JP2003324574A - E-mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an e-mail system which transmits an e-mail, to which image data of a paper document are attached, after adding thereto a preset or arbitrarily inputted character string as a mail title, the body of a document, comments, or the like. <P>SOLUTION: In an e-mail system 1, a mail distribution functional portion 21 of a server 20 prepares an e-mail having image data, as an attached file, that is a paper document read by an e-mail data preparing functional portion 11 of a scanner 10 and converted into e-mail data. From a character string saving functional portion 23 for designating a purpose, such as a mail title, the body of a document, comments of character string, such as a mail tile, the body of a document, comments for every transmission destination of an e-mail and for storing the same, a character string corresponding to the destination designated as the transmitting destination of the image data is read, an e-mail which is made a mail title, the body of a document, comments, or the like according to the purpose of the character string is prepared, and the e-mail is transmitted to the designated destination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail system, and more specifically, it creates an electronic mail in which a preset character string or an arbitrarily input character string is used as a mail title, a text, a comment, etc. The present invention relates to an e-mail system that attaches image data of a read paper document to the e-mail and sends it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as seen in a network facsimile apparatus having a network function, a paper document is read by a scanner and digitized, and image data of the digitized paper document is transmitted as an attachment file of an electronic mail. There is an email transmission system.

In recent years, networking is advancing, and a network work system in which computers, scanners, printers, etc. are connected by a network has appeared,
In such a network system, a paper document read by a scanner is also transmitted by electronic mail from a computer connected to a line (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-
69221, etc.).

In such a network system, when a paper document read by a scanner is transmitted by electronic mail, the paper document is read by a scanner and converted into an electronic form, and the image data of the electronic paper document is attached as an electronic mail attachment file. Are being sent.

[0005]

However, in the conventional electronic mail system, the paper document scanned by the scanner connected to the network is only digitized and attached as an attached file of the electronic mail to be transmitted. Therefore, there was a need for improvement to improve the usability of the electronic mail system.

In view of the above, the present invention not only attaches image data obtained by digitizing a paper document to an electronic mail, but also adds a character string such as a mail comment, a text, and a comment to the electronic mail to deliver the received data. The purpose is to provide an email system that is easy to understand and that can be easily used by users.

[0007] Specifically, in the invention according to claim 1, the electronic data creating means creates an electronic mail with the attached file of the image data obtained by reading the paper document and converting the paper document into the electronic data, and the destination of the electronic mail. Characters corresponding to the destination specified as the destination of the image data from the character string storage unit that stores the character strings such as the mail title, the body, or the comment together with the usage designation of the mail title, the body, or the comment for each By reading the column, creating an e-mail with a mail title, text, or a comment according to the usage designation of the character string, and sending the e-mail to the specified destination In an email that was only attached, for example,
When sending a document (image data) in which the details of the contact information are sent, a simple comment is attached as a character string and sent by email, and the recipient attaches the character string before opening the attached image file. By making it possible to grasp the approximate contents of the image data, and by adding a character string such as "Urgent" to the title and comment, it is possible for the recipient to immediately judge whether or not the content should be prioritized, and for the recipient. The purpose is to provide an easy-to-understand e-mail system and provide a highly usable e-mail system.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the character string inputting means for inputting the character string is stored in the character string storing means when the character string is input by designating a mail title, a body text, a comment or the like. Instead of the text string that has been entered, by creating an e-mail that uses the entered text string as the mail title, body text, comments, etc. according to the designation, conventionally only image data attachment is possible. To create an e-mail in which a character string arbitrarily input by the user is added to the e-mail as a mail title, body text, or a comment, and send it, it is possible to provide a more usable e-mail system. Has an aim.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a numeric keypad capable of switching input modes such as numbers, alphabets, and kana is used as the character string input means, so that any character as a mail title, a text, or a comment can be used. Allows you to enter columns using existing inexpensive numeric keys,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic mail system that is inexpensive and has better usability.

