JP3857104B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, image data can be confidentially received by a facsimile protocol, encrypted and transferred as an e-mail attachment file to one or a plurality of destinations, or a document image is read by an image reading unit. The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus capable of generating an image file, encrypting the image file, and transmitting the encrypted image file to one or more destinations as an e-mail attachment file.
[0002]
[Prior art]
With the rapid spread of the Internet in recent years, Internet facsimile machines and network scanners having an e-mail transmission function have been adopted by companies and the like.
For example, an Internet facsimile machine has an e-mail transmission / reception function capable of transmitting / receiving an image file attached to an e-mail. Since the Internet facsimile machine performs transmission / reception of electronic mail via a LAN / Internet line, it is extremely fast compared with a conventional facsimile machine using a public line (telephone line) (facsimile machine using G2 and G3 facsimile protocols). Image file transmission / reception is realized. Normally, an Internet facsimile machine has a conventional facsimile communication function using a public line (telephone line).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When an e-mail with an attached image file is sent to the Internet facsimile machine, the attached image file is automatically printed or printed by a user operation that knows that an e-mail has been received. The For this reason, the content of the image file may be browsed by a user other than the user who should browse the image file.
In addition, an image file attached to an e-mail transmitted from an Internet facsimile machine may be stored in a mail server. Usually, an image file stored in a mail server is posted on an electronic bulletin board (usually a local bulletin board) in a state where it can be accessed by a terminal computer. When the image file addressed to the terminal computer is posted on the bulletin board, the user of the terminal computer can download the image file (that is, download from the mail server) and use it for printing, etc. The content of the image file may be browsed by a user other than the user who should browse.
[0004]
By the way, in a conventional facsimile apparatus that performs transmission / reception of image data by a facsimile protocol (G2, G3 protocol), a confidential transmission / reception technique in which only a specific user can print is known. In this confidential transmission / reception technology, a password (that is, referred to as “confidential ID”) is assigned in advance to the image data on the transmission side, and the confidential ID is compared with the ID prepared by the reception-side user on the reception side. And printing is performed only when these IDs match.
[0005]
It is possible to extend this confidential transmission / reception technology to an electronic mail to which an image file is attached. For example, the electronic mail itself can be encrypted, and the electronic mail can be opened only when the confidential ID matches the ID input by the receiving user. However, when there are a plurality of image files addressed to different users in one electronic mail, the same problem as described above occurs.
[0006]
Therefore, it is conceivable to encrypt the image file attached to the e-mail, but the image file format (TIFF-F) transmitted / received by the Internet facsimile apparatus does not have an encryption function. In order to realize this encryption, it is necessary to separately encrypt an image file by installing an encryption function in the Internet facsimile machine.
FIG. 10A is a system configuration diagram in which an Internet facsimile apparatus is connected to a network, and FIG. 10B is a hardware block diagram of an Internet facsimile apparatus having an encryption function.
In FIG. 10A, the Internet facsimile machine 81 is directly connected to the Internet 300, but may be connected via a LAN (packet network) not shown. A LAN (packet network) 900 is connected to the Internet 300. A router 91, a mail server 92, and a plurality of terminal computers (only the terminal computer 93 is shown in FIG. 10A) are connected to the LAN 900.
[0007]
As shown in FIG. 10B, the Internet facsimile machine 81 includes a control device 811 (including a CPU 8111, ROM 8112, and RAM 8113), an image storage device 812, a communication circuit (LAN interface 8131, modem 8132) 813, an operation port. 814 and an encryption chip 815. In FIG. 10B, illustration of components such as a scanner circuit and a plotter circuit is omitted.
[0008]
In the Internet facsimile apparatus 81 configured as shown in FIG. 10B, when the image file is to be sent confidentially, it is conceivable that the image file is encrypted using the confidential ID as the decryption key as described below.
11A and 11B, processing when image data with a confidential ID received from another facsimile apparatus via the modem 813 by the facsimile protocol is transferred as an image file attached to an e-mail to a predetermined address. An example is shown.
