JP2005184276A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance convenience by acquiring address information of a destination efficiently. <P>SOLUTION: The communication terminal comprises a section 105 for acquiring address information of a destination by making a directory server to search the address information, and a section 107 for extracting address information suitable for a specified communication system among address information acquired from the directory server, and a section 15 for displaying the results. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, and more particularly to a communication terminal device that performs communication by acquiring address information of a transmission destination using a directory service.

  With the spread of network technology, for example, information devices such as facsimile machines and MFPs (Multi Functional Peripherals) have been connected to the network. Such a facsimile apparatus has an e-mail transmission / reception function, an internet fax function for transmitting / receiving document image data, etc. via a network in addition to a general G3 facsimile communication function, and the like. Information can be sent to and received from computers and Internet fax machines.

  When a facsimile original is transmitted to a predetermined transmission destination using the facsimile apparatus, the user causes the facsimile apparatus to read the original to be transmitted and dials the transmission destination facsimile number. In order to simplify the dialing work, many facsimile apparatuses have functions such as a speed dial and a telephone directory. Conventionally, information such as abbreviated dialing and telephone directory has been held for each facsimile apparatus.

  As described above, when a facsimile apparatus is connected to a network, the facsimile apparatus can read information stored in a directory server connected to the same network.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a document file search system in a directory service based on LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) that causes a search directory server to execute a search based on LDAP from the client side to search for necessary information. .

  Also in the facsimile apparatus, by registering information such as a telephone directory in such a directory server, it is possible to centrally manage information such as a telephone directory that is conventionally held for each facsimile apparatus.

In this case, in order to obtain the destination facsimile number, the user inputs at least a part of the destination address and makes an inquiry to the directory server using this as a search key. The user dials by selecting a desired destination facsimile number from the information returned from the server.
JP 2001-325290 A

  However, in a conventional facsimile apparatus, when a search is performed by a directory server, a search result that does not have a desired item is also displayed. For example, even though the user is trying to send a fax, a record of a destination name that has only an e-mail address and whose facsimile number data is blank is displayed. Therefore, a large number of unrelated records are displayed, and the user has to perform an operation of searching for a desired destination facsimile number from the displayed many records.

  The present invention has been made under the above-described background, and an object thereof is to provide a communication terminal apparatus that can efficiently obtain address information of a transmission destination.

  A communication terminal device according to the present invention includes a designation means for designating a communication method for transmitting information, a reception means for receiving a search key for inquiring address information of a transmission destination, and a directory server having a database storing a plurality of address information An acquisition unit that acquires address information searched based on the search key, an extraction unit that extracts address information suitable for the communication method specified by the specifying unit from the address information acquired by the acquisition unit, and an extraction Notification means for notifying the user of the address information extracted by the means.

  Here, the communication method includes telephone and fax communication using PSTN, telephone and fax communication using the Internet, mail communication, access to URL, access to FTP server, access to shared folder, and the like. The designation means can also designate a communication path such as the Internet or PSTN as a communication method.

  According to the present invention, desired address information suitable for a communication method can be extracted from a plurality of address information acquired from a directory server. Thereby, the address information of the transmission destination can be obtained efficiently, and the usability of the communication terminal device is improved.

  The communication terminal device may be capable of transmitting and receiving information by a plurality of communication methods, and the specifying means may specify a communication method for transmitting information from the plurality of communication methods.

  In the communication terminal device, the address information can include a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of communication methods, and the extracting unit corresponds to the communication method in which the address information acquired by the acquiring unit is specified by the specifying unit. It can be determined whether or not the item has data, and the address information determined to have data in the item can be extracted.

  Here, the data refers to significant data. For example, null data indicating that no information is included is not included. According to this configuration, the user only needs to refer to address information having significant data in items suitable for the communication method, so that the address information of the transmission destination can be found efficiently.

  In the communication terminal device, the notifying unit includes all the address information acquired by the acquiring unit when the address information acquired by the acquiring unit does not include address information suitable for the communication method specified by the specifying unit. You can be notified.

