JPH0746388A - Data communications equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm a delivered result as fast as possible and to make it possible to confirm the delivered result also by a means other than facsimile (FAX) by returning a delivered result to a user of an originating source data terminal by using a terminal to be informed, an informing interval and an informing means as informing conditions. CONSTITUTION:While using an informing target of a delivered result transmitted after the output of a delivery request from an originating source data terminal 100, an informing interval and an informing means as informing conditions, the delivered result is returned to the user of the terminal 100. At the time of returning the delivered result to the terminal 100 after executing multi-address transmission to plural delivered destination data terminals 300, a communications equipment 200 can variously change the informing interval of an objective delivered destination data terminal 300 based upon the informing object, the informing interval and the informing means in the informing conditions set up by the terminal 100 and various informing means other than a FAX equipment can be used. Thereby quick processing can be attained and an information transmitting speed can be furthermore improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data communication device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a data communication device having a broadcast transmission function.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a general configuration of a broadcast communication system. In FIG. 9A, a transmission FAX (facsimile) 100 as a transmission source data terminal having a broadcast function is used. The case of broadcasting to a plurality of delivery destination FAX 300 via the exchange network EX is shown. In FIG. 1B, a FAX mail service center (hereinafter referred to as FAX) as a data communication device from the transmission FAX 100 via the exchange network EX is shown. (Sometimes called the center) 20
FAX center 2 which received a delivery request to 0
00 shows a case where the broadcast transmission is performed to a plurality of destination FAX 300 via the exchange network EX.

In such a broadcast communication system, as the number of destinations for broadcast transmission increases, the storage capacity that the transmitting FAX 100 must have becomes extremely large in the case of FIG.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2B, a FAX mail service center 200 having a large capacity is connected to the exchange network EX and is shared by the sending side FAX, whereby each sending FAX 100 has a small storage capacity. In addition, a broadcast communication system that does not have a complicated broadcast communication function is expected as a more general one.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art In a broadcast communication system as shown in FIG. 9 (b), a source fax 100 is sent to a plurality of destination faxes.
When sending a broadcast message to 300, the FAX center 200 receives the delivery request from the sending FAX 1,
For example, a technique for notifying the delivery result from the FAX center 200 to the originating FAX 100 after the delivery process is completed in order to confirm whether or not the broadcast transmission is reliably performed to the corresponding destination FAX 300 is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10 2-2685
No. 57 and No. 3-104376.

First, in the former case, a broadcast communication request is sent from the sender data terminal to the FAX center (mail system).
Then, the FAX center automatically requests the return of the delivery result, and the FAX center returns the delivery result to the originating terminal after finishing the requested communication processing.
The processing result of the broadcast communication request is surely notified, and the trouble of frequently requesting the return is saved.

In the latter case, when the broadcast transmission is not completed within a certain time, the current delivery status is notified to the source data terminal, and the above certain time is input by a command from the source data terminal. It can be set arbitrarily.

[0008]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the gazette, the FAX center sends back the delivery result to the sender after completing the requested broadcast transmission process, so the delivery result cannot be confirmed until the delivery process is completed and it is confirmed that there are many destinations. It takes a lot of time,
This causes a problem of hesitating the delivery request.

In this respect, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-104376, the delivery result can be confirmed at the source data terminal at shorter intervals, but there is a problem that the delivery result cannot be confirmed without using the FAX. there were.

Therefore, the present invention is a data communication apparatus for receiving data transmitted from a source data terminal and broadcasting the received data to a plurality of delivery destination data terminals requested by the data terminal for delivery. The purpose is to make it possible to confirm the delivery result as soon as possible and to confirm the delivery result by means other than FAX.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the data communication apparatus according to the present invention is a notification object and a notification of the delivery result transmitted from the source data terminal 3 after the delivery request. The delivery result is returned to the user of the source data terminal 300 with the interval and the notification means as notification conditions.

That is, when the source data terminal 100 requests the data communication device 200 for a broadcast delivery, the delivery result notification condition 'is also sent.

As a result, when the data communication apparatus 200 sends a delivery result back to the source data terminal 100 after performing the broadcast transmission to the destination data terminal 300, the notification condition set by the source data terminal 100. The notification interval can be variously changed for the target delivery destination data terminal 300 according to the notification target, the notification interval (timing) and the notification means in 'and the notification means can be not only the FAX but also various notification means.

In this case, the notification condition 'may specify the result notification destination, or the notification target can be changed.

[0015]

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a FAX mail service center 200 as a data communication device according to the present invention, in which 1 is a line connection / disconnection with a network (switching network EX in FIG. 9). Line connection part for performing PB
(Push button) PB detection unit for detecting sound, 3 is a PB for distinguishing the detected PB sound into "1 to 9, #, *"
It is a recognition unit, and the PB detection unit 2 and the PB recognition unit 3 constitute a PB function unit A.

