JP3279825B2 - Multimedia server - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multimedia server, and more particularly, to a facsimile server or the like. In particular, the present invention notifies individual terminals in the same multimedia server that a document has been received. Then, it is possible to detect that each original document recipient has requested the multimedia server to output the original, perform the delivery confirmation, and notify the sending terminal of the delivery confirmation notification. The present invention relates to a multimedia server that allows a receiving side to know that an original has been confirmed without directly confirming the receiving person.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as for a multimedia server, a "facsimile relay method" described in JP-A-3-102951 has been reported. In this relay apparatus, the relay station requests a part of the relay destination to relay to the transfer relay station, and the transfer relay station sequentially transmits the image information to the requested relay destination and notifies the relay request station of the transmission result. In addition, since the relay station is configured to notify the relay requesting station that the transfer relay request has been made, the time that the relay station spends for the relay operation is required for the relay station and the transfer relay station to perform the relay operation. In addition to being able to reduce the time required for one relay operation, the relay request result can be notified from the relay station and the transfer relay station to the relay request station. This has the advantage that the relay result can be surely known.

Next, as a multimedia server, a "facsimile server" described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-289756 has been reported. In this apparatus, a request for transmission of a personal identification number is issued by the personal identification information discriminating apparatus, and when this personal identification number is received, the personal identification number-email address correspondence table held by the electronic mail transmitting apparatus is used to obtain an electronic mail number. Since an address is obtained and the electronic mail is transmitted to the address, the operator of the workstation connected to the LAN can obtain the image data sent from the external facsimile apparatus from the workstation. Has advantages.

A conventional multimedia server receives a document transmitted from a transmitting terminal connected to a LAN, stores the received document in a storage device, and transmits the document to the transmitting terminal. If you send a manuscript confirmation request from the sending terminal after notifying that you have received it,
A device configured to output a received document in a storage device is known.

[0005]

However, in the conventional multimedia server as described above, when an original is transmitted to a plurality of terminals in the same multimedia server, the original is connected to the same multimedia server. Even if it is a terminal, there is no way to confirm whether the recipient after receiving the original has received the original, except to confirm to the person who received the original directly by telephone after sending the original, and the sender is uneasy. There was a problem of giving a feeling.

Further, in the conventional multimedia server as described above, the original transmitted from the source terminal is transmitted to a plurality of terminals in the same multimedia server, and the delivery confirmation communication from the receiving terminal is performed. When receiving, even if the receiving end is the end connected to the same multimedia server, transmission, communication, and disconnection must be repeated for each end, which requires a long transmission time. In addition, there is a problem that transmission costs increase.

Therefore, the present invention notifies each terminal in the same multimedia server that a document has been received,
The original document sender detects that each original recipient has requested the multimedia server to output the original, confirms the delivery, and notifies the sender terminal of the delivery confirmation notification. Without checking directly with the person,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multimedia server that can know that a document has been checked on the receiving side.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A document receiving unit that connects to the source terminal via a communication line, and receives a document transmitted from the source terminal by adding terminal individual information that specifies the destination terminal for each page; and a document receiving unit. When a document storage unit for storing a document to which the terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal received is added and a delivery confirmation request is added to the terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal received by the document receiving unit A delivery confirmation request storage unit that stores a delivery confirmation request for each page of the transmitted document,
A document reception notification unit that is connected to a plurality of destination terminals via the LAN, and notifies the destination terminal of the terminal individual information stored in the document storage unit that the document has been received; a document output request indicating that the receiving unit that receives a requesting output, when receiving the requesting output of a document in the document output request indicating that the receiving unit includes a document output unit for outputting the document,
If the page of the document output by the document output unit is a page having a delivery confirmation request stored in the delivery confirmation request storage unit, a delivery confirmation notification is sent to the transmission source terminal via the communication line. And a delivery confirmation notifying section.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the multimedia server according to the first aspect, when all pages having the delivery confirmation request stored in the delivery confirmation request storage section are output by the document output section, communication is performed. A delivery confirmation notifying unit that collectively reports delivery confirmation notification to the source terminal via the line,
It is characterized by having.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the original is connected to the source terminal via the communication line, and the original transmitted by adding the terminal individual information for designating the destination terminal for each page is transmitted by the original receiving unit. The document to which the received and the terminal individual information for designating the received destination terminal is added is stored in the document storage unit. Here, if the delivery confirmation request is added to the received terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal, the delivery confirmation request is stored in the delivery confirmation request storage unit for each page of the transmitted document. Next, connect to a plurality of destination terminals via a LAN,
A document reception notification unit notifies the transmission destination terminal of the terminal individual information stored in the document storage unit that the document has been received. Then, when receiving the requesting output of a document in the document output request indicating that the receiving unit outputs a document by document output section, the page of the output document is stored in the acknowledgment request storing unit If the page has a delivery confirmation request, the delivery confirmation notification unit notifies the transmission source terminal of the delivery confirmation notification via the communication line.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, when all pages having the delivery confirmation request stored in the delivery confirmation request storage section are output by the document output section, the communication line The delivery confirmation notification is collectively notified to the transmission source terminal via the delivery confirmation notification unit via the.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a multimedia server applicable to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. The multimedia server 1 of the present embodiment includes a CPU 2 for issuing an instruction for processing of the entire system in order to control the entire system, a ROM 3 in which a program for the CPU 2 to issue the instruction is stored, and an operation of the CPU 2. A RAM 4 for storing a work area of a necessary program;
A LAN interface 7 which is an interface between the multimedia server 1 and a LAN 6 to which a personal terminal 5 is connected;
A printer control unit 9 for controlling the printer 8, a storage device 10 for storing transmission originals and reception originals, a source terminal function, and the like, and an interface with an ISDN line or a PSTN line, and based on a communication protocol. And a communication control unit 11 for performing communication.

