JP2008011353A - Network communication apparatus and region setting method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network communication apparatus and a region setting method thereof enabling a general user to easily and positively set a region. <P>SOLUTION: A method of setting a region for a facsimile communication function of a multi-functional apparatus includes the following methods: a method of allowing a user to set a country on the basis of a country code inputted using a UI unit; a method including the steps of allowing a user to call a service center to perform user registration or the user to access a manufacturer's Web site of the multi-functional apparatus from a PC to perform user registration, notifying the user about a software key from the service center and allowing the user to set a country on the basis of the software key inputted from the UI unit; and a method of downloading a communication parameter of a designated country name from a server of the service center via a network to set a country. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network communication device and a region setting method thereof, and more particularly, to a network communication device and a region setting method thereof corresponding to a telephone communication standard different for each region.

  Conventionally, when a facsimile communication apparatus transmits / receives image data by facsimile communication over a telephone line, the telephone communication standard varies from region to region. Must be replaced to fit. In other words, when manufacturing a facsimile communication apparatus, communication parameters for transmission / reception control (for example, circuit current detection timing) are exchanged for an NCU base in which circuit constants are set so as to conform to a telephone communication standard conforming to the region of use. Circuit current detection effective time, circuit current noise maximum time, etc.) had to be changed.

Therefore, for example, there is a facsimile apparatus that can easily change the specifications so as to conform to different telephone communication standards for each country and can cope with all the telephone communication standards in the countries to be covered (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-75322

  The area setting performed by the technique described in Patent Document 1 is usually performed by a CE having specialized knowledge in a CE mode that is not touched by a general user immediately after the manufacture of the facsimile communication apparatus. There was no problem because the facsimile communication apparatus was sold in the set area.

  However, for example, the regional setting of a facsimile communication apparatus whose Japanese UI is Japanese is Japanese, and there is no problem in using the facsimile communication apparatus in Japan. When installing a Japanese UI facsimile communication device that is locally set in Japan at an overseas branch of a Japanese company where the company works, a general user who does not have specialized knowledge changes the region setting from Japan to the relevant region Therefore, it is difficult for a general user to make a regional setting with specialized knowledge.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a network communication apparatus and a region setting method thereof that allow a general user to easily and reliably perform region setting.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 controls the facsimile communication in a facsimile communication apparatus that supports different telephone communication standards for each region and transmits / receives image data by facsimile communication via a telephone line. Facsimile communication control means, area-specific communication parameter storage means for storing communication parameters conforming to the telephone communication standard for each area, area specifying means for specifying the area, and the specified area specified by the area specifying means Area setting means for acquiring communication parameters from the area-specific communication parameter storage means and setting the area based on the acquired communication parameters, and the facsimile communication control means has completed the area setting by the area setting means The facsimile communication control is prohibited until the operation is completed.

  Further, in the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, for the designation of the area to the area designating means, an area code indicated by random numbers indicating the area to be designated or a local telephone number is input. It is characterized by being.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, information acquisition for acquiring information corresponding to a specified area from an external server on the network via the network connection means connected to the network and the network connection means. And a region setting unit configured to perform region setting based on information corresponding to the designated region acquired by the information acquisition unit.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, after the region setting by the region setting unit is completed, the facsimile communication unit is allowed to perform test communication to confirm whether the facsimile communication can be normally performed. It further comprises confirmation means.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an area setting method for a facsimile communication apparatus which corresponds to a different telephone communication standard for each area and transmits / receives image data via a telephone line by facsimile communication. The communication control means prohibits the control of the facsimile communication until the area setting is completed, and the area setting means sets the communication parameter corresponding to the designated area designated by the area designation means to the communication parameter conforming to the telephone communication standard for each area. Is acquired from the communication parameter storage means for each area where the information is stored, and the area is set based on the acquired communication parameters.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the region designation for the region designation means is to input a region code indicated by a random number indicating the region to be designated or a local telephone number. It is characterized by being.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the information acquisition means acquires information corresponding to the designated area from an external server on the network via the network connection means, and the area setting means The region setting is performed based on information corresponding to the designated region acquired by the information acquisition unit.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the confirmation means can perform the facsimile communication normally by causing the facsimile communication means to perform test communication after completion of the area setting by the area setting means. It is characterized by confirming.

  According to the present invention, since it is possible for a general user to easily and surely set the area of the facsimile communication apparatus, the facsimile communication apparatus can be installed by the general user.