According to the invention of claim 4, as the character string input means, by using a removable simple keyboard which can directly input characters such as numbers, alphabets and kana,
Only when inputting an arbitrary character string as a mail title, body text, comment, etc., connect a simple keyboard that makes it easy to input the character string, making it easier and easier to input the character string. The purpose is to provide an e-mail system with better usability.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic mail system which reads a paper document and converts the paper document into image data, and an electronic mail title, a text, or an electronic mail for each destination of the electronic mail. , A character string storage means for storing a character string such as a comment together with a mail title, a body, or a use specification such as a comment, and a destination specification for specifying a destination of the image data of the paper document read by the electronic data creating means. And a character string stored in the character string storage unit corresponding to the destination designated by the destination designating unit as a mail title, a body text, a comment, or the like according to the use designation of the character string. Along with creating the mail, attach the image data of the paper document read by the electronic data creating means as an attached file and send it to the specified destination. By includes a mail distribution means for sending the e-mail, and has achieved the above objects.

According to the above configuration, the electronic data creating means creates an electronic mail having the image data obtained by reading the paper document and converting the electronic data as the attached file, and also creates the electronic mail title, the text, and the electronic mail for each transmission destination of the electronic mail. Alternatively, the character string corresponding to the destination specified as the destination of the image data is read from the character string storage unit that stores the character string such as a comment together with the mail title, the body, or the usage designation of the comment, and the character Depending on the usage specification of the column, an e-mail with a mail title, text, comment, etc. is created, and the e-mail is sent to the specified recipient. , For example, when sending a document (image data) in which details of contact information are sent, use a simple comment as a character string. It can be sent by email so that the recipient can understand the approximate contents of the attached image data with the character string before opening the attached image file, and the title and comment can be "urgent" etc. By adding the character string of, it is possible for the recipient to immediately judge whether or not it is the content that should be prioritized, deliver the e-mail that is easy for the recipient to understand, and use the e-mail system with good usability. Can be one.

In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, the electronic mail system further comprises a character string input means for inputting a character string, and the character string input means uses the mail title, the text, or When a character string is input by designating a comment or the like, the mail delivery unit replaces the character string stored in the character string storage unit with the input character string according to the specification. The electronic mail may be created with the mail title, text, comments, or the like.

According to the above construction, when the character string is input by the character string input means for inputting the character string and the mail title, the body text, the comment or the like is designated, the character string is stored in the character string storage means. Instead of a character string, an e-mail is created in which the input character string is used as the mail title, body text, comment, etc. according to the specification. The user can enter the character string arbitrarily input in the email title, body text,
Alternatively, an electronic mail added as a comment or the like can be created and transmitted, and the electronic mail system can be made even more useful.

Further, for example, as described in claim 3, the character string input means may be a ten-key pad capable of switching input modes such as numbers, alphabets, and kana.

According to the above construction, since the numeric keypad capable of switching the input mode of numbers, alphabets, kana and the like is used as the character string input means, any character string as the mail title, the text or a comment etc. Can be input using an existing inexpensive numeric keypad, and the e-mail system can be made inexpensive and more useful.

Further, for example, as described in claim 4, the character string input means may be a detachable simple keyboard capable of directly inputting characters such as numbers, alphabets and kana.

According to the above construction, since a simple keyboard in which characters such as numbers, alphabets, and kana can be directly input and which can be attached / detached is used as the character string input means, any character can be used as the mail title, the text, or the comment. Only when inputting a character string, a simple keyboard for easy input of the character string can be connected to input the character string more easily and easily, making the e-mail system cheaper and more usable. It can be good.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention, and therefore have various technically preferable limitations. However, the scope of the present invention refers to the present invention particularly in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

1 and 2 are views showing an embodiment of the electronic mail system of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an electronic mail system to which the electronic mail system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram of a mail system 1. FIG.

In FIG. 1, the electronic mail system 1 is
It has a scanner 10 and a server 20, and these scanner 10 and server 20 are connected to a network (not shown).

The scanner 10 comprises an electronic data creation function unit (electronic data creation means) 11, a destination designation function unit (destination designation means) 12, and a character input function unit 13. The character input function unit 13 is connected to a network. It may be a function of the connected client computer.

