JPH11127297A - Communication terminal equipment with electronic mail function and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To convert image data in spite of the position of an image file directory by starting the conversion of image data which is stored in an image memory at the point of time when the image file directory is received. SOLUTION: A maing control part 1 separates an electronic mail into MIME data and a mail header at the point or time when the mail header is received so as to convert MIME data into TIFF image data while storing the down- loaded electronic mail in the image memory 8. Then, TIFF image data is separated into TIFF header information and G3-form facsimile encoding image data at the point of time when TIFF header information of TIFF image data is received and, then, the offset of the image file directory is read from header information. When the offset indicates the next byte value of TIFF header information, the image file directory is read in and image data stored in the image memory 8 is decoded into dot data based on it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a communication terminal device having an electronic mail function such as a facsimile device having a function of connecting to an electronic mail, and a recording medium readable by this device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a computer communication network which connects a local computer communication network with a communication line and distributes e-mail via a networked Internet or the like has become widespread. The computer communication network is excellent in error correction function, and the user only has to pay the communication cost (line usage fee and connection cost to the provider) to the nearest provider (connection company to the computer communication network) in Japan. Not only can it communicate with computers all over the world.

[0003] The conventional facsimile communication procedure is different from that of the computer communication using the computer communication network as described above, so that the facsimile apparatus cannot directly communicate with the computer communication network. However, even if image data is normally transmitted and received by facsimile communication, for example, TIFF (TaF) developed by Aldus Corporation of the United States (currently a part of Adobe Systems, Inc. of the United States)
gged Image File Format), it can be transmitted and received via a computer communication network.

[0004] Under such circumstances, facsimile messages can be transmitted and received as electronic mail via Internet communication, and communication terminals with an electronic mail function, particularly facsimile apparatuses, used for such purposes have been developed. .

When a facsimile apparatus having an e-mail communication function receives an e-mail, the facsimile apparatus in a mailbox assigned to each e-mail address in a mail server that logs in to a network and stores transmitted e-mails. Check the mail box for e-mail and download any e-mail such as facsimile messages that can be received.

The downloaded TIFF format file (hereinafter referred to as a TIFF file) has a tree structure starting with a header, as schematically shown in FIG. Byte order
Order), TIFF file version number (TIFF Versi
on Number) and the offset (Offset of 0thIFD) A of the image file directory (IFD: Image File Directory), which is the first image identification information, and is composed of a total of 8 bytes. The byte order consists of the first two bytes (0 byte to 2 bytes) of the TIFF file.
It shows how multi-byte values are stored in a TIFF file and can be found in "II (Little-e
ndian Byte Order; "H" indicates a hexadecimal number) "or" MM
(Big-endian Byte Order shown in 4D4D.H) ”. The version number consists of the next 2 bytes (2 bytes to 4 bytes) in the byte order, and is described with a numerical value such as“ 42 ”. The offset A consists of the next 4 bytes (4 bytes to 8 bytes) of the version number, and the position of the first image file directory in the TIFF file is described by a byte value based on the beginning of the TIFF file.

Following the header, an image file directory is usually described. This image file directory contains the number of directory entries.
rectory Entries) B, multiple directory entries (Directory Entry) 0, 1,..., offset of next image file directory (Offset of Next IFD)
It is configured in the order of C. The number of directory entries B is the first 2 bytes (A byte) of the image file directory.
~ A + 2 bytes) and indicates the number of directory entries that follow. Each directory entry 0, 1, ... is 12
Byte (A + 2 byte to A + 14 byte, A + 14 byte to A + 26 byt
e,...), and various information about actual image data is described. The offset C of the next image file directory is the last directory entry B-
4 bytes after 1 (A + 2 + B × 12 byte to A + 6 + B × 12 byt
e), the position of the next image file directory is described by a byte value based on the top of the TIFF file. And the offset of the next image file directory contained in the last directory entry is
32 bits “00000000.H” and the end of this page (EO
L: End of Line).

After each image file directory, actual image data corresponding to each image file directory is usually described.

The TIFF file described above has a configuration in which one page of TIFF image data includes a plurality of image file directories, in other words, “Multi-page TIFF file”.
Although the configuration has been described as an IFF File, the above-mentioned “Single-page TIFF File” can be
Multi-page TIFF File ”has the same header, single image file directory, and single image data.

Therefore, upon reception by the facsimile apparatus as described above, reading is started sequentially from the header while downloading the TIFF file, and the position of the first image file directory is read from the offset described in the header. Read the image file directory.
Then, the image data is read in a procedure according to the format of the image data described in the image file directory, and the next image file directory is read from the offset of the image file directory described in the image file directory. In addition to reading all the image data, the TIFF format file is sequentially converted to dot-format encoded image data by software in accordance with the encoding method such as MH, MR, MMR defined by the standard of facsimile communication,
The encoded image data is stored in the image memory and output as needed.

