JP2002281226A - Facsimile control method, facsimile apparatus, and facsimile control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a facsimile control method for informing a person or a machine that should receive a facsimile when there is a facsimile communication having a sub address, and to provide a facsimile apparatus. SOLUTION: The facsimile apparatus 200 connected to computers 400 to 600 by network 100 should have a table and a control section. The table maintains a sub address that is added to facsimile reception data, and the address of a user corresponding to the sub address. The control section refers to the table, and informs the computer of the user corresponding to the sub address of facsimile reception by referring to the table when the facsimile communication having the sub address is received by the facsimile apparatus.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the management of facsimile transmission / reception in a facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to an improvement in the management of facsimile transmission / reception between a facsimile apparatus and a computer of a user connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, scanners have been used in offices.
A device called a multifunction device in which a printer and a facsimile device are integrated is used.

[0003] Facsimile machines also have a communication function called a subaddress defined by the ITU-T G3 standard, which is an international standard. The method of using the sub-address function is partially unified, and the Japan Telecommunications Machinery Manufacturers Association has established the name F code.

According to the above subaddress function (F code), confidential reception and relay functions such as registration and retrieval of originals using the mailbox of the receiving device are performed by using the subaddress (mailbox number and password). Various functions are realized.

In this case, a facsimile is transmitted from the document transmitting station to the memory box station, the document is registered in the mailbox together with the subaddress, and the retrieval station inputs the subaddress and retrieves the document from the mailbox station. Becomes possible.

[0006]

When a facsimile communication with such a sub-address is performed, the communication is kept in the mailbox of the receiving apparatus unless a removal operation is performed.

Further, if a person or a machine that should receive a facsimile does not know that a facsimile with a subaddress has been transmitted, the document in the mailbox of the receiving apparatus remains unretrieved. There is.

Further, even when a multifunction device (facsimile device) and a user's computer are present on the network, the history of facsimile transmission and reception is managed only in a table inside the multifunction device (facsimile device). I have. For this reason, the computer of the user connected to the network cannot know and manage the history of facsimile transmission / reception.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. A first object of the present invention is to provide a person or a machine which should receive a facsimile when a facsimile with a subaddress is transmitted. Is to realize a facsimile management method and a facsimile apparatus capable of knowing the existence of facsimile communication.

A second object of the present invention is to manage facsimile transmission / reception histories on a computer of a user connected to a facsimile apparatus via a network. It is an object of the present invention to realize a facsimile apparatus management method and a facsimile management system.

[0011]

The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is as follows. (1) An invention according to claim 1 is a facsimile management method for managing facsimile reception by a facsimile machine and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein facsimile communication with a subaddress is performed. When receiving the facsimile, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the sub-address of facsimile reception,
This is a facsimile management method characterized in that:

Note that the notification can be made directly from the facsimile machine to the user's computer. Further, the notification can be performed from the facsimile apparatus to the user's computer via the notification server.

In this facsimile management method, when a facsimile communication with a subaddress is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the subaddress of the facsimile reception. I have to.

Thus, when there is a facsimile communication with a subaddress, a person or a machine that should receive the facsimile can know the existence of the facsimile communication. Therefore, the person or machine that should receive the facsimile does not know that the facsimile communication with the sub-address has been performed.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the original in the mailbox of the receiving device is not taken out.

(2) A facsimile apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a facsimile apparatus for storing a table for holding a subaddress assigned to facsimile reception data and a user address associated with the subaddress, and a facsimile communication having the subaddress attached. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a control unit for notifying the user's computer associated with the sub-address of the facsimile reception with reference to the table when receiving the facsimile.

The address can be an address on a network. The address is
It can be an email address on a network. Further, the control unit can directly notify the user's computer from the facsimile machine.
Further, the control unit can notify the user's computer via the notification server.

In this facsimile apparatus, when the facsimile apparatus receives a facsimile communication to which a subaddress is attached, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the subaddress of the facsimile reception. ing.

Thus, when there is a facsimile communication with a subaddress, a person or a machine that should receive the facsimile can know the existence of the facsimile communication. Therefore, the person or the machine that should receive the facsimile does not know that the facsimile communication with the subaddress has been performed.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the original in the mailbox of the receiving device is not taken out.

(3) A facsimile management method for managing a history of facsimile transmission and reception by a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein the facsimile has a subaddress. When the communication is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the computer of the user associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception, and when the user performs facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile management method further comprises notifying the user's computer of the history of facsimile transmission, and managing the facsimile transmission / reception by referring to the history on the user's computer side.