Reference numeral 4 is an ADPCM section for converting voice data into voice and sending operation guidance. Reference numeral 5 is a voice processing section for selecting appropriate voice data and sending it to the ADPCM section 4. The voice processing unit 5 constitutes the voice function unit B.

Further, 6 is an F for realizing the FAX function.
Reference numeral 7 is an AXAST unit, which is a FAX for performing FAX communication control.
This is a communication control unit, and the FAX AST unit 6 and the FAX communication control unit 7 constitute a FAX function unit C.

Further, 8 is a delivery management unit for managing all delivery processes such as delivery status and order of request documents, 9 is a delivery request and notifies the delivery management unit 8 of request data such as destination. Together with this, it is a delivery request acceptance control unit for accumulating the request document in the delivery document storage file 11.

Further, 10 is a communication management control unit for managing all communication processes such as communication procedures of the data communication apparatus 200, 12 is a delivery destination management file for storing destinations to be delivered, and 13 is. A delivery status management file for storing delivery status data of requested documents.

The operation of the embodiment of the FAX mail service center 200 will be described below with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS.

FIG. 3 shows the procedure on the user side in the sender data terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show the control procedure of the FAX mail service center 200 (part 1 and its part). 2), and FIG. 6 more specifically shows the operation procedure of the user in FIG. 3 (input procedure of notification condition of delivery result).

First, a line connection is made in the source data terminal 100 on the user side (step S1). At this time, F
In the AX center 200, the communication management control unit 10 has already been
Request acceptance has started at (step S2
1) The line control unit 1 also connects the line in the FAX center 200 by the line connection from the source data terminal 100 (step S22), and the start guidance is transmitted by the ADPCM unit 4 and the voice processing unit 5. Send to the data terminal 100 (step S
23).

When the user listens to this start guidance (step S2), the code (subscriber ID, personal identification number, etc.) necessary for receiving this broadcast communication service is entered.
When the B signal is input (step S3), the PB detector 2 of the FAX center 200 receives it (step S24), and the PB recognition part 3 recognizes the code of the PB signal (step S25).

As a result, the communication management control unit 10 determines whether or not the code is correct (step S26). When the code is incorrect, it is further determined whether or not the code reception has exceeded the specified number of times (step S26). S27), if the specified number of times has not been exceeded, the process returns to step S25, but if the specified number of times has been exceeded, the line control unit 1 disconnects the line (step S28), and the communication management control unit 10 ends the acceptance of the request (step S28). S29).

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S26 that the code is correct, the ADPCM section 4 and the voice processing section 5 transmit the guidance to this effect to the source data terminal 10
0 (step S30), and in response thereto, the user of the source data terminal 100 hears this guidance (step S4), and recognizes that the above service code was correct based on this guidance. The delivery destination is input (step S5) and the delivery result notification condition is input (step S6).

FIG. 6 shows details of the input (customization) of the notification condition of the delivery result in step S6, and Table 1 below shows the allocation of the customized item and PB signal of the result notification.

[0027]

[Table 1]

That is, first, the result notification target (delivery destination FAX)
Is changed (step S51), and if changed, the notification target is designated (step S5).
2).

The method of designating the result notification target is as follows. (1) When the target for which the result is to be notified is designated by the "reception ID at the time of request", the following is performed. PB input: 11 # 1 # (2) When the target of the result notification is designated by the "broadcast destination", it is performed as follows. When adding the broadcast destination “1111” PB input: 11 # 2 # 1 # 1111 # When deleting the broadcast destination “1111” PB input: 11 # 2 # 2 # 1111 #

Then, it is checked whether or not the designation of the customized item is completed (step S53). When it is completed, the access to the FAX center 200 is completed (step S54), but it is not completed. Sometimes, this time, the process proceeds to step S55, it is checked whether or not the result notification interval (timing) is changed, and if necessary, the target to be notified is specified (step S56), and the change interval is specified (step S57). .

A method of designating the result notification interval will be described below. (1) When this designation is limited to a specific notification target, the PB input when notifying the notification timing of the delivery request with the reception ID “0123” at 20 minute intervals is as follows. PB input: 12 # 0123 # 1 # 20 # (2) If this designation is not limited, the PB input for notifying at a notification interval of 20 minutes is as follows.

PB input: 12 # 1 # 20 #

Similarly, in step S58, it is checked whether or not the result notifying means is changed, and if necessary, the object to be notified is designated (step S59) and the result notifying means is designated.

The method of specifying the result notifying means will be described below. (1) To limit this designation to a specific notification target,
When the result notification means of the reception ID “0123” is set to notify by FAX, the procedure is as follows. PB input: 13 # 0123 # 2 # (2) In the case where this designation is not limited, the result notification means is set to notify by FAX as follows.

PB input: 13 # 2 #

Further, it is checked in step S61 whether or not the result notification destination is changed, and if necessary, the notification target is designated (step S62) and the destination change item is designated (step S63).

