JP2007251491A - Facsimile terminal unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile terminal unit that minimizes economical burden and prevents a specified transmission destination number from being transmitted erroneously. <P>SOLUTION: The facsimile terminal unit 10 comprises: a number storage 13 for storing a transmission destination number; a signal storage means 17 for receiving a transmission signal transmitted by an existing facsimile machine 30 having read a document Pa for listing code information for storing at a signal storage 15; an information acquisition means 14 for extracting the code information listed on the document Pa from signals stored by the signal storage means 17, and acquiring a transmission destination number based on the extracted code information; and a dial transmission means 16 for dialing the transmission destination number when a transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition means 14 is included in the transmission destination number stored at the number storage 13, dialing a transmission number included in the transmission signal in the other cases via a facsimile line 20, and transmitting a signal stored at the signal storage section 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a facsimile terminal apparatus connected between a facsimile line and an existing facsimile machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a reader for reading data from a barcode is provided, and data written on a transmission original is read by the reader and dialed to a destination facsimile number or telephone number (hereinafter simply referred to as “transmission destination number”). An example of a facsimile machine configured to automatically transmit the contents of a transmission document is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-5-300387

However, for those who already have a facsimile machine, it is not only a big economic burden to purchase a new facsimile machine of Patent Document 1, but if there is only one facsimile line, the existing facsimile machine The machine is wasted without being used effectively.
On the other hand, in the facsimile machine of Patent Document 1, since it is transmitted to the transmission destination number described as a barcode, transmission can be prevented. However, in the case of transmitting information with low confidentiality such as an advertisement, it is used as a barcode. When described, it is not always necessary to transmit with the destination number.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is configured to minimize an economic burden while utilizing an existing facsimile machine and to prevent erroneous transmission only for a specific destination number. An object is to provide a facsimile terminal device.

(1) Means for solving the problem (hereinafter, simply referred to as “solution means”) 1 is a facsimile terminal apparatus that is connected between a facsimile line and an existing facsimile machine. A number storage unit for storing a destination number, a signal storage unit for receiving a transmission signal transmitted from the existing facsimile machine that has read a document on which code information is written, and storing the transmission signal in the signal storage unit; and a signal storage unit Extracting code information described in the manuscript from the stored signal, acquiring information on the basis of the extracted code information, information acquisition means, and the transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition means is the number If the destination number stored in the storage unit is included in the destination number, the destination number is used. Otherwise, the destination number included in the transmission signal is used for dialing via the facsimile line. And dial, and gist and a dial transmission means for transmitting the signals stored in the signal storage unit. The “existing facsimile machine” is a facsimile machine having a general function.

  According to the solving means 1, the information acquisition means reads the code information to acquire the transmission destination number, and when the acquired transmission destination number is included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit, the transmission destination number Dial through the facsimile line. On the other hand, when the transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition means is not included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit, dialing is performed via the facsimile line with the transmission destination number input by the existing facsimile machine. After the line is established, the signal stored in the signal storage unit (that is, document information) is transmitted. As described above, it is possible to transmit a document while preventing erroneous transmission for a specific transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit. Further, since the facsimile terminal apparatus of the present invention is merely an adapter that is interposed and connected between a facsimile line and an existing facsimile machine, it can be suppressed at a much lower cost than the facsimile machine disclosed in Patent Document 1. Economic burden can be minimized while utilizing a facsimile machine.

(2) Solution means 2 is the facsimile terminal apparatus described in Solution means 1, and has a gist that has number setting means for correcting, adding or deleting a transmission destination number stored in a number storage section.

  According to the solution means 2, the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit can be easily corrected, added or deleted by the number setting means at any time.

(3) The solution means 3 is the facsimile terminal apparatus described in the solution means 1 or 2, and the information acquisition means is configured to extract code information for each page of a document consisting of a plurality of pages. And

  For a document composed of a plurality of pages, code information is not always described on the first page. According to the solution means 3, since the information acquisition means extracts the code information not only for the first page but also for each page after the second page, it can be reliably transmitted to the transmission destination number recorded as the code information. it can.

