JP3407853B2 - Method for sorting received facsimile data - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile server computer for receiving and storing facsimile data from a plurality of facsimile apparatuses with one facsimile number, and a facsimile server computer. The present invention relates to a method of distributing received facsimile data, which is composed of a plurality of client computers connected to a network and stored in the facsimile server computer, according to departments or individuals of an organization or organization such as a company. 2. Description of the Related Art A method of selectively receiving facsimile data from a transmission source facsimile apparatus to one of a plurality of facsimile apparatuses connected to the same line with the same facsimile number is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-208
No. 764 is disclosed. In the facsimile terminal selection connection method disclosed in this publication, when transmitting facsimile data to a specific facsimile device among a plurality of facsimile devices connected to the same line with the same facsimile number from the source facsimile device, Write the child number of the partner facsimile machine in the facsimile document, send this child number as facsimile data to the control device that controls a plurality of destination facsimile devices, and use this control device to change the child number in the facsimile data. Character recognition is performed, only one facsimile apparatus having a child number as a result of the recognition is activated, and the facsimile apparatus receives facsimile data from a transmission source. In recent years, with the spread of client-server systems, facsimile server computers have been installed in offices of companies and organizations instead of facsimile data storage and switching devices, and the facsimile devices have been replaced with facsimile machines. A client computer connected to the facsimile server computer via a network is installed for each department, one facsimile number is assigned to the facsimile server computer, and facsimile data from a plurality of transmission source facsimile apparatuses is received and stored with one facsimile number. A system has been developed in which each department or individual uses a client computer of the department to retrieve facsimile data addressed to the department or to the department stored in the facsimile server computer. . In such a client / server system, the information transmitted from the source facsimile apparatus other than the facsimile data is only the destination facsimile number and the source facsimile number. The number of the facsimile assigned to the facsimile server computer is one. Therefore, the received facsimile data is sequentially accumulated in the order of the reception time in association with the facsimile number of the transmission source. On the other hand, the person in charge of each department or individual retrieves the facsimile data addressed to the own department or to himself / herself, and sends the facsimile data to the client computer using the source facsimile number considered to have transmitted the facsimile data addressed to himself / herself or to himself. By inputting, a list of the facsimile data received from the transmission source facsimile apparatus indicated by the search key is displayed, and the required facsimile data is selected from the list to retrieve it. However, when a large amount of facsimile data transmitted from a plurality of transmission source facsimile apparatuses is accumulated, it takes time to select only necessary facsimile data from the list display. [0006] Therefore, even if there is only one facsimile number, the received facsimile data is sorted and stored for each department or individual, and each department or individual using each client computer stores its own department or its own storage area. It is desired to realize a method of making it possible to easily refer to the facsimile data stored in the storage area simply by accessing the storage area. Therefore, applying the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the identification number of the client computer to be assigned is inserted into the facsimile data, and the identification number is subjected to character recognition. A method is conceivable in which the data is stored in the storage area, and each department or individual searches only the facsimile data stored in the client computer of the own department as a search target. [0008] Further, a method is conceivable in which the identification information of the destination client computer is set in the header portion of the facsimile data, and transmitted from the transmission source. [0009] However, in the method applying the technology disclosed in the above publication, it is necessary to provide a character recognition function in the facsimile server computer, and the configuration becomes complicated. In addition, the sender must use a special format facsimile manuscript,
There is a problem that versatility is reduced. In addition, one client computer can be used by multiple users (or departments).
