JP3019914B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus for transmitting received facsimile data to an electronic mail.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a growing tendency to connect office devices to a LAN (local network) to improve the efficiency of business. Some devices have been proposed which connect a facsimile to a LAN and transmit data sent from the facsimile as electronic mail addressed to an individual. As an example, a configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-164645, which is connected to an ISDN and a LAN and transmits data sent via the ISDN to an electronic mail based on a subaddress of the ISDN will be described below.

FIG. 13 shows a conventional facsimile apparatus for transmitting received facsimile data to an electronic mail. Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which controls the apparatus. 2 is ROM
And the program is stored. A RAM 3 is used for program data. Reference numeral 5 denotes a FAX data transmission / reception unit that receives and transmits FAX data.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a LAN control unit which sends and receives e-mail data.

When facsimile data is received from the facsimile data transmission / reception unit 5, a destination e-mail address is searched from a subaddress number of the ISDN using a correspondence table of numbers and mail addresses registered in advance, and the facsimile data is transmitted to the destination. The data is transmitted to the e-mail address through the LAN control unit 6.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when an error occurs when an electronic mail is transmitted, the error cannot be notified to the facsimile of the transmission source. Therefore, there is a problem that the sender cannot know whether or not the transmitted original has arrived normally.

[0006]

The present invention has the following means in order to solve the above problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving facsimile data, a recognizing means for recognizing reply contact information in the facsimile data received by the receiving means, and a transmission source electronic device set in the apparatus. storage means stores an association with contact information recognized by the e-mail address and said recognition means, electrodeposition to said source e-mail address
When a child mail is received, a contact means for contacting the other party based on the corresponding contact information is provided.

As a result, facsimile data can be transmitted to an electronic mail.
Facsimile error etc. when transferring after converting to
The data transmission source can be individually notified.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

[0025]

[0026]

[0027]

[0028]

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an environment in which the apparatus operates. This device has a telephone line interface and a LAN interface.
The side assumes an environment where e-mail can be used. L
The protocol of the AN is Ethernet, but other methods may be used.

This apparatus is a G3 facsimile (G3FA
X), and transmits the data converted into the e-mail format to a terminal such as a personal computer (PC) connected to a LAN or the Internet. The terminal is specified using the subaddress described in the data. The sub-address is specified by T-30, which is a facsimile protocol standard. When an error such as an unknown e-mail destination occurs, a facsimile number for notifying that the error has occurred uses TSI (sender identification) in the facsimile data. The TSI is also specified by T-30, like the subaddress. There are various methods to keep contact information in facsimile data in this way, TSI may be used,
A sub address may be used, or may be used in combination.

FIG. 2 shows a basic schematic block diagram of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which controls the apparatus. 2 is ROM
And the program is stored. A RAM 3 is used for program data. A format conversion unit 4 converts the image data into an e-mail format. Reference numeral 5 denotes a facsimile data transmitting / receiving unit.
Performs reception and transmission of AX data. Reference numeral 6 denotes a LAN control unit which sends and receives e-mail data. A compression / decompression unit 7 compresses an image obtained by expanding character data into a bitmap into a facsimile format. Reference numeral 8 denotes a character / image conversion unit that performs bitmap development on character data. Reference numeral 9 denotes a multiple e-mail address generating unit, which generates a user name so that there is only one user name on the left side of the e-mail address (@) so that the user name is unique.

FIG. 3 shows a flow when facsimile data is received. In step s11, facsimile data is received from the FAX data transmitting / receiving unit 5. The user who transmits the facsimile sets his / her facsimile number in advance to the numerical ID of the facsimile, and inputs the transmitted e-mail address to the subaddress. In s12, the facsimile data
The TSI is stored as a notification facsimile number. In the TSI, the registered number is entered in the numerical ID of the facsimile to be transmitted.
Also, the sub address is stored as the destination mail address. At this time, since the destination mail address is described in alphabetical characters, it is necessary to convert numbers into alphabetic characters and store them. For this conversion, an ASCII code may be used, or the conversion may be performed according to a predetermined rule.

