JPH11102335A - Control method of network facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save labor and time to input an electronic mail address by connecting an input user name, a delimiter, and a selected domain name in order and thus generating the electronic mail address. SOLUTION: A mail server device SM provides services for gathering and distributing electronic mails for users who use work station devices WS1 to WSn and network facsimile equipment FX connected to a LAN. When up to the initial characters of the user name and domain name are inputted, the characters of the user name and domain name up to right before their delimiters in the contents inputted are stored as an input user name, history information whose initial character coincides with a character inputted right after the delimiter is retrieved from historical information on domain names stored in a domain name buffer in order and displayed for a choice, and the input user name, delimiter, and the selected domain name are connected in order to generate the electronic mail address.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling a network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging data on a local area network and a function of exchanging facsimile data by a facsimile transmission procedure performed via a public network. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging data on a local area network and a function of exchanging facsimile data by a facsimile transmission procedure performed through a public network has been proposed.

When such a network facsimile apparatus is used, image information from a facsimile apparatus connected to a public network is delivered to a workstation apparatus connected to a local area network, or a connection is made to a local area network. This is very convenient because image information can be transmitted to the user of the work station device.

[0004] When the connected local area network is connected to the Internet, it is also possible to perform an image information transmitting operation to a terminal device connected to another local area network via the Internet. It is possible to take various forms of utilization.

[0005]

By the way, in a local area network or the Internet, an e-mail address is applied to distinguish each user, and this e-mail address is expressed by alphanumeric characters. In general, it has a format in which a user name and a domain name unique to a network are linked via a delimiter (usually "@").

[0006] Therefore, the e-mail address is a relatively long character string, and when a network facsimile apparatus attempts to input the e-mail address of the destination user, unless a dedicated keyboard device or the like is provided.
There was a problem that it took time to input.

Note that, instead of using a dedicated keyboard device, for example, a key input device (for example, a numeric keypad) used for inputting the name of a destination registered with a one-touch dial key is used to input an electronic mail address. Although it is conceivable to configure, it is still the same as inputting a long character string e-mail address, and it does not solve the above-mentioned problem. In particular, the e-mail address must be entered each time it is sent, and unlike the information that needs to be entered only once at the time of registration, such as the name of the destination registered with the one-touch dial key, the operability of the input device is greatly problematic. Therefore, such a diversion of the input device does not solve the above-mentioned problem.

It is also conceivable that an e-mail address can be registered in the telephone number registration area of the one-touch dial. However, while a data management method, a data registration operation, a quotation operation, and the like need to be changed greatly, one-touch dialing is required. This is undesirable because the original purpose of the dial function is to reduce the number of registerable telephone numbers.

Further, it is conceivable to register an e-mail address together with a facsimile number and a destination name for each one-touch dial, but this is not preferable because the data capacity of a registration area for that purpose becomes large. In addition to the one-touch dial registration, it is conceivable to register an e-mail address so that the e-mail address can be selected, but this is not preferable because the data capacity for the registration area increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a method of controlling a network facsimile apparatus which can greatly reduce the trouble of inputting an e-mail address.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a control of a network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging data on a local area network and a function of exchanging facsimile data by a facsimile transmission procedure performed through a public network. The method comprises an e-mail address input means for inputting an e-mail address for identifying a user on a local area network, and stores history information of a domain name including elements other than the user name of the input e-mail address. When the domain name buffer is stored and the first character of the user name and the domain name is inputted by the e-mail address input means, the character immediately before the delimiter of the user name and the domain name in the input contents up to that point. Up to the input user name. From the history information of the domain names stored in the name buffer, the character whose first character matches the character entered next to the delimiter is sequentially searched, displayed and selected, and the input user name and the delimiter are displayed. The code and the selected domain name are sequentially linked to form an e-mail address. It is preferable that the reading of the domain name from the domain name buffer is performed in order from the one with the closest stored date and time to the one with the latest stored date and time. The reading of the domain name from the domain name buffer may be performed in the order of use frequency. The domain name buffer may be configured for each first character, and the search for the domain name may be performed for each domain name buffer corresponding to the first character input of the domain name.

