JP2006135580A - Network composite machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network composite machine capable of creating a cover page in a simple fashion in the case that image data are transmitted to the same destination. <P>SOLUTION: A cover page is created (a step 103) by embedding a received item name and a received comment to a model of the cover page when the processing of transmission with cover page is instructed, created cover page information is stored (a step 106) when the storage of the cover page is selected, and thereafter image data to be transmitted and a transmission job are transmitted (a step 107) to a composite machine body. When a cover page history acquisition command is received, cover page history information of a log-in user is transmitted (a step 113), and when a cover page attachment transmission command by the history information is received, a transmission job with the cover page attached thereto is created (a step 113) and transmitted to the body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is connected to a terminal device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) via a communication network such as a LAN, and can transmit data from the terminal device or data stored in the device from the terminal device. It relates to network multifunction devices.

  Recently, facsimile systems have been widely used in offices and the like, and play a useful role in data communication. Such a system is configured, for example, by connecting a network multifunction device or a terminal device so-called a client personal computer through a communication network such as a LAN. The network multifunction device transfers data received by facsimile to the client personal computer. When the data specifying the transfer destination is received from the client personal computer, the received data is transmitted to the specified transfer destination.

  Such a network multifunction device is equipped with a network board having a web browser function, and when scanned by an operation from the multifunction device main body, the scanned document is stored in the network board and the scanned document is stored in a designated terminal device. When receiving a fax or email, the network MFP temporarily stores the image data in a predetermined storage location on the network board, and the user accesses the storage location on the network board to access the image data. In such a case, the network multifunction device notifies the terminal device that each event has occurred using a UDP / IP packet.

  Note that UDP is an upper protocol of IP, belongs to the transport layer, and does not have the functions such as connection management, response confirmation, sequence, window control, and flow control that TCP has. There is no guarantee, but the load is low and the operation is fast.

  In addition, recent network MFPs can notify received fax documents and scanned paper documents by specifying a circulator, or post such documents on a bulletin board by operations from a web browser, so that anyone can view them. This function is also provided, and even when such circulation or document posting on the bulletin board occurs, the network multifunction peripheral notifies the terminal device by a UDP / IP packet.

On the other hand, in such a network multifunction device, the data in the terminal device and the image data stored in the network multifunction device as described above can be sent by fax or mail from the web browser screen of the terminal device. To send image data saved in the network multifunction device, display the list of documents saved in the network multifunction device on the web browser screen, and specify the image data you want to send on this document list screen. The designated image data can be sent by fax or e-mail.
When such image transmission is performed, when a subject and a comment are input from the web screen, a conventional network MFP can embed the subject and comment characters in a cover page template and transmit it as a cover page together with the transmission image. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-309893 A

  As described above, the conventional network multifunction device can transmit data in the terminal device and image data stored in the network multifunction device in accordance with an instruction from the terminal device, and transmits a cover page at that time. Although it has a function, when sending the cover page, it is necessary to input a subject and a comment one by one.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can easily create a cover page when transmitting data in a terminal device or image data stored in a network multifunction peripheral to the same destination. An object of the present invention is to provide a network multifunction peripheral that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the network multifunction peripheral according to the first aspect of the present invention is a network that is connected to a terminal device via a communication network and that can log in from the terminal device and execute cover page transmission processing. A multifunction device, comprising: a control unit that controls transmission of the cover page; and a storage unit that stores information on the cover page. The control unit stores information on the cover page in the storage unit for each login user. It is characterized by that.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the network multifunction peripheral according to the first aspect, it is possible to select whether or not to leave the cover page from the terminal device when transmitting the cover page. When the selection to leave is made, the control means stores the information of the cover page in the storage means.

  Furthermore, the network multifunction peripheral of the invention according to claim 3 is the network multifunction peripheral according to claim 1 or 2, wherein transmission is performed from the terminal device using the information on the cover page stored in the storage means. When instructed to do so, the control means lists past cover page information on the monitor screen of the terminal device, and the network multifunction peripheral of the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that In the described network multifunction peripheral, the control means displays a preview button for confirming a cover page image in the vicinity of the past cover page information listed.