According to this facsimile management method, when a facsimile communication to which a subaddress is assigned is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the subaddress of the history of facsimile reception. In addition, when a facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus is performed by the user, the facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

Thus, it becomes possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

(4) A facsimile management method for managing a history of facsimile transmission and reception by a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein the facsimile has a subaddress. When the communication is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the sub address of the history of facsimile reception, and the facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus is performed via the user computer. In this case, the user computer notifies the user of the history of facsimile transmission, and manages facsimile transmission / reception by referring to the history on the user computer side. .

According to this facsimile management method, when facsimile communication with a subaddress is received by a facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies a user computer associated with the subaddress of a facsimile reception history. Do. Further, when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed via a user's computer, the user's computer notifies the facsimile transmission history to itself. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

This makes it possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile machine to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

(5) An invention according to claim 11 is a facsimile management system for managing a history of facsimile transmission / reception provided with a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network. When a facsimile communication is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the computer of the user associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception, and the user performs facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus. A facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer, and facsimile transmission / reception is managed by referring to the history on the user's computer side.

In this facsimile management system, when a facsimile communication with a subaddress is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the subaddress of the history of facsimile reception. In addition, when a facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus is performed by the user, the facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

This makes it possible for the user computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

(6) A facsimile management system for managing a history of facsimile transmission and reception, comprising a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein the subaddress is added. When a facsimile communication is received by the facsimile machine, the facsimile machine notifies the user computer associated with the sub-address of the facsimile reception history, and performs facsimile transmission using the facsimile machine via the user's computer. The user's computer notifies the user of the history of facsimile transmission, and manages facsimile transmission and reception by referring to the history on the user's computer side. It is.

In this facsimile management system, when a facsimile apparatus to which a subaddress is attached is received by the facsimile apparatus, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the subaddress of the history of the facsimile reception. Do. Further, when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed via a user's computer, the user's computer notifies the facsimile transmission history to itself.
The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

This makes it possible for the user computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

[0031]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection example of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and its peripherals. Note that FIG. 1 mainly illustrates functions necessary for explaining the operation of the present embodiment, and thus detailed hardware configurations are omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes various networks such as a LAN, the Internet, and an intranet. 200 is a scanner 20 for inputting images and documents.
3. Printer 204 for printing images and documents, and
This is a multifunction machine with an integrated facsimile machine for reading, transmitting, receiving, and printing a document. Note that the MFP 2
Reference numeral 00 indicates that data can be exchanged with various devices via the network 100, and that facsimile transmission and reception can be performed via a public line.

A mail server 300 controls transmission and reception of electronic mail between various devices via the network 100. Each of 400 to 600 is a network 100
And has a unique address for identifying each user's computer (PC).

The multifunction device 200 has a table 202 for holding a user address associated with a subaddress attached to facsimile reception data, and a facsimile device receiving facsimile communication attached with a subaddress. And a control unit 201 for notifying the user computer associated with the sub-address of the facsimile reception with reference to the table.

Further, the facsimile function of the multifunction device 200 satisfies a communication function called a sub-address defined by the international standard ITU-T G3 standard. It is assumed that various known functions related to confidential reception and relay functions such as taking out can be realized.

Here, as an example, the case of a subaddress (F code communication of the Japan Telecommunications Industry Association) specified by the ITU-T G3 standard is used.
4 and other communication standards are not excluded.

<First Embodiment> A facsimile management method, a facsimile apparatus, and a facsimile management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

Here, it is assumed that multifunction device 200 has received facsimile communication via a public line. In this case, the CPU and the control program (hereinafter, referred to as a control unit) in the multifunction peripheral 200 check whether the received facsimile communication is the F-code communication (whether the sub-address is added).

When the sub address is not added (NO in S1 in FIG. 2), since normal facsimile communication is performed, facsimile reception data is printed and output by the multifunction device 200 in a normal procedure (S10 in FIG. 2).

If the sub address is added (YES in S1 of FIG. 2), the facsimile reception data is not printed by the MFP 200 and the following processing which is a feature of the present embodiment is executed because the F code communication is performed. I do.

First, the control unit in the multifunction device 200 detects a sub address attached to the facsimile reception data, refers to a table holding a user address associated with the sub address, and associates the address with the sub address. It is checked whether the registered user's address is registered (S2 in FIG. 2).

