JPH09238240A - Method and device for transferring information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To send information even to a device having no sequential message function and a device having no password indicating a contact group. SOLUTION: A control circuit 5 selects one telephone number from a group message management memory 4 when a transfer start instruction is made from a transmission instruction means 6, and when a device of this selected telephone number executes the transfer method, a half of telephone numbers stored in the memory 4 is formed to be a transmission destination list and the list is sent to selected devices together with a FAX document stored in a message memory 3. Upon the receipt of the information above through a communication network, the control circuit 5 selects a telephone number from the received transmission destination list, and when a device of this selected telephone number executes the transfer method, a half of telephone numbers in the transmission destination list is formed to be a new transmission destination list and the list is sent to selected devices based on the new transmission destination list together with the received FAX document stored.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transferring information between a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network and the device thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a sequential broadcast transmission function in a conventional facsimile. In this figure, reference numeral 50 is a transmission source facsimile, and the facsimile 50 in this figure transmits one message to each of the other facsimiles 51 to 54 connected via a communication network (not shown). The arrows in the figure show the flow of messages. In the sequential broadcast transmission method shown in this figure, the facsimile 50 of the transmission source sequentially makes a call to all the facsimiles 51 to 54 which transmit the message, and transmits the message to each. However, this method has a drawback that the facsimile 50 is occupied for a long time and the communication cost is concentrated on the facsimile 50.

As one of methods for solving the drawback of the sequential broadcast transmission, there is, for example, a sequential message transmission method of information as shown in FIG. In the sequential message method shown in FIG. 8, for example, when one message is transmitted to other communication devices 61 to 65 connected via a communication network (not shown), the communication device 60 is the transmission source. The communication device 60, together with the message to be transmitted, the password indicating the contact group, the transmission source telephone number (that is, its own telephone number), and the telephone numbers of all the communication devices that perform the broadcast transmission (that is, the communication device). 61-65 telephone numbers). Then, the communication device that has received and stored the message sequentially transmits the message to other communication devices in accordance with the telephone number sent at the same time, as shown in the figure.

Further, when the communication device that has received and stored the message transmits the message to the next communication device, the password indicating the contact group and the telephone number of the communication device to be transmitted from now on. And the telephone number of the transmission source (that is, the telephone number of the communication device 60) sent together with the message are compared, and if they match, it is determined that the communication device to be transmitted is the communication device of the transmission source. And send the "contact completion notice". Then, when the communication device 60 of the transmission source receives the notification of completion of communication, it determines that the transmitted message has completed one round, and terminates a series of message transmissions. According to such a sequential message transmission method of information, as in the sequential broadcast transmission method shown in FIG. 7, the communication device of the transmission source is not occupied until a series of broadcast transmission is completed, and communication is not performed. There is a feature that such ownership time and communication cost are dispersed. Further, as a communication device having a conventional mailbox function, there are a voice mail device and a facsimile. In this type of communication device, a personal identification number (or password) is registered in advance, and a stored message is retrieved. Security is sometimes achieved by requiring the input of a registered personal identification number.

[0005]

However, the method shown in FIG. 8 is effective only between a specific communication device having a sequential message function, and moreover, information can be transmitted only between a plurality of communication devices having the same password. Could not transfer. That is, there is a drawback that information transfer including a communication device that does not have the above-mentioned sequential message function or information transfer within a contact group cannot suddenly add information to another contact group. It was In addition, conventional communication devices that have a mailbox function such as voice mail devices and facsimiles can store accumulated messages from a specific contact group without any human intervention among messages from a specific contact group and generally received messages. There was a drawback that only the above message could not be stored in the mailbox.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a device that does not have the sequential message function by sequentially providing a broadcast function to each relay in the above sequential information message transmission method. It is possible to send information to devices that do not have a password that indicates the contact group.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of transmitting information and an apparatus for transmitting information that enables messages from a contact group to be separately stored in a recipient's mailbox without human intervention.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a message relay transfer system in which message information is relay-transferred to a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network, the source communication device is the message A destination list corresponding to a group of communication devices to which information is to be transmitted is created, and a transmission operation is sequentially started to one or a plurality of destinations from the destination list, and the destination transmits a predetermined message relay. When the communication according to the first communication procedure for executing the transfer is possible, the message information and the destination list are transferred according to the first communication procedure, and the communication destination is not possible according to the first communication procedure. In this case, the message information is transferred by the second communication procedure which is a general communication procedure, and each communication device that receives the message information and the destination list by the first communication procedure receives the message information. Transfer of message information and a destination list by the first communication procedure or transfer of message information by the second communication procedure to one or a plurality of untransmitted communication devices from the recipient list. However, this message relay transfer operation is repeated until there are no transmission destinations to be transferred.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first aspect, when the transmission destination list is transferred to the next communication device in the first communication procedure, the transmission destination list is added to the transmission destination list. When there is no destination to be transferred after repeating the message relay transfer operation after transferring by adding the telephone number or address information of the sender or a specific communication device specified by the sender, the sender Alternatively, the transmission result information is notified to a specific communication device designated by the transmission source.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first or second aspect, in each communication device at the relay stage of the message relay transfer, the message information is transferred to the next communication device. At this time, if the communication is not established even after a predetermined number of attempts, the transmission destination is added to the transmission result information as a non-delivery destination, and the next transmission destination or the transmission origination in which the communication according to the first communication procedure is established. It is characterized in that the transmission result information is transferred to a source or a specific communication device designated by the source.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first aspect, among the communication devices to which the message information is to be transmitted, the message information and the destination list are transmitted in the first communication procedure. When transferring to the next communication device, the communication device that transmits the password from the sender and receives the password from the sender compares the received password with a preset password and When the passwords do not match, the message relay transfer is continued, and when the passwords do not match, the message relay transfer to the communication device is interrupted.

