JP3741412B2 - Internet FAX - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an Internet FAX capable of transmitting and receiving FAX data using an IP (Internet Protocol) network such as the Internet or an intranet.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an Internet FAX capable of transmitting and receiving FAX data using an IP network such as the Internet or an intranet (hereinafter referred to as Internet FAX), it has a broadcast transmission function for simultaneously transmitting FAX data to a plurality of receiving side devices. There is something.
[0003]
As this type of Internet FAX, FAX data can be transmitted to one or more personal computers (PCs) equipped with mail client software via the Internet or an intranet, and at the same time, one or more G3- Some ordinary facsimile machines such as FAX can transmit FAX data.
[0004]
Incidentally, in the mail client software, there are three types of destination designation methods: “TO:”, “CC:”, and “BCC:”.
[0005]
“TO:” is used to specify the original destination of the mail. "CC:" is an abbreviation for Carbon Copy, and "BCC:" is an abbreviation for Blind Carbon Copy, both of which are used when sending a reference to another person other than the original address of the mail. Used to designate another person. However, the destination specified by “CC:” is also displayed to recipients other than the destination, but the destination specified by “BCC:” is displayed to recipients other than the destination. Not.
[0006]
In the conventional Internet FAX, since all the broadcast transmission destinations are designated by “TO:”, all the recipients are notified of all the broadcast transmission destinations. When there is a destination that the receiver does not want to be known, for example, a FAX number, in the broadcast transmission destination, it is inconvenient because it is necessary to transmit FAX data individually for that destination. is there. In addition, since all the broadcast transmission destinations are treated equally, there is a problem that it is impossible to specify who the main recipient is.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention provides an Internet FAX capable of preventing a broadcast recipient from knowing a destination address that is a FAX number among a plurality of destination addresses when broadcast transmission is performed. For the purpose.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The Internet FAX according to the invention is an input means for inputting a destination address when performing broadcast transmission. Every time the destination address is input by the input means, it is determined whether the destination address is a mail address or a FAX number. Means for judging, if the destination address is a mail address, means for storing the inputted destination address as a TO address, and if the destination address is a FAX number, the inputted destination address is Means for storing as a BCC address, and means for writing a destination address stored as a TO address in a mail header as a TO address, but not writing a destination address stored as a BCC address in a mail header It is characterized by being.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile communication system.
[0013]
A facsimile apparatus (hereinafter referred to as Internet FAX) 11 capable of transmitting and receiving FAX data using an IP (Internet Protocol) network such as the Internet or an intranet, a plurality of PCs 12 and 13 equipped with mail client software, and a LAN 10 A mail server 14 is connected.
[0014]
The Internet FAX 11 is connected to a normal facsimile machine (FAX) 31 such as G3-FAX via a public telephone line (PSTN) 21. The Internet FAX 11 is connected to another Internet FAX 41 via a public telephone line (PSTN) 21, an Internet provider mail server 22, the Internet 23, and a LAN 40.
[0015]
A router 42, a mail server 43, and the like are connected to the LAN 40 connected to the Internet FAX 41.
[0016]
A case where the Internet FAX 11 performs broadcast transmission and transmits FAX data to the PC 12, the PC 13, the facsimile apparatus 31, and the Internet FAX 41 will be described. Here, the mail address assigned to the PC 12 is “MainRecipient@xxx.co.jp”, the mail address assigned to the PC 13 is “SubRecipient@xxx.co.jp”, and the FAX number of the facsimile machine 31 is “12345567890”. ", And the domain assigned to the Internet FAX 41 is" fax.xxx.co.jp ". Also, relay instruction communication is performed for the Internet FAX 41.
[0017]
FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the Internet FAX 11.
[0018]
The Internet FAX 11 includes a reading unit 101 that optically reads a document image and converts it into an image signal, a recording unit 102 that records a received image signal on a recording sheet, an operation display unit 103 including a display and operation keys, a public telephone A communication control unit 104 for performing transmission / reception using the line 21, a LAN connection unit 105 for performing transmission / reception using the LAN 10, and a main control unit 106 for controlling these devices are provided. The main control unit 106 includes a ROM 111 that stores the program, a RAM 112 that stores necessary data, and a rewritable nonvolatile memory 113.
[0019]
FIG. 3 shows a processing procedure at the time of broadcast transmission of the Internet FAX 11.
[0020]
First, when the broadcast transmission mode is selected by the user (step 1), a broadcast transmission operation screen is displayed on the operation display unit 103 (step 2).
[0021]
On this broadcast transmission operation screen, the user designates an address designated by “TO:” (hereinafter referred to as TO address), an address designated by “CC:” (hereinafter referred to as CC address), and “BCC:”. An address (hereinafter referred to as a BCC address), a mail document, a document reading command, and a transmission command are input.
[0022]
When the user inputs a TO address (step 3), the input TO address is stored as a broadcast transmission destination (destination), and the input TO address is written as a TO address in the mail header (step 4). . In this example, it is assumed that the mail address “MainRecipient@xxx.co.jp” assigned to the PC 12 is input as the TO address.
[0023]
