JP4604928B2 - Shared information processing apparatus with transmission function and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus or an information processing apparatus that has a transmission function and is shared by a plurality of users, and more particularly to a technique for specifying a transmission destination when transmitting electronic data to be transmitted.

  In recent years, multifunction devices have become more multifunctional, such as an electronic mail function that sends image data such as scanned documents to specified destinations in addition to the print function, copy function, scanner function, etc. Yes. On the other hand, in mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), models equipped with short-range wireless communication functions such as infrared communication in addition to the conventional electronic mail function have become widespread. Convenience is further improved. Various usage forms, services, and the like have been proposed by effectively utilizing the high functionality of such multifunction devices and portable terminal devices.

  For example, in the electronic document transfer service, when an electronic document is stored in the multi-function peripheral A by scanning the document, the multi-function peripheral A sends e-mail with identification information (hereinafter, “document ID”) of the electronic document. To notify the mobile phone. The user of the mobile phone transmits the document ID held in the mobile phone to the nearby multifunction peripheral B using infrared communication. The multifunction device B acquires the electronic document from the multifunction device A using the document ID as a key and prints it. If this service is used, it is convenient for the document creator because it is not necessary to take a required number of copies and distribute it when distributing a paper document. On the other hand, a user of a mobile phone can obtain a necessary document anytime and anywhere if there is a multi-function printer capable of printing.

  By the way, when sending the document ID of the electronic document stored in the MFP to the desired user using the e-mail function, it is necessary to input the e-mail address as the destination. To do is cumbersome and cumbersome. Therefore, in order to eliminate such trouble, an address book is usually used. The address book is a list in which destination data (phone number, FAX number, e-mail address, etc.) frequently contacted for each individual is recorded, and is stored in a memory in the electronic device. Note that the address book stored in the shared device, such as the multifunction peripheral in the above example, can be referred to by any user, so this address book will be referred to as a “shared address book”.

  By providing the shared address book, it is convenient because each individual does not have to prepare an address book individually, but there may naturally be cases where a desired mail address is not registered in the shared address book. In this case, an e-mail address is obtained by some method such as collecting information from a person and registered in the shared address book for future use. However, the information collecting work is troublesome and troublesome. There is also a method in which a company saves time by managing a directory server (so-called corporate version 104 service) to provide a system for searching for and referring to a destination from each shared device. However, there is a problem that the operation management of the directory server is very expensive, and there is no merit if it is not targeted for tens of thousands or more.

  Therefore, there is a method of using the mobile phone address book used by each individual. This address book can easily register the calling party telephone number that an individual has received and the sender e-mail address of the received e-mail, and stores frequently used destinations. Accordingly, each individual transfers and stores the address book of his own mobile phone to the shared device, and selects from the transferred address book when designating the destination of the e-mail. This is convenient because you do not have to enter your email address. The address book stored in the shared device in each individual address book is referred to as a “personal address book”.

JP 2003-224687 A JP 2003-202969 A JP 2004-050585 A JP 2003-288287 A JP 2000-0479980 A

  However, the destination data in the personal address book is dedicated to the individual and is not normally disclosed. Therefore, even though there is a possibility that the destination data exists in a shared device used by a plurality of users, since the destination data there is private data, it is effectively used by others. I can't.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to allow other people to effectively use destination data in a personal address book.

  In order to achieve the above object, the shared information processing apparatus with a transmission function according to the present invention uses a personal address book for each personal use in which transmission destination information that can be specified as a transmission destination of electronic data is registered. Personal address book storage means for storing information so that only a person can refer to it, and from the destination information registered in each personal address book, the destination information registered in other personal address books is extracted and shared address book Shared address book generation processing means to be registered in the shared address book, shared address book storage means for storing the shared address book, and the input electronic data is selected by the sender from the shared address book or the personal address book used by the sender Electronic data transmission processing means for transmitting to a transmission destination specified from the transmission destination information.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the input electronic data, in an image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting to the specified destination, as a shared information processing equipment with transmission function according to the inventions described above To do.

