JPH06291910A - Input method for mail system by facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the input method by inputting image data from the facsimile equipment to a mail system while designating the destination so as to attain automatic delivery. CONSTITUTION:Subaddress information of an ISDN 40 able to be registered by one-touch dial or abbreviation dial or the like of a G4 facsimile equipment is used for designating a destination of a mail system 30. A gateway equipment 10 stores cross reference between subaddress information and destination information to a destination conversion table storage section 14 in advance, and upon the receipt of an incoming call from the G4 facsimile equipment 20, destination information corresponding to the subaddress information included in a setup text is acquired by the conversion by the destination conversion table storage section 14. Succeedingly the gateway equipment 10 designates the destination and sends a mail of image data inputted from the G4 facsimile equipment 20 to the mail system 30. The mail system 30 receives it and delivers the image data to the designated destination automatically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for inputting characters and images into a mail system such as multimedia electronic mail or FAX mail, and more particularly, to use a facsimile device as a remote input device for image input. The present invention relates to a destination designating method for inputting to a mail system by facsimile so that a desired destination of the mail system can be designated and automatically delivered from the facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an electronic mail is input from a facsimile terminal to a mail system, it is difficult to specify the address of the mail system from the facsimile terminal.
The following two methods are mainly adopted according to the purpose.

The first method is to provide a facsimile device for receiving mail from a facsimile device, a gateway device for receiving mails, and one mail box for each telephone number of the facsimile device. The image data received from the one is temporarily stored in the one mail box, and then manually mail box for personal use.
It is a method of delivering to X.

The second method is to mount a PB (push button) voice response function in a gateway device, and according to voice guidance at the time of facsimile transmission, input information for determining a destination with a push button and then start communication of the facsimile device. Then, the image data input from the facsimile apparatus to the gateway apparatus is transmitted to the corresponding mail box based on the destination information input by the push button.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned first method of the related art, it requires manual labor for mail delivery, and because of the manual labor, confidential documents and the like touch the eyes of a third party. Problems such as these were pointed out.

Further, in the above-mentioned second conventional method, the problem of the first method due to manual intervention can be avoided, but a special operation is required every time and a PB response is required. Therefore, there is a problem in that transmission using the broadcast function of the facsimile device cannot be used and it is necessary to perform transmission individually.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to allow a facsimile apparatus to specify an address and input image data to a mail system. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of inputting image data of a mail system by the broadcast function that it has and an input method to a mail system by facsimile that enables automatic delivery to a mail BOX of a designated destination.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, in the method of inputting to a mail system by facsimile of the present invention, first, the subaddress is added to a communication network capable of handling the subaddress information as call setting information. Connect a fax machine that can register and send information, and use the sub-address information and e-mail
The destination information of the system is associated and stored in the storage means. Next, the sub-address information is included in the call setting information received when an incoming call from the facsimile device is detected through the communication network. In this case, the destination information of the mail system corresponding to the sub-address information of the storage means is acquired, then the image data transmitted from the facsimile device is received, and then the received image data is received. It is characterized in that a mail is sent to the destination of the mail system indicated by the acquired destination information.

[0009]

According to the method of inputting to the mail system by the facsimile of the present invention, when inputting image data from the facsimile apparatus to the mail system, a sub-address which is unrelated to communication processing and can be registered by one-touch dial or speed dial. The information is used to specify the destination of the mail system, and the destination of the mail system is acquired from the correspondence between the sub-address information and the destination information stored in the storage unit in advance. Subsequently, the image data input from the facsimile device is sent to the above-mentioned acquired destination by mail, thereby enabling automatic delivery to the mail box of the designated destination in the mail system.

[0010]

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

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are system configuration diagrams for realizing an embodiment of an input method for a facsimile mail system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows details of a gateway device which is a main part. 2 shows details of the mail system in particular. 1 and 2, 10
Is a gateway device, 20 is a G4 facsimile device for inputting image data, and 30 is a G4 facsimile device 2 which receives a mail from the gateway device 10.
A mail system for delivering image data input from 0 to a mail system terminal (mail terminal), 40
Represents an ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) for connecting the G4 facsimile device 20 to the gateway device 10.

In FIG. 1, a G4 facsimile machine 20
Image data input from the mail system 3
As a constituent of the gateway device 10 which is a device for inputting to 0, 11 is an ISDN communication section for performing G4 data communication with an ISDN line, and 12 is a G4 for receiving image data from the G4 facsimile device 20.
The protocol communication unit 13 is a destination conversion unit for converting the sub-address information obtained when the ISDN communication unit 11 detects an incoming call from the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 into the destination information of the mail system 30, and 14 is the destination conversion unit 13 , A destination conversion table storage unit for holding a destination conversion table required for destination conversion, 15 is a G4 facsimile apparatus 20.
An image data storage unit for temporarily storing the image data received from the mail system, and a mail transmission unit 16 for sending a mail to the mail system 30.

