JP2004072326A - Network facsimile apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a facsimile (FAX) apparatus capable of suitably informing of a transmission result to a FAX transmission request outputted from another terminal connected to a network by using an electronic (E) mail. <P>SOLUTION: The network FAX apparatus generates a variety of communication information concerned with FAX transmission when the FAX transmission has been completed, prepares an E mail in which the generated communication information is integrated as communication management information and transmits the prepared E mail to a mail address of a parameter memory. A work station device can easily and simply check the result of FAX transmission by the E mail transmitted from the network FAX apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network communication device having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, network communication devices having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail have been put to practical use. Further, in such a network facsimile apparatus, a technical recommendation relating to an electronic mail communication function for communicating image information using electronic mail is described in ITU-T Recommendation T.40. 37 applies.
[0003]
By the way, in the Internet e-mail system, MDN (Message Disposition in Notification) is defined as a mechanism capable of confirming that a transmitted e-mail has been processed by a partner user. Also in the network facsimile apparatus, the delivery confirmation can be performed using the MDN.
[0004]
The MDN is defined in RFC2298, and the delivery confirmation request by the MDN is performed by describing a field “Disposition-Notification-To:” in a mail header of an electronic mail.
In the value of this field, the mail address of the transmission destination (destination) of the response mail of the MDN is arranged. For example, “ifax-a@abcdcdb.co.jp” is used.
[0005]
Therefore, the network facsimile machine FX examines the received e-mail, and if the e-mail header includes a “Disposition-Notification-To:” field, determines that a delivery confirmation request has been made by the MDN.
[0006]
Then, a response mail indicating the transmission result of the e-mail received at that time is created by a method specified in the MDN, and the response mail is sent to the mail address notified in the field “Disposition-Notification-To:”. And send.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such a delivery confirmation method using MDN has the following disadvantages.
[0008]
That is, in the MDN, a method for uniquely identifying a response mail in response to the delivery confirmation request is defined only in the Message-ID field, so that it cannot be used at the time of batch transmission for transmitting the same facsimile document to a plurality of destinations. There was a defect.
[0009]
In order to avoid this inconvenience, there is a method in which image information is transmitted using individual e-mails for each destination, instead of collective broadcasting. There is a drawback that the traffic of the network is increased and the machine is in a communication state for a long period of time, which impairs the user's convenience.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a network facsimile apparatus that can appropriately perform delivery confirmation for each destination even at the time of batch broadcasting.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a network communication apparatus having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using an electronic mail, stores a transmission destination mail address together with a value of its Message-ID field when sending a delivery confirmation request mail, and The transmission source of the receipt confirmation mail is specified using the value of the Final-Recipient field together with the value of the Original-Message-ID field. Further, when comparing the destination mail address with the value of the Final-Recipint field, a part or all of each is used as a comparison element.
[0012]
In a network communication apparatus having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail, a transmission confirmation request mail is transmitted at the time of simultaneous broadcast transmission to a plurality of destinations, and a Message-ID field of the transmission confirmation request mail is transmitted. Is stored together with the destination mail address, and when the receipt confirmation mail is received, the sender of the receipt confirmation mail is specified using the value of the Original-Message-ID field and the value of the Final-Recipient field.
[0013]
In a network communication apparatus having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail, a transmission confirmation request mail is transmitted at the time of simultaneous broadcast transmission to a plurality of destinations, and a Message-ID field of the transmission confirmation request mail is transmitted. And the destination mail address is stored together with the value of the Original-Message-ID field and the value of the Final-Recipient field when the receipt confirmation mail is received. The management information is managed for each destination.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016]
In the figure, a plurality of workstation devices WS1 to WSn, a mail server device SM, and a network facsimile device FX are connected to a local area network LAN, and also connected to the Internet via a router device RT. . Therefore, the workstation devices WS1 to WSn, the mail server device SM, and the network facsimile device FX can exchange data with other appropriate terminal devices via the Internet.
