JP2008187261A - Image communication device and image communication program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image communication device and an image communication program that can securely communicate by switching a communication means when a trouble occurs in image communication. <P>SOLUTION: The image communication device is connected to an opposite-side device through an IP network and a public network. When communication means that the image communication device and opposite-side device have are I-FAX, IP-FAX and E-Mail via the IP network, and PSTN-FAX via the public network, the image communication device stores address information corresponding to the communication means that the opposite-side device has in an opposite-side information storage unit and if some error occurs in the transmission of an image by an arbitrary communication means when the communication means transmits an image to the opposite-side device, a communication means other than the communication means where the error occurs is selected from the opposite-side information storage unit and switched to the selected communication means, thereby transmitting the image again. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus and an image communication program.

With the development of communication infrastructure, in facsimile communication, ITU-T TT using IP network in addition to analog facsimile communication using public line network so far. 37, T.W. Digital facsimile communication based on standards such as 38 has been born, and products corresponding to the purpose of reducing communication costs have been put on the market. However, these techniques cause delays and packet loss in the IP network (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-276415 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an image communication apparatus and an image communication program capable of reliably communicating by switching communication means when an image communication failure occurs.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is characterized in that a plurality of communication means for performing image communication with a counterpart apparatus, information for storing the communication means and destination information of the counterpart apparatus corresponding to the communication means. When a failure occurs in image communication between the storage means and the counterpart device and the communication means, the communication means is stored in the information storage means, and the communication means is based on a communication means other than the communication means in which the failure has occurred. Switching means for switching, and control means for controlling to perform image communication with the switched communication means based on destination information of a destination device of the communication means switched by the switching means. .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the information storage unit corresponds to an alternative device that is an alternative to the counterpart device, a communication unit that communicates with the alternative device, and the communication unit. The destination information of the alternative device destination is stored, and the switching means switches the communication means based on the alternative device stored in the information storage means when the image communication with the counterpart device cannot be performed, and the control The means controls the image communication by the switched communication means based on the destination information of the alternative device of the communication means switched by the switching means.

  According to the invention of claim 3, in the computer built in the image communication apparatus having a plurality of communication means for performing image communication with the counterpart apparatus, a failure has occurred in image communication between the counterpart apparatus and the communication means. The communication means and the destination information of the counterpart device corresponding to the communication means are stored in an information storage device, and the communication means is based on the communication means other than the communication means in which the failure has occurred. A switching process for switching and a control process for controlling to perform image communication by the switched communication unit based on destination information of a partner device of the communication unit switched by the switching process are performed. .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, when the switching process cannot perform image communication with the counterpart device, the switch device communicates with an alternative device that substitutes for the counterpart device. The communication unit is switched based on the alternative device stored in the information storage device that stores the communication unit for the communication and the destination information of the alternative device destination corresponding to the communication unit, and the control process is performed by the switching process. Control is performed so that image communication is performed by the switched communication unit based on destination information of the alternative device of the switched communication unit.

  According to the first and third aspects of the present invention, it is possible to reliably deliver an image to the counterpart device.

  In addition, according to the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to reliably deliver an image to an alternative device even if image communication with the counterpart device is not possible.

  Embodiments of an image communication apparatus and an image communication program according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an image communication apparatus 1 according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image communication apparatus 1 includes a multi-function control unit 2, a printer module unit 3, a scanner module unit 4, a facsimile module unit 5, and a UI unit 6. The 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). Note that the UI unit 6 can set the priority order of communication means switching, which will be described later.

  The multi-function control unit 2 efficiently controls each module unit, and also transmits a network print function, a network scanner function, and an image read by the scanner module unit 4 attached to an e-mail (hereinafter referred to as E-Mail). Control).

  Specifically, the CPU 81 for control, the ROM 91 / RAM 101 that stores the operation program of the CPU 81, the first NIC [Network Interface Card] 111 that is an interface for connecting to the IP network or the LAN, and the image are stored. A data storage memory 12, a communication means switching section 13 for switching communication means according to the communication status with the counterpart apparatus, and a counterpart information storage section 14 for storing information about the communication means of the counterpart apparatus. These are configured to be connected to each other by a system bus 15. For example, the communication means switching unit 13 includes a CPU or the like, and the counterpart information storage unit 14 includes a RAM or the like.

  The printer module unit 3 prints the image 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 in the data storage memory 12 of the multifunction control unit 2.

  The facsimile module unit 5 cooperates with the multifunction control unit 2 to perform ITU-T TT. 37, a digital facsimile communication function (hereinafter referred to as I-FAX) according to the 37 standard, ITU-T TT. The digital facsimile communication function (hereinafter referred to as IP-FAX) according to the 38 standard and the analog facsimile communication function (hereinafter referred to as PSTN-FAX) performed via the public line network are controlled.

