JPH0795764B2 - Media selection control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical field to which the invention pertains) The present invention specifies a delivery document output condition in a case of performing center-end communication such as an electronic mail or a database or communication between terminals, and a soft copy medium. The present invention relates to a media selection control method for efficiently performing communication and hard copy media communication.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, telematic terminals such as facsimile and teletex have been developed mainly for end-to-end communication.
It is possible to apply these telematic terminals to center-end communication systems.

Examples of this type of center-end type communication system include an electronic mail system for storing and forwarding facsimile documents and teletex documents stored in the center, broadcasting, circulation, etc., and a database system for searching stored documents.

Furthermore, it is considered that the systemization of terminals that have a large capacity memory such as a compact disk (CD) and perform the same service as a database system will progress as the functions of the terminals become higher.

On the other hand, the media handled by the telematic service includes a conventional facsimile code format that handles binary images, a teletex encoding format that handles character codes, a mixed mode encoding format that mixes binary images and character codes, and computer graphics. It is considered that so-called multimedia, in which encoding formats such as audio, audio, drawing, natural image, and moving image are mixed, will progress.

As a terminal applied to such a center-end type communication system for handling multimedia documents, a compound device such as a personal computer / facsimile device in which an information processing device such as a personal computer and a communication device such as a facsimile are organically combined. Can be used.

The advantages of this type of multi-function device are the unique features of facsimile such as real-time hard copy communication, ease of document transmission, automatic reception when out of office, etc., and the unique features of personal computer such as soft copy display and document processing. It has the easiness of information processing such as graphic processing, the storage property such as document storage and retrieval, etc., and it is possible to realize a compound device that makes use of the characteristics of both of these.

In these sophisticated multifunctional devices, it is possible to store the received document, output a hard copy, and display a soft copy.

When applying this type of multi-function device such as a personal computer / facsimile device to a center-end communication system, in a database that provides a search service for stored documents, search conditions are registered in advance in the center and documents that match the search conditions are registered. It is conceivable to automatically deliver the relevant document to the terminal when the error occurs.

In this case, it is necessary to register in the center at the time of registering the search condition whether the search result document or the like is output as a hard copy, is temporarily stored in the terminal, or is displayed in soft copy in real time. .

For e-mail that provides delivery services for facsimile documents and teletelex documents, when delivering an e-mail document to the recipient's terminal, output it as a hard copy, store it in the terminal once, or make a soft copy in real time. It is necessary to register whether to display it in the center when registering the mail document.

And other functions are required.

In the past, when the multifunction device was applied to these center-end type communication systems, the output format could not be specified on the transmission side, so it was necessary to once display and print a soft copy.

If the search terminal and output terminal are different, a hard copy is output and can be seen by others unnecessarily.

Urgent documents are stored and recipients do not see email.

It is delivered as a facsimile document even though it is desired to reprocess the delivered document.

There were drawbacks such as.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to make it possible to control which medium a delivery document is to be output when registering a mail document or registering search conditions in a system service such as an electronic mail and a database. In order to improve the operability, serviceability, and functionality of the center-end communication system.

(Structure of Invention) (Differences Between Features of Invention and Prior Art) The present invention outputs a delivery document to any medium when registering a mail document or registering search conditions in a system service such as an electronic mail or a database. The main feature is that the output format can be controlled from the originating side.

In the prior art, the output format could not be specified on the sending side, so a soft copy is displayed once and printed.

If the search terminal and output terminal are different, a hard copy is output and can be seen by others unnecessarily.

Urgent documents are stored and recipients do not see email.

It is delivered as a facsimile document even though it is desired to reprocess the delivered document.

There were drawbacks such as.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, in which 100 is a facsimile unit, 200 is a personal computer unit, 300 is a database unit, 400 is a communication traffic network, 10 is a reading unit, 11 Is a FAX (facsimile) encoding unit, 12 is a recording unit, 13 is a FAX (facsimile) decoding unit, 14 is an output format control unit, 15 is a communication control unit, 20 is a key input unit, 21 is a character encoding unit, 22 is a code separation unit, 23 is a character decoding unit, 24 is a fax (facsimile) decoding unit, 25 is a display unit, 26 is a storage control unit, 27 is a storage unit, 28 is a recording unit, 30 is a communication control unit, Reference numeral 31 is a search / registration processing unit, 32 is a storage control unit, 33 is a storage unit, 34 is a code separation unit, 35 is a character decoding unit, and 36 is a FAX (facsimile) encoding unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the sequence of the present invention. FIG. 2 (a) is a sequence example of search processing / search result department delivery, and FIG. 2 (b) is mail registration processing / registration of a facsimile document. A document delivery sequence example, FIG. 2 (c) is a teletex document mail registration process / registered document delivery sequence example.

