JPH1117833A - Facsimile equipment and destination sheet preparing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a user's work to confirm the destination by providing facsimile equipment, which recognizes a telephone number from a destination sheet, with a read means for reading the destination sheet and originals. SOLUTION: A read part 1 reads the destination sheet, which includes a bar code, digital sequence or substitutive transmission destination data thereof, and originals. An input part 2 performs manual input of a telephone number and the setting of various modes. A storage part 3 stores the manually inputted telephone number. An identification part 6 identifies the telephone number by segmenting the image of the transmission destination data from the destination sheet read by the read part 1. A converting part 4 converts the telephone number data in the storage part 3 to the transmission destination data identifiable for the identification part 6. A printing part 5 prints the transmission destination data converted by the converting part 4. At such a time, it is better to print the transmission destination data at the prescribed position of the destination sheet or the original. A MODEM 7 dials the telephone number identified by the identification part 6 and transmits the destination sheet and the originals.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a function of outputting a telephone number of a transmission destination and a substitute symbol to a destination sheet or a document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a document is transmitted by a conventional facsimile apparatus, a telephone number is input by a method such as dialing or abbreviating a telephone number of a transmission destination, and connected to a telephone line. However, according to this method, it is easy to cause a mistake in transmission to a different party due to a telephone number input error.

In recent years, it has been proposed to read out a telephone number of a transmission destination from a digit string or a bar code written on a destination sheet or a manuscript, and dial the number (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 5-160984 and 5-160984). 8351
No. 6). However, in these devices, although transmission errors due to user input errors can be reduced, new transmission errors occur due to identification errors in identifying telephone numbers from numeric strings and bar codes.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-70051,
It describes a facsimile machine provided with a barcode creation device. However, since the user attaches the created barcode to a destination sheet or a document, it may not be possible to identify the barcode depending on how to attach the barcode or where to attach the barcode. Also, no consideration has been given to measures to be taken when identification is not possible.
It was not practical. As described above, in order to avoid a transmission error in the conventional device, there is a problem that the user must confirm whether the telephone number of the destination read before transmission is correct.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a facsimile machine which reliably reads a destination sheet or a telephone number of a destination written on a manuscript and prepares a destination sheet which does not require transmission confirmation by a user. Things.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A facsimile apparatus according to the present invention includes an input unit for inputting a telephone number, a storage unit for storing the telephone number, and a conversion of the telephone number stored in the storage unit to destination data. It is characterized by comprising conversion means and output means for outputting the destination data. The facsimile apparatus of the present invention includes a reading unit that reads a bar code or a numeric string or destination data that substitutes them, an identification unit that identifies a telephone number from the read destination data, and an output unit that outputs an identification result. It is characterized by the following.

[0007] The destination sheet creating apparatus of the present invention comprises: an input means (2) for inputting a telephone number; a storage means (3) for storing the input telephone number; and a telephone number stored in the storage means. A conversion unit (4) for converting a barcode or a numeric string or destination data as a substitute for them, and an output unit (5) for outputting a destination sheet or manuscript including two or more converted destination data are provided. Features.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a reading unit that reads a destination sheet and a document including a barcode or a numeric string or transmission destination data as a substitute for them. Here, the destination sheet is configured as shown in FIGS.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an input unit for manually inputting a telephone number and setting various modes. The telephone number can be input using a dial of a facsimile machine, a bar code reader, a known optical character reader, or the like. Reference numeral 3 denotes a storage unit that stores a manually input telephone number and the like. Reference numeral 6 denotes an identification unit which cuts out an image of transmission destination data from the destination sheet read by one reading unit and identifies a telephone number.

A conversion unit 4 converts the telephone number data in the storage unit 3 into transmission destination data that can be identified by the identification unit 7. A printing unit 5 prints the transmission destination data converted by the conversion unit 4. At this time, only the transmission destination data may be printed, but the identification error can be reduced by printing at a predetermined position on the destination sheet or the document. Further, the printing unit may be shared with the printing unit of the received data of the facsimile machine, but may be provided outside using a known handy printer or the like.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a modem unit for dialing the telephone number identified by the identification unit 7 and transmitting a destination sheet and a document. 8
Is a control unit for controlling the above 1 to 7. Although the destination sheet and the original are separately described, a part of the original can be regarded as the destination sheet.