[0017]
Here, the mail server device SM provides a well-known electronic mail collection and distribution service to users using the workstation devices WS1 to WSn connected to the local area network LAN and to the network network facsimile device FX. Is provided.
[0018]
The local area network LAN is connected to the Internet via the router device RT, whereby the workstation devices WS1 to WSn, the mail server device SM, and the network facsimile device FX are connected to another local area network or the like. Various types of data can be exchanged with a host device or the like connected to the server.
[0019]
The workstation devices WS1 to WSn include various programs such as facsimile application software for creating and displaying facsimile image information and various software for exchanging various data via a local area network LAN. Have been introduced and are used by specific users. Here, the specific user may be one or more users.
[0020]
The network facsimile machine FX is connected to an analog public telephone network PSTN for exchanging image information and various reports as electronic mail, and is connected to a group 3 facsimile using the public network as a transmission path. A transmission function for transmitting image information according to a transmission procedure is provided.
[0021]
FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the network facsimile machine FX.
[0022]
In FIG. 1, a system control unit 1 performs various control processes such as a control process of each unit of the network facsimile machine FX and a facsimile transmission control procedure process. The parameter memory 3 stores a control processing program to be executed and various data necessary for executing the processing program, and constitutes a work area of the system control unit 1. The parameter memory 3 is unique to the network facsimile machine FX. The clock circuit 4 outputs current time information.
[0023]
The scanner 5 is for reading a document image at a predetermined resolution, the plotter 6 is for recording and outputting an image at a predetermined resolution, and the operation display unit 7 operates the network facsimile machine FX. And consists of various operation keys and various indicators.
[0024]
The encoding / decoding unit 8 encodes and compresses the image signal and decodes the encoded and compressed image information into the original image signal. The image storage device 9 encodes and compresses the image signal. This is for storing a large number of image information in the closed state.
[0025]
The group 3 facsimile modem 10 is for realizing the modem function of the group 3 facsimile, and is a low-speed modem function (V.21 modem) for exchanging a transmission procedure signal, and mainly for exchanging image information. It has a high-speed modem function (V.17 modem, V.34 modem, V.29 modem, V.27ter modem, etc.).
[0026]
The network control device 11 is for connecting the network facsimile machine FX to the analog public switched telephone network PSTN, and has an automatic transmission / reception function.
[0027]
The local area network interface circuit 12 is for connecting the network facsimile machine FX to the local area network LAN. The local area network transmission control unit 13 communicates with other data terminal devices via the local area network LAN. It is for executing communication control processing of various predetermined protocol suites for exchanging various kinds of data between them.
[0028]
These are a system control unit 1, a system memory 2, a parameter memory 3, a clock circuit 4, a scanner 5, a plotter 6, an operation display unit 7, an encoding / decoding unit 8, an image storage device 9, a group 3 facsimile modem 10, a network The control device 11 and the local area network transmission control unit 13 are connected to an internal bus 14, and data exchange between these elements is mainly performed through the internal bus 14.
[0029]
Data exchange between the network control device 11 and the group 3 facsimile modem 10 is directly performed.
[0030]
Here, in the present embodiment, basically, data exchange between terminals connected to the local area network LAN is performed by a transmission protocol up to a transport layer called TCP / IP, and a further protocol. This is performed by applying a combination with a communication protocol of an upper layer (so-called protocol suite). For example, when exchanging e-mail data, a communication protocol called SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is applied as a communication protocol of an upper layer.
[0031]
Further, as a protocol applied by each terminal to the mail server device SM for confirming reception of an e-mail addressed to the user and for requesting acquisition, an POP (Post Office Protocol) or the like can be applied.
[0032]
Communication protocols such as TCP / IP, SMTP, and POP, and the data format and data structure of electronic mail are specified by RFC documents issued by the IETF. For example, TCP is RFC793, IP is RFC793, SMTP is RFC821, and the format of the e-mail is RFC822, RFC1521, RFC1522 (MIME (Multi-Purpose).
