Facsimile server system capable of recognizing at transmitting end an access to received facsimile data at receiving end

• US 5,644,404 A
• Filed: 09/06/1994
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawamura, Hiroshi, Umemura, Kazuhiro, Hashimoto, Shin'ichi, Hatano, Tomihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US08/300,964
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 358/403, 358/402, 358/407, 358/439, 358/440, 358/434, 358/305
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3219 of a job status, e.g. successful execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3295 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

A facsimile receiving processing unit in a facsimile server terminal receives and stores facsimile data in a data storage unit. A receiving-end user issues a request for accessing the received facsimile data stored in the data storage unit through a received facsimile accessing unit in a client terminal to a received facsimile manager in the facsimile server terminal. At the time when the received facsimile data is accessed for the first time, a response data creating unit in the facsimile server terminal automatically creates response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed at the receiving end, and then the response data is sent back to the sending-end facsimile machine by a facsimile transmission processing unit in the facsimile server terminal. This allows the sending-end user to recognize whether the facsimile data has actually been accessed by the receiving-end user.

Claims

1. A facsimile server system, comprising:

a facsimile server terminal including a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means;

a client terminal coupled via a network to said facsimile server terminal and including an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal;

said facsimile server terminal further including;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number at a receiving end, and also for managing access information in correspondence with the received facsimile data, said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means in said client terminal; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means in said client terminal and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data to send back response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at the receiving end, said response data including a receiving-end user identifier indicative of a user of the client terminal who has accessed the receiver terminal, a type of access made by said access means, and a time when the access was made by said access means by the receiving-end user identifier indicative of a user of the client terminal who has accessed the received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and reception process result data indicating at least whether or not the reception was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file.

2. The facsimile server system according to claim 1, wherein said facsimile server terminal includes a timer means for indicating the time of the access made by said access means.

3. A facsimile server system, comprising:

a facsimile server terminal including a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means;

a client terminal coupled via a network to said facsimile server terminal and including an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal;

said facsimile server terminal further including;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number, and also for managing access information in correspondence with the received facsimile data, said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means in said client terminal; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means in said client terminal and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data for sending back response data indicating that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at a receiving end;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and reception process result data indicating at least whether or not the reception was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file,

wherein said response data contains a receiving-end user identifier indicative of a user of the client terminal who has accessed the received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal, a type of access made by said access means, and a time when the access was made by said access means, and

wherein said response data contains a part of received facsimile data accessed by said access means comprising image data.

4. The facsimile server system according to claim 3, wherein said facsimile server terminal includes means for storing, as said response data, facsimile data in a template format having blank areas to be loaded with said receiving-end user identifier, said type of access, said time when the access was made, said sending-end user identifier, and said part of the facsimile data, and wherein said response data sending means completes, in response to an access to said received facsimile data, the facsimile data in the template format with a receiving-end user identifier, a type of the access made by said access means, the time when the access was made, a receiving-end user identifier, and a part of the facsimile data, obtained with respect to the access.

5. A facsimile server system, comprising:

a facsimile server terminal including a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means;

a client terminal coupled via a network to said facsimile server terminal and including an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal;

said facsimile server terminal further including;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number, and also managing access information in correspondence with the received facsimile data, said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means in said client terminal; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means in said client terminal and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data to send back response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at a receiving end;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and reception process result data indicating at least whether or not the reception was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file,

wherein said response data contains a receiving-end user identifier indicative of a user of the client terminal who has accessed the received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal, a type of access made by said access means, and a time when the access was made by said access means, and

wherein said client terminal notifies said facsimile server terminal of a type of access to said facsimile server terminal with respect to a specific received facsimile data which is stored in said storage means when the access is made, said access including a display access for displaying the received facsimile data, a copying access for copying the received facsimile data, a deleting access for deleting the received facsimile data, and a printing access for printing the received facsimile data;

said sending means creating said response data by writing the type of access notified by said client terminal into said response data as the type of access to be included in said response data.

6. A facsimile server system, comprising:

a facsimile server terminal including a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means;

a client terminal coupled via a network to said facsimile server terminal and including an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal;

said facsimile server terminal further including;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number, and also for managing access information in correspondence with the received facsimile data, said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means in said client terminal; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means in said client terminal and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data to send back response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at a receiving end;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and reception process result data indicating at least whether or not the reception was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file,

wherein said response data contains a receiving-end user identifier indicative of a user of the client terminal who has accessed the received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal, a type of access made by said access means, and the time when the access was made by said access means, and

wherein said client terminal notifies said facsimile server terminal of a type of access to said facsimile server terminal with respect to a specific received facsimile data which is stored in said storage means when the access is made, said access including a display access for displaying the received facsimile data, a copying access for copying the received facsimile data, a deleting access for deleting the received facsimile data, and a printing access for printing the received facsimile data;

said response data sending means creating response data by writing the type of access notified by said client terminal into said response data as the type of access to be included in said response data.

