JP4646281B2 - Facsimile apparatus, facsimile apparatus transmission method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus, for example, a facsimile apparatus configured as an Internet FAX apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus is used as an apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data. Particularly in recent years, Internet facsimile machines (FAX) have begun to spread, but at present, terminals capable of printing color images and terminals capable of printing only monochrome images are mixed.
[0003]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-244696 discloses an “Internet facsimile machine” as a first invention example 1 in the technical field similar to the present invention. In the first prior invention example 1, when an e-mail from the e-mail sender is received, an image forming unit most suitable for the format of the image information is selected and image output is executed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the mail transmission function in the conventional Internet facsimile apparatus (FAX) only transmits mail unilaterally as in the case of normal electronic mail transmission, and is a mode based on negotiation between the transmission terminal and the reception terminal. Decision is impossible. Therefore, when a color image is transmitted to a receiving terminal that can handle only a black and white image, there is a problem that it is processed as an error.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that avoids the above-described problems and causes a receiving terminal to output at least a monochrome image. The purpose of each claim is as follows.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to reliably transmit an image even when the presence or absence of the color image reception capability of the receiving terminal is unknown.
[0007]
According to claim 1, by performing the acknowledgment (MDN) request, and an object thereof is to check the color image receiving capability presence of the receiving terminal.
[0008]
According to claim 1, it stores the color image receiving capability presence of the receiving terminal, by performing the transmission with respect to the next subsequent color image transmission color / monochrome one only, and aims to realize efficient communication To do.
[0009]
According to claim 1, by notifying the color image receiving capability whether the receiving terminal user, and an object thereof is to streamline the transmission operation of the user.
[0010]
According to claim 1, by notifying the receiving terminal is a black and white image of the color image and the same document, output a receiving terminal a color image is intended for useless image (monochrome image) inhibiting the output.
[0011]
According to claim 2, intended to receive terminal if you know the user to have a color image receiving capability, suppress the sending of both color and black-and-white, to effectively utilize the communication resources And
[0012]
A third object of the present invention is to suppress the useless image (monochrome image) output by the reception terminal capable of outputting a color image by recognizing that the reception terminal is a monochrome image of the same original as the color image.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention includes a scanner capable of reading a color image, and is capable of sending and receiving mail via a LAN or a public network (PSTN / ISDN). At the time of e-mail transmission with the color image attached, if it is unknown whether the receiving terminal has color image reception capability, a monochrome image is attached as a separate file from the color image, and the color image and the monochrome image And an image transmitting means for transmitting an e-mail including information indicating that the same document is included, and a delivery confirmation request for requesting a delivery confirmation for each e-mail when transmitting the color image and the monochrome image And an acknowledgment for delivery confirmation to the e-mail with the color image attached, A receiving terminal storage means for internally storing that the terminal has color image receiving capability in association with the mail address of the receiving terminal, and a case where transmission is performed again for the mail address stored in the receiving terminal storage means , Notifying the user of the presence or absence of the color image reception capability of the reception terminal stored in the reception terminal storage means, and if there is color image reception capability, transmits only the color image and receives the color image When there is no capability, it has a reception capability notification image transmission means for transmitting only a monochrome image.
[0015]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, the user can select whether or not to transmit a monochrome image after the color image transmission.
[0016]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, the receiving terminal capable of identifying the notified content can output (print) a color image, and the received monochrome image is the same as the color image. If it is recognized, the monochrome image is discarded and only the color image is output (printed).
[0017]
A transmission method of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention is a transmission method of a facsimile apparatus having a scanner capable of reading a color image and capable of sending and receiving mail via a LAN or a public network (PSTN / ISDN). When sending an e-mail with the color image attached, if it is unclear whether the receiving terminal has color image reception capability, a monochrome image is attached as a separate file from the color image, and the color image and the monochrome image are attached. An image transmission step for transmitting an e-mail including information indicating that the image is the same document, and a delivery confirmation for requesting a delivery confirmation for each e-mail when transmitting the color image and the monochrome image The receiving terminal when receiving an acknowledgment for the delivery confirmation for the request step and the e-mail attached with the color image; A receiving terminal storing step of internally storing that there is a color image receiving capability in association with the mail address of the receiving terminal, and when the transmission is performed again for the mail address stored in the receiving terminal storing means, the user A notification step for notifying whether or not the receiving terminal has a color image receiving capability stored in the receiving terminal storage means, and if there is a color image receiving capability, transmits only the color image and receives the color image A reception capability notification image transmission step of transmitting only a black and white image when there is no capability.
[0018]
A program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute the method for transmitting a facsimile apparatus according to claim 4 .
[0019]
A recording medium according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 5 is recorded.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 7 show an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.