[0011]

Recently, many personal computers having a facsimile function are commercially available, and most of TIFF files transmitted from such personal computers are provided with an initial image file directory following a header. Since the TIFF file is not located in the middle or at the end of the TIFF file, there is a problem that such a TIFF file cannot be converted in a facsimile apparatus that sequentially converts the image file directory as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and when there is no first image file directory following the header of a received TIFF file, this TIFF
Once the image data of the file is stored in the image memory,
When the image file directory is received, the conversion of the image data stored in the image memory is started in the data format based on the image file directory, so that the facsimile can be converted regardless of the position of the image file directory in the TIFF file. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal device having an electronic mail function such as a device and a recording medium readable by the device.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal device with an e-mail function, the first storage means for storing e-mail image data including received TIFF data;
The image processing apparatus further includes a first detection unit that detects reception of the image identification information corresponding to the image data, and a first conversion unit that converts the storage information into a dot format when the image identification information is detected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal with an e-mail function according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein, when image data different from the image data is received after the conversion, the image data is stored. 2 storage means, second detection means for detecting reception of image identification information corresponding to the image data, and second conversion means for converting the storage information into a dot format when the image identification information is detected. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium for storing, in a communication terminal device with an e-mail function, image data of an e-mail including received TIFF data, and receiving image identification information corresponding to the image data. A program is recorded which includes means for detecting, and means for converting stored information into a dot format when the image identification information is detected.

According to the communication terminal device with the electronic mail function and the recording medium according to the first and third inventions, an image file directory (IFD: Image File Directory) as image identification information of the received TIFF file is described after the image data. If the image data directory is received, the image data is temporarily stored in the storage means, and when the image file directory is received, the conversion means converts the image data into dot data based on the image file directory. Therefore, even in a TIFF file in which an image file directory is described after the image data, the image data can be surely converted to the dot format with a simple configuration.

According to the communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the second invention, in the communication terminal device with an e-mail function of the first invention, a plurality of image data and a corresponding number of image file directories are stored in the image data directory. In the case where the image data directory is described alternately, the image data is first stored in the storage means, and when the image file directory corresponding to the image data is received, the conversion means stores the image data. Since the configuration is such that the data is read from the storage means and converted into dot format data, it is possible to support Multi-page TIFF File.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus with an e-mail function according to the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the Internet is used as a computer communication network, and the facsimile apparatus has a function capable of Internet communication in addition to a conventional facsimile communication function such as the G3 system.

The main control unit 1 is composed of an MPU. The main control unit 1 controls not only the hardware units of the facsimile apparatus through the bus 13 but also converts the image data of the original into MH, based on the software stored in the ROM 6. Communication including encoding / decoding that encodes or deciphers using the encoding method such as MR and MMR, image (TIFF) conversion, binary text conversion, mail editing, modem switching, control of RS232C by AT command, etc. Execute software such as procedures.

The reading section 2 reads an original with a scanner using a CCD or the like, and outputs dot image data converted to binary black and white. The recording unit 3 includes a printer device of an electrophotographic system or the like, and prints out image data received from another facsimile device by facsimile communication or image data received by Internet communication as a hard copy and records it.

The display unit 4 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a CR.
A display device such as a T display for displaying the operation state of the facsimile machine, and displaying image data of a document to be transmitted and received image data.

The operation section 5 includes character keys, numeric keys (numerical keys), speed dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for operating the facsimile machine. In addition, by using the touch panel type as the display unit 4, some or all of the various keys of the operation unit 5 can be substituted.

The ROM 6 stores in advance various software programs necessary for the operation of the facsimile machine.
The RAM 7 is composed of an SRAM, a flash memory, or the like, and stores temporary data generated when executing software. If a flash memory is used as the RAM 7, the stored contents will not be lost even if the power is cut off due to a power failure, movement of the facsimile machine, or the like.

The image memory 8 is configured using a DRAM or the like, and stores image data to be transmitted or received image data.

The modem 9 is for normal facsimile communication.
It is a fax modem. The data modem 10 is a modem for data communication for performing Internet communication,
It is connected to the bus 13 via the I / F 12. NCU (Network
The control unit 11 is hardware for closing and opening the analog line L, and connects the modem 9 or the data modem 10 to the analog line L as necessary.

A DSU (Digital Subscriber Line Termination Equipment: Digital)
Service Unit) to connect to a digital line of the baseband transmission system.

