JPH04265040A - Facsimile gateway equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To curtail the trouble at the time of transmission and reception of a facsimile, and also, to effectively utilize the information of the facsimile by a LAN by coupling various services on the LAN and a remote facsimile equipment. CONSTITUTION:The equipment is provided with a format converting part 112 for executing the conversion of a format between the format of data used for transmission and reception of a facsimile and the format of data used in a local area network, and an address converting part 114 for executing the address conversion between the address used in the local area network, and the address used in a facsimile communication network.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile gateway device that relays a facsimile device connected to a communication network for communicating facsimile signals to a local area network.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventional facsimile machines are installed in one office or in several units, and when a facsimile signal is received, the received contents are printed directly on paper, and someone in charge It required the trouble of distributing it to the recipient, or having the recipient go to the facsimile machine and pick it up. Furthermore, when multiple facsimile machines are installed, it is necessary to prepare a communication line (telephone line) for each facsimile machine. Furthermore, in conventional facsimile transmission, it has been common to print an electronic document created on a workstation onto paper using a printer, and then input the printed paper document using the image input function of the facsimile machine. This method not only requires complicated operations but also introduces noise during printing or image input, making it impossible to obtain a clear output image. To solve this problem, there are two methods: local printing, in which a facsimile device is connected to a host computer and printing is performed by the printer section of the connected facsimile device, or remote printing, in which a facsimile device is connected to the host computer via a communication line. Remote printing, which sends the output of a host computer to a local facsimile machine, is known (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-168159).In addition, offices have recently been mechanized, with multiple workstations, mail servers, and print servers. , a file server, a database server (configuration management server), and the like are often installed in a local area network system configured into one network. In offices with such systems, it would be convenient if the content received by facsimile could be used in various services on the network. In other words, a received facsimile can be addressed to the workstation user, and can be handled in the same way as email, displayed on the workstation display, stored on a file server, processed on the workstation, etc. Alternatively, it would be convenient for the user to print using a print server, and the received facsimile signals could be used effectively. However, until now, no system has been found that effectively combines various services on a local area network with a facsimile machine at a remote location.

0003

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The purpose of this invention is to realize a device that can significantly reduce work effort and facilitate the processing and use of content in electronic form.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention achieves the above objects,
This is achieved by a facsimile device for linking a facsimile communication network with various services of a local area network. That is, the facsimile gateway section of the present invention includes an interface section (12) for a facsimile communication network;
A facsimile protocol interpreter (111) that divides received information according to a facsimile communication protocol into each element of information or assembles each element of information according to a facsimile communication protocol to generate transmission information, and data used for facsimile transmission and reception. a format conversion unit (112) that performs format conversion between the data format used on the local area network and the data format used on the local area network; An address translation unit (114) that performs address translation divides the received information according to the communication protocol of the local area network into information of each element, or assembles the information of each element according to the communication protocol of the local area network and sends it to the local area network. a local area network protocol interpreter (115) that generates transmission information; and an interface unit (13) for the local area network.
).

[0005]

[Operation] The interface unit (12) transmits and receives facsimile signals to and from a facsimile machine located at a remote location using a facsimile protocol. In order to specify a specific address on the local area network from a facsimile device, an extended function of the facsimile protocol may be used to specify the destination address for each service on the local area network. On a local area network, addresses such as a mailbox address (mail user account) for a mail service, a file drawer location for a file service, and a printer location for a print service are used on a local area network, but facsimile extensions use these addresses. In many cases, these addresses cannot be used directly, so a simplified version of these addresses, such as a user ID, is used. Simplified address (user ID)
The correspondence table between the address and the above address on the local area network is provided by the management service on the local area network (
For example, one managed by a configuration management service) can be used.

When receiving a facsimile, a facsimile protocol interpreter (115) extracts bitmap data and a simplified address from the received signal, passes the bitmap data to a document format converter (112), and converts the bitmap data to a simplified address. The address is passed to the address translation section (114). The document format conversion unit (112) converts the format of bitmap data for facsimile into the format of bitmap data on the local area network. The address conversion unit (114) converts the aforementioned simplified address into an official address on the local area network. The bitmap data format-converted by the document format converter (112) and the address converted by the address converter (114) are assembled into a transmission signal on the local area network by the local area network protocol interpreter (115), Local area network interface section (1
3) is sent to the specified address on the local area network.

