JP2002091890A - Image forming device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device and its control method which can perform the external control operation by means of a portable terminal, etc., and without changing the existing network configuration. SOLUTION: When a specific character string or a specific code is described in an electronic mail, the command described following the specific character string or code is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus capable of performing remote control via a network or the like and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus is connected to a local area network (LAN), and outputs print data sent from a remote terminal as an image or receives a received fax.
It has become possible to hold data and the like and respond to a reference instruction from a remote terminal. Also, from the remote terminal,
It is also possible to obtain information on the image forming apparatus, and perform control such as maintenance based on the information obtained from the image forming apparatus.

However, as a remote terminal for controlling the image forming apparatus, a personal computer (P
Assuming an environment in which applications such as a browser can operate, such as C) and workstation (WS), remote control is realized using these existing applications.

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, more and more mobile terminals such as mobile phones are capable of accessing the Internet and using e-mail. For this reason, it has been considered to control devices connected to a network using a mobile terminal.

[0005] However, a LAN or the like generally cannot be easily accessed from the outside due to security. For example, as shown in FIG.
When the portable terminal 211 accesses the image forming apparatus 201 connected to the Internet 200 from the portable terminal 211 via the Internet 210, the FW (firewall) 203 provided in the GW (gateway) 202 connecting the LAN 200 and the Internet 210 causes the access to the image forming apparatus 201. Access is denied.

In the firewall 203, the permitted access mode is different depending on the setting.
Electronic mail (SMTP) is often passed without restriction (see FIG. 7).

For this reason, electronic mail is used for various purposes. For example, in a "facsimile apparatus with an incoming call notification function" described in JP-A-8-111688,
When a fax is received, the receiver is notified by e-mail. Also, JP-A-10-217580
In the "Image Forming Apparatus and Maintenance Method Thereof" described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-209, when a failure occurs in the image forming apparatus, this is notified to an administrator by e-mail. Further, JP-A-11-23
No. 9263, “Communication device and communication method”
In the Internet FAX that transmits and receives FAX data using electronic mail, security is enhanced by using a password.

Here, the Internet FAX will be described. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the Internet FAX.

[0009] As shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 310 denotes a network interface 301, a mail reception processing unit 302, a mail transmission processing unit 303, an image processing unit 304, a print processing unit 305, and a confidential box processing unit 30.
6 is provided.

[0010] In this configuration, the mail reception processing unit 302 extracts FAX data from the electronic mail received via the network interface 301. The fax data is sent to the e-mail in TIFF (Tagged Image File Forma
t) Attached as a file.

The FA extracted by the mail reception processing unit 302
The X data is expanded into image data such as a bitmap by the image processing unit 304 and printed out by the print processing unit 305 or a confidential box specified by the confidential box processing unit 306 (specified by a description in an e-mail). Is stored in

The mail transmission processing unit 303 transmits an e-mail replying from the print processing unit 305 or the confidential box processing unit 306, or transmits FAX data read from a predetermined confidential box by the confidential box processing unit 306. Send the attached e-mail.

The electronic mail is not only used for transmitting and receiving data as in the case of the Internet FAX described above, but may be used for controlling and managing the apparatus. For example, a server that processes mailing lists is used for managing mailing lists.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the mailing list management device. As shown in the figure, the mailing list management device 410 includes a network interface 401, a mail reception processing unit 402, a mail transmission processing unit 403, a destination address analysis processing unit 404, a mailing list update processing unit 405, and a mailbox processing unit 40.
6 is provided.

In this configuration, a mail address that is different from a mail for management such as registration to a mailing list or unsubscribe and a mail for transmitting a normal article is used. Then, when the mail reception processing unit 402 receives the e-mail via the network interface 401,
The destination address analysis processing unit 404 analyzes the destination address of the received e-mail, and if the e-mail is a management e-mail, the mailing list update processing unit 40
5 performs processing such as registration or deletion to the list, and if the destination is a destination to send a normal article, the mailbox processing unit 406 sends all the registrants included in the list to the registrant via the mail transmission processing unit 403. To forward the e-mail.

[0016]

As described above, recently, there has been a demand for controlling an image forming apparatus connected to a network using a portable terminal or the like. When control is performed from outside the network, it is considered desirable to use electronic mail in terms of security.