The operation of FIG. 1 will be described below using the sequence example shown in FIG.

(1) FIG. 2A shows a sequence example of search processing / search result document delivery. The database is accessed, search conditions and output conditions are registered in the database section, and the search condition is set in the database section. 9 shows a sequence example in which a document matching with is searched for immediately or periodically, and when a matching document is generated, media conversion processing is performed in a format that matches the registered output condition and the result is output to the terminal.

This operation will be described below.

The search conditions and output conditions are for the personal computer section 20.
It is input from the 0 key input unit 20 and is encoded by the character encoding unit 21 into the character code defined by the center end communication system.

This data is passed as a signal 1 to the output format control unit 14 of the facsimile unit 100, and is transmitted to the center via the communication control unit 15 and the communication traffic network 400 as processing request data for the database.

In the center, the signal 1 received via the communication control unit 30
Is transferred to the search / registration processing unit 31, and a document matching the search condition is searched from the storage unit 33 via the storage control unit 32.

If the relevant document is found, the document data is returned to the code separation unit 34.
The following media conversion processing is performed according to the registered output conditions transferred to.

As an output condition in this sequence example, the encoding format is specified when it is not necessary to reprocess the delivery document in the FAX ... facsimile encoding format.

TTX… Specify when reprocessing the delivery document in the Teleterex encoding format.

MM ... This is a coding format that mixes the facsimile coding format and the teleterex coding format, and is specified when performing reprocessing.

Is taken as an example.

On the other hand, as the output format, HC ... Real-time hard copy output is specified.

 SC: Specifies real-time soft copy display.

ST ... Display and printing are not required, and once the storage of a document is specified in a storage medium such as a disk.

Is taken as an example.

The output condition is specified by a combination of the encoding format and the output format. In the code separation unit 34, when FAX is specified according to the output condition, the document data is converted into the character decoding unit 3.
The code / pattern conversion is performed by 5, and the facsimile encoding unit 36 performs facsimile encoding.

If TTX, MM, etc. are specified, these conversions are not performed.

On the other hand, in the output format, the data at the time of terminal registration is transferred to the terminal via the communication control unit 30.

The delivery destination terminal causes the output format control unit 14 to perform the following processing on the output condition and the document information received via the communication control unit 15.

When HC and FAX are designated, the facsimile decoding unit 13 performs decoding and outputs a hard copy to the recording unit 12.

If ST, FAX, TTX, or MM is designated, the document is stored in the storage unit 27 via the storage control unit 26.

If SC and FAX or TTX or MM are specified, the document data is transferred to the code separation unit 34, and if it is the TTX encoding format, the character decoding unit 23 performs code pattern conversion and the display unit
Display in soft copy at 25.

In the case of the FAX encoding format, the display unit 25 decoded by the facsimile decoding unit 24 displays the soft copy.

If the format is MM, both of the above conversions are performed and the display unit 25
To display a soft copy.

(2) FIG. 2B shows an example of a mail registration process for facsimile documents and a delivery sequence for registered documents. The registration condition and output condition are registered in the database unit by accessing the electronic mail system. The database section shows an example of a sequence of performing mail delivery, circulation, broadcast, etc. according to the registration conditions, performing media conversion processing in a format that matches the registered output conditions, and outputting to the terminal.

This operation will be described below.

The registration and output conditions are personal computer section 20
It is input from the 0 key input unit 20 and is encoded by the character encoding unit 21 into the character code defined by the center end communication system.

This data is passed as a signal 1 to the output format control unit 14 of the facsimile unit 100, and is transmitted to the center via the communication control unit 15 and the communication traffic network 400 as processing request data for the database.

At this time, since the registered document is a facsimile document, the document input from the reading unit 10 is registered in the center via the communication control unit 15 encoded by the facsimile encoding unit 11.

In the center, the signal 1 received via the communication control unit 30
Is transferred to the search / registration processing unit 31, and the document is registered in the storage unit 33 via the storage control unit 32 according to the registration conditions.

The registered document is subjected to the following media conversion processing according to the registered output conditions and delivered to the terminal. The output conditions in this sequence example are the same as the above.