  Embodiments of a network communication apparatus and a region setting method thereof according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a multifunction device 1 to which the present invention is applied.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-function apparatus 1 includes a multi-function control unit 2, a printer module unit 3, a scanner module unit 4, and a facsimile module unit 5, and includes a printer module unit 3 and a scanner module unit 4. The facsimile module unit 5 and the UI unit 6 are connected to the multifunction control unit 2 through an interface 7 (hereinafter referred to as I / F).

  The multi-function control unit 2 controls each module unit efficiently and also controls the network print function and the network scanner function. Specifically, the CPU 81 for control, the ROM 91 / RAM 101 for storing the operation program of the CPU 81, the LAN interface 11 for connecting to a network such as an IP network / LAN, and the data storage for storing input / output data And a memory 12, which are connected to each other by a system bus 131.

  The printer module unit 3 prints data stored in the data storage memory 12 of the multifunction control unit 2 on a sheet.

  The scanner module unit 4 optically reads a document, and stores the read image data in the data storage memory 12 of the multifunction control unit 2.

  The UI unit 6 is composed of a menu screen of the multi-function device 1, a display for displaying messages and the like, and a hardware key for inputting input items, or a touch panel system having both display and input functions. It is composed.

  The facsimile module unit 5 controls the facsimile communication function via the telephone line and the facsimile communication function via the network in cooperation with the multi-function control unit 2.

  Specifically, the image read by the CPU 82 for controlling the facsimile module unit 5, the ROM 92 / RAM 102 for storing the operation program of the CPU 82, the network control unit 14 for transmitting and receiving voice signals via a telephone line, and the scanner module unit 4. FAX Modem 15 that performs processing for converting data into audio signals and processing for converting audio signals received by network control unit 14 into image data, and audio signals converted from image data by FAX Modem 15 when performing facsimile transmission via a network. A codec unit 16 for performing a process of encoding and converting into a packet signal, and a process of decoding a packet signal received by the LAN interface of the multi-function control unit 2 and converting it into a voice signal when performing facsimile reception via the network. It is constituted by Bei, which are interconnected by a system bus 132.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the multifunction device 1. Here, only the constituent elements according to the present invention will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the multi-function device 1 includes a designated country information receiving unit 17, a country setting unit 18, a country parameter table 19, a confirmation unit 20, and a facsimile communication control unit 21.

  The designated country information receiving unit 17 receives the country code input from the UI unit 6 and the communication parameters of the designated country from the server of the service center (for example, circuit current detection timing, circuit current detection valid time, circuit current noise maximum time, etc.) The process which receives designated country information, such as, is performed.

  The country parameter table 19 stores communication parameters for each country.

  The country setting unit 18 acquires the communication parameter of the specified country from the country-specific parameter table 19 based on the specified country information received by the specified country information receiving unit 17, and sets the communication parameter of the specified country (ie, country setting). Process.

  The confirmation unit 20 performs processing for confirming whether or not facsimile communication can be performed with the communication parameters set in the country by the country setting unit 18 by performing facsimile communication with the call center.

  The facsimile communication control unit 21 performs processing for controlling facsimile communication via the network control unit 14. Note that facsimile communication is prohibited until the country setting by the country setting unit 18 is completed.

  As a method of setting the country of the facsimile communication function of the multi-function device 1, there is a method of setting the country based on the country code input from the UI unit 6 by the user. In addition, when inputting a country code with a hard key, an erroneous setting to another country due to a user's mistake in pressing can be prevented by making the country code a random number. Further, the touch panel type UI unit 6 displays the country name as a software button, and the user can prevent an erroneous setting in another country by pressing the software button of the designated country.

  Note that country settings are not limited to country-by-country settings. For example, if a common telephone communication standard is used between neighboring countries, it is possible to set in a region that spans multiple countries. When regions with different telephone communication standards are distributed, it is possible to set the regions distributed in the country.

  Next, the procedure of the country setting process performed by the multi-function device when performing the country setting based on the country code input by the user from the UI unit will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the power is turned on for the first time after installation of the multi-function device (or after the setting data is cleared) (step S301), the UI unit displays a message for prompting country setting (step S302), and the user selects the country from the UI unit. When the code is input (step S303), the designated country information receiving unit checks whether the input country code is valid (step S304). If the country code is valid (YES in step S304), step S305 is performed. If the country code is invalid (NO in step S304), the process returns to step S302.

  If the country code is valid (YES in step S304), the country setting unit reads and sets the communication parameter of the country from the country parameter table (step S305), and the UI unit displays a message indicating the completion of the country setting. (Step S306), the use restriction of the facsimile communication of the multi-function device is released (Step S307), and the procedure of the country setting process is ended.

