JP3439100B2 - Communication terminal device and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal device capable of receiving image information transmitted via the Internet and printing the received image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a technique for transmitting image information output from a facsimile machine or a scanner via the Internet.

For example, the transmitted image information is received by a receiving computer, the computer is operated to display the received image information on a display, and whether the displayed content is content to be printed. If the contents are to be printed, the printer is started, and the printer displays the contents displayed above.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional communication terminal device, the received image information is displayed on the display, and it is judged whether or not it is necessary to print by viewing the displayed image information. There is a problem that it takes a lot of work because a procedure of printing from a printer is required.

In particular, when facsimile data is frequently transmitted and received between companies, it takes a lot of time and labor, and the work efficiency for printing the received image data is poor.

That is, the above-mentioned conventional communication terminal device has a problem that it cannot automatically perform from receiving to printing, unlike a normal facsimile device.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to realize a communication terminal device capable of automatically printing, by a printer, image information that needs to be printed, out of image information received via the Internet.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a computer according to claim 1 for receiving image information via the Internet, and the image information received by the computer. In a communication terminal device having a printer that prints
The printer powers on when a power-on command signal output from the computer is input,
It is configured to print the image information output from the computer based on a print command signal output from the computer, and the computer is facsimile data in which the received image information is transmitted via the Internet. If it is determined that the data is facsimile data, then the printer outputs the print command signal after outputting the power-on command signal to the printer, then converts the received image information into print data, and then the printer. And it is judged that it is not facsimile data.
Output the received image information to the printer
The technical means that it is configured not to use is used.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a computer for receiving image information via the Internet,
A facsimile in which the received image information is transmitted via the Internet in a storage medium storing a program for controlling the computer in a communication terminal device having a printer for printing the image information received by the computer on a print medium It is determined whether the data is data, and when it is determined that the data is facsimile data, the print command signal is output after outputting the power-on command signal to the printer, and then the received image information is converted into print data. Output to the printer later and send
If it is determined that the image data is not similar data, the received image is received.
A technical means called a storage medium that stores a computer program including a program for preventing image information from being output to the printer is used.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the computer determines whether the received image information is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, and when it is determined that the image information is facsimile data, the computer is powered on. After outputting the start-up command signal, the print command signal is output, then the received image information is converted into print data and then output to the printer, and it is determined that the data is not facsimile data.
If it is set, the received image information is sent to the printer.
Do not output .

On the other hand, the printer turns on the power when the power-on command signal output from the computer is input and prints the image information output from the computer based on the print command signal output from the computer. To do.

Therefore, when the image information received by the computer is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, the facsimile data can be automatically printed by the printer, and thus the image information can be printed as in the conventional case. It is possible to save the trouble of the person who receives the message displaying the content of the received image information on the display, confirming that the displayed image information needs to be printed, and then printing it by the printer.

Further, since the power supply of the printer is started when the power supply start-up command signal output from the computer is input, the power consumption of the printer can be reduced.

Another object of the present invention is, as in the invention described in claim 2, a computer that receives image information via the Internet, and the image information received by the computer is printed on a print medium. When it is determined that the received image information is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet in a storage medium storing a program for controlling the computer in a communication terminal device having a printer, and it is determined that the image information is facsimile data When the print command signal is output to the printer, the print command signal is output to the printer, the received image information is converted to print data and then output to the printer, and it is determined that the data is not facsimile data.
If the received image information is output to the printer,
It can be realized by a storage medium that stores a computer program including a program for preventing it .

That is, for example, as described in the embodiment of the invention described later, by installing the program stored in the storage medium into a computer,
The computer can function as the computer according to claim 1.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a communication terminal device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Note that, as the communication terminal device of this embodiment, a communication terminal device installed in each department in a company will be described below as a representative.

First, the structure of a communication line to which the communication terminal device of this embodiment is connected will be described with reference to FIG.

Inside the company C, a communication terminal device 1 is installed for each department. The communication terminal device 1 includes a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC) 2 and a P
It is composed of C2 and a printer 3 connected by a connection cable 4.

The PC 2 provided in each communication terminal device 1 is
It is connected to the HUB 6 via the LAN line 5,
B6 is connected to a mail server 7 that delivers electronic mail. The mail server 7 is connected to a telephone exchange 9 by a telephone line 8, and the telephone exchange 9 is connected to the ISP (Internet) that the mail server 7 has a contract with.
t Service Provider) 10 is connected to the Internet A. Internet A
Is the IS to which the destination facsimile machine 13 has contracted.
It is connected to P11, and ISP11 is the telephone exchange 1.
It is connected to the facsimile machine 13 via the No. 2.