The server 20 is provided with a mail delivery function unit (mail delivery means) 21, a destination management function unit 22, a character string storage function unit (character string storage means) 23, and the like. It is built by the installed application.

Electronic data creation function section 11 of scanner 10
Reads a paper document and converts it into electronic data, and the server 2
0 to the mail delivery function unit 21.

The destination designation function unit 12 of the scanner 10 designates a destination to which electronic data of a paper document read by the electronic data creation function unit 11 is to be transmitted by electronic mail.
The designated destination information is transferred to the destination management function unit 22 of the server 20.
Transfer to.

The character string input function unit 13 of the scanner 10 is
It is for inputting a mail text of an electronic mail, a mail title to be added to the electronic mail of the present invention, a character string such as a text, a comment, etc., and is not limited to the one provided in the scanner 10 as described above. It may be provided as a function of a client computer connected to the network.

The character string input function unit 13 uses a ten-key pad provided in advance in the scanner 10 so that the ten-key pad can switch input modes such as numbers, alphabets, and kana to input a character string. Good. In this case, for example, with the button of "1", in the alphabet mode, an input method such as inputting "A", "B" or "C" depending on the number of times the button is pressed is used.

Further, the character string input function unit 13 is, for example,
A simple keyboard which is detachably connected to the serial port of the scanner 10 or the like may be used. The simple keyboard is connected to the scanner 10 at the time of scanning only when a character string is input, and a mail title, a text, Enter comments etc.

The mail delivery function unit 21 of the server 20 uses the image data which is the electronic data of the paper document received from the electronic data creation function unit 11 of the scanner 10 and the character string input function unit 13 of the scanner 10 or the character string of the client computer. The character string received from the input function unit is added as a mail title, a body text, and a comment of an electronic mail according to the designation, and is sent to the designated destination.

The destination management function unit 22 of the server 20 stores the destinations registered in advance and provides the destination list to the destination designation function unit 12 of the scanner 10 and the mail delivery function unit 21 of the server 21. In the destination specifying function unit 12 of the scanner 10,
An e-mail destination can be selected and designated from the provided list of destinations.

The character string storage function unit 23 stores the character string input by the character string input function unit 13 of the scanner 10 or the character string input function unit of the client computer, and stores it in the mail delivery function unit 21 or the destination management function unit. 22 is output.
In particular, the character string storage function unit 23 stores in advance a system-defined character string such as a mail title, a text, and a comment to be added to an electronic mail, and the character string input function unit 13 of the scanner 10 or characters of a client computer. When a destination is designated, the character string input by the column input function unit is stored as a character string such as a mail title, a text, a comment, etc. to be added to an electronic mail in correspondence with the destination.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The electronic mail system 1 according to the present embodiment attaches image data of a paper document read by the scanner 10 to an electronic mail as an attachment file, and also adds a mail title, a text,
The feature is that a character string such as a comment is added and transmitted.

That is, when sending a paper document by electronic mail, the user first scans the scanner 1 as shown in FIG.
At 0, a paper document is read. And the scanner 10
The electronic data creation function unit 11 reads the set paper document and digitizes it (step S101), and transfers it to the mail delivery function unit 21 of the server 20 (step S).
102).

At this time, the user designates the transmission destination of the paper document by the destination designation function unit 12 of the operation panel of the scanner 10. When the destination is designated by the destination designation function unit 12, the scanner 10 sends the destination information to the server 20.
To the destination management function unit 22. Further, when adding a title, comment, etc. of an arbitrary character string to the paper document, the user uses the character string input function unit 13 of the operation panel of the scanner 10 or the character string input function unit of the client computer to send a mail title, a text, In the input mode of the comment etc., the character string is input by the input method of the input mode to instruct the transmission to the server, and the scanner 10 or the character string input function unit 13 of the client computer causes the input character string to be input. As string information,
Send to the server 20. Enter the above character string in Scanner 1
In the case of 0, the user first sets the input mode to the mail title, the body, or the comment, and inputs characters, and then selects or directly inputs the transmission destination in the destination specification function unit 12, Electronic data creation function unit 1
Instruct 1 to read a paper document.

