JP2007208957A - Ip facsimile distribution system and ip facsimile distribution program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable transmission and reception of binary data, in addition to facsimile image, while maintaining the convenience of facsimile communication, and to prevent wrong distribution thereof during facsimile transmission and reception, with other client terminals in a network and the external side of the network to and from client terminals within the relevant network. <P>SOLUTION: An image read by a scanner 11a is obtained as an image file, and the data file of this image file, or music, dynamic image, text, and image or the like is converted in a format with the T.434 protocol. When the image file or the data file, converted in the format explained above, is transmitted and received by the T.38 protocol by inputting a transmitting destination identifier for identifying a transmitting destination terminal, transmission is switched to the direct transmission to the other client terminals in the network or to the transmission to the external side of network via a server, according to the format of the inputted transmitting destination identifier. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an IP facsimile distribution system and an IP facsimile distribution program for performing facsimile transmission using an IP network such as a LAN or the Internet.

  Conventionally, various methods for transmitting and receiving various types of data via the IP network such as the Internet have been developed and proposed. As one of them, a direct connection to the IP network and a G3 standard facsimile data to the IP network packet An IP-facsimile system that transmits and receives facsimile image data by P2P (Peer to Peer) using a T.38 protocol for transmission and reception via a line has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

  According to the IP-facsimile system disclosed in Patent Document 1, binary data such as images, music, moving images, CAD drawings, and DTP data can be directly stored while maintaining the original convenience of facsimile communication called PUSH type distribution. You can send and receive.

By the way, in recent years, protection of personal information has been regarded as important, and in a delivery service using communication means such as a facsimile machine, a delivery accident to a wrong destination due to erroneous dialing has become a problem. In particular, with the IP-facsimile system described above, it is possible to perform facsimile transmissions internally and externally seamlessly via an IP network such as an intranet or the Internet. It is where it is done. Conventionally, as countermeasures against this misdelivery, for example, the destination number is registered in a one-touch key, or gathered to a central management server having destination information via an adapter, and after checking the destination number, The method of delivery etc. is mentioned.
JP 2005-109701 A

  However, the above-mentioned one-touch key system has problems such that registration work occurs for each facsimile apparatus, which takes too much time and the number of destinations that can be registered is limited. Each time, a special and expensive adapter is required, the number of communication times is doubled, and the communication fee is included, resulting in a great cost. In addition, in the case of misdelivery to other registered destinations, there is a problem that it cannot be prevented by the matching check in the registration DB.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above points, and while maintaining the convenience of facsimile communication, it is possible to transmit and receive binary data in addition to a facsimile image and to prevent misdelivery thereof. An object is to provide an IP facsimile distribution system and an IP facsimile distribution program.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an IP facsimile distribution system for transmitting and receiving data from a client terminal in a network constructed in a predetermined area to / from other client terminals in the network or outside the network. A scanner unit provided in the client terminal for reading an image, a facsimile image acquisition unit for acquiring an image read by the scanner unit as an image file in the client terminal, and a facsimile image acquisition unit in the client terminal The image file acquired by the Facsimile image acquisition unit at the client terminal and the conversion unit that converts the format of the image file acquired by, or the data file such as music, movie, text, image, etc. according to the T.434 protocol Or a transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives a data file whose format has been converted by the conversion unit according to the T.38 protocol, and an input unit that inputs a transmission destination identifier for identifying a transmission destination terminal device at the time of transmission by the transmission / reception unit at the client terminal And a server device that relays and transmits the data transmitted from the client terminal to the telephone line network by the T.30 protocol.

  The transmission / reception unit has a function of switching between direct transmission to other client terminals in the network and transmission outside the network via the server device according to the format of the transmission destination identifier input by the input unit. Have.

  The above system can be realized by executing a program written in a predetermined language on a computer. Specifically, a client terminal arranged in a network constructed in a predetermined area, and a server apparatus connected to the network and relaying and transmitting data transmitted from the client terminal to the telephone network using the T.30 protocol In the IP facsimile distribution system including the above, an IP facsimile distribution program is executed by a computer in the network, and data is transmitted / received to / from a client terminal in the network or outside the network through a server device.

This program
(1) Obtain the image read by the scanner means as an image file on the computer,
(2) or data files such as music, video, text, images, etc., are converted using the T.434 protocol,
(3) Accepting an input of a destination identifier for identifying a destination terminal device,
(4) Depending on the format of the input destination identifier, switching between direct transmission to other client terminals in the network and transmission outside the network via the server device,
(5) A step of transmitting the image file or the format-converted data file by the T.38 protocol.

  According to the present invention, for transmission outside the network such as outside the company, the protocol conversion is performed by the server device and the T.30 protocol generally used in facsimile is used, so that it has already become widespread. It is possible to communicate with the existing facsimile apparatus, and the convenience of the current facsimile can be ensured. In addition, binary files can be transferred through a general-purpose network such as a LAN using the T.434 and T.38 protocols. Since transmission of data to and from such a network is switched according to the format of the transmission destination identifier, erroneous transmission can be prevented.

  As a specific example of the transmission destination identifier, an IP address is used in the network, and a telephone number (facsimile number) is used outside the network. When the transmission destination identifier is an IP address, it is recognized as distribution to a designated device (arbitrary PC) in the network, and data is sent to the designated device in the IP network.

  On the other hand, when the transmission destination identifier is a telephone number, data is transmitted together with the transmission destination identifier to a server device (such as a G3 facsimile server) in the network. As a result, it is possible to specify an IP address as a transmission destination identifier and prevent data transmitted to the inside of the network from being transmitted to a public network facsimile machine or the like. In the unlikely event that a telephone number is specified for a specified device in the network or an IP address is specified for a facsimile device outside the network, an error is detected and processed by the IP facsimile distribution system. Information is not accidentally leaked.