Embodiment 1 In this embodiment (claim 1), the multimedia server 1 of FIG. 1 can be applied. Here, the characteristic portion according to claim 1 will be specifically described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the transmission source terminal, when transmitting a document to a plurality of terminals, the sender copies the individual terminal 5 on the multimedia server 1 with individual information addressed to the terminal such as a sub address. The original is added and specified for each page, and the original is transmitted. At this time, a delivery confirmation request is transmitted to the terminal requesting the delivery confirmation notification in addition to the individual information.

First, the receiving multimedia server 1
When the communication control unit 11 receives an incoming call from a transmission source terminal via an ISDN line or a PSTN line, the line is connected (process S1). The receiving-side multimedia server 1 stores the received document in the storage device 10 and also stores the terminal information added for each page in the storage device 10 (process S2). Next, it is determined whether an acknowledgment request has been transmitted from the transmission source terminal (step S3).

In step S3, if there is a delivery confirmation request, the terminal information of the source terminal is also stored (step S3).
4). Next, it is determined whether the page of the received document is the last page (step S5). If it is not the last page in the process S5, the process returns to the process S2. On the other hand, in process S5,
In the case of the last page, the receiving-side multimedia server 1 disconnects the ISDN line or the PSTN line by the communication control unit 11 and ends the communication (process S6).

Next, the receiving multimedia server 1
Retrieves the destination data based on the terminal information stored in the storage device 10 (process S7). Next, a reception notification indicating that the original has been received is transmitted to the corresponding terminal based on the destination data (process S8). Next, it is determined whether or not the reception notification of the last page has been transmitted (process S9). If it is not the last page in the process S9, the process returns to the process S7.

On the other hand, if it is the last page in the process S9, the process temporarily enters a document output waiting state (process S10). Here, when the multimedia server 1 notifies the terminal 5 that the original has been received, the terminal 5 outputs the received original to the multimedia server 1 by operating the operator. To request.

Next, the multimedia server 1 receives a document output request, for example, from the terminal A connected to the LAN (process S11). Here, multimedia server 1
Indicates that the receiver has confirmed the received document from the terminal A that the document output request has been received.
The output processing of the original stored in 0 is performed (processing S12). Next, the terminal information stored in the storage device 10 is read, and it is determined whether or not the transmitting terminal has set an acknowledgment request to the corresponding receiving terminal (step S13).

In step S13, if the transmitting terminal has set an acknowledgment request to the corresponding receiving terminal,
When the document output process is completed by the RN 8, the communication control unit 11 outputs a delivery confirmation notification to the transmitting terminal (process S14). Next, the multimedia server 1
It is determined whether or not all the output of the received document has been completed (process S15). In step S15, the process returns to step S10 in order to repeat the above operation until all the output of the received document is completed.

Next, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a protocol according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, as a pre-transmission procedure, a transmission source terminal transmits a ringing tone CNG signal to a multimedia server via a communication line to make a call. After detecting the CNG signal, the communication control unit 11 of the multimedia server 1 transmits the called terminal identification signal CED.
A non-standard function identification signal NSF, a non-standard function identification signal NSF, a called terminal identification signal CSI, and a digital identification signal DIS are transmitted to indicate specific usage outside the scope of the T series recommendation.