First, as shown in FIG. 11A, in advance, the control device 811 sends a confidential ID and a transfer destination e-mail address (hereinafter referred to as “mail address”) from the user via an operation port 814 in advance. (S501) and registered in the ROM 8112 (S502).
As shown in FIG. 11B, when the Internet facsimile machine 81 receives the image data, it stores it in the image storage device 812 (S511), and whether or not the received image data is confidential transfer (whether it is accompanied by a confidential ID). (S512), an image file is created when accompanied by a confidential ID (S513), an e-mail attached with the image file is created (S517), and the e-mail is forwarded to the forwarding mail address (S518).
On the other hand, when the received image data is accompanied by a confidential ID, an image file is created (S514), and the confidential ID is read from the ROM 8112 (S515), and the confidential ID is used as the decryption key to encrypt the image file. (S516). Thereafter, an e-mail attached with the e-mail is created (S517) and transferred to the e-mail address of the transfer destination (S518). In the above example, the confidential ID is set in the ROM 8112 in advance. However, it may be set at each transmission.
[0009]
FIG. 12 shows an example of processing when image data read by the image reading device is transmitted as an image file attached to an e-mail to a predetermined e-mail address. In FIG. 12, first, the user is allowed to select whether or not confidential transmission is performed. If confidential transmission is performed, processing corresponding to the case of not performing confidential transmission is performed (S601).
If confidential transmission is not performed, the mail address input by the user via the operation port 814 is acquired (S602). When the user presses the start button, the original image is read (S603), and an image file is created (S604). Thereafter, an e-mail attached with an image file is created (S610), and this is sent to the e-mail address (S611).
[0010]
On the other hand, if confidential transmission is selected, the confidential ID input by the user via the operation port 814 is acquired (S605). This confidential ID is stored in the RAM 8113.
When the start button is pressed, the original image is read (S606), the image file is created (S607), and the confidential ID stored in the RAM 8113 is read (S608). Thereafter, the image file is encrypted (S609), an e-mail attached with the image file is created (S610), and the e-mail is transmitted to the e-mail address (S611).
However, in any of the transfer methods using FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 12, only one mail address can be set for one image file, which is not necessarily convenient for the user. .
[0011]
Another object of the present invention is to convert image data received confidentially by a facsimile protocol into an image file, encrypt the image file, and transfer the image data to one or a plurality of mail addresses attached to an e-mail. Is to provide.
It is an object of the present invention to generate at least one image file by reading an original image by an image reading means, encrypt the image file, and send it as an e-mail attached to one or a plurality of mail addresses. To provide an apparatus.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The invention of the present application is an image communication apparatus including a registration unit that registers destination information of a transmission destination of image information and a predetermined identification character string in association with each other,Identification stringAnd input means for inputting, and the input means inputAn encryption unit that encrypts image information using an identification character string as an decryption key, and a destination in which the registration unit registers image information encrypted by the encryption unit in association with the identification character string. Transmitting means for transmitting based on the information, and decryption key transmitting means for separately transmitting the identification character string input by the input means to a transmission destination;It is provided with.
[0013]
  further,A determination unit that determines whether or not the identification character string input by the input unit is registered in the registration unit; and the determination unit determines that the identification character string is not registered in the registration unit Includes a receiving unit that receives input of destination information of a destination of image information, and the registration unit registers the destination information received by the receiving unit and the identification character string in association with each other. Also good.
[0014]
The identification character string is preferably a confidential ID used for confidential transmission of image information.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1A is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment in which the image communication apparatus of the present invention is applied to an Internet facsimile machine, and FIG. 1B is a hardware block diagram showing an outline of the Internet facsimile machine. . In FIG. 1A, a LAN (packet network) 100 and a LAN 200 are connected to the Internet 300.
An Internet facsimile machine 11 and a router 12 are connected to the LAN 100. The Internet facsimile machine 11 is connected to the Internet 300 via the router 12 and is connected to the telephone line 400 by a modem 1132 described later.
