JPH05347678A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the confirmation of a communication state synchronously or asynchronously with the communication from a remote location by adopting the configuration such that a function leaving a communication history and an electronic mail function by a computer network are provided. CONSTITUTION:The history relating to transmission reception by a facsimile equipment is stored in a communication history storage section 7. The history data are stored in a prescribed form. When the transmission reception of an electronic mail is implemented through a network interface 1, destination data stored in an electronic mail destination storage section 2 are stored in a prescribed form. When new data are added to the storage section 7, 1st data of the additional data are read. Simultaneously the data of the storage section 2 are read one by one each. Then the read history data and the 1st destination data are compared and when they are coincident, the electronic mail is sent to the destination. The similar operation is repeated till the final data in the storage section 2 are obtained. Thus, the electronic mail is set to the preset destination.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a method for confirming the communication status of a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As for a method of confirming a communication state of a facsimile machine, a communication history is stored as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-119364, and the history contents are displayed on a display section of the facsimile machine. A method of selectively displaying and confirming, and as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-22933, when the transmission data normally reaches the other party, a notification of completion of transmission is given by voice to the telephone terminal designated by the caller. There was a way to be told.

[0003]

However, in the method of confirming the communication history on the display unit of the facsimile machine, it is necessary to go back to the display unit of the facsimile machine for confirmation work. In particular, if you want to confirm the completion of transmission, it is normal for the facsimile machine to have the function of repeatedly trying transmission until it succeeds in communicating with the other party, so you may have to wait a few times for confirmation. Had to go in front of the fax machine.

Similarly, the method of notifying the completion of the above-mentioned transmission by voice with a telephone terminal has a problem in that the telephone for confirmation cannot be answered when leaving the office after the transmission procedure.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to perform the work of confirming the communication status of a facsimile apparatus from a remote place in synchronization with communication or asynchronously. It is to provide a facsimile machine.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a facsimile apparatus of the present invention, means for storing history contents of communication status, means for interface for computer network, and electronic means for the network. It is characterized by having means for storing the destination of the mail and means for controlling the transmission / reception of the electronic mail in the network.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention. In addition to the reading unit 4, the printing unit 5, and the communication control unit 6, the computer network interface 1, the electronic mail destination storage unit 2, and the communication history storage unit 7 are responsible for the basic functions of the facsimile. It is controlled by the control unit 3.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a form in which the facsimile apparatus 8 of the present invention is used by being connected to a computer network. This local area network (LA
A personal computer 9 and a workstation 10 are also connected to N). Here, an electronic mail, which is a form of data communication between computers connected by a LAN, will be described. Although there is no definition of electronic mail, the concept of electronic mail in the present invention is that data communication is performed between users of computers connected to a LAN according to a predetermined procedure. As a standard for such data communication, for example, CCIT
X.T. (International Telegraph and Telephone Advisory Committee) Recommendation It was developed on the MHS (Message Handling System) described in the 400 series and on the computer network ARPANET constructed by the US Department of Defense's DARPA (Defense Advanced Technology Planning Bureau) and is now widely used in Japan as well. Examples include SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). In addition, products used for networks of personal computers have recently been put into practical use. What is common to any of the above examples is that an identification name (email destination) is defined for each individual user, and messages consisting of a control part and a data part are exchanged according to a protocol. . In the SMTP, it is composed of a header part and a body, and data necessary for transfer such as a destination, a sender's name, a date, and an ID for identifying a message are arranged in the header part. Regarding the network for exchanging these data, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electron)
ics Engineers) Local Network Standards Committee (Project 802) plays a major role.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) studies are progressing internationally, and most computer products are now compatible with standard network interfaces.