  Specifically, the CPU 82 that controls the facsimile module unit 5, the ROM 92 / RAM 102 that stores the operation program of the CPU 82, the network control unit 16 that transmits and receives audio signals via the public network, and the image encoding / decoding Codec / resolution conversion unit 17 that performs conversion and resolution conversion, FAX Modem 18 having a function of analog facsimile communication (transmission and reception), and a second NIC 112 that is an interface for connecting to an IP network These are connected to each other by a system bus 15.

  The image communication apparatus 1 has, as communication means, an E-Mail that is controlled by the multifunction control unit 2, an I-FAX, an IP-FAX, and a PSTN-FAX that are controlled by the facsimile module unit 5. That is, the destination information storage unit 14 of the multi-function control unit 2 stores the destination information (for example, E-Mail address for E-Mail, I-FAX stores an I-FAX IP address, IP-FAX stores an IP telephone number, PSTN-FAX stores a telephone number and the like.

  In addition, it is also possible to apply a configuration in which a program (corresponding to the image communication program according to the present invention) having the above-described communication means switching unit 13 as a function is incorporated in a general-purpose image communication apparatus. An image communication program is stored in a storage unit (for example, ROM 91 / RAM 101 of the multifunction control unit 2) of the image communication apparatus, and an arithmetic unit (for example, CPU 81 of the multifunction control unit 2) of the image communication apparatus is stored in the storage unit. The stored image communication program is executed.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection configuration between the image communication apparatus 1 and the counterpart apparatus 18.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image communication apparatus 1 and the counterpart apparatus 19 are connected via an IP network 20 and a public line network 21. The communication means possessed by the image communication apparatus 1 uses I-FAX, IP-FAX and E-Mail via the IP network 20, PSTN-FAX via the public line network 21, etc., and the communication means possessed by the counterpart apparatus 19. Includes I-FAX, IP-FAX and E-Mail via the IP network 20, PSTN-FAX via the public line network 21, and the like.

  The image communication apparatus 1 stores destination information corresponding to each communication means of the counterpart apparatus 19 as shown in FIG. IP-FAX generally uses a SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] procedure as a call connection procedure of the IP network 20. It is possible to add information of the partner device 19 by this SIP procedure, and it is also possible to exchange partner information stored in the partner information storage unit 14 in the SIP procedure at the time of call connection. Furthermore, it is also possible to acquire the destination information in advance by communication using E-Mail.

  When the image communication apparatus 1 transmits an image to the destination apparatus 19 by an IP-FAX that is normally charged inexpensively, if any error occurs in the image transmission by the IP-FAX, the I-FAX, E -Images can be transmitted again by switching to Mail or PSTN-FAX.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection configuration between the image communication device 1, the counterpart device 19, and alternative devices (22, 23, 24).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the image communication device 1 and the counterpart device 19 are connected via an IP network 20 and a public network 21, and the image communication device 1 is an alternative device of the counterpart device 19. -Connected to the FAX apparatus 22 via the IP network 19, and connected to the PC 23, which is an alternative apparatus of the counterpart apparatus 19, via the IP network 20, and the PSTN-FAX apparatus 24, which is an alternative apparatus of the counterpart apparatus 19, to the public Connection is made via the network 21.

  The communication means possessed by the image communication apparatus 1 uses I-FAX, IP-FAX and E-Mail via the IP network 20 and PSTN-FAX via the public line network 21, and the communication means possessed by the counterpart apparatus 19 is The I-FAX, IP-FAX, and E-Mail that pass through the IP network 20 and PSTN-FAX that passes through the public network 21 are used. -The communication means possessed by the PC 23 uses E-Mail etc. via the IP network 20, and the PSTN-FAX apparatus 24 possesses PSTN-FAX etc. via the public network 21. .

  The image communication apparatus 1 corresponds to destination information corresponding to each communication means included in the counterpart apparatus 19 as shown in FIG. 5, destination information corresponding to communication means included in the I-FAX apparatus 22, and communication means included in the PC 23. Destination information corresponding to the communication means of the PSTN-FAX device 24 is stored in the destination information storage unit 14.

  When the image communication apparatus 1 transmits an image to the counterpart apparatus 19 by an IP-FAX that is normally inexpensively charged, if the communication with the counterpart apparatus 19 is not normally performed, the counterpart apparatus is replaced with an alternative apparatus. The image can be transmitted again by switching to a certain I-FAX device 22, PC 23, or PSTN-FAX device 24.

  Next, the processing procedure for switching the communication means performed by the image communication apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 and the flowchart shown in FIG. A case where an IP-FAX having a low normal charge is used as a default communication means will be described as an example. However, it is possible to change the setting of the default communication means in the setting unit.

