JP2004282383A - Communication terminal and control method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure much more residual capacity in a memory for storing contents data by changing the storage form of the contents data later in accordance with the applications of the contents data. <P>SOLUTION: A flowchart denoting conversion processing of a download image includes: a step S506 of discriminating whether or not contents data can be converted into data of a smaller capacity when succeeding print of contents data designated by a user is discriminated disable (NO in a step S505); a step S507 of carrying out image reduction processing in response to e.g., the image size of a display section when the discrimination indicates that the conversion is available; and a step S508 of updating the contents data before the conversion in a RAM with data after the conversion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technology for managing content data in a communication terminal device that receives distribution of content data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An information communication terminal that acquires various contents, music data, images, or text information from a server via a network in a server connected to the network generally not only displays the received content data on a display unit, but also prints the received content data. Or send it by email. For example, content data such as a photograph or a picture can be printed out and viewed, or displayed on a liquid crystal display of the terminal and viewed.
[0003]
By the way, in the case where the content is paid or managed by copyright, there is a case where the content of processing in the acquired terminal is limited. For example, printing of content data for printing should not be performed more than a specified number of times for reasons such as copyright protection. In order to use the memory in the terminal effectively, it is conceivable to delete the content data when it can no longer be used for a certain purpose. This is inconvenient for users who want to use it. For this purpose, it is necessary to consider storing the content data in the memory without erasing it.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, print content data such as photographs and pictures are required to have high image quality and high definition, so that large-capacity data must be stored in a memory. In other words, even if the number of prints of the print content data exceeds the specified number of prints, it is necessary to store such a large amount of print content data in the memory as it is in consideration of being used for other purposes. There is.
[0005]
On the other hand, if the user wants to use the print content data also for display, depending on the resolution and the screen size of the liquid crystal display unit, there is a case where the image quality is not necessarily high enough and high definition required for printing. In such a case, although the data amount is smaller than that for the printing, the data is stored as the printing content data as described above, so that an extra memory is used.
[0006]
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to change the storage format of content data afterwards according to the use of the content data, so that a larger remaining amount of memory for storing the content data can be secured.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal device for receiving distribution of content data, wherein the storage device stores received content data and attribute information thereof, and stores the specific content data stored in the storage device. Judgment means for judging, based on corresponding attribute information, whether or not conversion to smaller-capacity data is possible, and conversion for converting the specific content data into the smaller-capacity data in accordance with the judgment result by the judgment means And a data updating means for updating the specific content data in the storage means with the data converted by the converting means.
[0008]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a communication terminal device that receives distribution of content data and performs a predetermined process, wherein the content data includes a specific content data among the distributed content data stored in a memory. An obtaining step of obtaining information of a restriction provided in the predetermined processing with respect to a determination step of determining whether or not the specific content data can be converted into smaller-capacity data based on the information of the restriction. And a conversion step of converting the specific content data to the small-capacity data in accordance with a result of the determination in the determination step; and converting the specific content data in the memory into data converted by the conversion step. And a data updating step of updating the communication terminal device.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus 202 as a communication terminal apparatus according to the embodiment. The facsimile apparatus 202 according to the embodiment has a facsimile (FAX) communication function, a function of downloading and printing content data from a server via a network, and a function of transmitting the data by electronic mail (hereinafter, simply referred to as “mail”). Is provided.
[0011]
101 is an image reading unit that optically reads a document and converts it into image data;
102, a CPU for controlling the entire facsimile apparatus;
103, a ROM for storing an operation program of the CPU 102;
A RAM 104 serves as a work memory of the CPU 102 and stores received data;
A recording unit 105 prints image data obtained by reading by the image reading unit 101 or receiving via a communication line,
106 is a display unit capable of displaying bitmap data,
An operation unit 107 is used by the user to operate a facsimile using keys and the like.
108 is a data modem for transmitting and receiving data via a communication line,
109 is a FAX modem for performing facsimile transmission and reception via a communication line,
Reference numeral 110 denotes a cross point switch for distributing data received from the communication line to the data modem 108 or the FAX modem 109.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network system including the facsimile apparatus 202 and a sequence of a content download process performed by the facsimile apparatus 202.
[0013]
A content server 201 includes a web server 205 for updating information such as page information with a client, and a download (DL) server 206 having various contents such as image data for printing. The content server 201 and the facsimile device 202 are connected by a line such as a public line, and the facsimile device 202 transmits to the Web server 205 and the DL server 206 via a gateway (GW) 203 and the Internet 204 by, for example, dial-up. Connected.
[0014]
When the facsimile machine 202 requests new page information from the web server 205, the web server 205 transmits the designated page information to the facsimile machine 202. Here, it is assumed that the page information is described in a markup language such as HTML. When receiving the page information, the facsimile apparatus 2 decodes the information, converts the information into display data, and displays the data on the display unit 106.
