JP2006262096A - Facsimile equipment or copying machine and compound machine with printing function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a composite machine which is convenient for a user in spite of a low price by receiving received mail as early as possible when it is highly possible that the user reads the received mail, and avoiding to affect the execution of the other job in the absence of the received mail even if asking to a server is frequent. <P>SOLUTION: In this facsimile equipment or a copying machine and a compound machine with a printing machine, a detection means for detecting the state and the using history of a device is provided, and a period of starting a protocol for asking the presence/absence of e-mail which has to be received to a mail server is variable according to information from the detection means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a facsimile or copying machine that can be connected to a network and can send and receive electronic mail, and a multifunction machine having a printing function.

  2. Description of the Related Art An internet facsimile is known in which a conventional facsimile or the like is provided with network connection means and electronic mail transmission / reception means so that image data can be transmitted / received without using a telephone line.

  There is also known a multifunction peripheral in which a copying machine is provided with a facsimile function and the Internet facsimile function, and further has a printer function for printing from an externally connected computer.

In addition to the normal operation mode of the device, a low power consumption mode in which unnecessary hardware operations are stopped is provided. Devices for suppressing are known.
JP 2000-165537 A

  Since multifunction devices need to execute multiple functions at the same time, it is common to manage each function as a job and operate it in parallel using a real-time OS or the like. . In order to manage jobs, it is necessary to manage the status while providing a management area in the memory in the device and recording the execution status of each job. Since there is a limit, there are naturally limitations on jobs that can be executed simultaneously.

  On the other hand, in order to receive an e-mail, it is common to inquire the e-mail server about the presence or absence of an e-mail addressed to itself, and to receive and print when the presence of the e-mail is confirmed. Therefore, when the inquiry cycle to the mail server is long, detection of arrival of mail addressed to the own machine is delayed. In order to increase user convenience, it is desirable to make frequent inquiries to the mail server. However, when a received job is started, it takes up a lot of memory and resources to consume the job management area. This is not a problem with a large-sized device, but a low-cost device with limited resources may affect other jobs that can be executed simultaneously.

  Further, when the apparatus is in the low power consumption mode, if the job for inquiring to the mail server is frequently started, the apparatus is frequently returned to the normal mode, resulting in a problem that the power consumption of the apparatus increases.

  In another invention (Patent Document 1), a method is described in which the inquiry cycle to the mail server is variable according to the time. However, the usage status of the user is not always constant according to the time, and the convenience is not necessarily improved. I could not say it.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and by automatically changing the inquiry cycle, it is possible to receive a message as soon as possible when the user is highly likely to read the received mail. Even if the inquiry to the server is frequent, there is no influence on the execution of other jobs when there is no incoming mail, and it has a facsimile or copier and printing function that is convenient for the user even at a low price. The purpose is to provide a multifunction device.

  The present invention provides means for detecting the usage status of the device, such as whether or not the device has been operated within a certain period of time in the past, and whether or not the device is in a low power consumption mode. When it is detected that the device is frequently used, the inquiry cycle The user may read incoming mail by automatically changing the query cycle so that the query cycle is lengthened when the device is not used frequently or when the device is detected as low power consumption mode. When it is high, it is possible to receive as soon as possible.

  Also, the inquiry protocol to the mail server itself is not managed as a job, but it is managed as a job when a response with a received mail is obtained from the server. This does not affect the execution of other jobs, and does not impair the convenience of the user even with a low-cost apparatus with few resources.

  Furthermore, the power consumption of the apparatus is reduced by not returning from the low power consumption mode only by making an inquiry to the mail server.

  That is, the technical content of the present invention can solve the above-described problems by including the following configuration.

  A multi-function machine comprising a connection means for connecting to a network, a receiving means for receiving an e-mail, and a printing means for printing the contents of the received e-mail, comprising a detecting means for detecting the status and usage history of the apparatus; A multi-function machine having a facsimile or copying machine and a printing function, characterized in that a period for starting a protocol for inquiring of a mail server whether there is an e-mail to be received is variable according to information from the detecting means.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a means for detecting the usage status of the device, such as whether or not the device has been operated within a certain period of time, and whether or not the device is in the low power consumption mode, and an inquiry is made when the device is detected to be frequently used. Users can read incoming e-mails by changing the inquiry period automatically, such as shortening the period and increasing the inquiry period when the device is not being used frequently or detected as low power consumption mode. When it is highly probable, it enables reception as soon as possible.