[0021]
FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of the present invention. The facsimile apparatus of this configuration includes an original sensor 1, a scanner 2, a paper sensor 3, a plotter 4, an operation display unit 5, an image memory 6, a battery 7, a parameter memory 8, a clock circuit 9, an e-mail control unit 10, a ROM 11, and a RAM 12. A character generator 13, an encoding / decoding unit 14, a CPU 15, a communication control unit 16, and a network control device 17. The network control device 17 is connected to a network such as LAN / PSTN / ISDN.
[0022]
The facsimile apparatus having the above configuration is basically the same as that of a normal facsimile, and an e-mail control unit 10 for sending and receiving e-mails is added thereto. This e-mail control unit 10 performs physical and electrical connection with LAN / PSTN / ISDN, and also supports protocols for e-mail transmission / reception such as TCP / IP. The scanner 2 can perform color reading and is attached to an electronic mail as a color document (JPEG). When a monochrome image is attached to an e-mail, a method of converting this color image (JPEG) into a monochrome image by the encoding / decoding unit 14 or reading it again as a monochrome image by the scanner 2 can be considered.
[0023]
FIG. 2 shows an example of a block diagram of the electronic mail control unit 10. The e-mail control unit 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a main body interface control unit 21, an SMTP control unit 22, a POP control unit 23, a MIME exchange control unit 24, a TCP control unit 25, a UDP control unit 26, and an IP control unit 27. , A PPP control unit 28, a dial-up call control unit 29, and a physical control unit 30. The e-mail created here is transmitted using either LAN / PSTN / ISDN.
[0024]
In this example, the e-mail control unit 10 is described as a completely separate unit, but this configuration may be provided inside the facsimile system. FIG. 3 shows an example of a general Internet FAX connection configuration, and FIG. 4 shows an example of a general mail header for reference. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a flowchart (application; claims 1 to 6) of the transmission terminal of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a process flowchart when a color image is transmitted from the transmission terminal to the reception terminal, and FIG. 6 is a process flowchart illustrating an example of a response process from the reception terminal to the transmission confirmation (MDN) request of the transmission terminal.
[0025]
At the start of color image transmission to the receiving terminal in FIG. 5, when the color image receiving capability of the receiving terminal is unknown (step S1 / No), transmission of both a color image and a black and white image is attempted (steps S2 and S3). . However, if the user explicitly instructs the transmission of the color image at this time (step S2 / No), only the transmission of the color image is performed (step S4).
[0026]
When the color image receiving capability of the receiving terminal is confirmed (step S1 / Yes), the presence / absence of the color image receiving capability is confirmed (step S5), whether the color image is transmitted (step S6) or the monochrome image is transmitted. (Step S7), either one is transmitted. At this time, the user is notified.
[0027]
In FIG. 6, when both color / monochrome images are transmitted, a delivery confirmation (MDN) request is made and the presence / absence of the color image reception capability of the receiving terminal is also confirmed (steps S11 and S12). When a positive response is returned from the receiving terminal in response to the transmission confirmation (MDN) request for the transmitted color image (steps S13 / Yes, S14 / Yes), the receiving terminal corresponding to the mail address indicates “color image receiving capability” It is internally stored as “present” (step S15).
[0028]
Thereafter, when mail transmission is performed to the mail address, the user is notified that “the receiving terminal is capable of receiving a color image”. When a negative response is returned from the receiving terminal in response to the color image delivery confirmation (MDN) request (step S14 / No), or when there is no response (step S13 / No), the reception corresponding to the mail address is received. The terminal internally stores “the receiving terminal has the capability of receiving monochrome images” as “no color image receiving capability” (step S16).
[0029]
Thereafter, when mail transmission is performed to the mail address, the user is notified that “the reception terminal is likely not to have a color image reception capability”.
[0030]
As a notification method to the user, a display method, a method using an LED, or the like can be considered. Further, the notification that the color / monochrome image is the same image to the receiving terminal is realized by embedding it in an appropriate form in the mail header or text part.
[0031]
FIG. 7 shows a flowchart (application: claim 7) of the receiving terminal of the present invention. When an e-mail is received (step S21), if it is composed only of text, normal text printing is performed (step S22 / No). If an image is attached to the received e-mail (step S22 / Yes), the processing differs depending on whether it is a color image or a black and white image (step S24). Further, the process differs depending on whether the terminal has color image printing capability (step S26). If the attached image is a black and white image (TIFF), a normal printing operation is performed (steps S24 / No, S25).
[0032]
On the other hand, when the attached image is a color image (JPEG) (step S24 / Yes), if the terminal has a color image printing capability (step S26 / Yes), the image is normally received and color printing is performed (step S26 / Yes). S28). However, if there is no color image printing capability (No in step S26), an error process is performed as unreceivable image reception (step S29), and if a monochrome image is attached, it is printed (step S30).
[0033]
When delivery confirmation (MDN) is requested by e-mail including the received color image (steps S27 / Yes, S31 / Yes), an affirmative response and a negative response are selectively used by this process (steps S28 and S32).