When the user inputs a CC address (step 5), the input CC address is stored as a broadcast transmission destination (destination), and the input CC address is written as a CC address in the mail header (step 6). . In this example, it is assumed that the mail address “SubRecipient@xxx.co.jp” assigned to the PC 13 is input as the CC address.
[0024]
When the user inputs a BCC address (step 7), the input BCC address is stored as a broadcast transmission destination (destination) (step 8). However, the input BCC address is not written in the mail header. In this example, the FAX number “12345567890” of the facsimile apparatus 31 is input as the CC address, and the address “FAX=+0987654321@fax.xxx.co” for relay transmission from the Internet FAX 41 to the facsimile apparatus of a predetermined transfer destination. .Jp "is input.
[0025]
“Fax.xxx.co.jp” at the address “FAX=+0987654321@fax.xxx.co.jp” indicates a domain assigned to the Internet FAX 41 as a relay station, and “0987654321” indicates a destination facsimile apparatus. The FAX number is shown.
[0026]
FIG. 4 shows the input TO address, CC address, and BCC address.
[0027]
When a mail document is input (step 9), it is stored as a mail document (step 10).
[0028]
When a document reading command is input by the user (step 11), the document image is read and stored (step 12).
[0029]
When a transmission start command is input (step 13), FAX data transmission processing including image data read from the mail header, mail document, and document is performed (step 14).
[0030]
In other words, the Internet FAX 11 transmits FAX data to the mail server 14 by communicating with the mail server 14 via the LAN 10. The mail server 14 accumulates the received FAX data. The PC 12 and the PC 13 access the mail server 14 to acquire FAX data addressed to itself stored in the mail server 14.
[0031]
The Internet FAX 11 transmits FAX data to the mail server 22 by communicating with the mail server 22 through the public telephone line 21. The mail server 22 sends the received FAX data to the mail server 43 via the Internet 23, the router 42 and the LAN 40. The mail server 43 accumulates the received FAX data. The Internet FAX 41 obtains FAX data addressed to itself stored in the mail server 43 by accessing the mail server 43. The Internet FAX 41 transfers the mail header and image data in the FAX data to the destination facsimile machine.
[0032]
Further, the Internet FAX 11 communicates with the facsimile apparatus 31 via the public telephone line 21 to transmit the mail header and image data in the FAX data to the facsimile apparatus 31.
[0033]
FIG. 5 shows an example of a reception screen displayed on the PC 12 and the PC 13.
[0034]
The sender (yyyfax@yyy.co, jp), reception date, and destination (TO address, CC address) on this reception screen are created based on the mail header of the received FAX data, but the BCC address is the mail header. Because it is not written in, it disappears.
[0035]
FIG. 6 shows another processing procedure at the time of broadcast transmission of the Internet FAX 11.
[0036]
First, when the broadcast transmission mode is selected by the user (step 21), a broadcast transmission operation screen is displayed on the operation display unit 103 (step 22).
[0037]
The user inputs a destination address, a mail document, a document reading command, and a transmission command on the broadcast transmission operation screen.
[0038]
Each time the user inputs a destination address (step 23), it is determined whether the input destination address is a mail address or a FAX number (step 24). If the input destination address is a mail address, the input destination address is stored as a broadcast transmission destination (destination), and the input destination address is written in the mail header as a TO address ( Step 25).
[0039]
If the input destination address is a FAX number, the input destination address is stored as a broadcast transmission destination (destination) (step 26). However, in this case, the input destination address is not written in the mail header.
[0040]
When a mail document is input (step 27), it is stored as a mail document (step 28).
[0041]
When a document reading command is input by the user (step 29), the document image is read and stored (step 30).
[0042]
When a transmission start command is input (step 31), fax data transmission processing including image data read from the mail header, the mail document, and the document is performed (step 32).
[0043]
When the processing as shown in FIG. 6 is performed, the FAX number input as the destination is automatically stored as the BCC address, so that it is not displayed on the receiving side device.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when broadcast transmission is performed , a destination address that is a FAX number among a plurality of destination addresses can be prevented from being known to the broadcast recipient.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile communication system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration of the Internet FAX 11;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of broadcast transmission of the Internet FAX 11;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an input TO address, CC address, and BCC address.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a reception screen displayed on the PC 12 and the PC 13;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another processing procedure at the time of broadcast transmission of the Internet FAX 11;
[Explanation of symbols]
10 LAN
11 Internet FAX
12, 13 PC
14 Mail Server 21 Public Telephone Line 22 Mail Server 23 Internet 106 Main Control Unit 111 ROM
112 RAM

Claims (1)

An input means for inputting a destination address when performing broadcast transmission,
Means for determining whether the destination address is a mail address or a FAX number each time the destination address is input by the input means;
Means for storing the input destination address as a TO address when the destination address is a mail address;
Means for storing the input destination address as a BCC address if the destination address is a FAX number; and
Means for writing the destination address stored as the TO address in the mail header as the TO address, but not writing the destination address stored as the BCC address in the mail header;
Internet FAX characterized by comprising.

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