JP5022771B2 - Facsimile apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a polling function, and in particular, when performing communication using the polling function, a facsimile apparatus capable of grasping the current storage status of image data in another facsimile apparatus, and such a facsimile apparatus. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus having a polling function is known. The polling function is to store image data scheduled to be distributed in a polling box in a facsimile machine serving as a distribution station, and dialing to the distribution station from another facsimile apparatus serving as a calling station to request polling transmission. This is a function of transmitting the image data stored in the polling box from the distribution station to the calling station.

  As an example of a facsimile apparatus having such a polling function, it is checked whether there is a facsimile reception request, a facsimile transmission request, a reception enabled state, and various setting requests. If there is, the sender telephone number notified by the sender telephone number notification service is acquired, and when receiving is possible, a polling transmission request is sent to the other party and stored as polling transmission image information. In order to receive the received image information, information indicating that the destination telephone number and the facsimile transmission destination of the polling transmission request are created as a polling reception file, and based on the created polling reception file, the source Call the other party of the phone number and poll the image information that failed to be received. Facsimile apparatus has been proposed which is configured to (Patent Document 1). According to the technique of Patent Document 1, it is possible to promptly receive and transmit image information of a document that has failed to be received or transmitted using a polling function.

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when performing communication using the polling function, it is impossible to grasp the current accumulation state of image data in another facsimile apparatus.

JP-A-11-234430

  The problem to be solved is that when the communication is performed using the polling function, the current accumulation state of the image data in the other facsimile apparatus cannot be grasped.

The present invention provides an address book function in which address information related to a destination is registered, and IP communication for the purpose of grasping the current storage status of image data in another facsimile apparatus when performing communication using a polling function. A facsimile apparatus having an IP communication function for communicating with the destination via a network and a polling function, and capable of displaying address information relating to a registered destination station registered in the address book on a display screen And presence information acquisition means for acquiring presence information related to the current storage status of image data in the registered destination station, and when the presence information related to the registered destination station is acquired by the presence information acquisition means, the acquired registration Associate presence information related to the destination station with the corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book And display control means for performing control to display on the display screen, the display control means, the most important feature that is displayed together with the presence or absence of the image data and the communication availability status of the registration destination station To do.

A facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is a facsimile apparatus having an address book function in which address information related to a destination is registered, an IP communication function for communicating with the destination via an IP communication network, and a polling function, Display means capable of displaying address information related to a registered destination station registered in the address book on a display screen; presence information acquiring means for acquiring presence information related to a current storage state of image data in the registered destination station; When the presence information related to the registered destination station is acquired by the presence information acquisition means, the display screen is obtained by associating the acquired presence information related to the registered destination station with a corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book. and display control means for performing control to display the top, the display control means, the presence or absence of the image data Since the display together with communication availability status of the serial register destination station, therefore, the user, in case of performing communication using the polling function, displayed in association with the destination appropriate one of the registration destination station on the address book By viewing the presence information, it is possible to easily grasp at a glance the current accumulation status of image data at the registered destination station.

  Presence information related to the current storage status of image data in the registered destination station is acquired by the presence information acquisition means for the purpose of grasping the current storage status of image data in other facsimile machines when communicating using the polling function. This is realized by display control means for performing control for displaying the acquired presence information related to the registered destination station on the display screen in association with the corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book.

  Hereinafter, a facsimile apparatus and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, as an example of the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, an example in which the facsimile apparatus is incorporated in an image forming apparatus and applied to management related to the current accumulation status of image data at a registered destination station on the IP communication network. I will explain it.

[Image forming device with facsimile machine]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus 10 can use print output, fax transmission, mail transmission, and data transmission functions, and is controlled by a main control unit 11 including a microcomputer and a dedicated hardware circuit. As an input / output device connected to the main control unit 11 and responsible for various functions, the apparatus 10 includes a scanner unit 21, an image processing unit 31, an engine unit 41, an operation panel unit 51, a facsimile communication unit 61, an HDD (hard disk drive). 63, and an IP communication unit 65.

