address 702,
Telephone (FAX) number 703, FAX transmission flag 704,
The timer initial value 705 and the delivery confirmation flag 706 are registered in association with each other.

The destination mail address 702 is read when the one-touch key is pressed or the abbreviated number is input from the panel operation unit 28, and is sent to the IFAX processing unit 400. The telephone number 703 is read when sending by FAX and sent to the FAX control unit 100. The FAX transmission flag 704 is identification information indicating whether to perform FAX transmission instead of IFAX transmission. Timer initial value 705
Is the maximum time to wait for an error mail or a delivery confirmation mail after sending IFAX, which the timer monitoring unit 604 refers to. The delivery confirmation flag 706 indicates whether or not the terminal device on the recipient side has a delivery confirmation mail transmission function.

The transmission job table area 607 stores a transmission job table. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission job table of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment. In the transmission job table, a management number 801, a destination mail address 802, a telephone (FAX) number 803, a timer value 804, a transmission mail message ID 805, status information 806, and a file name 807 are registered in association with each other.

The management number 801 is a number for managing the transmission job. The destination email address 802 is the destination email address of the outgoing email. Phone number 803
Is a telephone number of a destination used when performing FAX transmission instead of IFAX transmission.

The timer value 804 is the value of the timer 29 indicating the elapsed time waiting for the reception of the error mail and the transmission confirmation mail, and this value is decremented by the timer monitoring unit 604, for example, every minute, and becomes 0. It will be time up.

The transmitted mail message ID 805 is the IF
It is an identification number given to the electronic mail when the AX processing unit 400 creates the electronic mail. The status information 806 indicates the current status of this transmission job. File name 807
Indicates the file name of the image information file corresponding to this transmission job.

Next, the image information transmitting operation in the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment will be described. 9 and 10 are flow charts showing the image information transmitting operation in the internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

When the operator inputs a destination, the panel operation unit 28 determines whether the input is a one-touch operation or an abbreviated number (step (hereinafter referred to as ST) 901).

When the destination input does not depend on the one-touch operation or the abbreviated number, that is, when the operator fully inputs the destination mail address, panel operation unit 28 requests the input of the telephone number and the timer initial value (ST902). . The telephone number and the initial value of the timer are sent to the transmission switching unit 602, and FA is performed when the IFAX transmission ends abnormally.
Used in X transmission.

In ST901, if the destination input is a one-touch or abbreviated number input, the process proceeds to ST903.

In ST903, transmission switching section 602
Is a mail message I sent from the IFAX processing unit 400.
Get D. After that, the transmission switching unit 602 stores the destination mail address 802, the telephone number 803, the timer initial value, and the transmission mail message ID 8 in the transmission job table.
05 and the file name 807 of the image information file are respectively registered (ST904).

At this time, if the destination input is one-touch or abbreviated number in ST901, transmission switching section 602
Reads out the destination mail address 702, the telephone number 703, and the timer initial value 705 from the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table, and registers them in the transmission job table. On the other hand, if the destination input is not one-touch or abbreviated in ST901, the destination email address, telephone number, and timer initial value input from panel operation unit 28 are registered in the transmission job table.

Then, IFAX processing section 400 transfers the outgoing mail to SMTP server 4 according to the electronic mail transfer protocol (ST905).

When the IFAX transmission is performed, the transmission switching unit 602 refers to the delivery confirmation flag 706 of the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table and refers to the IFAX on the receiving side.
It is determined whether or not 8, 9 or PC 10 (hereinafter referred to as the partner machine) has a delivery confirmation transmission function (ST906). Here, when the partner device does not have the delivery confirmation transmission function, the transmission switching unit 602 determines whether to set the timer 29 (ST907). This determination is made based on the timer value 705 of the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table.

When the partner device has the delivery confirmation transmission function in ST906 and when it is determined in ST907 that the timer 29 is set, timer monitoring section 604 starts counting of timer 29 (ST908). Timer monitoring unit 60
4 starts decrementing the timer value 804 of the transmission job table by 1 when the timer 29 starts counting.

