JP4141343B2 - Facsimile transmission history management device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a facsimile transmission history management apparatus comprising transmission history information recording means for storing history information of a transmission job and transmission history information output means for outputting history information stored by the transmission history information recording means. About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a facsimile apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as a “FAX apparatus”) designates a plurality of keys arranged on the operation panel in advance in order to save the trouble of inputting a transmission destination number with a numeric key when executing a transmission job. A destination designation key to which the destination number assigned is assigned.
[0003]
Further, the facsimile apparatus is provided with a transmission history management device for storing communication management information relating to an arbitrary transmission / reception job, printing out a report on recording paper as necessary, and notifying the operator of the result of the transmission / reception job.
[0004]
The above-mentioned destination designation key is also called a one-touch dial key, which saves the trouble of inputting the fax number of the destination frequently sent each time, but increases the number of destination designation keys to which the destination number is assigned. The number of destination designation keys that are no longer used increases with the passage of time, and there is a problem that it is difficult to grasp the correspondence between the destination and the destination designation key.
[0005]
In view of this, a technique has been proposed in which past operation history is managed and a destination designation key having a high operation frequency is moved and changed to an easily searchable position on the operation panel.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-3-1899853
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, the destination designation key that is frequently operated is changed and displayed at a position that is easy to search, but the number of destination designation keys increases, and the frequency of use increases. Accordingly, if the display position is frequently changed, a new problem has arisen that it becomes difficult to operate. In such a case, it is necessary to check the frequency of use of each destination designation key, cancel the setting of those that are less frequently used, and register a new necessary destination. In the device, transmission / reception management data such as the transmission destination number, transmission time, job completion, and incompletion is output to the paper all at once, so it takes time to associate the transmission destination designation key with the job. However, there was a problem that the usage frequency of the destination designation key could not be grasped.
[0008]
Furthermore, in recent years, in order to be able to manage the device for each department or operator, it is possible to configure the transmission destination designation key so that different transmission destinations can be assigned and registered for each department or operator. A similar problem arises if a department member or operator departs from a manageable range.
[0009]
In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention can grasp transmission history information for each transmission destination designation key by a simple operation, and reassign transmission destination designation keys in order from the most frequent transmission destination based on the recent transmission job history. The object is to provide a facsimile transmission history management device that can be used.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the first characteristic configuration of the facsimile transmission history management apparatus according to the present invention is the transmission history for storing the history information of the transmission job as described in claim 1 of the claims. A facsimile transmission history management apparatus comprising information recording means and transmission history information output means for outputting history information stored by the transmission history information recording means, wherein the transmission history information storage means A job counter that counts the number of executions of a transmission job within a predetermined period is provided for each transmission destination corresponding to a plurality of transmission destination designation keys to which numbers are assigned, and the transmission destination designation keys are assigned in descending order of the count value. the allocation changing means for changing the provided the transmission history information output means, the individual history information outputting the transmission history information for each destination corresponding to the destination specified key Provided with a power mode, the individual history information output mode is in configured point to be executed on the basis of the overlapping operation of the destination designation key corresponding to the individual history information output mode key.
[0011]
According to the above-described configuration, the history information of the transmission job for each transmission destination designation key can be immediately transmitted to an output device such as an operation panel or a printing device including a liquid crystal screen mounted on a facsimile by a simple button operation. Therefore, it becomes easy to grasp the transmission history information of the transmission destination corresponding to the transmission destination designation key and the usage frequency for each transmission destination designation key in a timely manner. For this reason, when the transmission destination of the transmission destination designation key is reassigned according to the use frequency, the work can be performed efficiently.
[0013]
Further , according to the above-described configuration, the assignment changing unit can automatically assign the transmission destination corresponding to the transmission destination designation key based on the number of executions of the transmission job within the predetermined period. Change the destination designation key with high operation frequency to a position where it is easy to search on the operation panel according to the change in the frequency of use that varies depending on the time of use or temporarily becomes frequently used. Furthermore, since the movement change can be realized without the operator being aware of it, the work load on the operator accompanying the movement change is reduced.
[0014]
In the second feature configuration, as described in claim 3 of the same column, in addition to the first feature configuration described above, an assignment for outputting a list of destination designation key assignment information changed by the assignment changing means An information output means is provided.
[0015]
According to the above configuration, since the destination designation key after being changed by the assignment changing means and the assigned destination assignment information can be confirmed all at once from the output list, the operator Is easy to grasp, and even an operator who did not know the implementation of the transmission destination assignment change of the transmission destination designation key can easily cope with the assignment change.
[0016]
As described in claim 3 of the same column, the third feature configuration includes identification information input means for identifying a department or an operator in addition to any one of the first to second feature configurations described above. The destination designation key is that a different transmission destination number is assigned to each department or operator identified by the identification information input means.