The invention according to claim 5 is the information transfer method according to claim 4, characterized in that when a predetermined password matches at the time of an incoming call, message information is stored in association with the password.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first aspect, the message information is any one or a plurality of types of data such as voice data, image data and binary data. It is characterized by

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first aspect, in each communication device at the relay stage of the message relay transfer, a plurality of destination lists received from the communication device at the preceding stage are provided. For a specific communication device that is divided and selected from the divided destination list,
It is characterized in that the divided destination list to be shared by the specific communication device is transferred together with the message information by the first communication procedure.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer method according to the first aspect, a destination list to which the message information is to be transmitted is preliminarily stored in a communication device group having the first communication procedure. It is classified into a corresponding first destination group and a second destination group corresponding to the communication device group having only the second communication procedure, and each of the source and the relay stage of message relay transfer is classified. In the communication device, when there is a second destination to which the transfer is to be shared, the message information is first transferred to the second destination and the transmission result to the second destination is displayed. After being added to the transmission result information, the transmission result information is added to the message information and the transmission destination list and transferred to one transmission destination selected from the first transmission destination group.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in a message relay transfer device that relay-transfers message information to a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network, a destination list generated as a source or a received destination. In the case where the means for selecting one or a plurality of destinations from the list and sequentially starting the transmission operation and the destinations are capable of performing communication according to the first communication procedure for executing a predetermined message relay transfer, the first
The message information and the destination list are transferred according to the communication procedure described in 1., and when the destination cannot communicate according to the first communication procedure, the message information is transferred according to the second communication procedure that is a general communication procedure. And a means for transferring the information.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the ninth aspect, when the transmission destination list is transferred to the next communication apparatus by the first communication procedure, If there is no transmission source or a means for transferring the telephone number or address information of a specific communication device specified by the transmission source, and a transmission destination to be transferred, the transmission source or the specification specified by the transmission source And a means for notifying the communication device of the transmission result information.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the ninth or tenth aspect, when the message information is transferred to the communication apparatus at the next stage, the communication is not established even if the message information is tried a predetermined number of times. In this case, the transmission destination is added to the transmission result information as a non-delivery destination, and is transmitted to the next transmission destination or the transmission source, or the specific communication device designated by the transmission source, in which the communication according to the first communication procedure is established. And means for transferring the transmission result information.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer device according to the ninth aspect, the means for setting a predetermined password for each device is compared with the password transferred from the sender. If the passwords match, the message relay transfer is continued, and if the passwords do not match, the message relay transfer is interrupted, and a means for notifying the password mismatch to the communication device at the preceding stage is provided. Characterize.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the twelfth aspect, the message information is stored in association with the password when a predetermined password matches at the time of an incoming call.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the ninth aspect, any one of voice data, image data and binary data is used as the message information.
One or a plurality of types of data are transmitted to each other.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the ninth aspect, at each relay stage of the message relay transfer, means for dividing the destination list received from the preceding communication apparatus into a plurality of means. A means for selecting a specific destination selected from the divided destination list, and a divided destination list to be shared by the specific destination by the first communication procedure. And a means for transferring the data together.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the information transfer apparatus according to the ninth aspect, a list of destinations to which the message information is to be transmitted is previously provided with the communication device group including the first communication procedure. And a means for storing the first transmission destination group corresponding to the second transmission destination group corresponding to the communication device group having only the second communication procedure and the second transmission for which transfer is to be shared. If there is a destination, a means for performing the transfer of the message information to the second destination first, and a method for adding the transmission result to the second destination to the transmission result information, and then the first It is characterized in that it is provided with a means for transferring the message information and the transmission result information added to the transmission destination list to one transmission destination selected from the transmission destination group.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A message transmission method and apparatus for relaying a message composed of FAX, data, etc. The message transmission apparatus (message relay transfer apparatus) of the present embodiment uses a standard communication protocol and unique communication as message transfer means. It has a protocol and, for example, selects one telephone number from untransmitted ones among a plurality of destination telephone numbers to make a call, monitors the response of the other party, and calls again for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times. If the other party does not respond even after going, the destination telephone number is recorded as an unanswered telephone number, and if the other party responds, the consistency of communication parameters is checked by the standard communication protocol, and the other party also communicates independently. If it has a protocol, it uses one of the passwords, the sender's phone number, and the unsent phone number, depending on the original communication protocol. Sequentially transmitting the number and the one or more messages sequentially message.