  According to the network multifunction peripheral of the inventions according to claims 1 and 2, it is possible to select whether or not to leave the cover page from the terminal device at the time of transmitting the cover page. Since the cover page information is stored for each logged-in user in the storage means of the machine, the cover page can be easily obtained by using the cover page information stored in the storage means when transmitting to the same destination. Can be created.

  According to the network multifunction device of the invention of claim 3, when an instruction to execute transmission from the terminal device using the cover page stored in the storage unit is given, information on the past cover page, that is, in the past Since the used subject and comment text are listed, it is possible to easily create a cover page by selecting appropriate information from the list, and according to the network multifunction device of the invention according to claim 4. For example, a preview button for confirming the cover page image is displayed in the vicinity of the listed past cover page information. By clicking this button, you can easily select the cover page image that will be sent in the future. Can be confirmed.

  Embodiments of a network multifunction peripheral according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network configuration example of a system including a network multifunction device, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the network multifunction device, and FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the network board.

  In the network configuration diagram shown in FIG. 1, 1 is a network multifunction device, 2, 3, 4... Are personal computers, 5 is a public switched telephone network (PSTN), 6 is a LAN (Local Area Network), and 7 is an Internet network. is there. The network multifunction device 1 has functions of a copy mode, a printer mode, and a fax mode, and also has a mail transmission function, and is connected to the PSTN 5 and the LAN 6, and a plurality of personal computers 2, 3, 4,.・ ・ Is connected. The LAN 6 is also connected to the Internet network 7, and the network MFP 1 can send and receive mail via the Internet network 7.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the network multifunction device 1. As shown in the figure, the network multifunction device 1 has a CPU 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, and a display. An operation unit 14, a reading unit 15, an image memory 16, a recording unit 17, a codec 18, a modem 19, a network control unit NCU 20, a network board 21 and a LAN interface (I / F) 22 are configured. Connected.

  The CPU 11 controls each part of the hardware of the network multifunction peripheral 1 via the bus 23 and executes various programs based on the programs stored in the ROM 12. The ROM 12 performs various programs and operations necessary for the operation of the network multifunction peripheral. Operation messages and the like are stored in advance. The RAM 13 is composed of an SRAM or the like and stores temporary data generated when the program is executed.

  The display / operation unit 14 includes a display unit that displays an operation state of the network multifunction peripheral or displays an operation screen for various functions, and a number of operation keys for operating the network multifunction peripheral. . The reading unit 15 includes a reading document placing table such as an auto document feeder (ADF) or a flatbed scanner (FBS), reads a document with a scanner using a CCD or the like, and outputs dot image data converted into black and white binary. .

  The image memory 16 is configured by using a DRAM or the like, and stores image data to be transmitted or received image data or image data read by the reading unit 15, and a recording unit 17 is a printer device such as an electrophotographic system. And printing out received data, copy original data, or print data transmitted from an external personal computer.

  The codec 18 encodes and decodes in accordance with a predetermined protocol. In order to transmit the image data of the read original, the codec 18 is encoded by the MH, MR, or MMR method, and decodes the image data received from the outside. Also, encoding and decoding are also performed in correspondence with the TIFF method, which is an image format generally used as a file that can be attached to an e-mail.

  The modem 19 is connected to the bus 23 and has a function as a fax modem capable of facsimile communication. The modem 19 is also connected to the NCU 20 connected to the bus 23. The NCU 20 is hardware that closes and opens an analog line, and connects the modem 19 to the PSTN 5 as necessary.

  The LAN interface 22 is connected to the LAN 6 and receives data from an external personal computer or a signal from the Internet network 7 via the LAN 6, while transmitting signals and data to the LAN 6. Perform interface processing such as protocol conversion.

