JP3596769B2 - Communication device and data transmission method and program therefor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication device, a data transmission method thereof, and a program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, one printer, facsimile, scanner, and the like are shared by disposing terminal devices such as a plurality of personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as PCs), servers, printers, facsimiles, scanners, and the like using an in-house LAN. A network system has been built for use.
[0003]
In this network system, when transmitting data, for example, when transmitting image data from a network scanner to a PC, the data is directly transmitted to the PC by designating the IP address of the PC. On the other hand, e-mail using the Internet is temporarily stored in a server and transmitted from the server to a destination.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For this reason, broadcast transmission by e-mail is realized by the server transmitting to a plurality of destinations, so that transmission can be performed almost infinitely. However, broadcast transmission when data is directly transmitted between devices in the network system as described above. Could be broadcast only to a certain number of destinations due to limitations imposed by memory capacity and the number of network connections.
[0005]
Also, in the case of broadcast transmission by e-mail using the Internet and direct data transmission between devices in the above network system, if all transmission operations are not completed, it is determined whether or not transmission to all specified destinations is possible. I could not confirm. Therefore, if the transmission result indicates that the server is down, the power of the transmission destination device is down, or the transmission destination is incorrect, and the transmission result indicates that there is a destination, the user cannot transmit again later. Had to resend to the destination.
[0006]
For example, when image data is broadcasted and transmitted by a network scanner, if there is a destination that could not be transmitted, retransmit by another means such as facsimile, scan again and transmit again later, or The image data is transmitted by designating the PC as the transmission destination, and it is necessary to retransmit the image data to the destination that could not be transmitted from the PC, which has made the operation complicated.
[0007]
Also, in the broadcast transmission, it is not possible to cancel the transmission to the successfully transmitted destination just because there was a destination that could not be transmitted. Therefore, it is wise to use other means such as facsimile when it is desired to transmit to all destinations at the same time.
[0008]
In view of the above problems, the present invention can eliminate the limited number of destinations without increasing the number of network connections at the time of broadcast transmission, and can confirm whether communication with the transmission destination is possible before data transmission. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device that can perform the communication.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a data transmission method according to the present invention is a data transmission method in which a communication device broadcasts to a plurality of communication destination terminal devices arranged via a network,
Each time there is a destination input in the communication device,
Accessing the communication destination terminal device of the input destination;
Disconnecting if it can be connected to the destination terminal device;
Notifying the communication terminal device if it cannot be connected,
Storing the destination of the connected communication destination terminal device as a destination list,
When there is no input of the next destination in the communication device,
Data is sequentially transmitted to destinations in the destination list.
[0010]
In the above data transmission method, when there is no input of the next destination in the communication device,
An original may be read to create data, and the data may be sequentially transmitted to the destinations in the destination list.
[0011]
In this way, at the time of the broadcast transmission, the limited number of destinations can be eliminated without increasing the number of network connections by sequentially transmitting, repeating connection, transmission, and disconnection for each communication destination terminal device. In addition, by once accessing the communication destination terminal device before transmitting data and confirming whether communication is possible, the user can select only the communication destination terminal device with which communication is possible and transmit the data. .
[0012]
Further, the data transmission method according to the present invention, in the data transmission method when the communication device transmits an e-mail via the mail server,
The communication device accessing the mail server;
Disconnecting if it can connect to the mail server and prompting for an address;
Sending an e-mail to the destination if there is an input of the destination;
And notifying the user if the mail server cannot be connected.
[0013]
As described above, by confirming whether or not communication is possible by accessing the mail server once before transmitting the e-mail, it is possible to confirm whether or not the e-mail can be transmitted before creating the image data. Can be.
[0014]
Further, a program according to the present invention realizes the above data transmission method.
[0015]
Further, a communication device according to the present invention includes means for performing the data transmission method.
[0016]
The communication device is a network scanner or an image forming device connectable to a network.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network system using the network scanner of the present invention. This network system constructed with an in-house LAN or the like includes a network scanner 10 that can read image data and transmit the image data to each terminal device, and a plurality of personal computers that can receive image data from the network scanner 10 and transmit and receive e-mail. This is hereinafter referred to as PC) 11a to 11n, and a mail server 12 for temporarily storing electronic mail.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the network scanner 10 of the present invention. The network scanner 10 converts an image of a document such as a picture, a character, or a photograph into an electric signal in pixel units by using a line sensor or a CCD (solid-state imaging device), and reads the image as image data. 20, a bitmap memory 21 for temporarily storing the image data read by 20, a CODEC (coder-decoder) 22 for MMR compression or JPEG compression of the image data stored in the bitmap memory 21, and image data compressed by the CODEC 22 (HDD) 23 which acquires and accumulates the data via a bitmap memory 21 and a CPU which enables the image data from the HDD 23 to be converted into TIFF / PDF format and directly transmitted to each PC or transmitted by e-mail. 24, reading unit 20, bitmap memory 21 A memory management unit 25 connected to the CODEC 22, HDD 23, and CPU 24, a network management unit 26 including a network interface card (NIC) and connected to a LAN line, and a touch panel 27 that can be displayed on the screen and operated by inputting. Be composed.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network scanner 10 when broadcasting image data read by the network scanner 10 to a plurality of PCs. When the PC send button is pressed on the touch panel 27 on which the PC send button (not shown) and the e-mail send button (not shown) are displayed, and the destination PC is selected in step 30, the process proceeds to step S31. Access the destination PC.
[0020]