  The main control unit 11 includes a scanner controller 13 that performs operation control for realizing a scanner function, a facsimile controller 15 that performs operation control for realizing a facsimile function, and a printer controller that performs operation control for realizing a printer function. 17 and a copy controller 19 for controlling the operation for realizing the copy function are incorporated, and the overall operation of the apparatus is controlled.

  The scanner unit 21 includes an image irradiation lamp 23 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 25 constituting a scanner (not shown). The scanner unit 21 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 23, receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 25, reads an image from the document, and outputs image data corresponding to the read image to the image processing unit 31. .

  The image processing unit 31 includes a correction unit 33, an image processing unit 35, and an image memory 37. The image processing unit 31 processes the image data read by the scanner unit 21 with the correction unit 33 and the image processing unit 35 as necessary, and stores the processed image data in the image memory 37, the engine unit 41, Output to the facsimile communication unit 61 or the like. The correction unit 33 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and Y correction on the image data read by the scanner unit 21. The image processing unit 35 performs various types of processing such as image data compression or expansion processing and enlargement or reduction processing.

  The engine unit 41 includes a sheet conveying unit 43 including a sheet feeding cassette and a sheet feeding roller (not illustrated), an image forming unit 45 including a photosensitive drum, an exposure device, a developing device, and the like (not illustrated), a transfer roller (not illustrated), and the like. And a fixing unit 49 including a fixing roller (not shown). The engine unit 41 stores image data read by the scanner unit 21, image data transmitted from a client PC (personal computer) or the like via a network I / F unit 65 via a local area network (LAN), and a facsimile communication unit 61. The image is printed on a sheet using image data such as fax data received from an external facsimile machine. Specifically, the paper transport unit 43 transports the paper to the image forming unit 45, the image forming unit 45 forms a toner image corresponding to the image data, the transfer unit 47 transfers the toner image to the paper, The fixing unit 49 fixes the toner image on a sheet to form an image.

  The operation panel unit 51 includes a touch panel unit 53 and an operation key unit 55. The operation panel unit 51 is used for a user to perform operations related to a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like, and gives an operation command and the like by the user to the main control unit 11.

  The touch panel unit 53 (corresponding to the “display unit” of the present invention) is composed of a touch panel unit that combines a touch panel and a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and various operation screens, for example, when executing a copy function, Information related to the document size, copy size, number of copies, etc. is displayed, and operation buttons for inputting various operation commands when the user touches the corresponding part are displayed. The touch panel unit 53 is used when displaying presence information related to the current storage state of image data in a registered destination station of the address book in association with the corresponding registered destination station using an icon or the like.

  The operation key unit 55 includes a plurality of operation keys for receiving user operation inputs. For example, a key input operation of a required function can be performed from various functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. This is used when the user selectively executes, or when the user inputs a copy number or a copy execution command.

  The facsimile communication unit 61 includes an encoding / decoding unit (not shown), a modem unit (not shown), and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown). The facsimile communication unit 61 transmits image data of a document read by the scanner unit 21 to a facsimile apparatus or the like via a telephone line, or receives image data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus or the like.

  The HDD (hard disk drive) 63 stores image data read by the scanner unit 21 and various data such as an output format set in the image data. The image data stored in the HDD is not only used inside the image forming apparatus, the program, and the recording medium, but also confirmed from the client PC or the like via the IP communication unit 65 as necessary, It is transferred to a predetermined folder such as an FTP server.

  The IP communication unit 65 uses a network interface (10 / 100Base-TX) or the like, and controls transmission / reception of various data to / from a client PC connected via the network. Specifically, the IP communication unit 65 conforms to the T.37 recommendation, and is connected to, for example, a local area network (LAN) 67 built in the office. The IP communication unit 65 is connected to the relay server 69 and the other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 via the LAN 67.

  The other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 have an address book function in which address information relating to a destination is registered, an IP communication function for performing communication via an IP communication network such as a LAN, and a polling function. Any device can be used as long as it is present.

