JPH1032600A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily retrieve a desired address from among previously registered plural addresses by providing a means for retrieving an address including a designated specific character string from among the plural addresses previously registered in a storing means at the time of designating a specific character string. SOLUTION: Addresses retrieved by a CPU 1 being an address retrieving means are displayed on a display means 4 to select a destination address from these to start data transmission. Namely, after setting an original in the state of stand-by, the character string of a part of the destination address is inputted. The address including the inputted character string is retrieved from the table of an opposite party and an address found first is displayed on the displayed part 4. When the displayed address is not the desired destination address, a character string following the inputted character string is furthermore inputted to retrieve the table of the opposite party again to display the address including the inputted character string inputted after setting the original. When the desired address is displayed, a start key is operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication terminal device such as a facsimile device capable of connecting to a computer communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computer communication networks such as the Internet tend to be used more and more, and recently, the number of people who use them also in general homes is increasing. The use of such a computer communication network requires the user to bear only the communication cost from the personal computer or the like to the nearest contract provider (connection company to the computer communication network). Communication can be done at low cost.

[0003] In view of such circumstances, communication terminal devices such as facsimile devices capable of connecting to a computer communication network have been developed at present. Facsimile transmission,
Alternatively, it can be transmitted to the other party's communication terminal device by any of e-mail transmission. That is, when facsimile transmission is selected when transmitting image data, the image data is directly transmitted using a telephone network or the like. On the other hand, when electronic mail transmission is selected, the image data is converted into an electronic mail format, and the converted data is stored in a mailbox on the network. Many receiving parties connect the computer communication network via a telephone line at an appropriate time by a dial-up connection, confirm that an e-mail has been transmitted, and read image data from a mailbox.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Such a communication terminal device has a speed dial,
It has a one-touch dial function, and can operate a quick and error-free call only by operating a key registered in advance corresponding to a destination address. However, there are cases where the registered abbreviated number and one-touch dial number registered in correspondence with the address of the other party are forgotten, and if the procedure for referring to the memory in which these are registered is unknown, the destination address must be entered one by one. The e-mail address used on the Internet has two characters.
Since there are often 0 characters or more, the operation was troublesome.

Further, even if the procedure for referring to the memory is known, if there are many registered addresses, it takes time and effort to search for a desired address from among the registered addresses, and much time is spent. I was Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a communication terminal device capable of easily searching for a desired address from a plurality of addresses registered in advance.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal apparatus, wherein a specific character string is designated when a specific character string is designated. There is provided an address search means for searching an address including a specified specific character string from the addresses.

Here, the communication terminal device according to the present invention can be connected to a computer communication network, and includes devices such as a facsimile device with an e-mail function and a personal computer with a data communication function. The computer communication network includes the Internet, personal computer communication services such as NIFTY-Serve and PC-VAN, and implements an e-mail service as one of the services.

The addresses registered in the storage means include, in addition to the addresses of the destinations registered for speed dialing and one-touch dialing, transmission addresses assigned to a plurality of persons who can use the communication terminal device. included. The address is added to the data as header information in order to identify data transmitted and received in the computer communication network. On the Internet,
The IP address of each communication terminal device corresponds to this, but usually, the IP address is determined by a domain name system (DNS).
Translates the P-address to make it easier to identify,
It is represented by a character string such as an alphabet or a number that represents a domain, an organization form, a country name, or the like.

In the communication terminal device according to the second aspect, the address search means of the first aspect displays the searched address on the display means. This display means includes a liquid crystal display of a facsimile machine and a CRT of a personal computer.
and so on. In the communication terminal device according to the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, when there are a plurality of addresses searched by the address search unit, one of the addresses can be selected by the operation unit. That is, the retrieved addresses are output sequentially or in a list from recording paper or a screen, and one of the addresses can be selected by operating various keys or a mouse.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the communication terminal device of the present invention. here,
The Internet is used as a computer communication network, and an electronic mail (e-mail) service is used on the Internet.

