JP3111968B2 - 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 machine, and more particularly, to a document delivered to a personal person as a confidential message from a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) using a browser capable of browsing the World Wide Web (WWW). The present invention relates to a confidential document receiving facsimile apparatus that can receive and view a confidential document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of network systems, a plurality of personal computers have been connected to a network, and data created on one personal computer has been processed on another personal computer through the network.

Further, in such an environment, a document received by the facsimile apparatus is transferred to a personal computer, and a document created by the personal computer is transferred to a facsimile apparatus for transmission. Is coming.

Normally, in such a case, the facsimile machine needs a server function to transfer the received document to the personal computer, and thus requires server software. On the other hand, since the personal computer side needs a function as a client, client software is required. In addition, if data to be transferred is added or there is something to be deleted, it takes time to modify the software.

[0005] In order to solve such a problem, it has come to be used when accessing the Internet.
Information has been extracted using tools such as a browser for browsing the WWW. In other words, when a browser is used, the browser is provided with only the minimum functions required for display, and a Web (Web) server is provided with a source for displaying on the browser.

For this reason, when data to be transferred is added or deleted, there is no need to change the browser, which is the client software, so that the server software can be changed. Remodeling software requires less effort. Also, there is no need to redistribute and reinstall the client software on the personal computer, and there is little effect on users.

[0007]

However, usually,
Such a browser issues a request for data to be received to a Web server, and in response to the request, the Web server performs data transfer to a browser that is a client. When a facsimile is received, there is no means to notify the personal computer of the reception. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically access the facsimile machine which is a Web server using a browser.

Also, if connected to a network,
If you use a browser from any personal computer, you can access the Web server and connect the facsimile machine to the Web.
In the case of a server, even a document received confidentially can be viewed by anyone using a browser, and confidentiality cannot be protected.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
A facsimile that can protect confidentiality when browsing a document (indicating all data that can be sent and received by facsimile) delivered to an individual as a confidential message using a browser that can browse WWW from a personal computer connected to the network It is intended to provide a device.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a facsimile apparatus connected to a network and functioning as a server. The facsimile apparatus exchanges document data which is facsimile information with another facsimile apparatus. Send and receive, and send from the other party's facsimile machine
Is the confidential reception bit in the transmitted non-standard function setting signal?
Whether the received document data is a confidential document addressed to an individual
Non-standard if it is determined to be a confidential document
A communication control device that captures the confidential reception ID in the function setting signal, the first document data determined to be at least a confidential document by the communication control device, and the second document data determined to be not a confidential document. Confidential reception that is stored separately in separate storage areas and input from the communication control device
Search whether the ID is stored.
Confidential document data in the dedicated storage area for that ID.
Data as the first document data, and
Or when the document data is not confidential reception,
The received document data is used as the second document data,
Storage means for storing in the storage area; and first or second storage means for storing in the storage means.
When the document data is stored, a reception notifying unit that notifies a client corresponding to the stored document data of a document reception e-mail via a network, and the first or second document data is stored in a storage unit. Is registered
When identification information of the client is input from the client via the network, the storage unit is searched for first document data addressed to the client indicated by the identification information, and the search result is received. When there is document data, the link information to the storage area where the first document data is stored is notified to the client via a network. When there is second document data, the second document data is stored. A server control unit for notifying a client of link information to a storage area via a network, and a first access from a storage area of a storage unit corresponding to the link information when there is an access based on the link information from the client. A network control unit that reads out the document data or the second document data and transmits the read document data or the second document data to the client It is obtained by a configuration in which.

According to the present invention, when the first document data determined to be a confidential document in the facsimile apparatus or the second document data determined not to be a confidential document is stored in the storage means, the data is transmitted via the network. Then, the client corresponding to the stored document data is notified of a document reception e-mail.

Further, according to the present invention, the client connected to the network stores the first document data only when there is the first document data addressed to itself based on the identification information input to the facsimile apparatus. The link information to the storage area of the stored storage means is notified via the network.

[0013]

Further, according to the present invention, when the first document data is stored in the storage means, the reception notifying section stores the ID of the ID corresponding to the dedicated storage area in which the first document data is stored via the network. A configuration is adopted in which a document reception e-mail is notified to the client, and when the second document data is stored, the document reception e-mail is notified to all the clients whose IDs are registered in the storage means via the network. Things.