Referring to FIG. 1, connection of the gateway device 10
To describe the configuration, first, in the process of receiving image data from the G4 facsimile apparatus 20, the ISDN communication unit 11 ISDs a call setting message including the partner address and the partner subaddress designated by the G4 facsimile apparatus 20.
When received from N40, only the other party address designated by the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 and the own address of the gateway apparatus 10 are compared, and if the addresses match, G4
The response message for accepting an incoming call regardless of the presence or absence or the value of the partner subaddress designated by the facsimile device 20 is I.
At the same time as transmitting to the SDN 40, the subaddress included in the received call setting message and designated by the G4 facsimile device 20 is passed to the destination conversion unit 13, and the G4 facsimile device 20
Wait for receipt of response confirmation message from. The destination conversion unit 13 that has received the sub-address has the destination conversion table storage unit 14
One or more pieces of destination information are acquired from the correspondence relationship between the sub-addresses stored in advance in and the destination information of the mail system 30. This correspondence is stored in the broadcast destination list designated by the destination pointer corresponding to the subaddress in the subaddress table illustrated in FIG. IS
When the DN communication unit 11 receives the response confirmation message from the ISDN 40, the G4 protocol communication unit 12 sends the image data transmitted from the G4 facsimile device 20 to the I4 based on the G4 facsimile standard defined by the CCITT recommendation.
The image data received from the SDN 40 is stored in the image data storage unit 15. After receiving the image data, the ISDN communication unit 11 disconnects the line between the G4 facsimile device 20 and the ISDN 40, and when the disconnection is completed, requests the mail transmission unit 16 to send the mail and again receives the call from the G4 facsimile device 20. Monitor the call.
The mail transmission unit 16 that has received the mail transmission request from the ISDN communication unit 11 uses one of the destination information indicated by the destination information acquired by the destination conversion unit 13 using the destination conversion table stored in the destination conversion table storage unit 14 or The image data stored in the image data storage unit 15 is converted into the protocol of the mail system 30 and transmitted to a plurality of mail addresses.

Next, the configuration of the mail system 30 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the mail system 30 is an MHS (Message) that handles characters and images.
The Handling System electronic mail system or the like is used. As the components of such an electronic mail system 30, 31 is a mail server of the electronic mail system, 32 is a mail terminal of the electronic mail system 30, and 33 is a LAN (local area network).

In the configuration of FIG. 2, the electronic mail system 30 includes a mail server 31 and a plurality of mail terminals 3.
2 is connected to the LAN 33, and this LA
The gateway device 10 is connected to N33. The gateway device 10 has the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and has the destination conversion table including the sub-address table and the mail broadcast destination list illustrated in FIG. 3 in the destination conversion table storage unit 14 in FIG. A function equivalent to the MHS terminal protocol communication function that the mail terminal 32 shown in FIG. 2 has to send mail to the mail server 31 shown in FIG. 2 to send mail to the mail server 31 shown in FIG. have. The mail server 31 which receives the mail from the gateway device 10 temporarily stores the image data and
The stored image data is delivered to the destination mail terminal 32 designated by the sub address of the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 via N33.

To describe the method of inputting to the mail system by facsimile of the present embodiment realized by the above configuration, first, ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) capable of handling subaddress information as call setting information.
A G4 facsimile device 20 capable of registering and transmitting subaddress information and a gateway device 10 for inputting image data input from the G4 facsimile device 20 to a mail system are connected to each other, and a storage means is used in advance. The IS is stored in a certain destination conversion table storage unit 14.
The sub address of the DN and the destination information of the mail system are held in association with each other, and then the G4 facsimile apparatus 2
If the sub-address information is included in the call setting information received when the ISDN communication unit 11 detects the incoming call of the ISDN line by calling 0, the sub-address preset in the destination conversion table storage unit 14 described above. The destination information of the mail system corresponding to the information is obtained by conversion by the destination conversion unit 13 which is a mail destination acquisition unit, and then the image data transmitted from the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 is an ISDN communication unit which is a facsimile reception unit. 11 and the G4 protocol communication unit 12 to store the image data in the image data storage unit 15, and then the image data received by the above-mentioned facsimile receiving means to the destination conversion unit 1.
The mail is sent from the mail sending unit 16 to the mail server 31 of the mail system 30 to the destination acquired in step 3, and then the mail server 31 delivers the image data to the destination mail terminal 32 in the mail system 30. To do. As described above, in this embodiment, the destination is designated from the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 by using the subaddress information of the ISDN 40, the mail destination information is acquired from the subaddress information, and the G4 is set as the mail destination corresponding to the subaddress information.
The image data input from the facsimile device 20 is automatically delivered.

An example of destination conversion processing in the destination conversion unit 13 will be specifically described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The destination conversion process is performed in the next step number (1)-
It is performed according to (4).