FIG. 1 shows one of the communication terminals of the present invention.
First, the configuration of a facsimile apparatus with an e-mail function will be described. That is, this facsimile apparatus has a conventional G
A communication function with the Internet is provided in addition to the facsimile communication function of G3 and G4. The CPU 1 not only controls each unit of the facsimile apparatus through the bus 12, but also executes each processing such as address search, encoding / decoding, image conversion, binary / text conversion, mail editing, communication procedure control, etc., which will be described later. I do.

The reading section 2 reads a document by a CCD or the like,
Outputs black and white binary image data. The recording unit 3 includes a printer of an electrophotographic system or the like, and is connected to another G3 or G4 facsimile machine or via the Internet.
Records (prints out) the received image data. The display unit 4 includes a liquid crystal display device and the like, and displays an operation state of the facsimile apparatus and image data. Operation unit 5
Is provided with numeric keys, speed dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like, and performs various input settings for the facsimile apparatus.

The ROM 6 stores software necessary for the operation of the facsimile machine. The RAM 7 stores temporary data generated during execution of the software, and also stores various tables T1 to T3 described later.
The image memory 8 is composed of a DRAM or the like, and stores image data. DSU (Data line terminator: Digi
The tal service unit 9 converts transmission / reception data and voltage so that the digital line L1 using the baseband transmission method can be connected. The modem 10 is a conventional FA
It has a data modem function in addition to the X modem function. N
A CU (Network Control Unit) 11 closes and opens the analog line L2.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the flow of data in the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. In this figure, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Although an e-mail conversion unit 20, an encoding / decoding unit 21, and an auto dialer 25, which will be described later, do not exist in FIG.
6 is processed by the CPU 1 based on the software stored in the CPU 6.

The e-mail conversion section 20 is composed of an image conversion section 22, a binary / text conversion section 23, and a mail editing section 24. The conventional facsimile apparatus includes the e-mail conversion section 20. In addition to facsimile communication, it has become possible to access the Internet and use an e-mail service. The encoding / decoding unit 21 converts the image data into MH, MR, MMR
Encoding or decoding by an encoding method such as Hereinafter, image data encoded by these encoding methods is referred to as “encoded image data”. The image data memory 8 stores the encoded image data.

The image conversion unit 22 converts the encoded image data into a TIFF (Tagged) image, which is a general image format used by a computer, at the time of sending an e-mail.
ImageFile format), while receiving, T
Convert from IFF to encoded image data. TIFF
Is published by adobe company and handles not only black and white binary but also various Cl
ass is defined. One of them defines Class F for handling facsimile images. If the TIFF header information of Class F is added to the head of encoded image data, it can be converted to TIFF. Less than,
The encoded image data to which the Class F TIFF header information is added is referred to as “TIFF image data”.

The binary / text converter 23 converts binary data into text data when sending an electronic mail, and converts text data into binary data when receiving an electronic mail. In some cases, computers that cannot handle binary data e-mails are connected to the Internet. To ensure that e-mails reach the recipient, binary data such as TIFF image data must be used. Need to be converted to text data upon transmission.

Text data handled on the Internet is:
Documents issued by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Fore), RFC (Request For Comments) 82
2, is defined as a 7-bit code,
Among them, MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Ext
If the base64 or the like is used, binary data can be converted into text data. In addition, base
64 is an encoding method in which binary data of 8 bits × 3 bytes is regarded as 6 bits × 4 bytes and a character code is assigned to each byte to convert the binary data into text data.

The mail editing section 24 adds mail header information to the TIFF image data converted to text data and edits the data into an e-mail format when transmitting the e-mail. Remove mail header information and TIFF of text data
Assume image data. Here, the mail header information refers to predetermined header information of an electronic mail on the Internet, and "From:", "To:", "Subject:", "cc:" at the beginning of the TIFF image data to be transmitted. It is stipulated that items such as "," Date: "are added.

