JPH1065732A - Fax system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a FAX system whereby flexible correspondence is enabled to various conditions restricted in communication. SOLUTION: A FAX server 14 connected to a public line network 16 and an ISDN network 18 is connected to plural client terminals 10a-10n by LAN 11 in the FAX system. The FAX server 14 receives file transfer together with a FAX transmission request from the client terminals 10a-10n, executes image extension and transmits it by FAX. A device for reporting information such as a destination department name and a destination, etc., at the time of transmission in this case and the device for judging whether or not routing is executed in the opposite party of transmitted information at the time of reception are provided. When routing can be executed, FAX transmission is possible by designating the opposite party even to the opposite party without the knowledge of various kinds of routing systems and routing numbers at a transmission side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile system including a data communication network and a data communication terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, FAX systems have become popular.
The proportion of LAN laying in companies and the like is increasing.
In particular, in recent years, not only FAX communication but also data communication and E-mail communication have become popular.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-38603 discloses a "client-server facsimile system".
The facsimile server is connected to the client terminal via the LAN. Further, it connects to a facsimile via an ISDN network and a public telephone network. Then, the service request command of the client terminal is analyzed, and when a user is specified on the LAN at the time of facsimile reception, the command is stored in the file server device in a file format designated in advance from the client terminal. If the fax is received from a previously designated facsimile number, the designated reply file is transmitted to the facsimile with the designated number. This makes it possible to receive data in a format suitable for the application and to check the distribution.

[0004]

However, confidentiality is required on the Internet and the like within a company.
For this reason, there are still many FAX communications, which are conventional image image communications, among communications outside the company. At this time, even if you know the calling number of the analog public telephone network of the other party,
There is a problem that the communication cost and the form of data cannot be selected.

An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile system which can flexibly cope with various conditions regulated in communication.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile system according to the present invention comprises a public line network and an IS
A facsimile system in which a facsimile server device connected to a DN network and a plurality of client terminals are connected via a LAN, the facsimile server accepts a file transfer together with a facsimile transmission request from a client, develops an image, and
In the case of AX transmission, there is provided a means for notifying information such as a destination signature or an address at the time of transmission, and a means for determining whether a destination of the transmitted information can be routed at the time of reception,
When routing is possible, it is characterized in that FAX transmission is possible by designating the destination to a destination whose transmission side does not know various routing methods and routing numbers.

Further, the above facsimile system has a means for storing the terminal form of the client,
C has means for storing the data format of the installed application software, and switches FAX image transmission to file data communication, or
E-mail on N or connected to the Internet
A server device, means for storing the client's e-mail address, means for receiving, when receiving, a means for notifying the client's e-mail address that matches information such as the address, and for transmission, communication is terminated upon receipt of the notification, Means may be provided for converting transmission data into an electronic format and notifying an e-mail address, so that FAX image transmission can be switched to e-mail transmission.

[0008] It should be noted that there are means for notifying the connection form information of the FAX system at the time of reception, and means for selecting a communication route having a low communication cost from the connection form sent at the time of transmission. It is preferable to select any one of the above to enable communication.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a facsimile system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 10 show one embodiment of the FAX system of the present invention. In these figures, FIG. 1 shows a system connection example of the FAX system of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a system configuration example. 3/4,
FIG. 5 / FIG. 6, FIG. 7 / FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 / FIG. 10 are flowcharts showing operation examples of the transmitting station / receiving station of operation examples 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

First, an environment in which the fax system of the present embodiment is connected will be described. As shown in FIG.
N11 is laid, and n client terminals 10a to 10a
0n, an e-mail server 12, a file server 13 and a FAX server 14 are connected. FAX server 1
4 is a public line network 16 for analog G3 FAX 15;
4 are connected to the ISDN network 18 for the digital FAX 17 respectively. Of course, they are also connected to terminals 19, 20 which are compatible with the system according to the invention. Further, the e-mail server 12 has a security function, is connected to the Internet 21, and can communicate with the e-mail server 22 of the other party.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a more detailed configuration example of the FAX server 14 which is one component of the FAX system of the present embodiment connected as described above.
In FIG. 2, the system includes LAN, public line, and I
An I / F 31 connected to the SDN network, a system control unit 32 for controlling the entire FAX system device, a system storage unit 33 for storing system operation software and system information,
It comprises an operation unit 34, a G3 FAX control unit 35, a G4 FAX control unit 36, a plotter 37, and a scanner 38.

In the facsimile system having the above-described configuration, various information is stored in the system storage unit. LA to connect
N department name and client name information are stored as character information. An e-mail address corresponding to the client may be stored, or a mail server may be inquired at the time of reception. The application software installed on the client PC is coded,
If it is DOS, it is stored as an extension.

The calculation of the communication cost may be various, and the conventional LCR method is appropriate for the public line and the ISDN line. The Internet can be accessed via a public line or ISDN
Since the information may be transmitted via a line, the information may be exchanged between the transmitting station and the receiving station, or the receiving station may unilaterally declare. The simplest example is an example in which the cost is lower in the order of public line> ISDN line> Internet.

<Operation Example 1> In FIGS. 3 and 4 showing Operation Example 1, the originating station accepts a FAX transmission request (S10), accepts address information (S11), and originates and connects to the destination station. (S12) It is checked whether or not the terminal of the partner station is compatible (S13). If the result of this check is "YES", the address information is transmitted (S14) and the text is transmitted (S15). If the result of the check (S13) as to whether or not the partner station terminal is compatible is "NO", transmission is performed by standard G3 FAX (S16).