At present, it is stipulated that the sub-address can only use numbers, but it is expected that alphabetic characters will be allowed in the future, so in this embodiment, the mail address is directly input to the sub-address. If the apparatus is installed in the same company as the facsimile to transmit, the correspondence table between the sub-address numbers and the mail addresses can be registered. In step s13, the multiple mail address generation unit 9 generates a user name of the mail unique to the apparatus. Specifically, numbers from 1 to 9999 are assigned so as not to overlap. The user name of the generated mail address is registered in the correspondence table of FIG. 0001,0002 described in the source e-mail address in FIG. 5 is a user name, and the e-mail address of the apparatus is 0002@intfax.mgcs.co.jp. Here, intfax is the host name of this device, and the following address indicates the domain of the company that installed this device. At s14, the notification facsimile number and the destination mail address are registered in the record of the newly generated source electronic mail address in the correspondence table of FIG. The facsimile data received in s15 is converted into an e-mail format. The format of the e-mail is facsimile data in TIFF (format for managing images on a personal computer) format, and a MIME (standard for sending and receiving data other than text data in e-mail) header. In s16, the format-converted data is transmitted to the destination mail address through the LAN control unit 6.

FIG. 4 shows a flow for receiving an electronic mail and transmitting data to a facsimile number for notification. An e-mail is received in s21. The received e-mail is, for example,
This was sent to the address 0002@intfax.mgcs.co.jp, where intfax is the host name of the device. The email is sent to a host called intfax. [0002] Reference numeral 0002 denotes a unique user name generated by the apparatus, and the apparatus determines which user the e-mail is sent to after receiving the e-mail. s2
In step 2, a facsimile number for notification is searched from the user name in the correspondence table. The mail that arrives at the unique user name generated by the present apparatus is usually a message that informs an error of the mail generated by the user or a mail that is returned by the destination user. This is impossible because a third-party user cannot know the user name of the apparatus. In the case of a transmission error, when an electronic mail is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus, an error notification is returned from the gateway in the LAN to the facsimile apparatus. The gateway is returned to the facsimile machine based on the source e-mail address in the transmitted e-mail. In the facsimile machine, the gateway retrieves based on the source e-mail address and notifies the contact information.

At s23, the mail data is converted to facsimile data. If the mail data is character data, it is converted to image data using the character / image conversion unit 8 and then converted to facsimile data using the compression / expansion unit 7. In step s24, the facsimile data is transmitted to the facsimile number for notification using the facsimile data transmitting / receiving unit 5.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, since the apparatus owns a plurality of e-mail addresses as the source e-mail addresses, the e-mail becomes an error and an e-mail notifying the error is returned. The problem is resolved to which facsimile the error is notified when the error occurs. Here, the facsimile number is registered so as to notify the facsimile, but the present invention is not limited to this, and includes other contact information such as a telephone number and an e-mail address.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The schematic block diagram of the device is similar to FIG. FIG.
Shows a flow for transmitting facsimile data describing "error transmission". Until the electronic mail is received and the facsimile number for notification is searched from the correspondence table, the flow is the same as that of receiving the electronic mail in FIG. 4 and transmitting data to the facsimile for notification. However, in the first embodiment, since the data of the e-mail is printed as it is, an error indicating a transmission error is usually described in English. Also, it is difficult for a person who does not know the mechanism of the e-mail to understand the error by looking at the contents. Therefore, in step s31, the meaning of "error transmission" is described in Japanese in an easy-to-understand manner, and the destination mail address and the like are added thereto, and the character / image conversion unit 8 expands the image data into image data. Convert. In s34, the facsimile data is transmitted to the facsimile number for notification. Here, error notification,
Alternatively, upon receiving an e-mail from an unregistered destination e-mail address, the registered contact is notified of "error transmission" stored in Japanese in advance.

