JPH09259057A - Electronic mail and fax combination system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lower the cost of the electronic mail and FAX combination system by making it possible to browse mail data and FAX data of an ordinary electronic mail system by one kind of software. SOLUTION: A FAX system 27 to which a facsimile equipment 26 is connected and an electronic mail system to which a browsing device 21 is connected are coupled with each other. Then, the FAX system 27 is provided with a conversion part 33 which converts discrimination information from the facsimile equipment 26 into mail address information of the browsing device 21 without converting the image data of FAX data 32 consisting of the discrimination information and image data, and the converted mail address information and unconverted image data are sent as mail data 36.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail / fax connection system in which an electronic mail system and a fax system are connected. In an electronic mail system in which a plurality of personal computers, which are browsing devices, are connected to a host computer via a line or the like, mail data is stored in the host computer in the form of character code data or binary code data,
Select and specify the mail data you want to view on your personal computer to receive and display it on your personal computer. Further, in a fax system to which a facsimile device is connected, a plurality of personal computers connected to the fax system can receive fax data from the facsimile device via the fax system.

In a personal computer, two pieces of software, one for reading mail data from a host computer and the other for receiving fax data from a fax system, are necessary and costly. This software eliminates these problems, and the mail data from the host computer and the fax data from the fax machine can be received by the personal computer with one software, and the cost can be reduced. There was a demand for the development of this system.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional electronic mail system, there is one shown in FIG. 5, for example. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 is a host computer, and a plurality of personal computers 2 as browsing devices are connected to the host computer 1 via an exchange 3. Mail data such as a message, a title, or a registrant ID is stored in the host computer 1 in the form of character code data or binary code data. When the mail data is viewed on the personal computer 2, the desired mail data is selected from the list of registrant ID, registration date, title, etc., and designated, and the mail data is received and displayed on the personal computer 2. In order to browse the mail data in the host computer 1, the personal computer 2 has software 4 for browsing a document.

Next, as a conventional fax system, for example, there is one as shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 11 is a fax system, and the fax system 11 includes a fax machine 13 via a converter 12.
Is connected. The fax data transmitted from the facsimile device 13 is stored in the storage unit 16 by the line control of the line control unit 14 of the fax system 11 and the reception control of the reception control unit 15. The fax data stored in the storage unit 16 is identified by identifying a predetermined personal computer 18 among a plurality of personal computers 18 connected to the fax system 11 under the control of the delivery control unit 17. It is transmitted to the computer 18. In this way, the personal computer 18 receives the fax data from the facsimile device 13 via the fax system 11,
indicate.

In order to receive the fax data, software 19 for receiving the fax data is built in the personal computer 18.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional system, one piece of software is required in the personal computer in order to browse the mail data from the host computer, and in the fax system. One software is required to receive the fax data, and a total of two software are required, which causes a problem of high cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is capable of receiving mail data and fax data with a single piece of software and reducing the cost. -The purpose is to provide a fax connection system.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is configured as shown in FIG. The present invention
Fax system 27 to which facsimile device 26 is connected and e-mail system 2 to which browsing device 21 is connected
5, a conversion unit 33 for converting the identification information into the mail destination information of the browsing device 21 without converting the image data of the fax data 32 including the identification information from the facsimile device 26 and the image data to the fax system 27. Is provided, and the converted mail destination information and the image data that is not converted are transmitted as mail data.

The present invention also provides a fax system 27.
In addition, a receiving unit that receives the image data and the identification information from the facsimile device 26, a first storage unit that stores the image data and the identification information received by the receiving unit, and mail destination information corresponding to the identification information are stored in advance. And a receiving unit for receiving the converted mail destination information and the received image data as mail data, and a receiving unit for receiving the mail data 36 in the electronic mail system 25; A mailbox in which mail data received by the department is stored, and a mailbox control unit for controlling the mailbox are provided.

According to the electronic mail / fax connection system of the present invention having such a configuration, the fax system 27 to which the facsimile device 26 is connected and the electronic mail system 25 to which the browsing device 21 is connected are connected,
The fax system 27 is provided with a converter 33 for converting the identification information from the fax data 32 including the identification information from the facsimile device 26 and the image data into the mail destination information of the browsing device 21 without converting the image data. Since the image data that is not converted with the destination information is sent as the mail data 36,
The browsing device 21 can browse the mail data 36 and the fax data 32 of the normal electronic mail system 25 with one software. As a result, costs can be reduced.