  According to this configuration, even if there is no address information suitable for the desired communication method, all the address information searched based on the search key is notified to the user, so the user can change the communication method as appropriate. , Address information of the destination can be utilized.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements and a conversion of the expression of the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program, etc. are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal device that can efficiently obtain destination address information.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network configuration of the communication terminal apparatus according to the present embodiment. The communication terminal device 10 is connected to a plurality of directory servers 43 via the network 41. Each directory server 43 has a database (not shown) in which various information is stored. The communication terminal device 10 transmits a search key to the directory server 43 to execute a search, and acquires a search result from the directory server 43. The communication terminal device 10 causes the directory server 43 to execute a search based on LDAP, for example, using a directory service based on LDAP.

  In the present embodiment, the database of the directory server 43 stores address information including a plurality of items for a plurality of registrants. Here, the item is, for example, a facsimile number or a mail address. In the present embodiment, the communication terminal apparatus 10 makes an inquiry to the directory server 43 in order to obtain address information of the transmission destination.

  The communication terminal device 10 can communicate with other communication terminal devices using a plurality of communication methods. The communication terminal device 10 can communicate with, for example, the fax terminal 31, the e-mail terminal 33, and the Internet fax terminal 35. The fax terminal 31 is another G3 fax terminal that communicates through a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The e-mail terminal 33 and the Internet fax terminal 35 are a communication terminal device such as another computer that communicates via a network such as the Internet and another Internet fax terminal.

  The communication terminal device 10 includes a communication unit 11, an operation unit 13, a display unit 15, a control unit 17, a storage device 19, and an interface unit 21. The communication terminal device 10 is, for example, a network facsimile device, an MFP (Multi Functional Peripheral), or the like. In FIG. 1, the configuration of parts not related to the essence of the present invention is omitted. For example, the document reading unit, the image processing unit, and the recording unit, which are the configuration of the facsimile apparatus, are not shown.

  Each component of the communication terminal device 10 includes an arbitrary computer CPU, memory, a program for realizing the components shown in the figure loaded in the memory, a storage unit such as a hard disk for storing the program, and a network connection interface. It is realized by any combination of hardware and software. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are various modifications to the implementation method and apparatus. Each drawing described below shows a functional unit block, not a hardware unit configuration.

  The communication unit 11 communicates with the fax terminal 31, the email terminal 33, the Internet fax terminal 35, and the like. The operation unit 13 receives instructions such as various settings and inputs from the user of the communication terminal device 10. The operation unit 13 is, for example, an operation button, a switch, a lever, a keyboard, or a touch panel. The display unit 15 performs various information display, operation screen display, operation and status display of the communication terminal device 10, and the like. The display unit 15 is, for example, a lamp, LED, CRT monitor, liquid crystal display, or the like.

  The control unit 17 controls the entire device together with various elements of the communication terminal device 10. The storage device 19 has a search result storage area for temporarily storing search results acquired from the directory server 43. The storage device 19 may include a storage area for storing information such as a telephone directory. The interface unit 21 communicates with a plurality of directory servers 43 connected via the network 41.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing in detail the control unit 17 of the communication terminal apparatus 10 of FIG. The control unit 17 includes a communication method specifying unit 101, a search key receiving unit 103, an address information acquiring unit 105, an extracting unit 107, a display processing unit 109, an instruction receiving unit 111, and a communication control unit 113. .

  The communication method designation unit 101 designates a communication method for transmitting information. For example, when the user transmits information to the fax terminal 31, the communication method designating unit 101 designates fax communication using PSTN as the communication method. The communication method designating unit 101 designates mail communication as the communication method when the user transmits information to the e-mail terminal 33, and IP fax communication as the communication method when the user transmits information to the Internet fax terminal 35. Is specified.

  The search key receiving unit 103 receives an input of a search key for inquiring address information of a transmission destination from a user.

  The address information acquisition unit 105 inquires of the directory server 43 having a database storing a plurality of pieces of address information about the destination address information based on the search key. Further, the address information of the search result returned from the directory server 43 is acquired. The address information acquisition unit 105 stores the acquired address information in the search result storage area 50 of the storage device 19.

  The extraction unit 107 extracts address information suitable for the communication method specified by the communication method specifying unit 101 from the address information acquired by the address information acquisition unit 105. The display processing unit 109 performs processing for displaying various types of information on the display unit 15.

  The instruction receiving unit 111 receives various instructions from the user and notifies the corresponding unit of the received instructions. The communication control unit 113 controls communication in the communication unit 11 in accordance with the instruction received by the instruction receiving unit 111 and the communication method specified by the communication method specifying unit 101.

