JP2006279140A - Communication system and facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system and a facsimile machine capable of transmitting image data with high quality. <P>SOLUTION: The communication system 1 is configured as a communication system for carrying out transmission/reception of image data. The communication system 1 includes: a mobile communication terminal 11; Internet facsimile machines 12a, 12b; a server apparatus 14; and the facsimile machine 16. The mobile communication terminal 11 utilizes an Internet connection service provided by a mobile communication enterprise or the like and allows an external device (e.g. a personal computer and a mobile information terminal) connected to the terminal 11 to make non-voice data communication with the Internet 81. Each of the Internet facsimile machines 12a, 12b has an interface for connection to the mobile communication terminal 11 as its external device and even when each of the Internet facsimile machines 12a, 12b is connected to the Internet 81 by means of the non-voice data communication, each of the Internet facsimile machines 12a, 12b can make transmission/reception of image data by way of the Internet 81. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system and a facsimile apparatus.

  Conventionally, in facsimile transmission represented by the G3 system and the Super G3 system, an audio frequency carrier is modulated with image data to be transmitted, and a facsimile signal obtained by the modulation is transmitted / received using a voice communication line. .

  Here, it is considered to secure the voice communication line by mobile communication and to make the facsimile transmission path wireless. Such a facsimile transmission method using a voice communication line is referred to as a “deemed voice method” because transmission is performed by regarding a facsimile signal as voice. In mobile communication, a sampled audio signal is encoded and transmitted on the transmission side, and the encoded audio signal is decoded on the reception side. However, in order to reduce the amount of transmission data, A predetermined compression algorithm is used.

  Patent Document 1 relates to a technique for confirming the contents of an electronic mail with a facsimile apparatus.

JP 2003-37632 A

  However, since the above-described compression algorithm is optimized for voice, there is a problem in that the facsimile signal is distorted and the quality of facsimile transmission is lowered.

  The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and an object thereof is to provide a communication system and a facsimile apparatus capable of transmitting image data with high quality.

  In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is a communication system, a mobile communication terminal for performing non-voice data communication between a connected external device and an IP network, and the mobile communication terminal And a facsimile machine that is connected to the IP network by the non-voice data communication and transmits / receives image data via the IP network.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to the first aspect, the image data is connected to the IP network, transmits / receives image data via the IP network, and stores image data destined for the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile apparatus further includes a server apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus acquires image data destined for the facsimile apparatus from the server apparatus via the IP network.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to the second aspect, the facsimile apparatus checks at a predetermined timing whether or not image data destined for the facsimile apparatus is stored in the server apparatus. If stored, image data destined for the facsimile apparatus is acquired from the server apparatus via the IP network.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the server device is connected to a general public telephone network and transmits / receives image data via the general public telephone network. And relaying image data transmission / reception via the general public telephone network and image data transmission / reception via the IP network.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, operating power of the mobile communication terminal is supplied from the facsimile apparatus to the mobile communication terminal.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the IP network includes the Internet.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the communication system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the non-voice data communication is charged according to the amount of communication data.

  The invention of claim 8 is the communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the non-voice data communication is charged on a flat rate basis.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus having an interface for connecting to a mobile communication terminal, wherein when the mobile communication terminal is connected to an IP network by non-voice data communication, the IP network is connected. It is possible to send and receive the image data via.

  According to the first to ninth aspects of the present invention, it is not necessary to perform facsimile transmission by the deemed voice method, so that image data can be transmitted with high quality.

  According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to receive image data transmitted when the facsimile apparatus is not connected to the IP network.

  According to the invention of claim 3, there is no need to give an acquisition instruction to the facsimile apparatus every time image data is acquired from the server apparatus, and the convenience of the communication system is improved.

  According to the invention of claim 4, by using the relay function of the server device, it is possible to seamlessly transmit and receive image data via a general public telephone line and an IP network.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the transmission / reception of the image data is not hindered due to a shortage of the remaining battery of the mobile communication terminal, the convenience of the communication system is improved.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, no charge is incurred even if the facsimile apparatus is connected to the IP network in a standby state, so that the operating cost of the communication system is reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 8, since the charge does not change even if the facsimile apparatus is always connected to the IP network, the operating cost of the communication system is reduced.

<1 configuration>
<1.1 Overall configuration of communication system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication system 1 is configured as a communication system that transmits and receives image data.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system 1 includes a mobile communication terminal 11, Internet facsimile machines 12 a and 12 b (12), a server device 14, and a facsimile machine 16. In the following, reference numerals 12a and 12b are used when it is necessary to distinguish between two Internet facsimile machines, and reference numeral 12 is used when it is not necessary to distinguish between the two.