Further, the telephone exchange 9 and the telephone exchange 12
Are connected by the public telecommunications switching network B.

The facsimile device 13 has a function of transmitting the read information read by the image scanner, which is the built-in reading means of the present invention, via the Internet A or the public communication exchange network B.

Next, the configurations of the PC 2 and the printer 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

The PC 2 has a computer main body 21 having a built-in CPU, a keyboard 22, a mouse 23, and C.
The RT monitor 24 is provided, and the printer 3 is connected to the computer main body 21 by the connection cable 4. Further, the computer main body 21 is provided with an FD drive 26 for driving a 3.5-inch floppy disk (hereinafter abbreviated as FD) and a CD-ROM drive 27 for driving a CD-ROM.

Next, the electrical configuration of the PC 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which shows it in blocks.

Inside the computer main body 21, a CP for executing a print command for the printer 3, an operating system, various application programs, and the like.
U25 is provided. The CPU 25 has a hard disk drive (hereinafter, HD) for accumulating various programs read by the FD drive 26 or the CD-ROM drive 27 and received e-mails.
21d), a LAN board 28 as receiving means of the present invention for receiving an electronic mail received by the mail server 7 through the LAN line 5, and the LAN board 28.
R to temporarily store e-mails received by
The AM 21c, the ROM 21a, and the EEPROM 21b are connected.

In the present embodiment, the application program for issuing a print command to the printer 3 (hereinafter referred to as a print command program) is a CD-RO.
The print command program stored in a storage medium such as M or FD and stored in the storage medium is installed by the corresponding drive of the computer main body 21.

Next, regarding the electrical configuration of the printer 3,
This will be described with reference to FIG. 4, which shows it in blocks.

In this embodiment, an ink jet printer will be described as a typical printer.

The printer 3 receives the print data from the PC 2 via the interface (I / F) 31 and the CPU 30 that controls each part of the printer 3, and the print data can be printed by the inkjet head 3a described later. Gate array (G
/ A) 32. Between the CPU 30 and the gate array 32, a ROM 33 in which a work program and the like are stored, and an RA for temporarily storing the print data received by the gate array 32 from the PC 2
M34 and M34, and receives necessary data between them.

Further, the CPU 30 has a paper sensor 35 for detecting the presence or absence of the printing paper P (see FIG. 2) which is the medium to be printed according to the present invention, an origin sensor 36 for detecting that the ink jet head 3a is at the home position, and an ink jet A motor driver 38 for driving a carriage motor 37 for moving a carriage carrying the head 3a, a motor driver 40 for driving a line feed motor 39, an operation panel 3b for giving various signals to the CPU 30 and the like are connected. . An image memory 41 for temporarily storing the expanded image data is connected to the gate array 32. The head driver 42 operates based on the print data (image data) output from the gate array 32, the transfer clock, and the print clock to drive the inkjet head 3a. The gate array 32 includes an encoder sensor 44 that measures the moving speed of the carriage and determines the print timing.
Is also connected.

Next, when the PC 2 receives the e-mail sent from the mail server 7, and the image information attached to the received e-mail is printed by the printer 3, the print command processing of the CPU 25 is executed. The contents will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5 showing the contents.

First, when the polling time for the ISP 10 is reached, the mail server 7 dials the ISP 10, receives the electronic mail addressed to the company C stored in the ISP 10, and receives the received electronic mail from the electronic mail. PC2 of the email address shown in the email
Send to.

The CPU 25 provided in the PC 2
Receives the e-mail (Step 10: Yes
s), the received e-mail is stored in the HDD 21d (step 20). Subsequently, when the CPU 25 completes the storage of the email (step 30: Yes), it determines whether or not a file is attached to the stored email (step 40), and if the file is attached (step 40). Step 40: Yes), the format of the file is TIFF (Tag Image File Format)
It is determined whether it is t) (step 50).

That is, it is determined whether or not the file is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet.

Subsequently, when the CPU 25 determines that the file format is TIFF (step 50: Yes).
s), the power supply start-up command signal is output to the printer 3 (step 60), and the print command signal is output (step 70).
Subsequently, the CPU 25 reads the data indicating the contents of the electronic mail and the attached file from the HDD 21d (step 80), converts the read data into print data, and outputs the print data to the printer 3 (step 90).