[0007] When transmitting a facsimile, the user specifies a document in a format handled by each service on the local area network and a destination address (for example, a facsimile user ID) and instructs the facsimile transmission. Information received from the local area network via the local area network interface unit (13) is separated into address information and document information by the local area network protocol interpreter (114). The separated address information is sent to the address translation unit (114)
is converted into the address (telephone number) of the destination facsimile machine. Specifically, a correspondence table is provided in the local area network that describes the correspondence between user IDs and corresponding telephone numbers of facsimile machines, and the telephone number can be obtained by referring to this table. The document format conversion unit (112) converts the code of the document on the local area network into bitmap data in facsimile format. The facsimile protocol interpreter (111) converts the address (telephone number) obtained by the address converter (114) into the document format converter (112).
) creates a transmission signal to transmit the bitmap data obtained in step 2 and transmits it via the facsimile interface.

As described above, the facsimile gateway device of the present invention can connect a facsimile device at a remote location with various services on a local area network, and utilize received facsimile information using various services on the local area network. can,
Also, document information used in the various services can be sent to a facsimile machine at a remote location.

[0009]

Embodiment (First Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system including a facsimile gateway device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, this system includes a facsimile gateway device FAXGW, a mail server MS, a configuration management server (clearing house server) CHS, and a workstation WS, all of which are the features of the present invention, connected to a local area network. The gateway device is connected to a remote facsimile device via a public network PN.

This embodiment combines a remote facsimile machine with mail service on a local area network. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of an embodiment of a facsimile gateway device for this purpose. This facsimile gateway device includes an information processing section 11 and a facsimile board 12 that is an interface section that controls communication with a facsimile communication network.
and a local area network interface section 13 that exchanges information with the local area network.

The information processing unit 11 is a facsimile machine that divides received information according to a facsimile communication protocol into bitmap data and address information, or assembles bitmap data and address information according to a facsimile communication protocol to generate transmission information. a protocol interpreter 111; a document format converter 112 capable of converting bitmap data of a facsimile signal into a bitmap in a format used on a local area network and vice versa; A configuration management service (or database) access unit 113 that accesses the configuration management service (or database service) that has information representing the correspondence between address information and address information used on the facsimile network; Converts the user ID, which is an address included in the received data, to the destination's mail user account, which is an address on the corresponding local area network, or vice versa, converts the destination's mail user account to the facsimile number, which is the user ID of the facsimile machine. The address conversion unit 114 separates the received information according to the communication protocol of the local area network into bitmap data and address information, or assembles the bitmap data and address information according to the communication protocol of the local area network to send information. and a local area network protocol interpreter 115 that generates the local area network protocol interpreter 115.

The facsimile board 12 includes a receiving section 121 that receives signals from a facsimile machine, and a transmitting section 122 that transmits signals to the facsimile machine. In addition, the local area network interface unit 13
is equipped with a receiving section 131 and a transmitting section 132 for an interface with a local area network.

Next, the operation of the gateway device of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a gateway in making data received from a remote facsimile machine available to a mail service on a local area network. The facsimile protocol interpreter 111 waits to receive a facsimile signal from the receiver 121 of the facsimile board 12, and when received, interprets the facsimile protocol, identifies bitmap image information and additional information such as an address, and The map image information is passed to the document format converter 112 (step 31). The document format conversion unit 112 converts the format of the received facsimile bitmap image data into a bitmap data format that can be used in mail documents on the local area network (step 32).

The destination user I separated from the facsimile reception signal by the facsimile protocol interpreter 111
D (address) is converted by the address conversion unit 114 into a mail user account, which is an address used in the local area network mail service. The conversion is performed by accessing the database (or configuration management service) by the configuration management service access unit 112 and using a correspondence table between user IDs and mail user accounts stored in the database (step 33). Note that, according to the G3 and G4 facsimile protocol standards, it is possible to set information items for advanced functions in addition to the destination telephone number as additional information. In this embodiment, this extended function information item is used to add a mail address on the local area network. However, since the information that can be expressed in this extended function information item is limited, the user I, which is an abbreviation for the email address, is
Use D. For example, the official format of an email address on a local area network is [mail user account]; [domain]; [organizati]
on]. A plurality of user IDs can be set as abbreviations for a mail user account. For example, it is possible to set a plurality of user IDs such as 1) MasahiroIkeda14736, 2) Ikeda, and 3) 14736, and register them in the database service or configuration management service. In case a remote facsimile machine can only input numerical values to the above-mentioned advanced function information items, by preparing a numerical-only user ID like 3) above in advance on the local area network, it is possible to You will be able to use the area network mail service. By accessing such registered email address information, it is possible to convert between a user ID and an email user account.

Next, it is determined whether the corresponding mail user account is found (step 34), and if found, the local area network protocol interpreter 115 converts the document format converter 112 into the document format converter 112 according to the local area network protocol. Create a transmission signal containing the bitmap data converted by
32, send an email to the mailbox whose address is the corresponding user account in the email server (
Step 35).