  Furthermore, when the transmission destination is a facsimile machine or the like, since the transmission destination identifier is notified to the server apparatus, it is compared with the transmission destination identifier registered in advance in the server apparatus, and the security is enhanced such as checking the validity. enable.

  In the above invention, the following mechanism for preventing erroneous transmission can be adopted.

(1) Acquire user identification information input by the input unit in the transmission / reception unit or the server device, perform authentication processing based on the user identification information, and according to the authentication result, A function may be provided for determining whether transmission is possible and recording the authentication result and the transmission history in association with each other. That is, in order to use the IP facsimile distribution system, the user must have unique identification information (employee number, department, user name, etc.), password (or personal identification information such as personal identification number or biometric information) in advance. ) Etc. are registered as user identification information, and this is used as authentication information. By determining whether communication is possible or not based on the authentication result based on this authentication information and recording it as a history, it is possible to prevent the third party from using the system without permission, and to record user identification information when using the system. Leave it to deter unauthorized use (mistransmission in a broad sense) by deliberate or malicious intentions.

(2) A destination database for storing and holding a transmission destination identifier is provided in the transmission / reception unit or the server apparatus, and the destination database associates a status attribute indicating a registration state of the transmission destination identifier with each transmission destination identifier. In the call origination process, the status attribute of the transmission destination related to the call origination process may be referred to, and the availability of communication may be determined based on the reference result.

  In other words, for example, in the destination database that stores the destination identifier, the status attribute is set to “Unapproved” until the destination identifier is first confirmed whether it is valid. If the identifier information of the other party is changed / integrated / decommissioned, the status attribute is set to “stop”. The user can select only the “approved” status from the destination database at the time of outgoing call processing, and use only a valid destination identifier to prevent erroneous transmission to an invalid destination. Further, double registration of the same transmission destination identifier can be prevented at the time of registration.

(3) As a method of confirming the validity of the destination identifier registered in the destination database, a notification (facsimile, telephone communication or E-mail), and the status attribute may be given according to the reply content to the notification. For example, when confirming a destination identifier, two or more communication means such as a facsimile and an e-mail are used if they can be used together. For example, a tally number (such as a password) is sent by facsimile and a tally number is sent by a reply e-mail. By receiving a reply, the registration status of the destination identifier in the destination database of the IP facsimile distribution system is automatically set to “approved”.

(4) The transmission / reception unit receives selection mode switching information indicating direct transmission within the network or transmission outside the network through the input unit, and switching between the selection mode switching information and the transmission mode switching function. A function for outputting consistency with processing may be provided. In other words, when a transmission destination identifier is actually selected at the time of facsimile transmission, the destination designation selection mode is switched. As a result, the sender can be aware of whether to send a facsimile (including binary file transfer) to the internal network (IP address) or to send it to the outside of the internal network (facsimile number). Can encourage more careful consideration and operation.

(5) When the transmission destination identifier is input to the input unit, a display unit that displays the input transmission destination identifier a plurality of times may be provided. That is, when a transmission destination identifier is selected (input) in the input unit, the selected portion is displayed twice or three times on a separate screen frame or pop-up screen in the display unit for confirmation. At this time, identification information unique to the transmission destination (terminal name, facsimile number, business partner name, department, name, etc.) is also displayed, and the attention is urged over and over again.

(6) The transmission / reception unit of the client terminal serving as the reception side is provided with a notification unit that returns a reception notification indicating that the communication has been received with respect to the communication received from another client terminal, and the client serving as the transmission side The transmission / reception unit of the terminal is provided with a transmission mode selection unit that selects a transmission mode for requesting the reception notification, and the transmission / reception unit of the client terminal serving as the transmission side transmits the transmission mode selected by the transmission mode selection unit as a transmission signal. The notification unit may perform a reply of the reception notification according to transmission mode information included in the received communication.

  That is, a plurality of transmission modes are prepared for transmission in the transmission / reception unit. As the transmission mode, when performing facsimile (including binary file transfer) within an in-house network, “normal”, “open notification”, “confidential”, and the like can be considered. In the “normal” mode, an ordinary facsimile ( In the “open notification” and “confidential” mode, when the other party receives a facsimile (including binary file transfer) and opens the text, the open notification is sent to the sender as in the case of e-mail. Request a reply. As a result, the transmission source can confirm that the facsimile (including binary file transfer) has been seen steadily at the transmission destination.

  Furthermore, in "confidential" mode, the destination identification attribute information of the destination can be displayed and confirmed, and if it is not a specific party specified by the source, the facsimile (including binary file transfer) can be opened and viewed I can't do it. At the transmission destination, identification information unique to the first user, a password, and the like are designated, and the opening process of “confidential” is realized.

  In addition, when performing facsimile outside the corporate network (facsimile number), “normal” and “confidential” modes are prepared. In the “normal” mode, ordinary facsimile transmission is performed. In the “confidential” mode, a destination recipient designation screen is displayed, and an arbitrary destination recipient name is entered, so that attention is cautioned so as not to cause repeated transmission.

(7) The transmission / reception unit may be provided with a transmission content confirmation unit that displays the transmission destination identification information and an image of the transmission content during transmission processing in the transmission / reception unit. That is, the transmission destination identification information and the digest (image image) of the transmission content are displayed immediately before transmission. As a result, when performing transmission work under the presence of a third party, this screen can be confirmed with evidence, and the contents of transmission can be displayed one by one on all pages, enlarged, reduced, rotated, etc. It is also possible to confirm the presence / absence and distortion (inclination) of the reading surface, the destination designation selection mode, the state of a plurality of transmission modes, transmission destination identification attribute information, and the destination recipient name.