The contents of the printing process executed by the CPU 30 of the printer 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the CPU 30 receives the power-on command signal output from the CPU 25 (step 100: Ye
s), power source 43 is started up (step 110), CPU2
The print data output from No. 5 is input and stored in the RAM 34 (step 120). Subsequently, the CPU 30 takes out the print data stored in the RAM 34 and develops it into image data in the gate array 32. Then, the expanded image data is stored in the image memory 4
1 is sequentially stored (step 130), and when the storage for one page is completed (step 140: Yes), the stored image data for one page is read (step 150) and printing is executed (step 160). ). Then, the CPU 30 repeats the processing from step 120 to step 160 until the printing of the data for all pages is completed (step 170).

As described above, by using the communication terminal device 1 of this embodiment, it is determined whether the format of the file attached to the electronic mail received from the mail server 7 is TIFF, and the determination result is TIFF. If so, the file can be printed automatically.

Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of displaying the content of the electronic mail each time it is received, confirming that the format of the attached file is TIFF, and then causing the printer to print, as in the conventional case. it can.

In particular, as in the present embodiment, when the facsimile data read by the reading means between companies is frequently attached to e-mail for communication, the attached file is printed after the e-mail is received. It is possible to considerably improve the work efficiency up to and to have the function equivalent to that of an ordinary facsimile machine.

By the way, step 60 and step 70 executed by the CPU 25 function as the print command means of the present invention, and step 60 functions as the start command signal output means.

[0043]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the received image information is the facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, the image information is automatically printed by the printer. Since it is configured so that the person who receives the image information needs to display the content of the received image information on the display and print the displayed image information as in the conventional case. It is possible to save the trouble of printing with a printer after confirmation.

Further, since the power supply of the printer is started when the power supply start-up command signal output from the computer is input, the power consumption of the printer can be reduced.

According to the invention of claim 2, a communication terminal having a computer for receiving image information via the Internet and a printer for printing the image information received by the computer on a print medium. In a storage medium storing a program for controlling the computer in the apparatus, it is determined whether the received image information is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, and if it is determined that the image information is facsimile data, the printer is powered by the power source. off with outputting a print command signal after outputting the rising command signal and then output to the printer after converting the received image information into print data
If it is determined that the data is not excimer data,
The storage medium stores a computer program including a program for preventing the output of the image information to the printer. Therefore, the program stored in the storage medium is installed in the computer. As a result, the computer can function as the computer according to claim 1.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a block diagram of a configuration of a communication line to which a communication terminal device of the present embodiment is connected.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing appearances of a PC and a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrical configuration of the PC shown in FIG. 2 in blocks.

4 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrical configuration of the printer shown in FIG. 2 in blocks.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the contents of print command processing executed by the CPU 25.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the content of print processing executed by the CPU 30.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Communication terminal 2 PC 3 printers 5 LAN line 25 CPU 28 LAN board (reception means) 30 CPU 43 power supply A Internet C company P Printing paper (printing medium)

Continued front page       (56) References JP-A-8-242326 (JP, A)                 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-133967 (JP, A)                 Actually open 63-33232 (JP, U)                 Hisashi Ibaraki, "Using the Internet               LAN direct connection type facsimile NTTFA               Xi-400 ", NTT Technology Journal,               Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, (November 1997.               01), Volume 9, No. 11, P. 84-85                 Toshihisa Sawada, “Intranet / Internet               -Free that can use e-mail on the Internet                 Port i66 ", computer & network               Network LAN, (July 01, 1997),               Vol. 15, No. 7, P. 97-100                 Kazuma Ando, "F via internet               Send cheaply as if you were using an AX transmission line ”, Nikkei               Communication, (1996.05.               20), No. 222, p. 59-61

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A communication terminal device comprising: a computer for receiving image information via the Internet; and a printer for printing the image information received by the computer on a print medium, wherein the printer outputs from the computer. Is configured to print the image information output from the computer based on the print instruction signal output from the computer, while the power is turned on when the power up command signal is input. Determines whether the received image information is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, and when it determines that the image information is facsimile data, outputs the power-on command signal to the printer and then outputs the print command signal. Then, after converting the received image information into print data, Not a facsimile data to output to the serial printer
If it is determined that the received image information is
A communication terminal device, characterized in that it is configured not to output to a computer. 2. A program for controlling a computer in a communication terminal device having a computer for receiving image information via the Internet and a printer for printing the image information received by the computer on a print medium is stored. In the storage medium, it is determined whether the received image information is facsimile data transmitted via the Internet, and if it is determined that the image information is facsimile data, the print command signal is output after the power-on command signal is output to the printer. Is output, and then the received image information is converted to print data and then output to the printer and is not facsimile data.
If it is determined that the received image information is
A storage medium storing a computer program including a program for prohibiting output to a computer.