Further, the fax system 27 includes a receiving section for receiving the image data and the identification information from the facsimile apparatus 26, a first storage section for storing the image data and the identification information received by the receiving section, and the identification information. A second storage unit in which corresponding mail destination information is stored in advance, and a transmission unit for transmitting the converted mail destination information and the received image data as mail data are provided, and the electronic mail system 25 stores the mail data. Since the receiving part for receiving, the mailbox in which the mail data received by the receiving part is stored, and the mailbox control part for controlling the mailbox are provided, the image data can be converted without performing character conversion processing of the image data. It can be transmitted as it is, and the cost can be reduced with a simple configuration. In addition, unified management of both systems becomes possible.

[0012]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electronic mail / fax connection system according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 is a browsing device composed of a personal computer, and the browsing device 21 is connected to an electronic mail system 25 via a modem 22, an exchange 23 and a modem 24. The browsing device 21 can browse the mail data of the electronic mail system 25, and the mail destination is, for example,

[0013]

[Outside 1]

It is assumed that 26 is a facsimile machine,
The facsimile device 26 transmits the fax data including the identification information and the image data to the browsing device 21 through the fax system 27 and the electronic mail system 25. That is, the browsing device 21 can browse not only the mail data of the electronic mail system 25 but also the fax data from the facsimile device 26. The facsimile device 26 is connected to the fax system 27 via the exchange 23.

Reference numeral 28 is a receiver provided in the fax system 27, and the receiver 28 has a line controller 29 and a receiver controller 30. The receiving unit 28 includes a first storage unit 31.
Is provided, the identification information transmitted from the facsimile device 26, for example, 1234 and the image data AA.
A is a line control and reception control unit 30 of the line control unit 29.
It is stored in the first storage unit 31 under the control of. That is, the data transmitted from the facsimile device 26 is composed of the identification information 1234 and the image data AAA, and is stored as it is as the fax data 32 in the first storage unit 31.

Reference numeral 33 is a conversion unit provided for the reception unit 28, and the conversion unit 33 converts the identification information received by the reception unit 28 into mail destination information. Here, for example, the conversion unit 28 uses the identification information 1234 as the mail destination information.

[0017]

[Outside 2]

Convert to A second storage unit 34 is provided for the conversion unit 33, and mail destination information corresponding to the identification information is stored in advance in the second storage unit 34. For example, the identification information 1234 is stored in the second storage unit 34.
Address information corresponding to

[0019]

[Outside 3]

And the like are stored in advance. The conversion unit 33 refers to the mail destination information corresponding to the identification information in the second storage unit 34 and converts the identification information into the mail destination information. A third storage unit 35 is provided for the conversion unit 33, and the conversion unit 33 converts the identification information into the mail destination information and at the same time converts the converted mail destination information into the third storage unit 3.
5, and the image data AAA is stored in the third storage unit 35 as it is without being converted. Mail address information is stored in the third storage unit 35.

[0021]

[Outside 4]

Mail data 36 consisting of the image data AAA is stored. 37 is a transmitter, and the transmitter 3
7 is mail data 36 stored in the third storage unit 35.
To the electronic mail system 25. Reference numeral 38 denotes a receiver provided in the electronic mail system 25, and the receiver 3
8 receives the mail data 36 transmitted from the transmission unit 37 of the fax system 27. Upon receiving the mail data 36, the receiving unit 38 receives the mail box 3 of the viewer.
The mail data 36 is stored in 9. Mailbox 3
The mail data 36 in 9 is mail destination information

[0023]

[Outside 5]

And image data AAA. The receiver 38 receives the mail data 36 from the fax system 27.
Not only that, it receives mail data from a host computer (not shown) and stores it in the mailbox 39. Reference numeral 40 denotes a mailbox control unit, which reads the mail data 36 from the mailbox 39 and transmits it to the browsing device 21 when the browsing device 21 accesses the browsing unit 21. In this way, the browsing device 21 can directly browse the fax data 32 from the facsimile device 26. As described above, software 41 for browsing the mail data 36 in the mailbox 39 is provided in the browsing device 21 so that the browsing device 21 can directly browse. Therefore, the browsing device 21
Then, the mail data of the normal electronic mail system 25 and the fax data 32 from the facsimile device 26 can be browsed by one software 41.