Next, the processing operation for creating a destination sheet according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. STEP
At 21, a telephone number of a transmission destination is input from the input unit 2.
The telephone number is stored in the storage unit 3 in STEP22.
Next, the conversion unit 4 converts the telephone number stored in STEP 23 into transmission destination data that can be identified by the identification unit 6,
In STEP 24, a destination sheet including the destination data is created.

FIGS. 3 to 8 show examples of the created destination sheet. At the time of transmission, the destination data in the area 31 of each destination sheet is sent to the identification unit 6, and the telephone number is identified from the numeric string, bar code, or destination data substituted for them. You. What is actually transmitted is the image in the area 33, and the image in the area 31 is not transmitted. In the figure, 32, 41, 51, 52, 61,
Reference numeral 71 denotes a character string of printed characters, and reference numeral 42 denotes a barcode, which is converted into transmission destination data that can be reliably identified by the conversion unit 4 and the identification unit 7 and printed by the printing unit 5.

Here, the example of the numeral string and the bar code is shown, but other defined figures may be used, and the numeral string of the speed dial may be anything as long as the telephone number can be identified. In order to prevent erroneous identification in the identification unit 7, the numeric string 41 and the bar code 42 in FIG. 4 and the numeric strings 51 and 52 in FIG.
As described above, the two transmission destination data may be separately identified, the telephone numbers as the identification results of the two transmission destinations may be compared, and transmission may be performed only when the two coincide with each other.

When a large number of destination sheets are used, as shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the numeral string 61 identified by the identification unit 7, information supplementing the data is output together to distinguish the destination sheets. Becomes easier. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the company name of the transmission destination is printed together. In this case, a table indicating the correspondence between the telephone number and the company name of the transmission destination is faxed.
If it is stored in the memory, misidentification can be prevented as in the case of FIG.

Further, by allowing the sender to add information by hand as shown at 72 in FIG. 7, the convenience can be improved. By providing a visually or mechanically identifiable mark on the destination sheet as indicated by 81 in FIG. 8, the identification unit 6 can easily distinguish the destination sheet from the original. Next, a processing method for transmitting a destination sheet and a document in the order of FIG. 9 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In STEP 100, the number i of destination sheets read is reset to zero. STEP 101 determines whether or not there is a destination sheet. If you have an address sheet,
Proceeding to STEP 102, the process ends if there is no destination sheet. In STEP 102, 1 is added to the number i of destination sheets. In STEP 103, the reading section 1 reads the destination sheet 91 for Mr. A, and stores the image of the destination sheet 91 in the storage section 3. In STEP 104, the recognition unit 6 recognizes the phone number of Mr. A from the image of the destination sheet 91. In STEP 105, the identification status of the identification unit 6 is stored in the storage unit 3. In STEP 106, it is determined whether or not there is still a destination sheet. If there is still a destination sheet, the flow proceeds to STEP 102, and if there is no destination sheet, the flow proceeds to STEP 107.

In the example of FIG. 9, a destination sheet 92 for Mr. B
Then, the process returns to STEP 102 to process the destination sheet 92. After recognizing the telephone number of the destination sheet 92, S
In STEP 106, the next sheet is the original 93 for Mr. A and Mr. B, and there is no destination sheet. In STEP 107, the reading section 1 reads the transmitted document, and stores the read image of the document in the storage section 3.

At STEP 108, the number j of destination sheets subjected to transmission processing is reset to zero. In STEP 109, the number i of destination sheets is compared with the number j of destination sheets subjected to transmission processing. If i is equal to j, the flow proceeds to STEP 100, and
The processing of the next destination sheet is performed. If i and j are not equal, the process proceeds to STEP 110, and the original is transmitted.

In STEP 110, it is determined whether or not the telephone number has been recognized based on the recognition status of the j-th destination sheet. If the phone number is recognized, STEP11
Proceed to 1 to transmit the j-th destination sheet and the original. If the phone number is not recognized or ambiguous,
Proceeding to 113, the telephone number recognition status is output to inform the user that transmission is not possible. In the example of FIG. 9, a destination sheet 91 and a document 93 are transmitted to Mr. A.