In this case, since the received facsimile data for the number of users is accumulated, it takes a long time to extract the facsimile data addressed to the user (or the own department) from the received facsimile data. On the other hand, there is a problem that the method of setting the identification information of the destination client computer in the header part of the facsimile data cannot be realized by a standard specification facsimile apparatus. That is, a facsimile apparatus of a standard specification only sets a facsimile number of a transmission destination and does not have a function of arbitrarily setting identification information other than the facsimile number. For this reason, there is a problem that it cannot be realized with a facsimile machine having standard specifications. An object of the present invention is to store and distribute facsimile data received from a plurality of transmission source facsimile apparatuses according to a preset classification such as division or individual without using a special facsimile manuscript. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for sorting received facsimile data, which can reduce the search time when extracting the received facsimile data. [0012] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a facsimile server computer having a parameter table storing received facsimile data storage destination information and transmission information based on a predetermined classification. The correspondence relationship with the original facsimile number is set in advance, and if facsimile data is received from any of the plurality of facsimile apparatuses, the parameter table is transmitted by the source facsimile number included in the header part of the received facsimile data. By searching and obtaining storage destination information corresponding to the source facsimile number and storing received facsimile data in a storage area indicated by the storage destination information, facsimile data received from a plurality of facsimile apparatuses is classified in a predetermined manner. To sort and accumulate based on It is. In this case, the storage destination information of the received facsimile data and the transmission source facsimile number are not limited to one-to-one, and two or more storage destination information are set for one transmission source facsimile number. It is also possible. vice versa,
It is also possible to set two or more transmission source facsimile numbers for one storage destination information. Further, each department or individual is notified in advance of the storage address of facsimile data addressed to the own department or to the user, and by accessing the notified storage address with any client computer. Facsimile data addressed to the own department or to the user can be extracted. However, by inputting the identification information of the own department or the own, a conversion table for converting the data into a storage destination address which can be searched by the identification information is separately provided. Thus, even if the storage address is forgotten, the facsimile data addressed to the own department or to the user can be searched. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile data receiving system to which the present invention is applied. The facsimile data receiving system 1 of this embodiment includes a communication control device 11 connected to the communication network 2 by one facsimile number, and a plurality of communication control devices connected to the communication network 2 via the communication control device 11. Facsimile server computer 12 which receives and accumulates facsimile data from the facsimile apparatuses 3, 4 and 5, and a network bus 1 connected to the facsimile server computer 12.
A plurality of client computers 14 connected at 3,
15 and 16. Here, each client computer 1
Reference numerals 4, 15, and 16 are provided in an organization such as a company or an organization, for example, in units of departments or offices. Alternatively, they are installed on an individual basis as needed. In the case of installation in units of departments or offices, a member of the department or office shares facsimile data addressed to itself by sharing a client computer of the own department with other members. The facsimile server computer 12 is provided with a parameter table 121 as shown in FIG. In the parameter table 121, the correspondence between the storage destination information 1211 of the received facsimile data and the facsimile number 1212 of the transmission source is set in advance based on a predetermined classification. For example, for “facsimile number 1” and “facsimile number 2”,
A common “storage destination 1” is set, and a “storage destination 2” is set for “facsimile number 3”. Here, "storage destination n" (n = 1, 2,...)
..) Are, for example, “sales 1 section = storage destination 1”, “sales 2 section = storage destination 2”, “sales 3
For example, there is a method of classifying as “section = storage destination n”, and a method of classifying as “company A = storage destination 1” and “company B = storage destination 2”, for example, based on the attribute of the transmitting side. . Which classification method is used may be determined when the system is operated. The facsimile server computer 12
The received facsimile data is sorted and stored with reference to the parameter table 121. Hereinafter, the distribution process of the received facsimile data will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The facsimile server computer 12
A plurality of facsimile machines 3, 4, via communication network 2
5, the facsimile data is temporarily stored in the order of the reception time. Here, the facsimile data received from the facsimile apparatus of “facsimile number 1” is referred to as “facsimile data 1”.
