Facsimile machine and communication result notifying method

• US 6,088,125 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyoda, Kiyoshi, Okada, Kumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US08/930,614
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/401, 358/402, 358/404, 358/407, 358/434, 358/436, 358/438, 358/439, 358/440, 358/442, 358/443, 358/448, 379/90.02, 379/93.24, 379/100.08, 379/100.13, 379/100.15
• US Class Current: 358/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0017 Notifying a communication result
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3219 of a job status, e.g. successful execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A communication result notifying method for notifying a result of a process result in a facsimile machine or a printing machine to a notification destination node, comprises the following steps. A step of obtaining an e-mail address of the notification destination node from facsimile data or print, received via a LAN from a requesting node, a step of detecting a result of a process result in the facsimile machine or printing machine, and a step of notifying the detected process result to the e-mail address of the notification destination node.

Claims

1. A facsimile machine for transmitting facsimile data, received via a LAN from a requesting node, to a transmission destination specified by said requesting node, by facsimile, comprising:

a system that acquires facsimile data sent on said LAN from said requesting node from said LAN;

a system that obtains an e-mail address of a notification destination node, to which a process result of facsimile transmission is to be notified, from said acquired facsimile data;

a system that detects a process result of a transmission process performed on said facsimile data; and

a system that notifies said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail wherein the notification destination is different than the transmission destination.

2. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein said detection means detects that a process result of a transmission process performed on said facsimile data has been terminated properly;

and

said notification means sends a message indicating proper termination of said transmission process to said e-mail address of said notification destination node when proper termination is detected.

3. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein said detection means detects that a process result of a transmission process performed on said facsimile data is abnormal;

and

said notification means sends a message indicating said transmission process being abnormal to said e-mail address of said notification destination node when an abnormality is detected.

4. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for accumulating plural pieces of facsimile data acquired from said LAN;

means for storing e-mail addresses of notification destination nodes, extracted from said facsimile data, in association with said facsimile data as extraction sources; and

means for acquiring an e-mail address of a notification destination node associated with facsimile data whose process result has been detected, from said storage means and notifying it to said notifying means.

5. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for extracting process result items notifiable to said notification destination node from facsimile data obtained from said LAN; and

means for, if an item matching with a detected process result is included in said process result items, instructing said notifying means to notify that process result to said notification destination node.

6. The facsimile machine according to claim 5, wherein in a case where said process result items extracted from said facsimile data include an item queued for transmission, when a facsimile transmission queue state is detected, attribute information including the number of queues and a queue size is notified to said e-mail address of said notification destination node immediately upon reception of facsimile data.

7. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for receiving an information via said LAN;

means for extracting an e-mail address of a manager node from said received e-mail;

means for storing said e-mail address of said manager node; and

means for notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said manager node by e-mail.

8. The facsimile machine according to claim 7, comprising:

means for extracting process result items notifiable to said manager node from facsimile data obtained from said LAN; and

means for, if an item matching with a detected process result is included in said process result items, instructing said notifying means to notify that process result to said manager node.

9. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

a password table where passwords at a time of repeating said facsimile data are registered;

means for extracting a password from a destination address affixed to said facsimile data; and

means for transmitting said facsimile data to said transmission destination by facsimile if said extracted password is registered in said password table.

10. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

a domain name table where domain names of requesting nodes for repeating said facsimile data are registered;

means for extracting a domain name from a sender address affixed to said facsimile data; and

means for transmitting said facsimile data to said transmission destination by facsimile if said extracted domain name is registered in said domain name table.

11. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for extracting a telephone number of said transmission destination from a destination address affixed to said facsimile data;

means for converting said facsimile data acquired from said LAN to a format suitable for a telephone network; and

means for establishing dialup to said extracted telephone number for connection to a transmission destination via said telephone network.

12. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein when facsimile data is repeated, a log including a sender of said facsimile data and a destination telephone number is notified to a manager node.

13. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for storing text data indicating a process result in a text portion of a notification e-mail; and

means for adding a first page of transmitted facsimile data to said notification e-mail as an appended file.

14. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein said facsimile machine comprises a facsimile control section, connected to a telephone network, for controlling transmission and reception of facsimile data and a LAN control section, connected to said LAN, for controlling data exchange with said LAN;

said LAN control section gives all facsimile data acquired from said LAN to said facsimile control section and receives data about an e-mail to be sent to said notification destination node from said facsimile control section to prepare a notification e-mail; and

said facsimile control section receives facsimile data from said LAN control section and performs a transmission process, prepares data about an e-mail for notifying a process result based on a result of said transmission process and outputting said data to said LAN control section.