If the corresponding user account is not found in the address correspondence table, an e-mail is created and sent to the system administrator to the effect that the corresponding destination is unknown (step 36). Determine whether the facsimile gateway service is stopped (step 37)
. Step 3 if the service is not stopped
Proceed to step 1 and wait for reception of a facsimile signal. If the service is stopped, the process ends.

[0017] In this way, at each workstation, the user can view the contents of the received facsimile on the workstation's display in the same way as normal mail. Therefore, it is not necessary to print out the contents of facsimile data on paper and then distribute it, unlike in the past.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the facsimile gateway device when information is transmitted from a mail server on a local area network to a remote facsimile device. The mail sent from the mail server MS is sent to the local area network interface 13.
(Step 41). Then, the local area network protocol interpreter 1
15 interprets the local area network protocol when received, separates the address information and bitmap image information, passes the bitmap image information to the document format converter 112, and sends the address information to the address converter 114. hand over. The document format conversion unit 112 converts the received document information into bitmap data for use in facsimile (step 42). Further, the address conversion unit 114 converts the mail user account for the destination user used on the local area network into a user ID and facsimile telephone number (step 43). The conversion is performed using the address correspondence table held in the configuration management service mentioned above.

It is determined whether the user ID and telephone number of the destination facsimile machine have been found (step 44). If they are found, the facsimile protocol interpreter 111 creates a transmission signal by adding the destination user ID to the bitmap data converted by the document format converter 112 according to the facsimile protocol, and sends the facsimile board 12 to the bitmap data converted by the document format converter 112. The transmission signal is transmitted to the facsimile telephone number via the transmitter 122 (step 35). If you cannot find the recipient's fax number, compose and send an email to the sender stating that the recipient is unknown and cannot be delivered (
Step 46). It is determined whether the service has been stopped (step 47), and if it has not been stopped, the process advances to step 41 and waits for reception of a facsimile signal. If the service is stopped, the process ends. In this manner, documents created at each workstation can be transmitted to a facsimile machine at a remote location.

(Second Embodiment) This embodiment relates to a facsimile gateway device for connecting a facsimile communication network with a file service on a local area network. Generally, a file server that provides file services on a local area network has a storage area (hereinafter referred to as
A workstation user can designate the file drawer to transfer files between computers. This second
Embodiments store information received by facsimile on such a file server so that it can be read from a workstation or transmitted to a facsimile machine at a remote location by transferring documents created on a workstation to a file server. This allows for transmission. The main difference from the first embodiment is the configuration of the address conversion section 114, and the other facsimile board 12, facsimile protocol interpretation section 111, document format conversion section 112, and database access section 11.
3. The local area network protocol interpreter, local area network interface 13, etc. are almost the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the explanation will focus on the differences.

[0021] When receiving a facsimile signal, the address conversion unit 114 performs conversion to obtain a file drawer location from the sent user ID, and when transmitting a facsimile, converts the drawer location to a facsimile user ID. . For the conversion, the database access unit 113 uses the drawer location and user ID stored in the database (or configuration management service).
Access the correspondence table of D.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the operation of storing signals sent from a remote facsimile machine in the drawer of the file server. Steps 51 and 52 are substantially the same as steps 31 and 32, which are the corresponding processes in the first embodiment. The destination user ID (address) separated from the facsimile reception signal by the facsimile protocol interpreter 111 is sent to the address converter 11.
4 to the file drawer location of the file server assigned to the destination user. The conversion is performed by accessing the database (or configuration management service) by the database access unit 112 and using a correspondence table between user IDs and file drawer locations stored in the database (step 53).
).

[0023] It is determined whether or not the corresponding file drawer location is found (step 54), and if it is found, the local area network protocol interpreter 115 converts the document format converter 112 according to the local area network protocol. Creates a transmission signal containing bitmap data and transmits it to the transmission unit 13 of the local area network interface 13.
2, the data is stored in the file drawer location of the corresponding file server (step 55). If the corresponding file drawer location is not found in the address correspondence table, the received data is stored in the system administrator drawer (step 56). In this way, the received facsimile data is stored in the file server. The contents of the data stored in the file server can be viewed on the workstation's display by a user on the workstation by transcribing or moving the corresponding file from the file server.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the operation of this embodiment when transmitting files stored in a file server to a facsimile machine at a remote location. A document for transmission is retrieved from the file drawer of the file server (step 61). Each file drawer, which is a storage location for files, is assigned an address called a location. The location of that file drawer is, for example, <X
XX Construction YY 012-3456-7890><ZZZ
It includes a user ID such as Bank GG 098-7654-3210 (YY and GG in the above example), a facsimile telephone number, and other necessary attribute information. In this embodiment, the facsimile telephone number must be included. When a user wants to send a facsimile, the user performs an operation to store the transmitted text in the file drawer assigned to the destination user. On the other hand, the facsimile gateway device constantly monitors by polling whether or not a file is stored in the file drawer. When the facsimile gateway device detects that a file is stored, it performs a process of bringing this file for transmission, ie, a process called retrieval.