The process proceeds from step S31 to step S32 to determine whether or not the connection to the transmission destination PC has been established. If the connection to the transmission destination PC can be established in step S32, the process proceeds to step S33 to disconnect the connection. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 to store the address of the transmission destination PC in a destination list (not shown). Then, the process proceeds to step S35 to determine whether the next destination PC is selected. If the next transmission destination is selected in step 35, the process returns to step S30.
[0021]
On the other hand, if it is not possible to connect to the destination PC in step S32, that is, if the power of the destination PC is turned off or if the address of the selected destination is incorrectly registered, the process proceeds to step S40. An error is displayed on the touch panel 27. For example, "Please confirm the destination PC" can be displayed. Thereafter, the process returns to step S30, and the destination PC is selected again.
[0022]
On the other hand, if the next destination has not been selected in step S35, that is, if the selection of the destination desired by the user has been completed, the process proceeds to step S36, where the reading unit 20 reads the original and creates image data.
[0023]
Next, the process proceeds to step S37 to connect to the destination PC in the destination list, and proceeds to step S38 to transmit and disconnect the image data. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S39 to determine whether or not there is an untransmitted destination in the destination list. If there is a destination that has not been transmitted in step S39, the process returns to step S37 and transmits to that destination. On the other hand, if there is no untransmitted destination in step S39, that is, if transmission to all destinations in the destination list has been completed, the broadcast transmission ends.
[0024]
As described above, when broadcasting from the network scanner 10 to a plurality of PCs, the limited number of destinations can be eliminated without increasing the number of network connections by sequentially transmitting, repeating connection, transmission, and disconnection for each destination PC. be able to. In addition, by once accessing the transmission destination PC and confirming whether communication is possible before transmitting data, the user can select only the transmission destination PC with which communication is possible and transmit the data.
[0025]
Therefore, if there is a destination that cannot be transmitted to some of the destinations when a broadcast transmission is desired, stop reading the original and cancel the transmission, or add your own PC to the destination PC. Then, the user can later transmit from his / her own PC to an untransmitted destination PC.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network scanner 10 when transmitting image data read by the network scanner 10 by e-mail via the mail server 12. When the e-mail transmission button is pressed on the touch panel 27 on which the PC transmission button (not shown) and the e-mail transmission button (not shown) are displayed, the mail server 12 is accessed in step 50. Next, the process proceeds to step S51 to determine whether or not the connection to the mail server 12 has been established. If it is possible to connect to the mail server 12 in step S51, the process proceeds to step S52 to disconnect the connection.
[0027]
Then, the process proceeds from the step S52 to the step S53 to display on the touch panel 27 a prompt for inputting the destination e-mail address. The process proceeds from step S53 to step S54, and when an e-mail address is input, the process proceeds to step S55, where the reading unit 20 reads a document and creates image data. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S56 to connect to the mail server 12, and proceeds to step S57 to transmit data.
[0028]
On the other hand, if the connection to the mail server 12 cannot be established in step S51, that is, if the mail server 12 has been down, the process proceeds to step S58, and an error is displayed on the touch panel 27. For example, "Cannot connect to mail server" can be displayed. Thereafter, the e-mail transmission processing ends.
[0029]
As described above, once the e-mail is transmitted, the mail server 12 is accessed once to confirm whether communication is possible, thereby confirming whether the e-mail can be transmitted before creating image data. be able to.
[0030]
Therefore, even when a broadcast transmission is desired, a notification that transmission was not possible is not received after all destinations have been entered and transmitted. You can send it again later from your PC.
[0031]
Although the present embodiment has been described using a network scanner as a communication device, the present invention can be similarly applied to an image forming apparatus connectable to a network.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, at the time of broadcast transmission, the limited number of destinations can be eliminated without increasing the number of network connections by sequentially transmitting, repeating connection, transmission, and disconnection for each destination terminal device. In addition, by once accessing the communication destination terminal device before transmitting data and confirming whether communication is possible, the user can select only the communication destination terminal device with which communication is possible and transmit the data. .
[0033]
Further, according to the present invention, by confirming whether or not communication is possible by accessing the mail server once before transmitting an e-mail, it is possible to confirm whether or not the e-mail can be transmitted before creating data. can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network system using a network scanner of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a network scanner according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the network scanner when broadcasting to a plurality of PCs;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the network scanner when transmitting by e-mail.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Network scanner (communication device)
11a-11n PC (communication destination terminal device)
12 mail server

Claims (6)

In a data transmission method when a communication device broadcasts to a plurality of communication destination terminal devices arranged via a network,
Each time there is a destination input in the communication device,
Accessing the communication destination terminal device of the input destination;
Disconnecting if it can be connected to the destination terminal device;
Notifying the communication terminal device if it cannot be connected,
Storing the destination of the connected communication destination terminal device as a destination list,
When there is no input of the next destination in the communication device,
A data transmission method characterized by sequentially transmitting data to destinations in the destination list. When there is no input of the next destination in the communication device,
2. The data transmission method according to claim 1, wherein a document is read, data is created, and data is sequentially transmitted to destinations in the destination list. In a data transmission method when a communication device transmits an e-mail via a mail server,
The communication device accessing the mail server;
Disconnecting if it can connect to the mail server and prompting for an address;
Sending an e-mail to the destination if there is an input of the destination;
Notifying the mail server if it cannot be connected to the mail server. A program for realizing the data transmission method according to claim 1. A communication device comprising means for performing the data transmission method according to claim 1. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein the communication device is a network scanner or an image forming device connectable to a network.

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