FACSIMILE MACHINE

• US 20080024833A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: KAWASAKI, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US11/828,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024833A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32053 Delayed transmission, e.g. to make use of reduced connection rates H04N1/32074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32074 Redialing, e.g. after failure to make a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3212 of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3219 of a job status, e.g. successful execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A facsimile machine includes an entry unit, a searching unit, a transmitting unit and a control unit. The entry unit accepts a transmission instruction including a destination. The searching unit searches the destination information in a database held by an external database device with the destination as a search key. The transmitting unit executes the facsimile transmission. The control unit causes the searching unit to execute searching for the first time immediately after the acceptance of the transmission instruction by the entry unit and for the second time immediately before the facsimile transmission in the case in which the entry unit accepts the time-specified transmission instruction or immediately before the redialing facsimile transmission and, when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the searches for the first time and the second time, causes the transmitting unit to execute the facsimile transmission for the corresponding destination.

Claims

1. A facsimile machine comprising:

a connecting unit to which an external database device is connected via communication networks;

an entry unit that accepts transmission instruction including the destination of facsimile transmission;

a searching unit that searches a destination information in a database held by the database device with the destination accepted by the entry unit as a search key;

a transmitting unit that executes the facsimile transmission; and

a control unit that causes the searching unit to execute a search for the first time immediately after the acceptance of the transmission instruction by the entry unit and for the second time immediately before the facsimile transmission in the case in which the entry unit accepts the time-specified transmission instruction and, when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the searches for the first time and the second time, causes the transmitting unit to execute the facsimile transmission for the corresponding destination.

2. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further determines whether or not the time period from the acceptance of the transmission instruction by the entry unit until the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed by the transmitting unit is longer than a predetermined time period and, if not, causes the transmitting unit to execute the time-specified facsimile transmission without causing the search for the second time to be executed.

3. The facsimile machine according to claim 2, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the date when the transmission instruction is accepted by the entry unit matches the date when the transmission unit executes the time-specified facsimile transmission and, if yes, causes the transmission unit to execute the time-specified facsimile transmission without causing the search for the second time to be executed.

4. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein the entry unit further accepts an instruction indicating whether or not the destination is to be collated with the database and, when the entry unit accepts the instruction not to collate the destination and the database, the control unit causes the transmitting unit to execute the time-specified facsimile transmission without causing the searches to be executed for the first time and the second time.

5. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes a transmission queue for holding documents for the time-specified facsimile transmission, and wherein the control unit notifies the fact that the corresponding destination does not exist, and deletes the document for the corresponding destination in the transmission queue or brings the corresponding destination in a held state so that the destination is editable when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the search for the first time and that the destination information including the search key does not exist in the database by the search for the second time.

6. A facsimile machine comprising:

a connecting unit to which an external database device is connected via communication networks;

an entry unit that accepts transmission instruction including the destination of facsimile transmission;

a searching unit that searches a destination information in a database held by the database device with the destination accepted by the entry unit as a search key;

a transmitting unit that executes the facsimile transmission; and

a control unit that causes the searching unit to execute search for the first time immediately after the acceptance of the transmission instruction by the entry unit and for the second time immediately before redialing facsimile transmission and, when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the searches for the first time and the second time, causes the transmitting unit to execute the facsimile transmission for the corresponding destination.

7. The facsimile machine according to claim 6, wherein the control unit further determines whether or not the time period from the acceptance of the transmission instruction by the entry unit until the redialing facsimile transmission is executed by the transmitting unit is longer than a predetermined time period and, if not, causes the transmitting unit to execute the redialing facsimile transmission without causing the search for the second time to be executed.

8. The facsimile machine according to claim 7, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the date when the transmission instruction is accepted by the entry unit matches the date when the transmission unit execute the redialing facsimile transmission and, if yes, causes the transmitting unit to execute the redialing facsimile transmission to execute the redialing facsimile transmission without causing the search for the second time to be executed.