(8) You may provide the transmission result output part which outputs the result of the transmission process in the said transmission / reception part. As the output contents, for example, a report of delivery or non-delivery is output. The report shows when (send date and time), who (sender affiliation, name, etc.), where (terminal name, etc.), who (destination), and what (unique management number assigned by the system and transmission contents). (Digest)) or the result (delivery or non-delivery) is displayed or printed out. This can be used as evidence for internal checks and audit checks against unauthorized use of the IP facsimile distribution system.

(9) You may provide the reception result output part which outputs the list | wrist of the communication identification information which identifies the communication received in the said transmission / reception part. For example, in the company (IP address) facsimile (including binary file transfer) print list function, at the destination, the unique receipt number of the received facsimile, the type of transmission mode, the transmission source (terminal name, etc.), the sender ( Information such as affiliation and name), recipients in "confidential" mode (affiliation and name, etc.), opened person (affiliation and name, etc.), print output status (unprinted or printed), Digests (images) are displayed and output as communication identification information, and those that have not been opened after a specified number of days have passed will be printed out automatically by banner printing to ensure thorough reception. To.

(10) The input unit is provided with a function for prompting input of reception identification information for identifying a receiver according to the transmission mode received by the transmission / reception unit, and the reception notification is included in the reception notification and returned. You may make it do. That is, when the transmission mode (“open notification” and “confidential”) is displayed and the transmission mode is “open notification”, the recipient is prompted to input a name and a comment. When the transmission mode is “confidential”, the user is prompted to input the recipient's name and password (or personal identification information such as a personal identification number and biometric information). As a result, incoming facsimile (including binary file transfer) information can be prevented from being taken out by an unrelated third party.

(11) A recording unit for recording a transmission / reception history may be provided in the transmission / reception unit. For example, all records related to the transmission / reception of facsimile (including binary file transfer) for the entire IP facsimile distribution system or for each department such as the department to which it belongs (reception number, transmission source, transmission destination, transmission mode, arbitrary comments, transmission) (Name of person, name of opened person, result, printing result, date of printing or opening, digest of transmission contents, etc.) can be checked at any time. This can be used as evidence for internal checks and audit checks against unauthorized use of the IP facsimile distribution system.

(12) An image image indicating transmission contents may be included in the transmission / reception history. For example, an external image confirmation function of the IP facsimile distribution system displays a digest (image image) of the transmission contents for the facsimile transmitted outside the in-house network (facsimile number). This information can be stored for an arbitrary period of time according to the operating rules, and can be automatically deleted for security protection when the time limit is exceeded.

(13) The transmission / reception unit may be provided with a bandwidth control function for changing a bandwidth of a communication path according to a transmission amount. With this bandwidth control function, when the bandwidth (communication capacity) within the in-house network (IP network) cannot be widened, the flow control of the transmission amount is performed in order to prevent extreme delay, communication abnormality and non-delivery. Thereby, it is possible to always ensure communication with stable quality.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a facsimile transmission / reception is performed from a client terminal in a network to another client terminal in the network or outside the network, the convenience of facsimile communication is maintained, and other image files are maintained. Binary data can be transmitted and received, and erroneous delivery can be prevented.

(Configuration of IP facsimile distribution system)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an IP facsimile distribution system according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, client terminals (facsimile application loading terminals) 1a to 1c arranged in a predetermined area such as in-house, and a G3 facsimile apparatus 1d connected via a T.38 gateway 31 , And IP facsimile server apparatus 5 that relays and transmits data transmitted from T.38 facsimile apparatus 1e and client terminals 1a to 1c to the telephone line network according to T.30 protocol, and destination management server 4 that manages the destination And.

  The client terminals 1a to 1c are general-purpose computers such as personal computers, for example, which execute an IP facsimile facsimile distribution program (facsimile application), and send data to the client terminals in the network or outside the intranet 3 through the facsimile server device 5. Can be sent and received. Scanners 11a to 11c are connected to the client terminals 1a to 1c, respectively, and read and transmit originals or the like to be transmitted by facsimile from the scanners 11a to 11c. A network printer 2 is disposed on the intranet 3 so that received facsimile documents can be printed by operations from the client terminals 1a to 1c.

  Intranet 3 is a distributed network constructed by connecting various communication lines (LAN, ADSL, FTTH, WAN, wide area Ethernet (registered trademark) lines, and wireless communication networks) to each other using the communication protocol TCP / IP. Type IP network, which includes 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX and other corporate networks, as well as the global Internet 32 for building inter-branch networks. The intranet 3 in this embodiment is connected to a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Networks) 6 via a facsimile server device 5. The PSTN 6 is a communication network that is composed of a general subscriber telephone line, and is connected to the other party's telephone by a line switching system from the telephone and performs a voice call. The PSTN 6 is connected with a client terminal (facsimile application-installed PC) 7a capable of executing the same IP facsimile distribution program as the client terminals 1a to 1c and a general G3 facsimile apparatus 7b via the gateway 61. Yes.

  In the system of the present embodiment, the client terminals 1a to 1c perform P2P PUSH type communication by binary file transfer corresponding to the T.434 protocol to the PC 7a which is another client terminal equipped with the IP facsimile program. Can do. In addition to image data, it is possible to send any information content such as moving images, music, CAD drawings, photos, etc. to the PC 7a. For image files, high-speed PUSH communication is possible with T.38 protocol compatible facsimile machine 1e, T.30 compatible G3 facsimile apparatus 7b connected to PSTN6, and T.38 compatible gateway 31. The PUSH type communication is also possible for the T.30 compatible G3 facsimile apparatus 1d connected to the intranet 3 through the network.