[0034]
If the terminal has a color image printing capability (step S26 / Yes), it analyzes the information embedded in an appropriate form in the mail header, text part, etc., and recognizes that it is the same image information. In this case, the image information is discarded without printing a monochrome image. When delivery confirmation (MDN) is requested by this mail, an affirmative response is basically returned (step S28).
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention can reliably transmit an image even when it is unknown whether the receiving terminal has a color image receiving capability.
[0036]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of the color image reception capability of the receiving terminal by making a delivery confirmation (MDN) request.
[0037]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize the efficiency of communication by storing the presence / absence of the color image reception capability of the receiving terminal and performing only color / monochrome transmission for the subsequent color image transmission. It becomes possible.
[0038]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the user's transmission operation can be made efficient by notifying the user of the presence or absence of the color image reception capability of the receiving terminal.
[0039]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the receiving terminal capable of outputting a color image is prevented from outputting a useless image (monochrome image) by notifying the receiving terminal that the image is a monochrome image of the same original as the color image. It becomes possible to do.
[0040]
The invention according to claim 2 suppresses transmission of both color and black and white when the user recognizes that the receiving terminal has color image receiving capability, and effectively utilizes communication resources. Is possible.
[0041]
The invention according to claim 3 suppresses the receiving terminal that can output a color image from outputting a useless image (monochrome image) by recognizing that the receiving terminal is a monochrome image of the same original as the color image. It becomes possible to do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an e-mail control unit 10;
FIG. 3 shows a connection configuration example of Internet FAX.
FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of a general mail header.
FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart when a color image is transmitted from a transmission terminal to a reception terminal.
FIG. 6 is a process flowchart illustrating an example of a response process from a receiving terminal in response to a delivery confirmation (MDN) request of a transmitting terminal.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of a receiving terminal.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Document sensor 2 Scanner 3 Paper sensor 4 Plotter 5 Operation display part 6 Image memory 7 Battery 8 Parameter memory 9 Clock circuit 10 E-mail control part 11 ROM
12 RAM
13 Character generator 14 Encoding / decoding unit 15 CPU
16 Communication control unit 17 Network control device 21 Interface control unit 22 SMTP control unit 23 POP control unit 24 MIME exchange control unit 25 TCP control unit 26 UDP control unit 27 IP control unit 28 PPP control unit 29 Dial-up call control unit 30 Physical Control unit

Claims (6)

In a facsimile machine having a scanner capable of reading a color image and capable of sending and receiving mail via a LAN or public network (PSTN / ISDN),
At the time of e-mail transmission with the color image attached, if it is unknown whether the receiving terminal has color image reception capability, a monochrome image is attached as a separate file from the color image, and the color image and the monochrome image Image transmitting means for transmitting an e-mail containing information indicating that and are the same document ;
A delivery confirmation request means for requesting delivery confirmation for each e-mail when transmitting the color image and the monochrome image;
Receiving that internally stores that the receiving terminal has a color image receiving capability in association with the mail address of the receiving terminal when an acknowledgment for delivery confirmation is received for the e-mail attached with the color image Terminal storage means;
When transmission is performed again for the mail address stored in the receiving terminal storage means, the user is notified of the presence or absence of the color image receiving capability of the receiving terminal stored in the receiving terminal storage means, and a color image When there is a reception capability, only a color image is transmitted, and when there is no color image reception capability, a reception capability notification image transmission unit that transmits only a monochrome image;
A facsimile apparatus comprising:   2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a user can select whether or not to transmit a monochrome image after transmitting the color image.   If the receiving terminal capable of identifying the notified content is capable of outputting (printing) a color image, and then recognizes that the received monochrome image is the same as the color image, the monochrome image is discarded, 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein only the color image is output (printed). A transmission method of a facsimile machine having a scanner capable of reading a color image and capable of sending and receiving mail via a LAN or a public network (PSTN / ISDN),
At the time of e-mail transmission with the color image attached, if it is unknown whether the receiving terminal has color image reception capability, a monochrome image is attached as a separate file from the color image, and the color image and the monochrome image An image transmission step of transmitting an e-mail including information indicating that and are the same document ;
A delivery confirmation requesting step for requesting delivery confirmation for each e-mail when transmitting the color image and the monochrome image;
Receiving that internally stores that the receiving terminal has a color image receiving capability in association with the mail address of the receiving terminal when an acknowledgment for delivery confirmation is received for the e-mail attached with the color image A terminal storage process;
A notification step of notifying the user of the presence / absence of color image reception capability of the receiving terminal stored in the receiving terminal storage means when transmission is performed again to the mail address stored in the receiving terminal storage means;
When there is a color image reception capability, only a color image is transmitted, and when there is no color image reception capability, a reception capability notification image transmission step of transmitting only a monochrome image;
A method for transmitting a facsimile apparatus, comprising: A program for causing a computer to execute the transmission method of the facsimile apparatus according to claim 4 . A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 5 is recorded.

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