[0017]
According to the above-described configuration, when a facsimile is used in a plurality of departments or operators, even if the transmission frequency to the transmission destination or the transmission destination varies depending on the department or the operator, for example, a password for identifying the department or the operator. Specifying the destination number for each department or operator without burdening the operator by entering simple identification information such as entering a number or passing a magnetic card that records identification information Assigned to the key.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for managing past operation history and moving and changing a destination designation key having a high operation frequency to a position where it can be easily searched on the operation panel. It was.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of a transmission history management apparatus for a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, when executing a transmission job, the facsimile apparatus reads the contents of a document and converts it into image data, and receives electronic data such as data received by the reception job and setting information related to the facsimile apparatus. The image output unit 2 for printing out on recording paper and the operation panel unit 3 for selecting and operating the operation of the transmission job and the reception job and the electronic data are provided.
[0020]
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the operation panel unit 3 includes an operation unit 4 having various keys to which basic operation (transmission and reception), setting change, and reset functions of the apparatus are assigned, and setting states and errors of the facsimile apparatus. The liquid crystal panel 5 is used for display or the like. In FIG. 2, the operation unit 4 is on the right side and the liquid crystal panel 5 is on the left side. The various keys provided in the operation unit 4 include a plurality of destination designation keys 6 arranged, and each destination designation key 6 is inputted with a destination number by numeric keys when executing a transmission job. In order to save time and effort, a transmission destination number is assigned in advance. Further, the operation unit 4 is provided with an individual history information output mode key 7, and an individual history information output mode to be described later is executed based on an overlapping operation of the transmission destination designation key 6 and the individual history information output mode key 7. The
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit that controls the facsimile apparatus includes a modem 11 having a function for connecting a facsimile to a public line when a transmission / reception job is executed, and a CPU 12 that controls the entire apparatus, performs arithmetic processing, and the like. A ROM 13 that is a storage area for programs for controlling the image reading unit 1, the image output unit 2, the operation panel unit 3, the modem 11, and the like, and a RAM 14 that is also used for expansion, reduction, expansion, and accumulation of transmission / reception data. Each information file such as a transmission destination number assigned to the transmission destination designation key 6 and communication management information related to an arbitrary transmission / reception job for each transmission destination designation key 6 is stored and used as a work area. Engine interface 1 for exchanging commands for actually controlling the engine with an external storage device 15 such as a hard disk When the printer engine 2a is a scanner engine 1a and the image output unit 2 is an image reading portion 1 which is connected to the tip of the engine interface 16 are configured by being connected via a system bus 17.
[0022]
A transmission history management device (hereinafter referred to as the device of the present invention) of a facsimile apparatus stores history information, which is communication management information relating to an arbitrary transmission job, using the units 1 to 17 provided in the above-described facsimile apparatus. Transmission history information recording means, transmission history information output means for outputting the history information to a report or the like as necessary, and transmission history information storage means provided for each destination corresponding to a destination designation key Based on the count value of the job counter that counts the number of executions of transmission jobs within the period, assignment changing means for changing the assignment of the corresponding destination designation key, and assignment information of the destination designation key changed by the assignment changer Has a function of realizing an allocation information output means for outputting a list of Below, the said function and the process by the said function are explained in full detail based on the flowchart shown in FIG.4, FIG.5, FIG.6.
[0023]
S1 to S3 in FIG. 4A are processes in which the transmission history information recording unit stores the history information of the transmission job when the transmission job is executed, and S4 and S5 in FIG. The flow of the individual log | history information output mode which outputs the said log | history information for every transmission destination corresponding to the several transmission destination designation | designated key to which the transmission destination number was allocated is shown.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4A, a transmission job is executed by operating a predetermined transmission destination designation key 6 to which transmission destination A is assigned in advance (S1), and operating the transmission key, etc. When the modem 11 receives a job result indicating that the message has been successfully transmitted to the other party (S2), the transmission history information recording means sends a transmission date, a transmission completion time, transmission data information (number of originals, etc.) The history information of the transmission job is associated with the transmission destination A and stored in the external storage device 15 (S3).
[0025]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the transmission destination designation key 6 and the individual history information output mode key 7 are duplicated (S4), the individual registered in the external storage device 15 by the transmission history information output means The history information output mode is executed (S5). As specific contents of the individual history information output mode, first, for example, the information of the destination A assigned to the operated destination designation key 6 is read (S5 (1)), and then the transmission history. The history information associated with the transmission destination A is read from the history information of the transmission job associated with each transmission destination stored by the information recording means (S5 (2)). Further, the read history information is output to the liquid crystal panel 4 or the image output unit 3 (S5 (3)).
[0026]
Here, the history information recording performed by the transmission history information recording means is performed by counting the number of executions of the transmission job within a predetermined period for each transmission destination, and setting the counter value of the job counter provided in the transmission history information recording means to 1. You may add. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the transmission job is executed by operating the transmission destination designation key 6 to which the transmission destination A is assigned in advance (S11), the transmission key is operated, and the transmission data is normal. When the modem 11 receives the job result transmitted to the other party from the destination A (S12), the transmission history information recording means adds 1 to the count value corresponding to the destination A from the job counter. (S13).