  The destination management server 4 prohibits a user from manually entering a destination identifier at the time of transmission in order to prevent erroneous transmission of a facsimile, etc., and only selects an address registered in the destination management server 4 And is connected to each client terminal via the intranet 3. The destination management server 4 includes a destination database 41. In the destination database 41, destination names (name, company name, etc.) of destinations inside and outside the intranet 3 and destination identifiers (phone numbers, facsimile numbers, IP addresses) , Extension numbers, etc.) are stored in association with each other. The data in the destination management server 4 can be grouped, for example, for each in-house department or for each customer related to a specific in-house department, and various searches such as group search, alphabetical order, etc. It can be performed.

  In response to a request (inquiry) from the client terminal side, this destination management server 4 returns destination list data, which is a list of transmission destination identifiers, to the client terminal related to the request. To do.

  The destinations managed by this destination management server 4 can be updated by registering new destinations or correcting already registered destinations by accessing from each client terminal. It has become. When updating the data of the destination, at the time of the new registration, a call processing is performed on the registered destination on a trial basis, and the destination device identifier (CSID (Called Subscriber Identification), NSF) (Non-Standard Facilities), MAC address, etc.), newly registered, and when the registered data is updated, a test call process is executed again to check against the registered device identifier. If it does not match the registered one, an error may be displayed or updating may be prohibited.

  The registration data update is automatically executed by the system in a preventive maintenance manner at any time (regular / irregular), for example, when facsimile communication is not performed during an arbitrary period. According to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, once a dial number is used, it will not be reused for another customer for three months. Therefore, the registration data update process may be automatically performed by the system for the other party that has not been in facsimile communication for three months.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the client terminal. Here, the client terminal 1a will be described as an example, but the other client terminals 1b and 1c have the same configuration.

  The client terminal in the present embodiment implements each function on the CPU by executing the IP facsimile distribution program. As functional modules related to IP facsimile distribution, an input / output module, a data conversion module, a communication module, and a destination management module are provided. The “module” used in the description refers to a functional unit that is configured by hardware such as an apparatus or a device, software having the function, or a combination thereof, and achieves a predetermined operation. .

  First, input / output modules include a cache memory 101, a hard disk 102, an output interface 114, and an input unit 111. The cache memory 101 is a part of an input interface to which the scanner 11a is connected. The cache memory 101 temporarily stores a facsimile original read by the scanner 11a and stores it in the hard disk 102 as an image file. The output interface 114 is a communication interface to which an output device such as the display 114a or the network printer 2 is connected, and sends an output signal to each output device in response to a user operation at the input unit 111.

  The input unit 111 is a module that acquires an operation signal input from an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard. The input unit 111 selects a data selection unit 111a that selects a file stored in the hard disk 102 or a transmission destination at the time of transmission. A transmission destination selection unit 111b and the like are included. The data selection unit 111a is a module for selecting data to be transmitted at the time of transmission, displays a list of files stored in the hard disk 102 on the display 114a, and executes a selection operation on the screen.

  The destination selection unit 111b is a module that causes the display 114a to display the destination list acquired from the destination management server 4, and allows the user to select an arbitrary destination from the list. Is output to the destination format determination unit 112 and the transmission form generation unit 104. In addition, a transmission destination analysis unit 115 is connected to the transmission destination selection unit 111b, and the destination analyzed by the transmission destination analysis unit 115 is automatically converted into transmission destination information (address or transmission destination identifier (IP address or facsimile number). )) And the like are output to the transmission form generation unit 104 and the destination format determination unit 112.

  The data conversion module includes a compression / decompression unit 105, a T.434 format conversion unit 103, and an encryption / decryption unit 106. The compression / decompression unit 105 encodes data at the time of transmission to reduce the data size, and at the time of reception, decodes the data and restores the data size to the original size. The T.434 format conversion unit 103 converts data into a format compatible with the T.434 protocol in order to perform P2P PUSH type communication by binary file transfer. The encryption / decryption unit 106 encrypts / decrypts data such as the T.36 protocol as necessary to maintain communication security.

  The communication system module includes a T.38 protocol driver 107, a TCP / IP conversion unit 108, and a communication interface (I / F) 109. The T.38 protocol driver 107 mutually converts data and IP packets using IFT (Internet Facsimile Protocol). The TCP / IP conversion unit 108 adds or analyzes a header corresponding to TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) to the IP packet.

  The destination management system module includes a destination format determination unit 112, a destination list display unit 113, a transmission form generation unit 104, and a transmission destination analysis unit 115.

  The destination format determination unit 112 performs direct transmission to other client terminals (for example, the client terminals 1b and 1c) in the intranet 3 according to the format of the destination transmission destination identifier selected by the transmission destination selection unit 111b, and facsimile This is a module for switching between transmission to the PSTN 6 via the server device 5. Specifically, in the present embodiment, when the transmission destination identifier is an IP address (for example, an IP address of the client terminal 1b or 1c), the IP address is added to the header added by the TCP / IP conversion unit 108. If the destination identifier is a facsimile number, the IP address of the facsimile server device 5 is described as the destination in the header added by the TCP / IP conversion unit 108, and the facsimile number is T.38. The protocol driver 107 is notified. The T.38 protocol driver 107 stores the notified facsimile number in the transmission data according to the T.38 protocol.

  The destination list display unit 113 makes an inquiry to the destination management server 4 and selects the destination list data from the destination management server 4 at the time of the transmission destination selection operation in the transmission destination selection unit 111b. This is a module that is displayed in a selectable manner on the display 114a.

  The transmission form generation unit 104 is a module for attaching a facsimile transmission form page to the first page of a document to be facsimile-transmitted, and creates a page corresponding to the transmission destination selected by the transmission destination selection unit 111b. In addition, in this transmission form, the transmission destination identifier (IP address, telephone number, facsimile number, extension number, etc.) of the client terminal 1a is the transmission destination analysis unit in order to ensure the reply to the client terminal 1a. In 115, a decipherable character string and code are described. These character strings and codes include codes such as character strings, barcodes, QR codes, and the like that can be optically read by an OCR (Optical Character Reader). The print position is set so that printing is performed.