The result notification destination will be described below. (1) When this designation is limited to a specific notification target, as a result of the reception ID “0123”, the notification means is changed to the telephone number “00”.
When it is set to "0-1111", it becomes as follows. PB input: 14 # 0123 # 0001111 # (2) When this designation is not limited, the result notification destination is set to the telephone number "000-1111" as follows.

PB input: 14 # 0001111 #

The delivery result notification items described above are shown in Table 2 below.
As shown in.

[0040]

[Table 2]

As shown in FIG. 3, the source data terminal 100
When the user inputs the delivery result notification condition (step S6), the FAX center 200 receives the delivery destination and the delivery result notification condition by the PB detector 2 (step S31).

Then, the delivery result notification condition is recognized and stored in the delivery destination management file 12 (step S3).
2). This is performed by the PB recognition unit 3, the delivery request acceptance control unit 9, and the delivery destination management file 12 under the control of the communication management control unit 10 and the delivery management unit 8.

After this, the user sends the document by fax or reads it in the fax (step S7).
The X center 200 receives the original and stores it in the delivery document storage file 11 (step S33).
This is performed by the FAXAST unit 6, the FAX communication control unit 7, the delivery request acceptance control unit 9, and the delivery document storage file 11 under the control of the communication management control unit 10 and the delivery management unit 8.

The request is completed in this way (step S
8 and S34), the line is disconnected (steps S9 and S35).

After that, the FAX center 200 delivers the undelivered document according to the conditions stored in the delivery destination management file 12 (step S36). This is the FAXAST section 6
This is performed by the FAX communication control unit 7, the delivery management unit 8, the communication management control unit 10, the delivery document storage file 11, and the delivery destination management file 12.

Then, the delivery management unit 8 and the delivery status management file 13 determine whether or not the condition for notifying the delivery result is satisfied.
When the condition is not satisfied, the process returns to step S36, but when the condition is satisfied, the delivery result is notified by the delivery management unit 8 and the communication management control unit 10 (step S38). This is notified by the source data terminal 100 (step S10).

Then, it is judged by the delivery management unit 8 and the delivery status management file 13 whether or not the delivery is completed (step S39), and the result of this delivery completion is the source data terminal 1
By notifying 00 (step S11), when the delivery is not completed, it is checked whether or not to wait until the delivery is completed (step S12), and when the delivery is not completed, the delivery request is canceled (step S13).

Therefore, the FAX center 200 which has received such cancellation of the delivery request (step S4)
0), the PB detection unit 2, the PB recognition unit 3, and the delivery management unit 8 determine this, and when the delivery request is canceled, the delivery request, undelivered destination, and delivery document are deleted (step S41). This is performed by the delivery management unit 8, the delivery document storage file 11, the delivery destination management file 12, and the delivery status management file 13.

Finally, the delivery result is notified (step S42). This is the delivery management unit 8 and the communication management control unit 10.
Done by.

FIG. 7 shows an example of notification of the delivery result by the above FAX.

FIG. 8 shows an internal processing control procedure of the FAX center 200. First, the line control unit 1 connects the line (step S51), and then the PB detection unit 2 and the PB recognition unit 3 perform the line connection. The request reception ID for changing the delivery result notification is received, and the table 1 is referred to (step S52).

Further, by receiving the delivery result notification change contents and referring to Table 1 (step S53), the received data is stored in the delivery status management file 13 (step S54). This is performed by the communication management control unit 10 and the delivery status management file 13.

[0053]

As described above, according to the data communication apparatus of the present invention, the originator data terminal sends the delivery result notification object, the notification interval, and the notification means, which are sent after the delivery request is made, as notification conditions. Since the delivery result is returned to the user of the original data terminal, it is possible to specify the delivery result notification target, the notification timing, and the notification medium according to the convenience of the user.

Therefore, the user can take prompt action according to the situation of the destination, and can further improve the information transmission speed. Further, by improving the information transmission speed in this way, it is possible to prevent obsolescence of information and promote smooth communication between the user and the addressee.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing in principle a data communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a data communication device (FAX mail service center) according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure on the side of a user in a source data terminal.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure (No. 1) of the FAX mail service center as the data communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure (No. 2) of the FAX mail service center as the data communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an input procedure of delivery result notification conditions according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of delivery result notification from a FAX mail service center as a data communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an internal processing control procedure of the data communication apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of broadcast communication.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Source Data Terminal 200 Data Communication Device (FAX Mail Service Center) 300 Delivery Destination Data Terminal In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication H04N 1/00 104 A 7232-5C

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A data terminal (1) receives data transmitted from a source data terminal (100), and receives the received data from the data terminal (1).
In the data communication device (200) that broadcasts to multiple destination data terminals (300) requested by (00), the source data terminal (300) sends the delivery result after requesting the delivery. A data communication device characterized in that the delivery result is returned to the user of the source data terminal (300) with the notification target, notification interval, and notification means as notification conditions. 2. The data communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notification condition further includes a result notification destination. 3. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the result notification target is changeable.