  Note that it is also possible to apply a configuration in which the country setting is automatically performed by automatically determining the designated country from the telephone number by inputting the local telephone number in step S303.

  In step S303, when the designated country software button is pressed, it is not necessary to confirm the validity of the country code in step S304.

  Also, the use of facsimile communication before the country setting is prohibited, and when the country setting is completed, the use of the facsimile communication is canceled as in step S307, so that the facsimile communication is performed in a different country setting state. To prevent violations of the PTT standard.

  As a method of setting the country of the facsimile communication function of the multi-function device, the user can call the service center and perform user registration, or access the multi-function device manufacturer site from a PC or the like to perform user registration. There is a method in which a soft key is notified from the center to the user (for example, e-mail, mail, etc.), and country setting is performed based on the soft key input from the UI unit by the user.

  Next, a procedure of country setting processing performed in the multi-function device when country setting is performed based on a soft key notified by user registration input from the UI unit will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. .

  When the power is turned on for the first time after the installation of the multi-function device (or after the setting data is cleared) (step S401), the UI unit displays a message for prompting user registration (step S402), and the user performs user registration. (Step S403), the user is notified of the soft key (step S404), and when the user inputs the country code from the soft key (step S405), the soft key to which the designated country information receiving unit is input is the country-set soft key. If it is not a country setting soft key (NO in step S406), the process proceeds to step S407, and if it is a country setting soft key (YES in step S406), step The process proceeds to S408.

  If it is not a country-set soft key (NO in step S406), the UI unit displays a message prompting confirmation of the soft key (step S407), and the process proceeds to step S405.

  If the country setting soft key is selected (YES in step S406), the country setting unit reads and sets the communication parameter of the country from the country parameter table (step S408), and the UI unit displays a message indicating completion of the country setting. (Step S409), the use restriction of the facsimile communication of the multi-function device is released (Step S410), and the procedure of the country setting process is ended.

  As a method of setting the country of the facsimile communication function of the multi-function device, there is a method of setting the country by downloading communication parameters of a specified country from a server such as a service center via a network.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, the procedure of the country setting process performed in the multi-function device when performing country setting based on the communication parameter of the designated country downloaded from the service center server via the network will be described. To do.

  When the power is turned on for the first time after installation of the multi-function device (or after clearing the setting data) (step S501), the UI unit displays a message for prompting network setting (step S502), and the user connects to the network. If the LAN interface is not normally connected to the network (NO in step S503), the process proceeds to step S504. If the LAN interface is normally connected to the network (YES in step S503), Proceed to step S505.

  If the LAN interface is not normally connected to the network (NO in step S503), the UI unit displays a message prompting the network to be reset (step S504), and the process proceeds to step S503.

  When the LAN interface is normally connected to the network (YES in step S503), the communication parameter of the country is downloaded from the server of the service center via the network (step S505), and the communication parameter of the country downloaded by the country setting unit is downloaded. (Step S506), the UI unit displays a message indicating the completion of country setting (step S507), the use restriction of the facsimile communication of the multi-function device is released (step S508), and the procedure of the country setting process is ended. .

  If the country code of the country is downloaded from the service center server in step S505, the country setting unit reads the communication parameter of the country from the country parameter table and sets it in step S506.

  As a method of setting the country of the facsimile communication function of the multi-function device, it is possible to confirm whether there is a mistake in the country setting by actually performing test communication with the call center in the country setting after the country setting is completed.

  Next, the procedure of the country setting process performed by the multi-function device when the country setting is confirmed by facsimile transmission to the call center after the country setting is completed will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the country setting unit completes the country setting (step S601), the UI unit displays an instruction for facsimile communication to the call center (step S602), and the facsimile communication control unit uses the set communication parameters to perform facsimile communication to the call center. (Step S603), the confirmation unit confirms whether or not the facsimile communication with the call center can be normally performed (step S604). When the facsimile communication with the call center can be performed normally (YES in step S604), the process proceeds to step S605. If normal facsimile communication with the call center is not possible (NO in step S604), the process proceeds to step S606.

  When normal facsimile communication with the call center is possible (YES in step S604), the UI unit displays that normal facsimile communication has been confirmed (step S605), and the procedure for country setting processing is terminated.

  If normal facsimile communication with the call center is not possible (NO in step S604), the UI unit displays that normal facsimile communication could not be confirmed (step S606), and the country setting processing procedure is terminated.