  According to the present invention, a shared address book that can be shared by a plurality of users is generated, and the destination information registered in the personal address book of the plurality of users As a result, the destination information is registered in the shared address book. This makes it possible to effectively use the transmission destination information registered in the personal address book of a plurality of other persons, so that the transmission destination can be easily specified when electronic data is transmitted.

  In addition, since all the destination information permitted for use among the destination information registered in each personal address book can be shared, it is possible to easily specify the destination when sending electronic data. it can.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an electronic document transfer service system including an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The multifunction device 2 is a device corresponding to the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and has a print function, a copy function, a scanner function, an electronic mail function, and the like. In addition, since the MFP 2 has a built-in computer for controlling the hardware configuration of the scanner and printer when performing these functions, the shared information processing apparatus with a transmission function according to the present invention is also provided. is there. The multi-function device 4 can be basically realized with a conventional configuration, but may have the same configuration as the multi-function device 2. The multifunction device 2 exchanges information of electronic data via the multifunction device 4 and the public network 6. The multi-function device 2 transmits an e-mail to the mobile phone 8 via a mail server and a mobile phone network (not shown). The mobile phone 8 is a model equipped with a short-range wireless communication function such as infrared communication, and performs wireless communication with the multifunction device 4.

  The implementation contents and procedure of the electronic document transfer service in the present embodiment may be the same as those in the prior art except for the electronic mail transmission process in the multifunction machine 2. In other words, the document ID of the electronic document stored in the multifunction device 2 by document scanning is notified to the mobile phone 8 by electronic mail. The user of the mobile phone 8 transmits the document ID held in the mobile phone 8 to the nearby multifunction device 4 using near field communication. The multifunction device 4 acquires an electronic document from the multifunction device 2 using the document ID as a key and prints it.

  FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of the multifunction machine 2 in the present embodiment. The multifunction device 2 includes an address book reception processing unit 11, a shared address book generation processing unit 12, and an e-mail transmission processing unit 13. The address book reception processing unit 11 receives an address book registered in a mobile phone (not shown) personally used by a sender who registers an electronic document to be transmitted in the multifunction device 2, and receives a personal address book storage unit 14. Register with. It is assumed that only the sender is registered in the personal address book storage unit 14 by using access right settings or the like. Regardless of whether the owner of the mobile phone is the individual or a company, the address book registered in the mobile phone registers destination information that can be specified as the destination of electronic data by the individual user. Has been. Since the multifunction device 2 is a device shared by a plurality of users as described above, a personal address book used by a plurality of users is also registered in the personal address book storage unit 14. The book generation processing unit 12 extracts the destination information registered in other personal address books from the destination information registered in each personal address book, and stores it in the shared address book storage unit 15. Registered in the shared address book. Only one shared address book is prepared in the MFP 2 so that it can be referred to by a plurality of users. The e-mail transmission processing unit 13 transmits the input electronic data to the transmission destination specified from the transmission destination information selected by the sender from the shared address book or the personal address book used by the sender. In this embodiment, since the document ID is transmitted to the mobile phone 8, the document ID corresponds to electronic data here. Also, in this embodiment, the case where the electronic mail function is used as an electronic data transmission tool is taken as an example, and thus the electronic mail transmission processing unit 13 is shown as the electronic data transmission processing means. Electronic data transmission processing means corresponding to the type of electronic data may be provided.

  Note that the components 11 to 13 included in the multifunction device 2 are realized by a cooperative operation of a software program that exhibits a processing function of each component and hardware resources of the multifunction device 2.

  Next, the operation in this embodiment will be described. First, a process for generating a characteristic shared address book in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, each user of the multifunction device 2 needs to register the address book stored in the personal use mobile phone in the multifunction device 2 in advance. For this, a wireless communication function such as infrared communication used when the mobile phone 8 sends the document ID to the multi-function device 4 or a wired communication function such as USB may be used. When receiving the address book sent from the mobile phone, the address book reception processing unit 11 registers it in the personal address book storage unit 14 (step 101).