The output condition is specified by a combination of the above-mentioned encoding format and the output format. In the code separating section 34, according to this output condition, since it is a FAX document in this example, the facsimile encoding section 36 performs facsimile encoding. Will be delivered.

On the other hand, regarding the output format, the data at the time of terminal registration is the communication control unit.
Transferred to the terminal via 30.

The delivery destination terminal causes the output format control unit 14 to perform the following processing on the output condition and the document information received via the communication control unit 15.

When HC and FAX are designated, the facsimile decoding unit 13 performs decoding and outputs a hard copy to the recording unit 12.

When ST and FAX are designated, the document is stored in the storage unit 27 via the storage control unit 26.

(3) FIG. 2 (c) shows an example of mail registration processing / delivery sequence of registered documents such as teletex documents. By accessing the electronic mail system and registering registration conditions / output conditions in the database unit. Every time, the database section performs mail delivery, circulation, broadcast, etc. according to the registration conditions,
The sequence example which performs a media conversion process in the format which matches the registered output conditions, and outputs to a terminal is shown.

This operation will be described below.

Creation and registration of registration conditions and output conditions are the same as those shown in FIG. 2 (b).

Since the registered document is a Teletex document etc., the key input section
The document input from 20 is encoded by the character encoding unit 21 and registered in the center via the communication control unit 15.

The output condition is specified by a combination of the encoding format and the output format, and the code distance unit 34 is responsive to this output condition.
When FAX is designated, the document data is code / pattern converted by the character decoding unit 35, and the facsimile data is encoded.
Facsimile encoded at 36.

If TTX, MM, etc. are specified, these conversions are not performed.

On the other hand, regarding the output format, the data at the time of terminal registration is the communication control unit.
Transferred to the terminal via 30.

In the delivery destination terminal, the output condition control unit 14 performs the processing described in FIG. 2A on the output condition and the document information received via the communication control unit 15.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the present invention, in a system service such as an electronic mail and a database, it is possible to control, from the sender side, the output format as to which medium a delivery document is to be output when a mail document is registered or search conditions are registered. The main feature is to display and print the soft copy once, which the prior art had.

If the search terminal and output terminal are different, a hard copy is output and can be seen by others unnecessarily.

Urgent documents are stored and recipients do not see email.

It is delivered as a facsimile document even though it is desired to reprocess the delivered document.

It is possible to improve the operability, serviceability, and functionality of multimedia center-end type communication systems such as e-mails and databases by eliminating such drawbacks.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a sequence of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a sequence example of search processing / search result document delivery, and FIG. 2 (b). ) Is a sequence example of a mail registration process / registered document delivery of a facsimile document, and FIG. 2 (c) is a sequence example of a mail registration process / registered document delivery of a Teletex document. 100 …… Facsimile department, 200 …… Personal computer department, 300 …… Database department, 400 …… Communication traffic network,
10 ... reading unit, 11 ... FAX (facsimile) encoding unit, 12 ... recording unit, 13 ... FAX (facsimile) decoding unit, 14 ... output format control unit, 15 ... communication control unit, 20 ......
Key input section, 21 ... Character encoding section, 22 ... Code separation section,
23 ... Character decoding unit, 24 ... FAX (facsimile) decoding unit, 25 ... Display unit, 26 ... Storage control unit, 27 ... Storage unit, 28 ... Recording unit, 30 ... Communication control unit , 31 ... Search / registration processing unit, 32 ... Storage control unit, 33 ... Storage unit, 34 ... Code separation unit, 35 ... Character decoding unit, 36 ... FAX (facsimile) encoding unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A composite device such as a personal computer / facsimile device in which an information processing device having an information processing function such as a personal computer and a communication device having a communication function such as a facsimile are combined via a communication line. In a center-end type communication system connected to a center device having an electronic mail or database function, the composite device is provided with a character code, an image code at the time of delivery,
And a coding type for identifying a mixed mode code format in which these are mixed, a means for designating an output format of printing, displaying, or storing, and an output condition consisting of the coding format and the output format for the center. A first notifying unit for notifying the device, a second notifying unit for notifying the center device of the search condition, and a unit for receiving a document which is a processing result in the center device are provided, and the center device comprises: Means for searching documents that match the search conditions immediately or periodically, means for performing media conversion processing in a format that matches the specified output conditions when a matching document is found, and the media conversion processing results And a means for outputting a document by delivery, circulation, or broadcast to the multi-function device according to the output condition.