Then, the destination telephone numbers already transmitted to the other party are excluded from the untransmitted destination telephone numbers, and the above message transfer operation is performed until the destination telephone numbers have no untransmitted telephone numbers. When the password mismatch information is received from the destination message relay transfer device, the transmission completion information is written in the corresponding telephone number in the management memory. When the passwords match, the transmitting side deletes the already transmitted destination telephone number from the destination telephone number, and then performs the message contacting means until there is no untransmitted telephone number from the destination telephone number. At this time, if the receiver wants to store the message in a specific mailbox, it stores the message in association with the password, selects the unsent telephone number from the received destination telephone number, and sends the message.
The sending side ends the operation and the receiving side makes a message contact.
Further, in the message contact, if there is no untransmitted telephone number among the destination telephone numbers, the sender telephone number is called to notify the untransmitted telephone number and the end of contact.

Then, one untransmitted telephone number is selected from the transmission destination telephone numbers, a call is made to perform a message transfer operation, and the other party uses the original communication protocol in the consistency check of the communication parameters. If not, only the message is sent to the other party according to the standard communication protocol, and after the sending is completed, one part of the unsent portion is sent from the destination telephone number
Select one telephone number and make a call to perform the message transfer operation.

On the other hand, when the message relay transfer device detects an incoming call from the communication network, it automatically responds to the incoming call, and it is prescribed that the message relay transfer device has the above-mentioned unique communication protocol and standard communication protocol. If the other party has only the standard communication protocol, it is regarded as an incoming call by normal communication, and the message received from the communication network is stored by the standard communication protocol. If the other party has a unique communication protocol, the message is stored when the password, the source telephone number, the one or more destination telephone numbers, and the message are received from the communication network by the unique communication protocol. Then, the received password is compared with the password registered in the own device, and if they match, the received source telephone number and the destination telephone number are recorded, and the destination received earlier after the communication is completed. One of the telephone numbers is selected to perform the above-mentioned message transfer operation.

If there is no untransmitted telephone number in the transmission destination telephone number, the received transmission source telephone number is called, and the transmission completion notification including the password and the unanswered telephone number is issued by the unique communication protocol, If the comparison between the password and the password registered in the own communication device does not match, the transmission source telephone number and the transmission destination telephone number are ignored, and password mismatch information is transmitted in the unique communication protocol to open the line.

Further, when the message relay transfer device detects an incoming call from the communication network and the password received from the communication network by the unique communication protocol and the password registered in the device match, the message relay transfer device previously stored. Store the message in association with the password.

When the passwords match, the sending side deletes the already sent destination telephone number from the destination telephone number, and then performs the message contacting means until there is no untransmitted telephone number from the destination telephone number. When the receiver wants to store in a specific mailbox, it stores the message in association with the password, selects the unsent telephone number from the received destination telephone numbers, and sends the message. The side makes a message contact. Further, in the message contact, if there is no untransmitted telephone number among the destination telephone numbers, the sender telephone number is called to notify the untransmitted telephone number and the end of contact.

Embodiments of the method for transmitting information and the apparatus therefor according to the present invention described above with reference to the drawings will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a message device (hereinafter referred to as a communication device) according to this embodiment. In this figure,
Reference numeral 1 is a line interface, which is connected to a communication network and performs call control such as sending and receiving. Further, the line interface 1 is closed with a DC loop for notifying the communication network 10 of off-hook, transmission of selection signals such as DP (dial pulse) and PB (push button), detection of an incoming signal from the communication network 10. , Functions such as amplification of transmission signals and reception signals, 2-line to 4-line conversion, etc. are required, but these are similar to LSIs, transistors, resistors. It is composed of capacitors and transformers.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a modem, which is composed of a conventional FAX modem LSI or the like, and is connected to another communication device via the communication network 10 in accordance with ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Division) T.T. Information is transmitted and received in accordance with 30. 3 is a message memory for accumulating received messages, 4 is a group message for accumulating one password registered in association with a contact group and one or more telephone numbers, and managing the password in association with a mailbox. It is a management memory. Here, the message memory 3 and the group message management memory 4 described above are R
Semiconductor memory such as AM or flash memory, or
It can be configured by a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk.

Reference numeral 5 is a control circuit, which has a CPU and RA.
It is composed of M and an LSI such as a ROM and controls the line interface 1 and the modem 2. Reference numeral 6 denotes a transmission instructing means composed of a switch having a key, and the control circuit 5
Tell the contact group to send the message to and start sending. Here, it goes without saying that a plurality of circuits or means in each of the above-described constituent elements can be integrated into one LSI.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, the operation of the control circuit 5 when carrying out the information transmission method according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection relation of each communication device, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are flowcharts showing an operation of the control circuit 5 of the communication device described above. Also,
FIG. 6 shows a message flow in this embodiment.