Further, the router 200, the mail server 22, and a plurality of terminal computers (only the terminal computer 23 is shown in FIG. 1A) are connected to the LAN 200. The mail server 22 can store electronic mail received from the Internet 300, and the terminal computer 23 is connected to the Internet 300.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 1B, the Internet facsimile machine 11 includes a control device 111, an image storage device 112, a communication circuit (LAN controller 1131, a modem 1132) 113, an operation port (hereinafter simply referred to as “operation port”). 114) and an encryption chip 115. In FIG. 1B, illustration of components that are not necessary for understanding the present embodiment, such as a scanner circuit and an encoding circuit, is omitted.
The control device 111 includes a CPU 1111, a ROM 1112, and a RAM 1113. The CPU 1111 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the Internet facsimile machine 11. The ROM 1112 stores processing programs for various operations of the CPU 1111 and can store confidential IDs, e-mail addresses, and the like, which will be described later. The RAM 1113 is used not only as a program work area, but also as a storage area for confidential IDs and mail addresses, which will be described later. The image storage device 112 encodes (compresses) image data received via the communication circuit 113, image data read by an image reading unit (not shown), an image file attached to an e-mail, and the like. Can be stored.
[0019]
The LAN controller 1131 includes an interface for connecting to the LAN 100 and controls packet input / output. The Internet facsimile machine 11 is connected to the Internet via the router 116, and the modem 1132 is connected to the telephone line 400. The Internet facsimile machine 11 can transmit / receive image data to / from the G2 facsimile machine or the G3 facsimile machine via the modem 1132.
The operation port 114 is an interface port such as a keyboard or a display of the operation panel 110 shown in FIG. The encryption chip 115 encrypts the image file stored in the image storage device 112. In this embodiment, encryption is performed by the encryption chip 115, but an encryption program is prepared in the ROM 1112, and the CPU 1111 executes the program to encrypt the data related to the read document image. You can also
[0020]
FIG. 2A shows a software configuration diagram of the Internet facsimile machine 11 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In FIG. 2A, the operation port control unit f101 performs processing for passing a signal input from the keyboard to the CPU 1111 or the like.
The plotter control unit f102 is a driver for printing the received image data. The scanner control unit f103 is a driver that controls the scanner mechanism when reading a document image. The overall control unit f104 performs overall control performed by the CPU 1111 described above. In FIG. 2A, the overall control unit f104 generates an e-mail, attaches an image file to be transmitted to the e-mail, broadcast transmission control of image data to a predetermined e-mail address, registration of user information, and the like. Is controlled.
[0021]
The image information management unit f105 is a management program for image data related to the read image and received image data. The image file creation unit f106 encodes the image data (read image data) generated by the scanner control unit f103, and generates an image file that can be attached to an e-mail. The image file encryption processing unit f107 performs packaging processing as necessary in addition to image file encryption processing. For example, Acrobat Reader (registered trademark) manufactured and sold by Adobe in the United States supports the RC4 encryption method of RSA in the United States, so this kind of software can be used for encryption in this embodiment. it can. It is also possible to use a compression / packaging method that supports a password (confidential ID), such as ZIP developed by PKWare, USA.
[0022]
The mail encryption processing unit f108 is a program that can execute, for example, the encrypted mail standard MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) process proposed by the RSA. The e-mail transmission / reception protocol processing unit f109 is a program that can execute, for example, Internet standard SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) processing. A DCR (Data Compression Reconstruction) control unit f110 is an image data encoding / decoding program.
The FAX protocol processing unit f111 is a processing program for a facsimile transmission / reception protocol using a telephone line. The MODEM control unit f112 is a control program for connecting a modem to a telephone line. The network protocol processing unit f113 is, for example, an Internet standard TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) processing program. The LAN controller control unit f114 can exchange (transmit / receive) packets with a device connected to the LAN 200.