  In order to acquire presence information related to the current storage status of image data in a registered destination station registered in the address book, and to display the acquired presence information in association with the corresponding registered destination station in the address book 11 is a presence information acquisition unit (corresponding to the “presence information acquisition unit” of the present invention) 73 for acquiring presence information related to the current accumulation status of image data in the registered destination station registered in the address book; When the presence information related to the registered destination station is acquired by the address information storage unit 75 in which address information such as a telephone number, a fax number, or an e-mail address related to the destination is registered, and the presence information acquisition unit 73, the acquired information Associate the presence information related to the registered destination station with the corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book. Display control unit that performs control to display on the display screen of the touch panel unit 53 (corresponding to the "display control means" of the present invention.) And 77, is configured to include a.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus Mounted with Facsimile Apparatus According to the Present Invention]
FIG. 2 shows a communication sequence of the image forming apparatus equipped with the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an example of presence information display related to the registered destination station in the address book.

  First, a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention applies a communication technique called IM (Instant Messaging). Here is an outline of IM. For example, when you want to talk to a certain destination, it is not as much as a call, but when it is an email, when the other party reads the email, that is, when the reply returns I do n’t know if it ’s coming. IM has this intermediate temporal characteristic. IM discloses its current status (presence information) such as online / offline and response availability. Thereby, the presence information of the other party using the same IM system on the IP communication network can be acquired. As a communication protocol, for example, a SIMPLE (SIP Instant Messaging and Presence Language Extensions) protocol can be suitably employed. However, the present invention can be implemented even with a unique protocol other than SIMPLE, for example.

  The operation of the image forming apparatus 10 incorporating such IM technology will be described with reference to the communication sequence diagram of FIG.

  The presence information acquisition unit 73 in the image forming apparatus 10 transmits the SUBSCRIBE command to the presence server (relay server) 69 when the apparatus is turned on, thereby causing the image at the registered destination station registered in advance in the address book. Request disclosure of current data storage status (presence information). At this time, it may be configured to request the disclosure of the current storage status (presence information) of the image data for all the terminal stations belonging to the network 67 to which the apparatus 10 belongs.

  On the other hand, the other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 register their own stations by transmitting a REGISTER command to the presence server (relay server) 69 when the power is turned on. In addition, a NOTIFY command is transmitted to the presence server (relay server) 69 every time the current storage state (presence information) of the image data in the local station changes. As a result, the presence server (relay server) 69 can grasp in real time the current accumulation status (presence information) of image data relating to all stations belonging to the network 67 to which the presence server (relay server) 69 belongs.

  The presence information acquisition unit 73 in the image forming apparatus 10 receives the NOTIFY command from the presence server (relay server) 69, thereby acquiring real-time image data current storage status (presence information) related to the other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71. . The display control unit 77 associates the real-time image data current storage status (presence information) relating to the other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 acquired in this way with the corresponding destination in the address book, for example, as shown in FIG. Is displayed on the display screen 79 in the form of icons and characters, thereby informing the user of the presence information including the current storage status of the image data of the destination registration station.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the destination registration station supports this service function, is powered on, is in a communicable state, and stores image data in its polling box. When there is not, “no polling received document” is displayed as presence information of the destination registration station, or nothing is displayed. On the other hand, if the destination registration station supports this service function, is powered on, is in a communicable state, and currently stores image data in its polling box, the presence of the destination registration station “Polling received original” (see reference numeral “81” in FIG. 3) is displayed as information. Further, a “communication start icon” (see reference numeral “83” in FIG. 3) for starting acquisition of the polling received document may be displayed along with the display of “polling received document”. .

  In addition to the display related to the image data storage status of the polling box at the destination registration station described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a configuration for displaying the presence information related to the communication availability status of the destination registration station can be adopted. . That is, when the destination registration station supports this service function, the power is on and the communication is possible, “OK” is displayed as the presence information of the destination registration station, and the destination registration station When the function is supported, the power is on, and communication is not possible, “failure (for example, out of paper, paper jam, no toner, etc.)” is displayed as the presence information of the destination registration authority, and the destination When the registered station does not support this service function or is turned off, “? (Unknown)” may be displayed as the presence information of the destination registered station.