(4) The solving means 4 is the facsimile terminal apparatus according to any one of the solving means 1 to 3, wherein the information acquisition means acquires page information on each page for a document composed of a plurality of pages, and transmits the dial. The gist of the invention is to have page sorting means for sorting pages according to the page information acquired by the information acquisition means before transmission by means.

  According to the solution means 4, based on the page information acquired by the information acquisition means, the page sorting means sorts the pages of the document composed of a plurality of pages. Even if the order is not determined at the stage of reading with an existing facsimile machine, the data is received in order from the first page at the transmission destination. Therefore, troubles such as re-reading and re-transmission can be saved.

  According to the present invention, an economical burden can be minimized while utilizing an existing facsimile machine, and erroneous transmission can be prevented only for a specific destination number.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration example of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the number setting process. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for signal storage processing. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts showing a procedure example of dial transmission processing. Between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the processing continues in the connectors J1, J2, and J3. FIG. 6 shows a description example of the original, and FIGS. 7 and 8 show the contents of the original transmitted from the facsimile terminal apparatus.

  In FIG. 1, a facsimile terminal apparatus 10 according to the present invention is connected between a facsimile line 20 and an existing facsimile machine 30. The facsimile terminal apparatus 10 temporarily stores the signal transmitted from the existing facsimile machine 30 in the signal storage unit 15, performs a predetermined process, and transmits (transmits) it to the transmission destination via the facsimile line 20. To do. On the other hand, the signal sent from the other party through the facsimile line 20 is transmitted to the existing facsimile machine 30 as it is without any processing.

  The facsimile terminal apparatus 10 includes a number setting unit 11, a display unit 12, a number storage unit 13, an information acquisition unit 14, a signal storage unit 15, a dial transmission unit 16, a signal storage unit 17, and the like. The number setting unit 11 has, for example, a numeric keypad and a keyboard, and corrects, adds, or deletes a transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13. The number setting unit 11 also has a function of displaying the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13 on the display unit 12.

  The number storage unit 13 is a storage device or a storage area that stores a transmission destination number. Similarly, the signal storage unit 15 is a storage device or storage area that stores a transmission signal transmitted from the existing facsimile machine 30. The number storage unit 13 and the signal storage unit 15 may be configured by the same storage device or may be configured by separate storage devices. However, it is desirable that the number storage unit 13 is composed of a nonvolatile storage device (for example, a flash memory or a disk device).

  The transmission signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 includes data relating to the description content of the document Pa read by the existing facsimile machine 30. The manuscript Pa is premised on including code information Pb as well as description contents Pc including communication texts and pictures. In the code information Pb of this example, a two-dimensional barcode is applied in order to increase the amount of recordable information. The code information Pb can be described at an arbitrary position in the document Pa, but extraction is facilitated when described at a certain position (for example, the upper left corner of the document Pa shown in FIG. 6).

  An arbitrary display capable of displaying the transmission destination number can be used as the display unit 12, for example, a liquid crystal display or an LED display. The information acquisition unit 14 extracts the code information Pb described in the document Pa from the signal stored in the signal storage unit 15, and acquires the transmission destination number based on the extracted code information Pb. The dial transmission means 16 dials the transmission destination number via the facsimile line 22 and transmits the signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 (that is, the description content of the document Pa). The transmission destination number to be dialed is selected when the transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition unit 14 is included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13. On the other hand, when it is not included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13, the transmission destination number included in the transmission signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 (in other words, in the existing facsimile machine 30). Select the input destination number.

  A procedure example of processing executed by the facsimile terminal apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Each of the processes shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 is repeatedly executed after the power of the facsimile terminal apparatus 10 is turned on until it is shut off.