The external storage reading unit 16 such as a card reader,
An insertion slot for a recording medium M such as an IC card using a mask ROM is provided. Software is read from the recording medium M inserted in the insertion slot and stored in the RAM 7.

The facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment has the hardware configuration as described above. It has not only a facsimile communication function of a general G3 system or the like but also image data mainly converted into a TIFF file by electronic mail. And has the function of transmitting and receiving. In other words, image data of a document that should be transmitted by facsimile
It can be filed and sent and received as e-mail via the Internet. However, since the function for that is stored in the ROM 6 as a software program, such a function will be described below.

A document to be transmitted (transmitted document) is read as dot data by the reading unit 2 in units of one sheet, in other words, in units of pages, and is read by MH, MR, MMR or the like defined by the standard of facsimile communication. In accordance with the encoding method, the image data is converted into encoded image data by software, and conversely, encoded image data received from the outside is also compounded into dot data by software and output from the recording unit 3 as a hard copy. The image memory 8 stores the encoded image data as needed, and outputs the stored encoded image data as needed.

When transmitting, the encoded image data is converted into a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format, which is a general image format used by a computer, using software. It is converted to G3 format encoded image data. The specifications of TIFF are published by Adobe Systems, Inc. of the United States.
In order to handle various data such as full color, Class corresponding to each is defined. CLASS which is one of them
F defines G3 format encoded image data.
Therefore, the encoded image data in G3 format has
It can be converted to TIFF format by performing relatively easy processing such as adding CLASS F TIFF header information. Hereinafter, the encoded image data to which the CLASS F TIFF header information is added is referred to as “TIFF image data”.

Since the TIFF image data obtained in this manner is binary data, it is necessary to convert the data into text data by software at the time of transmission, and vice versa, ie, convert the text data into binary data at the time of reception. There is. This is because computers that cannot handle binary data e-mail are also connected to the Internet. For this reason, in order to ensure that the e-mail reaches the destination, when transmitting binary data such as TIFF image data, it is once converted to text data and then transmitted. Text data handled on the Internet is IE
It is defined as a 7-bit code in RFC (Request For Comments) 822 which is a document issued by TF (Internet Engineering Task Force).

Therefore, as an example, MIME (Multipurpose I
When converting to text data using base64, one of the encoding types of Internet Mail Extensions, the binary data is converted into 64 types of characters (upper and lower case alphabets, numbers, +, /) in 6-bit units. Is converted to text data. Note that MIME is specified in RFC1521. For example, in addition to the above base64, "7bit
An encoding type such as "", "8bit", "binary" is specified.

The file of the text data with the MIME header to be transmitted (hereinafter referred to as MIME data) obtained as described above is added to the communication management information (mail header) by using the file as a main body by software, and the format of the electronic mail is obtained. On the other hand, the electronic mail that has been edited or received is separated by software into a main body, that is, the MIME data and the mail header, and only the TIFF image data is extracted from the MIME data.

The mail editing processing by such software is indispensable because it is necessary to add predetermined header information to the electronic mail on the Internet and transmit it together with the text. Specifically, at the time of transmission, “Date:” (date and time of e-mail transmission), “Fr
om: "(e-mail sender)," To: "(e-mail destination)," Subject: "(additional information such as e-mail title)," Cc: "(e-mail copy destination, Header information consisting of each item such as carbon copy)
At the time of reception, these pieces of header information are separated.

Next, in the operation of the facsimile apparatus configured as described above, a control procedure by the main control unit 1 when the facsimile apparatus receives an electronic mail will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. . The one-page TIFF image data converted from the received e-mail includes a single image file directory, that is, “Single-page TIFF File”.
".

First, the download of the e-mail on a page basis is started (step 1), and the e-mail is stored in the image memory 8. The software separates the email into MIME data and the mail header when the mail header is received while storing it in the image memory 8.
The MIME data is converted to TIFF image data (step 2). Then, when the TIFF header information of the TIFF image data is received, the software separates the TIFF image data into TIFF header information and G3 format facsimile-coded image data (step 3), and offsets the image file directory from the header information. Is read (step 4).

It is checked whether the offset of the image file directory indicates the next byte value of the received byte value (step 5). If the offset does not indicate the next byte value of the TIFF header information, the image file is deleted. After the directory, it is determined that the corresponding image data is not arranged, and the image data is temporarily stored in the image memory 8 (step 6). If the offset indicates the next byte value of the TIFF header information in step 5 or when the storage in step 6 is completed, the image file directory is read (step 7), and this image file is read. Based on the directory, the image data stored in the image memory 8 is compounded into dot data by software in accordance with an encoding system such as MH, MR, MMR or the like defined by the standard of facsimile communication (step 8).