  Since the destination information is input to the multi-function device 2 in the Vcard format as illustrated in FIG. 4, the address book reception processing unit 11 interprets this and records one record as illustrated in FIG. Register one by one.

  When the personal address book is registered in the personal address book storage unit 14, the shared address book generation processing unit 12 takes out the destination information generated from the personal address book one record (entry) at a time (step 102). The following process is repeated for all records (step 103). That is, all the personal address books registered in the personal address book storage unit 14, that is, all the entries in the other person's personal address book are compared with the extracted one entry (step 104), and they match the one entry. If there is an entry, the entry is registered in the shared address book (steps 105 and 106). If it does not exist, it will not be shared data, so it will not be registered in the shared address book.

  By repeating the above process, among the entries registered in the newly stored personal address book, the entries registered in the other person's address book are not shared with private private data. Will be handled as public data.

  The process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is performed every time the personal address book is registered in the multifunction device 2. Since the personal address book to be registered first does not have a personal address book to be compared, there is no entry registered in the shared address book. However, each time the second and third personal address books are registered in the MFP 2, the number of personal address books to be compared increases, so the number of entries registered in the shared address book increases gradually. It is considered to be.

  After that, when the user wants to send the document read by the MFP 2 installed in the office to the outside person for printing, the document ID of the electronic document is transmitted by e-mail to the mobile phone 8 used by the user as described above. Will do. At this time, the document registrant (sender) designates the destination of the e-mail whose document ID is described in the body text. At this time, the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 adds to the sender's personal address book. Then, the entries registered in the shared address book are displayed in a list on the operation panel of the multifunction device 2. Since various transmission destination information such as a telephone number and a FAX number is registered in the entry, it is preferable that the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 extracts only a mail address and displays it in a list. In addition, since there may be entries registered in both the personal address book and the shared address book, it is preferable to search for such entries in advance to avoid duplicate display. In this way, when the sender selects an entry that the sender wants to designate as an e-mail destination from among the entries displayed in the list, the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 transmits the e-mail to the selected entry destination. The process at the time of transmission will be described in more detail. As is clear from FIG. 4, the data (character string) constituting the entry (record) includes destination information such as a telephone number in addition to the mail address. Since the data that can identify the type and the data that can specify the individual such as the name are included, the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 extracts only the e-mail address (character string) from the selected entry (record). And specify it as the email destination.

  According to the present embodiment, a shared address book that can be shared by a plurality of users is generated, and the destination information registered in the personal address book of the plurality of users is not a personal destination but a destination that can be shared The destination information is registered in the shared address book as information. Thereby, since the destination data registered in the personal address book of a plurality of others can be used effectively, it is possible to easily set the destination when sending an e-mail.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram of the multifunction machine 2 according to the present embodiment. The multifunction device 2 includes an address book reception processing unit 21, a check sheet printing processing unit 22, a check sheet reading processing unit 23, an address book generation processing unit 24, and an e-mail transmission processing unit 25. The address book reception processing unit 21 is basically the same as the address book reception processing unit 11 of the first embodiment, except that the personal address book temporary storage unit 26 is the destination of the received personal address book. Different. The check sheet print processing unit 22 prints a check sheet for setting use permission information regarding use permission of each destination information registered in the personal address book received by the address book reception processing unit 21. In the check sheet, use permission information is set by a check by the sender, but the check sheet reading processing unit 23 reads the check sheet in which the use permission information is set. The address book generation processing unit 24 generates a flag-added personal address book from the personal address book and use permission information that can be recognized from the check sheet corresponding to the personal address book, and registers it in the flag-added personal address book storage unit 27. . The e-mail transmission processing unit 25 is basically the same as the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 of the first embodiment, but the address book used for specifying the e-mail destination is different.