  Also, the inquiry protocol to the mail server itself is not managed as a job, but it is managed as a job when a response with a received mail is obtained from the server. Does not affect the execution of other jobs, and can provide a user-friendly device even at a low price.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a controller of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 100 denotes a system control chip whose internal configuration is a block ROMISA10 for controlling a ROM 400 for storing programs and an external ISA bus for connecting a modem for facsimile communication and a network control unit (modem & NCU 410). DMAC 20 for controlling the DMA, mechatronic motor control 30 for controlling the motor for conveying the document in the scanner unit, interrupt & timer control 40 for controlling the interrupt and timer, LCD control 50 for controlling the operation panel 420, A USB device control unit 60 for controlling a USB (Universal Serial Bus) I / F 430 for connecting to a computer and a LAN control 70 for controlling a LAN (Local Area Network) I / F 440, including the operation of the present invention. Run program CPU 80, DRAM Controller 90 for controlling external memory 470, LBPIF 15 for controlling printer device 450, printer image processing 25 for performing image processing for printing, and scanner for controlling scanner device 460 for reading a document An IF 35, a scanner image process 45 for processing the read image, a CODEC 55 for encoding / decoding image data, and the like.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a program for controlling the multifunction peripheral of the present invention, stored in the ROM 400, expanded in the DRAM 470 and executed by the CPU 80. As shown in FIG.

  The UI 200 controls the operation panel of the apparatus according to the present embodiment, and activates various jobs according to instructions from the user or autonomously performed by the apparatus. The job control 210 acquires job management information resources in the memory 350 according to an instruction from the UI 200, writes a necessary instruction according to the job type, and activates an appropriate job service. The SCAN 220, the PRINT 230, the FAX 240, and the external I / F 250 are job services that execute various jobs according to instructions from the job control 220.

  Based on the instructed job management information in the memory 350, the SCAN 220 controls the necessary hardware 320 via the DEVICE DRIVER 260, while the SCAN 220 reads from the original to the storage of the image data in the memory 350. From the reading of the image data to printing, the FAX 240 uses the FAX protocol 270 to read the facsimile via the NCU control 330 at the time of transmission from the reading of the image data in the memory 350. The image data is stored in the memory 350.

  In this embodiment, the external I / F 250 services a mail transmission / reception job, and communicates with a mail server and other devices via the LAN I / F control 340 using the mail transmission / reception protocol 280. Here, the mail control 290 can control the mail transmission / reception protocol 280, and uses the job management information for the inquiry procedure to the mail server, which will be described later, based on the inquiry cycle to the mail server stored in the memory 350. Can be done without. In addition, the user can access various information of the device via the status monitor 360 and detect the usage status of the device. Furthermore, the inquiry cycle to the mail server stored in the memory 350 is updated based on the detection result.

  The memory 350 is read and written via the memory management 300 and is not connected by a line in the figure, but can be accessed from any functional block in the figure by a general-purpose API. Similarly, the RTOS 310 can provide general functions of the real-time OS for tasks for realizing each functional block. Furthermore, the status monitor 360 also monitors information of the entire apparatus, and each functional block in the figure can access necessary information via a general-purpose API.

  FIG. 3 is a state transition diagram of the mail control 290. At initialization, a timer for inquiring the mail server and a timer for detecting no operation of the operation unit are started, and a transition is made to the “standby state”.

  When the expiration of the mail server inquiry timer is notified in the “standby state” (S1), the state shifts to the “server inquiry state”. When it is detected as a result of a server inquiry procedure described later that there is a received mail (S2), the UI 200 is notified of the start of the received job and shifts to a “receiving job executing state”. When it is detected in the “server inquiry state” that there is no received mail (S3), the server inquiry timer is restarted to return to the “standby state”. When the completion of the mail reception job is detected in the “reception job executing state” (S4), the server inquiry timer is restarted and returns to the “standby state”.

