JP2006203693A - Image communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image communication device in which text data concerning image data can be restored when the image data is restored by archiving information other than the image data, i. e. the text data concerning the image data. <P>SOLUTION: When an e-mail is transmitted or received, a control section 10 extracts an attachment (image data) of the transmitted or received e-mail and stores the extracted image data in an image memory 15. In conjunction with the control section 10, a codec 14 extracts the header information and the text data of the transmitted or received e-mail and transforms it into image data. When a facsimile is transmitted or received, the codec 14 extracts text data which is communication management information concerning transmission/reception of transmission/reception results of a transmitted/received facsimile in conjunction with the control section 10, and transforms it into image data. The image data transformed by the codec 14 and the image data stored in the image memory 15 are transmitted to an archive place. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to image data transmitted or received via a telephone network such as a public telephone line network or a communication network such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus that archives image data by transmitting it to a destination.

  In recent years, large-scale networks (hereinafter referred to as the Internet) in which various networks that have been independently constructed are connected to each other have been used in various fields. Unlike the telephone network and the like, the Internet can communicate with not only Japan but also foreign computers, etc. if it bears the cost of connecting to the Internet. In view of this, an image communication apparatus that reduces communication costs by distributing electronic mail with attached image data via the Internet has been put into practical use.

In addition, an Internet facsimile machine that archives image data by transferring transmitted and received image data to a predetermined destination by electronic mail has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, information related to image data is described in the subject of the e-mail to be transferred, so that the image data can be easily managed based on this information.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-40600

  However, the archive destination needs to be able to receive e-mail, and when G3FAX is used as the archive destination, only image data can be archived, so information relating to image data, for example, image data is attached to the e-mail. Header information such as e-mail subject, transmission source, transmission destination, transmission date and time, reception date and time, and when receiving image data by facsimile, such as the telephone number of the other party sending the facsimile and the communication date and time Communication management information cannot be archived because it is not image data. Therefore, when the image data is archived but the archive is taken out, information other than the image data, that is, the above-described information on the image data is lost, and the meaning as an archive for the purpose of refusal is diminished. There was a problem. That is, in the case of archiving only image data, there is a possibility that it is impossible to determine what kind of property the image data has when the archived image data is taken out.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and converts text data related to transmitted or received image data into image data. The image data related to the converted text data is transmitted to the predetermined data together with the transmitted or received image data. By configuring the transmission to the destination, information other than the image data, that is, text data related to the image data is archived, and the image data can be restored when the image data is restored. For the purpose of provision.

  Further, the present invention converts the transmitted or received image data and text data related to the image data into image data in a predetermined format corresponding to the archive destination, and transmits the converted image data to a predetermined destination. An object of the present invention is to provide an image communication apparatus capable of restoring text data related to image data when the image data is restored by archiving information other than the image data, that is, text data related to the image data.

  An image communication apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an image communication apparatus for transferring transmitted or received image data, a storage unit for storing the image data, conversion means for converting text data relating to the image data into image data, The image processing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits the image data stored in the storage unit and the image data converted by the conversion unit.

  In the first invention, the transmitted or received image data is stored, and text data relating to the image data is converted into image data. Then, the stored image data and the image data obtained by converting the text data are transmitted to a predetermined destination. As a result, not only the transmitted or received image data but also the header information such as the subject, the transmission source, the transmission destination, the transmission date and time, the reception date and time, and the facsimile information are sent to the predetermined destination. In this case, the information related to the image data such as communication management information such as the telephone number of the other party and the communication date and time can be restored, so that the user can surely confirm the contents of the image data and the time Even if the output is made after the elapse of time, the contents can be grasped. Since text data is converted into image data and transmitted, it is not necessary for the archive destination to be able to receive e-mails. G3FAX may be used as the archive destination and can be applied to various purposes. .

  An image communication apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is an image communication apparatus for transferring transmitted or received image data, a storage section for storing the image data, image data stored in the storage section, and text data relating to the image data. The image processing apparatus includes a conversion unit that converts image data into a format different from the image data, and a transmission unit that transmits the image data converted by the conversion unit.