Mail Extension) format.
[0033]
The network facsimile machine FX sends the read document image to another group 3 facsimile machine via the analog public switched telephone network PSTN, or the workstation devices WS1 to WSn via the local area network LAN (further, the Internet). To the user corresponding to the sub-address specified at that time, while transmitting the image information received from the other group 3 facsimile apparatuses via the analog public switched telephone network PSTN to the user or other network facsimile apparatus FX. Transfer using electronic mail or transfer image information received from the workstation WS of the local area network LAN (by electronic mail) to the designated analog public telephone network PSTN group 3 facsimile apparatus It has a-bis function, and the like.
[0034]
Further, with respect to the electronic mail received to the own terminal, the image information arranged in the body information is extracted, recorded and output.
[0035]
Here, the facsimile image information is binary data, and the electronic mail cannot directly include the binary data. Therefore, a predetermined conversion method (for example, a Base64 encoding method) is applied to the readable information (7-bit data). It is included in the e-mail after being converted to a character code. Such a format of the body information of the electronic mail is called a MIME format.
[0036]
As described above, in the Internet, a system for delivering a confirmation mail is realized as an extended function of the e-mail system as a mechanism for confirming whether or not the e-mail has been delivered to a target destination. .
[0037]
As a system of these delivery confirmation mails, DSN (Delivery Status Notification) specified in RFC1891 and 1894, or MDN (Message Delivery Notification) specified in RFC2298 is in practical use.
[0038]
Here, generally, the DSN is used for confirming delivery to the mail server, and the MDN is used for confirming delivery to the receiving terminal. Therefore, the function of the DSN is usually mounted on the mail server device SM, and the function of the MDN is mounted on the network facsimile machine FX which is a terminal.
[0039]
For example, in the present embodiment, when a delivery confirmation by the MDN, that is, a receipt confirmation is to be received, a “Disposition-Notification-To” field is provided in the header information of the e-mail that transmits the image information. In the value of the “Disposition-Notification-To” field, an address of a mailbox set in the terminal, that is, a mail address is arranged.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, for example, the file number of the transmission image information is arranged in the “Message-ID” field of the header information of the e-mail for transmitting the image information. For this purpose, in this embodiment, when determining the file number of the transmission image information, a value that does not overlap is calculated by a known method.
[0041]
On the other hand, the receipt confirmation mail of the MDN includes a “Final-Recipient” field in the header information, and further includes an “Original-Message-ID” field. The value of the “Final-Recipient” field contains information indicating that the user has displayed or processed the e-mail, and the “Original-Message-ID” field has an e-mail requesting the MDN in the “Original-Message-ID” field. The value of “Message-ID” of (delivery confirmation request mail) is arranged.
[0042]
Therefore, when the received e-mail includes the “Final-Recipient” field, the network facsimile machine FX can determine that the e-mail is an MDN acknowledgment mail, and furthermore, the acknowledgment mail is By searching for the communication information with the same file number as the value of the “Original-Message-ID” field of the above, it is possible to determine which image information transmission e-mail the reception confirmation mail corresponds to.
[0043]
Further, in order to store the delivery confirmation result for each destination based on the receipt confirmation mail, in the present embodiment, in the case of a transmission operation in which the batch broadcast function is designated, as shown in FIG. Create a delivery confirmation result information table.
[0044]
This delivery confirmation result information table includes a Message-ID value assigned to an electronic mail carrying image information and one or more delivery confirmation result information. The delivery confirmation result information includes a destination mail address indicating the destination mail address of the image information and a transmission result indicating the delivery confirmation result for the destination, as shown in FIG.
[0045]
In the case of a transmission operation in which the batch broadcast function is not specified, a delivery confirmation result information table as shown in FIG. This delivery confirmation result information table includes a Message-ID value assigned to the electronic mail carrying the image information and a transmission result indicating the delivery confirmation result to the destination at that time.