As described above, in the second embodiment, even a user of a facsimile who has never used an e-mail can recognize that the facsimile he / she sent is an e-mail transmission error.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The schematic block diagram is the same as FIG. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that when the sender transmits a facsimile, a message to the effect that "a person who has seen this manuscript should reply with a blank e-mail" is included in the data. . FIG. 7 shows a flow for transmitting facsimile data describing "normal transmission". An e-mail is received in s40. The facsimile number for notification and the destination mail address are searched from the address of the mail received in s41, that is, the user name and the correspondence table generated by the apparatus. s42
Then, the mail address of the sender described in the header of the e-mail is compared with the destination mail address in the correspondence table. s
If they match in step 43, the message "normal transmission" is written in Japanese in step s44, the destination address is added, and the data is converted to facsimile data. If they do not match, a description of "error transmission" is described in s45, and converted to facsimile data. In s46, the facsimile data is transmitted to the facsimile number for notification.

According to the present embodiment, when the e-mail is normally transmitted, the sender of the facsimile transmission can know that the recipient of the destination e-mail actually saw the transmitted original.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram for deleting data in the correspondence table after a predetermined time has elapsed. A timer 10 is added to FIG. After registering the notification facsimile number and the destination e-mail address in the correspondence table by this timer, the record is deleted after a lapse of a predetermined time, usually 24 hours. If an error occurs when sending an e-mail, an error mail is usually returned immediately. Therefore, if the mail does not return even after one day, it is determined that the mail was sent normally, and the corresponding record is deleted.

According to this embodiment, the records of the correspondence table are managed so that the number of senders who perform facsimile transmission is not limited.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The block diagram is similar to FIG. In this embodiment, an e-mail is received, a facsimile number for notification is searched from a correspondence table, and facsimile data is transmitted to the facsimile number for notification, and then the corresponding record is deleted.

According to this embodiment, the records of the correspondence table are managed so that the number of senders who perform facsimile transmission is not limited. By combining with the fourth embodiment, the correspondence table can be managed more effectively.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The block diagram is similar to FIG. FIG. 9 shows a flow in which the recipient of the e-mail manages the facsimile number of the sender. Steps s50 to s53 are the same as those in the flow of FIG.
If they match, the electronic mail data is converted to facsimile data in s54. At s56, it is determined whether or not there is a "delete" character in the e-mail data. If it is determined that it is s57, the corresponding record is deleted from the correspondence table in s58, and facsimile data is transmitted in s59. s
If there is no match in 53, the e-mail data is converted into facsimile data, and then the facsimile data is immediately transmitted in s59.

According to this embodiment, the recipient who has received the e-mail can manage the e-mail address corresponding to the facsimile as the sender. Therefore, the user who has received the e-mail can transmit the e-mail to the registered facsimile until he / she sends the e-mail of “deletion of correspondence table”.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram for notifying the designated telephone of the transmission result. An audio signal transmitting unit and an audio signal combining unit are added to FIG. The user who transmits the facsimile registers the telephone number for notification instead of his / her facsimile number in the numeric ID in advance. Alternatively, in the sub-address, the destination mail address and the telephone number are put in two using a separator such as #. When a facsimile is received, a telephone number for notification is registered in the correspondence table in place of the facsimile number for notification. FIG. 11 shows a flow of notifying the designated telephone of the transmission result. When the e-mail is received in s60, s61
Then, the telephone number for notification and the destination mail address are searched from the address of the received mail, that is, the user name and the correspondence table. s
In step 62, the sender's mail address described in the header of the e-mail is compared with the destination mail address.
Select from OM2 and combine with destination mail address. Then, in s64, the audio signal is reproduced by the audio signal combining unit, and the audio signal transmitting unit 11 makes a call to the notification telephone to transmit the audio.
If they do not match in s63, the process proceeds to s64, and a voice file indicating "error transmission" is read out as described above and combined with the destination mail address. Then, in s66, the telephone number for the notification is called, and the audio data is reproduced.

Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The block diagram is similar to FIG. The user sending the facsimile uses the numeric ID instead of their facsimile number,
A notification e-mail address is registered in advance. Alternatively, in the sub-address, the destination mail address and the notification mail address are put in two using a separator such as #. FIG. 12 shows a flow of notifying the designated e-mail of the transmission result. After receiving the facsimile data in s70, s
At step 71, the destination mail address and the notification e-mail address are recognized from the facsimile data, and at step s72, the facsimile data is converted into an e-mail format. Then, the notification mail address is registered as the source mail address of the header of the e-mail to be transmitted in s73. The e-mail data converted from the facsimile data to the destination e-mail address in s74 and the notification e-mail address is registered in s72 is transmitted. From s72, the transmission result can be notified without passing through the present apparatus by transmitting the destination e-mail from the destination e-mail to the destination e-mail address set in the e-mail data.
The data flow is G3FAX1 in FIG. 1 as an example.
Is transmitted to the apparatus via the PSTN, and is transmitted from the apparatus to the PC 1 via the Ethernet, LAN, or the like. For example, if a notification e-mail address is set to PCn from PC1, an e-mail is sent to PCn, and the transmission result and the like can be notified to the set destination without passing through this apparatus. .

According to this embodiment, a sender who has transmitted a facsimile can know the transmission result by e-mail at his desk. To send the image by email,
The time and equipment required to input an image from a scanner, edit the image, and send it to an e-mail are required. The use of this device has the effect that an image can be transmitted from an existing facsimile to an e-mail and the transmission result can be known by the user's own e-mail without being transmitted by the facsimile device as the present device.

[0050]

According to the present invention, facsimile data is
The source of facsimile data, such as errors when transferring
Can be notified individually.

[0051]

[0052]

[0053]

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram in which a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention operates.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart when facsimile data is received according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for transmitting data to a facsimile for notification according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a correspondence table according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for converting a transmission result into Japanese according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a transmission result according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus that deletes data in a correspondence table according to a fourth embodiment after a predetermined time;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for deleting data of a correspondence table according to the sixth embodiment by an instruction;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus for notifying a transmission result by voice according to a seventh embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for notifying a transmission result by voice according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for notifying a designated electronic mail of a transmission result according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Format conversion part 5 FAX data transmission / reception part 6 LAN control part 7 Compression / decompression part 8 Character / image conversion part 9 Multiple mail address generation part 10 Timer 11 Audio signal transmission part 12 Audio signal decoding part

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving facsimile data, a recognizing means for recognizing reply contact information in the facsimile data received by the receiving means, and a source electronic mail address set in the apparatus And storage means for storing the contact information recognized by the recognizing means in association with each other, and receiving an e-mail at the source e-mail address, and Facsimile apparatus comprising: 2. A plurality of source e-mail addresses are set in the storage means, and each time the recognizing means recognizes contact information, it is stored in association with the source e-mail address. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact information is a telephone number. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact information is an electronic mail address. 5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact information is set in a TSI signal in facsimile data. 6. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact information is set in a subaddress in facsimile data. 7. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile data also includes transfer destination information, and converts the received facsimile data into an electronic mail based on the transfer destination information and transfers the electronic mail. . 8. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a predetermined time has elapsed, the destination electronic mail address and the contact information stored in said storage means are deleted. 9. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when contacting the contact information, the destination electronic mail address and the contact information stored in the storage unit are deleted. 10. A destination electronic mail address and contact information stored in said storage means are deleted in response to an external delete instruction via a line. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1. 11. A receiving means for receiving facsimile data, a recognizing means for recognizing a destination electronic mail address and contact information in the facsimile data received by the receiving means, and a destination e-mail address recognized by the recognizing means. Storage means for storing the contact information in association with a source e-mail address set in the apparatus; conversion means for converting the facsimile data into an e-mail format; and electronic data converted by the conversion means. E-mail transmission means for transmitting mail data to a destination e-mail address stored in the storage means, and after transmission by the e-mail transmission means, when transmission is received from a destination e-mail address not stored in the storage means, Indicating an error based on the contact information corresponding to the source email address Facsimile apparatus comprising: communication means for converting the data into a communication.