[0023]
The “image data receiving means” of the present invention can be achieved by the FAX protocol processing unit f111 and the MODEM control unit f112, and the “image data converting means” of the present invention can be achieved by the image file creation unit f106. The “mail transmission means” can be achieved by the electronic mail transmission / reception protocol processing unit f109. The “encryption means” of the present invention can be achieved by the mail encryption processing unit f108, the “image reading means” of the present invention can be achieved by the scanner control unit f103, and the “identification character string providing means” of the present invention is an operation port. The control unit f101, the overall control unit f104, the ROM 1112 or the RAM 1113 can be used. Further, the “e-mail address table” of the present invention can be created in the storage area of the ROM 1112 or RAM 1113 as described above, and the “decryption key transmission means” of the present invention is achieved by an e-mail transmission / reception protocol processing unit or the like. The “decryption key concealing means” of the present invention can be achieved by the overall control unit f104.
[0024]
A first processing example of the Internet facsimile machine 11 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B will be described. Here, the Internet facsimile machine 11 converts image data received from another facsimile machine by a facsimile protocol (G3 or G4 protocol) into an image file, which is attached to an e-mail and transferred to the mail server 22 of the LAN 200. The case where it does is demonstrated.
First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the control device 111 acquires the confidential ID and the transfer destination address information from the user in advance via the operation port 114 (S101, S102). When the user inputs a plurality of confidential IDs and address information, the processes of S101 and S102 are repeated (S103). When the confidential ID and address information are entered (set), they are stored in a table in the ROM 1112. FIG. 8A shows an example of the contents of this table.
[0025]
When the Internet facsimile machine 11 receives image data including a confidential ID from another facsimile machine via the telephone line 400 using the G2 or G3 protocol, first, as shown in FIG. (Self ID) is acquired (S111), and it is checked whether or not the same confidential ID is registered in the table in the ROM 1112 (S112). When the same confidential ID is stored in the table, the received image data is temporarily stored in the image storage device 112 (S113), and the confidential reception is completed (S114). Next, the corresponding mail address is read from the table (S115), and image data is read from the image storage device 112 to create an image file (S116). Then, using the confidential ID as the decryption key, the image file is encrypted (S117), and an e-mail attached with the encrypted image file (hereinafter referred to as “encrypted image file”) is created (S118). Is transferred to a predetermined address (for example, the mail server 22 connected to the LAN 200) (S119).
[0026]
If the same confidential ID as the received confidential ID is not stored in the table in S112, the received image data is stored in the image storage device 112 (S120), and the confidential reception is completed (S121).
The confidential ID can determine whether or not confidential reception in which the confidential ID is specified by the F code SUB signal has been performed. It can also be determined by a method using non-standard (NSF / NSS).
[0027]
Next, a second processing example of the Internet facsimile machine 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (A), 4 (B) and FIG. In the second processing example, data relating to an image read by the image reading device is converted into an image file and sent confidentially to a predetermined mail address.
First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the control device 111 preliminarily receives an identification character string (for convenience, the second processing example is referred to as “confidential ID” in the same manner as the first processing example) from the user. The previous address information is acquired via the operation port 114 (S201, S202). When the user inputs a plurality of confidential IDs and address information, the processes of S201 and S202 are repeated (S203). When the input of the confidential ID and the address information is completed, the confidential ID and the address information are stored in a table in the ROM 1112. The operations in S201 to S203 are the same as those in the first processing examples 101 to 103, and the contents of the table in the ROM 1112 are substantially the same as those shown in FIG. This confidential ID can be acquired, for example, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 11 is initially set.
[0028]
When image reading is performed, the control device 111 first requests the user to perform a key operation as to whether or not to perform confidential transmission, and starts normal processing or confidential transmission processing according to an instruction from the user (S211).
When the user does not instruct confidential transmission, the user waits for the e-mail address to be input and the start button to be pressed, and then the original image is read by the image reading device (S212) and stored in the image storage device 112 (S213). . Thereafter, an image file is created (S214), an e-mail attached with the image file is created (S215), and the e-mail is transmitted to a predetermined e-mail address (S216).