  The network multifunction device 1 has the above-described configuration. During facsimile transmission, document image data is read by the reading unit 15, compressed by the codec 18, and stored in the image memory 16. The compressed image data is read from the image memory 16, modulated by the modem 19, and transmitted from the NCU 20 to the communication partner through the PSTN 5. At the time of facsimile reception, the received image data is demodulated by the modem 19, stored in the image memory 16, decoded by the codec 18, and printed by the recording unit 17.

  On the other hand, as shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 3, the network board 21 includes a TCP / IP protocol control unit 31, an HTTPD control unit 32, a homepage management unit 33, a document management unit 34, and a cover page management unit 35. Each unit includes a CPU, a ROM, a memory such as a RAM, a magnetic disk (hard disk) storage device, and the like.

The TCP / IP protocol control unit 31 controls TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / IP (Internet Protocol), and the HTTPD control unit 32 uses the data stream transfer function of the TCP / IP protocol control unit 31 to perform HTTPD (Hyper Text Transfer). Protocol Deamon) function is executed, and requests from WWW (World Wide Web) browsers such as personal computers 2, 3, 4 are processed.
Note that HTTPPD is a daemon that provides the functions of an HTTP server, and is used when a web server is operated on a UNIX (registered trademark) operating system.

The homepage management unit 33 outputs a homepage file to the HTTPD control unit 32 in response to a homepage request from the HTTPD control unit 32, and the document management unit 34 scans documents, fax / fax / A document such as a mail-received delivery document is stored and saved, and the list information of the saved document is converted into a file in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) format in response to a request from the HTTP PD control unit 32 and is stored in the HTTP PD control unit 32. The information output and analyzed from the HTTPD control unit 32 is analyzed to perform processing such as transfer and deletion of a stored document.
The cover page management unit 35 stores a cover page subject, comment text, and cover page image that have been transmitted in the past with an index number for each logged-in user or for each logged-in user and each transmission destination. Manage information.

Next, an operation when the user executes transmission of an image stored in the network multifunction device 1 from the personal computers 2, 3, 4, etc. will be described.
For example, when the user starts the WWW browser and performs access by designating the IP address of the network MFP 1 on the WWW browser screen displayed on the monitor screen of the personal computer 2, the HTTPD control unit 32 of the network board 21 performs this access. The homepage file described in HTML is read from the homepage management unit 33 and transferred to the personal computer 2 via the TCP / IP protocol control unit 31, the LAN interface 22, and the LAN6.

When the user selects and gives an instruction to display a list of documents from this home page, this list display instruction information is transferred to the network multifunction peripheral 1 via the LAN 6, and the HTTPD control unit 32 of the network board 21 detects this. As a result, the HTTP PD control unit 32 instructs the document management unit 34 to transfer the document list, and the document management unit 34 converts the stored document list information into an HTML format file and transfers it to the personal computer 2.
As a result, the document list screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the monitor screen of the personal computer 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, at the top of the document list list screen, a scan image, a transmission document, a reception document, a shared reception document, a bulletin board, a circulation document, and a processing request document switching tab, “transfer”, “transmission” Function selection buttons such as “print”, “download”, “delete”, “bulletin board”, “circulation”, and “processing request” are displayed. In the lower part of the document list screen, in the case of a received document, a destination name, document classification, number of pages, reception date and time, etc. are displayed.
If the user wants to send a document by fax or e-mail, check the document to be sent and click the “Send” button on the above document list screen, and the send dialog screen shown in FIG. Displayed on the monitor screen.

As shown in the figure, this transmission dialog screen includes a fax transmission destination input field, an e-mail transmission destination input field, an e-mail body editing field, a transmission document instruction field, a cover page information input field, a distribution instruction field, and a history saving instruction. Columns are displayed.
In the transmission document instruction column, the documents checked in the document list in FIG. 4 are initially displayed. However, when the “Change” button is clicked, a transmission document selection screen is displayed. It is possible to make changes. In this field, it is also possible to select an attachment file format when sending by e-mail.