The operation of the communication terminal apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described below. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication terminal apparatus 10.
First, the communication method designation unit 101 designates at least one communication method for transmitting information from among a plurality of communication methods (S11).

  Next, at least one directory server to be searched is selected (S12). Specifically, first, a selection screen of the directory server 43 is displayed on the display unit 15. The user selects the directory server 43 with reference to the selection screen. The instruction reception unit 111 receives a user instruction and notifies the address information acquisition unit 105 of the instruction. This step can be omitted. For example, the directory server 43 that performs the search may be set in advance. Further, an appropriate directory server 43 may be automatically selected by the address information acquisition unit 105. Alternatively, inquiries may be made to a plurality of directory servers 43 simultaneously or sequentially.

  Subsequently, a search key is input (S13). When the user inputs at least a part of the destination address, the search key receiving unit 103 receives a part of the address as a search key.

  Thereafter, a search is executed (S14). The address information acquisition unit 105 causes the directory server 43 to search for destination address information via the interface unit 21 based on the search key. Next, a search result is acquired (S15). When the directory server 43 performs a search, the address information acquisition unit 105 acquires a search result from the directory server 43 via the interface unit 21. The address information acquisition unit 105 stores the search result in the search result storage area 50.

  Subsequently, the extraction unit 107 extracts only search results suitable for the communication method specified in step S11 from the search results stored in the search result storage area 50 (S16). Details of this processing will be described later.

  Thereafter, the extraction unit 107 determines whether or not a record is extracted in step S16 (S17). When no record is extracted (NO in S17), the display processing unit 109 displays on the display unit 15 that there is no desired search result (S19). On the other hand, when one or more records are extracted (YES in S17), the display processing unit 109 displays the extracted search results on the display unit 15 (S18).

  Subsequently, a transmission destination is selected from the displayed search results (S20). The user can select a transmission destination with reference to the search result displayed on the display unit 15. The instruction receiving unit 111 receives a user selection and notifies the communication control unit 113 of the received transmission destination. Thereafter, when the user instructs transmission start, communication is started (S21).

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the search results stored in the search result storage area 50 and the extracted search results.

  FIG. 4A shows an example of the search result stored in the search result storage area 50 in step S15 of FIG. Here, a search result when “YAMAMOTO” is used as a search key is shown. Each record of the address information of the search result has fields of a plurality of items including a serial number 51, a name 52, a department 53, a facsimile number 54, and a mail address 55. The search results returned from the directory server 43 are not limited to this, and can include various items. These depend on designation of attributes at the time of inquiry from the communication terminal device 10 and the database structure of the directory server 43.

  In FIG. In the “YAMAMOTO HIROMI” record of 1, there is data of the facsimile number 54 but no data of the mail address 55. This record includes null data in the column of the mail address 55 (shown as “none” in the figure). No. In the “YAMAMOTO SHINJI” record of No. 2, both the facsimile number 54 and the mail address 55 have data. No. In the record “YAMAMOTO HANAKO” of No. 3, there is no data of the facsimile number 54 (including null data), and there is data of the mail address 55.

  In step S <b> 16 of FIG. 3, the extraction unit 107 extracts a search result by determining whether each record includes significant data in an item corresponding to the designated communication method. The item corresponding to the communication method is, for example, the facsimile number 54 when fax communication using PSTN is designated as the communication method. Further, when mail communication is designated as the communication method, the mail address 55 is used. Here, for example, when the search result field includes null data, the extraction unit 107 can determine that no significant data is included.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4A, for example, when fax communication using PSTN is designated as a communication method, records (No. 1 and No. 2) having significant data in the facsimile number 54 are extracted. . When mail communication is designated as the communication method, records (No. 2 and No. 3) having significant data at the mail address 55 are extracted.

  4B and 4C show display examples of the extracted search results. FIG. 4B shows a display example when fax communication using PSTN is designated as the communication method. That is, among the three records obtained, No. having the facsimile number 54 is stored. 1 and No. 2, only the facsimile number 54 of the two records is displayed on the display unit 15.

  FIG. 4C shows a display example when mail communication is designated as the communication method. That is, among the three records acquired, No. having the mail address 55 is recorded. 2 and No. 3, only the mail addresses 55 of the two records are displayed on the display unit 15.