On the other hand, when the user instructs confidential transmission, the control device 111 requests the user to input an email address or confidential ID, acquires either of them (S217), and performs the following processing according to the instruction from the user. This is performed (S218).
When the e-mail address is input, the user is requested to input a key (encryption release key) used for decryption (S219) and obtained (S219), and then the original image is read (S220). Thereafter, the read image data is converted into an image file (S221). Thereafter, the image file is encrypted (S222), an e-mail attached with the encrypted image file is created (S223), and this is sent to a predetermined mail address (S224).
[0029]
When the confidential ID is input (S225 to S231 are described in FIG. 5), it is checked whether or not the same confidential ID is registered in the table in the ROM 1112 (S225). When the same confidential ID is stored in the table, the transfer destination information is read (S226). Then, the original image is read (S227), and the read image data is converted into an image file (S228). Thereafter, the image file is encrypted (S229), an e-mail attached with the encrypted image file is created (S230), and this is sent to a predetermined e-mail address (S231).
If the same confidential ID is not registered in the table in the ROM 1112 in S225, the control device 111 requests the user to input an email address for confidential transmission, and the email address input by the user is sent via the operation port 114. The confidential ID and the mail address are additionally registered in the table of the ROM 1112 (S233), the original image is read (S227), and the read image data is converted into an image file (S228). Thereafter, the image file is encrypted (S229), an e-mail attached with the encrypted image file is created (S230), and this is sent to a predetermined e-mail address (S231).
[0030]
Next, a third processing example of the Internet facsimile machine 11 will be described with reference to FIG. In the third processing example, data relating to an image read by the image reading device is converted into an image file and sent confidentially to a plurality of mail addresses.
First, when the user inputs the first mail address, the control unit 111 acquires this (S301), and requests the user whether or not to perform confidential transmission. And the process according to the instruction | indication from the user input from the operation panel 110 is performed (S302).
[0031]
When the user instructs confidential transmission, the control unit 111 acquires the confidential ID from the user (S303), stores this in the table of the RAM 1113, and the control unit 111 inputs the next mail address or presses the start button. Waiting for the button to be pressed (S304). Even if confidential transmission is not selected, it waits for the input of the next mail address or the start button being pressed (S304).
[0032]
FIG. 8B shows a table example of the RAM 1113 that stores confidential IDs. In S303, the mail address and confidential ID are obtained from the user, but the mail address and confidential ID stored in advance in the ROM 1112 can also be used. FIG. 8C shows an example in which the mail address stored in the ROM 1112 is read into the RAM 1113 table. In FIGS. 8B and 8C, a backup mail address is included. Non-confidential transmission is made to this backup mail address.
When the next mail address is acquired in S304, the processing of S301, S302, S304 or S301 to S304 is repeated. When the start instruction is acquired in S304, the document image is read (S305) and the image file is created (S306).
[0033]
Next, an address for performing non-confidential transmission (hereinafter referred to as “non-confidential address”) is extracted from the address information acquired in S301 (address information stored in the RAM 1113) (S307). When the non-confidential address is extracted (S308), an e-mail about the non-confidential address is created (S309), and the e-mail is transmitted to the non-confidential address (S310).
[0034]
If a non-confidential email address is not extracted in S308, or if an email is sent in S310, the email address (hereinafter referred to as “confidential”) from the address information (RAM 1113) acquired in S301. Address ”is extracted (S311). Then, it is checked whether or not there is a confidential address (S312). If there is a confidential address, the mail address of the same confidential ID is extracted from the RAM 1113 (1213) (S313), and then the image file is encrypted. In step S314, an e-mail is created (S315), the e-mail is transmitted to the confidential address (S316), and then the process returns to S311. If there is still a confidential address as a result of the extraction of the encrypted mail address in S311 (S312), the processing of S313 to S316 is repeated until there is no confidential address. If there is no confidential address (S312), the process is terminated.
[0035]
In the third processing example, the same confidential ID is extracted in S311, but this processing may be omitted. Further, by grouping the non-confidential addresses in advance, the process of S308 in FIG. 6 can be omitted.