In response to this, the source terminal transmits each page of the document.
A non-standard function setting signal NSS is set in the multi-destination designation and delivery confirmation request for designating the sub-address of the terminal sending the page to the page, and then transmitted. Next, the multimedia server, after receiving the non-standard function setting signal NSS,
A reception preparation confirmation signal CFR is transmitted.

In response to this, the transmission source terminal designates the destination on the first page as terminal 1, sets the non-standard function setting signal NSS to indicate that the delivery confirmation request is designated to terminal 1, and transmits the signal. . Next, the source terminal performs a training check TCF.
To start. Next, after receiving the training check TCF, the multimedia server specifies the first page to the terminal 1 as the terminal information set in the non-standard function setting signal NSS, and specifies the delivery confirmation request to the terminal 1. Is stored in the storage device 10. Next, the multimedia server transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR. Next, when receiving the reception preparation confirmation signal CFR, the transmission source terminal transmits the original of the first page.

Next, the transmission source terminal specifies the destination on the second page as the terminal 2 and sets the non-standard function setting signal NSS to the effect that the transmission confirmation request is specified to the terminal 2 and transmits it. Next, the source terminal starts a training check TCF. Next, after receiving the training check TCF, the multimedia server sets the non-standard function setting signal NS.
The storage device 1 designates the second page as the terminal information set in S to the terminal 2 and designates a delivery confirmation request to the terminal 2.
Store to 0. Next, the multimedia server transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR. Next, the source terminal
When the reception preparation confirmation signal CFR is received, the original of the second page is transmitted.

As described above, the transmission source terminal sequentially transmits the originals up to the nth page to the multimedia server.
Next, when the transmission of the document on the nth page is completed, the transmission source terminal transmits a procedure end signal EOP. Upon receiving the message confirmation signal MCF from the multimedia server, the transmission source terminal transmits the disconnection command signal DCN and ends the communication.

On the other hand, when a receiving terminal requests a document to be output, it is considered that the receiver has confirmed the received document, and when the source terminal transmits a delivery confirmation request to the receiving terminal, the PRN8 After transmitting the original, a transmission confirmation notification is transmitted to the transmission source terminal. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, as a pre-transmission procedure, the multimedia server transmits a ringing tone CNG signal to a transmission source terminal via a communication line to make a call. The source terminal is
After detecting the CNG signal, the called terminal identification signal CED is transmitted, and then the source terminal transmits the non-standard function identification signal NS.
F, non-standard function identification signal NSF, called terminal identification signal CS
I, transmitting a digital identification signal DIS. In response, the multimedia server sets the non-standard function setting signal NSS to the delivery confirmation notification of the terminal 1 and transmits the signal. next,
After receiving the non-standard function setting signal NSS, the transmission source terminal transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR. In response, the multimedia server sets the document information of the terminal 1 in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmits the signal. Next, the transmission source terminal transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR. The multimedia server ends the communication by transmitting the disconnection command signal DCN.

Similarly, the multimedia server individually sets the delivery confirmation notice of the terminal 2 and the document information in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmits them to the source terminal. As described above, in this embodiment (Claim 1), the original is connected to the source terminal via the communication line, and the original transmitted by adding the terminal individual information for designating the destination terminal for each page is transmitted. The document received by the control unit 11 and added with the terminal individual information designating the received destination terminal is stored in the storage device 10.
Here, if the delivery confirmation request is added to the received terminal individual information designating the destination terminal, the delivery confirmation request is stored in the storage device 10 for each page of the document to be transmitted. Next, connect to a plurality of destination terminals via a LAN,
The destination of the terminal individual information stored in the storage device 10 is notified by the LAN interface 7 that the original has been received. Next, when a document output request is received from the destination terminal by the LAN interface 7, the document is printed on recording paper.
If the page printed in N8 and the page of the printed document is the page having the delivery confirmation request stored in the storage device 10, the communication control unit 11 sends a delivery confirmation notification to the transmission source terminal via the communication line. Notice.

Accordingly, each terminal in the same multimedia server is notified that the original has been received, and each original receiver detects an original output request to the multimedia server and confirms the delivery, Since a delivery confirmation notification can be sent to the sender terminal, the sender's original sender can know that the original has been checked on the receiving side without directly checking with the receiving person, Anxiety can be resolved.

In the first embodiment described above, the receiving multimedia server transmits the delivery confirmation notification and the original information using the non-standard function setting signal NSS on the communication protocol. And voice data are not transmitted. However, information or the like used for the delivery confirmation notice created in advance may be transmitted using image data or audio data.