(1) Acquisition of Sub-Address The ISDN communication unit 11 acquires the partner sub-address designated by the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 obtained by the incoming call processing.

(2) Retrieval of sub-address table Retrieval of an entry in which the sub-address information acquired in step (1) and the column "sub-address" of the sub-address table match is retrieved, and the information in the column "destination pointer" of the corresponding entry is retrieved. To do.

(3) Generation of destination information The destination information is generated based on the following according to the search result of step (2).

(3) -1 When no corresponding entry exists: Predetermined destination information is fixedly generated.

(3) -2 The retrieved "destination pointer"
In the case of the MHS e-mail system 30 of the embodiment, the destination information is designated by a decimal number and can be designated by the dial button of the G4 facsimile apparatus 20, so that it is obtained in step (1). The sub-address information is generated as the destination information of the mail system.

(3) -3 Retrieving "destination pointer"
When the pointer information to the broadcast address list is set in, multiple mail addresses specified in the broadcast address list specified by the address pointer are generated as the address information. Thus, mail delivery using the broadcast function of the MHS electronic mail system 30 is performed.

(4) Setting of destination information In order to enable the mail transmission unit 16 to specify a destination when transmitting a mail to the mail server 31, the destination information generated in step (3) is formatted in the MHS terminal protocol. And is set in the mail transmission unit 16.

The image data stored in the mail BOX in the mail server 31 is stored in the mail BOX in the mail server 31 designated by the destination information designated by the operator from the mail terminal 32 through key input or the like. By downloading the mail information to the mail terminal 32, it is possible to display the image data delivered from the G4 facsimile apparatus 20 to the corresponding destination information and refer to it in the same manner as the character data generally transmitted and received between the mail terminals. Become.

The operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. In the input method to the mail system of this embodiment, the conventional method of using the facsimile in the electronic mail system is only output from the electronic mail system to the facsimile machine. In comparison with the case where the G4 facsimile machine is used, the destination can be designated from the G4 facsimile machine so that the input from the G4 facsimile machine can be used in the same manner as the terminal of the mail system, and the transmission from the G4 facsimile machine can be performed. In the case of performing it, it is possible to operate without any special operation as in the case of transmitting to a general G4 facsimile apparatus. In the present embodiment, attention is paid to the fact that the communication sub-address designated by the G4 facsimile apparatus can be ignored in the ISDN communication processing, and any sub-address unrelated to ISDN communication can be designated to the facsimile apparatus. An image entered from a G4 facsimile machine by making it possible to convert the specified sub-address into the mail system address information and using the ISDN sub-address information that can be registered with the one-touch dial or speed dial of the fax machine. Send information to the designated mail B in the mail system
Enables automatic delivery to OX.

The communication network and the facsimile machine to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the ISDN and the G4 facsimile machine as long as the sub-address information can be handled as the call setting information.

[0028]

As described above, according to the method of inputting to the mail system by the facsimile of the present invention, when the image data is input from the facsimile apparatus to the mail system, the designated mail destination of the mail system is a general facsimile. Since it can be specified by the same operation as when sending to e-mail, F-mail that requires destination information, F
A remote facsimile machine can be used for data input to AX mail, electronic filing system, off-talk FAX, etc., and the sub-address information that can be registered in the one-touch dial or speed dial is used for the input operation from the facsimile. From the above, it becomes possible to send to a mail system at the same time as sending to a general facsimile by using the broadcast function of the fax machine, and the mail system side does not require an operator for delivery. The advantages of

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration example of a gateway device for realizing an embodiment of an input method for a mail system by facsimile according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a mail system for realizing an embodiment of the method of inputting to the mail system by the above facsimile.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a destination conversion table used in the gateway device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a destination conversion processing flow in the embodiment of the mail system input method by the above facsimile.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Gateway apparatus 11 ... ISDN communication section 12 ... G4 protocol communication section 13 ... Destination conversion section 14 ... Destination conversion table storage section 15 ... Image data storage section 16 ... Mail transmission section 20 ... G4 facsimile apparatus 30 ... Mail system 31 ... Mail server 32 ... Mail terminal 33 ... LAN 40 ... ISDN

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Yoji Kaneda 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. First, a facsimile apparatus capable of registering and transmitting subaddress information is connected to a communication network capable of handling the subaddress information as call setting information, and the subaddress information and the destination of the mail system are preliminarily set. If the sub-address information is included in the call setting information received when the incoming call from the facsimile apparatus is detected through the communication network, the sub-address information is stored in the storage means. The destination information of the mail system corresponding to the sub-address information of the storage means is acquired, then the image data transmitted from the facsimile device is received, and then the received image data is received.
The e-mail shown in the acquired destination information whose data is
A method of inputting to a mail system by facsimile, which is characterized in that mail is sent to the destination of the system.