Returning to the description of the present invention, the function of the electronic mail described above is taken into consideration. In the block diagram of FIG. 1, the data of the document read and encoded by the reading unit 4 at the time of facsimile transmission is sent to the communication control unit 6 under the control of the control unit 3 and becomes the data to the general public line. Sent. On the other hand, when receiving, the data received by the communication control unit 6 is printed by the printing unit 5 on the contrary. The history of these transmissions and receptions is stored in the communication history storage unit 7. An example of history data at this time is shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 4 shows an example of destination data stored when exchanging electronic mail through the network interface 1.
In FIG. 3, 11 is a transmission, 12 is a reception, 13 is a transmission incomplete, and 14 is a transmission history. Each line consists of 3 to 4 data separated by ":", the first is the request type, "S" is for transmission, "R" is for reception, and "F" is for non-transmission. The second data is the serial number, the third is the date and time, and the fourth is the destination telephone number at the time of transmission. In the example of FIG. 4, each row consists of two pieces of data, the first being the request type and the second being 2
The second is the e-mail destination data.

The flow of data processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process executed when new data is added to the communication history storage unit 7 of FIG. Now, the data of 14 in FIG. 3 is newly added and FIG.
It is assumed that the process of is started. The added data has the format as shown in FIG. 3, and the first data is read at 18 in FIG. At the same time, the data in the destination storage unit 2 of the e-mail in FIG. 1 is sequentially read one by one.
To determine if it is the last data, and if not the last, 20
Read the next recipient list with. In this example, first, the data 15 in FIG. 4 is read, and at 21 the current history data 1
The first data “S” of No. 4 and the first data of the data 15 of FIG. 4 are compared. In this case, since they match, the electronic mail is sent to the computer “host1” which is the destination like 22. The data to be sent may be the data 14 of FIG. 3 itself, but it is of course possible to supplement the words so that it is easy for humans to read. The process returns to 19, and if not the last, moves to the next data in the e-mail destination storage unit 2. Since the first data in the 16 data of FIG. 4 is not “S”, the processing 1 is performed without sending the e-mail.
Return to 9. Hereinafter, the same operation is performed by the email destination storage unit 2
Repeat until the end of the data. Whenever facsimile communication occurs due to these processes, an electronic mail is sent to a preset destination as needed. If you specify the destination of the e-mail to be the most convenient for the recipient, you can know the communication status of the facsimile at a remote location. E-mail transmission is performed in synchronization with facsimile communication, but the recipient of the e-mail can read the e-mail using a computer connected to the LAN at his or her convenient time.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of processing when a person who is away from the facsimile apparatus of the present invention makes some requests by electronic mail. The request is, for example, that a person at a remote place wants to know the state of the facsimile at that time, or that he / she wants to correct the destination of the electronic mail set in the past.
These are realized by writing a predefined command such as "GET" or "MOD" in the text of the electronic mail and sending it to the facsimile apparatus of the present invention. Upon receiving such an electronic mail, the command request is executed according to the processing of FIG. It is judged at 23 in FIG. 6 whether the request is a history transmission request, and if so, the data is transmitted at 25 to the destination which sent the request. Usually, in an electronic mail, the sender's destination also exists as control data, so the sender's destination can also be known from the transmitted data. If it is not a request to send the history, it is determined at 24 whether it is a request to correct the data in the e-mail destination storage unit 2, and if so, 26 is determined.
Correct with. If not, end. By these processes, a person who is far away can instantly know the history of the facsimile apparatus, and it is not necessary to go to a place where the facsimile apparatus exists for setting.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the function of leaving the communication history and the function of the electronic mail by the computer network are adopted, so that the state of the communication executed in the facsimile can be known at the same time as the communication. You can Further, it becomes possible to know the history up to the communication time from a place away from the facsimile machine.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection form of the present invention on a computer network.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing communication history data according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing destination data of an electronic mail according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of processing performed together with a new communication history in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of processing performed according to an electronic mail request according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Network Interface 2 E-mail Destination Storage Section 3 Control Section 4 Reading Section 5 Printing Section 6 Communication Control Section 7 Communication History Storage Section 8 Fax Machine 9 Personal Computer 10 Workstation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for storing history contents of communication states, an interface means for a network of computers, a means for storing a destination of an electronic mail using the network, and a transmission / reception of the electronic mail. A facsimile machine having means.