  In this way, only desired information can be displayed from the search result based on the communication method specified in step S11. In addition, the item displayed on the display part 15 is not limited to the display example of FIG.

  As described above, according to the communication terminal device 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to easily obtain address information of a transmission destination suitable for a communication method in which a user intends to transmit information.

  If the address information of the desired destination is not obtained from the results displayed in steps S18 and S19, the search result is stored in step S15 of FIG. 3 based on the user's instruction or automatically. All the search results stored in the area 50 can be displayed. This example will be described with reference to FIG.

  If the user instructs display of all search results (S26), or if it is determined in step S17 in FIG. 3 that no record has been extracted (NO in S17), the extraction unit 107 stores the search result in the search result storage area 50. It is determined whether there is a search result (S28). When there is a search result (YES in S28), the display processing unit 109 displays all search results on the display unit 15 (S31). When there is no search result (NO in S28), the display processing unit 109 displays on the display unit 15 that there is no search result (S30).

  Subsequently, a transmission destination is selected (S32), and then a communication method is designated (S33). Communication is started based on a transmission start instruction from the user (S34).

  The designation of the communication method in step S33 can be automatically recognized by the control unit 17 based on the type of the selected transmission destination. For example, when a transmission destination having only the facsimile number 54 is selected, the communication method designation unit 101 may automatically designate fax communication using PSTN.

  As described above, even when the desired address information is not included in the search result extracted by the extraction unit 107, all the address information acquired by the address information acquisition unit 105 can be displayed. Information can be transmitted to a desired transmission destination by changing the communication method.

  Thus, according to the communication terminal device of the present embodiment, it is possible to extract and notify address information having data of a desired item from a plurality of address information acquired from the directory server 43. Thereby, address information of a desired transmission destination can be obtained efficiently, and usability of the communication terminal device 10 is improved.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that those skilled in the art can modify the above-described embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

  For example, although the search for the transmission destination based on the search key in step S14 in FIG. 3 is performed on the directory server 43, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the telephone directory of the communication terminal device 10 itself is stored. It may be a search for information or a search for information such as a telephone directory stored in an external storage medium readable by the communication terminal device 10.

  In the above embodiment, the communication method is exemplified by fax communication using PSTN, mail communication, and fax communication using the Internet, but other than this, access to URL and FTP server as communication methods are exemplified. It can also include access, access to shared folders, IP phones, and the like.

  The communication terminal device according to the present invention has an effect that the address information of a desired transmission destination can be efficiently obtained, and is used as a communication terminal device that performs communication by acquiring address information of a transmission destination using a directory service Useful.

It is a block diagram which shows the network structure of the communication terminal device of this Embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the control part of the communication terminal device of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the communication terminal device of FIG. It is a figure explaining the example of the search result display of the communication terminal device of FIG. It is a flowchart of the other example of operation | movement of the communication terminal device of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Communication terminal device 11 Communication part 13 Operation part 15 Display part 17 Control part 19 Memory | storage device 21 Interface part 41 Network 43 Directory server 50 Search result storage area 101 Communication system designation | designated part 103 Search key reception part 105 Address information acquisition part 107 Extraction part 109 Display processing unit 111 Instruction receiving unit 113 Communication control unit

Claims (4)

A designation means for designating a communication method for transmitting information;
Accepting means for accepting a search key for inquiring address information of the destination;
Obtaining means for obtaining address information searched based on the search key from a directory server having a database storing a plurality of address information;
Extraction means for extracting address information suitable for the communication method designated by the designation means from the address information obtained by the acquisition means;
Notification means for notifying a user of the address information extracted by the extraction means;
A communication terminal device comprising: The communication terminal device according to claim 1,
The communication terminal device can transmit and receive information by a plurality of communication methods,
The communication terminal apparatus, wherein the specifying means specifies a communication method for transmitting information from the plurality of communication methods. In the communication terminal device according to claim 1 or 2,
The address information includes a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of communication methods,
The extracting unit determines whether the address information acquired by the acquiring unit includes data in the item corresponding to the communication method specified by the specifying unit, and determines that the item includes data. The communication terminal device extracts the address information. The communication terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The notifying unit includes all the address information acquired by the acquiring unit when the address information acquired by the acquiring unit does not include address information suitable for the communication method specified by the specifying unit. A communication terminal device.

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