220, the facsimile data received from the facsimile machine of “facsimile number 2” is “facsimile data 2” 221 and the facsimile data received from the facsimile apparatus of “facsimile number 4” is “facsimile data 3” 222. Next, the facsimile server computer 1
2 classifies and distributes the temporarily stored facsimile data according to the classification of the parameter table 121. In this distribution process, first, the source facsimile number 1212 and the storage destination information 1211 set in the parameter table 121 are read in step 310. next,
"Facsimile data 1" 2 received in step 320
20, the facsimile number of the transmission source included in the header part of “facsimile data 2” 221 and “facsimile data 3” 222 is read. Then, it is determined in step 330 whether or not the received transmission source facsimile number is present in the transmission source facsimile number 1212 of the parameter table 121. If the transmission source facsimile number is present, the process proceeds to step 340, and the storage destination specified in the parameter table 121 is determined. To store the received facsimile data. Conversely, if it does not exist, it is determined to be erroneous transmission data, and the process proceeds to step 350 to accumulate the erroneous transmission data in the storage destination. Here, "facsimile data 1" 22
0, “facsimile data 2” 221 and “facsimile data 3” 222, the transmission source facsimile numbers included in the header portion are “facsimile number 1”, “facsimile number 2”, and “facsimile number 4”, respectively. However, since the storage destinations corresponding to “facsimile number 1” and “facsimile number 2” are respectively set as “storage destination 1” in the parameter table 121, “facsimile data 1” 220, “facsimile data 2” The “2” 221 is sorted and stored in the “storage destination 1” 230 by the determination process 240 including steps 330 to 350. However, "facsimile number 4"
Are not set in the parameter table 121, and are stored in the erroneous transmission data storage destination 231. The facsimile data thus accumulated is retrieved from any one of the client computers 14, 15, 16 by logging in to the facsimile server computer 12, specifying a storage address, and displaying the data on the client computer. It can be displayed on the screen and its contents can be checked. As described above, in the present embodiment, the correspondence between the storage destination of the received facsimile data and the facsimile number of the transmission source is set in advance in the parameter table 121 based on the predetermined classification. Since the received facsimile data is sorted and stored according to the classification set in the table 121,
Facsimile data received from a plurality of transmission source facsimile apparatuses 3 to 5 can be sorted and stored according to a preset classification such as department or individual without using a special facsimile manuscript, and the stored facsimile can be stored. The retrieval time when data is retrieved from each of the client computers 14 to 16 can be reduced. Further, since a standard facsimile machine can be used at the transmission source, there is no need to replace an existing facsimile machine. Further, since the erroneously transmitted facsimile data is stored in the single erroneous transmission data storage destination 231, the facsimile data can be collectively deleted instead of one unit, and erroneous transmission data is generated. The post-processing of the case is simplified. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be carried out with various details changed. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a conversion table 400 storing storage location information 402 for a user ID 401 is provided, and when searching for stored facsimile data, the ID of the department to which the user belongs or the user's own ID (identification information )
The storage location information 402 searchable by the user ID is acquired from the conversion table 400, and the facsimile data addressed to the own department or to the own department can be searched by the storage location information 402. With this configuration, even if the storage location is forgotten, it is possible to search for facsimile data addressed to the own department or to the user. As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the correspondence between the storage destination of the received facsimile data and the facsimile number of the transmission source is stored in the parameter table based on the predetermined classification. Since it is set in advance and received facsimile data is sorted and stored according to the classification set in this parameter table,
Facsimile data received from a plurality of source facsimile machines can be sorted and stored according to a preset classification such as by department or individual without using a special facsimile manuscript, and the stored facsimile data can be transmitted from each client computer. There is an effect that the search time at the time of taking out can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile data receiving system to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating how received facsimile data is sorted in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of sorting received facsimile data. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a table for converting a user ID into storage destination information. [Description of Signs] 2 ... Communication line network, 3-5 ... Facsimile machine of transmission source,
11: Communication control device, 12: Facsimile server computer, 13: Network bus, 14-16: Client computer, 121: Parameter table.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-208764 (JP, A) JP-A-7-288633 (JP, A) JP-A-2-249348 (JP, A) JP-A-59-1984 86963 (JP, A) JP-A-8-237420 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 12/54 H04L 12/58 H04N 1/00 104

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] A facsimile server computer which receives and stores facsimile data from a plurality of facsimile apparatuses with one facsimile number, and a plurality of clients connected to the facsimile server computer via a network A method for distributing the received facsimile data stored in the facsimile server computer according to a predetermined classification, wherein a storage destination of the received facsimile data based on a predetermined classification is stored in a parameter table in the facsimile server computer. The correspondence between the information and the facsimile number of the transmission source is set in advance, and if facsimile data is received from any of a plurality of facsimile apparatuses, the transmission included in the header portion of the received facsimile data is performed. The parameter table is searched by the original facsimile number, the storage destination information corresponding to the transmission source facsimile number is obtained, and the received facsimile data is stored in the storage area indicated by the storage destination information, thereby receiving from the plurality of facsimile apparatuses. And filing the received facsimile data based on a predetermined classification.