  The number setting process shown in FIG. 2 implements various functions of the number setting means 11. First, a list of transmission destination numbers stored (registered) in the number storage unit 13 (hereinafter simply referred to as “registration number list”; the same applies to the description in the figure) is displayed on the display unit 12 [Step S20], the current storage status is notified. Subsequently, it is selected which of the correction, addition, and deletion is to be performed [step S21]. Depending on the selected item, the process branches as follows.

a) When performing correction, select a transmission destination number (simply indicated as “number” in the drawing) by using a movement key or the like (step S10), and input a correct transmission destination number by using a numeric keypad or the like [ In step S11, the input destination number is set in place of the selected destination number [step S12].
b) In the case of adding, when the transmission destination number to be added is entered by using the numeric keypad or the like [Step S22], the input transmission destination number is added and set [Step S23].
c) When deleting, if a destination number to be deleted is selected by a movement key or the like [step S30], the selected destination number is deleted [step S31].

  The signal storage processing shown in FIG. 3 realizes various functions of the signal storage means 17. First, it is determined whether or not a transmission signal transmitted from the existing facsimile machine 30 has been detected [step S40]. If a transmission signal is detected (YES), the transmission signal is stored in the signal storage unit 15 only when there is enough space in the signal storage unit 15 to store the transmission signal (YES in step S41) [step S41]. S42].

  On the other hand, when there is no space for storing the transmission signal in the signal storage unit 15 (NO in step S41), the process waits until the transmitted transmission signal is deleted in step S64 of FIG. During this standby period, it is desirable to send a busy signal to the existing facsimile machine 30 so that the existing facsimile machine 30 does not continue to send a transmission signal. If no transmission signal transmitted from the existing facsimile machine 30 is detected in step S40 (NO), there is no transmission signal to be stored, and the signal storage process is terminated.

  The dial transmission processing shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 realizes various functions of the dial transmission means 16. First, it is determined whether or not a transmission signal that has not been transmitted yet is stored in the signal storage unit 15 [step S50]. This transmission signal is the transmission signal stored in step S42 of FIG. If there is no untransmitted transmission signal (NO), the dial transmission process is finished as it is. On the other hand, when there is an untransmitted transmission signal in step S50 (YES), the processing from step S51 is continued.

  That is, extraction of the code information Pb from the data relating to the first page of the document Pa in the transmission signal is attempted [step S51]. If the code information Pb cannot be extracted (NO) and the next page of the document Pa exists (YES in step S53), an attempt is made to extract the code information Pb from the data related to the next page [step S54]. Returning to S52, the presence or absence of extraction is determined.

  On the other hand, if it is the last page of the document Pa and there is no next page in step S53 (NO), since the code information Pb could not be extracted as a result, the transmission included in the transmission signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 is transmitted. After setting the destination number, that is, the number input (dialed) by the existing facsimile machine 30 [step S64], the processing after step S59 described later is continued.

  If the code information Pb can be extracted in step S52 (YES), predetermined information is acquired based on the code information Pb [step S55]. The predetermined information includes, for example, a transmission destination number, information on the transmission destination and the transmission source (namely, company name, department name, job title, person in charge, etc.). Then, it is checked whether or not the transmission destination number among the information acquired in step S55 is stored (registered) in the registration number list [step S56].

  Turning to FIG. 5, if the transmission destination number acquired in step S55 is registered in the registration number list (YES in step S57), this transmission destination number is set as the dialing destination [step S58]. On the other hand, when the transmission destination number acquired in step S55 is not registered in the registration number list (NO in step S57), the transmission destination number included in the transmission signal stored in the signal storage unit 15, that is, an existing facsimile machine The number input (dialed) at 30 is set [step S64].

  Thereafter, the transmission destination number set in step S58 or step S62 is dialed [step S59], and when communication on the facsimile line 20 is established (YES in step S60), the header Pd setting and page sorting described later are performed. One or both are performed as necessary [step S61], the transmission signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 (that is, the contents of the document) is transmitted [step S62], and the transmission signal that has been transmitted is transmitted from the signal storage unit 15. Delete [step S63]. By deleting the transmission signal in this way, a space for storing transmission signals that can be transmitted from the next time can be secured.