First, in FIG. 2, 10 is a communication network and 11
15 is a communication device having the above-described configuration of FIG. 1, and 16 is a facsimile. In the following description of the operation, the communication device 11 sends a message (F in the case of the present embodiment).
The other communication devices 12 to 15, which are the senders of the AX document),
The case of transmitting one fax document to the facsimile 16 will be described. A common password P is registered in the communication devices 11 to 14, and although not shown,
In addition to the communication devices 11 to 14, the same communication device with the password P is connected to the above-described communication network 10.
Then, in the communication device 11, the communication device 12, 1 is formed as a contact group in association with its own telephone number and the password P.
The telephone numbers of 3, 14, 15, ..., And the facsimile 16 are registered, and the FAX documents for contacting each of the contact groups are stored in the message memory 3 in advance. Further, each of the communication devices described above has a plurality of contact groups, and the password and the telephone number associated with each contact group can be registered.

The operation of the control circuit 5 in each of the communication devices 11 to 15 will be described below with reference to FIGS. (1) Transmission Operation of Message Source (Communication Device 11) When the communication device 11 issues a contact group instruction to be transmitted from the transmission instruction means 6 and a transmission start instruction,
Proceeding to step SA1, first, the password P of the contact group for transmitting the message and the destination telephone numbers of all the instructed contact groups are read from the group / message management memory 4.

Then, in step SA2, it is determined whether or not there is an untransmitted telephone number (hereinafter referred to as an untransmitted telephone number) among the read destination telephone numbers. If not, the determination result is NO and the operation is stopped. If there is an unsent telephone number, step SA2
The result of the determination in step is Yes, and the process proceeds to step SA3. In step SA3, one telephone number is selected from untransmitted telephone numbers, and the process proceeds to step SA4 to control the line interface 1 to make a call to the selected telephone number.

Next, in step SA5, it is determined whether or not a response from the calling party is detected. Here, if there is no response from the calling party for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the judgment result is N.
When the answer is "o", the process proceeds to step SA14, the called telephone number is set as the unanswered telephone number, and then the process returns to step SA2.
Then, of the destination telephone numbers read out in step SA1, another telephone number is selected again from the untransmitted telephone numbers (step SA3) and the call is made (step SA).
4).

On the other hand, if there is a response from the calling party, the determination result is Yes and the process proceeds to step SA6. At step SA6, the control circuit 5 sends a CNG signal to monitor the presence or absence of a CED signal from the other party. Here, the CNG signal is transmitted by the calling communication device
It is a signal for notifying the other communication device that it is a terminal. In addition, the CED signal is transmitted by the calling communication device.
It is a signal that notifies the calling communication device that it is also a FAX terminal.

When receiving the CED signal, it recognizes that the called party is a FAX terminal. The stage up to this point, that is, the stage until the communication device of the other party recognizes that it is a FAX terminal, is generally referred to as phase A. When phase A ends, the process then shifts to phase B for recognizing a message communication function such as the data transfer speed of the communication device of the other party and the size of the paper on which the FAX document is printed. In this phase B, the control circuit 5 first
Monitor the NSF signal including the message contact function display from the destination.

Here, the NSF signal is a signal for notifying the transmission source communication device of the FAX function (for example, the encryption communication function etc.) which the transmission destination communication device has originally, and is transmitted to the transmission destination communication device. It also includes the assigned country code and company code. This NSF signal is generally sent to the destination communication device together with a message contact function display (notice of data transfer speed, paper size, etc.). Also, the communication device 1
1 to 15 notify the communication device of the transmission source by the NSF signal that the password is registered in the own device and that it has the function of executing the message method in the present embodiment (described later).

Then, in step SA7, it is determined whether or not the NSF signal including the message contact function display is received. Here, if the sender is the facsimile 16
In the case of a device that does not have the function of performing the message method of the present embodiment, the message contact function display is not received, and the determination result in step SA7 is NO.
Then, the process proceeds to step SA15.

Then, in step SA15, the process shifts to phase C which is an image transmission phase, and the control circuit 5 reads the FAX document stored in the message memory 3 and then controls the modem 2 through the line interface 1. It is transmitted to the facsimile 16. Then, the transmission completion information indicating that the transmission of the message to the facsimile 16 is completed is written in the group message management memory 4, and the telephone number of the facsimile 16 is out of management of the untransmitted telephone number with this. After that, the line is released, the process returns to step SA2, and if there is an unsent telephone number, one telephone number is selected (step SA3), and the line interface 1 is controlled to make a call (step SA4).
Then, the transmission of the message to the other communication device is continued.