After the timer 29 starts counting, the received mail determination section 601 determines whether or not a time-out has occurred, in other words, whether or not the timer value 804 of the transmission job table has become zero (ST909). If the timeout has not occurred, the received mail determination unit 601 determines whether or not an error mail of the transmission job currently being processed (hereinafter referred to as the current job) has been received (ST910). Here, it is determined that the received e-mail is the error mail of the current job if the sent mail message ID 805 of the current job registered in the sent job table and the message ID included in the error mail match. To do. The error mail is a message in which the SMTP server 4 adds a predetermined fixed message indicating that transfer of the sent mail has failed to the message of the sent mail. As shown in FIG. 11, a message ID is included in the transmitted mail message portion of the error mail. The received mail judgment unit 601 detects and extracts this message ID from the error mail, and sends the message ID 80 of the sent mail of the current job.
Compare with 5.

In ST910, if the received mail judgment section 601 has not received the error mail of the current job, it judges whether or not the delivery confirmation mail of the current job has been received (ST911). Whether or not the delivery confirmation mail of the current job has been received is determined by, for example, analyzing the delivery confirmation mail transmitted in the DNS (Delivery Status Notification) format proposed by RFC1894. The message ID can be extracted from this DSN format.

In ST911, IFAX processing section 40
When 0 receives the received mail and the received mail is the delivery confirmation mail, the received mail determination unit 601 refers to the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table and determines whether the delivery confirmation flag 706 is on ( ST912). If the delivery confirmation flag 706 is not on, the received mail determination unit 601 turns on the delivery confirmation flag 706 of the current job in the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table (ST913).
On the other hand, if the delivery confirmation flag 706 is on, ST91
Skip 3 and keep the delivery confirmation flag 706 as it is.

Thereafter, the received mail judgment unit 601 judges whether the contents of the delivery confirmation mail are normal end or abnormal end (S
T914).

On the other hand, in ST910 and ST911, if IFAX processing section 400 has not received the error mail or delivery confirmation mail of the current job, the process returns to ST909.

When time out occurs in ST909,
When an error mail is received in ST910, and S
When the notification content of the delivery confirmation mail is abnormally terminated in T914, the transmission switching unit 602 refers to the transmission job table and determines whether or not to perform FAX transmission (ST9).
15). FAX transmission flag 704 of the transmission job table
If is turned on, it is determined to perform FAX transmission. On the contrary, if it is OFF, it is determined that the FAX transmission is not performed.

If FAX transmission is to be performed, the transmission switching section 602 instructs the FAX control section 100 to transmit the image information file of the current job to the telephone number 803 (ST916).

After the FAX transmission is completed in ST916, or when it is determined in S907 that the timer 29 is not set, and when it is determined in ST915 that the FAX transmission is not performed, the transmission switching unit 602 determines that the current job file The image information file management unit 603 is instructed to delete the image information file corresponding to the name 807 (ST91).
7). The image information file management unit 603 deletes the corresponding information file from the image information file storage area 605 according to this instruction.

The image information transmission performed by the IFAX 1 according to the above-mentioned flow will be described for each case. 12 to 14 show
FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing image information transmission by the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

First, a case where the partner machine has a delivery confirmation transmission function will be described. As shown in FIG. 12A, the IFAX 1 substitutes FAX transmission for image information transmission when the delivery confirmation mail is not received from the partner machine even when the time-out occurs. As a result, when the partner machine does not receive the transmitted mail within the time value, the image information is transmitted to the recipient by FAX transmission, so that the delay of the image information transmission can be suppressed to the time value.

When the image information transmission is not performed by FAX transmission, the IFAX 1 deletes the image information file when the delivery confirmation mail is not received from the partner machine even if the time-out occurs, as shown in FIG. 12B. And free the memory. As a result, it is possible to prevent the image information file storage area 605 from being occupied by the image information file forever and to effectively use the memory.

When the delivery confirmation mail is received before the time-out, as shown in FIG. 13A, if the delivery confirmation mail indicates normal, the IFAX 1 erases the image information file and releases the memory. As a result, it is possible to prevent the image information file storage area 605 from being occupied by the image information file forever and to effectively use the memory.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13B, if the delivery confirmation mail indicates an abnormality, the image information is transmitted by FAX transmission. As a result, IFAX1 immediately transmits the image information to the recipient by FAX transmission when the partner machine cannot properly receive the transmitted mail. For example, the partner machine cannot handle the image information or the electronic mail. Even when there is an abnormality in the transmission of the image information by e-mail due to the machine, the image information can be transmitted to the recipient quickly and reliably.

