JPH05233488A - Remotely arranged unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the communication cost and facility cost for the facsimile output of the electronic mail. CONSTITUTION:A code converting mechanism 16 which converts the document of the electronic mail into image information in facsimile format and transmitted information of telephone and a facsimile transmitting mechanism 18 which transmits the converted information to a facsimile equipment are incorporated in a facsimile control terminal 6, which is connected to a host computer 3 which has an electronic mail terminal 1 or electronic mail terminal 2 and can perform conversational processing through a communication line, so that the processed document is sent to the facsimile equipment 8 connected to a pay telephone network 9 through the facsimile control terminal 6 by the electronic main terminal 1 or 2. Consequently, the low-cost terminal devices are installed and also decentralized to reduce the communication cost.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sending electronic mail, and more particularly to a system for outputting electronic mail used in office automation to a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a system for outputting an electronic mail by facsimile, a facsimile control apparatus which converts electronic mail code information into facsimile information in a host computer and is connected to the host computer through a local area network not through a communication line. Is used to output to the facsimile machine of the other party.

[0003]

In the above-described conventional system for outputting a facsimile of an electronic mail, the host computer and the facsimile controller are connected to each other by a local area network without using a communication line and installed at a remote place. When a document is sent to a facsimile machine, information with a large amount of image information is sent using the public telephone network, which is charged in proportion to the call time and the distance at a slow communication speed, resulting in a high communication cost. There are drawbacks.

Further, if a plurality of host computers and facsimile control devices are installed at remote locations in order to reduce communication costs, equipment costs will increase and control between a plurality of host computers of the electronic mail system will become complicated. Since the host computer requires an operator, there is a drawback that the man-hours and costs for operation increase.

An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal for converting a portion of an electronic mail document into image information in a facsimile format and telephone transmission information, and a portion of a facsimile control device for transmitting the converted information to a facsimile device. Built into the device, the terminal device is connected to a host computer having an e-mail function and capable of conversation processing through a communication line, and the processed document is transmitted by e-mail to the facsimile device connected to the public telephone network through the terminal device. This eliminates the above drawbacks, reduces the load on the host computer,
For connection to remote locations, you can send code information with a small amount of data over a communication line with a high communication speed, reducing communication costs,
In addition, the conversation processing can be used to simplify the control of multiple facsimile control terminals, and the terminal device can be operated unattended. Only the host computer needs to be used for operation, which reduces operation man-hours and equipment costs. It is to provide a remote unmanned facsimile output system of electronic mail which can be performed.

[0006]

A remote unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail according to the present invention has a host computer which has an electronic mail function for transmitting and receiving documents between computers and which is connected by a communication line to perform conversation processing. , A terminal device which performs conversation processing with a host computer connected by a communication line, converts code information of electronic mail into image information in a facsimile information format and telephone call information, and transmits the image information to a facsimile device.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the remote unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the electronic mail terminal 1 is used.
Alternatively, the electronic mail terminal 2 is connected to the host computer 3 through the communication line 4 or the communication line 5, the host computer 3 and the facsimile control terminal 6 are connected through the communication line 9, and the facsimile control terminal 6 is connected to the facsimile device 8 and the public telephone network 9. Connected by.

The user sends the processed document to the host computer 3 via the electronic mail terminal 1 or the electronic mail terminal 2 or the like.
Using the electronic mail system (10), the destination for facsimile processing is specified and the mail is posted in the mailbox (11).

The conversation processing communication mechanism 12 of the facsimile control terminal 6 transmits a reception request to the conversation processing system 13 of the host computer 3 and receives the reception request.
Reference numeral 13 retrieves a facsimile processing destination document from the mailbox 11 and sends it to the conversation processing communication mechanism 12 to register the management information of the processing document in the facsimile delivery management file 14. The conversation processing communication mechanism 12 receives the processed document, creates the reception file 15, and after the reception is completed, hands over the processing to the code conversion mechanism 16 and converts it into image information in a facsimile format and telephone transmission information. Register in facsimile format file 17. After the conversion is completed, the code conversion mechanism 16 hands over the processing to the facsimile transmission mechanism 18 and transmits the document to the facsimile device 8. After the transmission is completed, the facsimile transmission mechanism 18 hands over the processing to the conversation processing communication mechanism 12, transmits the completion of the processing to the host computer 3, and the conversation processing system 13 registers the completion of the processing in the facsimile delivery management file 14 and sends the mail by mail. Delete the processed document in Box 11 and
Processing for the case ends.

At this time, the conversation processing communication mechanism 12 of the facsimile control terminal 6 sends a reception request to the conversation processing system 13 of the host computer 3 after the processing of one case is completed. No matter what the operation status of 13 is, the reception request is made regardless of the operation status. Therefore, when there is no document in the mailbox 11 or when the host computer 3 is stopped, the reception request is automatically made at a constant interval. The operation is repeated unattended until a processed document is posted or the host computer 3 is activated.

[0013]

As described above, the remote unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail according to this embodiment of the present invention includes a portion for converting an electronic mail document into image information in a facsimile format and telephone transmission information. , A part of a facsimile control device that transmits the converted information to a facsimile device is incorporated in a terminal device, and the terminal device is connected to a host computer having an e-mail function and capable of conversation processing by a communication line, and by e-mail. By sending processed documents through a terminal device to a facsimile device connected to a public telephone network, the load on the host computer is reduced, and connection to a remote location is a code line with a high communication speed and a small amount of data. Information can be transmitted, communication costs are reduced, and conversation processing is used to simplify control of multiple facsimile control terminals. Achieving further it is possible to operate the terminal device unattended, operational corner in the management of only the host computer, there is an effect that it is possible to reduce the operational steps and equipment costs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote unmanned facsimile output system of an electronic mail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 E-mail Terminal 2 E-mail Terminal 3 Host Computer 4 Communication Line 5 Communication Line 6 Facsimile Control Terminal 7 Communication Line 8 Facsimile Machine 9 Public Telephone Network 10 E-mail System 11 Mailbox 12 Conversation Processing Communication Mechanism 13 Conversation Processing System 14 Facsimile Distribution Management file 15 Received file 16 Code conversion mechanism 17 Facsimile format file 18 Facsimile transmission mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A host computer having an electronic mail function for transmitting and receiving a document between computers, which is connected by a communication line to perform a conversation process, and the electronic mail which performs a conversation process with a host computer connected by the communication line. A remote unmanned facsimile output system for electronic mail, comprising: a terminal device which converts the code information of the above into image information in a facsimile information format and telephone transmission information and transmits the information to a facsimile device.