The auto dialer 25 calls the DSU 9, the modem 10 or the NCU 11 to call the telephone number read from the provider table T2 and the destination table T3.
Send phone number data to. In the present invention, the mail editing unit 24
Address ("To:") and CC (curbon copy) address ("c
c: ") is stored in the destination table T of the RAM 7 serving as storage means.
It is most effective when selecting from 3 or the like.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of each of the tables T1 to T3. In the user table T1 of FIG. 3A, a user ID and a password for logging in to the Internet, an e-mail address (domain name), and a provider type are registered for each user who uses the facsimile machine. The provider type corresponds to the provider type in the provider table T2 in (b).

In the provider table T2 of FIG. 3B, a provider name, a line type (analog or digital), and a telephone number of the provider used when connecting to the Internet are registered corresponding to the provider type. . Thereby, a different login procedure can be identified and executed for each provider, and even if one user uses a plurality of providers or the provider has a plurality of telephone lines, this table T2 is used. Can be appropriately dealt with by setting.

In the destination table T3 of FIG. 3C, the destination name, the destination e-mail address, the facsimile number and the facsimile type (G3 or G4) are stored for each abbreviated number, one-touch dial number, or program one-touch number. Is registered. If the settings of the tables T1 to T3 can be output in a list from the recording unit 3 and the display unit 4 excluding secrets such as passwords, setting, changing, and checking operations of the tables T1 to T3 are simplified. .

In the present invention, the main purpose is to retrieve a desired address from the destination table T3. However, when the user wants to confirm his / her own address, the user's own address is retrieved from the user table T1. You can also search for FIG. 4 shows an address search procedure by the facsimile machine. Here, the transition of the display on the display unit 4 is shown, the address searched by the CPU 1 as the address search means is displayed on the display unit 4, the destination address is selected from the addresses, and the data transmission is started. Two procedures are shown.

In FIG. 4A, after the original is set in the standby state (# 1) (# 2), a character string ("yama" in the figure) of a part of the destination address is input (# 3). Then
The address including the input character string is stored in the destination table T3.
, And the first address found is displayed on the display unit 4. If the displayed address is not the desired destination address, if a character string subsequent to the input character string is further input ("m"), the destination table T3 is searched again, and all of the input after setting the original is performed. Character string ("yama
m ") is displayed (# 4). Here, when the desired address is displayed, data transmission is started by operating the start key. That is, in this procedure, the desired address is displayed. Until the address is input, the number of characters entered in the address is increased, and the number of addresses to be searched is limited gradually.

In FIG. 4B, after the original is set in the standby state (# 11) (# 12), the address search key of the operation unit 5 is operated (# 13). Then, since a keyword can be input, a character string ("kobe" in the figure) included in the destination address to be searched is input (# 14), and En is entered.
By operating the ter key, a search for an address including the input character string (keyword) is started from the destination table T3 (# 15). When the search is completed, addresses including the input character string are displayed in order (# 16), and a desired address is selected with a selection key such as an arrow key (# 17). If it is at the top, the start key, if the one-touch number corresponding to the address is displayed, the one-touch key ("P02" in the figure)
Key) to start sending.

As shown here, the character string to be input is
Any part of the address, such as a user name or a domain (server name), may be used, but on the contrary, the part to be searched may be determined in advance, so that the time required for the search can be further reduced. . FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the transmission procedure. First, the user sets a document to be transmitted on a document table (not shown) (S1), and
Selects the user's own user name from the user table T1 (S2). Next, a keyword for searching for a destination address is input to set a destination (S3).
Then, an address including the keyword is automatically searched from the destination table T3 (S4). A destination address is selected from the searched addresses (S5), and a start key or the like is operated (S6). The transmission operation starts.

Then, the original set on the original platen is 1
The pages are read one by one, and all the pages are temporarily encoded by the encoding / decoding unit 21 as MMR encoded image data and stored in the image memory 8 (S7). In Internet e-mail transmission, the encoded image data cannot be transmitted as it is, so it is converted to TIFF image data by the image conversion unit 22 (S8), and converted to text data by the binary / text conversion unit 23 (S9). An email header is added by the email editing unit 24 to make the email format (S10).