Further, in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, when IFAX 1 receives the delivery confirmation mail,
Register that the partner machine has a delivery confirmation and transmission function in the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table. As a result, the IFAX 1 can automatically change the setting so as to wait for the delivery confirmation mail from the partner machine after transmitting the image information by electronic mail from the next time.

Next, when an error mail is received from the SMTP server 4, as shown in FIG.
No. 1 immediately sends the image information to the recipient by FAX transmission, so that the sender's cause such as an error in the destination e-mail address or P
Even when there is an abnormality in the transmission of the image information by e-mail due to other reasons such as the OP3 server 7 being down, the image information can be transmitted to the recipient quickly and reliably.

If the image information is not transmitted by FAX, the IFAX 1 erases the image information file and releases the memory immediately after receiving the error mail, as shown in FIG. 14 (b). As a result, it is possible to prevent the image information file from occupying the image information file storage area 605 forever, and to effectively use the memory.

As described above, the IFA according to this embodiment
According to X1, the IFAX processing unit 400 transmitted the image information to the other device according to the electronic mail transfer protocol over the computer network including the LAN2, the Internet 5 and the LAN6, but the other device normally transmits the image information within the time value. If not received, FAX control unit 1
00 to the telephone network 11 according to the facsimile communication protocol.
Send image information to the other device via. This makes it possible to reliably transmit the image information within the time value.
As a result, the IFAX 1 can guarantee the real-time property in the transmission of image information using electronic mail, which has a low communication cost.

Here, the fact that the other device does not normally receive the image information within the time value means, for example, (1) when the other device has a function of transmitting a delivery confirmation mail and within the time value. This is the case when no delivery confirmation mail is received, when a delivery confirmation mail indicating abnormal reception is received, and (2) when an error mail is received from the mail server on the computer network such as the SMTP server 4 within the time value.

In the above embodiment, IFAX1
Is transmitting to the other machine when retransmitting the image information by FAX transmission. If the partner machine is IFAX 8 or 9, there is no problem because image information can be received by both electronic mail and facsimile. However, PC10 is FAX
If you do not have a modem, you can directly transfer the image information to PC10.
It is impossible to send by AX. In this case, the nearest I
FAX or G3 / G4 FAX can be used as the destination of FAX transmission. Thus, the present invention provides IFA
FAX the image information to the same person who sent the image information by X.
Including the aspect of re-sending at.

Further, in the IFAX 1 according to the present embodiment, in order to retransmit the image information by FAX, the image information transmitted by the IFAX is stored in the image information file storage area 6 of the RAM 23.
Accumulated in 05. The RAM 23 often doubles as an image memory that stores image information received by the FAX control unit 100 and the IFAX processing unit 400, a working memory when the CPU 21 executes a program, and the like. Image information file for re-sending is RAM forever
Occupying 23 is inconvenient. Therefore, the IFAX 1 according to the present embodiment, when the transmission of image information by the IFAX processing unit 400 is normally completed,
The image file in the RAM 23 is erased and the memory area is released when the re-transmission is completed. As a result, the memory area of the RAM 23 is effectively used, and it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that the image information file to be newly transmitted cannot be stored or the received image information cannot be stored in the image memory. be able to.

Further, in the IFAX 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b), I
When the FAX processing unit 400 receives the delivery confirmation mail from the recipient, the delivery confirmation flag 706 corresponding to the recipient in the one-touch / abbreviated number registration table is automatically turned on. As a result, for example, the delivery confirmation flag 706 is initially set to OFF, and after the image information is actually transmitted to the other device, the delivery confirmation flag 706 is automatically updated according to the result. As a result, the operator can save the trouble of changing the delivery confirmation flag 706, and thus can provide a user-friendly IFAX.

Another aspect of the present invention is the combination of non-real time communication and real time communication. That is, the electronic mail communication realized by the computer network and the mail server is non-real-time communication, while the facsimile communication carried out on the telephone network is real-time communication. The present invention complements each other's advantages and disadvantages by these combinations. For real-time communication, instead of G3 / G4 facsimile, ITUT. 38
Also included are real-time Internet facsimile communication defined by the above, and real-time communication performed on a computer network such as Fax over IP.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, a terminal device similar to a normal facsimile device as shown in FIG. 3 has been described. However, the present invention is applicable to server devices such as a FAX server, an IFAX server, a mail server, and a telephone network-Internet /
It can also be applied to a gateway device between LANs. In this case, it is not always necessary to have a scanner and a printer.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention can be implemented using a general commercially available digital computer and microprocessor programmed according to the techniques described in the above embodiments. Further, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention includes software created by those skilled in the art based on the technique described in the above embodiments.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a computer program product, which is a storage medium containing instructions that can be used to program a computer implementing the invention. This storage medium is a disk such as a floppy (R) disk, an optical disk, a CDROM and a magnetic disk,
ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical card, etc., but not limited to these.