On the other hand, the destination communication device is the communication device 12 ...
If it is 15, NS including message contact function display
Since the F signal is received, the determination result in step SA7 is YES. In that case, the process proceeds to step SA8, and it is determined whether or not there is an untransmitted telephone number (including an unanswered telephone number) to be divided as a destination list. That is, it is determined whether or not the current number of untransmitted telephone numbers can be divided. If the number can be divided, the determination result is YES, and if not, NO.

For example, if there are two current untransmitted telephone numbers, a communication device that is currently communicating and another communication device, it is determined that they can be separated, and the determination result is YES. Further, if the current untransmitted telephone number is only that of the communication device that is currently communicating, the determination result is NO, the process proceeds to step SA16, and the NSS signal including the message contact function display is sent to the modem 2 by the modem 2 Is controlled and transmitted via the line interface 1, and the operation is stopped after transmitting the password P and the FAX document read in step SA1.

In step SA8, the judgment result is YE.
When S is reached, the process proceeds to step SA9, and the NSS signal including the message contact function display is transmitted to the destination communication device via the line interface 1 by controlling the modem 2.
Here, the above NSS signal has its own FA when the country code and company code included in the above NSF signal match with its own country code and company code.
This is a signal for notifying the destination communication device of the X function. Further, when it is determined that the communication device of the transmission destination has the function of carrying out the message method in the present embodiment by the above-mentioned NSF signal, the communication devices 11 to 15 use the NSS signal in the present embodiment. The communication device at the transmission destination is notified that the message method will be executed.

Then, together with the message contact function display, N
After the SS signal is transmitted, when the process shifts to phase C which is the image transmission phase, the password P, the transmission source telephone number (in this case, the telephone number of the communication device 11 itself which is the transmission source of the FAX document), and the untransmitted telephone number If it is not present, the FAX document stored in the message memory 3 is controlled by the modem 2 to be transmitted to the destination communication device via the line interface 1. Then, after the communication ends, the operation ends. If there is a destination telephone number, half of the untransmitted telephone numbers are used as a destination list and the modem 2 is controlled to transmit via the line interface 1.

Here, "half of the untransmitted telephone numbers" means that the half of the remaining destination telephone numbers is excluded from the untransmitted destination telephone numbers, excluding the telephone number of the communication device currently in communication. Means In addition, as a result of removing the telephone number of the communication device currently communicating from the untransmitted destination telephone number,
When it comes to an odd number of phone numbers, the one with the most number is sent. For example, if there are 6 unsent telephone numbers,
From among them, the telephone number of the communication device currently in communication is excluded, and three telephone numbers are transmitted from the remaining five telephone numbers.

Further, the FAX document stored in the message memory 3 is transmitted to the destination communication apparatus via the line interface 1 by controlling the modem 2. And
In step SA10, it is determined whether the MCF signal including the notification that the passwords do not match is received from the communication device. Here, the MCF signal is a signal that the communication device on the side of receiving a FAX document outputs every time one page of FAX data is received, whereby the communication device on the transmission side is the communication device of the transmission destination. Confirm that the FAX data has been received by the.

Here, for example, when the destination communication device is the communication device 15, since the password is different from that of the communication device 11, the communication device 11 receives the MCF signal including the notification that the passwords do not match ( Details will be described later). Therefore, the determination result is YES, and the process proceeds to step SA17. In step SA17, the transmission completion information indicating that the message transmission is completed is written in the group message management memory 4 to the communication device 15, whereby the telephone number of the communication device 15 is out of management of untransmitted telephone numbers. And Then, after transmitting all the fax documents, the line is released, the process returns to step SA2, and if there is an untransmitted telephone number, one telephone number is selected (step SA3) and the line interface 1 is controlled. Then, the call is made (step SA4), and the transmission of the message to another communication device is continued.

On the other hand, the destination communication device is the communication device 11
If the communication device has the same password P as in step SA10, the determination result in step SA10 is NO, and the process proceeds to step SA11. In step SA11, the group
The message management memory 4 is written with transmission completion information indicating that message transmission has been completed for the communication device that has transmitted the FAX document, and the telephone number of the communication device is out of management of untransmitted telephone numbers. Further, the procedure proceeds to step SA12, and half of the untransmitted telephone numbers transmitted in step SA9 are also unmanaged.

Then, the process proceeds to step SA13 and step S
It is determined whether or not all the transmission destination telephone numbers read in A1 have been transmitted. If all the transmission destination telephone numbers have been transmitted, the determination result is YES and the operation ends. If there is a destination telephone number that has not been transmitted, the determination result is NO, the process returns to step SA2, and the above-described processing is repeated until there are no untransmitted telephone numbers.

(2) Receiving operation of the communication device detecting an incoming call from the network When the communication device in the present embodiment detects an incoming call from the communication network 10, first, the process proceeds to step SB1 shown in FIG. To respond to an incoming call and control the modem 2 to monitor the CNG signal. Then, in step SB2, the monitoring is continued until the CNG signal is detected. When the CNG signal is detected, the determination result is YES and the process proceeds to step SB3. In step SB3, the communication device that controls the modem 2 to call itself through the line interface 1 (hereinafter referred to as the transmitting communication device)
The CED signal is transmitted to and the phase B is entered.