According to the present invention, when document data that is not a confidential document or document data other than an ID stored in a confidential document, the document data is browsed by all clients whose IDs are registered in the storage unit. can do.

[0016]

Further, according to the present invention, the above-mentioned storage means includes a first storage means.
When the document data is recorded, the link destination information corresponding to the dedicated storage area in which the first document data is stored is changed and registered, and the reception notifying unit responds to the registered document data via the network. And sending a notification to the client that sends the document reception e-mail with the changed link destination information attached. According to the present invention, the link destination information is changed each time the first document data is stored in the storage unit.

Here, the link destination information includes an ID and a password, and the link destination information can be changed by changing the password.

[0019]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a system configuration in which an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a personal computer via a network. In FIG. 1, a facsimile apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is connected to a personal computer 20 via a network 30, and can transmit and receive data to and from each other.

The facsimile device 10 has a communication control device 11 for controlling facsimile transmission / reception, a determination function of a central processing unit (CPU), a storage unit 12 for storing document data and the like, and a facsimile device. Web server control unit 13 for using 10 as a Web server
And a network controller 15 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the personal computer 20 via the network 30.

The personal computer 20 transmits and receives data via a network, a network control unit 21, a client control unit 22 for executing a browser, an output unit 23 for displaying a document, and a keyboard and the like. And an input unit 24.

The storage unit 12 in the facsimile machine 10 stores the user ID of the user registered in the facsimile machine 10.
D, a password, and a personal box (BOX) 121 which is a dedicated storage area for each ID for storing a document addressed to the user. This individual BOX1
A symbol (numeral, alphabet, etc.) uniquely determined by calculating from the user ID and password is attached to 21 as a link name. The link name cannot be easily imagined from the ID and the password, and it is assumed that changing the password changes the link name.

Further, in order to store a normal document which is not confidential reception in the storage unit 12, a shared B
OX 122, which also has a link name. Also, the storage unit 12 can refer to the link name from the Web server control unit 13 and specify the link name to the URL (uniform resource locator) from the client control unit 22 to store the document stored therein. Can be browsed.

Further, the reception notifying section 14 always outputs the personal BOX.
121 is monitored and a new document is
Is stored in the e-mail 32 to notify the user that the facsimile has arrived at the facsimile machine 10.
Can be notified.

When the facsimile apparatus 10 receives the confidential document, the confidential destination user's personal BOX 12
1 stores the confidential document. The facsimile apparatus 10 has a function as a Web server, and registers information on where the confidential document is stored in the storage unit 12 in the Web server control unit 13.

Next, the reception notification unit 14 notifies the confidential user of the electronic mail 32. In response, the confidential user accesses the facsimile machine 10 from the personal computer 20. At this time, the personal computer 20 is requested by the facsimile machine 10 for an ID and a password, and inputs the ID and the password. Then, since the link destination to the confidential document is notified, the confidential document is browsed using this.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in more detail. First, the operation of the facsimile machine 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG.
The facsimile apparatus 10 is connected to a facsimile apparatus (not shown) having the same configuration as the facsimile apparatus 10, and a facsimile signal is transmitted from the other facsimile apparatus and received by the communication control unit 11 of the facsimile apparatus 10. (Step A1 in FIG. 2).

Transmission and reception between the facsimile machine 10 and the partner facsimile machine are performed in accordance with the sequence diagram of FIG. First, when there is an incoming call, the communication control device 11 of the facsimile device 10 on the receiving side sends a non-standard function identification signal (N
SF) is transmitted (step 41 in FIG. 3A), and then a digital identification signal (DIS) is transmitted to notify that it has a predetermined receiving function (step 42 in FIG. 3A).

Then, a non-standard function setting (NSS: Non-Standard facilitie) is sent from the transmitting facsimile machine.
s Set-up) signal is transmitted to the facsimile machine 10 (step 43 in FIG. 3A). The NSS signal has a format as shown in FIG. 3B, and includes a confidential reception bit 50 indicating whether or not the facsimile signal to be transmitted is related to a confidential document, and a confidential reception ID 51. I have. Therefore, the communication control device 11
It is determined from the confidential reception bit 50 in the S signal whether it is confidential reception (step A2 in FIG. 2), and if it is confidential reception, the confidential reception ID 51 in the NSS signal is obtained (step A3 in FIG. 2).