  In the second invention, the transmitted or received image data is stored, and the image data and text data relating to the image data are converted into image data of a predetermined format corresponding to the archive destination. Then, the converted image data is transmitted to a predetermined destination. As a result, not only the transmitted or received image data but also the information related to the image data such as header information and communication management information can be restored to the predetermined destination, so that the user can reliably store the contents of the image data. Even when the output is made after a lapse of time, the contents can be grasped. Since the format of the transmitted or received image data can be changed according to the archive destination, the present invention can be applied to various uses.

  The image communication apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in each of the above-described inventions, the transmission means performs communication conforming to G3 FAX, FTP, HTTP, or SMB.

  In the third aspect of the invention, the converted image data is transmitted according to the communication standard based on G3FAX, FTP, HTTP, or SMB, for example, according to the communication standard with the transmission destination.

  An image communication apparatus according to a fourth invention is characterized in that, in each of the above-described inventions, the text data includes communication management information relating to transmission / reception of the image data.

  In the fourth invention, the text data to be converted into the image data includes the communication management information, so that the archived image data can be easily managed based on the communication management information.

  According to the present invention, the text data related to the transmitted or received image data is converted into image data, and the image data related to the converted text data is transmitted to a predetermined destination together with the transmitted or received image data. When information other than image data, that is, text data related to image data is archived and image data is restored, the text data related to the image data can be restored to allow the user to identify the contents of the image data. Since text data is converted into image data and transmitted, it is not necessary for the archive destination to be able to receive e-mails. G3FAX may be used as the archive destination and can be applied to various purposes. .

  According to the present invention, the image data transmitted or received and the text data related to the image data are converted into image data of a predetermined format corresponding to the archive destination, and the converted image data is transmitted to a predetermined destination. Depending on the archive destination, the format of the transmitted or received image data can be changed, and can be applied to various applications.

  According to the present invention, by transmitting the converted image data according to a communication standard such as G3FAX, FTP, HTTP, or SMB, the present invention can be applied to transmission according to various communication standards.

  According to the present invention, since the text data to be converted into image data includes the communication management information, it is possible to easily manage the archived image data based on the communication management information. Play.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a communication network configuration in which an Internet facsimile apparatus as an example of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention is connected. Reference numerals 1A, 1B, and 1C denote Internet facsimile machines (hereinafter referred to as INFAX) which are examples of the image communication apparatus according to the present invention.

  INFAX 1A, 1B, file server 3, personal computer (PC) 4A, mail server 5A, router 6A, etc. are connected to LAN 2A. INFAX 1A, 1B, PC 4A are electronically connected to each other via mail server 5A. It is configured so that communication (transmission and reception) by mail is possible. The INFAX 1A and 1B are configured to transfer (send and receive) data to the file server 3 through the LAN 2A. Furthermore, the LAN 2A is connected to the Internet IN via the router 6A, and the INFAX 1A, 1B, the file server 3, and the PC 4A can communicate with various devices described later connected to the Internet IN.

  Similarly to LAN 2A, LAN 2B is connected to Internet IN via router 6B. INFAX 1C, PC 4B, mail server 5B, router 6B, and the like are connected to LAN 2B, and INFAX 1C and PC 4B are configured to be able to communicate with each other via electronic mail via mail server 5B. The INFAX 1C is configured to transfer (send and receive) data to the file server 3 through the Internet IN.

  Furthermore, INFAX 1A, 1B, and 1C (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as INFAX 1 if there is no need for distinction) are connected to each other through a public telephone line network PSTN, and a conventional facsimile using the public telephone line network PSTN. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a conventional facsimile apparatus G3FAX7 is further connected to the public telephone line network PSTN.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus which is an example of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention. An INFAX 1 that is an image communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a control unit 10 configured by a CPU. The control unit 10 includes a ROM 11, a RAM 12, a reading unit 13, a codec 14, an image memory 15, a recording unit 16, an operation unit 17, a display unit 18, a LAN interface (hereinafter referred to as LANIF) 19, a modem 20, a line control unit (hereinafter referred to as an NCU). ) 21 is connected to control each part, execute various functions in accordance with a computer program stored in advance in the ROM 11, and function as various means in the present invention in cooperation with each part or independently. The RAM 12 stores temporary data generated when the control unit 10 executes the computer program, and is configured by, for example, a DRAM, a flash memory, or the like.