  The transmission destination analysis unit 115 is a module that analyzes a character string or a code of a transmission destination identifier of the other terminal using an OCR technique from a transmission vote received from another terminal and optically read by the scanner 11a. The analyzed transmission destination identifier is sent to the transmission destination selection unit 111b.

(IP facsimile delivery method)
The IP facsimile distribution method can be implemented by operating the IP facsimile distribution system and the IP facsimile distribution program having the above-described configuration. 3 to 7 are flowcharts showing operations of the IP facsimile distribution system and the IP facsimile distribution program according to this embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when a transmission destination identifier is newly registered. First, a facsimile application is activated on the client terminal used by the user (S101), and the destination management server 4 is accessed. In this access, a predetermined authentication process is performed, and after the authentication process is properly completed, the transmission destination can be registered. A transmission destination identifier to be newly registered is input on the client terminal side and transmitted to the destination management server 4. The destination management server 4 checks the destination database 41 to see if the received transmission destination identifier has already been registered (S102). If it has already been registered (“Y” in step S102), the process ends without executing the registration process as it is. If it has not been registered yet (“N” in step S102), the transmission destination identifier (IP Address, telephone number, etc.) and the destination name (name, company name, etc.) are registered (S103).

  If a transmission destination identifier is input each time in the client terminals 1a to 1c, an input error or a transmission destination selection error is likely to occur.

Since the external host system has a transmission destination identifier that has been acquired and confirmed in advance and the destination database 41 of the destination management server 4 is initially generated therefrom, there is no error in the transmission destination identifier selected by the client terminals 1a to 1c.

  Further, the destination management server 4 performs call communication for advance confirmation to the facsimile apparatus 7b connected to the PSTN 6 via the facsimile server apparatus 5 in advance, and acquires a device identifier unique to the facsimile apparatus 7b, Register in the destination database 41.

  In this way, it is possible to transmit image files or binary data to the transmission destinations (client terminals 1a to 1e, facsimile application loading terminal 7a, G3 facsimile apparatus 7b) registered in the destination management server 4. . FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operations at the time of transmission for the facsimile machines 1b to 1e.

  First, a facsimile application is activated in the client terminal 1a on the transmission side (S201), and data (paper document or file data) to be transmitted is selected (S202). When the data to be transmitted is a paper document, the document is set on the scanner 11a and a scanning operation is performed (S204, S205). The scanned image is stored in the hard disk 102 via the cache memory 101 as an image file. On the other hand, if the data to be transmitted is file data in step S202, the data stored in the hard disk 102 is selected (S203).

  Next, a desired destination is selected from the destination list acquired from the destination management server 4, and data is transmitted to the selected destination (S206). In the client terminals 1b to 1e on the receiving side, first, a facsimile application is activated (S301), and data from the client terminal 1a is received (S302). The received data is decoded and decompressed as an image file, and is displayed on the screen (S304) or printed out (S306) in accordance with system settings or user operation (S303, S305). .

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the transmission operation for the client terminal 7a and the G3 facsimile apparatus 7b. First, a facsimile application is activated in the client terminal 1a on the transmission side (S401), and data (paper document or file data) to be transmitted is selected (S402). When the data to be transmitted is a paper document, the document is set on the scanner 11a and a scanning operation is performed (S404, S405). The scanned image is stored in the hard disk 102 via the cache memory 101 as an image file. On the other hand, when the data to be transmitted is file data in step S402, the data stored in the hard disk 102 is selected (S403).

  Next, a desired destination is selected from the destination list acquired from the destination management server 4, and data is transmitted to the selected destination (S406). In the client terminal 7a on the receiving side, first, a facsimile application is activated (S501), and in the case of the G3 facsimile apparatus 7b, data from the client terminal 1a is received as it is (S502). The received data is decoded and decompressed as an image file, and is printed out in response to a user operation (S503).

  Here, the processing in step S206 and step S406 described above will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing in detail the processing in step S206 and step S406.

  After the operations in steps S201 to S205 or steps S401 to S405 are completed (S601), transmission destination selection and data transmission operations as shown in FIG. 6 are started. First, the destination list display unit 113 accesses the destination management server 4 and requests the latest destination list data (S602). In response to this request, the destination management server 4 searches the destination database 41 (S603). . As a result of this search, the extracted destination list is returned from the destination management server 4 to the client terminal 1a (S604), and displayed on the display 114a in the client terminal 1a so as to be selectable (S605).

  The user selects a desired transmission destination from the displayed destination list through the input unit 111 (S606). In response to this selection operation, a transmission form is created in the transmission form generation unit 104 (S607), and the IP address or telephone number of the selected transmission destination is sent to the destination format determination unit 112, where the transmission destination identifier The format is determined (S608). Depending on the determination result by the destination format determination unit 112, direct transmission to another client terminal 1b in the intranet 3 and transmission to the PSTN 6 via the facsimile server device 5 are switched.

  Specifically, in step S608, if the destination identifier is an IP address (“Y” in step S608), the IP address is described as it is as the destination in the header added by TCP / IP converter 108. Then, protocol conversion is performed (S614), and the data is directly transmitted to the other client terminals 1a to 1e in the intranet 3 via the intranet 3 (S615 and S616).

  On the other hand, if the destination identifier is a facsimile number in step S608 ("N" in step S608), the IP address of the facsimile server device 5 is described as the destination in the header added by the TCP / IP conversion unit 108. Then, the facsimile number is notified to the T.38 protocol driver 107. The T.38 protocol driver 107 performs protocol conversion in which the notified facsimile number is held in transmission data in accordance with the T.38 protocol, and transmits it to the facsimile server device 5 (S609 and S610). The facsimile server device 5 performs calling / incoming processing for the PC 7a and the G3 facsimile device 7b using the facsimile number facsimile (S611 to S612).