  Next, the procedure of the country setting process performed by the multi-function device when the country setting is confirmed by facsimile reception from the call center after the country setting is completed will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the country setting unit completes the country setting (step S701), the UI unit displays an instruction to contact the call center (step S702), and the user notifies the call center of the facsimile number of the multi-function device (eg, telephone, e-mail). (Step S703), and when facsimile communication is received from the call center (step 704), the facsimile communication control unit starts facsimile communication from the call center using the set communication parameters (step S704). Confirms whether or not the facsimile communication with the call center can be normally performed (step S705). If the facsimile communication with the call center can be normally performed (YES in step S705), the process proceeds to step S706, and the facsimile communication with the call center is normally performed. If you can not communicate (NO in step S705), the process proceeds to step S707.

  When normal facsimile communication with the call center is possible (YES in step S705), the UI unit displays that normal facsimile communication has been confirmed (step S706), and the country setting process is terminated.

  If normal facsimile communication with the call center is not possible (NO in step S705), the UI unit displays that normal facsimile communication could not be confirmed (step S707), and the country setting process procedure is terminated.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within a range not changing the gist thereof.

It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the multifunction apparatus 1 to which this invention is applied. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a multi-function device 1. FIG. Here, only the constituent elements according to the present invention will be described. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the country setting process performed with a multi-function apparatus, when performing a country setting based on the country code which the user input from UI part. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the country setting process performed with a multi-function device, when performing a country setting based on the soft key notified by the user registration which the user input from UI part. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the country setting process performed with a multi-function apparatus, when performing country setting based on the communication parameter of the designated country downloaded from the server of the service center via the network. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure of country setting processing performed by the multi-function device when confirmation of country setting is performed by facsimile transmission to a call center after country setting is completed. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of country setting processing performed by the multi-function device when country setting is confirmed by receiving a facsimile from a call center after country setting is completed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction device 2 Multifunction control part 3 Printer module part 4 Scanner module part 5 Facsimile module part 6 UI part 7 I / F
81, 82 CPU
91, 92 ROM
101, 102 RAM
11 LAN Interface 12 Data Storage Memory 131, 132 System Bus 14 Network Control Unit 15 FAX Modem
16 Codec part 17 Designated country information reception part 18 Country setting part 19 Country parameter table 20 Confirmation part 21 Facsimile communication control part

Claims (8)

In a facsimile communication apparatus that supports different telephone communication standards for each region and transmits / receives image data by facsimile communication via a telephone line,
Facsimile communication control means for controlling the facsimile communication;
Regional communication parameter storage means for storing communication parameters conforming to the telephone communication standards for each region;
A region specifying means for specifying a region;
Area setting means for acquiring communication parameters corresponding to the specified area specified by the area specifying means from the communication parameter storage means for each area, and performing area setting based on the acquired communication parameters; and
The facsimile communication control means includes
The facsimile communication apparatus, wherein control of the facsimile communication is prohibited until the area setting by the area setting means is completed. The area designation for the area designation means is:
2. The facsimile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an area code indicated by a random number indicating a specified area or a local telephone number is input. Network connection means for connecting to the network;
Information acquisition means for acquiring information corresponding to a specified area from an external server on the network via the network connection means;
The region setting means includes
The facsimile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area setting is performed based on information corresponding to the designated area acquired by the information acquisition means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising confirmation means for confirming whether or not the facsimile communication can be normally performed by causing the facsimile communication means to perform test communication after completion of the area setting by the area setting means. Facsimile communication device. In the region setting method of the facsimile communication apparatus that corresponds to different telephone communication standards for each region and transmits / receives image data by facsimile communication via a telephone line,
The facsimile communication control means for controlling the facsimile communication prohibits the facsimile communication control until the regional setting is completed,
Regional setting means
Obtain communication parameters corresponding to the specified area specified by the area specification means from the communication parameter storage means for each area that stores communication parameters that conform to the telephone communication standards for each area.
A region setting method for a facsimile communication apparatus, wherein region setting is performed based on the acquired communication parameter. The area designation for the area designation means is as follows:
6. The area setting method for a facsimile communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an area code indicated by random numbers indicating an area to be specified or a local telephone number is input. Information acquisition means
Obtain information corresponding to the specified area from an external server on the network via the network connection means,
The region setting means includes
6. The area setting method for a facsimile communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the area setting is performed based on information corresponding to the designated area acquired by the information acquisition means. The confirmation means is
6. The area setting of a facsimile communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein after the area setting by the area setting means is completed, it is confirmed whether or not the facsimile communication can be normally performed by causing the facsimile communication means to perform a test communication. Method.

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