Next, the operation will be described. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the fax system 27, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the electronic mail system 25. In FIG. 3, first, in step S1, the receiving unit 28 of the fax system 27 is operated by the facsimile device 26.
Fax data consisting of identification information and image data is received from. Next, in step S2, the line control and reception control unit 3 provided by the line control unit 29 provided in the receiving unit 28.
By the reception control by 0, the identification information 1234 and the image data AAA are stored as they are in the first storage unit 31 as the fax data 32. Next, in step S3, the conversion unit 33 converts the identification information into mail destination information. The conversion unit 33 refers to the mail destination information corresponding to the identification information stored in the second storage unit 34 to convert the identification information 1234 into the mail destination information.

[0026]

[Outside 6]

Convert to Next, in step S4, the conversion unit 33 causes the mail destination information

[0028]

[Outside 7]

The enclosed image data AAA is stored in the third storage unit 35 as mail data 36. Next, in step S5, the transmission unit 37 reads the mail data 36 from the third storage unit 35 and transmits it to the electronic mail system 25. Next, the operation of the electronic mail system 25 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S11, the receiving unit 38 of the electronic mail system 25 receives the mail data 36 transmitted from the fax system 27.

Next, the mail data 36 received in step S12 is stored in the mail box 39. The mail data 36 stored in the mail box 39 is mail destination information.

[0031]

[Outside 8]

And image data AAA. next,
In step S13, the browsing device 21 sends a mail box 36
When there is an access for browsing, the mailbox control unit 40 reads out the mail data 36 in the mailbox 39 and transmits it to the browsing device 21 in step S14. In this way, the browsing device 21 sends the fax data 3 sent from the facsimile device 26 in response to the user's request.
2 can be viewed. Further, when the mail data is transmitted from the host computer (not shown) instead of the mail data 36 from the fax system 27,
The receiving unit 38 of the electronic mail system 25 receives the mail data and stores it in the mail box 39.

Also in this case, the mail data from the host computer can be browsed by the browsing device 21 at the request of the user. That is, in the browsing device 21, as in the case of browsing normal mail data of the electronic mail system 25,
The fax data 32 from the facsimile device 26 can be browsed. That is, one software 4
1 can browse normal mail data and fax data 32. As a result, costs can be reduced.

It should be noted that the image data AAA of the fax data 32 received from the facsimile device 26 in the fax system 27 is not subjected to character conversion processing, but is transmitted as image data AAA and only the identification information is converted to mail destination information. Therefore, the conversion process is easy and inexpensive. Further, since the electronic mail system 25 and the fax system 27 are connected to each other, unified management of both systems becomes possible.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, an electronic mail system and a fax system are connected to each other, and in the fax system, the identification information from the facsimile device and the identification information of the fax data consisting of the image data are provided. Since it is converted to mail destination information and sent to the e-mail system as it is without converting the image data, the browsing device can browse normal mail data and fax data with one software, reducing the cost. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic mail / fax connection system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the fax system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic mail system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional electronic mail system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional fax system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21: Browsing device 22, 24: Modem 23: Exchanger 25: E-mail system 26: Facsimile device 27: Fax system 28: Reception unit 29: Line control unit 30: Reception control unit 31: First storage unit 32: Fax data 33: conversion unit 34: second storage unit 35: third storage unit 36: mail data 37: transmission unit 38: reception unit 39: mail box

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Nimura 1405 Daimaru, Inagi-shi, Tokyo Inside Fujitsu Personal Computer Systems Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fax system, to which a facsimile device is connected, and an electronic mail system, to which a browsing device is connected, are connected to each other, and an image out of fax data including identification information and image data from the facsimile device is connected to the fax system. An electronic mail characterized in that a conversion unit is provided for converting the identification information into the mail destination information of the browsing device without converting the data, and the converted mail destination information and the image data not converted are transmitted as mail data.
Fax connection system. 2. The fax system, a receiving section for receiving image data and identification information from the facsimile apparatus, a first storage section for storing the image data and identification information received by the receiving section, and the identification section. A second storage unit in which mail destination information corresponding to the information is stored in advance, and a transmission unit for transmitting the converted mail destination information and the received image data as mail data are provided. A receiving unit for receiving data, a mailbox in which the mail data received by the receiving unit is stored, a mailbox control unit for controlling the mailbox,
The electronic mail according to claim 1, characterized in that
Fax connection system.