That is, the process proceeds to step SB4, the NSF signal including the message contact function display is transmitted to the transmitting side communication device, and in response thereto, the NSS signal including the message contact function display is monitored. Then, the process proceeds to step SB5, it is determined whether or not the NSS signal including the message contact function display is received, and the transmission side communication device does not have the function of performing the message method of the present embodiment by the received NSS signal. If it is determined that the result is NO, the process proceeds to step SB31.

In step SB31, the communication device on the transmitting side is regarded as a normal FAX terminal, and the FAX reception is performed as usual. That is, the process proceeds to phase C, and the FAX document received via the line interface 1 and the modem 2 is stored in the message memory 3. After that, when the DCN signal is received from the transmitting side communication device, the line is opened and the operation ends. Here, the DCN signal is a signal for ending transmission / reception of FAX data, and is output from the transmission side communication device.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step SB5 that the NSS signal including the message contact function display is received and the transmitting side communication device has the function of carrying out the message method of this embodiment, the determination result is YES. Step SB
Go to 6. In step SB6, after receiving the above-mentioned NSS signal, it is determined whether or not the information received by the modem 2 via the line interface 1 includes the transmission completion information (described later).

Here, if the transmission completion information is received, the determination result is YES, and it is considered that the transmitted message has reached the end of one message path in the communication device that is the source of the message, and SB32
The following processing is performed, but this case will be described in detail later. Therefore, here, the determination result is NO, assuming that the transmission completion information has not been received, and the process proceeds to step SB7.

In step SB7, the process shifts to phase C, and the password, the source telephone number, the destination telephone number (the destination list including the unanswered telephone number) transmitted from the transmitting side communication device following the NSS signal, The FAX documents are sequentially received, and the received FAX documents are stored in the message memory 3 in step SB8. Next, in Step SB9, the group message management memory 4
Then, the password P is read out and compared with the received password.

Here, when the transmission side communication device has a password different from the password registered in itself (for example, when the transmission side communication device is the communication device 15 and the reception side communication device is the communication device 11). , The determination result in step SSB10 is NO, and the process proceeds to step SB11,
Ignore the source phone number and the destination phone number received. Then, in step SB12, the modem 2 is controlled to transmit the MCF signal including the password mismatch information to the transmitting side communication device via the line interface 1.

On the other hand, when the transmitting communication device has the same password as the password registered in itself (for example, when the transmitting communication device is the communication device 12 and the receiving communication device is the communication device 11), The judgment result is YES,
In step SB13, the FAX document stored in the message memory 3 is recorded in the group / message management memory 4 in association with the received password. That is,
The FAX document received in step SSB7 is recorded in the group message management memory 4 together with the information capable of recognizing that it is transmitted from one of the plurality of communication devices in which the common password P is registered.

Then, the process proceeds to step SB14 in FIG.
Password P from group message management memory 4
Then, all the destination telephone numbers described in the destination list received in step SB7 are read out, and the process proceeds to step SB15. In step SB15, it is determined whether or not there is an untransmitted telephone number among the destination telephone numbers read in step SB14. If there is any untransmitted telephone number, the determination result is YES, the process proceeds to step SB16, one telephone number is selected from the untransmitted telephone numbers, and the line interface 1 is controlled to select the selected telephone number. A call is made and the process proceeds to step SB17.

Then, the following steps SB17 to SB3
Since the processing of 0 (except step SB26) is the same as the processing of steps SA5 to SA17 of FIG. 3 described above, the description thereof will be omitted. Here, step SB29
(In step SB20, if there is no untransmitted telephone number to be divided in the destination list; FIG. 3, step SA1.
(Corresponding to step 6), only the password P and the FAX document were transmitted in step SA16, but in step SB2
In addition to these, in No. 9, the telephone number of the communication device (source communication device) that is the source of the message is also transmitted.

In step SB29 of FIG. 5, when a message is transmitted to a communication device located at the end of a certain message path, such as the communication device 14 shown in FIG. 6, that communication device ( This is so that the communication device 14) can transmit the transmission completion information to the transmission source communication device. On the other hand, as shown in step SA16 in FIG.
When the sender's communication device sends a message directly to the communication device located at the end of the message path, the sender can know the fact at the time of sending. Therefore, the sender's telephone number is sent to send the send completion information. No need.

On the other hand, in step SB15,
If there is no untransmitted destination telephone number among the destination telephone numbers read out in step SB14, or if there is only an unanswered telephone number, the communication device starts from the transmission source communication device. It is considered to be located at the end of the message path, and in this case, the determination result is NO. And
The process proceeds to step SB26, and the line interface 1 is added to the telephone number of the transmission source communication device received in step SB7.
And makes a call, and the communication device of the transmission source and step S in FIG.
The processing in phase B described in A6 is performed, and in phase C, the password P, the source telephone number, the destination telephone number (unanswered telephone number), and the transmission completion information are controlled by the modem 2 and the line interface 1 is set. To send over.