Thereafter, a training check is performed between the facsimile machine 10 on the transmitting side and the facsimile machine 10 (step 44 in FIG. 3A), and the facsimile machine 10 confirms reception preparation (CFR) indicating the completion of the procedure. )
A signal is transmitted (step 45 in FIG. 3A), and facsimile information such as image data and a tempo file is transmitted from the other party's facsimile apparatus based on this signal.
(Step 46 in FIG. 3A).

When the transmission of the facsimile information is completed, the procedure is terminated (EO)
P) signal is sent (step 47 in FIG. 3A), and in response, the facsimile apparatus 10 notifies that the facsimile information has been completely received by a message confirmation (MCF) signal (FIG. 3A). (Step 48), the transmitting facsimile apparatus transmits a disconnection command (DCN) signal (step 49 in FIG. 3A), and the transmission ends.

On the other hand, in the facsimile machine 10, the storage unit 12 having the judgment function receives the ID acquired by the transmission control device 11 during the confidential reception, and
(Step A4 in FIG. 2), and checks whether the corresponding personal BOX exists (step A5 in FIG. 2).
As a result of the search, if the corresponding ID exists,
The document data (facsimile information) received in step 46 described above is stored in the personal BOX having the ID of the personal BOX 121 (step A6 in FIG. 2).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step A2 that confidential reception is not performed, or if confidential reception is determined in step A5 that the corresponding ID does not exist in storage unit 12, storage unit 12 receives a normal document. The document data (facsimile information) received in step 46 described above is stored in the shared BOX 122 that can be viewed by anyone (step A7 in FIG. 2).

After storing the received document data in the personal BOX in the above step A6 or storing the received document data in the shared BOX 122 in the above step A7, the Web server control unit 13 which has been notified of the storage stores the personal computer. Which BOX of the storage unit 12 can be browsed from
(Step A8 or A9 in FIG. 2). PC 20
When browsing from a personal box as shown by 60 in FIG.
The information corresponding to the display of the content list must be prepared in the Web server control unit 13. The registration is completed by adding the document data to the content list.

Next, the reception notifying section 14 sets each individual B
Check the OX and the shared BOX 122 for new documents. If there is a confidential reception, the user (personal computer) of the personal BOX checked by the reception notification unit 14
An e-mail 32 is generated for the network 3
0 (step A10 in FIG. 2). If it is not a confidential reception, or if there is no ID even if it is a confidential reception, an e-mail 32 is generated and notified to all users registered in the facsimile apparatus 10 checked by the reception notifying unit 14. (Step A11 in FIG. 2).

Next, the operation of the personal computer 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and FIG. First, PC 2
0 receives the e-mail 32 (step B in FIG. 4).
1) The browser is executed by the client control unit 22 and W
Access the facsimile machine 10, which is an e-server (step B2 in FIG. 4). Thereby, the Web server control unit 13 in the facsimile apparatus 10 requests the ID and the password via the network control unit 15. The client control unit 22 in the personal computer 20 outputs a display requesting the ID and the password from the facsimile machine 10 to the output unit 23.

Thus, when the user of the personal computer 20 inputs the ID and the password from the input unit 24 (step B3 in FIG. 4), the client control unit 22 receives the ID and password via the network 30 and the network control unit 15 in response to the input.
The ID and the password are notified to the web server control unit 13. The Web server control unit 13 makes an inquiry about the ID and the password notified to the storage unit 12.

The storage unit 12 searches for the corresponding ID and password, and when there is the corresponding data, the personal BO of the ID is found.
The link to X is notified to the Web server control unit 13.
The web server control unit 13 notifies the link information to the client control unit 22 in the personal computer 20 via the network control unit 15. The client control unit 22 accesses the notified link, outputs the confidential document received from the personal BOX to the output unit 23, and displays the confidential document (step B4 in FIG. 4).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the input screen at this time. The entered ID and password are displayed in the ID display area 61 and the password display area 62, respectively, and the confidential document button 63 is pressed. The link is assigned to the confidential document button 63, and the confidential document in the personal BOX can be accessed. When the user presses the shared document button 64, a link to the shared BOX 122 is set in advance, and the user can access a normal document in the same manner.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The flowchart of FIG. 7 of the present embodiment is obtained by adding the processing of steps A12 and A13 to the flowchart of FIG. Figure 1,
This will be described with reference to FIG. First, every time the received document data is stored in the personal BOX (step A6 in FIG. 7), a new password (PW) is generated, registered as the password of this user, and the link destination is changed (step A12 in FIG. 7). .