The receiving station receives a call from the compatible device (S20), analyzes the address information (S21), stores the received text (S22), and terminates communication with the calling station (S23). . Thereafter, the matching of the address received from the calling station with the client is checked (S24). If the result of this check is "YES", the stored text is transferred to the client (S25). If the result of the check is "NO" (S24 / NO), the text accumulation information is printed out (S26) and the process is terminated.

In the first operation example, the facsimile system
Even if the user does not know the routing number or the like of the other party, the confidentiality can be improved because the destination is specified and transmitted if possible.

<Operation Example 2> In FIGS. 5 and 6 showing Operation Example 2, the transmitting station receives a FAX transmission request (S
30) to the transmission of the address information (S34) are the same as the operation example 1. Thereafter, software information is further transmitted (S3
5) It is checked whether it is OK or not (S36), and "YE
In the case of "S", the text data is transmitted (S37). OK
If not (S36 / NO), the body is transmitted by facsimile (S39).

The receiving station receives a call from the compatible machine (S40), analyzes the address information (S41), further analyzes the software information (S42), and checks the consistency of the address received from the calling station with the client. (S43). If the result of this check is "YES", furthermore, a match of the software is confirmed (S44), and if "YES", a request for data transmission is made (S45) and the data is transferred to the client (S47). If the result of the check in step S43 is "N
In the case of "O", a standard G3 transmission request is made (S48),
The body accumulation information is printed out (S49), and the process ends. If step S44 is "NO",
A transmission request is made (S46), and the process proceeds to step S47.

In the operation example 2, since the data communication is performed if the data format of the file can be used by the other party, it is possible to eliminate the inconsistency of the image facsimile communication on the analog line.

<Operation Example 3> In FIGS. 7 and 8 showing Operation Example 3, the present operation example shows an example of a procedure for transmitting / receiving data using an e-mail, as compared with Operation Example 2. . Basically, it is the same as the operation example 2.

In the third operation example, since the electronic mail is transmitted as much as possible, the interface at the destination is only a PC, so that the trouble can be solved.

<Operation Example 4> FIGS. 9 and 10 showing Operation Example 4 show an example of a procedure for selecting the cheapest communication route and transmitting / receiving data in comparison with Operation Example 3. .

In the operation example 4, since the communication route is automatically searched, the communication cost can be reduced.

[0024]

As is clear from the above description, in the FAX system of the present invention, the FAX server transmits the F
When a file transfer is received together with an AX transmission request and the image is developed and transmitted by FAX, information such as a destination signature and an address is notified at the time of transmission, and it is determined whether a destination of the transmitted information can be routed at the time of reception. . In this determination, when routing is possible, fax transmission is possible by designating various routing methods and routing numbers to destinations unknown to the transmission side. Therefore, the client can specify and transmit the destination without knowing the routing designation number of the destination.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, even if the other party is a PC client and the user does not know what application software is installed in the PC,
Useful file data communication is enabled.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the client can perform e-mail communication without knowing whether the other party has introduced the e-mail system.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to automatically select a communication route that exceeds a communication type.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a connection example of a FAX system to which an embodiment of a FAX system of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a transmitting station according to an operation example 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a receiving station according to an operation example 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a transmitting station according to an operation example 2;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a receiving station according to an operation example 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a transmitting station according to an operation example 3;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a receiving station in Operation Example 3;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a transmitting station according to an operation example 4;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a receiving station in Operation Example 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Client terminal 11 LAN 12 E-mail server 13 File server 14 FAX server 15 Analog G3 FAX 16 Public line 17 G4 digital FAX 18 ISDN network 19, 20 Terminal 21 Internet 22 E-mail server of partner

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location H04M 11/00 303 H04N 1/00 107Z H04N 1/00 1/21 104 1/32 L 107 Z 1 / 21 H04L 11/00 310C 1/32

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile server connected to a public line network and an ISDN network, and a plurality of client terminals,
In a facsimile system connected via a LAN, the facsimile server accepts a file transfer together with a facsimile transmission request from a client, develops an image, and
In the case of X transmission, means for notifying information such as a destination signature or address at the time of transmission, and means for judging whether or not the destination of the transmitted information can be routed at the time of reception, A facsimile system wherein a facsimile transmission can be made to a destination whose transmission side does not know various routing methods and routing numbers by specifying the destination. 2. The facsimile system further comprises means for storing a terminal form of the client, and when the terminal form is a PC, means for storing a data format of installed application software. 2. The facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein image transmission can be switched to file data communication. 3. The fax system according to claim 2, further comprising:
An e-mail server device connected to the AN or the Internet, a means for storing the e-mail address of the client, and a means for notifying the e-mail address of the client at the time of reception that matches information such as the address, Means for terminating communication upon receiving the notification, transmitting data to an electronic format and notifying an e-mail address at the time of transmission, wherein facsimile image transmission can be switched to e-mail transmission. The facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein 4. The facsimile system further comprises means for notifying facsimile system connection mode information upon reception,
Means for selecting a communication route having a low communication cost from the transmitted connection form at the time of transmission, and a public line network, ISDN
2. The facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein any one of a network and the Internet is selected for communication.