Further, when the communication device of the transmission source detects an incoming call from the communication device at the end of the message path, when the process shifts to the process of step SB6 through the processes of steps SB1 to SB5, the transmission of the received information is completed. Since the information is included, the determination result is NO, and the process proceeds to step SB32. Then, in step SB32, the password, the transmission source telephone number, the transmission destination telephone number (unanswered telephone number), and the transmission completion information are received. Next, in step SB33,
Password P from group message management memory 4
And the telephone number of its own device are read and compared with the received password and the transmission source telephone number.

Then, the process proceeds to step SB34, and if both the password and the telephone number do not match, the determination result is NO and the process proceeds to step SB36 to ignore the received information and terminate the communication. If all the pieces of information match, the received transmission completion information is determined to be a delivery confirmation for the FAX document previously transmitted by the device itself. Then, as the subsequent processing, for example, if the received destination telephone number has an unsupported telephone number, it is recorded and manually displayed, or a new destination list is set by the recorded unsupported telephone number. Then, the same FAX document may be transmitted again.

When outputting the stored FAX document, the password for message output is recorded in the group / message management memory 4 in association with the password.
If the message from the contact group sharing the password cannot be output without the input of the personal identification number, only the message from the specific contact group can be stored in the mailbox without human intervention. Although the sender's telephone number is sent together with the password P in step SA9 of FIG. 3, the sender's specified telephone number or address information may be sent instead. .

Furthermore, step SA9 in FIG. 3 or FIG.
In the transmission of the destination telephone number in step SB21 of
It goes without saying that the untransmitted telephone numbers remaining at the present time can be transmitted not by dividing them in half but by transmitting them all or by dividing them in 1/3, 1/4, etc. In addition, at the transmission source, it is confirmed in advance whether or not each communication device in the contact group can implement the transfer method of the present embodiment, and in each communication device in the contact group that can implement the transfer method of the present embodiment. By setting a destination telephone number so that a message is transmitted to a communication device that cannot implement the transfer method of the present embodiment first, a communication device that cannot implement the transfer method of the present embodiment is set. On the other hand, it is also possible to transfer the message first.

[0068]

As described above, according to the information transfer method and the apparatus therefor of the present invention, the source communication device creates a destination list corresponding to the group of communication devices to which the message information should be transmitted. If the communication according to the first communication procedure of sequentially starting a transmission operation to one or a plurality of destinations from the destination list and executing the predetermined message relay transfer is possible, When the message information and the destination list are transferred by the first communication procedure, and when the destination cannot communicate by the first communication procedure, the second communication procedure which is a general communication procedure is performed. Each of the communication devices that has transferred the message information and has received the message information and the destination list by the first communication procedure is directed to one or a plurality of untransmitted communication devices from the received destination list. , The first According to the present invention, the message relay transfer operation is repeated until the transfer of the message information and the destination list according to the receiving procedure or the transfer of the message information according to the second communication procedure is performed and there is no destination to be transferred. By the transfer method, it is possible to transfer the message information transferred in a specific contact group to a device that cannot implement the transfer method of the present invention or a device that does not have a password indicating the contact group. .

Further, claims 4 and 5 and claims 12 and 1
According to the information transfer method and the device thereof described in 3, when the message information is received, the password transmitted from the sender is compared with the preset predetermined password, and these passwords match each other. In this case, the message information received together with the password is stored in association with the password. Therefore, for example, the message output password is recorded in the group / message management memory 4 in association with the password, and the password is input. Without it, messages from contact groups that share passwords can be disabled so that only messages from a particular contact group can be stored in the mailbox without human intervention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration of a contact group in the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a control circuit of the communication device in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the control circuit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the control circuit.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a message flow in a contact group according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a flow of a message by conventional sequential broadcast transmission.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a message flow according to a conventional information sequential message transmission method.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... Line interface, 2 ... Modem, 3 ... Message memory, 4 ... Group message management memory, 5 ... Control circuit, 6 ... Transmission instruction means, 10 ... Communication network, 11 to 14 ... Communication device (password P is registered), 15 ... Communication device (password P is not registered), 16 ... Facsimile.