15. The facsimile machine according to claim 1, comprising:

means for identifying a type of a destination address added to facsimile data acquired from said LAN;

means for transmitting said facsimile data to said transmission destination by facsimile when said identified type of said destination address is a repeat address; and

means for printing said facsimile data when said identified type of said destination address is a printing address.

16. A facsimile machine for receiving and printing facsimile data from a telephone network, comprising:

a system that obtains an e-mail address to be a notification destination for a reception result, from said received facsimile data;

a system that detects a process result of a reception process performed on said facsimile data; and

a system that notifies said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail

wherein the notification destination is different than a transmission destination.

17. A printing machine for printing print data, received via a LAN from a requesting node, comprising:

a system that acquires print data sent on said LAN from said requesting node from said LAN;

a system that obtains an e-mail address of a notification destination node, to which a process result of a printing process is to be notified, from said acquired print data;

a system that detects a process result of a printing process performed on said print data; and

a system that notifies said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail

wherein the notification destination is different than a transmission destination.

18. The printing machine according to claim 17, wherein said detection means detects that a process result of a printing process performed on said print data has been terminated properly;

and

said notification means sends a message indicating proper termination of said printing process to said e-mail address of said notification destination node when proper termination is detected.

19. The printing machine according to claim 17, wherein said detection means detects that a process result of a printing process performed on said print data is abnormal;

and

said notification means sends a message indicating said printing process being abnormal to said e-mail address of said notification destination node when an abnormality is detected.

20. The printing machine according to claim 17, comprising:

means for accumulating plural pieces of print data acquired from said LAN;

means for storing e-mail addresses of notification destination nodes, extracted from said print data, in association with said print data as extraction sources; and

means for acquiring an e-mail address of a notification destination node associated with print data whose process result has been detected, from said storage means and notifying it to said notifying means.

21. The printing machine according to claim 17, comprising:

means for extracting process result items notifiable to said notification destination node from print data obtained from said LAN; and

means for, if an item matching with a detected process result is included in said process result items, instructing said notifying means to notify that process result to said notification destination node.

22. The printing machine according to claim 21, wherein in a case where said process result items extracted from said print data include an item queued for printing, when a printing queue state is detected, attribute information including the number of queues and a queue size is notified to said e-mail address of said notification destination node immediately upon reception of print data.

23. The printing machine according to claim 17, comprising:

means for receiving an information via said LAN;

means for extracting an e-mail address of a manager node from said received e-mail;

means for storing said e-mail address of said manager node; and

means for notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said manager node by e-mail.

24. The printing machine according to claim 23, comprising:

means for extracting process result items notifiable to said manager node from said received e-mail; and

means for, if an item matching with a detected process result is included in said process result items, instructing said notifying means to notify that process result to said manager node.

25. A communication result notifying method for notifying a result of a transmission process in a facsimile machine to a notification destination node, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an e-mail address of said notification destination node from facsimile data received via a LAN from a requesting node;

detecting a result of a transmission process in said facsimile machine; and

notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail

wherein the notification destination is different than a transmission destination.

26. A communication result notifying method for notifying a result of a printing process in a printing machine to a notification destination node, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an e-mail address of said notification destination node from print data received via a LAN from a requesting node;

detecting a result of a printing process in said printing machine; and

notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination by e-mail

wherein the notification destination is different than a transmission destination.

27. A facsimile machine connected to both a network and a telephone line, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives facsimile data with a transmission destination and a notification destination from an originating terminal via the network, the notification destination being a terminal to which a transmission result should be notified via the network, the transmission result indicating whether the facsimile data was normally transmitted to the transmission destination;

an extractor that extracts the transmission destination and the notification destination from the received facsimile data;

a first transmitter that executes relay transmission of the received facsimile data to the extracted transmission destination via the telephone line; and

a second transmitter that transmits information to the extracted notification destination by e-mail via the network after the relay transmission is executed to the transmission destination, the information indicating whether the relay transmission was normally completed.

28. A printer apparatus connected to a network, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives print data with a notification destination added from an originating terminal via the network, the notification destination being a terminal to which a print result should be notified via the network, the print result indicating whether the print data was normally printed;

an extractor that extracts the notification destination from the received print data;

a printer that prints the received print data; and

a transmitter that transmits information to the extracted notification destination by e-mail via the network after the received print data is printed, the information indicating whether the print processing was normally completed.