When the image data of the paper document is transmitted from the scanner 10, the server 20 sends the mail delivery function unit 21.
However, it is checked whether or not the character string information has also been transmitted (step S103), and when the character string information has not been transmitted, the character strings such as the default title and comment corresponding to the designated destination are stored in the character string storage function unit 23. Save to (register)
It is checked whether it is done (step S104).

In step S104, when the default character string is not registered in the designated destination, the mail delivery function unit 21 uses the character string preset in the system as the title and does not add the text to the electronic mail. Is created (step S105), and the image data (image file) transmitted to the created e-mail is attached as an attachment file (step S106).

The mail delivery function unit 21 designates the created electronic mail by the scanner 10 and sends it to the destination management function unit 2
It is transmitted to the designated destination managed in step 2 and the process ends (step S107).

In the server 20, when the default character string is registered in the designated destination in step S104, the mail delivery function unit 21 is registered in the character string storage function unit 23 corresponding to the destination. An email is created using the default character string of the destination as a character string of the mail title, text, comment, etc. according to the designation of the mail title, text, comment, etc. (step S108), and the created text is created. The image data (image file) sent to the electronic mail is attached as an attached file (step S106).

The mail delivery function unit 21 designates the created electronic mail by the scanner 10 and sends it to the destination management function unit 2
It is transmitted to the designated destination managed in step 2 and the process ends (step S107).

The server 20 also executes step S103.
When the character string information is transmitted, the mail delivery function unit 21 creates the title with the character string when the title is specified with the character string, and when the body is specified with the character string. , Creates a body of the character string to create an electronic mail (step S109), and attaches the image data (image file) sent to the created electronic mail as an attachment file (step S106).

The mail delivery function unit 21 designates the created electronic mail by the scanner 10 and sends it to the destination management function unit 2.
It is transmitted to the designated destination managed in step 2 and the process ends (step S107).

As described above, the electronic mail system 1 of the present embodiment has the electronic data creation function unit 11 of the scanner 10.
A mail delivery function unit 21 of the server 20 creates an e-mail with the image data obtained by reading a paper document and converting it into electronic data as an attachment file, and at the same time, a mail title, a text, or, for each transmission destination of the e-mail. The character string corresponding to the destination specified as the destination of the image data is read from the character string storage function unit 23 that stores the character string such as a comment together with the mail title, the body, or the use designation of the comment, and the character An e-mail having a mail title, a text, a comment, or the like is created according to the usage designation of the column, and the e-mail is transmitted to the designated destination.

Therefore, for example, when sending a document (image data) in which details of contact information are described to an electronic mail which has only been attached with image data, a simple comment is added as a character string to the mail. It can be distributed so that the recipient can understand the approximate contents of the attached image data before opening the attached image file, and the title or comment can be a string such as "Urgent". By adding the mark, the recipient can immediately determine whether or not the content should be prioritized, and the recipient can easily understand the email and make the email system highly usable. be able to.

Further, in the electronic mail system 1 of this embodiment, when the character string input function unit 13 for inputting a character string specifies a mail title, a body text, a comment or the like, and the character string is input, Instead of the character string previously stored in the character string storage function unit 23, the input character string is
According to the designation, an e-mail having a mail title, a text, a comment, or the like is created.

Therefore, it is possible to create and send an e-mail in which a character string arbitrarily input by the user is added as a mail title, a body text, a comment, or the like to an e-mail that has conventionally only been attached with image data. Therefore, the electronic mail system can be made even more useful.

Further, the electronic mail system 1 of the present embodiment uses, as the character string input function section 13, a ten-key pad capable of switching the input mode of numbers, alphabets, kana and the like.

Therefore, it is possible to input an arbitrary character string as a mail title, a body text, a comment, or the like by using the existing inexpensive numeric keypad, so that the electronic mail system is inexpensive and has better usability. Can be

Further, the electronic mail system 1 of the present embodiment uses, as the character string input function unit 13, a simple keyboard in which characters such as numbers, alphabets and kana can be directly input and which can be attached and detached.