  In steps S614 and S609 described above, in the client terminal 1, when the data to be transmitted is a paper document, the image file read by the scanner is compressed by the compression / decompression unit 105 and encrypted as necessary. Encryption is performed in the decryption unit 106, replaced with an IP packet by IFT in the T.38 protocol driver 107, a header is added in the TCP / IP conversion unit 108, and sent to the intranet 3 via the communication interface 109 The

  On the other hand, when the data to be transmitted is a binary file, the binary file is converted into a predetermined data format, and then converted into a binary file transfer format (BFT) by the T.434 format converter 103, followed by encryption / decryption. The unit 106 encrypts data as necessary, and the T.38 protocol driver 107 performs data transfer according to the T.38 protocol. A header is added to the transmission data in the TCP / IP conversion unit 108 and sent to the intranet 3 via the communication interface 109.

  The data received in this way is output by the processing in steps S302 to S306 or S503 to S504. It should be noted that, at the time of print output, a transmission slip in which a reply destination identifier (here, the IP address or facsimile number of the client terminal 1a) is described can be printed. Further, the reply transmission slip can be used to acquire reply destination identifier information via the Internet, print it out, and reply with certainty.

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a reply process using a reply transmission form. Here, a case where a reply is received from the FAX application-equipped terminal 7a that has received the FAX from the client terminal 1a will be described as an example.

  First, the FAX application is activated in the FAX application-equipped terminal 7a, and a paper document to be transmitted is set on the scanner 71a together with the reply transmission form, and a scanning operation is performed (S701). The scanned reply transmission form is subjected to OCR analysis by the transmission destination analysis unit, and the transmission destination identifier of the destination (here, the client terminal 1a) is specified. The identified transmission destination identifier is sent to the destination format determination unit via the transmission destination selection unit, and it is determined whether or not the transmission is performed inside or outside the network (not shown) according to the format of the transmission destination identifier. (S704). In accordance with the determination result, direct transmission to other client terminals in the same network (S705 to S706) and transmission to the PSTN 6 via the FAX server device 5 (S707 and later) are switched. Here, the data is transmitted to the client terminal 1a in the intranet 3 which is another network through the PSTN 6.

  Specifically, when it is determined in step S704 that the transmission destination identifier is a FAX number (“N” in step S704), the FAX of the FAX server device 5 is added to the header added by the TCP / IP conversion unit 108. The IP address specified by the number is described as the destination, and the FAX number is notified to the T.38 protocol driver 107. The T.38 protocol driver 107 performs protocol conversion in which the notified FAX number is held in transmission data in accordance with the T.38 protocol (S707), and transmits it to the FAX server device 5 (S708 and S709). The FAX server device 5 executes data transfer to the client terminal 1a using the IP address of the client terminal 1a specified from the FAX number (S711 to S712), and the received FAX document is output at the client terminal 1a. (S713).

(Operations and effects according to this embodiment)
According to the IP facsimile distribution system and the IP facsimile distribution program according to the present embodiment described above, the protocol conversion is performed by the facsimile server device 5 in transmission outside the network such as outside the company, and it is generally used in facsimile. Since the T.30 protocol is used, communication with the already popular G3 facsimile apparatus 7b is possible, and the convenience of the current facsimile can be ensured.

  For transmission to the network, image files and binary files can be transferred through a general-purpose network such as a LAN using the T.434 and T.38 protocols. Since transmission to and from the network is switched according to the format of the transmission destination identifier, erroneous transmission can be prevented.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the transmission destination identifier (IP address, etc.) of the transmission source is described in the reply transmission slip by a character string or code that can be analyzed by OCR, and when replying, the reply transmission slip is displayed. Since the facsimile server apparatus 5 can automatically analyze and return a facsimile reply to the client terminals 1a to 1c, erroneous transmission caused by manually inputting a reply destination can be prevented.

(Example of change)
In the above embodiment, the following mechanism for preventing erroneous transmission can be employed.

(1) Acquire user identification information in the client terminals 1a to 1c or the server device 5, perform authentication processing based on the user identification information, and determine whether the transmission is possible according to the authentication result. A function may be provided to determine and to record the authentication result and the transmission history in association with each other. That is, the user registers in advance unique identification information (employee number, department, user name, etc.), password (or personal identification information such as personal identification number or biometric information), etc. as user identification information, This is authentication information. By determining whether communication is possible or not based on the authentication result based on this authentication information and recording it as a history, it is possible to prevent the third party from using the system without permission, and to record user identification information when using the system. Leave it to deter unauthorized use (mistransmission in a broad sense) by deliberate or malicious intentions.

(2) In the destination database 4, a status attribute indicating the registration status of the destination identifier is stored in association with each destination identifier, and each client terminal 1a to 1c It is also possible to refer to the status attribute of the transmission destination related to and determine whether or not communication is possible based on the reference result.

  That is, for example, in the destination database 4 in which the destination identifier is stored, the status attribute is set to “unapproved” until it can be confirmed whether the destination identifier is valid first. If the identifier information of the other party is changed / integrated / decommissioned, the status attribute is set to “stop”. The user can select only the “approved” status from the destination database 4 at the time of outgoing call processing, and use only a valid destination identifier to prevent erroneous transmission to an invalid destination. Further, double registration of the same transmission destination identifier can be prevented at the time of registration.

(3) As a method of confirming the validity of the transmission destination identifier registered in the destination database 4, a notification (facsimile, telephone, etc.) that prompts the transmission destination identifier to approve the registration in the registration processing in the destination database 4 Communication or e-mail), and the status attribute may be given according to the reply content to the notification. For example, when confirming a destination identifier, two or more communication means such as a facsimile and an e-mail are used if they can be used together. For example, a tally number (such as a password) is sent by facsimile and a tally number is sent by a reply e-mail. By receiving a reply, the registration status of the destination identifier in the destination database of the IP facsimile distribution system is automatically set to “approved”.