  Here, the case where the header Pd is set in step S61 will be described below. The header Pd is set by replacing or adding to the document Pa (for example, the first page) included in the transmission signal. How the content of the document Pa to be transmitted changes depending on whether or not the header Pd is set will be described using the document Pa shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as an example. If the setting in step S61 is not performed, the transmission is directly performed in step S62 as described in the document Pa shown in FIG. On the other hand, when setting in step S61, the header Pd is described in place of the code information Pb as shown in FIG. 7 and transmitted together with the description content Pc in step S62, or the code information Pb as shown in FIG. In addition, the header Pd is described and transmitted together with the description content Pc in step S62. For example, date information Pe, transmission destination information Pf, transmission source information Pg, and the like correspond to the header Pd. The transmission destination information Pf and the transmission source information Pg correspond to, for example, a company name, department name, job title, person in charge, and the like.

  The case of sorting pages in step S61 will be described below. In step S51 of FIG. 4, it is necessary to extract the page information of the document Pa together with the code information Pb, and in step S55, it is necessary to perform character recognition based on the extracted page information and acquire the page number of each page. The page information represents the page number when the document Pa is composed of a plurality of pages. As in the case of the code information Pb, the page information is also easily extracted when it is described at a certain position (for example, the central portion of the lower side of the document Pa). The page number is a numerical value indicating the page number of the document Pa. In step S61, the pages constituting the document Pa are sorted according to the page numbers acquired in this way.

  Note that even if the transmission destination number set in step S58 or step S62 is dialed [step S59], if communication on the facsimile line 20 is not established (NO in step S60), the number of retries is set to an upper limit value (for example, 3 times) (NO in step S65), the process returns to step S59 for redialing. Even if the number of retries reaches the upper limit (YES in step S65), the dial transmission process is terminated as long as communication on the facsimile line 20 is not established. In this case, since the transmission signal is still stored in the signal storage unit 15, the transmission can be performed when the dial transmission processing from the next time is executed.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The information acquisition unit 14 reads the code information to acquire a transmission destination number (step S55). When the acquired transmission destination number is included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13, the transmission is performed. Dial using the destination number via the facsimile line 20 (steps S58 and S59). On the other hand, when the transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition means 14 is not included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit 13, the transmission destination number input by the existing facsimile machine 30 is used via the facsimile line 20. Dial (steps S64 and S59). After the line is established, the signal stored in the signal storage unit 15 (that is, the contents of the document Pa) is transmitted (steps S60 and S62). As described above, it is possible to prevent the erroneous transmission of the specific transmission destination number stored (registered) in the number storage unit 13 as the registration number list and transmit the document Pa. In addition, since the facsimile terminal device 10 is merely an adapter that is interposed between the facsimile line 20 and the existing facsimile machine 30, the cost can be significantly reduced, and the existing facsimile machine 30 can be utilized while being economical. Can be minimized.

(2) Since the number setting unit 11 for correcting, adding or deleting the transmission destination number stored (registered) as a registration number list in the number storage unit 13 is provided (see FIG. 2), the correction of the transmission destination number is performed. You can easily add or delete anytime.

(3) For the document Pa composed of a plurality of pages, the code information is not necessarily described on the first page, but the information acquisition unit 14 extracts the code information for each page of the document Pa (step S51). , S52, S53, S54). Therefore, it is possible to reliably transmit to the transmission destination number recorded as the code information.

(4) Based on the page information acquired by the information acquisition unit 14, the page sorting unit sorts the pages of the document Pa composed of a plurality of pages (step S61). Even if the order is not determined at the stage of reading by the existing facsimile machine 30, the transmission is received in order from the first page at the transmission destination. Therefore, troubles such as re-reading and re-transmission can be saved.

[Other Embodiments]
Although the best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this mode. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the following forms may be realized.

(1) In the embodiment described above, a two-dimensional barcode is applied as the code information Pb described in the document Pa (see FIG. 6). Instead of (or in addition to) this form, a one-dimensional barcode may be applied, or the characters themselves may be applied as the code information Pb as shown in FIG. Since the one-dimensional barcode can only record numbers, the information acquisition unit 14 can only acquire the transmission destination number. The code information Pb in FIG. 9 describes the company name, department name, and person in charge of the transmission destination. In this case, the information acquisition unit 14 has a character recognition function and stores in advance a transmission destination number corresponding to the recognized data (in this example, one of the company name, department name, and person in charge). There is a need. Accordingly, the transmission destination number can be specified by simply writing the document Pa as usual, and transmission can be performed by dialing the transmission destination number, so there is no burden on the document Pa.