Also, the link name of the personal BOX derived from the ID and the password is changed accordingly. Next, a document is registered in the Web server control unit 13 (step A8 in FIG. 7). Next, the reception notifying unit 14 notifies the user of the personal box of the electronic mail 32 (Step A13 in FIG. 7). At this time, in addition to the notification that the new document has arrived, the e-mail is transmitted with a password (or a link name indicating a personal BOX) attached.

In this embodiment, the password is changed each time the received document data is stored in the personal BOX. Therefore, if the confidentiality of the e-mail is maintained, the security is higher than that of the embodiment shown in FIG. it can.

When the link name is included in the electronic mail, the browser is started from the electronic mail so that the link destination can be accessed.
In this state, by attaching a link name indicating the personal BOX to the electronic mail instead of the password, the document can be browsed more easily.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Non-standard sent from the other party's facsimile machine
When the first document data determined to be a confidential document in the facsimile apparatus or the second document data determined not to be a confidential document is stored in the storage unit based on the confidential reception bit in the function setting signal. In addition, since a document reception e-mail is notified to a client corresponding to the stored document data via a network, it is not necessary to check whether the document has arrived at a facsimile apparatus which is a Web server. Can be eliminated.

Further, according to the present invention, the client connected to the network only receives the first document data addressed to itself based on the identification information input to the facsimile apparatus. Is notified via the network of the link information to the storage area of the storage means in which the first information is stored.
Document data can be viewed without being seen by others.

Further, according to the present invention, the link destination determined from the ID and the password does not change unless the password is changed. Therefore, by registering the link destination in the browser, the ID and the password can be changed later. There is no need to enter it, and by changing the password, the link destination is also changed, so that there is little possibility that it will be seen by others.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration in which an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a personal computer via a network.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the personal computer in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of user authentication displayed on the personal computer in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a document list displayed on the personal computer in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 facsimile device 11 communication control device 12 storage unit 13 Web server control unit 14 reception notification unit 15 network control unit 20 personal computer (PC) 21 network control unit 22 client control unit 23 output unit 24 input unit 30 network

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connected to the network facsimile device functioning as a server, performs transmission and reception of the document data is facsimile information to and from another facsimile apparatus, the transmitting-side counterpart of the file
The parent in the non-standard function setting signal transmitted from the
The document data to be received is sent to the parent
Judge whether it is a confidential document and judge it as a confidential document
Sometimes, the confidential reception ID in the non-standard function setting signal is obtained.
A communication control device to be inserted, and first document data determined to be at least a confidential document by the communication control device and second document data determined to be not a confidential document, and stored in separate storage areas. And the parent input from the communication control device.
Searches whether the ID of the exhibition reception is stored and stores it.
If the confidential file has been received, the confidential
Storing the document data of the communication as the first document data;
When it is not stored or when the document data is not confidential
In some cases, the received document data is stored in the second document data.
Storage means for storing data in a shared storage area as data, and when the first or second document data is stored in the storage means, receiving a document to a client corresponding to the stored document data via the network A reception notifying unit that notifies the user of the e-mail, and that the storage unit stores the first or second document data, and identification information of the client is input from the client via the network. When the storage means searches for the first document data addressed to the client indicated by the identification information and receives the search result, and when there is the first document data, the first document data Is notified to the client via the network via the network, and when there is the second document data A server control unit for notifying the client of link information to a storage area in which the second document data is stored via the network to the client; and when there is an access from the client based on the link information, A facsimile apparatus comprising: a network control unit that reads the first document data or the second document data from a storage area of a storage unit corresponding to the link information and transmits the first document data or the second document data to the client. 2. The reception notifying unit, when the first document data is stored in the storage unit, stores an ID of an ID corresponding to a dedicated storage area in which the first document data is stored via the network. Notifying the client of an e-mail for receiving a document, and when the second document data is stored, notifying the client of an e-mail of receiving the document to all clients whose IDs are registered in the storage means via the network. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. When the first document data is recorded, the storage unit changes and registers link destination information corresponding to a dedicated storage area in which the first document data is stored. notification unit, a facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying attach the link destination information of the changed email document received to the client corresponding to the registered document data via the network. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the link destination information comprises an ID and a password, and the link destination information is changed by changing the password.