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A message relay transfer method for relay-transferring message information to a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network, wherein a communication device as a source transmits a message corresponding to a group of communication devices to which the message information should be transferred. A first list that creates a destination list, sequentially starts a transmission operation to one or more destinations from the destination list, and the destination executes a predetermined message relay transfer.
If the communication according to the first communication procedure is possible, the message information and the destination list are transferred according to the first communication procedure. The second communication procedure, which is a different communication procedure, transfers the message information, and each of the communication devices that has received the message information and the destination list by the first communication procedure does not select from the received destination list. A destination to which the message information and the destination list are transferred by the first communication procedure or the message information is transferred by the second communication procedure to one or a plurality of communication devices for transmission, and the transfer is performed. This method of transferring information is characterized by repeating this message relay transfer operation until there is no more. 2. In the first communication procedure, when the destination list is transferred to the next communication device, the sender or the telephone number or address of a specific communication device designated by the sender in the destination list. After the information is added and transferred and the message relay transfer operation is repeated, and when there is no destination to be transferred, the sender or a specific communication device designated by the sender is notified of the transmission result information. The method for transferring information according to claim 1, wherein: 3. In each of the communication devices in the relay stage of the message relay transfer, when the message information is transferred to the communication device in the next stage, if the communication is not established even after a predetermined number of attempts, the destination is not delivered. The transmission result information is added to the transmission result information as a destination, and the transmission result information is transferred to the next destination where the communication according to the first communication procedure is established, the transmission source, or a specific communication device designated by the transmission source. The method for transferring information according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. Among the communication devices to which the message information is to be transmitted, when transferring the message information and the destination list to the next communication device in the first communication procedure, the password from the sender is transmitted, The communication device, which has received the password from the sender, compares the received password with a preset predetermined password. If the passwords match, the message relay transfer is continued, and if the passwords do not match. The method for transferring information according to claim 1, wherein the message relay transfer to the communication device is interrupted. 5. The information transfer method according to claim 4, wherein when a predetermined password matches at the time of receiving a call, message information is stored in association with the password. 6. The information transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the message information comprises one or a plurality of types of data such as audio data, image data, and binary data. 7. In each of the communication devices in the relay stage of the message relay transfer, the destination list received from the preceding communication device is divided into a plurality of destinations, and a specific communication device selected from the divided destination list. On the other hand, the information transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the divided destination list to be shared by the specific communication device is transferred together with the message information by the first communication procedure. 8. A transmission destination list to which the message information is to be transmitted, in which only a first transmission destination group corresponding to a communication device group having the first communication procedure and the second communication procedure are stored in advance. It is classified into a second destination group corresponding to the provided communication device group, and a source and a second destination to which transfer is to be shared exist in each communication device at the relay stage of message relay transfer. In this case, the message information to the second destination is transferred first, and the result of transmission to the second destination is added to the transmission result information, and then selected from the first destination group. 2. The information transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission result information is added to the message information and the transmission destination list and transferred to one of the transmission destinations. 9. A message relay transfer device for relay-transferring message information to a plurality of communication devices connected to a communication network, wherein one or a plurality of destination lists generated as a source or received destination list are selected. A means for selecting a destination and sequentially starting a transmission operation; and a first means for performing a predetermined message relay transfer by the destination.
If the communication according to the communication procedure is possible, the message information and the destination list are transferred according to the first communication procedure, and
And a means for transferring the message information by the second communication procedure which is a general communication procedure when the transmission destination cannot communicate by the first communication procedure. apparatus. 10. When the destination list is transferred to the next communication device by the first communication procedure, the destination list includes:
A method of adding a telephone number or address information of a sender or a specific communication device designated by the sender and a transfer destination, and if there is no destination to be transferred, the sender or the specification specified by the sender 10. The information transfer device according to claim 9, further comprising: means for notifying the communication device of the transmission result information. 11. When transferring message information to a communication device in the next stage, if communication is not established even after a predetermined number of attempts, the transmission destination is added to the transmission result information as a non-delivery destination, and the first result is transmitted.
The next destination for which communication has been established according to the communication procedure, or
To the sender or a specific communication device specified by the sender,
11. The information transfer apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a unit that transfers the transmission result information. 12. A means for setting a predetermined password for each device and the password transferred from the sender are compared with each other, and if the passwords match, the message relay transfer is continued and the password is transferred. If there is a mismatch,
10. The information transfer device according to claim 9, further comprising means for interrupting the message relay transfer and notifying the communication device of the previous stage of the password mismatch. 13. The information transfer device according to claim 12, wherein when a predetermined password matches at the time of incoming, the message transfer device stores the message information in association with the password. 14. The information according to claim 9, further comprising means for transmitting any one of voice data, image data, binary data, or a plurality of types of data as the message information. Transfer device. 15. A means for dividing a destination list received from a communication device at a preceding stage into a plurality of destinations at each relay stage of the message relay transfer, and a specific destination selected from the divided destination list. 10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a unit for selecting and a unit for transferring the divided destination list to be shared by the specific destination together with the message information according to the first communication procedure. Information transfer device. 16. A transmission destination list to which the message information is to be transmitted, in advance, including only a first transmission destination group corresponding to a communication device group having the first communication procedure and the second communication procedure. Means for classifying and storing in a second transmission destination group corresponding to the communication device group provided, and, if there is a second transmission destination to which transfer is to be shared, transmits message information to the second transmission destination. Means for performing the transfer first, and adding the transmission result to the second destination to the transmission result information, and then adding the message information and the destination list to one destination selected from the first destination group. 10. The information transfer apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: means for adding the transmission result information to and transferring the information.