  Other examples of the code information Pb include descriptions of unique numbers, alphabetic characters, symbols, codes, etc. associated with the transmission destination number, company name, department name, person in charge, etc. For example, a magnetic body (recording by magnetism), a hole provided in the document Pa (recording similar to punching for paper tape), an IC chip (recording by IC) provided on or in the surface of the document Pa, and the like. In any of the description methods, by specifying the transmission destination number, the company name, the department name, the person in charge, etc. from the code information Pb, it is possible to reliably transmit to the transmission destination.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the configuration is such that certain items such as the transmission destination and the company name / department of the transmission source are set in the document Pa as the header Pd based on the code information Pb. (See FIGS. 7 and 8). Instead of (or in addition to) this form, an item editing means for designating or releasing an item to be set in the document Pa as the header Pd may be provided. This item editing means is configured to be executed when an operation member (for example, a button or a switch) provided separately is operated or a menu displayed on the display unit 12 is selected. Then, select items to be set from items such as company name, department name, job title, person in charge, etc., and specify the position, character size, decoration, etc. for setting the selected item. Or cancel an already specified item. According to this configuration, it is possible to automatically set the header Pd of the document Pa corresponding to the transmission destination. Not only the header but also a footer described below the document Pa can be set.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, only the transmission destination number is stored in the number storage unit 13. Instead of this form, together with the transmission destination number, information for specifying the transmission destination corresponding to the transmission destination number (for example, company name, department name, person in charge name, etc., corresponds to “transmission destination identification information” below) .) May be stored. Displaying the transmission destination identification information together with the transmission destination number on the display unit 12 makes it easy to determine which transmission destination number is stored. Furthermore, if the transmission destination specifying information is acquired by the information acquisition unit 14 and stored in the number storage unit 13, the trouble of inputting the transmission destination specifying information separately can be saved, and input errors can be prevented.

It is a figure which represents the structural example of this invention typically. It is a flowchart showing a number setting process. It is a flowchart showing a signal storage process. It is a flowchart showing a dial transmission process. 5 is a flowchart showing dial transmission processing following FIG. It is a figure explaining the example of description of a manuscript. It is a figure explaining the content of the original document transmitted from a facsimile terminal device. It is a figure explaining the content of the original document transmitted from a facsimile terminal device. It is a figure showing an example of code information.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Facsimile terminal apparatus 11 Number setting means 12 Display part 13 Number storage part 14 Information acquisition means 15 Signal storage part 16 Dial transmission means 17 Signal storage means 20 Facsimile line 30 Existing facsimile machine Pa Original Pb Code information Pc Description content Pd Header Pe Date information Pf Destination information Pg Source information

Claims (4)

A facsimile terminal device connected between a facsimile line and an existing facsimile machine,
A number storage unit for storing a destination number;
A signal storage means for receiving a transmission signal transmitted by the existing facsimile machine that has read a document on which code information is written and storing it in a signal storage unit;
Information acquisition means for extracting code information described in the original document from signals stored in the signal storage means, and acquiring a transmission destination number based on the extracted code information;
When the transmission destination number acquired by the information acquisition means is included in the transmission destination number stored in the number storage unit, the transmission destination number is the transmission destination number. Otherwise, the transmission destination number is included in the transmission signal. A facsimile terminal apparatus comprising dial transmission means for dialing via the facsimile line and transmitting a signal stored in the signal storage unit. The facsimile terminal device according to claim 1,
A facsimile terminal apparatus having number setting means for correcting, adding or deleting a transmission destination number stored in a number storage unit. A facsimile terminal apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The information acquisition means is a facsimile terminal apparatus configured to extract code information for each page of a document consisting of a plurality of pages. A facsimile terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The information acquisition means acquires page information on each page for a multi-page manuscript,
A facsimile terminal apparatus having page sorting means for sorting pages according to page information acquired by the information acquisition means before transmission by dial transmission means.

Images