  The mobile communication terminal 11 is a terminal for using a mobile communication service provided by a mobile communication provider, and is typically a mobile phone terminal (including a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) terminal). The mobile communication terminal 11 uses an Internet connection service provided by a mobile communication carrier or the like to perform non-voice data communication between a connected external device (for example, a personal computer or a portable information terminal) and the Internet 81. Can be performed. Here, “non-voice data communication” is digital data communication that does not involve modulation / demodulation by voice, and is preferably packet communication.

  When the Internet facsimile machine 12 is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 82, image data is transmitted / received via the general public telephone network 82, that is, by a known G3 system or a super G3 system. In addition to being able to perform transmission, when connected to the Internet 81, which is a typical example of an IP (Internet Protocol) network, by Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like, image data can be transmitted and received via the Internet 81. . The transmission / reception of the image data via the Internet 81 is realized by transmitting / receiving an e-mail attached with the image data by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) according to TTC standard JT-T37. It should be noted that transmission / reception of image data via the Internet 81 is not hindered by other methods. Further, the SMTP server used for sending the e-mail may be mounted on each of the Internet facsimile machines 12 or may be mounted on a computer physically independent from the Internet facsimile machine 12.

  In addition, the Internet facsimile machine 12 has an interface for connecting to the mobile communication terminal 11 as an external device. Even when the internet facsimile machine 12 is connected to the Internet 81 by the above-mentioned non-voice data communication, The received image data can be transmitted and received. In this way, when the Internet facsimile apparatus 12 is connected to the Internet 81 by non-voice data communication of the mobile communication terminal 11, it is not necessary to perform facsimile transmission by the deemed voice method, so that the image data remains high quality as digital data. It can be transmitted. In this case, there is also an advantage that image data can be transmitted and received without being restricted by the installation location.

  In the communication system 1, the Internet facsimile machine 12a is actually connected to the Internet 81 by non-voice data communication of the mobile communication terminal 11, and the Internet facsimile machine 12b is actually connected to the Internet 81 by Ethernet (registered trademark). It shall be connected.

  When connected to the general public telephone network 82, the server device 14 transmits / receives image data via the general public telephone network 82, that is, facsimile transmission by the well-known G3 system or the super G3 system when connected to the general public telephone network 82. When connected to the Internet 81 via Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like, image data can be transmitted / received via the Internet 81. The server device 14 is actually connected to both the general public telephone network 82 and the Internet 81, and also has a relay function between image data transmission / reception via the general public telephone network 82 and image data transmission / reception via the Internet. Have. The server device 14 is always connected to the Internet 81 except when there are special circumstances such as when maintenance is required.

  Further, the server device 14 stores the electronic mail (hereinafter abbreviated as “image-attached electronic mail”) to which the image data to be transmitted is attached and destined for the Internet facsimile machine 12 (for example, POP). (Post Office Protocol) server). Therefore, in the communication system 1, transmission of image data between the Internet facsimile machines 12 a and 12 b is realized by transmitting an image-attached electronic mail via the server device 14. The image data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 16 to the Internet facsimile apparatus 12 is received by the server apparatus 14 after the facsimile data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 16 is decrypted, and the decrypted image data is converted into an e-mail. This is realized by attaching it and transmitting it to the Internet facsimile machine 12 as an image attached electronic mail. Note that image data is transmitted from the Internet facsimile machine 12 to the facsimile machine 16 when the server device 14 receives an image-attached electronic mail transmitted from the Internet facsimile machine 12 and the image attached to the image-attached electronic mail. This is realized by encoding the data and facsimile-transmitting the encoded image data to the facsimile apparatus 16. With such a relay function of the server device 14, when viewed from the Internet facsimile machine 12 a (12 b), regardless of which of the Internet facsimile machine 12 b (12 a) and the facsimile machine 16 the image data transmission / reception partner is, Image data can be transmitted and received seamlessly by a similar method of mail transmission and reception.

  Further, in the communication system 1, by using the relay function of the server device 14, it is possible to receive image data destined for the facsimile device 16 transmitted when the Internet facsimile device 12 a is not connected to the Internet 81. is there.