[Effect of Example]
According to the image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment, when the presence information regarding the registered destination station of the address book is acquired by the presence information acquiring unit 73, the display control unit 77 acquires the image data at the acquired registered destination station. The presence information related to the current storage status is displayed on the display screen of the touch panel unit 53 in association with the corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book. Therefore, when the user performs communication using the polling function, The presence information displayed in association with the corresponding destination among the registered destination stations on the address book can be easily grasped at a glance from the current accumulation status of the image data in the registered destination station.

  In addition, the user who has grasped the current accumulation state of the image data in the registered destination station selects the registered destination station that accumulates the image data, and acquires the corresponding image data using the polling function.

  Here, in the conventional facsimile apparatus using polling communication, the distribution station side stores the image data in the polling box and informs the destination of the image data that the image data is stored by telephone or e-mail in advance, and then the polling communication function. I was asked to get the image data using.

  On the other hand, the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention eliminates the need for troublesome prior communication by e-mail or telephone to the destination station of the image data and the charging of the associated communication fee, and is highly convenient and economical for the user. A communication function can be realized.

[Others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit or technical idea of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and a facsimile apparatus with such a change. The image forming apparatus is also included in the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, registration is performed by indirectly communicating between the image forming apparatus 10 and the other facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 (registered destination stations) via a presence server (relay server). The mode of acquiring presence information in the destination station has been described by way of example. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 and the like can be used without using a presence server (relay server). The presence information relating to the current storage status of image data at the registered destination station may be acquired by performing direct communication with the facsimile apparatuses 70 and 71 (registered destination stations).

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the mode of acquiring the presence information at the registered destination station when the image forming apparatus 10 is started up or when the accumulation state of the image data at the registered destination station is changed is described as an example. The present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and for example, presence information at a registered destination station may be acquired at intermittent time timings, and presence at a time point related to one or more of these may be acquired. It goes without saying that a mode of acquiring information can be adopted.

1 is a schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. It is a communication sequence diagram of an image forming apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of presence information display concerning the registration destination station to an address book.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Main control part 53 Touch panel part (display means)
65 IP communication unit (IP communication function)
69 Presence server (relay server)
70, 71 Other facsimile machines (registered destination)
73 Presence Information Acquisition Unit (Presence Information Acquisition Means)
75 Address information storage (address book function)
77 Display control unit (display control means)

Claims (6)

A facsimile apparatus having an address book function in which address information related to a destination is registered, an IP communication function for communicating with the destination via an IP communication network, and a polling function;
Display means capable of displaying on the display screen address information related to the registered destination station registered in the address book;
Presence information acquisition means for acquiring presence information related to the current storage status of image data at the registered destination station;
When the presence information related to the registered destination station is acquired by the presence information acquisition means, the display screen is obtained by associating the acquired presence information related to the registered destination station with a corresponding destination among the registered destination stations in the address book. Display control means for performing control to be displayed on ,
This display control means displays the presence / absence of the image data and the communication availability status of the registered destination station together ,
A facsimile machine characterized by the above. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1,
The facsimile apparatus characterized in that the presence information acquisition means acquires presence information related to a current storage state of image data in the registered destination station by indirectly communicating with the registered destination station via a relay server. apparatus. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1,
The facsimile apparatus, wherein the presence information acquisition unit acquires presence information related to a current storage state of image data in the registered destination station by directly communicating with the registered destination station. The facsimile apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The presence information acquisition unit is configured to register the registration information when the device is activated, when the image data storage state in the registration destination station changes, or when a point related to a combination of one or two or more of intermittent time timings. A facsimile apparatus, wherein presence information relating to a current accumulation state of image data in a registered destination station is acquired by performing communication with the destination station. A facsimile apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The presence information acquisition unit acquires presence information related to a current accumulation state of image data in all the registered destination stations by performing communication with all the registered destination stations registered in the address book. A facsimile machine characterized by the above. An image forming apparatus equipped with the facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile apparatus is related to a current accumulation state of image data in the registered destination station on an IP communication network. An image forming apparatus characterized by being applied to management.

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