[0015]
Reference numeral 207 denotes an example of display contents. If there is content for printing on the displayed page, a “download” button is displayed, which allows the user to select download and print output. If "download" is selected here, the attribute of the content written on the page is acquired to determine whether the download is possible. The attribute information includes, for example, file attributes (JPEG / GIF / TEXT ...), file size, vertical / horizontal size, resolution, font type (Mincho / Gothic ...). The determination as to whether or not to download is made, for example, by comparing the remaining memory capacity (remaining amount of the RAM 104) that can be received by the facsimile machine 202 with the file size of the content to be downloaded. A message that download is not possible is displayed, and then the display of page information is continued.
[0016]
Thereafter, when the user instructs to start the download, the facsimile apparatus 202 transmits a download request for the content including terminal information (User Agent) indicating the performance of the apparatus itself and password information to the Web server 205 and starts the download. Message to the user.
[0017]
Upon receiving a download request from the facsimile machine 202, the Web server 205 determines whether distribution is possible based on the terminal information and the instruction content, and if distribution is possible, selects a content and distributes the content from the DL server 206.
[0018]
The facsimile device 202 performs a restoration process from the attribute information of the content while storing the delivered content in the RAM 104 as a download process. In the restoration process, for example, if the content is a JPEG file, restoration is performed using a JPEG decoder, and it is confirmed whether or not the restoration can be performed correctly. When the download processing and the restoration processing are completed, the result of the restoration processing is confirmed, and if it is determined that the restoration output is normally possible, the Web server 205 is notified of the fact.
[0019]
When the Web server 205 receives the notice of the end of the normal restoration of the download from the facsimile machine 202, the Web server 205 determines that the contents have been normally restored, and performs the content distribution decision processing such as charging.
[0020]
As described above, the downloaded content data is stored in the RAM 104 in the facsimile machine 202.
[0021]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map of the RAM 104 of the facsimile machine 202.
[0022]
Reference numeral 301 denotes a decoding buffer, which is an area used for decoding an encoded FAX image or a downloaded content.
[0023]
Reference numeral 302 denotes a browser cache, which is an area for storing page information described in HTML or the like from the server. When returning to a previously viewed page, an area for storing a plurality of pages is secured so that communication with the server is not performed again. When the browser cache 302 stores a predetermined number of divided pages, the next page is overwritten in chronological order.
[0024]
Reference numeral 303 denotes a download area, particularly an area for storing downloaded print contents. The area for the print content is separated from the browser cache 302 because the size of the print content is indefinite and the overwriting process is not performed unconditionally.
[0025]
Reference numeral 304 denotes a FAX image area. Encoded FAX image data such as a received FAX image or a FAX image waiting to be transmitted is stored.
[0026]
Reference numeral 305 denotes an area for storing voice data recorded by an absence recording or a call recording. The audio is digitally converted, compressed and encoded, and stored.
[0027]
Reference numeral 306 denotes a preview buffer. It is used when converting a received fax image or a downloaded print content into display data and storing it.
[0028]
307 is a VRAM. Various information that the terminal has, information that the browser decodes page information stored in the browser cache and converts it to display data, or information that converts fax reception images and downloaded print contents to display data, etc. Is stored. The data in the VRAM 307 is reflected on the display unit periodically or when the data is rewritten.
[0029]
Reference numeral 308 denotes an area (DL content management information area) for storing management information of the downloaded content.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detailed example of data stored in the DL content management information area 308.
[0031]
The DL content management information is generated for each downloaded content for printing, and dynamically manages various information related to the content. The contents to be managed are as follows.
[0032]
・ Content status:
This is information indicating whether the content is currently unused or in use. For example, when the content data is used for display, information indicating that the content data is being used is displayed.
[0033]
・ Content ID:
A code that is uniquely assigned to downloaded content and is used to specify the downloaded content file when opening / closing it via the file system.
[0034]
・ Download date:
This is information indicating the date and time when the print content was downloaded and stored.
[0035]
・ Maximum number of prints:
This is information indicating the maximum number of times the content can be printed, as information on restrictions provided in the printing process for the content data. This information may be included in the attribute information acquired at the time of download, or may be a value specified in advance by the present apparatus.
[0036]
・ Number of prints:
This is information indicating the number of times the print content was actually printed.
[0037]
-Last printing date and time:
This is information indicating the date and time of the last print.
[0038]
·file name:
This is information indicating the file name of the downloaded content file.
[0039]
・ File attributes:
The attribute of the downloaded content file is recorded. Attributes include, for example, file types such as JPEG / GIF / TEXT.
[0040]
·file size:
This is information indicating the file size of the downloaded content.
[0041]
·page number:
This is information indicating the number of pages of the downloaded content.
[0042]
・ Font type:
This is information indicating the type of text font of the downloaded content. The font type is, for example, Mincho / Gothic.