  When the expiration of the no-operation timer is detected in the “standby state” (S5), the value of the server inquiry timer is lengthened and restarted. Here, the timer value may be increased without an upper limit, and the change method can be set in any manner by adjusting the increasing value and the upper limit. In addition, by designing the operation unit to be included in the conditions for returning from the low power consumption mode, the no-operation timer will expire many times during low power consumption, so the inquiry cycle is automatically It becomes long.

  When the operation of the operation unit is detected in the “standby state” (S6), the value of the inquiry timer is returned to the initial value and restarted. It goes without saying that the method of change can be adjusted not only by always returning to the initial value, but also by designing it so as to decrease it step by step.

  These processes realize the dynamic change of the inquiry cycle to the mail server and the distinction between the inquiry to the mail server and the actual received job, which are the features of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 shows an inquiry procedure to the mail server performed by the mail control 290 in the “server inquiry state”. Here, a general POP3 (PostOffice Protocol 3) is taken as an example. The connection procedure to the mail server is omitted.

  Based on the response “+ OK” from the server, after sending the user ID and password, the “STAT” command is used to inquire about the presence of mail to be received. When the response is “+ OK 0”, it indicates that there is no mail to be received, so the mail control 290 closes the connection by the “QUIT” command.

  If the response is “+ OK N” (N is other than 0), it indicates that there is a mail to be received. Therefore, the mail control 290 notifies the UI 200 of the activation of the reception job. Upon receiving the notification, the UI 200 instructs the job control 210 to start a mail reception job. Only after receiving this, the job control 210 acquires job management information in the memory 350 for the mail reception job and activates the job service of the external I / F 250. The external I / F 250 continues using the mail transmission / reception protocol 280 and continues communication with the mail server. That is, the “RETR 1” command is transmitted, and reception is started from the first mail. Since the subsequent procedure is based on the normal POP3 protocol, it is omitted.

The block diagram which shows the controller of this invention Functional block diagram in the program State transition diagram of mail control block Figure showing an example of an inquiry procedure to the mail server

Explanation of symbols

10 ROMISA
15 LBPIF
20 DMAC
25 Printer Image Processing 30 Mechatronics Motor Control 35 Scanner IF
40 Interrupt & Timer Control 45 Scanner Image Processing 50 LCD Control 55 CODEC
60 USB Device Control Unit 70 LAN Control 80 CPU
90 DRAMController
100 System control chip 400 ROM
410 Modem & NCU
420 Operation Panel 430 USB (Universal Serial Bus) I / F
440 LAN (Local Area Network) I / F
450 Printer 460 Scanner 470 External Memory

Claims (3)

A multi-function machine comprising a connection means for connecting to a network, a receiving means for receiving an e-mail, and a printing means for printing the contents of the received e-mail,
Equipped with detection means to detect the status and usage history of the device,
A multi-function machine having a facsimile or copying machine and a printing function, characterized in that a period for starting a protocol for inquiring of a mail server whether there is an e-mail to be received is variable according to information from the detecting means.   The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein an electronic mail transmission / reception function, a facsimile transmission / reception function, a copy function, a print function from an externally connected computer, and the like are defined as jobs in the apparatus, and are stored in a memory included in the apparatus. A job management area is provided to manage the maximum number of jobs that can be executed in parallel, the execution order, etc., while the protocol operation for inquiring whether there is an email to be received is not handled as a job. A facsimile or copying machine characterized by not using a job management area in the apparatus and a multifunction machine having a printing function.   The multifunction device according to claim 2, wherein a standby mode in which all functions can be immediately operated according to a user's operation, and some functions such as an operation panel are stopped or restricted to reduce power consumption. In particular, when the device is in the power saving mode, the protocol operation for inquiring whether there is an e-mail to be received is not handled as a job, and is performed without returning from the power saving mode. Facsimile or copier to be used and a multifunction machine with printing function.