(Embodiment 2) This embodiment (claim 2) can also apply the multimedia server 1 of FIG. Here, the characteristic portion according to claim 2 will be specifically described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation flow according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the source terminal, when transmitting a document to a plurality of terminals, the sender copies the individual terminal 5 on the multimedia server 1 with individual information addressed to the terminal such as a sub address. The original is added and specified for each page, and the original is transmitted. At this time, a delivery confirmation request is transmitted to the terminal requesting the delivery confirmation notification in addition to the individual information.

First, the receiving multimedia server 1
Connects the line when there is an incoming call from the transmission source terminal via the ISDN line or the PSTN line in the communication control unit 11 (process S21). Next, the receiving-side multimedia server 1 clears the delivery confirmation request counter provided in the RAM 4 by the CPU 2 (process S22). Next, the receiving-side multimedia server 1 stores the received document in the storage device 10 and the terminal information added for each page in the storage device 10 (step S23). Next, it is determined whether an acknowledgment request has been transmitted from the transmission source terminal (step S24).

If there is a delivery confirmation request in step S24, the terminal information of the source terminal is stored together (step S25). Next, the CPU 2 increments the delivery confirmation request counter provided in the RAM 4 by 1 (step S26). Next, it is determined whether the page of the received document is the last page (step S27). If it is not the last page in the process S27, the process returns to the process S23.

On the other hand, in the case of the last page in the processing S27, the receiving-side multimedia server 1
In step 1, the ISDN line or the PSTN line is disconnected to terminate the communication (step S28). Next, the receiving-side multimedia server 1 extracts the destination data based on the terminal information stored in the storage device 10 (process S29). Next, a reception notification indicating that the original has been received is transmitted to the corresponding terminal based on the destination data (step S30).

Next, it is determined whether or not a notification of reception of the last page has been transmitted (step S31). If it is not the last page in the process S31, the process returns to the process S29. On the other hand, in the case of the last page in the process S31, the process temporarily enters a document output waiting state (process S32). Here, when the multimedia server 1 notifies the terminal 5 that the original has been received, the terminal 5 outputs the received original to the multimedia server 1 by operating the operator. To request.

Next, the multimedia server 1 receives a document output request from, for example, the terminal A connected to the LAN (step S33). Here, multimedia server 1
Indicates that the receiver has confirmed the received document from the terminal A that the document output request has been received.
The output process of the original stored in 0 is performed (process S34). Next, the terminal information stored in the storage device 10 is read, and it is determined whether or not the transmitting terminal has set an acknowledgment request to the corresponding receiving terminal (step S35).

In step S35, if the transmitting terminal has set a delivery confirmation request to the corresponding receiving terminal, the receiving multimedia server 1
The delivery confirmation request counter provided in -1 is decremented by 1 (process S3
6). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the delivery confirmation request counter provided in the RAM 4 is 0 (step S37). If the delivery confirmation request counter has become 0, the delivery control notification is output from the communication control unit 11 to the transmitting terminal when the output processing of the original is completed in the PRN 8 (processing S3).
8).

Next, the multimedia server 1 determines whether or not output of the received document has been completed (step S3).
9). In step S39, the process returns to step S32 in order to repeat the above operation until all the output of the received document is completed. Next, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a protocol according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, n
The protocol communication from the end of the transmission of the document on the page until the transmission source terminal transmits the disconnection command signal DCN and ends the communication is the same as that of the protocol example of the first embodiment shown in FIG. Is omitted. On the other hand, when there is a document output request from the receiving terminal, it is considered that the receiver has confirmed the received document, and when the transmission source terminal is transmitting the delivery confirmation request to the receiving terminal, all of the PRN 8 After performing the document output process, the transmission confirmation notification is transmitted to the transmission source terminal in a lump.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, as a pre-transmission procedure, the multimedia server transmits a ringing tone CNG signal to a transmission source terminal via a communication line to make a call. After detecting the CNG signal, the source terminal sends a called terminal identification signal CED, and then the source terminal sends a non-standard function identification signal NSF, to indicate a specific use outside the scope of the T series recommendation, The non-standard function identification signal NSF, the called terminal identification signal CSI, and the digital identification signal DIS are transmitted.
In response, the multimedia server sets the non-standard function setting signal NSS to the delivery confirmation notification of the terminal 1 and transmits the signal. Next, the source terminal transmits the non-standard function setting signal NSS
Is received, a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR is transmitted.
In response, the multimedia server sets the document information of the terminal 1 in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmits the signal. Next, the transmission source terminal transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR.