In the third processing example, for example, when performing broadcast transmission of the image files Fa, Fb, Fc, for example, the image files Fa, Fb are transmitted to the first mail address, and the image is transmitted to the second mail address. Even when the files Fb and Fc are transmitted, it is possible to perform broadcast transmission with high security. That is, even if the image file Fa, Fb, Fc is received at the first mail address, the image file Fc cannot be viewed, and the image file Fa, Fb, Fc is received at the second mail address. Even so, the image file Fa cannot be browsed.
[0036]
A fourth processing example will be described with reference to FIG. When an image file related to a read original image is transmitted by being attached to an e-mail, in the fourth processing example, first, an e-mail address input by the user is acquired (S401). This mail address is stored in the RAM 1113 as address information. When the “file reading button” on the operation panel 110 is operated by the user, the document reading unit reads the document image (S402), and an image file is created (S403).
[0037]
Next, the control unit 111 displays a selection screen as to whether or not confidential transmission is performed on the display. Then, the selection signal input from the operation panel 110 is acquired via the operation port 114, and different processing is performed depending on whether or not confidential transmission is performed (S404).
[0038]
When the confidential transmission is selected by the user, the control unit 111 acquires the confidential ID input by the user via the operation port 114 (S405), and encrypts the image file using the confidential ID as the decryption key. (S406) is performed.
When non-confidential transmission is instructed by the user in S404, and when an image file is encrypted in S406, the user waits for the operation of the “file read button” or the start button of the operation panel 110. (S407). When the user sets the next document on the reading unit and the “file reading button” is operated, the process returns to S402, and the same process as described above is repeated (S403 to S406). When the start button is pressed in S407, an e-mail is created (S408) and sent to a predetermined e-mail address (S409).
[0039]
In each of the above processing examples, when the account owner or the like of the mail address to which the image file is transmitted knows the confidential ID in advance, only that person can view the image file attached to the e-mail. It can be carried out.
If the account owner of the e-mail address does not know the confidential ID, the sender of the image file or the like (in the first processing example, the transfer source user or the like, the second to fourth processes). In the example, the person who performed the image reading operation or the like) can separately transmit the confidential ID by e-mail from the computer or the Internet facsimile apparatus 11 to the account owner of the mail address. This e-mail address is usually different from the e-mail address that sent the e-mail with the image file attached.
As will be described later, when deciphering the decryption key for a predetermined time or for a predetermined period, or when descrambling when a predetermined condition is satisfied (when a transaction is established when networking image content) The e-mail address may be the same as the e-mail address that sent the e-mail with the image file attached.
[0040]
An example in which the image communication apparatus of the present invention is applied to a correspondence education system will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the organizer A's network scanner 41 and host computer 42 and a plurality of respondent's terminal computers (here, the respondent B's terminal computer 43) are connected to each other via the Internet 300. Has been. A password page is provided on the organizer home page of the website 44 on the Internet 300.
The organizer A sets the reading of the question sheet (image file F1) and the answer sheet to “non-confidential transmission” by the network scanner 41, and sets the reading of the correct answer description sheet (image file F3) to “confidential transmission”. And do it.
The organizer A transmits the image files F1 to F3 from the network scanner 41 to the respondent B's terminal computer 43. Since the image file F1 (question paper) and the image file F2 (answer paper) are not encrypted, the respondent B uses the image files F1 and F2 (question paper and answer paper) attached to the received e-mail as a password. The image file F3 (correct answer / explanation paper) cannot be opened because it has been encrypted.
[0041]
In this example, the respondent B returns an answer sheet (image file 3F) to the host computer 42 of the organizer A. If the answer period is limited and no answer is given within a predetermined period (or time), the answer becomes invalid.
When the predetermined period has elapsed, the organizer A posts the confidential ID of the image file F3 in association with the problem number on the password page of the organizer home page. Respondent B can open the correct answer description sheet by using the confidential ID corresponding to the problem number posted on the password page.