  The components 21 to 25 included in the multifunction device 2 are realized by a cooperative operation of a software program that exhibits a processing function of each component and hardware resources of the multifunction device 2. Further, the overall configuration of the electronic document transfer service system in the present embodiment may be the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  Next, the operation in this embodiment will be described. First, a process for generating a flagged personal address book according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Initially, as in the first embodiment, each user of the multifunction device 2 needs to register the address book stored in the personal use mobile phone in advance in the multifunction device 2. When receiving the address book sent from the mobile phone, the address book reception processing unit 11 temporarily stores the address book by registering it in the personal address book temporary holding unit 26 (step 201). The received personal address book is temporarily held in the personal address book temporary holding unit 26 until use permission information is added to the personal address book and the personal address book is registered in the flagged personal address book storage unit 27.

  When the personal address book is registered in the personal address book temporary storage unit 26, the check sheet print processing unit 22 checks the check sheet based on each destination information registered in the personal address book received by the address book reception processing unit 21. Is generated and printed (step 202). FIG. 8 shows an example of a printed check sheet. As shown in FIG. 8, the check sheet includes a list of transmission destination information registered in the personal address book and “private” and “customer” set as use permission information corresponding to each transmission destination information. A check column is provided for. “Undisclosed” and “customer” are attribute items that can classify each destination information into a plurality of groups. Among these, the “non-disclosure” column is checked when the transmission destination information is not disclosed, that is, not desired to be shared. The “customer” column is checked when the transmission destination information is customer data. An example in which a check is entered in this check sheet is shown in FIG.

  The user enters a check in a necessary portion of the check sheet, and then scans the check sheet using the scanner function of the multifunction machine 2. The check sheet reading processing unit 23 reads the check sheet in response to this user operation (step 203).

  The address book generation processing unit 24 acquires the transmission destination information registered in the personal address book and the use permission information set by the user from the check position on the read check sheet (step 204). In the present embodiment, the destination information registered in the personal address book is acquired from the personal address book temporary storage unit 26. However, the destination information is acquired from the check sheet by OCR recognition processing or the like. May be.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a data configuration example of the flagged personal address book generated in the present embodiment. As is apparent from FIG. 10, private and customer setting fields are provided in correspondence with the destination information registered in the personal address book, and the address book generation processing unit 24 includes a check sheet. Flags are set in the private and customer fields corresponding to the checked positions. That is, the position where the flag is set is transmission destination information that is not disclosed or transmission destination information indicating a customer. When the personal address book is received, the address book generation processing unit 24 generates a flagged personal address book by adding use permission information represented by flag information to the personal address book. Registration in the storage unit 27 (step 205).

  After that, when the user wants to send the document read by the MFP 2 installed in the office to the outside person for printing, the document ID of the electronic document is transmitted by e-mail to the mobile phone 8 used by the user as described above. Will do. At this time, the document registrant (sender) designates the destination of the e-mail whose document ID is described in the text. At this time, the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 uses the e-mail address list illustrated in FIG. Is displayed on the operation panel of the multifunction device 2. On this selection screen, buttons 30 that can be selected from groups of “individual”, “in-house”, “customer”, and “share” are displayed, and the user selects a desired button 30 from these buttons 30. . “Individual” is selected when a list of mail addresses registered in the personal address book is displayed. “In-house” is selected when a list of e-mail addresses of employees belonging to the company registered in the all-person address book is displayed. In the present embodiment, it is automatically determined whether or not the employee is based on a character string after “@” included in the mail address. Of course, it may be possible to check on the check sheet in the same manner as the above-mentioned “private”. “Customer” is selected when the destination information in which flag information is set in “customer” is extracted from the mail addresses registered in the all personal address book and displayed in a list. “Shared” is selected when the destination information for which the flag information is not set to “undisclosed” is extracted from the mail addresses registered in the all personal address book and displayed in a list. In other words, in this embodiment, all the destination information that is not set as “private” in the personal address book of another person is handled as shared destination data.