(4) The client terminal 1a-1c receives selection mode switching information indicating whether transmission is direct within the network 3 or transmission outside the network through the input unit 111, and the destination format determination unit 112 performs the selection. The consistency between the mode switching information and the switching process in the transmission mode switching function may be output. In other words, when a transmission destination identifier is actually selected at the time of facsimile transmission, the destination designation selection mode is switched. As a result, the sender can be aware of whether to send a facsimile (including binary file transfer) to the internal network (IP address) or to send it to the outside of the internal network (facsimile number). Can encourage more careful consideration and operation.

(5) When the transmission destination identifier is input in the input unit 111, the input transmission destination identifier may be displayed on the display 114a a plurality of times. That is, when a transmission destination identifier is selected (input) in the input unit 111, the selected portion is displayed twice or three times on a separate screen frame or pop-up screen in the display 114a for confirmation. At this time, identification information unique to the transmission destination (terminal name, facsimile number, business partner name, department, name, etc.) is also displayed, and the attention is urged over and over again.

(6) For a communication received from another client terminal, the client terminal on the receiving side is provided with a notification unit that returns a reception notification indicating that the communication has been received, and the client terminal on the transmitting side is notified of the reception. A transmission mode selection unit that selects a transmission mode for requesting transmission, and the client terminal serving as the transmission side adds the transmission mode selected by the transmission mode selection unit to the transmission signal and transmits the transmission mode, and a notification unit at the reception side May return a reception notification in accordance with transmission mode information included in the received communication. That is, a plurality of transmission modes are prepared for transmission.

  As the transmission mode, when performing facsimile (including binary file transfer) within an in-house network, “normal”, “open notification”, “confidential”, and the like can be considered. In the “normal” mode, an ordinary facsimile ( In the “open notification” and “confidential” mode, when the other party receives a facsimile (including binary file transfer) and opens the text, the open notification is sent to the sender as in the case of e-mail. Request a reply. As a result, the transmission source can confirm that the facsimile (including binary file transfer) has been seen steadily at the transmission destination. Furthermore, in "confidential" mode, the destination identification attribute information of the destination can be displayed and confirmed, and if it is not a specific party specified by the source, the facsimile (including binary file transfer) can be opened and viewed I can't do it. At the transmission destination, identification information unique to the first user, a password, and the like are designated, and the opening process of “confidential” is realized.

  In addition, when performing facsimile outside the corporate network (facsimile number), “normal” and “confidential” modes are prepared. In the “normal” mode, ordinary facsimile transmission is performed. In the “confidential” mode, a destination recipient designation screen is displayed, and an arbitrary destination recipient name is entered, so that attention is cautioned so as not to cause repeated transmission.

(7) The client terminals 1a to 1c may be provided with a transmission content confirmation unit that displays transmission destination identification information and an image of the transmission content during the transmission process. That is, in the display 114a of the client terminals 1a to 1c, the destination identification information and the digest (image image) of the transmission content are displayed immediately before transmission. As a result, when performing transmission work under the presence of a third party, this display 114a can be confirmed as evidence, and the contents of transmission can be confirmed one page at a time for all pages, enlarged, reduced, rotated, etc. It can be displayed, and the presence / absence and distortion of the reading surface and the distortion (inclination), destination designation selection mode, status of multiple transmission modes, destination identification attribute information, destination recipient name can also be confirmed. it can.

(8) The client terminal 1a to 1c may output the result of the transmission process using the display 114a or the network printer 2. As the output contents, for example, a report of delivery or non-delivery is output. The report shows when (send date and time), who (sender affiliation, name, etc.), where (terminal name, etc.), who (destination), and what (unique management number assigned by the system and transmission contents). (Digest)) or the result (delivery or non-delivery) is displayed or printed out. This can be used as evidence for internal checks and audit checks against unauthorized use of the IP facsimile distribution system.

(9) A list of communication identification information specifying communication received at the client terminals 1a to 1c may be output using the display 114a or the network printer 2. For example, in the company (IP address) facsimile (including binary file transfer) print list function, at the destination, the unique receipt number of the received facsimile, the type of transmission mode, the transmission source (terminal name, etc.), the sender ( Information such as affiliation and name), recipients in "confidential" mode (affiliation and name, etc.), opened person (affiliation and name, etc.), print output status (unprinted or printed), Digests (images) are displayed and output as communication identification information, and those that have not been opened after a specified number of days have passed will be printed out automatically by banner printing to ensure thorough reception. To.

(10) The input unit 111 is provided with a function for prompting input of reception identification information for identifying a receiver according to the received transmission mode, and the reception identification information is included in the reception notification to the transmission source client terminal. You may make it reply. That is, when the transmission mode (“open notification” and “confidential”) is displayed and the transmission mode is “open notification”, the recipient is prompted to input a name and a comment. When the transmission mode is “confidential”, the user is prompted to input the recipient's name and password (or personal identification information such as a personal identification number and biometric information). As a result, incoming facsimile (including binary file transfer) information can be prevented from being taken out by an unrelated third party.

(11) Transmission / reception history may be recorded in the hard disk 102 of the client terminals 1a to 1c. For example, all records related to the transmission / reception of facsimile (including binary file transfer) for the entire IP facsimile distribution system or for each department such as the department to which it belongs (reception number, transmission source, transmission destination, transmission mode, arbitrary comments, transmission) (Name of person, name of opened person, result, printing result, date of printing or opening, digest of transmission contents, etc.) can be checked at any time. This can be used as evidence for internal checks and audit checks against unauthorized use of the IP facsimile distribution system.