When the subaddress is added, but the user address associated with the subaddress is not registered in the table (NO in S2 of FIG. 2), the multifunction peripheral 200 is operated in the same procedure as the conventional normal F code communication. Wait for the operation of extracting the facsimile reception data (input of the mailbox number, input of the password) (FIG. 2S
9) The facsimile reception data is printed and output by the MFP 200 (S10 in FIG. 2).

When the sub-address is added, and the address of the user associated with the sub-address is registered in the table (YES in S2 of FIG. 2), the control unit in the multifunction device 200 determines the address of the user associated with the sub-address. The destination of the user (computer direct notification / e-mail transmission) registered in association with the sub-address is checked with reference to the table holding (S3 in FIG. 2).

Here, if the destination is specified in the computer direct notification, the control unit of the multi-function device 200 refers to the destination (computer address) stored in the table corresponding to the sub-address, The fact that the facsimile communication has been received is directly notified to any of the computers 400 to 600 via the network 100 (FIG. 2S
4).

If the transmission destination is designated to send an e-mail, the control unit of the multifunction device 200 refers to the transmission destination (e-mail address of the computer) stored in the table corresponding to the sub-address. Then, the fact that facsimile communication has been received is transmitted to one of the computers 400 to 600 via the mail server 300 by e-mail (S5 in FIG. 2).

Then, any of the computers 400 to 600 that have received the notification or the e-mail sends a request to take out the facsimile reception data to the multifunction device 200 automatically or in accordance with a user's instruction (FIG. 2 S7
YES). The control unit of the multifunction peripheral 200 that has received such a retrieval request from the computer transfers the facsimile reception data to the computer (S1 in FIG. 2).
1).

In such facsimile management, when there is facsimile communication with a subaddress, a person (user) or a machine (computer) who should receive facsimile can know the existence of facsimile communication. become. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a person or a machine that should receive a facsimile does not know that facsimile communication with a subaddress has been performed, and a document in a mailbox of the multifunction device 200 is not taken out. Can be.

If the request to extract the facsimile reception data is not made to the multifunction device 200 even after a certain period of time has elapsed (NO in S7 in FIG. 2 and YES in S8), the same as the conventional normal F-code communication is performed. In the procedure, the MFP 200
Waits for the operation of extracting the facsimile reception data (designation of the mailbox number and input of the password) (S9 in FIG. 2), and then transmits the facsimile reception data to the multifunction peripheral 200.
And print it out (S10 in FIG. 2).

<Second Embodiment> Next, as a second embodiment, a multifunction peripheral 200 provided on a network 100 and users' computers 400 to 600 are provided. A facsimile management system for management will be described.

When the multi-function device 200 receives the facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the multi-function device 200 associates the notification with the facsimile reception and the e-mail (see the first embodiment) with the sub-address. A notification of the history of facsimile reception is sent to any of the users' computers 400 to 600.

Further, when the user operates the multifunction device 200 to perform facsimile transmission, an ID code input at the time of operation and a table storing the correspondence between the ID code and the address of the user's computer are stored. The facsimile transmission history is notified to one of the user's computers 400 to 600 with reference to the facsimile transmission history.

The user's computer manages the facsimile transmission / reception history with reference to the history notification from the multifunction peripheral 200 described above. For example, the history of the facsimile transmission / reception is managed by a database. As a result, it becomes possible for the user computer connected to the MFP 200 to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

When facsimile transmission (PC facsimile transmission) using the modem of the multifunction device 200 is performed via the user's computer, one of the user's computers 400 to 600 transmits the facsimile transmission to itself. Notify the history. Also in this case, facsimile transmission / reception can be managed on the user's computer side with reference to the history. This allows
It becomes possible to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception on the computer side of the user who is connected to the facsimile apparatus via the network.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) In the facsimile management method according to the first aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives the facsimile communication to which the subaddress is attached, the facsimile apparatus transmits the facsimile to a user computer associated with the subaddress. Notification is performed.

Thus, when there is a facsimile communication with a subaddress, a person or a machine that should receive the facsimile can know the existence of the facsimile communication. Therefore, the person or machine that should receive the facsimile does not know that the facsimile communication with the sub-address has been performed.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the original in the mailbox of the receiving device is not taken out.

(2) In the facsimile apparatus according to the fourth aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives a facsimile communication to which a subaddress is attached, the facsimile apparatus transmits a facsimile message to a user computer associated with the subaddress. Notification of reception is performed.