However, in the case of using e-mail to manage a device, such as a mailing list management device, a dedicated e-mail address must be used, which is widely used for purposes other than control and management. Some image forming apparatuses using e-mail are not suitable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing control using a portable terminal or the like from outside the network without changing the existing network configuration, and an object of the present invention.

[0019]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus which is connected to a network and receives a control instruction via the network. Mail receiving means for determining whether or not the received e-mail contains a control command; and extracting and analyzing the control command from the e-mail determined by the mail receiving means to contain the control command. Control command analyzing means for executing the control command analyzed by the control command analyzing means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the received electronic mail includes a specific character string, the electronic mail includes a control command. It is characterized that it has been determined that

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the control command analyzing means extracts a sentence starting from a specific character string in the electronic mail received by the mail receiving means as the control command. It is characterized by the following.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the control command analyzing means extracts the control command from the text of the electronic mail received by the mail receiving means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the control command analyzing means extracts the control command from a title of the electronic mail received by the mail receiving means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the control command analyzing means extracts the control command from a file attached to the electronic mail received by the mail receiving means. And

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a facsimile processing means for processing facsimile data, wherein the mail receiving means includes a control command in the received e-mail. If it is determined that the received electronic mail does not exist, the received electronic mail is transferred to the fax processing means.

The invention according to claim 8 is a control method of an image forming apparatus which is connected to a network and receives a control instruction via the network, wherein an electronic mail describing a control command is transmitted to the image forming apparatus, When the control command is included in the received e-mail, the image forming apparatus performs a control process corresponding to the control command.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the control system of the eighth aspect, the control command is a character string described following a specific character string.

According to a tenth aspect, in the eighth aspect, the control command is a character string described following a specific code.

[0029] The invention of claim 11 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 8, the control command is described as a text of an electronic mail.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the eighth aspect, the control command is described as a title of an electronic mail.

According to a thirteenth aspect, in the eighth aspect, the control command is described in an attached file attached to an electronic mail.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eighth aspect, when the received electronic mail does not include the control command, the image forming apparatus processes the electronic mail as fax data. It is characterized by doing.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image forming apparatus and a control method therefor according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus. As shown in FIG.
A network interface 1 and a mail reception processing unit 2,
E-mail transmission processing unit 3, command analysis processing unit 4, image processing unit 5, status monitoring processing unit 6, confidential box reference processing unit 7,
It comprises a print processing unit 8 and a confidential box processing unit 9.

The network interface 1 exchanges data and the like with the network to which the image forming apparatus 10 is connected.

The mail reception processing unit 2 receives an electronic mail via the network interface 1 and
It is determined whether the received mail is a control mail.

The mail transmission processing unit 3 transmits an electronic mail via the network interface 1.

When the electronic mail received by the mail reception processing unit 2 is a control mail, the command analysis processing unit 4 extracts a control command from the mail and analyzes it.

The image processing section 5 expands the FAX data when the mail received by the mail reception processing section 2 is a FAX data transmission mail.

When the command analyzed by the command analysis processing unit 4 is related to the operation of the image forming apparatus 10, the status monitoring processing unit 6 performs processing according to the command.

When the command analyzed by the command analysis processing unit 4 is related to a job, the confidential box reference processing unit 7 performs processing according to the command.

The print processing section 8 prints out the image developed by the image processing section 5.

The confidential box processing unit 9 stores the image developed by the image processing unit 5 in a predetermined confidential box, and transmits the image stored in the confidential box via the mail transmission processing unit 3 as necessary. I do.

Here, the control mail will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the control mail includes a mail sheet 20 in which mail header information 21 and mail body information 22 are described. Also, attached file information 23 is added as needed.

In the control mail, the mail header information 21, the mail body information 22, the attached file information 2
3, a control command is described. The control command is described following a specific character string or a specific code, for example, <ESC> (in the drawing, <ESC>
> Get Set Information), based on this <ESC>, the mail reception processing unit 2 determines whether or not the mail includes a control command, and the command analysis processing unit 4 extracts the command.

When describing a command in the mail header information 21, it is possible to describe the command at an arbitrary position in the header information, but practically, it is described as a title (Subject).

When a command is described in the mail text information 22, it can be described at an arbitrary position in the mail text, and a plurality of commands can be described together. Further, since the command is described following a specific character string, sentences other than the command may be mixed.

When a command is described in the attached file information 23, the command is described in the attached file.