  When the facsimile module starts IP-FAX (S601), no error occurs (NO in S602), and IP-FAX ends (S603), the processing procedure ends.

  When an error occurs in the IP-FAX (YES in S602), the facsimile module unit interrupts the IP-FAX (S604), and the communication means switching unit of the multi-function control unit refers to the other party information storage unit and other The presence / absence of communication means is confirmed (S605).

  If there is another communication means (YES in S605), the communication means switching section of the multifunction control unit switches to another communication means (S606), and the multifunction control section presents that the communication means has been switched (S607). .

  Note that switching of communication means in S606 is performed based on the priority order set by the setting unit.

  It should be noted that the presentation to the effect that the communication means has been switched in S607 includes display on the UI unit, description in a communication management report, transmission to an administrator by E-Mail, and the like.

  If an error occurs in communication by the switched communication means (YES in S608), the facsimile module section (or the multifunction control section) interrupts other communication means (S609) and returns to S605.

  If no error occurs in communication by the switched communication means (NO in S608) and communication with other communication means ends (S610), the processing procedure ends.

  If there is no other communication means in S605 (NO in S605), the communication means switching section of the multifunction control section checks the presence / absence of an alternative device with reference to the counterpart information storage section (S611).

  If there is no alternative device (NO in S611), the processing procedure is terminated.

  If there is an alternative device (YES in S611), the process proceeds to S701 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, the communication means switching unit of the multifunction control unit switches to communication with the alternative device (S701), and the multifunction control unit switches the communication means. A message to the effect of switching is presented (S702).

  If an error occurs in communication with the alternative device (YES in S703), the facsimile module unit (or the multifunction control unit) interrupts communication with the alternative device (S704), and the process returns to S611 of the flowchart shown in FIG. .

  If no error occurs in communication with the alternative device (NO in S703) and communication with the alternative device ends (S705), the processing procedure ends.

  Although the above embodiment has been described using an image communication apparatus having a network scanner function, a facsimile function, and the like, the image communication apparatus includes a PC connected with a LAN card or a modem in order to connect to the Internet.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the image communication apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the connection structure of an image communication apparatus and a counterpart device. It is a figure which shows an example of the information of the other party apparatus memorize | stored in the other party information storage part. It is a figure which shows an example of a connection structure of an image communication apparatus, an other party apparatus, and an alternative apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the information of the other party apparatus memorize | stored in the other party information storage part, and the information of an alternative apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the processing procedure of the switching of the communication means which an image communication apparatus performs. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of switching of the communication means which an image communication apparatus performs.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image communication apparatus 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
111 First NIC
112 Second NIC
12 data storage memory 13 communication means switching unit 14 destination information storage unit 15 system bus 16 network control unit 17 codec / resolution conversion unit 18 FAX Modem
19 Destination device 20 IP network 21 Public line network 22 I-FAX device 23 PC
24 PSTN-FAX machine

Claims (4)

A plurality of communication means for performing image communication with the counterpart device;
Information storage means for storing the communication means and destination information of the counterpart device corresponding to the communication means;
Switching means for switching communication means based on a communication means other than the communication means in which the failure is stored and stored in the information storage means when a failure occurs in image communication between the counterpart device and the communication means; ,
An image communication apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to perform control so that image communication is performed by the switched communication unit based on destination information of a partner device of the communication unit switched by the switching unit. The information storage means includes
Storing an alternative device as an alternative to the counterpart device, a communication means for communicating with the alternative device, and destination information of the alternative device destination corresponding to the communication means,
The switching means is
When image communication cannot be performed with the counterpart device, the communication unit is switched based on the alternative device stored in the information storage unit,
The control means includes
The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control is performed so that image communication is performed by the switched communication unit based on destination information of an alternative device of the communication unit switched by the switching unit. In a computer built in an image communication apparatus provided with a plurality of communication means for performing image communication with a partner apparatus,
Stored in an information storage device for storing the communication means and destination information of the counterpart device corresponding to the communication means when a failure occurs in image communication by the counterpart device and the communication means; A switching process for switching communication means based on a communication means other than the communication means in which the failure has occurred;
And a control process for performing control so that image communication is performed by the switched communication unit based on destination information of a destination device of the communication unit switched by the switching process. The switching process is
When image communication cannot be performed with the counterpart device, an alternative device that substitutes for the counterpart device, a communication unit for communicating with the alternative device, and destination information of the alternative device destination corresponding to the communication unit are stored. Switching communication means based on an alternative device stored in the information storage device,
The control process is
The image communication program according to claim 3, wherein control is performed so that image communication is performed by the switched communication unit based on destination information of an alternative device of the communication unit switched by the switching process.

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