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a local area network LAN includes a plurality of workstations WS1 to WS1.
WSn, the mail server device SM, and the network facsimile device FX are connected.

Here, the mail server device SM collects electronic mail (described later) for users using the workstation devices WS1 to WSn connected to the local area network LAN and for the network network facsimile device FX. And distribution services.

The workstation devices WS1 to WSW
Various programs such as application software for exchanging various data via the local area network LAN and application software for processing image information contained in e-mail received from the network facsimile machine FX are introduced into Sn. And are used by specific users. Here, the specific user may be one or more users.

Further, the network facsimile machine FX
Is connected to a local area network LAN to transmit image information as e-mail, and is connected to a public network (PSTN), and is connected to a public network (PSTN) as a transmission path. It has a transmission function for transmitting information.

In this embodiment, basically, data exchange between terminals connected to the local area network LAN is based on TCP / IP.
This is performed by applying a combination (a so-called protocol suite) of a transmission protocol up to a transport layer called a transport layer and a communication protocol of a higher layer than that. For example, in the exchange of e-mail data, SMTP (Simple) is used as the upper layer communication protocol.
A communication protocol called Mail Transfer Protocol is applied.

Further, in this embodiment, the network facsimile machine FX transmits the information to the workstations WS1 to WS
The distribution of the received image information to each user of Sn is performed using electronic mail.

Further, in this embodiment, the electronic mail is transmitted in a storage / delivery type transmission form in which the electronic mail is temporarily stored in the mail server device SM and then delivered to the destination.

That is, for example, an electronic mail from the network facsimile machine FX to the user of the workstation WS1 is temporarily stored in the mail server SM.

On the other hand, the workstation devices WS1 to WSW
The Sn and the network facsimile machine FX make an inquiry to the mail server apparatus SM at an appropriate cycle to receive an e-mail addressed to the user of the own terminal, and when the e-mail addressed to the user is stored in the mail server apparatus SM. Then, the e-mail is received from the mail server device SM, and the terminal user is notified of the fact.

Therefore, in this case, when the workstation device WS1 makes an inquiry to the mail server device SM about the reception of the electronic mail addressed to the user of the own terminal, the workstation device WS1 performs
E-mail addressed to the user of the own terminal is a mail server device SM
The e-mail is received, and the user is notified by an appropriate method.

The user who has received the notification reads out the contents of the electronic mail and confirms the contents. In this case, as described later, if the contents of the e-mail include binary data such as facsimile image information, an application capable of appropriately processing the binary data is started to check the contents of the e-mail. I do. However, the e-mail cannot include binary data directly, and is converted to readable information (7-bit character code) by applying a predetermined conversion method.
Included in the email. The format of such an e-mail is MIME (Multipurpose Intern).
et Mail Extensions (multi-purpose mail); refer to RFC (to be described later) 1521, RFC1522, etc.) format.

Here, as a protocol applied by each terminal to the mail server device SM for confirming the reception of an e-mail addressed to the user or for requesting transmission, a so-called PO is used.
P (Post Office Protocol) or the like can be applied.

The communication protocols such as TCP / IP, SMTP, and POP, and the data format and data structure of the e-mail are respectively IETF (In).
ternet Engineering Task F
orce), an RFC (Request) issued by an organization that summarizes technical content related to the Internet.
st For Comments) document. For example, TCP is RFC793, IP is RFC
793, SMTP is RFC821, E-mail format is RFC822, RFC1521, RFC1522,
POP is specified in RFC1725.

FIG. 2 shows a network facsimile apparatus F
3 shows an example of the configuration of X.

In FIG. 1, a system control unit 1 performs various control processes such as a control process of each unit of the facsimile apparatus and a facsimile transmission control procedure process. A control processing program to be executed, and various data necessary for executing the processing program are stored.
The work area of the system control section 1 is constituted. The parameter memory 3 is for storing various information unique to the facsimile apparatus. The clock circuit 4 is for outputting current time information. is there.