7. A facsimile server connected to at least one client terminal, for sending/receiving facsimile data for the connected client terminal, comprising:

a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line;

a storage means for storing received facsimile data from said sending/receiving means; and

a response data sending means for sending a response data to a sending-end of the facsimile data, when an access has been made by a client terminal to any one of the facsimile data stored in said storage means, said response data indicating that the specific facsimile data has been accessed;

said response data further including at least a type of access made by the client terminal, and a part of image data in the received facsimile data accessed,

said type of access being any one of a display access for displaying received facsimile data at the client terminal which had made access thereto, a copy access for copying the received facsimile data, a delete access for deleting the received facsimile data, and a print access for printing the received facsimile data.

8. A facsimile server connected to at least one client terminal, and sending/receiving facsimile data for the connected client terminal, comprising:

a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line;

a storage means for storing received facsimile data from said sending/receiving means; and

a response data sending means for sending a response data to a sending-end of the facsimile data, when an access has been made to any one of the facsimile data stored in said storage means by a client terminal which is the sending-end of the facsimile data, said response data indicating that the specific facsimile data has been accessed;

said response data sending means creating response data which includes at least a type of access made by the client terminal, and a part of image data in the received facsimile data accessed,

said type of access being any one of a display access for displaying received facsimile data at the client terminal which had made access thereto, a copy access for copying the received facsimile data, a delete access for deleting the received facsimile data, and a print access for printing the received facsimile data

wherein said means for storing the facsimile data stores first facsimile data in a first format when the type of access is the deletion, and stores second facsimile data in a second format when the type of access is other than the deletion.

9. A facsimile server system comprising:

a facsimile server terminal including a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means;

a client terminal coupled via a network to said facsimile server terminal and including an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal;

said facsimile server terminal further including;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number, and also managing access information in correspondence with the received facsimile data, said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means in said client terminal; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means in said client terminal and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data to send back response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at a receiving end;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and reception process result data indicating at least whether or not the reception was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file,

wherein said response data contains a receiving-end user identifier indicative of, a user of the client terminal who has accessed the received facsimile data stored in said storage means in said facsimile server terminal, a type of access made by said access means, and the time when the access was made by said access means,

wherein said response data contains a part of received facsimile data accessed by said access means, and said part of said received facsimile data is image data,

wherein said facsimile server terminal includes means for storing, as said response data, facsimile data in a template format having blank areas to be loaded with said receiving-end user identifier, said type of access, said time when the access was made, said sending-end user identifier, and said part of the facsimile data, and wherein said response data sending means completes, in response to an access to said received facsimile data, the facsimile data in the template format with a receiving-end user identifier, a type of the access made by said access means, the time when the access was made, a receiving-end user identifier, and a part of the facsimile data, obtained with respect to the access, and

wherein said means for storing the facsimile data stores first facsimile data in a first format when the type of access is a deletion and stores second facsimile data in a second format when the type of access is other than the deletion.

10. A facsimile machine, comprising:

a sending/receiving means for sending/receiving facsimile data via a communication line and a storage means for storing facsimile data received by the sending/receiving means and an access means responsive to a user'"'"'s command for accessing received facsimile data stored in said storage means;

a management means for managing a sending-end facsimile number in correspondence with the received facsimile data in a case where the facsimile data is received together with the sending-end facsimile number, and also managing access to said access information indicating whether or not the facsimile data stored in said storage means has already been accessed by said access means; and

a response data sending means, activated when the facsimile data stored in said storage means is accessed by said access means and when said access information indicates that the facsimile data has not yet been accessed by said access means, for calling said sending-end facsimile number corresponding to the accessed facsimile data to send back response data which indicates that the facsimile data has been accessed by a user at a receiving end;

said storage means comprising a reception history data file for storing reception history data including data specifying received facsimile data, and indicating at least whether or not a reception of the received facsimile data was normal;

wherein said sending/receiving means creates reception history data upon every receipt of facsimile data, and stores the data in said reception history data file.