  The reading unit 13 is a scanner using a CCD or the like, and reads a document set on a document table and converts it into data. There are ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) methods and FBS (Flat Bed Scanner) methods as scanner methods for reading a document. The codec 14 converts (encodes) the data read by the reading unit 13 into image data of a predetermined format, and stores it in the image memory 15. As an encoding method of the codec 14, for example, MH (Modified Huffman), which is a one-dimensional encoding method, MR (Modified READ), which is a two-dimensional encoding method, or MMR (Modified Modified READ) in which MR is partially improved The encoding method is determined by the standard of facsimile communication.

  The recording unit 16 is a printer device such as an electrophotographic system, and prints out and records image data received from another facsimile device by facsimile communication and image data received by a communication network as a hard copy.

  The operation unit 17 includes character keys, numeric keys, speed dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for operating the INFAX 1. Various operations and settings by the user are performed from the operation unit 17. . The display unit 18 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD), and displays the operating state of the INFAX 1 and further displays image data of a document to be transmitted, received image data, and the like. In addition, it is also possible to substitute a part or all of various keys of the operation unit 17 by using the display unit 18 as a touch panel system.

  The LANIF 19 is an interface through which INFAX 1 (for example, 1A) communicates with other INFAX 1 (1B), the file server (3), the PC (4A), and the mail server (5A) via the LAN (2A). In cooperation with the unit 10, it operates as a communication means when performing transmission / reception processing of electronic mail or transmitting / receiving image data to / from the file server 3. It is also connected to the Internet IN via the router (6A), and can communicate with other INFAX 1 (1C), PC (4B), and mail server (5B).

  The modem 20 is configured by a facsimile modem capable of facsimile communication. The NCU 21 is directly connected to the modem 20, and the NCU 21 connects or disconnects the public telephone line network PSTN, and connects the modem 20 to the public telephone line network PSTN as necessary. Control of facsimile communication with an apparatus (for example, G3 FAX 7) is performed.

  In the present invention, when an electronic mail is transmitted or received (hereinafter referred to as transmission / reception), the control unit 10 extracts an attached file (image data) of the transmitted / received electronic mail and stores the extracted image data in the image memory 15. . In addition, the codec 14 cooperates with the control unit 10 as shown in FIG. 3, and includes header information (for example, an email subject 51, a transmission source 52, a transmission destination 53, a transmission date and time 54, a reception date). And the text data of the body information 56 are extracted, and the extracted text data is converted into image data. On the other hand, when the facsimile is transmitted / received, the codec 14 cooperates with the control unit 10 and, as shown in FIG. 4, communication management information (for example, facsimile destination 61, communication date / time 62, Text data that is communication time 63, page number 64, communication result 65, etc.) is extracted, and the extracted text data is converted into image data. Then, the image data converted by the codec 14 and the image data stored in the image memory 15 are transmitted to the archive destination.

  Next, an operation performed by the image communication apparatus according to the present invention will be described. As an archiving destination, an electronic device capable of receiving e-mail such as a file server (including a PC), an Internet facsimile, or an electronic device capable of receiving a facsimile such as G3 FAX can be selected (set). In the operation unit 17, the archive destination is appropriately set by the user.

  FIGS. 5 to 8 are flowcharts showing processing procedures performed by the image communication apparatus according to the present invention. Specifically, FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts when sending and receiving e-mails, and FIG. FIG. 8 shows a flowchart when the facsimile is received, and FIG. 8 shows a flowchart when the facsimile is received.

[1. When sending and receiving e-mail (FIGS. 5 and 6)]
When INFAX 1 transmits / receives an e-mail with an attached file (image data) attached (step S1), it determines whether or not archiving is set (step S2). If INFAX 1 determines that the archive is not set (S2: NO), the process is terminated. On the other hand, if INFAX 1 determines that archiving is set (S2: YES), it extracts an attached file (image data) from the transmitted / received e-mail (step S3), and extracts the extracted image data to the image memory 15. Store (step S4). Next, INFAX 1 determines whether the image data can be decoded by the codec 14 (step S5).