Then, the offset of the next image file directory described in the image file directory read in step 7 is "0000000" of 32 bits.
0.H (H indicates a hexadecimal number) "(step 9). If it is" 00000000.H ", this page is determined to be complete, and The operation is performed for the next page, and if it is not “00000000.H”, it is determined that the reception of the e-mail has been completed, and the present reception operation is completed. 3 can be output.

In the first embodiment described above, “Single
-page TIFF File ”, but explained as“ Mu
lti-page TIFF File ”, all directory entries are stored in the image memory 8 until the first image file directory is received. The directory entry to be read is read, and the operations in steps 7 and 8 are performed. If "00000000.H" in step 9, it is determined that the e-mail has ended. Steps 1 to 5 for the next image file directory
By repeating the operation up to step 8, "Single
-page TIFF File "can achieve the same decoding.

Embodiment 2 Next, an embodiment in which the communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the present invention has a configuration like a personal computer will be described in detail with reference to the drawings shown below. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a personal computer as a communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the second embodiment.

The main control unit 1 is composed of an MPU, and not only controls each part of the hardware of the personal computer through the bus 13 but also converts the image data of the original into MH based on the software stored in the storage unit 18. , MR, MMR, etc. encoding / decoding, encoding / decoding, image (TIFF) conversion, binary text conversion, mail editing, modem switching, RS by AT command
Execute software such as communication procedures including control of 232C.

The display unit 4 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a CR.
T A display device such as a display, which displays the operation state of the personal computer, and displays image data of a document to be transmitted and received image data.

The operation unit 5 has a keyboard necessary for operating the personal computer. In addition, by using the touch panel type as the display unit 4, part or all of the key operations of the operation unit 5 can be substituted.

The storage unit 8 is composed of a readable and writable hard disk drive (HDD) and stores various software programs necessary for the operation of the personal computer in advance. The storage unit 8 stores image data to be transmitted or received image data.

The modem 9 is a data communication modem for performing Internet communication, and is connected to the bus 13. In addition, the modem 9 itself controls the analog line L
And opening and closing operations.

A DSU (subscriber line termination device: Digital)
Service Unit) to connect to a digital line of the baseband transmission system.

The external storage reading unit 16 is a disk drive of a recording medium M such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, etc., reads software from the recording medium M inserted in the disk drive, and stores the software in the storage unit 8.

The personal computer according to the second embodiment has a hardware configuration as described above, and has a function of transmitting and receiving e-mail coded by various methods, and is similar to the facsimile apparatus of the first embodiment. In this configuration, an e-mail is received according to the procedure described in the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0049]

As described above in detail, according to the communication terminal device with an e-mail function and the recording medium readable by the device according to the present invention, an image file directory (IFD: Image) as image identification information of a received TIFF file. File
Directory) is described after the image data, the image data is temporarily stored in the storage means, and when the image file directory is received,
Since the conversion means is configured to convert the image data into dot format data based on the image file directory, even if the image file directory is a TIFF file described after the image data, the image data can be reliably dot-coded with a simple configuration. Can be converted to a format.

Even when a plurality of image data and a corresponding number of image file directories are described alternately in the order of the image data and the image file directory, the image data is first stored in the storage means. When the image file directory corresponding to this image data is received, the conversion means reads the image data from the storage means and converts it into dot format data.
The present invention has excellent effects, such as being able to cope with le.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus as a communication terminal apparatus with an e-mail function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by a main control unit when the facsimile apparatus receives an electronic mail.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a personal computer as a communication terminal device with an e-mail function according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a TIFF format file.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 2 Reading part 3 Recording part 6 ROM 7 RAM 8 Image memory 10 Data modem 12 External I / F 16 External storage reading part 17 Storage part M Recording medium

Claims (3)

[Claims] A first storage unit configured to store image data of an e-mail including the received TIFF data; a first detection unit configured to detect reception of image identification information corresponding to the image data; A first conversion means for converting the stored information into a dot format when detected, the communication terminal device having an e-mail function. 2. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of storing image data different from said image data after said conversion.
A storage unit, a second detection unit that detects reception of image identification information corresponding to the image data, and a second conversion unit that converts the storage information into a dot format when the image identification information is detected. Item 2. A communication terminal device with an electronic mail function according to item 1. 3. A means for causing a communication terminal device with an e-mail function to store image data of an e-mail including received TIFF data, a means for detecting reception of image identification information corresponding to the image data, and A computer-readable recording medium characterized by recording a program including means for converting storage information into a dot format when identification information is detected.