Here, the e-mail header includes at least items of “From:”, “To:”, and “Subject:”.
"From:" is the e-mail address of the user selected from the user table T1, "To:" is the e-mail address of the destination selected from the destination table T3, "Subje
In “ct:”, “TIFF (G3)” indicating that the electronic mail includes image data in TIFF format is set.

Then, to connect to the Internet, the line type is read from the provider table T2 based on the provider type in the user table T1 (S11). If the line is an analog line, the modem 10 is set (S12). If it is a line, DSU9 is set (S13). Thereafter, a call is made to the telephone number of the provider (S14), and if there is an incoming call (S15), an e-mail is transmitted (S1).
6).

Here, the transmission of the electronic mail is performed according to a protocol such as PAP (Password Authentication Protocol).
ol) and log in using SMTP (Simple Mail Tr
Ansfer Protocol) is used for data transmission.
When the transmission is completed, the user logs off and opens the line (S17). In addition, in addition to the above operation, this facsimile apparatus can also perform facsimile transmission of a transmission certificate indicating transmission of an e-mail to a destination facsimile apparatus before or after transmission of an e-mail.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a computer communication network provided with the facsimile apparatus. Here, the operation will be described below assuming that F in the figure corresponds to the facsimile apparatus with an e-mail function. The communication terminal apparatus of the present invention has a function of connecting to a computer communication network N to transmit and receive data. Any device can be used as long as it is a device provided, for example, a personal computer PC connected by a dedicated line in the figure. This enables real-time data reception.

The facsimile apparatus F is connected to a computer communication network N via a telephone station P, and transmits and receives e-mail. The facsimile apparatus Fa with an e-mail function via the telephone station Pa, the personal computer P
Ca (route ~~~, ~~~), computer PC connected to dedicated line (route ~~),
Other network Na connected to LAN (route ~)
~) And send and receive emails.

Incidentally, Fb in the figure is a normal facsimile machine without an e-mail function, and facsimile communication via a telephone line is possible with this facsimile machine Fb (routes-). In addition,
The present invention can take embodiments other than those described above, and data to be transmitted in the computer communication network N may be data such as audio and video in addition to image data (for example, WWW of the Internet), and data other than the Internet Computer communication network (for example, NIFTY-Se
rve) may be used.

[0035]

As can be understood from the above description, according to the communication terminal device of the first aspect of the present invention, even if the destination address is forgotten, the character string contained in this address is forgotten. Is designated, a desired address can be quickly searched from a plurality of addresses registered in a memory such as a speed dial or a one-touch dial in advance. Therefore, it is particularly effective when the searched address is used as the destination address, and the calling operation can be performed quickly and reliably.

According to the communication terminal device of the second aspect,
Since the searched address can be displayed, a desired address can be easily confirmed. According to the communication terminal device according to the third aspect, when there are a plurality of searched addresses, a desired address can be selected from the searched addresses by a key operation or the like. Several addresses can be found, and a desired address can be selected from among them.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of a communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of data in a communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a table stored in a communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a basic procedure of the communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a basic operation of the communication terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a computer communication network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU (address search means) 4 ... Display part (display means) 5 ... Operation part (operation means) 7 ... RAM (storage means) 20 ... E-mail conversion part 22 ... Image conversion unit 23 Binary text conversion unit 24 Mail editing unit T1 User table T2 Provider table T3 Destination table N Computer communication network F・ Facsimile machine with e-mail function

Claims (3)

[Claims] When a specific character string is specified in a communication terminal device having a configuration in which a computer communication network is connectable and a plurality of addresses are registered in advance in a storage unit, the address registered in the storage unit is used. A communication terminal device comprising: an address search unit that searches for an address including the specified specific character string. 2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said address search means displays the searched address on a display means. 3. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of addresses searched by the address search means, one of the addresses can be selected by the operation means.