[0116]

As described above, according to the present invention,
If you receive an error mail despite sending the image information by e-mail, the image information will be sent again to the recipient by facsimile, so you can ensure reliable transmission while taking advantage of the e-mail. Has the effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a network in which an internet facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention operates.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functions of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing basic functions of an IFAX processing unit of the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing an image information transmission control unit in the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a one-touch / abbreviated number registration table of the Internet facsimile machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission job table of the Internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an image information transmitting operation in the internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an image information transmitting operation in the internet facsimile apparatus according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an error mail received by the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing image information transmission by the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing image information transmission by the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram showing image information transmission by the Internet facsimile machine according to the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Internet facsimile machine 100 FAX control unit 400 IFAX processing unit 601 Received mail determination unit 602 transmission switching unit 603 Image information file management unit 604 Timer monitoring unit 605 Image information file storage area 606 One-touch / abbreviated number registration table area 607 Send job table area 701 registration number 702 Destination email address 703 phone number 704 FAX transmission flag 705 timer initial value 706 Delivery confirmation flag 801 control number 802 Destination email address 803 phone number 804 timer value 806 Status information 807 file name

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 5C062 AA02 AA29 AA30 AB38 AB42                       AC22 AC23 AC35 AC41 AE02                       AE07 AF00 AF14 BC05 BD09                 5C075 AA90 AB08 AB90 CA90 CE09                       CF01

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A mail transmitting means for transmitting image information on a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, a mail receiving means for receiving an electronic mail message on the computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol, and a facsimile of the image information. A facsimile transmitting means for transmitting according to a communication protocol, and if the mail receiving means receives an error mail after the mail transmitting means transmits the image information to the recipient, the facsimile transmitting means transmits the image information. An Internet facsimile apparatus, which re-sends to the same person as the recipient. 2. The internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a message ID is extracted from the error mail and image information corresponding to the message ID is transmitted to a facsimile transmission means. 3. The Internet facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein when the mail receiving means receives a delivery confirmation mail indicating a normal reception, the transmission data accumulated in the memory is erased. 4. A memory for accumulating the image information transmitted by the mail transmitting means, further comprising: storing the image information from the memory if a predetermined time has elapsed after the mail transmitting means transmitted the image information to the recipient. The Internet facsimile machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is erased. 5. A mail further comprising a memory for storing a recipient information table that holds the recipient's email address and the identification information indicating the presence / absence of the delivery confirmation email sending function of the recipient terminal device in association with each other, 5. When the receiving means receives the delivery confirmation mail from the recipient, the identification information corresponding to the recipient is set to have the delivery confirmation mail sending function. Internet fax machine. 6. Sending image information over a computer network by an electronic mail transfer protocol,
If the mail receiving means receives an error mail after transmitting the image information to the recipient, the image information is transmitted again to the same person as the recipient by a facsimile communication protocol. Internet facsimile communication method. 7. The Internet facsimile communication method according to claim 6, wherein in the step of transmitting the image information again, the message ID is extracted from the error mail and the image information corresponding to the message ID is transmitted. 8. The Internet facsimile communication method according to claim 6, wherein the transmission data stored in the memory is erased when the delivery confirmation mail indicating the normal reception is received. 9. The image information is erased from a memory when a predetermined time has elapsed after the image information was transmitted to a recipient by an electronic mail transfer protocol. Internet facsimile communication method described. 10. A step of storing a recipient information table that holds the recipient's email address and identification information indicating the presence / absence of a delivery confirmation email transmission function of the recipient terminal device in association with each other, and the email receiving means. 10. When a delivery confirmation mail is received from the recipient, the step of setting the identification information corresponding to the recipient with the delivery confirmation mail transmission function is included. The Internet facsimile communication method described in.