<1.2 Internet facsimile configuration>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the Internet facsimile machine 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the Internet facsimile machine 12 includes an MPU (microprocessor unit) 121, a ROM 122, and a RAM 123. A computer realized by the MPU 121, the ROM 122, and the RAM 123 executes various programs of the Internet facsimile machine 12 by executing a program stored in the ROM 122 to realize various functions of the Internet facsimile machine 12. The Internet facsimile machine 12 is provided with an image memory 124 used for storing image data.

  An NCU (Network Control Unit) 125 and a MODEM (Modem DEModulator) 126 of the Internet facsimile machine 12 are used for transmission / reception of image data via the general public telephone network 82. The NCU 125 controls connection to the general public telephone network 82. The NCU 125 has a function of transmitting a dial signal corresponding to a telephone number of a communication destination and a function of detecting an incoming call. MODEM 126 is based on a facsimile transmission control procedure according to ITU (International Telecommunication Union) -T recommendation T.30. 17, V. 27ter, V.L. The transmission data is modulated and the received data is demodulated in accordance with 29 or the like. Alternatively, MODEM 126 can be used in addition to V. 37, modulation of transmission data and demodulation of reception data are performed. The transmission data modulated by the MODEM 126 is sent to the general public telephone network 82 via the NCU 125. Received data that the MODEM 126 demodulates is provided from the general public telephone network 82 via the NCU 125. In the communication system 1 shown in FIG. 1, only the NCU 125 of the Internet facsimile machine 12 among the Internet facsimile machines 12 is connected to the general public telephone network 82.

  The network interface 127 is used for transmission / reception of image data via the Internet 81. The network interface 127 is an interface for connecting the Internet facsimile machine 12 to the Internet 81 by Ethernet (registered trademark) using TCP / IP. Of course, it is not hindered that a network device such as a hub or a router is interposed between the network interface 127 and the Internet 81.

  The mobile communication terminal interface 128 is used for transmission / reception of image data via the Internet 81. Although the connection form of the mobile communication terminal 11 in the mobile communication terminal interface 128 is not limited, for example, a PC card slot is provided on the Internet facsimile machine 12 side, and the PC card type mobile communication terminal 11 is provided in the PC card slot. By inserting, it is desirable to connect the Internet facsimile machine 12 and the mobile communication terminal 11 using TCP / IP. In this case, if the operating power of the mobile communication terminal 11 is supplied from the Internet facsimile machine 12 to the mobile communication terminal 11, transmission / reception of image data is hindered due to a shortage of the remaining battery of the mobile communication terminal 11. The convenience of the communication system 1 is improved. However, it is not impeded that the mobile communication terminal 11 and the Internet facsimile machine 12 are cable-connected using the mobile communication terminal 11 that operates with electric power supplied from a built-in battery. In the communication system 1 shown in FIG. 1, only the mobile communication terminal interface 128 of the Internet facsimile machine 12 a among the Internet facsimile machines 12 a and 12 b is connected to the mobile communication terminal 11.

  The Internet facsimile machine 12 includes an image reading unit 129 and an image recording unit 130. The image reading unit 129 reads an image with a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or the like, and generates image data related to the image. The image recording unit 130 forms an image related to the image data on a recording medium by electrophotography. In the Internet facsimile machine 12, image data generated by the image reading unit 129 is a transmission target in the communication system 1, and an image related to the transmitted image data is formed on a recording medium by the image recording unit 130.

  The Internet facsimile machine 12 is provided with an operation unit 131 and a display unit 132 as a user interface. The operation unit 131 includes a member such as a mechanical switch that can detect the operation of the operator, and the display unit 132 includes a display member such as a liquid crystal display.

<1.3 Configuration of server device>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the server device 14.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the server device 14 is similar to the Internet facsimile device 12 in that the MPU 141, ROM 142, RAM 143, image memory 144, NCU 145, MODEM 146, network interface 147, image reading unit 149, image recording unit 150, operation unit 151 and a display unit 152, which also functions as an Internet facsimile machine. The computer realized by the MPU 131, the ROM 132, and the RAM 133 executes the program stored in the ROM 132, thereby comprehensively controlling each component of the server device 14 and realizing various functions of the server device 14.

  Further, the server device 14 is provided with an e-mail storage unit 153 that stores image-attached e-mails destined for the Internet facsimile machine 12. The e-mail storage unit 153 is realized by a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive.