Therefore, only when an arbitrary character string is input as a mail title, a body text, a comment or the like, a simple keyboard for easily inputting the character string is connected to input the character string even more easily and easily. Therefore, the electronic mail system can be made inexpensive and more highly usable.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

[0051]

According to the electronic mail system of the first aspect of the invention, the electronic data creating means creates an electronic mail in which the image data obtained by reading the paper document and converting the paper document into electronic data is used as an attached file, and the electronic mail is sent. To the destination specified as the destination of the image data from the character string storage unit that stores the character strings such as the mail title, body, or comment for each destination of By reading the corresponding character string, creating an e-mail with a mail title, body text, comment, etc. according to the usage designation of the character string, and sending the e-mail to the specified destination,
In the past, e-mails that only attached image data,
For example, when sending a document (image data) in which the details of contact information are sent, a simple comment is added as a character string and sent by mail, and the character string is used before the recipient opens the attached image file. It is possible to grasp the approximate content of the attached image data, and by adding a character string such as "Urgent" to the title and comment, the recipient can immediately determine whether or not the content has priority. Therefore, the e-mail system can be made highly available by delivering the e-mail that is easy for the recipient to understand.

According to the electronic mail system of the second aspect of the invention, when the character string is input by the character string input means for inputting the character string and the mail title, the body text, the comment or the like is designated, the character string is input. Instead of the character string stored in the column storage means, an electronic mail is created in which the input character string is used as the mail title, the body text, a comment, or the like according to the specification. It is possible to create and send an e-mail in which a character string arbitrarily input by the user is added as an e-mail title, text, or a comment to an e-mail that was only attached to the e-mail system. It can be made to have good properties.

According to the electronic mail system of the third aspect of the present invention, since the numeric keypad capable of switching the input mode such as numbers, alphabets, and kana is used as the character string input means, the mail title, the text, or An arbitrary character string as a comment or the like can be input by using an existing inexpensive ten-key pad, and the electronic mail system can be made inexpensive and more useful.

According to the electronic mail system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, as the character string input means, since a simple keyboard capable of directly inputting characters such as numbers, alphabets, and kana is used, the mail title, Only when inputting an arbitrary character string as a text or a comment, etc., it is possible to connect a simple keyboard for easy input of the character string and input the character string further easily and easily. Can be made cheaper and more favorable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram of an electronic mail system to which an embodiment of an electronic mail system of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an electronic mail creation / transmission process by the electronic mail system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 e-mail system 10 scanner 11 Electronic data creation function section 12 Addressing function section 13 Character input function section 20 servers 21 Mail delivery function section 22 Address management function section 23 Character string storage function

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electronic data creating means for reading a paper document and converting it into image data, and a character string such as a mail title, a text or a comment for each transmission destination of an electronic mail, a mail title, a text or a comment. Corresponding to the destination designated by the destination designating means, the character string storage means for storing together with the usage designation of the, the destination designating means for designating the destination of the image data of the paper document read by the electronic data creating means An electronic mail including a character string stored in the character string storage means as a mail title, a body text, a comment, or the like is created according to the use designation of the character string, and the paper read by the electronic data creation means is created. A mail delivery means for attaching the image data of the document as an attached file and sending the electronic mail to the designated destination;
An electronic mail system characterized by having. 2. The electronic mail system further comprises character string input means for inputting a character string, and the character string input means specifies a mail title, a body text, a comment or the like to input a character string. And the mail delivery means, instead of the character string stored in the character string storage means,
The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic mail system is configured to create the electronic mail using the input character string as the mail title, the text, a comment, or the like according to the designation. 3. The electronic mail system according to claim 2, wherein said character string input means is a ten-key pad capable of switching input modes such as numbers, alphabets and kana. 4. The electronic mail system according to claim 2, wherein the character string input means is a simple keyboard which allows direct input of characters such as numbers, alphabets, and kana and is removable.