Next, the multimedia server communicates with the terminal 2
Is set in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmitted. Next, the transmission source terminal transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR after receiving the non-standard function setting signal NSS. In response to this, the multimedia server sets the terminal 2
Is set in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmitted. Next, the source terminal transmits a reception preparation confirmation signal CFR.
Send

Similarly, the multimedia server individually sets the delivery acknowledgment notification and the document information to the terminal n in the non-standard function setting signal NSS and transmits them to the transmission source terminal. After receiving the reception preparation confirmation signal CFR from the transmission source terminal, the multimedia server transmits a disconnection command signal DCN to the transmission source terminal and ends the communication. As described above, in this embodiment (Claim 2), the original is connected to the source terminal via the communication line, and the original transmitted by adding the terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal for each page is transmitted. The document received by the control unit 11 and added with the terminal individual information designating the received destination terminal is stored in the storage device 10. Here, if the delivery confirmation request is added to the received terminal individual information designating the destination terminal, the delivery confirmation request is stored in the storage device 10 for each page of the document to be transmitted. Next, LA
A plurality of destination terminals are connected via N, and the destination terminal of the terminal individual information stored in the storage device 10 is notified by the LAN interface 7 that the original has been received. Next, LAN
When the interface 7 receives a document output request from the transmission destination terminal, the document is printed on recording paper by the PRN 8.
Here, when all the pages having the delivery confirmation request stored in the storage device 10 are printed by the PRN 8, the delivery confirmation notification is collectively notified to the transmission source terminal by the communication control unit 11 via the communication line. .

Accordingly, each terminal in the same multimedia server is notified that the document has been received, and each recipient of the document detects a document output request to the multimedia server and performs delivery confirmation. Since the delivery confirmation notification can be sent to the sender terminal in a batch, the sender's original sender can know that the original has been checked on the receiving side without directly checking with the receiving person, The sender's anxiety can be resolved, and the call charge for confirming delivery can be reduced.

In the second embodiment described above, the receiving multimedia server transmits the delivery confirmation notification and the document information using the non-standard function setting signal NSS on the communication protocol. And voice data are not transmitted. However, information or the like used for the delivery confirmation notice created in advance may be transmitted using image data or audio data.

[0045]

According to the present invention, each terminal in the same multimedia server is notified that a document has been received,
Detecting that each original recipient has requested the multimedia server to output the original, confirms the delivery, and notifies the sender terminal of the delivery confirmation notification. Without checking directly with the person who
The receiving side can know that the original has been confirmed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a multimedia server applicable to Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a protocol according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation flow according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a protocol according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multimedia server 2 CPU 3 ROM 4 RAM 5 Terminal 6 LAN 7 LAN interface (document reception notification unit, document output request reception unit) 8 Printer (document output unit) 9 Printer control unit 10 Storage device (document storage unit, (Delivery confirmation request storage unit) 11 Communication control unit (document receiving unit, delivery confirmation notifying unit)

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-305748 (JP, A) JP-A-7-154520 (JP, A) JP-A-3-40624 (JP, A) JP-A-4-291883 (JP) JP-A-7-56827 (JP, A) JP-A-7-38603 (JP, A) JP-A-4-367134 (JP, A) JP-A-2-116239 (JP, A) 1-135243 (JP, A) JP-A-7-95340 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/32-1 / 36 101

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A document receiving unit connected to a source terminal via a communication line, and receiving a document transmitted from the source terminal by adding terminal individual information designating a destination terminal for each page; A document storage unit for storing a document to which the terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal received by the document receiving unit is added, and a delivery confirmation request in the terminal individual information specifying the destination terminal received by the document receiving unit. If it has been added, it is connected to a delivery confirmation request storage unit that stores a delivery confirmation request for each page of the document to be transmitted, and to a plurality of destination terminals via a LAN (Local Area Network). A document reception notification unit for notifying that the document has been received to the destination terminal of the terminal individual information stored in the unit, a document output request notification receiving unit for receiving a request to output the document from the destination terminal, The document output request receiving section outputs the document. When receiving the requesting for includes a document output unit for outputting the document, exit at the document output unit
If the page of the input document is a page having a delivery confirmation request stored in the delivery confirmation request storage unit, a delivery confirmation notifying unit that reports a delivery confirmation notification to the transmission source terminal via the communication line. , A multimedia server. 2. When all pages having a delivery confirmation request stored in the delivery confirmation request storage section are output by the document output section, the page is delivered to the transmission source terminal via a communication line. 2. The multimedia server according to claim 1, further comprising: a delivery confirmation notifying unit that collectively notifies the confirmation notification.