  The e-mail transmission processing unit 13 extracts a mail address corresponding to the button 30 selected by the user from the displayed buttons 30 from the corresponding personal address book, and displays the list on the operation panel of the multifunction device 2. . As in the first embodiment, since the entry (destination information) contains various destination information such as a telephone number and a FAX number, the e-mail transmission processing unit 13 extracts only the mail address. It is preferable to display the list. In addition, since there may be entries registered in both the personal address book and the shared address book, it is preferable to search for such entries in advance to avoid duplicate display. As described above, when the sender selects an entry that the sender wants to designate as the destination of the email from among the entries displayed in the list, the email transmission processing unit 13 sends the selected entry destination to the selected entry destination in the same manner as in the first embodiment. send mail.

  According to the present embodiment, without creating a shared address book that can be shared by a plurality of users, all entries that are not designated as “private” are regarded as shareable destination data and can be used by others. did. Thereby, since the destination data registered in the personal address book of a plurality of others can be used effectively, it is possible to easily set the destination when sending an e-mail. In addition, it is convenient because the referenceable e-mail addresses can be displayed in groups.

  In the present embodiment, as an example of use permission information set for each destination information, an example using attribute items that can classify each destination information such as “private” and “customer” into a plurality of groups is shown. However, this attribute item can be appropriately set according to the purpose of use. By the way, as for the destination data of the user A, a certain user may set “private” and other users may not set it. In other words, there are cases where conflicting settings are made. In this case, even if one person is not set to “private”, it is private. Alternatively, if n out of m people (m ≧ n) are “private”, a rule may be determined in advance, such as “private”.

  In each of the above embodiments, the electronic mail transmission function has been described as an example of the electronic data transmission function. However, the present invention can also be applied to a data transfer function, a FAX transmission function, and the like via a network. Further, the multifunction device 2 has been described as an example of the shared information processing device. However, the present invention can be applied to devices other than the multifunction device as long as the device can store an address book so that it can be shared and can be used. It is possible to do.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an electronic document transfer service system including an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a multifunction machine according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a shared address book generation process in the first embodiment. 6 is a diagram showing an example when the destination information stored in the personal address book in the first embodiment is expressed in the Vcard format. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of transmission destination information registered in a personal address book storage unit in Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram of a multifunction machine according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a flagged personal address book generation process in the second embodiment. 10 is a diagram illustrating a print example of a check sheet used in Embodiment 2. FIG. It is the figure which showed the example when a check is entered in the check sheet | seat shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the data structural example of the personal address book with a flag produced | generated in Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display example of a mail address list selection screen in the second embodiment. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  2, 4 MFP, 6 public network, 8 mobile phone, 11 address book reception processing unit, 12 shared address book generation processing unit, 13 e-mail transmission processing unit, 14 personal address book storage unit, 15 shared address book storage unit, 21 Address book reception processing unit, 22 Check sheet printing processing unit, 23 Check sheet reading processing unit, 24 Address book generation processing unit, 25 E-mail transmission processing unit, 26 Personal address book temporary storage unit, 27 Personal address book storage with flag Part, 28 check sheets, 30 buttons.

Claims (2)

A personal address book storage means for storing a personal address book for each personal use in which transmission destination information that can be specified as a destination of electronic data is registered;
A shared address book generation processing means for extracting destination information registered in other personal address books from the destination information registered in each personal address book and registering it in the shared address book;
Shared address book storage means for storing the shared address book;
Electronic data transmission processing means for transmitting the input electronic data to a destination specified from the destination information selected by the sender from the shared address book or the personal address book used by the sender;
A shared information processing apparatus with a transmission function. In an image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting input electronic data to a specified destination,
An image forming apparatus comprising the shared information processing apparatus with a transmission function according to claim 1 .

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