Further, when a predetermined period registered in the apparatus of the present invention in advance, for example, one month has elapsed from the time when the previous count value was initialized, the transmission history information recording means is automatically activated and recorded in the external storage device 15. The count values for all the transmission destinations are automatically initialized.
[0027]
Here, the initialization of the count value for each transmission destination may be performed manually by the operator. In this case, the device according to the present invention is provided with an initialization mode key for initializing the counter value, and when a predetermined period has elapsed from the time when the previous count value was initialized, a message notifying that it has elapsed is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 5. Is output. When the operator operates the initialization mode key, first, information related to a predetermined period (registration period, predetermined period registration date, etc.) currently registered in the liquid crystal panel unit 5 and an initialization execution button are displayed and output. When the operator changes the predetermined period, an arbitrary predetermined period is input from the operation unit 4 and the initialization execution button is pressed. As a result, the destination designation key 6 is reassigned the destination according to the count value of the job counter, the count value is initialized, and the predetermined period is changed.
[0028]
Next, assignment changing means for changing the assignment of the corresponding destination designation key based on the count value of the job counter, and assignment information output for outputting a list of assignment information of the destination designation key changed by the assignment changing means The function of the means will be described with reference to FIG.
[0029]
When the pre-registered predetermined period has elapsed since the previous execution date of the allocation changing means, the allocation changing means ranks the count values for all the recorded transmission destinations in descending order (S21) The transmission destinations are read in order (S22). Next, the read destination is reassigned to the destination designation key 6 (S23). Steps S22 and S23 are executed until all the destination designation keys 6 are assigned. When all the assignments are completed (S24), the processing date is recorded and the processing is ended (S25). After the execution of the allocation change is completed, the allocation change output means reads all the allocation information of the new destination designation key 6 (S26), and outputs it as a list to the liquid crystal panel 4 or the image output unit 2 (S27).
[0030]
The apparatus according to the present invention further includes identification information input means for identifying a department or an operator, and has a function of assigning a transmission destination number to the transmission destination designation key 6 for each department or operator identified by the identification information input means.
[0031]
FIG. 7 shows the processing flow of the identification information input means.
[0032]
The operator of the facsimile apparatus inputs a personal identification number, which serves as identification information for identifying the department or operator to which the operator belongs, from the operation unit 5 (S31). The identification information input means that has received the input identification information reads an operator-specific transmission destination designation key table as shown in FIG. 8A registered in the apparatus of the present invention in advance, and transmits a transmission destination corresponding to the identification information. The assignment information of the designation key 6 is read (S32), for example, called from the transmission destination designation key assignment table as shown in FIG. 8B (S33), and each transmission destination is assigned to the transmission destination designation key 6 (S34). ).
[0033]
As a result, even if there is a transmission destination having a different transmission frequency for each operator of the facsimile apparatus, it is possible to assign the transmission destination designation key 6 according to the transmission frequency of the operator without being conscious of the operator.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a facsimile apparatus. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an operation unit. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit of the facsimile apparatus. FIG. 4 is a processing flow diagram of transmission history information recording means and transmission history information means. Processing flow diagram of transmission history information recording means using job counter [FIG. 6] Processing flow diagram of allocation change means and allocation information output means [FIG. 7] Processing flow diagram of identification information input means [FIG. 8] Transmission by operator Explanatory drawing of destination designation table and destination designation key assignment table [Explanation of symbols]
1: Image reading unit 2: Image output unit 3: Operation panel unit 4: Operation unit 5: Liquid crystal panel unit 6: Transmission destination designation key 7: Individual history information output mode key 11: Modem 12: CPU
13: ROM
14: RAM
15: External storage device 16: Engine interface 17: System bus

Claims (3)

A facsimile transmission history management device comprising: transmission history information recording means for storing transmission job history information; and transmission history information output means for outputting history information stored by the transmission history information recording means.
The transmission history information storage means includes a job counter that counts the number of executions of a transmission job within a predetermined period for each transmission destination corresponding to a plurality of transmission destination designation keys to which transmission destination numbers are assigned. The destination designation key in ascending order
An allocation change means to change the allocation of
The transmission history information output unit is provided with a separate history information output mode for outputting the transmission history information for each destination corresponding to the transmission destination designation key,
The facsimile transmission history management apparatus configured to execute the individual history information output mode based on an overlapping operation of a destination designation key corresponding to an individual history information output mode key. 2. The facsimile transmission history management apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: assignment information output means for outputting a list of assignment information of the destination designation key changed by the assignment changing means . The identification information input means for identifying a department or an operator is provided, and the transmission destination designation key is assigned a different transmission destination number for each department or operator identified by the identification information input means. facsimile transmission history management device according to.

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