(12) An image image indicating transmission content may be included in the transmission / reception history recorded in the hard disk 102. For example, an external image confirmation function of the IP facsimile distribution system displays a digest (image image) of the transmission contents for the facsimile transmitted outside the in-house network (facsimile number). This information can be stored for an arbitrary period of time according to the operating rules, and can be automatically deleted for security protection when the time limit is exceeded.

(13) The communication I / F 109 may be provided with a band control function for changing the band of the communication path according to the transmission amount. With this bandwidth control function, when the bandwidth (communication capacity) within the in-house network (IP network) cannot be widened, the flow control of the transmission amount is performed in order to prevent extreme delay, communication abnormality and non-delivery. Thereby, it is possible to always ensure communication with stable quality.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an IP facsimile distribution system according to an embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the client terminal which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the operation | movement at the time of new registration of the transmission destination identifier in embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of transmission for the facsimile application loaded terminal 7a in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of transmission to the G3 facsimile apparatus 7b in the embodiment. It is the sequence figure which showed the process in step S206 and step S406 in detail in execution form. It is a sequence diagram which shows the reply process using the transmission slip for reply in embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1a to 1c: Client terminal
2 ... Network printer
3 ... Intranet
4 ... Destination management server
5 ... Facsimile server device
6 ... PSTN
7a… Facsimile application terminal (PC)
7b ... G3 facsimile machine
11a to 11c ... Scanner
31 ... T.38 gateway
32… Internet (inter-branch network)
41 ... Destination database
101 ... Cache memory
102 ... Hard disk
103 ... T.434 format converter
104 ... Transmission form generator
105 ... Compression / decompression unit
106: Encryption / decryption unit
107 ... T.38 protocol driver
108 ... TCP / IP converter
109… Communication interface
111… Input section
111a… Data selection part
111b ... Destination selection part
112 ... Destination type determination unit
113 ... Address list display area
114… Output interface
114a… Display
115 ... Destination analysis unit

Claims (6)

An IP fax distribution system that transmits and receives data from a client terminal in a network constructed in a predetermined area to another client terminal in the network or outside the network,
A scanner means provided in the client terminal for reading an image;
In the client terminal, a facsimile image acquisition unit that acquires an image read by the scanner unit as an image file;
In the client terminal, the image file acquired by the facsimile image acquisition unit, or a data file such as music, moving image, text, image, etc., a conversion unit for converting the format by T.434 protocol,
In the client terminal, the image file acquired by the facsimile image acquisition unit, or a data file format-converted by the conversion unit, a transmission / reception unit that transmits and receives according to the T.38 protocol;
In the client terminal, upon transmission by the transceiver unit, an input unit for inputting a transmission destination identifier for specifying a transmission destination terminal device;
A server device that relays and transmits data transmitted from the client terminal to a telephone line network according to the T.30 protocol,
The transmission / reception unit transmits direct transmission to other client terminals in the network and transmission to the outside of the network via the server device in accordance with the format of the transmission destination identifier input by the input unit. An IP facsimile distribution system having a mode switching function. The transmission / reception unit or the server device is provided with a destination database that stores and holds a transmission destination identifier. In the transmission destination database, a status attribute indicating a registration state of the transmission destination identifier is stored in association with each transmission destination identifier. ,
The transmission / reception unit is provided with a function of referring to a status attribute of a transmission destination related to the transmission process in the transmission process in the transmission / reception unit, and determining whether communication is possible based on the reference result. IP facsimile distribution system. In the transmission / reception unit of the client terminal on the receiving side, for a communication received from another client terminal, a notification unit is provided for returning a reception notification indicating that the communication has been received,
The transmission / reception unit of the client terminal on the transmission side is provided with a transmission mode selection unit that selects a transmission mode for requesting the reception notification,
The transmission / reception unit of the client terminal on the transmission side adds the transmission mode selected in the transmission mode selection unit to the transmission signal and transmits the transmission signal,
The IP facsimile distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit executes a reply to the reception notification according to transmission mode information included in the received communication. A client terminal arranged in a network constructed in a predetermined area;
On an IP facsimile distribution system including a server device connected to the network and transmitting data transmitted from the client terminal to the telephone line network according to the T.30 protocol,
An IP fax distribution program for transmitting and receiving data with a computer in the network, with a client terminal in the network, or outside the network through the server device,
On the computer,
Obtaining an image read by the scanner means as an image file (1);
Step (2) for converting the format of the image file obtained in the step (1) or a data file such as music, video, text, image, etc. according to the T.434 protocol;
Step (3) of accepting an input of a transmission destination identifier for specifying a transmission destination terminal device;
Switching between direct transmission to other client terminals in the network and transmission outside the network via the server device according to the format of the transmission destination identifier input in the step (3) (4 )When,
The image file acquired in the step (1), or the data file format-converted in the step (2), a step (5) for transmitting by the T.38 protocol,
An IP facsimile distribution program for executing a process including: The client terminal or the server device is provided with a destination database for storing and holding a transmission destination identifier, and the destination database stores a status attribute indicating a registration state of the transmission destination identifier in association with each transmission destination identifier. ,
The step (5) is characterized in that, at the time of outgoing call processing at a client terminal, the destination database refers to a status attribute of a destination related to the outgoing call processing, and determines whether communication is possible based on the reference result. 4. The IP facsimile distribution program described in 4. In step (5),
In the client terminal on the transmission side, select a transmission mode for requesting a reception notification indicating that communication has been received to the client terminal on the reception side,
The client terminal serving as the transmission side adds the transmission mode selected by the transmission mode selection unit to the transmission signal and transmits the transmission signal,
5. The reception notification is returned in response to transmission mode information included in the received communication for the communication received from the transmission-side client terminal in the client terminal serving as the reception side. The listed IP facsimile distribution program.