Next, the address converter 114 in the gateway device performs conversion to obtain the destination user ID and the facsimile telephone number from the drawer location where the transmission document was stored (step 63). next,
It is determined whether the destination user ID and facsimile telephone number have been found (step 64). If found, the facsimile protocol interpreter 111 creates a transmission signal containing the bitmap data converted by the document format converter 112 and the telephone number of the destination facsimile according to the facsimile protocol, and transmits the signal from the facsimile board 12. 122, the facsimile is sent to the corresponding facsimile telephone number (step 65).
).

If the destination facsimile telephone number is not found, the document for transmission is stored in the system administrator drawer (step 66). In this way, documents stored on the file server can be sent to a facsimile machine at a remote location.

(Third Embodiment) This third embodiment is a facsimile gateway device for outputting the contents of a received facsimile from a designated arbitrary print server on a network. The main difference from the first embodiment is that the address translation unit 114
, and other facsimile boards 12
, facsimile protocol interpreter 111, document format converter 112, database access unit 113, local area network protocol interpreter, local area network interface 13, etc. are almost the same as those in the first embodiment, but the direction of communication is remote. The difference is that the direction is from the facsimile machine side to the local area network side. Therefore, the explanation will focus on the differences.

When receiving a facsimile signal, the address conversion unit 114 performs conversion to obtain a printer location from the sent user ID. For the conversion, the database access unit 113 accesses a correspondence table of printer locations and user IDs stored in the database (or configuration management service). FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the print server until it prints out a signal sent from a remote facsimile machine. Steps 71 and 72 are substantially the same as steps 31 and 32, which are the corresponding processes in the first embodiment. The destination user I separated from the facsimile received signal by the facsimile protocol interpreter 111
D (address) is converted by the address conversion unit 114 into the location of the printer of the print server assigned to the destination user. The conversion is performed by accessing the database (or configuration management service) by the database access unit 112 and using a correspondence table between user IDs and printer locations stored in the database (step 73).

It is determined whether the corresponding location is found (step 74), and if found, the local area network protocol interpreter 115 converts the bitmap converted by the document format converter 112 according to the local area network protocol. A transmission signal containing the data is created and the data is transmitted to the printer location of the corresponding print server via the transmission unit 132 of the local area network interface 13 (step 75). If the corresponding location is not found in the address correspondence table, the printer location is sent to the system administrator (step 76).
). In this way, the received facsimile data is output by the printer of the facsimile server.

[0030]

As described above, the facsimile gateway device of the present invention can connect a facsimile device at a remote location with various services on a local area network, and can transmit received facsimile information using various services on the local area network. can be used,
Document information can also be sent to a facsimile machine at a remote location using the various services. For example, when combined with a mail service, the contents of a remote facsimile can be viewed on a display on a workstation, just like regular mail on a local area network; Documents created can be sent to a facsimile machine in a remote location using the same operations as regular email. In addition, when combining with a file service, the information of received facsimiles is stored on the file server, and the user can retrieve the received file from the file server from the workstation and view its contents on the display. By transferring a document created at the station to a file server, it can be sent to a facsimile machine located at a remote location. Furthermore, it can be output from any print server on the print service network. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is no longer necessary to manually operate the facsimile device and perform distribution work, which was necessary when transmitting and receiving facsimile information in a conventional system in which the facsimile device and the local area network were not connected. It also makes it easier to process and use the content in electronic form. In addition, basically only one communication line is required for one local area network, which reduces the number of communication line contracts compared to the conventional method in which a facsimile communication board is attached to each terminal itself and connected to the communication line. The increase can be alleviated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a facsimile gateway device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the entire system including the facsimile gateway device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram for explaining a facsimile reception operation in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for explaining a facsimile transmission operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for explaining a facsimile reception operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for explaining a facsimile transmission operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram for explaining a facsimile reception operation according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Information processing section 111 Facsimile protocol interpretation section 112 Document format conversion section 113 Database (or configuration management) service access section 114 Address conversion section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An interface unit for a facsimile communication network, and a facsimile protocol that divides received information according to a facsimile communication protocol into each element of information, or assembles each element of information according to a facsimile communication protocol to generate transmission information. an interpreter, a format converter that converts the format between the data format used for facsimile transmission and reception and the data format used on the local area network, the address used on the local area network, and the facsimile communication An address translation unit that converts addresses between addresses used in the network, and separates received information according to the communication protocol of the local area network into information of each element, or divides the information of each element according to the communication protocol of the local area network. A facsimile gateway device comprising: a local area network protocol interpreter that assembles and generates information to be transmitted to a local area network; and an interface unit for the local area network.