  When it is determined that the image data cannot be decoded (S5: NO), the INFAX 1 determines that the transmitted / received e-mail is an unprocessable mail, executes an error process (step S6), and ends the process. To do. As described above, when the image data cannot be decoded, text data to be described later cannot be converted into image data having the same format as the image data, and therefore error processing is executed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the image data can be decoded (S5: YES), INFAX1 is the header information of the email (the subject of the email, the transmission source, the transmission destination, the transmission date / time, the reception date / time, etc.) and the text information. Is extracted (step S7). Then, INFAX1 determines whether or not the archive destination is G3FAX7 (step S8). The archive destination is appropriately set in advance by the user, and information on the archive destination is stored.

  If it is determined that the archive destination is G3FAX7 (S8: YES), the image data stored in the image memory 15 is converted into image data (G3FAX image data) compliant with G3FAX (step S9). Similarly, the text data extracted in S7 is converted into G3FAX image data conforming to G3FAX (step S10).

  Next, INFAX1 dials the archive destination G3FAX7 to establish communication (step S11). Then, the G3 FAX image data related to the text data converted in S10 is transmitted by facsimile to the archive destination (step S12), and then the G3 FAX image data related to the image data converted in S9 is transmitted to the archive destination by facsimile. (Step S13). Then, INFAX 1 disconnects communication with the archive destination (step S14).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S8 that the archive destination is not G3FAX7 (S8: NO), the text data extracted in S7 is converted into image data in the same format as the attached file (image data) (step S15). Then, INFAX 1 reconstructs the image data stored in the image memory 15 and the image data related to the text data converted in S15 (step S16). For example, the image data related to the text data converted in S15 is the first page, and the image data stored in the image memory 15, that is, the image data attached to the e-mail is reconstructed as the subsequent page. To do. Then, INFAX 1 transmits the reconstructed image data to the archive destination (step S17). For transmission, a communication standard such as FTP, HTTP, or SMB can be set as appropriate.

[2. When sending a facsimile (Fig. 7)]
When the document is set on the ADF or FBS format document table by the user (step S21), the reading unit 13 reads the set document, and the codec 14 converts the document into a predetermined format to convert the image data. Generate (step S22), and store the image data relating to the generated document in the image memory 15 (step S23). Then, INFAX 1 transmits the image data relating to the document to the transmission destination (step S24).

  Next, INFAX 1 determines whether or not the archive is set (step S25). If it is determined that the archive is not set (S25: NO), the process ends. On the other hand, when it is determined that the archive is set (S25: YES), INFAX1 determines whether the archive destination is G3FAX7 (step S26).

  When it is determined that the archive destination is G3FAX7 (S26: YES), the text data that is communication management information related to transmission such as the transmission result of the transmitted facsimile is changed to image data (G3FAX image data) compliant with G3FAX. Conversion is performed (step S27). Next, INFAX1 dials the archive destination G3FAX7 to establish communication (step S28). Then, the G3 FAX image data related to the text data converted in S27 is transmitted by facsimile to the archive destination (step S29), and then the G3 FAX image data related to the image data transmitted to the transmission destination in S24 is sent to the archive destination. Facsimile transmission is performed (step S30). Then, INFAX 1 disconnects communication with the archive destination (step S31).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S26 that the archive destination is not G3FAX7 (S26: NO), text data which is communication management information related to transmission such as a transmission result of the transmitted facsimile is stored in a predetermined format (here, TIFF format). Conversion into image data (step S32). Then, the image data stored in the image memory 15 (that is, the image data transmitted to the transmission destination in S24) is converted into image data in TIFF format (step S33). Next, INFAX 1 reconstructs the image data converted in S33 from the image data stored in the image memory 15 and the image data related to the text data converted in S32 (step S34). Then, INFAX 1 transmits the reconstructed image data to the archive destination (step S35).