[0046]
The communication history information for storing the communication history for each communication operation is as shown in FIG. In this case, the communication history information includes a file number representing identification information assigned to each communication operation, a communication mode of the communication operation (for example, discrimination of transmission / reception operation, presence / absence of broadcast operation, distinction of G3 communication / email communication). Etc.), a Message-ID value when image information is transmitted using an e-mail, and a communication result.
[0047]
FIG. 4 shows an example of a process at the time of transmission of the network facsimile machine FX when transmitting image information using an e-mail.
[0048]
The user sets a transmission document on the scanner 5 (process 101), operates the operation display unit 7 as appropriate, inputs one or more transmission destinations (process 102), and operates a start key (not shown). If the result of the determination 103 is YES, the image of the transmission original set on the scanner 5 is read, and the image data obtained thereby is encoded and compressed by the encoding / decoding unit 8 and stored in the image storage device 9. (Process 104).
[0049]
Next, it is checked whether or not the delivery confirmation request has been designated by the user (step 105). If the result of the step 105 is NO, the header information of the normal transmission e-mail is created (step 106).
[0050]
When the result of the determination 105 is YES, the header information of the delivery confirmation e-mail as described above is created (process 107). Here, it is checked whether or not there are a plurality of input destinations (decision 108). If the result of decision 108 is YES, the above-described delivery confirmation result information table is created, and information is appropriately created for each element. (Step 109). If the result of determination 108 is NO, the value of the Message-ID at that time is stored in the delivery confirmation result information table (process 110).
[0051]
Then, the body information of the e-mail is created (step 111), and the e-mail including any of the header information created in steps 106, 109, and 110 and the body information created in step 111 is transmitted to the mail server device SM. Then (process 112), this process ends.
[0052]
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an example of processing when the network facsimile machine FX receives an electronic mail.
[0053]
First, it waits until a predetermined e-mail reception timing (for example, every 30 minutes) (NO loop of the judgment 201), and when the result of the judgment 201 becomes YES, it connects to the POP server of the mail server device SM, and An inquiry is made as to whether an electronic mail addressed to the user has been received (step 202). If the electronic mail has not been received (result of determination 203 is NO), the process returns to determination 201 and waits for the next reception timing.
[0054]
If an e-mail has been received and the result of determination 203 is YES, all e-mails addressed to the terminal itself are obtained from the POP server (process 204).
[0055]
Next, one e-mail obtained in step 204 is selected (step 205), the header information is analyzed (step 206), and it is determined whether the e-mail is an acknowledgment mail which is a response mail to the MDN described above. Is checked (determination 207).
[0056]
When the result of determination 207 is YES, the value of “Message-ID” having the same value as the value of the “Original-Message-ID” field of the receipt confirmation mail is registered in any of the delivery confirmation result information tables. It is checked whether or not it has been performed (process 208, judgment 209).
[0057]
If the result of determination 209 is YES, the contents of the delivery confirmation result information table are examined to determine whether the destination mail address is included, that is, whether one or more pieces of delivery confirmation result information are included ( Decision 211).
[0058]
When the result of the determination 211 is YES, it is checked whether or not the value of the “Final-Recipient” field is registered in any of the delivery confirmation result information of the delivery confirmation result information table found in the process 208 (process 212). .
At this time, it is checked whether or not there is any one that completely matches the value of the “Final-Recipient” field, or whether there is any partially matching value (decisions 213 and 214). Here, the partial match refers to, for example, a case where only the local part of the value of the “Final-Recipient” field (the part on the left side of the ＠ mark) matches, or the domain name of the value of the “Final-Recipient” field (＠ (The right part of the mark).
[0059]
When the result of the determination 213 or 214 is YES, the contents of the delivery result notified by the receipt confirmation mail are stored in the transmission result information of the matched (completely matched or partially matched) delivery confirmation result information (processing 215).