In STEP 112, 1 is added to the number j of the destination sheets subjected to the transmission processing, and the process proceeds to STEP 109. In the example of FIG. 9, since i = 2 and i ≠ j, step 110 is executed.
Original document 9 for Mr. B's destination sheet 92
3 or a notification that transmission is impossible is performed. Then, after such processing, the process returns to STEP 100 via STEP 109 based on the determination result of i = j, and in Step 101, it is determined whether there is a next destination sheet.

In the example of FIG. 9, since there is a destination sheet for Mr. C, the process proceeds to STEP102. Then, the destination sheet 94
, The original 95 is read to Mr. C, and the post-transmission processing ends. Further, it is possible to test whether or not the transmission destination data of the destination sheet can be correctly read by the processing as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

In STEP 121, the destination sheet is read from the reading unit 1 and the image of the destination sheet is stored in the storage unit 3. In STEP 122, the identification unit 6 recognizes the telephone number from the destination sheet. Finally, STEP123
Then, the recognition status of the telephone number is output to the output unit 5. FIG.
Is an example of a method for notifying the user of the identification status when the recognition of the telephone number is ambiguous or unrecognizable in STEP113 and STEP123. In FIG. 11, a mark "x" is added before the telephone number on the destination sheet to indicate that the recognition of the telephone number is ambiguous or impossible. In the example of FIG. 11, an “x” mark is put before the telephone number, but it is naturally possible to put it at another position. Naturally, use a method other than “x” to mark, such as erasing data such as a number string or barcode representing a phone number with double lines, and outputting the recognition status as a sentence or text. It can be changed. Also, by giving a mark indicating that the telephone number has been correctly recognized and by outputting the degree of recognition as a numerical value or a symbol, the user can be notified of the recognition status.

[0024]

According to the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus for recognizing a telephone number from a destination sheet, a destination sheet and a document are created, so that erroneous identification of a telephone number can be prevented. As a result, the telephone number can be reliably read, so that the user does not have to confirm the destination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a destination sheet creation operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile machine of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a destination sheet used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reading order of a destination sheet and a document used in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a transmission operation of a destination sheet and a document according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a mark attached to a destination sheet according to claim 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of testing the identification of a telephone number on a destination sheet according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reading part 2 Input part 3 Storage part 4 Conversion part 5 Printing part 6 Identification part 7 Dial part 8 Control part 31 Example of the identification area of the destination sheet 32 Example of the character string of the destination sheet 33 Example of the transmission area of the destination sheet Example 41 An example of a numeric character string representing a destination 42 An example of a barcode representing a destination 51 An example of a numeric string of a character representing a destination 52 An example of a numeral sequence of a character representing a destination 61 Type of a numeric character representing a destination 61 Example of numeric string 62 Example of supplementary information of destination 71 Example of type representing destination 72 Example of information written by sender 81 Example of mark for identifying destination sheet 91 Destination sheet for Mr. A 92 Destination for Mr. B Sheet 93 Manuscript to be sent to A and B 94 Document to be sent to C 95 Document to be sent to C 110

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 1/32 H04N 1/32 F

Claims (6)

[Claims] An input means (2) for inputting a telephone number,
Storage means (3) for storing the input telephone number; conversion means (4) for converting the telephone number stored in the storage means into a bar code or a numeric string or destination data for them; A facsimile machine comprising output means (5) for outputting a destination sheet or a document including the converted destination data. 2. An input means (2) for inputting a telephone number,
Storage means (3) for storing the input telephone number; conversion means (4) for converting the telephone number stored in the storage means into a bar code or a numeric string or destination data for them; An output means (5) for outputting a destination sheet or a document including the converted destination data. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means adds information supplementing the destination data to the destination sheet and outputs the result. Equipment or destination sheet creation equipment. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means puts a mark on the destination sheet to identify the destination sheet. Destination sheet creation device. 5. The destination sheet according to claim 1, wherein a reading unit that reads a bar code or a numeric string or destination data used as a substitute for the bar code or the numeric string, an identification unit that identifies a telephone number from the destination data, and an identification result. A facsimile apparatus for testing whether or not destination data can be correctly read by the reading means and the identification means. 6. A destination sheet according to claim 1, wherein said reading means reads a bar code or a numeral string or destination data used as a substitute for them, an identification means for identifying a telephone number from said destination data, and an identification result. A facsimile apparatus, wherein the reading means and the identification means output the identification status of the destination data to the destination sheet.