Thus, when there is a facsimile communication with a subaddress, a person or a machine that should receive the facsimile can know the existence of the facsimile communication. Therefore, the person or the machine that should receive the facsimile does not know that the facsimile communication with the subaddress has been performed.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the original in the mailbox of the receiving device is not taken out.

(3) In the facsimile management method according to the ninth aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives the facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the facsimile apparatus transmits the facsimile communication to the user's computer associated with the sub-address. A facsimile reception history is notified, and when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed by a user, a facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer. And
The user computer manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

As a result, it becomes possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

(4) In the facsimile management method according to the tenth aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives the facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the facsimile apparatus transmits the facsimile communication to the user's computer associated with the sub-address. Notifies the history of facsimile reception. Further, when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed via a user's computer, the user's computer notifies the facsimile transmission history to itself. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

As a result, it becomes possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile machine to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

(5) In the facsimile management system according to the eleventh aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives the facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the facsimile apparatus sends a message to the user's computer associated with the sub-address. A facsimile reception history is notified, and when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed by a user, a facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

As a result, it becomes possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission / reception.

(6) In the facsimile management system according to the twelfth aspect, when the facsimile apparatus receives the facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the facsimile apparatus transmits a message to the user computer associated with the sub-address. Notifies the history of facsimile reception. Further, when a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed via a user's computer, the user's computer notifies the facsimile transmission history to itself. The computer of the user manages facsimile transmission and reception with reference to the history.

As a result, it is possible for the user's computer connected to the facsimile apparatus to be connected to the network to know and manage the history of facsimile transmission and reception.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device connection configuration used for facsimile management according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation state according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Network 200 MFP 300 Mail server 400-600 Computer

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile management method for managing facsimile reception by a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein when a facsimile communication with a subaddress is received by the facsimile apparatus, A facsimile management method, wherein the facsimile apparatus notifies a user computer associated with the subaddress of facsimile reception. 2. The facsimile management method according to claim 1, wherein the notification is performed directly from a facsimile apparatus to a user's computer. 3. The notification is performed from a facsimile apparatus to a user's computer via a notification server.
The facsimile management method according to claim 1, wherein: 4. A table for holding a sub-address attached to facsimile reception data and a user address associated with the sub-address, and when the facsimile apparatus receives a facsimile communication to which the sub-address is attached, the table is stored. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a control unit that notifies a user computer associated with the sub-address with reference to facsimile reception. 5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said address is an address on a network. 6. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said address is an electronic mail address on a network. 7. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit notifies the facsimile apparatus directly to a user's computer. 8. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit notifies the user's computer via a notification server. 9. A facsimile management method for managing a history of facsimile transmission and reception by a facsimile machine and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein the facsimile machine receives a facsimile communication to which a subaddress is assigned. The facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception,
When a facsimile transmission using a facsimile apparatus is performed by a user, a facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer, and facsimile transmission / reception is managed on the user's computer side with reference to the history. Facsimile management method. 10. A facsimile management method for managing a history of facsimile transmission and reception by a facsimile apparatus and a user's computer arranged on a network, wherein a facsimile apparatus to which a subaddress is attached is received by the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile apparatus notifies the user's computer associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception, and when facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus is performed via the user's computer, the user's computer A facsimile management method, wherein a facsimile transmission history is notified to the user, and facsimile transmission / reception is managed on the user's computer side with reference to the history. 11. A facsimile management system comprising a facsimile apparatus arranged on a network and a user's computer, for managing a history of facsimile transmission / reception, wherein a facsimile communication with a subaddress is received by the facsimile apparatus. In this case, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user computer associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception,
When a facsimile transmission using a facsimile device is performed by a user, a facsimile transmission history is notified to the user's computer, and facsimile transmission / reception is managed on the user's computer side with reference to the history. A facsimile management system characterized by the following. 12. A facsimile management system for managing facsimile transmission / reception histories, comprising a facsimile apparatus arranged on a network and a user's computer, wherein the facsimile apparatus receives a facsimile communication with a subaddress. In this case, the facsimile apparatus notifies the user's computer associated with the sub-address of the history of facsimile reception, and when there is facsimile transmission using the facsimile apparatus via the user's computer, A facsimile management system, wherein a computer notifies a facsimile transmission history to itself, and manages facsimile transmission / reception by referring to the history on a user's computer side.