9. The facsimile machine according to claim 6, wherein the entry unit further accepts an instruction indicating whether or not the destination is to be collated with the database and, when the entry unit accepts the instruction not to collate the destination and the database, the control unit causes the transmitting unit to execute the redialing facsimile transmission without executing the searches for the first time and the second time.

10. The facsimile machine according to claim 6, wherein the control unit includes a transmission queue for holding documents for the redialing facsimile transmission, and wherein the control unit notifies the fact that the corresponding destination does not exist, and deletes the document for the corresponding destination in the transmission queue or brings the corresponding destination in a held state so that the destination is editable when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the search for the first time and that the destination information including the search key does not exist in the database by the search for the second time.

11. A facsimile communication method comprising:

an entering step for accepting transmission instruction including the destination of facsimile transmission;

a searching step for searching a destination information in a database held by a database device with the destination accepted in the entering step as a search key for the first time immediately after the acceptance of the transmission instruction in the entering step and for the second time immediately before the facsimile transmission in the case in which the time-specified transmission instruction is accepted in the entering step; and

a transmitting step for executing the facsimile transmission for the corresponding destination when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the searches for the first time and the second time.

12. The facsimile communication method according to claim 11,

wherein in the transmitting step, whether or not the time period from the acceptance of the transmission instruction in the entering step until the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed is longer than a predetermined time period is determined and, if not, the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed without executing the search for the second time in the searching step.

13. The facsimile communication method according to claim 12, wherein in the transmitting step, whether or not the date when the transmission instruction is accepted in the entering step matches the date when the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed is determined and, if yes, the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed without executing the search for the second time in the searching step.

14. The facsimile communication method according to claim 11, wherein in the entering step, an instruction indicating whether or not the destination is to be collated with the database is further accepted and,

wherein in the transmitting step, the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed without executing the searches for the first time and the second time when the instruction not to collate the destination and the database is accepted in the entering step.

15. The facsimile communication method according to claim 11, further comprising a notifying step for notifying the fact that the corresponding destination does not exist, and deleting the document for the corresponding destination in the transmission queue or brings the corresponding destination in a held state so that the destination is editable when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the search for the first time and that the destination information including the search key does not exist in the database by the search for the second time.

16. A facsimile communication method comprising:

an entering step for accepting transmission instruction including the destination of facsimile transmission;

a transmitting unit for executing facsimile transmission;

a searching step for searching a destination information in a database held by an external database device with the destination accepted in the entering step as a search key for the first time immediately after the acceptance of the transmission instruction in the entering step and for the second time immediately before redialing facsimile transmission; and

wherein the facsimile transmission for the corresponding destination is executed when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the searches for the first time and the second time.

17. The facsimile communication method according to claim 16, wherein in the transmitting step, whether or not the time period from the acceptance of the transmission instruction in the entering step until the time-specified facsimile transmission is executed is longer than a predetermined time period is determined and, if not, the redialing facsimile transmission is executed without executing the search for the second time in the searching step.

18. The facsimile communication method according to claim 17, wherein in the transmitting step, whether or not the date when the transmission instruction is accepted in the entering step matches the date when the redialing facsimile transmission is executed is determined and, if yes, the redialing facsimile transmission is executed without executing the search for the second time.

19. The facsimile communication method according to claim 16, wherein in the entering step, an instruction indicating whether or not the destination is to be collated with the database is further accepted, and

wherein in the transmitting step, the redialing facsimile transmission is executed without executing the searches for the first time and the second time in the searching step when the instruction not to collate the destination and the database is accepted.

20. The facsimile communication method according to claim 16, further comprising a notifying step for notifying the fact that the corresponding destination does not exist, and deleting the document for the corresponding destination in the transmission queue or bringing the corresponding destination in a held state so that the destination is editable when it is found that the destination information including the search key exists in the database by the search for the first time and that the destination information including the search key does not exist in the database by the search for the second time.