[0060]
When the processing of one e-mail is completed in this way, it is checked whether or not the processing has been completed for all the e-mails obtained in the processing 204 (judgement 216). If the result of the judgment 216 is NO, the processing 205 Then, the same processing is performed for the remaining e-mails. If the result of the determination 216 is YES, the process returns to the determination 201 and waits until the next electronic mail acquisition timing.
[0061]
When the result of the determinations 213 and 214 is NO, when the result of the determination 211 is NO, when the result of the determination 209 is NO, and when the result of the determination 207 is NO, the normal reception electronic The mail processing is performed (processing 217), and the flow shifts to decision 216 to perform the subsequent operations.
[0062]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the receipt confirmation mail is identified using both the Message-ID and the destination mail address. Delivery confirmation can be performed, and user convenience can be improved.
[0063]
Also, when comparing the value of Final-Recipient of the transmission destination mail address and the receipt confirmation mail, it is determined that they match even if they do not completely match but partially match, so that the delivery confirmation request mail and the receipt confirmation mail are Flexible association can improve user convenience.
[0064]
In addition, since the communication management information can be managed for each destination even at the time of simultaneous broadcast to a plurality of destinations, it is possible to clearly indicate the transmission result for each destination, for example, in a communication management report or the like.
[0065]
In the above-described embodiment, whether or not to make a delivery confirmation request is determined according to the presence or absence of a delivery confirmation request from the user. However, if there are a plurality of designated destinations, the delivery confirmation request must always be made. You can also In this case, the destination mail address is stored only at the time of batch transmission, so that the capacity required for the management area (memory) can be reduced, and as a result, the operation efficiency of the network facsimile machine FX can be improved.
[0066]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the receipt confirmation mail is identified by using both the Message-ID and the mail address of the transmission destination. Delivery confirmation can be performed every time, and the effect that user convenience can be improved is obtained.
[0067]
Also, when comparing the value of Final-Recipient of the transmission destination mail address and the receipt confirmation mail, it is determined that they match even if they do not completely match but partially match, so that the delivery confirmation request mail and the receipt confirmation mail are An effect is also obtained that the user's convenience can be improved by flexibly associating.
[0068]
In addition, since the communication management information can be managed for each destination even at the time of simultaneous broadcasting to a plurality of destinations, the transmission result can be clearly specified for each destination, for example, in a communication management report. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a network facsimile machine FX.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a delivery confirmation result information table and the like.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by the network facsimile machine FX when transmitting image information using an electronic mail.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process when receiving an e-mail.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart (continued) showing an example of processing when receiving an e-mail.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 System control part 2 System memory 3 Parameter memory FX Network facsimile machine

Claims (4)

In a network communication device having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail,
When the delivery confirmation request mail is transmitted, the destination mail address is stored together with the value of the Message-ID field, and when the receipt confirmation mail is received, the receipt confirmation mail is transmitted using the value of the Original-Message-ID field and the value of the Final-Recipient field. A network facsimile machine characterized by specifying a source. 2. The network facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part or all of the destination e-mail address and the value of the Final-Recipint field are used as comparison elements. In a network communication device having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail,
At the time of simultaneous broadcast transmission to a plurality of destinations, a delivery confirmation request mail is transmitted, and the destination mail address is stored together with the value of the Message-ID field of the delivery confirmation request mail, and the Original-Message-ID is received when the receipt confirmation mail is received. A network facsimile apparatus characterized in that the source of an acknowledgment mail is specified using the value of the Final-Recipient field together with the value of the field. In a network communication device having a function of transmitting and receiving image information using electronic mail,
At the time of simultaneous broadcast transmission to a plurality of destinations, a delivery confirmation request mail is transmitted, and the destination mail address is stored together with the value of the Message-ID field of the delivery confirmation request mail, and the Original-Message-ID is received when the receipt confirmation mail is received. A network facsimile apparatus for identifying a transmission source of an acknowledgment mail using a value of a Final-Recipient field together with a value of a field, and managing communication management information for each destination for the broadcast.

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