  In the cover page field, “subject” and “comment” can be input, and the input subject and comment characters are embedded in a cover page template and transmitted as a cover page. Further, this field is provided with a selection field for selecting whether or not to leave the cover page after transmission. By checking “Save”, the information of the cover page is transmitted to the network MFP 1 after transmission. Can be left inside. Also, by clicking the “History acquisition” button, cover page transmission can be executed in the past, and the cover page information stored in the network multifunction peripheral can be displayed on the monitor screen of the personal computer 2.

Next, the operation of the network multifunction device 1 when the user performs an operation on the transmission dialog screen will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The HTTPPD control unit 32 of the network board 21 always executes the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 and determines whether or not HTTP data is received from the personal computers 2, 3, 4, etc. via the TCP / IP protocol control unit 31. It is determined (step 101). For example, when it is determined that HTTP data has been received from the personal computer 2, the HTTP PD control unit 32 determines whether or not it is a cover page transmission process (step 102). The cover page is created by embedding the subject and comment of the cover page in the cover page template (step 103).

Next, the HTTPD control unit 32 creates a transmission job with the direct FAX number or direct mail address information of the other party received with the created cover page (step 104), and then covers the cover page in the transmission processing instruction with cover page. It is determined whether or not storage of the file has been selected (step 105).
If the user has checked “Save” on the transmission dialog screen of FIG. 5 and it is determined that the storage of the cover page has been selected, the HTTPD control unit 32 logs in the user in the cover page management unit 35. The cover page subject, comment, and the created cover page image are stored with an index number and stored (step 106).

  After the cover page is stored in step 106 or when it is determined in step 105 that storage of the cover page is not selected, the HTTPD control unit 32 reads the image data to be transmitted from the document management unit 34 and creates it. Along with the transmission job, it is transmitted to the main body of the network MFP 1 (step 107).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 102 that the transmission processing is not cover page transmission processing, the HTTPD control unit 32 determines whether or not a cover page history transmission command based on cover page history information has been received (step 108). If it is determined that the command is not a transmission command with a copper page, it is determined whether or not a cover page history acquisition command has been received (step 109). If it is determined that the command is not a cover page history acquisition command, other HTTP processing is executed. (Step 110).

When the user clicks the “history acquisition” button in the cover page column of the transmission dialog screen of FIG. 5, the HTTPD control unit 32 determines that the cover page history acquisition command has been received in step 109, and sends the cover page management unit 35 to the cover page management unit 35. It is determined whether or not there is cover page history information for the logged-in user (step 111). If it is determined that there is no cover page history information for the logged-in user, the fact that there is no cover page information is transmitted to the PC 2 (step 111). 112) When it is determined that there is cover page history information of the login user, the cover page history list information of the login user is read from the cover page management unit 35 and transmitted to the personal computer 2 (step 113).
As a result, the cover page history list information shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the monitor screen of the personal computer 2.

On this cover page history list display screen, as shown in the figure, an index number, a transmission destination name, a subject, and a comment are displayed, and a preview button is displayed as a thumbnail image beside each history information. By clicking this preview button, the cover page image is displayed on the monitor screen of the personal computer 2, so that the contents of the cover page that will be transmitted can be confirmed.
On this screen, after checking the check box on the left side of the index number of the cover page that the user wants to use, by clicking the “OK” button, the send command with cover page by the specified index number and cover page history information and The information input on the dialog screen is transmitted to the network MFP 1, and when the “Close” button is clicked, the cover page history list screen is closed and the transmission dialog screen is returned.

  If it is determined in step 108 that the command is a transmission command with a cover page based on cover page history information, the HTTPD control unit 32 reads the cover page image corresponding to the index number received from the cover page management unit 35, After creating a transmission job with the direct FAX number or direct mail address information of the other party received with the page image (step 113), the image data to be transmitted is read from the document management unit 34, and together with the created transmission job, the network composite Transmit to the main body of the machine 1 (step 107).