The scanner 5 is for reading an original image at a predetermined resolution, the plotter 6 is for recording and outputting an image at a predetermined resolution, and the operation display unit 7 is a facsimile apparatus. To operate,
It consists of various operation keys and various indicators.

The encoding / decoding unit 8 encodes and compresses the image signal and decodes the encoded and compressed image information into the original image signal.
This is for storing a large number of image information in a coded and compressed state.

The group 3 facsimile modem 10 realizes a group 3 facsimile modem function, and exchanges transmission procedure signals at a low speed (V.21 modem) and mainly exchanges image information. High-speed modem function (V.17 modem,
V. 34 modem, V.34. 29 modem, V.29. 27ter modem etc.).

The network control device 11 is for connecting the facsimile apparatus to the international telephone network PSTN, and has an automatic transmission / reception function.

The local area network interface circuit 12 is for connecting the Internet facsimile apparatus to the local area network LAN, and is connected to the local area network transmission control unit 1.
Numeral 3 is for executing communication control processing of various predetermined protocol suites for exchanging various data with other data terminal devices via the local area network LAN.

The system control unit 1, the system memory 2, the parameter memory 3, the clock circuit 4, the scanner 5, the plotter 6, the operation display unit 7, the encoding / decoding unit 8, the image storage device 9, the group 3 facsimile modem The network controller 10, the network controller 11, and the local area network transmission controller 13 are connected to an internal bus 14. Data exchange between these elements is mainly performed via the internal bus 14. I have.

Data exchange between the network controller 11 and the group 3 facsimile modem 10 is directly performed.

Now, the local area network LAN
When transmitting image information using e-mail to a user who uses e-mail, it is necessary to specify a target user using an e-mail address assigned to the user.

As described above, this e-mail address has a format in which a user name and a network-specific domain name are connected via a delimiter (usually "@").
Alphanumeric characters are applied to graphic characters constituting a character string.

In this case, the operation display section 7 of the network facsimile machine FX has a key input device capable of inputting an e-mail address and a screen display (for example, a liquid crystal display) for allowing the input e-mail address to be confirmed. Display device), so that a desired e-mail address can be input.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, there is provided a domain name buffer which extracts only the domain name portion of the e-mail address which has been input and operated so far and stores it in the order of use. I have.

When the user inputs the e-mail address of the destination user, as shown in FIG. 4, the user enters the user name of the e-mail address of the destination user, a delimiter "@", and the domain name. When the first character is entered, the next character from the domain name stored in the domain name buffer after the separator “＠” entered as the first character of the domain name at that time is the first character of the domain name. Search for the characters arranged as characters, display the domain name obtained as a result of the search, and allow the user to select the domain name of the e-mail address of the destination user so that the display content can be updated sequentially. When the input is confirmed, the user name entered at that time, the delimiter “＠”, and the selected domain name are sequentially linked, and the address of the destination user is entered. To form an e-mail address.

As a result, it is possible to reduce the trouble of the user when inputting the e-mail address of the destination user.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an electronic mail address input process in this case.

First, a key input waiting timer is set (step 101), and it is monitored that a key input is made before the timer overflows (decision 10).
2,103 NO loop). If the timer overflows and the result of decision 103 is YES, this process ends.

If a key input is made before the timer overflows and the result of determination 102 is YES, the key input data is fetched (processing 104) and it is checked whether or not it is a delimiter "＠" (step 104). Judgment 10
5). If the key input at that time is not the delimiter "＠" and the result of determination 105 is NO, the process returns to step 101 and waits for the next key input.

If the key input at this time is a delimiter "@" and the result of determination 105 is YES, a key input waiting timer is set (step 10).
6) It is monitored that a key input is made before the timer overflows (NO loop of determinations 107 and 108). Decision 1 when timer overflows
When the result in 08 is YES, this process ends.

If a key input is made before the timer overflows and the result of determination 107 is YES, a domain name input process is started (process 109).