Next, the types of commands described in the control mail will be described. The commands are roughly related to the setting and operation monitoring of the image forming apparatus 10 processed by the status monitoring processing unit 6 and the job processed by the confidential box reference processing unit 7.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a command.
In the example shown in the figure, "Status monitoring", "Status control",
Each command of "reference setting information" and "change setting information"
The processing is performed by the state monitoring processing unit 6. The “status monitoring” command performs status acquisition processing, and the “status control” command
A state control process is performed. The “setting information reference” command performs setting information acquisition processing, and the “setting information” change command performs setting change processing.

Also, “job control”, “print control”,
"FAX transmission / reception control", "E-mail transmission / reception control",
Each command of “received data information control” is processed by the confidential box reference processing unit 7. The “job control” command performs job start / restart / pause / deletion processing, and the “print control” command performs print request processing. The “FAX transmission / reception control” command performs FAX transmission processing and FAX reception / stop / restart processing. In the “e-mail transmission / reception control”, e-mail transmission processing and e-mail reception / stop / restart processing are performed, and in the “received data information control” command, received data reference / deletion processing is performed.

Next, the image forming apparatus 1 when receiving an electronic mail
The operation of 0 will be described. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the flow of the operation of the image forming apparatus 10.

In the image forming apparatus 10, the mail reception processing unit 2 constantly checks the presence or absence of a received mail (step 101), and if there is a received mail (YE in step 102).
S), it is checked whether or not any of the header, the body, and the attached file of the received mail has an identifier described by a specific character string or a specific code (step 103).

If there is an identifier in the received mail (YES in step 104), the mail is a control mail, so the mail is notified to the command analysis processing unit 4 (step 105). If there is no identifier (NO in step 104), the mail is
Since the fax data has been received, the mail is notified to the image processing unit 5 (step 106).

In the mail notified to the command analysis processing unit 4, the command is extracted by the command analysis processing unit 4, and the command type is checked (step 111).
a), status monitoring processing unit 6 or confidential box processing unit 7
Starts the corresponding process (step 112a). The description of the operation of each activated process is omitted.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a specific character string or a specific code is described in an e-mail, a command described following the specific character string or the specific code is transmitted. Since it is configured to execute, the image forming apparatus can be easily controlled from a simple portable terminal having an e-mail transmission / reception function, and therefore, it is not necessary to change a network configuration or the like. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control mail.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a command.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart (1) illustrating a flow of an operation of the image forming apparatus 10.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart (2) illustrating a flow of an operation of the image forming apparatus 10.

FIG. 6 is a diagram (1) for explaining network security;

FIG. 7 is a diagram (1) for explaining network security;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an Internet FAX.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a mailing list management device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network interface 2 E-mail reception processing part 3 E-mail transmission processing part 4 Command analysis processing part 5 Image processing part 6 Status monitoring processing part 7 Confidential box reference processing part 8 Print processing part 9 Confidential box processing part 10 Image forming device 20 Mail sheet 21 Email header information 22 Email body information 23 Attached file information

Claims (14)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus connected to a network and receiving a control instruction via the network receives an electronic mail and determines whether or not the received electronic mail includes a control command. Receiving means; control command analyzing means for extracting and analyzing the control command from the electronic mail determined to contain the control command by the mail receiving means; executing the control command analyzed by the control command analyzing means An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mail receiving unit determines that the control command is included in the received e-mail when the received e-mail includes a specific character string. The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control command analyzing unit extracts a sentence starting from a specific character string in the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit as the control command. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control command analyzing unit extracts the control command from a text of the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control command analyzing unit extracts the control command from a title of the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control command analyzing unit extracts the control command from a file attached to the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit. 7. A fax processing means for processing fax data, wherein the mail receiving means, when it is determined that the received electronic mail does not include the control command, converts the received electronic mail to the received electronic mail. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is transferred to the fax processing unit. 8. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus connected to a network and receiving a control instruction via the network, wherein the method includes transmitting an e-mail describing a control command to the image forming apparatus; And a control process corresponding to the control command when the control command is included in the electronic mail. 9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the control command is a character string described following a specific character string. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control command is a character string described following a specific code. 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control command is described as a body of an electronic mail. 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control command is described as a title of an electronic mail. 13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control command is described in an attached file attached to an electronic mail. 14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming apparatus processes the electronic mail as facsimile data when the received electronic mail does not include the control command. Control method.