Next, the operation of the network multifunction peripheral 1 main body when receiving a transmission job will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The CPU 11 of the network multifunction device 1 always executes the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 and determines whether a transmission job is received from the network board 21 (step 201). If it is determined that the transmission job has been received, the CPU 11 stores transmission information such as a transmission destination in the RAM 13 and also stores cover page image data and transmission image data in the image memory 16 (step 202).

  Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the transmission destination information is a FAX number (step 203). If it is a FAX number, the transmission destination FAX number is sent to the PSTN 5 by controlling the modem 19 and the NCU 20. When communication is established, cover page image data and transmission image data stored in the image memory 16 are modulated by the modem 19 and then transmitted from the NCU 20 to the other party via the PSTN 5 by facsimile.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 203 that the destination information is not a fax number, the CPU 11 uses the cover image data and the received image data stored in the image memory 16 in the file format specified on the transmission dialog screen in FIG. , A TIFF format file) to create an attachment file for an e-mail, attach the created attachment file to the e-mail, and send it to the e-mail address of the transmission destination.

As described above, according to the network multifunction peripheral of the present invention, if the selection is made to leave the cover page from the personal computer at the time of transmitting the cover page, information on the cover page is stored for each login user inside the network multifunction peripheral. When transmitting to the same destination, the cover page can be easily created by using the information on the cover page stored in the storage means.
In this case, when using the cover page used in the past stored in the network MFP from the PC, the subject and comment text of the past cover page are listed on the PC monitor screen, making it easy to do what you need. Can be selected.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which an image to be transmitted is specified from the document list screen and fax transmission or mail transmission is performed has been described. However, an image stored in the terminal device can be specified to perform fax transmission or The present invention can also be applied to Internet fax transmission. In such a case, the CPU 11 of the network multifunction peripheral 1 main body performs control such as transmitting cover page history information to a personal computer. Is also possible.

  In the above embodiment, the cover page information is managed for each login user, and when there is a cover page history acquisition request, the transmission destination name, subject, etc. of the past cover page of the login user are transmitted to the personal computer. When the cover page information is managed for each login user and each transmission destination, and there is a cover page history acquisition request, the destination specified by the login user name at that time and the transmission destination on the transmission dialog screen in FIG. It is also possible to send a list of corresponding cover page information to a personal computer.

It is a figure which shows the network structural example of the system provided with the network multifunction device. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the network multifunction peripheral of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of a network board used in the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the document list list screen displayed by this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the transmission dialog screen displayed by this invention. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network multifunction peripheral when operated on the transmission dialog screen of FIG. 5. It is a figure which shows an example of the cover page log | history list display screen displayed by this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the network multifunction peripheral when a transmission job is received.

Explanation of symbols

1 Network MFP 2, 3, 4 PC 5 PSTN
6 LAN
7 Internet 11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
14 Display / Operation Unit 15 Reading Unit 16 Image Memory 17 Recording Unit 18 Codec 19 Modem 20 NCU
21 Network board 22 LAN I / F
23 Bus 31 TCP / IP protocol control unit 32 HTTPD control unit 33 Homepage management unit 34 Document management unit 35 Cover page management unit

Claims (4)

A network multifunction device connected to a terminal device via a communication network and capable of executing a cover page transmission process by logging in from the terminal device,
A network comprising: control means for controlling transmission of the cover page; and storage means for storing cover page information, wherein the control means stores cover page information in the storage means for each login user. Compound machine. The network multifunction device according to claim 1,
It is possible to select whether or not to leave the cover page from the terminal device when transmitting the cover page, and when the selection is made to leave the cover page, the control means stores the information on the cover page in the storage means. A network multifunction device characterized by In the network multifunction device according to claim 1 or 2,
The control means lists past cover page information on the monitor screen of the terminal device when an instruction to transmit using the information of the cover page stored in the storage means is given from the terminal device. Network multifunction devices. In the network multifunction device according to claim 3,
The network multifunction device, wherein the control means displays a preview button for confirming a cover page image in the vicinity of the past cover page information listed.

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