Facsimile server apparatus and method configured to automatically transmit client address information to facsimile terminals

• US 5,995,240 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, KIM Y
• Application Number:
  US08/773,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 358/403-407, 358/434-436, 358/438-440
• US Class Current: 358/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32064 Multi-address calling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3235 Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A method and apparatus including a facsimile server for a local area network (LAN) configured to automatically transmit information including client addresses to facsimile terminals on public telephone networks. The facsimile server includes a memory configured to store an address list, entries in which contain a calling number, a local number, and a user name, each specifying a same information processing apparatus (e.g., client) on the LAN. The facsimile server is configured to respond to a request for sending the address list. When a source facsimile terminal sends image information to a client of the facsimile server without specifying a calling number for the client, the facsimile server detects that the calling number is missed and automatically sends the address list back to the facsimile terminal so that the facsimile terminal can properly retransmit the image information for a second time while identifying the client in the second transmission.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to relay information between a source terminal connected to the apparatus through a communication line and a destination terminal connected to said apparatus through a network, comprising:

first storing means for storing an address list including respective address entries for the destination terminal and other terminals on the network, each of said address entries comprising a destination calling number and a corresponding local number used within said network to identify a same one of the destination terminal and the other terminals;

data entry means for entering data;

registration control means for controlling a registration and a change of the entries in the address list as input through said data entry means;

first detecting means for detecting a request message sent from said source terminal, said request message sent during a transmission operational mode and indicative of a request to receive at said source terminal said address list;

second detecting means for detecting a source terminal calling number when the first detecting means detects the request message and when image information is received from said source terminal;

third detecting means for detecting one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal from an image information message sent from said source terminal;

a communication line interface connected to said communication line;

a network interface connected to said network; and

transmission control means for transmitting said address list through said communication line interface to said source terminal in accordance with the source facsimile calling number only when said first detection means detects said request message.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmission means for transmitting to the source terminal said address list during an ordinary facsimile operational mode; and

wherein said transmission control means includes means for instructing said transmission means to transmit said address list to said source terminal in accordance with the source terminal calling number detected by said second detecting means only when said third detecting means fails to detect a calling number of the destination terminal to which the facsimile terminal sends image information.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

verifying means for verifying a source terminal calling number detected by said second detecting means with a calling number list, wherein,

said first storing means for previously storing the calling number list of the source facsimile terminal and other terminals on a public telephone network connected to said communication line;

said transmission control means for instructing said transmission means to transmit said address list to said source terminal in accordance with the source terminal calling number detected by said second detecting means only when said third detecting means fails to detect said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal to which the source facsimile terminal sends image information and when the source terminal calling number detected by said second detecting means is verified with said calling number list previously stored in said first storing means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said calling number list previously stored in said first storing means comprises a list of specific identification numbers based on an agreement between a user of said source terminal and a user of said apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

7. An apparatus according to claims 3, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

8. An apparatus according to claims 4, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

10. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

11. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

12. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

13. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

14. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

15. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

16. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

18. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

19. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

20. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

21. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

22. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

23. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

24. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

25. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

26. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

27. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

28. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

29. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

30. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

31. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

32. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said address list includes a user name field, a facsimile server calling number field, a calling number field and a corresponding local number field for each address entry, so as to specify respective of the destination terminal and the other terminals connected to the network.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said registration control means is for controlling the registration and the change of the entries by transmitting data from at least one of the destination terminal and other terminals through said communication line interface.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising;

first transmission means for transmitting image information sent from the source terminal to the destination terminal addressed by the source terminal with the destination calling number and for receiving data from the destination terminal and the other terminals on the network.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising second transmission means for transmitting said address list during the polling operational mode to the source facsimile terminal.

37. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first detecting means for detecting said request message during a polling operational mode.

38. An apparatus configured to relay information between a source terminal connected to the apparatus through a communication line and a destination terminal connected to said apparatus through a network, comprising:

a storage device that holds an address list including respective address entries for the destination terminal and other terminals on the network, each of said address entries comprising a destination calling number and a corresponding local number used within said network to identify a same one of the destination terminal and the other terminals;

a data input;

a registration controller that controls which addresses are included in the address list;

a detector that detects one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal from an image information message sent from said source terminal

a communication line interface connected to said communication line;

a network interface connected to said network; and

a transmission controller that controls a transmission of said address list through said communication line to said source terminal when the source terminal sends the image information message and the apparatus fails to receive an address of the destination terminal so an operator at said source terminal may select one or more of the other terminals from the address list.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising:

a verification controller that verifies whether a source terminal calling number is included on a calling number list, wherein,

said storage device holds the calling number list of the source facsimile terminal and other terminals on a public telephone network connected to said communication line;

said transmission controller instructs said transmitter to transmit said address list to said source terminal in accordance with the source terminal calling number only when said detector fails to detect said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal to which the source facsimile terminal sends image information and when the source terminal calling number is verified with said calling number list previously stored in said storage device.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said calling number list previously stored in said storage device comprises a list of specific identification numbers on an agreement between a user of said source terminal and a user of said apparatus.

41. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

42. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

43. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

44. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

45. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said address list includes a user name field, a facsimile server calling number field, a calling number field and a corresponding local number field for each address entry, so as to specify respective of the destination terminal and the other terminals connected to the network.

46. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said registration controller controls the registration and the change of the entries by transmitting data from at least one of the destination terminal and other terminals through said communication line interface.

47. A method for relaying information via a relay terminal between a source terminal connected to a communication line and a destination terminal connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

storing at the relay terminal an address list including respective address entries for the destination terminal and other terminals on the network, each of said address entries comprising a destination calling number and a corresponding local number used within said network to identify a same one of the destination terminal and the other terminals;

controlling at the relay terminal a registration and a change of each address entry in the address list;

detecting one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal from the message sent from said source terminal

transmitting an image information portion of said message from the source terminal to the destination terminal addressed by the source terminal with the destination calling number;

receiving data from the destination terminal and the other terminals on the network; and

transmitting said address list to said source terminal when the source terminal sends the image information message and the apparatus fails to receive an address of the destination terminal so as to inform the source terminal of the address entries of the destination terminal and other terminals.

48. An apparatus configured to communicate with a source terminal connected to the apparatus through a communication line and a destination terminal connected to said apparatus through a network, comprising:

a storage device that holds an address list including respective address entries for the destination terminal and other terminals on the network, each of said address entries comprising a destination calling number and a corresponding local number used within said network to identify a same one of the destination terminal and the other terminals;

a registration controller that controls registration of the address entries in the address list and controls a change of the entries in the address list,

a detector that detects when a change is made to the address list;

a communication line interface connected to said communication line;

a network interface connected to said network; and

a transmitter configured to transmit said address list to terminals identified on the address list when said detector detects that a change is made to the address list.

49. An apparatus configured to relay information between a source terminal connected to the apparatus through a communication line and a destination terminal connected to said apparatus through a network, comprising:

a storage device that holds an address list including respective address entries for the destination terminal and other terminals on the network, each of said address entries comprising a destination calling number and a corresponding local number used within said network to identify a same one of the destination terminal and the other terminals;

a data input;

a registration controller that controls registration and a change of the entries in the address list;

a first detector that detects a request message sent from said source terminal, said request message being sent during a transmission operational mode and indicative of a request to receive at said source terminal said address list,

a second detector that detects the request message and when image information is received from said source terminal, and

a third detector that detects one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal from an image information message sent from said source terminal;

a communication line interface connected to said communication line;

a network interface connected to said network; and

a transmission controller that controls a transmission of said address list through said communication line interface to said source terminal in accordance with the source facsimile calling number only when said first detector detects said request message.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said first detector is configured to detect said request message during a polling operational mode.

51. An apparatus according to claim 49, further comprising:

a transmit terminal configured to transmit to the source terminal said address list during an ordinary facsimile operational mode; and

wherein said transmission controller instructs said transmit terminal to transmit said address list to said source terminal in accordance with the source terminal calling number detected by said second detector only when said third detector fails to detect a calling number of the destination terminal to which the facsimile terminal sends image information.

52. An apparatus according to claim 51, further comprising:

a verification controller that verifies a source terminal calling number detected by said second detector with a calling number list,

said storage device configured to previously store the calling number list of the source facsimile terminal and other terminals on a public telephone network connected to said communication line, wherein

said transmission controller instructs said transmit terminal to transmit said address list to said source terminal in accordance with the source terminal calling number detected by said second detector only when said third detector fails to detect said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal to which the source facsimile terminal sends image information and when the source terminal calling number detected by said second detector is verified with said calling number list previously stored in said storage device.

53. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said calling number list previously stored in said storage device comprises a list of specific identification numbers based on an agreement between a user of said source terminal and a user of said apparatus.

54. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

55. An apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

56. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

57. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said communication line interface is configured to connect to at least one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network, and a wireless network.

58. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

59. An apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

60. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

61. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

62. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

63. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

64. An apparatus according to claim 56, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

65. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a sub-address defined by an integrated services digital network.

66. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

67. An apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

68. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

69. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

70. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

71. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

72. An apparatus according to claim 56, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

73. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises a direct dial number.

74. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

75. An apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

76. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

77. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

78. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

79. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

80. An apparatus according to claim 56, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

81. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said one of the destination calling numbers corresponding to the destination terminal calling number comprises characters embedded in a transmitting subscriber identification field defined by a CCITT Group 3 facsimile standard.

82. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said address list includes a user name field, a facsimile server calling number field, a calling number field and a corresponding local number field for each address entry, so as to specify respective of the destination terminal and the other terminals connected to the network.

83. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said registration control mechanism is configured to control the registration and the change of the entries by transmitting data from at least one of the destination terminal and other terminals through said communication line interface.

84. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:

a transmit terminal configured to transmit image information sent from the source terminal to the destination terminal addressed by the source terminal with the destination calling number and configured to receive data from the destination terminal and the other terminals on the network.

85. The apparatus of claim 84 further comprising:

another transmit terminal configured to transmit said address list during the polling operational mode to the source facsimile terminal.