[3. When a facsimile is received (FIG. 8)]
Upon receiving image data by facsimile (step S41), INFAX 1 stores the received image data in the image memory 15 (step S42) and outputs the image data to the recording unit 16 for printing out (step S43). . Next, INFAX 1 determines whether or not the archive is set (step S44). If it is determined that the archive is not set (S44: NO), the process is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the archive is set (S44: YES), INFAX1 determines whether the archive destination is G3FAX7 (step S45).

  When it is determined that the archive destination is G3FAX7 (S45: YES), text data that is communication management information related to reception such as the reception result of the received facsimile is changed to image data (G3FAX image data) that conforms to G3FAX. Conversion is performed (step S46). Next, INFAX1 dials the archive destination G3FAX7 to establish communication (step S47). Then, the G3 FAX image data related to the text data converted in S46 is transmitted by facsimile to the archive destination (step S48), and then the image data stored in the image memory 15 is transmitted by facsimile to the archive destination (step S49). Since the image data received by facsimile is image data compliant with G3 FAX, it is not necessary to convert the image data stored in the image memory 15. Then, INFAX 1 disconnects communication with the archive destination (step S50).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S45 that the archive destination is not G3FAX7 (S45: NO), text data that is communication management information related to reception such as the reception result of the received facsimile is stored in a predetermined format (here, TIFF format). Conversion into image data (step S51). Then, the image data stored in the image memory 15 (that is, the image data received in S41) is converted into TIFF format image data (step S52). Next, INFAX 1 reconstructs the image data obtained by converting the image data stored in the image memory 15 in S52 and the image data related to the text data converted in S51 (Step S53). Then, INFAX 1 transmits the reconstructed image data to the archive destination (step S54).

  As described above in detail, the image communication apparatus according to the present invention transmits / receives the header information and body information of the email and the image data by facsimile when the image data is attached to the email. In this case, the communication management information such as the telephone number of the other party of the facsimile and the communication date / time is converted into image data and transmitted to the archive destination, which is suitable for archiving for the purpose of recording. That is, the user can determine the nature of the archived image data from the information regarding the text data transmitted to the archive destination. In other words, by outputting not only transmitted / received image data but also text data related to the image data as image data, the user can surely confirm the contents of the image data and output it after a lapse of time. Even if it is a case, the contents can be grasped.

  The image communication apparatus according to the present invention does not need to be able to receive e-mails as an archive destination, and may be a case where G3 FAX is an archive destination, and can be applied to various uses. In the embodiment, the Internet facsimile apparatus has been described as an example. However, it may be applied to a conventional facsimile apparatus using the public telephone network PSTN so that the archive destination is another facsimile apparatus.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a communication network configuration in a mode in which an Internet facsimile apparatus as an example of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention is connected. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus that is an example of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of conversion to the image data of the header information and text information of an email. It is a figure which shows the example of conversion to the image data of the communication management information of a facsimile. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which the image communication apparatus which concerns on this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which the image communication apparatus which concerns on this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which the image communication apparatus which concerns on this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which the image communication apparatus which concerns on this invention performs.

Explanation of symbols

1,1A, 1B, 1C Image communication equipment (INFAX)
2A, 2B Local Area Network (LAN)
3 File server 4A, 4B Personal computer (PC)
5A, 5B Mail server 6A, 6B Router 7 G3FAX
10 Control unit 11 ROM
12 RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Reading part 14 Codec 15 Image memory 16 Recording part 17 Operation part 18 Display part 19 LAN interface (LANIF)
20 Modem 21 Line Control Unit (NCU)

Claims (4)

In an image communication apparatus for transferring transmitted or received image data,
A storage unit for storing the image data;
Conversion means for converting text data relating to the image data into image data;
An image communication apparatus comprising: transmission means for transmitting image data stored in the storage section and image data converted by the conversion means. In an image communication apparatus for transferring transmitted or received image data,
A storage unit for storing the image data;
Conversion means for converting the image data stored in the storage unit and text data related to the image data into image data of a format different from the image data;
An image communication apparatus comprising: transmission means for transmitting image data converted by the conversion means. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit performs communication conforming to G3 FAX, FTP, HTTP, or SMB. The image communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the text data includes communication management information related to transmission / reception of the image data.

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