[0043]
・ Vertical and horizontal size:
This is information indicating the vertical and horizontal sizes of the downloaded content image.
[0044]
・ Specified resolution:
This is information indicating the resolution of the downloaded content image.
[0045]
・ Print size:
This is information indicating the print size calculated from the vertical and horizontal sizes and the resolution of the downloaded content image.
[0046]
・ Others:
Information such as whether or not the downloaded content image can be transmitted by e-mail and the expiration date of the content data. These pieces of information may be included in the attribute information acquired at the time of download, or may be values specified in advance by the present apparatus.
[0047]
Needless to say, the “print count” and “final print date and time” of the above information are updated each time the content data is printed.
[0048]
According to such DL content management information, it is possible to easily perform a response process when an operation is performed on content data. For example, when an instruction to print content data is issued by a user operation and the number of printings exceeds the "maximum number of printings", a process of displaying a warning without performing the printing can be easily performed. it can.
[0049]
As described above, when a print instruction for content data is issued by a user operation, but printing cannot be performed because the “print count” exceeds the “maximum print count”, the free space in the RAM 104 is secured. It is conceivable that the content data may be deleted from the download area 303 of the RAM 104 at that time. However, if the content is deleted, the content can no longer be displayed, which is inconvenient for a user who wants to display at least on the display unit even if printing is not possible. Therefore, it is desirable to save the content data in the RAM 104 without erasing it.
[0050]
Therefore, in the embodiment, the corresponding content data cannot be used for printing, but if the user desires to use the content data for display, the content data is set according to the resolution and screen size of the display unit 106. The content data is reduced or processed and stored in the download area 303 again.
[0051]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a download image conversion process according to the embodiment.
[0052]
First, in step S501, management information of content data desired by the user is read, and printing processing is performed in step S502. Next, in step S503, it is determined whether or not the content data is to be deleted from the RAM 104. This is performed based on the result of a selection operation of deleting / not deleting the content data performed by the user via the operation unit 107 after printing is completed. If the user instructs to delete the content data, the process proceeds to step S504, and the content data is deleted from the download area 303 of the RAM 104. If the content data is not to be deleted, the process proceeds to step S505.
[0053]
In step S505, it is determined whether the content data can be printed the next time a printing operation is performed by the user. This determines whether the content data has the "print count" exceeded the "maximum count" or whether the "expiration date" has passed. This processing ends as it is.
[0054]
On the other hand, if it is determined that the next printing is not possible, the process proceeds to step S506, and it is determined whether it is possible to convert the content data into smaller capacity data. Specifically, considering the usage other than printing at the terminal, such as displaying the content data as the usage data on the display unit 106 as standby wallpaper data, it is determined whether the data can be reduced or processed. to decide. If it is determined that the image can be converted, the process proceeds to step S507, in which the image is reduced, for example, according to the screen size of the display unit 106, as the conversion process.
[0055]
As an example of such a reduction process, if the display unit 106 is, for example, 320 dots in the horizontal (main scanning direction) and 240 dots in the vertical (sub-scanning direction) and the display width is 96 mm in width and 72 mm in height,
Main scanning direction:
320dot ÷ (96mm ÷ 25.4mm / inch) ≒ 84dpi,
Sub scanning direction:
240dot ÷ (72mm ÷ 25.4mm / inch) ≒ 84dpi,
And both the main scanning and the sub-scanning are about 84 dpi.
[0056]
On the other hand, if the content data is A4 size and both main scanning and sub-scanning are 200 dpi images, the thinning processing of the content data is performed so that the 200 dpi image becomes 84 dpi.
[0057]
The content data that has undergone such conversion processing is stored again in the download area 303 in step S508. That is, the content data before conversion stored in the RAM 104 is updated with the content data after conversion.
[0058]
According to the above-described processing, specific content data is converted into a smaller file size in accordance with a predetermined condition, whereby the use efficiency of a memory for storing content data can be increased.
[0059]
In the above example, after the printing process (step S502) for the content data designated by the user, it is determined whether or not the content data can be printed the next time a printing operation is performed (step S505). Although the process of controlling whether or not to perform the process after step S506 is controlled based on the determination result, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is determined whether or not the content data designated by the user can be printed before the printing process, and according to the determination result, whether the content data corresponding to the process after step S506 can be converted. The processing flow may be a processing for determining whether or not, and then performing a conversion process and a content data update process.
[0060]
Further, the above example relates to the printing process of the content data designated by the user, but this printing process is also an example of a specific process that may be restricted by copyright management, for example. Things. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to an e-mail transmission process of content data.
[0061]
By the way, in the above-described example, such conversion processing of the content data is performed along with the print processing. However, when the facsimile apparatus 202 is on standby for the purpose of data organization independently of the print processing, a plurality of content data are converted. Can be respectively erased and converted. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a conversion process as such data reduction.