An example of this domain name input processing is shown in FIGS.
Shown in

First, a pointer is set at the head of the domain name buffer (step 110), and the character that matches the character input at that time is stored in the domain name buffer. A search operation for checking whether the search is performed is executed from the position indicated by the pointer in the direction behind the domain name buffer (process 11).
1).

When the target data is found by this search and the result of determination 112 is YES,
The matching domain name is displayed (step 113), a timer for waiting for key input is set (step 114), and it is monitored that a key input is made before the timer overflows (determinations 115 and 116). NO loop). If the timer overflows and the result of decision 116 is YES, this process ends.

If a key input is made before the timer overflows and the result of determination 115 is YES, it is checked whether the input key is a decision key (decision 117). Judgment 117 when the user operates the enter key to use the displayed domain name
If the result of the step is YES, an e-mail address consisting of the user name entered at that time and the determined domain name is formed, and the e-mail address is output as the e-mail address of the destination user. Destination determination processing for updating the name buffer (processing 11
8) is executed, and this process ends.

When the result of the judgment 117 is NO, it is checked whether or not the key input at that time is a scroll key (decision 119). When the result of the judgment 119 is YES, the key of the domain name buffer is checked. The pointer indicating the content is advanced to the next position of the domain name found by the search at that time (process 120), and the process returns to the process 111 to search for the next domain name. If the result of the determination 119 is NO, the processing 11
Returning to 0, the pointer is returned, and the search process is executed again.

If the target data is not found in step 111 and the result of determination 112 is NO, a key input waiting timer is set (step 12).
1) It is monitored that a key input is made before the timer overflows (NO loop of determinations 122 and 123). Decision 1 when timer overflows
If the result of Step 23 is YES, this process ends.

If a key input is made before the timer overflows and the result of determination 122 is YES, it is checked whether the input key is a decision key (decision 124). When the result of the determination 124 is NO, after the value of the key input at that time is fetched, the process returns to the process 121 to monitor the next key input.

When the input of the new domain name is completed and the user operates the enter key and the result of decision 124 is YES, an e-mail consisting of the entered user name at that time and the established domain name An address is formed, the e-mail address is output as the e-mail address of the destination user, and a destination confirmation process (process 125) for updating the domain name buffer is executed. New addition processing to the domain name buffer for updating the addition of the domain name (processing 12
6) is executed, and this process ends.

FIG. 8 shows a destination determination process (processes 118 and 12).
5) shows an example.

First, it is checked whether or not the pointer is at the head of the domain name buffer (decision 201). If the result of decision 201 is YES, it means that the domain name used immediately before is used again. Since there is no need to update the name buffer, this process ends immediately.

When the result of the judgment 201 is NO, it means that a domain name other than the domain name used immediately before is used. Therefore, the newly used domain name is stored at the head of the domain name buffer, and the other domain name elements are sequentially moved one by one to the old storage position, thereby updating the domain name buffer (processing 202 to process 209).

FIG. 9 shows an example of the process of adding new data to the domain name buffer (process 126).

First, the destination domain name to be added to the temporary buffer is saved (process 301), and the pointer is updated so as to point to the oldest data in the domain name buffer (process 302).

Next, the oldest data in the domain name buffer is deleted (step 304), and the other elements of the domain name buffer are sequentially moved one by one to the old storage position (step 305 to decision 310). At the head of the domain name buffer, the saved domain name is stored in the temporary buffer (process 311), and this process ends.

In the above-described embodiment, the elements of the domain name buffer are extracted in the order in which they are used. However, the elements may be extracted in the order of use frequency. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the domain name and the number of times of use are stored as one element of the domain name buffer.

Then, by arranging the array of elements of the domain name buffer from the top in the order of the number of times of use,
In the e-mail address input processing shown in FIG. 5, the domain names can be displayed in order of use frequency.

In this case, the destination determination processing (processing 118, 1
FIG. 11 shows an example of 25).