In the above example, the organizer A sends the question paper (image file F1) to the respondent B by the network scanner 41. However, the question (question) may be posted on the organizer homepage. In this case, the third party can be allowed to view the problem (question), but the third party cannot know the correct answer (question answer).
In the above example, the organizer A transmits the answer sheet (image file F2) to the respondent B, but this transmission may not be performed. In this case, the answer sheet is not transmitted from the respondent B to the organizer A. Respondent B can score himself using the confidential ID on the organizer's homepage.
[0042]
The image communication apparatus of the present invention can also be applied to a content service. For example, an organizer of a content service has a picture content set for confidential transmission and a low-resolution image set for non-confidential transmission (for example, a thumbnail). ) Is transmitted to the user, and the confidential ID is transmitted only to the user who paid the viewing fee for the content. The user can use the content by decrypting the picture content using the confidential ID.
[0043]
In the second to fourth processing examples, the Internet facsimile apparatus 11 is used as the image communication apparatus, but a network scanner can be used instead. The software configuration of this network scanner is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2B, an operation port control unit, a scanner control unit, an overall control unit, an image file creation unit, an image file encryption processing unit, a mail encryption processing unit, an e-mail transmission protocol processing unit, a network protocol processing unit, a LAN The controller control unit includes an operation port control unit f101, a scanner control unit f103, an overall control unit f104, an image file creation unit f106, an image file encryption processing unit f107, an e-mail transmission / reception protocol processing unit f109 shown in FIG. This is substantially the same as the network protocol processing unit f113 and the LAN controller control unit f114.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, the viewer of an image transmitted by facsimile can be limited for each file. In particular, a password can be set for each image file, or a password can be set for each e-mail address.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment in which an image communication apparatus of the present invention is applied to an Internet facsimile machine, and FIG. 1B is a hardware block diagram showing an outline of the Internet facsimile machine.
2A is a software configuration diagram of the Internet facsimile apparatus shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and FIG. 2B is a network scanner when the network scanner is used as the image communication apparatus of the present invention. It is a software block diagram.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first processing example of the image communication apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second processing example (first half) of the image communication apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second processing example (second half) of the image communication apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a third processing example of the image communication apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a fourth processing example of the image communication apparatus of the present invention.
8A is a diagram showing contents of a table of confidential IDs and mail addresses stored in a ROM in the first processing example, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of a RAM table storing confidential IDs. (C) is a figure which shows the example which read RAM the mail address stored in ROM.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which the image communication apparatus of the present invention is applied to a correspondence education system.
10A is a configuration diagram of a network system to which an Internet facsimile apparatus is connected, and FIG. 10B is a hardware block diagram of an Internet facsimile apparatus having an encryption function.
11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of the image communication apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10;
12 is a flowchart showing another processing example of the image communication apparatus shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 Internet facsimile machine
12,21 router
13 Host computer
22 Mail server
23 Terminal computer
100,200 LAN (packet network)
111 Controller
112 Image storage device
113 Communication circuit
114 opport
115 Encryption chip
116 router
300 Internet
400 telephone line
1111 CPU
1112 ROM
1113 RAM
1131 LAN controller
1132 Modem

Claims (3)

An image communication apparatus comprising registration means for registering destination information of a transmission destination of image information and a predetermined identification character string in association with each other,
An input means for inputting an identification character string ;
An encryption means for encrypting the image information using the identification character string input by the input means as an decryption key;
Transmitting means for transmitting the image information encrypted by the encryption means based on the destination information registered by the registration means in association with the identification character string ;
An image communication apparatus comprising: an decryption key transmission unit that separately transmits an identification character string input by the input unit to a transmission destination . A determination unit that determines whether or not the identification character string input by the input unit is registered in the registration unit;
When the determination unit determines that the identification character string is not registered in the registration unit, the reception unit receives an input of destination information of a transmission destination of image information,
The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the registration unit registers the destination information received by the reception unit in association with the identification character string .   The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification character string is a confidential ID used for confidential transmission of image information.

Images