[0062]
First, in step S601, an internal counter i indicating the index number of the content is initialized to zero. Next, in step S602, the management information of the i-th content data is read. Next, in step S603, it is determined whether or not the content data can be converted into smaller-capacity data. Specifically, similar to step S506 described above, in consideration of other uses other than printing at the terminal, such as displaying the content data as standby wallpaper data on the display unit 106 as the usage of the content data, data reduction or data reduction is performed. Determine whether processing is possible. If it is determined that the conversion can be performed, the process proceeds to step S604, and as the conversion process, for example, an image reduction process corresponding to the screen size of the display unit 106 is performed.
[0063]
Then, in step S605, the internal counter i is incremented for the next content data. In step S605, the internal counter i is compared with the total number N of the content data in the download area 303 of the RAM 104. Returning to step S602, processing for the next content data is performed.
[0064]
With such a processing configuration, the user can individually organize the content data in the RAM 104 even when the apparatus is on standby, and the amount of memory used can be effectively suppressed.
[0065]
(Other embodiments)
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the present invention can take embodiments as a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, a storage medium, or the like. Further, in the above-described embodiment, a facsimile apparatus has been described as an example of a communication terminal apparatus. However, it is needless to say that the communication terminal apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a facsimile apparatus and can be similarly applied to a printer or the like. . Further, the communication terminal device of the present invention may have a system configuration including a plurality of devices, or may include a single device.
[0066]
According to the present invention, a software program (a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is directly or remotely supplied to a system or an apparatus. This includes the case where the present invention is also achieved by a computer reading and executing the supplied program code. In that case, the form does not need to be a program as long as it has the function of the program.
[0067]
Therefore, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. That is, the claims of the present invention also include the computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.
[0068]
In this case, any form of the program, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, and script data to be supplied to the OS, may be used as long as the program has a function.
[0069]
As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R).
[0070]
In addition, as a method for supplying the program, a client computer connects to an Internet homepage using a browser, and downloads the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function to a recording medium such as a hard disk from the homepage. Can also be supplied. Further, the present invention can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. In other words, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for implementing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the claims of the present invention.
[0071]
In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and downloaded to a user who satisfies predetermined conditions from a homepage via the Internet by downloading key information for decryption. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer to realize the program.
[0072]
The functions of the above-described embodiments are implemented when the computer executes the read program, and an OS or the like running on the computer executes a part of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program. Alternatively, the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by performing the entire process.
[0073]
Further, after the program read from the recording medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the A CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are also realized by the processing.
[0074]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the storage format of content data is changed afterward according to the usage of content data, and thereby the remaining amount of memory which stores content data can be secured more.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a network system including a facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment and a sequence of a content download process performed by the facsimile apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map of a RAM of the facsimile apparatus in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detailed example of data stored in a DL content management information area.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a download image conversion process according to the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a download image conversion process according to another aspect of the embodiment.

Claims (7)

A communication terminal device that receives distribution of content data and performs predetermined processing,
Storage means for storing the distributed content data;
Acquisition means for acquiring information of restrictions provided in the predetermined processing for specific content data stored in the storage means,
Determining means for determining whether or not the specific content data can be converted into smaller-capacity data based on the information of the restriction,
Conversion means for converting the specific content data into the small-capacity data according to a result of the determination by the determination means;
A communication terminal device for updating the specific content data in the storage unit with data converted by the conversion unit. further,
Determining means for determining whether or not the predetermined process can be performed on the specific content data, based on the information on the restriction on the specific content data;
2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to control the determination unit, the conversion unit, and the data update unit to perform a process when the predetermined process is disabled by the determination unit. 3. Communication terminal device. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process is at least one of a print process and an e-mail transmission process. Control means for controlling the individual content data stored in the storage means to be processed by the determination means, the conversion means, and the data update means in response to an instruction from a user. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein: A method for controlling a communication terminal device that receives a distribution of content data and performs a predetermined process,
Acquisition step of acquiring information of a restriction provided in the predetermined process for specific content data among the distributed content data stored in the memory,
A determination step of determining whether or not the specific content data can be converted into smaller-capacity data based on the information of the restriction;
A conversion step of converting the specific content data into the small-capacity data according to a result of the determination in the determination step;
A data updating step of updating the specific content data in the memory with data converted by the conversion step. A program for controlling a communication terminal device that receives distribution of content data and performs a predetermined process,
An obtaining step of obtaining information of a restriction provided in the predetermined process for specific content data among the distributed content data stored in the memory;
A judging step of judging whether or not the specific content data can be converted into smaller-capacity data based on the information on the restriction;
A conversion step of converting the specific content data into the small-capacity data according to a result of the determination in the determination step;
A data update step of updating the specific content data in the memory with data converted by the conversion step;
The program to execute. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 6.

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