<2 operation>
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation when the Internet facsimile machine 12a acquires an image-attached electronic mail addressed to itself from the server device 14 via the Internet 81. Here, the image-attached e-mail addressed to the Internet facsimile machine 12a includes those generated based on the image data transmitted from the facsimile machine 16 via the general public telephone network 82 and via the Internet 81. The Internet facsimile machine 12a acquires both of them from the Internet facsimile machine 12.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the Internet facsimile machine 12a acquires an image-attached e-mail addressed to its own apparatus from the server apparatus 14 via the Internet 81, the Internet facsimile machine 12a In response to this, the server device 14 transmits a list of image-attached electronic mails stored in the electronic mail storage unit 153 to the Internet facsimile machine 12a.

  Subsequently, the Internet facsimile machine 12a refers to the list, and if there is no image-attached e-mail addressed to the self-device, the Internet facsimile machine 12a ends the process as it is. A command requesting mail transfer is transmitted to the server device 14. In response to this, the server device 14 transmits the image-attached electronic mail stored in the electronic mail storage unit 153 to the Internet facsimile machine 12a.

  Such processing is automatically executed at predetermined time intervals in the Internet facsimile machine 12a. That is, the Internet facsimile machine 12a checks at a predetermined timing whether or not the image-attached e-mail addressed to its own device is stored in the server device 14, and if it is stored, the image addressed to its own device. The attached electronic mail is automatically acquired from the server device 14 via the Internet 81. As a result, it is not necessary to give an acquisition instruction to the Internet facsimile machine 12 every time an image-attached electronic mail is acquired from the server device 14, and the convenience of the communication system 1 is improved.

  In order to perform such processing, the Internet facsimile machine 12a needs to be connected to the Internet 81 using TCP / IP. This connection is performed by sending an image-attached e-mail addressed to itself as a server. It may be established every time it is acquired from the device 14, or may be always established. In the latter case, in the above-described non-voice data communication, not the mobile communication service or the Internet connection service that charges according to the time when the connection is established, but the mobile communication service that charges according to the amount of communication data, If the Internet connection service is used, no fee is charged even if the Internet facsimile machine 12a is connected to the Internet 81 in a standby state, so that the operating cost of the communication system 1 can be reduced. More preferably, if a mobile communication service or internet connection service for which non-voice data communication is charged is used, charging does not change even if the Internet facsimile machine 12a is always connected to the Internet 81. The operating cost can be reduced.

<3 Modification>
In the above description, the example in which the two Internet facsimile machines 12a and 12b, one server apparatus 14, and one facsimile apparatus 16 are included in the communication system 1 is shown. Not limited.

  In the above-described embodiment, the Internet facsimile apparatus 12 is described as a facsimile dedicated machine. However, the Internet facsimile apparatus 12 may be a multifunction machine having both a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and the like.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an Internet facsimile machine 12. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server device 14. FIG. It is a figure explaining operation | movement in case the internet facsimile apparatus 12a acquires the image attachment electronic mail destined for an own apparatus from the server apparatus 14 via the internet 81. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Communication system 11 Mobile communication terminal 12, 12a, 12b Internet facsimile apparatus 14 Server apparatus 16 Facsimile apparatus 81 Internet 82 General public telephone network 127 Network interface 128 Mobile communication terminal interface 153 E-mail storage part

Claims (9)

A communication system,
A mobile communication terminal for performing non-voice data communication between the connected external device and the IP network;
A facsimile machine having an interface for connecting to the mobile communication terminal as the external device, connected to the IP network by the non-voice data communication, and transmitting and receiving image data via the IP network;
A communication system comprising: The communication system according to claim 1,
A server device connected to the IP network for transmitting and receiving image data via the IP network and storing image data destined for the facsimile device;
A communication system, wherein the facsimile apparatus acquires image data destined for the facsimile apparatus from the server apparatus via the IP network. The communication system according to claim 2,
The facsimile apparatus checks at a predetermined timing whether image data destined for the facsimile apparatus is stored in the server apparatus, and if it is stored, the image data destined for the facsimile apparatus is The communication system is obtained from the server device via the IP network. The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The server device is connected to a general public telephone network, transmits and receives image data via the general public telephone network, and transmits and receives image data via the general public telephone network and an image via the IP network. A communication system characterized by relaying data transmission / reception. The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A communication system, wherein operating power of the mobile communication terminal is supplied from the facsimile apparatus to the mobile communication terminal.   The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the IP network includes the Internet. The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
In the non-voice data communication, a charge is made according to the amount of communication data. The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A non-voice data communication charge is a flat rate system. A facsimile machine,
It has an interface for connecting to a mobile communication terminal, and when connected to an IP network by non-voice data communication of the mobile communication terminal, it is possible to transmit / receive image data via the IP network. A facsimile machine characterized by the above.

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