First, the value of the number of times of use stored in the domain buffer is increased by one corresponding to the domain name of the determined destination (process 401). Next, it is checked whether or not the pointer is at the head of the domain name buffer (decision 402). If the result of the decision 402 is YES, it means that the most frequently used domain name has been used again. Since there is no need to update, this process is immediately terminated.

When the result of the determination 402 is NO, it means that a domain name other than the most frequently used domain name has been used. Accordingly, the domain name buffer is updated by rearranging the elements of the domain name buffer in the order of the number of times of use, including the newly used domain name (steps 404 to 411).

FIG. 12 shows an example of the new addition process (process 126) to the domain name buffer in this case.

First, the domain name of the destination to be added and the number of times of use (the value is "1" because it is the first) are saved (step 501).
The pointer is updated to indicate the last data of the domain name buffer (process 502).

Next, the last data of the domain name buffer is deleted, and the other elements of the domain name buffer are rearranged in the order of the number of uses including the newly used domain name. To update the domain name buffer (steps 503 to 51).
2).

In the above-described embodiment, the data element of the domain name buffer is fixed length data, but may be variable length data.

In the above-described embodiment, all the domain names are stored in one domain name buffer. However, if the number of storages in the domain name buffer becomes very large, the search efficiency becomes poor and the user operates During that time, it becomes difficult to interpolate the domain name in real time.

Therefore, the first character of the domain name (hereinafter, referred to as the domain name)
It is called "initial." If the domain name buffer is divided for each initial character and domain name search processing is performed for each initial character, the display of the domain name can be performed quickly, and the usability for the user is improved.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a control method of a network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging data on a local area network and a function of exchanging facsimile data by a facsimile transmission procedure performed through a public network, a user is identified on a local area network. E-mail address input means for inputting an e-mail address of the user, and storing a domain name buffer storing history information of a domain name composed of elements other than the user name of the input e-mail address; When the first characters of the user name and the domain name are input, the characters up to the character immediately before the delimiter between the user name and the domain name are stored as the input user name, and the domain name is input. Of the domain name stored in the buffer From the history information, the character whose first character matches the character entered next to the delimiter is sequentially searched, displayed and selected, and the input user name, the delimiter, and the selected domain name are searched. Are sequentially connected to form an e-mail address, so that there is an effect that the trouble of inputting the e-mail address can be greatly reduced.

Also, by calling the elements of the domain name buffer in the order of use or the order of use frequency, an effect is obtained that a desired domain name can be obtained quickly. Further, by dividing the domain name buffer for each initial character of the domain name, an effect that the search operation can be performed quickly can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a network facsimile machine FX.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a domain name buffer.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of an operation mode of inputting an e-mail address.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an e-mail address input process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a part of an example of a domain name input process;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the domain name input process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a destination determination process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for newly adding a domain name to a buffer;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a domain name buffer.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the destination determination processing.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a process of newly adding a domain name to a buffer;

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 1/32

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling a network facsimile apparatus having a function of exchanging data on a local area network and a function of exchanging facsimile data by a facsimile transmission procedure performed via a public network, comprising the steps of: E-mail address inputting means for inputting an e-mail address for identifying a user; storing a domain name buffer storing history information of a domain name including elements other than the user name of the input e-mail address; When up to the first characters of the user name and the domain name are input by the e-mail address input means, the characters up to the character immediately before the delimiter between the user name and the domain name are stored as the input user name. With the domain name buffer From the history information of the domain name, the character whose first character matches the character entered next to the delimiter is sequentially searched, displayed and selected, and the input user name, the delimiter and the selected character are displayed. A method for controlling a network facsimile apparatus, wherein an e-mail address is formed by successively linking a plurality of domain names. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reading of the domain name from the domain name buffer is performed in order from the stored one having the closest date and time to the one having the latest stored date and time. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reading of the domain name from the domain name buffer is performed in order of use frequency. 4. The domain name buffer is configured for each first character, and the search for the domain name is performed for each domain name buffer corresponding to the first character input of the domain name. The method for controlling a network facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.